Sunday, December 16, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Sandy Hook Elementary
10% of all sales from any store on Teachers Pay Teachers will be donated to Sandy Hook Elementary. While there is no way to replace what has been lost in this tragedy, hopefully Teachers Pay Teachers can play a small roll in the healing process.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Copyright, Trademark, and Plagiarism
Ever wonder about copyright, trademark, and plagiarism for your classroom, blog, or products you sell?
Here is a great resource: http://effectiveteachingarticles.blogspot.com/2012/12/warning-copyrights-trademarks.html
Here is a great resource: http://effectiveteachingarticles.blogspot.com/2012/12/warning-copyrights-trademarks.html
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Ideas for the Classroom: Season Changing Bulletin Board *Winter Update*
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Liebster Award!
During my Thanksgiving break I decided I should also take
a break from my computer. From Wednesday
morning through Sunday night I didn’t check my blog or write any new
posts (though one posted on Thursday that I wrote Tuesday night). So imagine my surprise to log on
today to find that Jayme from Trendy in Third nominated me for a Liebster
Award!!
Now, if you’re like me, you might be asking what a
Liebster award is. After doing a little
research I found out that it is given to new bloggers with 200 followers or
less. There are also a few rules:
Rule 1:
Post 11 random facts about yourself.
Boomer |
- I have a dog named Boomer.
- I’ve been married for 2 years.
- I love my job!
- I’m originally from Oregon.
- I ran my first marathon this past July.
- I think I will run another marathon next July.
- I have my teaching license in three different states.
- My first year teaching I was only three years older than a few of my seniors.
- I wish I was more creative.
- I love the outdoors.
- I love spicy food.
Rule 2:
Answer the questions that the nominator set for you.
1) What grade do you currently teach? Have you taught any
other grades?
I currently am
a K-8 Reading Specialist, but I used to teach 9-12 English/Language Arts.
2) What is your favorite thing about teaching? Least
favorite?
I love working
with students! It is amazing to see how
much they grow (intellectually) in a year! I don’t know if I have a least favorite part…
when I taught high school English the grading could be a little grueling at
times, but nothing is too bad.
3) If your school was donated $25,000, what would you
want your principal to purchase?
Oh boy! I would probably like a few classroom sets of
ipads with some money left over for purchasing apps. If I thought longer, though, I might have a
different answer.
4) What is your favorite TV show?
Breaking Bad…
and just a reminder that I am an English teacher NOT a Chemistry teacher :)
5) If you could go back in time, what era would you
choose to visit?
I would love to
go back to the 1920s.
6) What is your school mascot?
The Lumberjacks
7) How many kids are in your class?
I do reading
interventions so I work with students in groups of 1-5, but I work with about 50-60
students overall.
8) What is your current obsession?
Teachers Pay
Teachers
9) What is your idea of relaxing after a crazy day of
teaching?
I love curling
up with a good book while my dog curls up next to me.
10) Do you have a favorite holiday treat or drink?
I enjoy a good
hot toddy (although I don’t know if that is a ‘holiday’ drink)
11) Heels or flats?
Both – it depends
on the outfit.
Rule 3:
Create 11 questions for the people you nominate.
- What do you prefer: dogs or cats?
- What do you love the most about your job?
- If you weren’t in your current career, what job would you want?
- If you could have one wish granted, what would it be?
- Have you ever done karaoke? If no, would you ever?
- What is your favorite holiday?
- What is your favorite movie?
- What is your favorite book?
- What is your favorite website?
- Why did you start your blog?
- What is your favorite part of blogging?
Rule 4: Choose
11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them in your
post.
Rule 5: You
cannot “tag back” the other blog, but leave a comment on this post with the URL
of your Liebster post so I can learn more about you & see who you nominate.
- Mrs. Orman’s Classroom
- Kindergarten Squared
- Terry’s Teaching Tidbits
- The Crazy Pre-K Classroom
- It’s About Time Teachers
- I Dream of First Grade
- Devoted to Vocabulary Development
- Caught in the Middle
- Middle Grades Maven
- Teacher Talk
- Lessons From the Middle
A big thank you again to Jayme at Trendy in Third.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Ideas for the Classroom: Bear Hunt
Well, pretty quickly Monday morning I realized that many
of my students hit Thanksgiving overload. They had done so many fun
Thanksgiving activities in class, that coming down for reading intervention to
find yet another thanksgiving activity left them less than enthused.
