The Reading Toolbox

This Consonant Blends Activity Pack is a multi-sensory, 22-page phonics resource designed to seamlessly integrate into daily literacy routines through whole-group instruction, small-group targeted intervention, or independent centers. It features foundational teaching tools like a vibrant Anchor Chart to introduce new blends with engaging strawberry and pineapple themes, alongside orthographic mapping tools like Elkonin Boxes to help students visually segment and write individual phonemes. Th

Easily plan for your flexible guided reading groups with this digital planner. I dread using a traditional planner because I find that I'm always rearranging lessons and students. Simply type students names into the reading groups. Add anecdotal notes to record students' progress by using the comment function. Then, use the lesson planner feature to keep a record of when you met with students. Also, you may type your plans and activities for each group. Click on the monthly tabs at the bottom o

Have your students become ancient storytellers and create their own myths, folktales, or fables. Print the Power Point slides and draw and write on the storyboard. Or, create a digital story by typing in the template and adding clipart.

Use the anchor chart to teach students how to analyze poetry. Give students the bookmarks of the anchor chart for independent application of the skill. The anchor chart reminds students to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they read poetry by disitinguishing between literal and nonliteral language. The chart also focuses students to consider the structure of the poem, as well as other poetic elements.

An author has a plan when he/she writes. An author wants to inform the reader and provides details that support the topic. Readers can use the author’s blueprint, or plan, to determine the main idea.

Good readers visualize when they read. Students picture themselves with the character and draw a selfie to capture an important event from the story. Add a # caption that includes the character's important words and actions from the text. Students may choose between 3 organizers to create a selfie: camera, cellphone, or filmstrip. The filmstrip organizer would be great to turn into an anchor chart for the visualization reading strategy.

Directions: Develop class norms with students by creating a pennant banner to display in the classroom. Students write, or draw, “I can” statements on the pennants about following school rules. Have students share pennants and discuss with the class the commonalities. Finally, students should agree upon 6 fundamental norms and the teacher records them on an “Our Class Norms” Anchor Chart. Thank you for your purchase! Follow me on twitter and Leading for Literacy Blog for literacy ideas and

Reading trackers help students focus on reading by moving the tracker across the text as they read. Students can manipulate the fun trackers by pointing to the text during reading. The trackers have encouraging phrases, such as; "Read like a Detective, and "You're an out of this world reader" which will help raise the confidence of your struggling readers.

Strategic readers can sift through text details to find relevant quotes. Have students fold the pocket and glue into their interactive notebooks. Then, students can use the note cards to record relevant details or quotes during a close reading of the text. You can have students review their quotes in partners or guided reading to determine relevancy. Thank you for your purchase! Follow me on twitter and Leading for Literacy Blog for literacy ideas and coaching tips. Premium subscribers receive

The Reading Toolbox Bundle includes 8 products from my TpT store: Vocabulary Basketball, Conversation Connections, Erase That Man, Literacy Center Signs, Poem of the Week, Reading Trackers, Visualizing Let's Take a Selfie, and the Literacy Must Do Menu. All of the PDF files are embedded on this bundled word document. Just double click on each image to open the files. For a full description of each and more preview images check out each product that sells individually in my TpT store "The Reading

Teach students to look for syllable patterns to decode unknown words. Use the anchor chart to introduce the 6 syllable types during word study. Give some examples of words that fit the patterns. Make a copy of the chart for students to glue into their interactive reading journals. Copy and laminate the bookmarks for students to apply the decoding strategy during independent or guided reading. Keep the anchor chart displayed in the classroom near your phonics cards for reference.

The literacy center signs will help you set up a balanced literacy classroom. All 24 signs feature an aspect of literacy,have an attractive title, picture icon, and are star themed with a blue/yellow color scheme.

Plan and organize your student reading groups for a balanced literacy classroom. The poster includes stars to write the names of your reading groups and 6 rotations: Meet with Teacher, Independent Learning Activities, Independent Reading, Reader’s Response Journal, Writer’s Workshop, Word Work. This chart can be made into a poster and laminated. Add velcro to the chart and stars. Use the numbered stars to change the rotations each day. Or, display digitally and annotate on the chart. Also, you m

Use this Writer's Workshop anchor chart to teach students to peer edit by using the P.A.M. strategy. P=Praise, A=Ask a question, & M=Make a suggestion. Students can glue the chart in their writing journals and even cut out the right side and use as a bookmark guide for peer conferencing. Use a poster maker to turn the chart into an anchor chart for display in your writing center.

Vocabulary basketball is a fun literacy center to help students master tier-2 vocabulary words. This center targets students with a kinesthetic learning style. Students of all ages love this engaging literacy center and it is easily adapted to any language arts curriculum. Simply write your unit vocabulary words on the basketball word cards. Laminate the basketball word cards and glue the directions onto a file folder to create a durable center. Allow students to shoot a soft ball into a small

The Temporal Words and Phrases Word Wall can be introduced in a Writer's Workshop lesson. Use a poster maker to turn into an anchor chart to hang on your classroom wall. Have students glue the "I Can Use Temporal Words and Phrases" chart into their Writing Journals as a reference sheet. Common Core Aligned.

The Active Listening and Participation PowerPoint is an anchor lesson for the beginning of the school year. This interactive slideshow creates a shared learning experience and sets expectations for the school year. Two anchor charts are developed throughout the slide show which can be displayed as posters in the classroom and referred to during the year. Includes colorful clipart examples and non-examples of listening and participation.

In a balanced literacy classroom, "Word Work" is one important part. This word work center bundle includes 8 different anchor activities with resources for spelling that students can complete independently, or collaboratively. Model and introduce 1 word work center at a time. Once students understand the directions students will be able to access the word work centers throughout the school year. Simply, change out the spelling words about once a week. I've included a class roster with word work

Read Across America Week Celebrate the Magic of Reading during the first week of March! This week long plan includes engaging ideas for each day of the week. Also includes: Parent Form Letter you can use to invite parents to be guest readersDiverse Character costume ideas for Character DayDiverse book selection ideas for global school wide read aloud Thank you for your purchase! Follow me on twitter and Leading for Literacy Blog for literacy ideas and coaching tips. Premium subscribers receiv

Students build words with the prefixes pre-, dis-, and mis- by matching prefixes to root words. This prefix literacy center is high interest for students that like cars or to fix things. Students should spell the new words they build in word work journals.