Since we only have a 3-day week this week {which is about 12 kinds of *awesome,* by the way!}, we’re reviewing, playing catch-up, and getting through our report card assessments.  My conferences start next Monday, so I have about a gobzillion and two things to accomplish in the next five days, including report cards, 3 grad school papers and prepping our home for another remodel.  Abby = Crazy Anyway, we’re reviewing the long a spelling pattern a_e this week, so we completed this little highlight-a-word activity.  Let me just tell you, when you’re in first grade, a highlighter is the equivalent of a magic wand.  Seriously, they *love* them!  If you’re interested in long a (a_e), long i (i_e), or long o (o_e) word work activities, be sure to check out my 2 buck printables by clicking on the pics below.  {Please note, only the spelling pattern changes – the 6 activities are the same.}

We also read The Ugly Pumpkin, which is the cutest little book about a pitiful “pumpkin” who realizes he’s a squash after he doesn’t get picked from the patch on time for Halloween.  After reading the book, we made a text-to-self connection about a time that we felt “squashed.”  You can get a copy of this prompt by clicking on it below…

{PS.  You can find more Ugly Pumpkin activities, including the ones pictured above and below,  in my Oh So Thankful activity pack found HERE.} After this writing activity, we completed a whole group chart about adjectives that described our squashy friend during the story and at the end of the story…

Because the story ended on a positive note and because we wanted the Ugly Pumpkin to be proud of who he was, the kiddos completed a similar graphic organizer using only positive adjectives.  We followed that up with a little craftivity that turned out suuuuuper cute!

Since I always embrace my students’ artistic abilities, I just couldn’t help but love the feminine version of the Ugly Pumpkin.  Not necessarily the character from the story, but oh well 🙂  And the one sitting pretzel-leg?  LOVE.

And, in totally unrelated news, my school scored a classroom set of iPads which I am seriously gaga over.  I mean, LOVE THEM.  I’m progress monitoring my students on Teach Me: First Grade and Teach Me: Kindergarten (for my sugars that need a little more support).  They are all kinds of engaged for the hour that we have them each week.  Also, I now want one for Christmas 🙂

Happy, happy midweek, bloggy friends!!!!!  T-minus 9 teaching days until Thanksgiving Break!!!  But who’s counting?!?!