Creating Sight Words Reviews

I love PowerPoint the things you can do with a presentation are endless.  I use PowerPoint to create a lot of my units and I have always used PowerPoint to create sight words reviews and test for my students when I taught ELA.  I still use it to create Podcast for my class and especially when I create the Morning Announcements for my school.  So for many, you might already know how to create the PowerPoint Sight words review, but when I create my sight words review, I use it to create podcast and videos that my parents can use at home with their students off their computer or even downloading them on to a table they might have.  So here is the how to:

The Before Work:
1. I create a normal PowerPoint presentation with one word per slide.  I usually add a background color to make the words pop on the slide.
2. After I create the slides, I save the PowerPoint 2 ways.  First I save it as a normal PowerPoint.  You can go to TRANSITIONS and have your PowerPoint advance after 3 seconds and students can study the words without you changing it for them.  Second I save the PowerPoint in JPEG format, yes you read correctly, as JPEG.  To save as JPEG, hit SAVE AS and then right under the PowerPoint title, hit the drop down menu at the SAVE FILE AS...and find the JPEG FILE INTERCHANGE FORMAT.  When you click on that a pop up menu will come up asking you if you want to save EVERY SLIDE, CURRENT SLIDE ONLY or CANCEL.  Click on EVERY SLIDE.  Clicking on this will save every slide individually as a JPEG file in its own folder, usually in the same location of the first save.
3. Now like I said if you save the PowerPoint in the normal way with 3 second advancement you can save the file and bring it up when you would like students to practice their sight words, but what about those students that you know don't know the words or need the extra help reading the words?  That is where the JPEG files come into play.

Creating a voiced video for sight words practice using Windows Movie Maker: 
1. Open up Windows Movie Maker.
2. Import all the pictures of the slides you saved as JPEG.
3. Go to Options and make sure your slides are set to the 3 seconds on the transition for each slide before putting the pictures on the story board.  For older versions of Movie Maker, you will need a separate program to record the voice portion of the video.  I usually use Audacity (google it and you will find the FREE download).  On my newer computer (Windows 8)  the Movie Maker has a option to record narration and I use that now instead of having to move from program to program.
4. After recording the voice portion on Audacity (for older models) save it as an MP3 format and then import it to the Movie Maker and line it up with the pictures you have already added to the story board.
5. Save the video to the computer.  REMEMBER TO SAVE AS PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND MAKE CORRECTIONS, but the video is not complete till you save the video to the computer.

Congratulations you have just created a voiced sight words review.  I usually upload the videos to my webpage so parents can download on to their tablets at home and also so my Spanish speaking parents can use them to help their students study the words at home.

If you would prefer to watch a how to video on how to create sight word videos, I have embedded the videos below.

Part 1 of 3 video Creating Sight Words Video
Part 2 of 3 Recording Your Voice
Part 3 of 3 Putting It All Together

Thanks for coming by I hope you found this tutorial helpful, follow my blog for more tutorials on how to integrate more technology into your classroom. 

If you are not ready to create these reviews yourself, click on the picture below to the Sight Words Review PowerPoint from my store.    

I would love to hear from you, please leave a comment on the tutorial or what you would love to see on this webpage.  I would greatly appreciate any feedback on how to make this a better website.

Beginning of the Year

I forget how crazy the beginning of the year is and even though I am already in my fifth week, yes you heard me right!, fifth week of school, it is still crazy.  I work in a year around school so when it seems that my kids are just getting the hang of things and we can begin moving to the next level, we are about to take our first intersession.  The good and bad of intersession.  I so need a break already, I feel that I have been working for a long time already, BUT we are just getting the hang of things and this week can make us go backwards.  We will see what happens when we come back in September. 

So I have been busy creating some stations for my class and for our first Title Family Night.  I wanted to incorporate technology into the stations, so I have included some QR codes as a self check for my students.  Like I have mentioned before my class is blessed lots of technology.  Before my iPods and iPads were used in a single station, but now I want to use them more as an integration then a stand alone station.  So I created a number recognition station along with some double facts cards.  Click on the pictures below to purchase the packet in my store. 

Have a great school year!

New Blog

So because I have dedicated this blog to technology, I have created a new blog that is dedicated to what I teach, math! Well I actually teach math, science and social studies. Last year my curtain partner and I piloted a departmentalized schedule. Our third graders follow this type of schedule and the administrators wanted to try it out in the lower levels, so they asked first and second grade to pilot the program. My kids went to a school that departmentalized in first grade, so I knew that our kids could do it, so we tried it. I loved it, there were a few kinks to work out, but it was great. So since this blog was dedicated to how I used technology, I wanted to create a blog that was dedicated to the journey of departmentalizing in first grade. Come on over and visit and don't forget to follow me. I plan on uploading some freebies as well as include you in my journey to a full year of departmentalizing. I would love to hear from your experts too.

Summer!