Glancing around the room for an idea as my disappointed second graders sat in front of me, I pieced together this game
that I am calling “Bear Hunt.” I used it all this week (all two
days!) and my students love it. Here it is:
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
TPT: Cyber Monday Plus Tuesday Sale

- 2nd-5th Grade Creative Writing Cards: Aligned with Common Core Standards
- Common Core Literacy Centers - Pack 1
- Common Core Literacy Centers - Pack 2
- Long Vowel Posters & Word Work Packet
- Short Vowel Posters & Word Work Packet
So check out my store: Margaret Vaughan - iHeartLiteracy and load up your wishlist now for Monday & Tuesday!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Food For Thought
In Dr. Alec Couros’ short post Tips Up or Tips Down?, Couros
recounts a missed learning opportunity with his son.
The post is a powerful reminder that we as teachers
and parents need to foster and deepen our students’ curiosity. Technology
can provide simple answers in an instant. However, often more important
than the answer is how we use our minds to find, discover, search, and
create. Technology is great, but when it replaces thinking it can become
more of a hindrance than a help in the process of learning.
Again, Tips Up or Tips Down? is short, but it is well worth the
quick read.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Reading Research Monday: Toxic vs. Positive Self Talk
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday Freebie: Thanksgiving
Today's Friday Freebie has a Thanksgiving theme for the upcoming holiday. On this I Am Thankful For sheet, students are able to trace over the pre-written words, complete the sentence, and a draw a picture.
The sheet comes in color (as seen above) and in black and white. You can download it for FREE here: Thanksgiving: I am thankful for.
Enjoy!
The sheet comes in color (as seen above) and in black and white. You can download it for FREE here: Thanksgiving: I am thankful for.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Friday Freebie: Comprehension Sentence Starter Cards

Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
TPT: Common Core Literacy Centers Packet

I use these activities with 1st and 2nd grade students who are on level and with several of my 3rd and 4th grade Tier II and III intervention kiddos.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Friday Freebie: Non-Fiction Text Feature Scavenger Hunt
This week's Friday Freebie is a Text-Feature Scavenger Hunt for Non-Fiction. This two-page scavenger hunt works great with so many subject areas.
Using the scavenger hunt really allow kids to explore their math, history, business, health, etc. textbooks. Doing so helps students build a better understanding of how to read all parts of their non-fiction books. Also, students will gain an understanding of how and why their non-fiction books are structured the way they are.
Hope you and your students find it useful!
Using the scavenger hunt really allow kids to explore their math, history, business, health, etc. textbooks. Doing so helps students build a better understanding of how to read all parts of their non-fiction books. Also, students will gain an understanding of how and why their non-fiction books are structured the way they are.
Hope you and your students find it useful!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Reading Research Monday: The Positive Effects of Preschool
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Books: Lark
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday Freebie: Fluency Tracking Sheets
Since I mainly work with students in Tier III interventions, it is vital that I track their progress, but all students benefit from timely monitoring of their progress. Formative assessments provide teachers with so much information. Are the students on track? Are they growing? Are they growing at a rate that will allow them to get on track with their peers?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then we as teachers know that something needs to change. If I look at the results of progress monitoring and see a stagnant line, that tells me I need to change the interventions my kiddos are getting. Obviously these particularly strategies are not working with these particular students.
One area that many of my students are working to improve is their reading fluency. To help track their fluency progress, I created four Fluency Tracking Sheets.
The four sheets have different ranges of words per minute on them, making them useable for any grade level. They are great visuals for seeing how students are progressing. They're available for free on TPT. You can get to them by clicking: Fluency Tracking Sheets.
I hope you find them useful too!
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then we as teachers know that something needs to change. If I look at the results of progress monitoring and see a stagnant line, that tells me I need to change the interventions my kiddos are getting. Obviously these particularly strategies are not working with these particular students.
One area that many of my students are working to improve is their reading fluency. To help track their fluency progress, I created four Fluency Tracking Sheets.
The four sheets have different ranges of words per minute on them, making them useable for any grade level. They are great visuals for seeing how students are progressing. They're available for free on TPT. You can get to them by clicking: Fluency Tracking Sheets.
I hope you find them useful too!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Ideas for the Classroom: Word Spinners
I immediately started organizing things by priority. The last box of random items fell to the bottom of the list. Recently, however, I reopened that box, and found a packet of black arrow spinners, and I started wondering how I could use them.

