Ramblings and Blue Book

Can I just say…what a week! 
We had Monday off and that just threw everyone off I guess. My kids were C-R-A-Z-Y! I am pretty sure there has to be a pressure change or full moon. Either way, I am looking forward to having a regular week next week. The kids are going to come in on Monday morning and we are going back to day one of the procedures and rules. That’s my ramblings…here is what this post is really about…
The Blue Book by Michael Heggerty…or as my kids call it “The Book of Trickiness” 
This has been an extremely helpful tool for Phonemic Awareness and I can’t say enough good things about this tool. It will make a huge change in your classroom…I promise! 
I have the students “tap” out the sounds when we do some of the exercises. I also let the kids sit on the tables on Fridays when we do our “Book of Trickiness” 
I have linked the picture to his web-site where you can get a copy of the book. It’s not that expensive either and it goes from pre-first through first grade…when phonemic awareness needs to be developed. It takes me 5-7 minutes to do both pages and the kids like it. I come up with hand gestures and we do some of it with a robot voice or something silly to keep them engaged. The lessons are all formatted for you and you just have to follow along. One of the pages looks like this:
I hope that you will look in to this resource as a supplement to the other phonics instruction you are already doing in your classroom. It has made a world on difference for my K kiddos. 
 Happy Saturday! 

Comments

  1. We use Michael Heggerty’s phonemic awareness program in our district as well. It helps so much when it comes to reading and writing. Michael Heggerty even gave a writing workshop in our district a few years ago. Totally changed the way I taught writing and what I focused on in my instruction. I love this program as well! So cool to hear that someone in another state is using this program too 🙂

    Mrs. Pauley’s Kindergarten

  2. It is the best! Do you do it with writing as well? This year I have started to let the kids use white boards as well when I am doing the sounds. That way the are correlating what they hear and getting the sounds down through writing. Do you by chance do DSA? 🙂

  3. I saw this used when I was student teaching! When I came to Korea to teach for the Department of Defense I knew I needed one so I had my mom order it and ship it to me! Everyone loves it!

  4. Super cool! Are you still in Korea? What an awesome experience!!!

  5. I was just trying to get my team to buy Michael’s books! I’ll tell them about your success.
    Sara
    Polka Dot Kinders