Wow, it feels like just yesterday was my last day of school, but we are actually only 1 month away from returning back to school.  I work at a year around school, so 6 weeks really do go by really fast.  I have been really busy this past few weeks trying to find things to decorate my classroom.  I left with an idea in mind, I actually had already started putting up some things, but I should have know better.  After going through Pinterest and a trip to Mardel, I have changed my mind.  I am telling you people I need help!  I have so many projects I want to begin I don't even know where to start.  And of course in my head I am thinking this is my summer people I should be relaxing or catching up on everything I don't get to do throughout the year.  So what's on my to do list?  Well last year I began a theme of Owls, I really didn't take off with it, I wasn't really sure how to proceed.  I mean I saw so many different things that I wanted to do and really didn't have a chance.  It was my first year in First grade and I was more concerned with learning the curriculum than really keeping up with my decoration.  I kept it simple last year, green and white polka dots with black borders.  I incorporated some baby blues in there.  So this year I wanted to build on it and I had a vision in my head.  Before I left I covered my cabinet doors in colored paper and have it set so I can come in and add the border, but when I went to go buy the border it happened, I saw the cutest owls.  I am telling you people I try my best to stay away from Mardel once I have made up my mind.  I rarely visit once the school year begins, but like I said I was going in to get more border and BOOM! There it was the cutes owls border I have seen.  According to the sales lady they have had it a while.  I don't remember seeing it last year, so they must have gotten it during the school year.  I LOVED IT!  And to top it off I really don't need to change my colors a lot.  I am just adding a 3rd color to the scheme -- TURQUOISE! I mean who doesn't love some turquoise?  The best part of it I had already picked up some turquoise containers I found on a trip I made during the year to Dollar Tree.  (I am in deep people...my co-worker laughs because I have a container of containers)  I mean when you see it you must get it right?!  Right?! Help me out people I need some love here!  I am excited about getting my new vision up, but they are in the process of waxing our floors so I can't go into my room until beginning of next month.  That's alright the hubby is taking vacation that week so OH HUBBY... shhh don't break it to him yet! I will make sure to take pics and post I love beginning of the year pics everything looks so shiny and new. 





Here is the new theme.  Look at those OWLS!!! How cute are they!!

End of year

Wow! This year has flown by...I can't believe my students will be 2nd graders soon. I don't know if I have mentioned before, but this was my first year in first grade and I was lucky enough to be able to bring with me most of my kinder kids, so this year will be a bitter sweet end of year. I love my fristies, they have become a big part of my life. I will defiantly miss this group and I will forever be thankful that the year I had to move up to first with with this group. Don't get me wrong the end of the year is always hard for me I grow to love my kids so much, but I have had these kids for two years. I still remember getting them in kinder and most could not write their own name and now we are at the end of first and they are reading and so much more. {tear} Enough of the snappiness.

So with the end of the year fast approaching us you know what that means right?! T-E-S-T-I-N-G, so much of it my mind is about to explode!!! So to keep my kiddos busy while I am getting this done and to give them time to reminisce I have created a memory book. Click on the picture below to get your copy.

Last Six Weeks

So the count down has begun and so has the first grade "itis" is there such a thing?  I know my senior has senioritis so why can't a first grade student? Well my students started thinking that first grade is over and they are ready to move on to second grade. 

Since my curtain partner and I are departmentalizing this semester, I do get some time away an opportunity to teach my partners students.  I love teaching this way, I guess that comes from my middle school days, but I love the fact that I plan for one subject and get to teach my favorite subject in the whole wide world, math.  I have to admit though that I do find myself teaching ELA and hearing my little ones read, so when I get a chance I still call students to my table and have them read to me.  I just love to see this little ones grow up.  I have had most of these kiddos since Kindergarten.  I was able to loop up with them this year, so I have seen the improvement since day 1 on most of my students.  I am going to miss them next year, but I was glad that my first year in first grade was with a group that I knew and knew my expectations well, in fact they pretty much trained my newbies. 

Anyhoo, our school is STAAR testing this week and we are locked in our classrooms till the testing is all done (we aren't really, but it feels like that to the kids and the teacher at times).  I have taken this time to begin my end of year testing also.  Did I mention I love to see progress it just makes my heart swell with pride in these kids. 

Well with our 3rd graders testing this week, we wanted to send best wishes to our counterparts in 3rd grade, so we made them some STAAR Wars Best Wishes cards and attached a blow pop to it.  I found the clipart from Dorky Prints over at etsy.com to go with our STAAR Wars theme.  Also since this is the last week and like I mentioned before we are having a little trouble keeping kids to stay with me the last six weeks my curtain partner and I have started a little table wars game with our classes.  The winner earns extra recess on Friday while the other students sit and work on AR and earning points towards our end of year Book Bonanza Celebration (more on that later).  I have included the cute boxes I made for each table for you today. 

 Sorry about the side ways picture, I thought I straightened it out...

Oh yes and a link to my Table Wars cards.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Table-Wars

If you grab a copy of my Table War cards, please leave a comment.  Let me know what you are doing to keep you kids focused this last six weeks. 

Looking to Next Year

Today is the last day of my intersession.  I work at a year around school and we do 6 weeks on 1 week off.  With the last 6 weeks quickly approaching us, I find myself, like I do every year, looking forward to the next year and thinking of items that I need to get started this summer for next year. Now because I do work at a year around school, our summer is built into the school year so this means that our summers are a w-h-o-l-e 6 weeks long.  Then if that was not short enough, I decided this summer to begin classes for my principal certification.  So the hubby is asking if I plan on leaving teaching to become an adminstrator.  NOT!  I just think that if I ever wanted to, I was 9 months closer to it than if I did not start the program.  Does that make sense?  Of course it does...

With all this going on my 2nd oldest graduates from high school and moves 5 hours away this summer {sigh}.  My oldest one (who graduated last year) stayed close to home {so close that he didn't leave} he stayed locally, so even though he is my second oldest and many think oh you have already gone through this well I haven't...I am trying to be a big girl and keep the tears back and get him everything he needs to have before he moves away, but it's getting closer guys.  YIKES!!! I AM NOT READY!!!  It feels like I was just walking him to Pre-K... Ok let's get off this topic and back to DENIAL. 

So tell me what's on your mind right now? End of year testing? Next year's class? Summer vacation?