So after thinking about my kiddos needs and what they were struggling with, I came up with these CVC spinners.
Basic Spinners
They are pretty simple and easy to make. All you need is:
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Ideas for the Classroom: Alphabet Game
Many of my first grade intervention kiddos need help with letter naming and letter sounds. For a fun way to help them master these skills I made "The Alphabet Game," which is extremely customizable for whatever your kiddos needs are.
Here is the basic set up:
Here is the basic set up:
Sunday, October 21, 2012
TPT: 1st Grade Common Core I Can Statements
My school is converting to the Common Core starting in January. To prepare for this I made 80+ ELA Common Core "I Can" Statements for 1st grade. (Other grades will be coming soon!)
They come in five designs including:
They come in five designs including:
- Polka Dots
- Plaid (Argyle)
- Pink & Green
- Retro
- Plain
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Polka Dots |
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Plaid (Argyle) |
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Pink & Green |
![]() |
Retro |
Friday, October 19, 2012
Friday Freebie: Daily 5 & CAFE Posters
This week's Friday Freebies relate to the Daily 5 and CAFE created by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser.
These two resources are posters that can act as headings for the ideas presented in the Two Sisters' books.
First are Daily 5 Posters:
Second are CAFE Reading Posters:
These two resources are posters that can act as headings for the ideas presented in the Two Sisters' books.
First are Daily 5 Posters:
- Read to Self
- Read to Someone
- Listen to Reading
- Word Work
- Work on Writing
Second are CAFE Reading Posters:
- Comprehension
- Accuracy
- Fluency
- Expand Vocabulary
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Reading Research Monday: Parents' Influence on Student Performance
Today's Reading Research Monday isn't directly related to reading. It is related to school in general, but implications for improving reading ability can be easily inferred.
Co-authors Dr. Toby Parcel, Dr. Mikaela Dufur, and Ph.D. student Kelly Troutman found that parents have more influence over student success than schools do. Parcel summarizes their findings by stating:
The effort that parents are putting in at home in terms of checking
homework, reinforcing the importance of school, and stressing the
importance of academic achievement is ultimately very important to their
children's academic achievement.
This new study is supported by many other sources including: Pamela E Davis-Kean's The Influence of Parent Education and Family Income on Child Achievement: The Indirect Role of Parental Expectations and the Home Environment, and the Michigan Department of Education's What Research says about Parent Involvement in Children's Education in Relation to Academic Achievement.
Research
Published in the journal Research in Social Stratification and Mobility on September 5, 2012, Does Capital at Home Matter More than Capital at School?: Social Capital Effects on Academic Achievement examines how parents influence student performance. The study analyzes results from 10,000 12th graders.Co-authors Dr. Toby Parcel, Dr. Mikaela Dufur, and Ph.D. student Kelly Troutman found that parents have more influence over student success than schools do. Parcel summarizes their findings by stating:
This new study is supported by many other sources including: Pamela E Davis-Kean's The Influence of Parent Education and Family Income on Child Achievement: The Indirect Role of Parental Expectations and the Home Environment, and the Michigan Department of Education's What Research says about Parent Involvement in Children's Education in Relation to Academic Achievement.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
TPT: Short Vowel Word Work Activities
To help build early literacy skills, I created Short Vowel Packets for each vowel. The packets mainly work with CVC words and common word families like -an, -et, -ip, -ot, and -ug, but a few other non-CVC word families like -ill, -ock, and -uff are also included.
Here are a few FREE sample pages from the Short A Packet:
Each packet includes:
-Two Vowel Posters
-Five Word Work Activities and Games:
1) Circle It
2) Highlight & Rewrite
3) Word Sort
4) Matching
5) Roll 'em & Read 'em
You can purchase each vowel packet individually or bundled together for a discount. To see a preview of the packets or to purchase them, you can find them here:
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Books: Everybody Sees the Ants
Age Level: 14+
Pages: 279
Overview:
Caught between daydreams of ants who taunt, tease,
defend, and support him and real dreams of saving his grandfather from
Vietnam, Lucky Linderman tries to survive his freshman year of high
school.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Friday Freebie: Active Reading Strategy Bookmarks
These free Active Reading Strategy Bookmarks are great for students at all grade levels. I've used them with third graders and tenth graders and several grades in between.
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