Lollipops and Lemondrops :)

Hey y'all! Hope you've had a great week! :)

Tomorrow is our Dr. Seuss birthday party - complete with 
Seuss Juice {source: presh idea from Cara Carroll last year}, 
Thing 1 cupcakes {source: Pinterest} since we are 1st graders, and Truffella trees {source: Pinterest}. 

We are SO taking the Lorax stache pics { source: Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations} too - makes me laugh out loud!! :)

I have a new little Facebook venture: Lollipops and Lemondrops! I am making digital party printables for sweet soirees and heat press tees...you know Southerners are all about monograms and shirts with names all over it!! :) Head over to Facebook to check it out...only 1 like away from an Easter heat press shirt giveaway - and yes, I will ship to y'all outside of Bama if you win!!! :)

 I smile every time I get a like on FB - same as when I get a new follower here on Castles and Crayons! I am so, so, so very blessed by the support of L and L in such a short time - it is a dream come true! :)

Oh and speaking of giveaways -- Roll and Read Fluency Phrases {Beginning Blends} winners are below. The unit will be 20% on TpT tonight and tomorrow! :)

Happy TG-so very close-F!!! :)

Roll and Read {Beginning Blends}

Happy Monday, y'all! 

We are gearing up for a fun filled Dr. Seuss week, 

complete with his birthday party on Friday! :) Pics coming soon! We read my very favorite Dr. Seuss story this morning, Gertrude McFuzz. Gertrude is smarter now and so are my firsties!! :)

The newest Roll and Read has been added to my TpT shop. There were so many requests for this beginning blends set and I thank you so much for being oh so patient!! :)

You can click on the picture below to check it out!

I will also be bundling all of the Roll and Read units into a mega pack zip file coming by the end of the week! It will have all 5 of the Roll and Read units with some savings, of course! :)

{Short Vowels}

{Long Vowels}

{Consonant Digraphs}

{r-controlled Vowels}

{Beginning Blends}

**I will send this unit to five people on Wednesday, February 27.

Just comment below with your email address! 

Hats off to a spectacular Seuss week! :)

Small Group Fun *Updated!

Happy October friends! I am super pumped for the cool weather headed our way in Bama...67?!? Yes, please! :)

I just started my reading small groups last week. So far, so good! I love how excited they are to come to the back table for the first time! HA! Sweet, sweet firsties! :)

The first thing I always do with my small groups is introduce the Alphabet Chart with my lower groups, and the Blend and Digraph Chart with my higher groups. I introduce one row at a time and echo read so they can hear the correct sounds. I use these all year long...eventually moving all of my groups to the Blend and Digraph chart. It only takes about 1 minute and I like that it signals the beginning of group time! I also put both of these charts in their Writing folder for added reinforcement. 

Click on the pictures to download an 
Alphabet Chart and a Blend and Digraph Chart for free!

A fun game we played last week is called Bananas! You can call it whatever you want...I went with Bananas to go with our jungle theme! ;)  I have flashcards of the all of the sight words introduced so far this school year and add more cards every week as more sight words are introduced. Right now, we have about 20 sight words. I also have 4 or 5 cards {more as more sight words are added} that say Bananas! To play the game, I put all the cards in a bucket. When the bucket gets to a child, they choose a card. If they can read the sight word, they keep the card. If they can't read it, they put it back in the bucket. If they get a card that says Bananas!, they have to put all of their cards in the discard pile. When the bucket is empty, the child with the most cards wins! We play a version of this game all the time...with phonics words too! :)

Click on the picture below to download 
Go Bananas for Sight Words {First Grade} for free!

 I am also loving these Roll and Read Fluency Phrases! They are such a great warm up or closing activity! It only takes 1 die and everyone can play in 3 - 4 minutes {or more if you have the time!} I like easy and fun small group activities all year long, but ESPECIALLY the first few weeks!

I just uploaded a Consonant Digraph version, as well as a Bundle Pack of all three sets {short vowels, long vowels, and consonant digraphs}. Click on the pics below to check it out!

I would LOVE to hear your favorite small group kick off activities!

Have a great week!!!

Blend and Digraph Cards

What a fun 4th of July! I hope you enjoyed time (and lots of good food!) with family and friends! :)

Every summer, the 4th of July is a gentle reminder that school is just around the corner! I can't wait to incorporate everything I have seen on all of the awesome blogs out there! :)

I just posted Blend and Digraph cards to go along with the Blend and Digraph chart. Click here to purchase from TpT!

There is only a few hours left in the giveaway for a $15 Target gift card. To enter, click here! Good luck!!!

Coming up next...more on The Daily Five! :)

Blend and Digraph Chart

I am back with another freebie for all of my FABULOUS FOLLOWERS! I just can't believe it! I love blogging!!! :)

This Blend and Digraph chart is similar to the Alphabet Chart but is better suited for firsties or for Kinders after Christmas!

Click here to grab it from my TpT store!

Just a reminder that there is still time to enter my giveaway for a $15 Target gift card! Click here to enter! :)