Flash Card Tracker Folder

Flash Card Tracker Folder!

I LOVE to use these when tutoring, preschool, or in the classroom!

You can make a set of flash cards using index cards, moon cards, etc... OR you can just use store bought ones!  Go through the set of flashcards with your student and separate them into 3 categories as they give you their answers: stop, slow down, and go.  STOP- these are the flash cards that the kids don't know.  You have to tell them the answer.  SLOW DOWN- these are the flash cards the kids kind of know.  Sometimes they know it, sometimes they don't.  GO- these are the flash cards the kids know without hesitation!  Once you go through the flash cards with the students, you put the flash cards in the appropriate pockets.  So, when you go to work on them again with the student you know which ones they really know and which ones they need a little extra help with.

You can use this with math facts, sight words, phonics, abc's, etc...  Such a great tool!

How to make your own Flash Card Tracker Folder:

Materials Needed;

File Folder

Printout of Stoplights (links to download below)

Scissors

Red, Yellow, & Green Construction Paper

Red, Yellow, & Green Markers or Colored Pencils

Glue Stick or Rubber Cement

Razor Blade

Lamination

Stoplight Printable - On Scribd
Stoplight Printable- On 4shared
Stoplight Printable- On Dropbox

 Step 1: Color the Stoplights!

 Step 2: Cut them out

 Step 3: Cut out the red, yellow, & green construction paper.

I cut my green one- 7.5" x 6"

I cut my red & yellow- 7" x 4.5"

Glue the white stoplight printables onto the green, yellow, and red papers

 Step 4: Put glue on the back of the red, yellow, and green "pockets".  MAKE SURE YOU DON'T PUT GLUE ON THE TOP!  That way you make a pocket! Glue pocket to the file folder.

Step 5: Laminate.

Step 6: Using the razor blade cut a slit at the opening of your pocket!

 Step 7: Enjoy!

 If you are making them for your classroom, I would put the students name on the tab and then file it.

I would have files for math facts, reading, etc... Then, when I go to work with that student I could pull their file.  Also, with the older kiddos, they could get a partner and pull out their math facts files then quiz each other!!

"Follow The Prophet" Clothes

These are so much FUN!!  You can use these for FHE or singing time in Primary.  I served as a Primary Chorister for 2 years and LOVED it!  One of the BEST callings!  The song "Follow the Prophet" was one of the songs for the program the year I was chorister.  So, I tried to come up with a fun way to teach the song.  I would pick kids to come up to be Adam, Noah, Jonah, etc...  They would hold the "prophet clothes" up so it looked like they were wearing them.  So cute, especially with the little Jr. Primary kiddos!

Cup Puppet: Frog

Back in 2004 {wow!  That was a loooong time ago!} I took a "Puppetry for Children" class at ASU.  LOVED IT!  Had an awesome professor!  Well, one of the assignments was to come up with a cup puppet.  She gave us a great example of a dragon cup puppet (hoping I can share that idea soon).  So, I came up with this puppet: The Frog Cup Puppet!!  Since creating this puppet I have made it with hundreds of students and they LOVE them!  These would also be great for birthday parties!!  

Warning you now... don't have the best camera. :)  

When using this frog cup puppet in the classroom I like to use these 2 books with the puppet:

"The Frog Prince Continued" and "A Frog in the Bog".

I use "The Frog Prince Continued" with more intermediate age kids.  I have a Reader's Theater to this.... just got to find it. :)  I'll post it here once I find the file. Reader's Theater helps with fluency.  Also the puppets are interactive to use during the reading of this story.

I like to use "A Frog in the Bog" with more primary age kids.  After making our frog puppets, we read this book.  We were studying the -og family.  So, while I read aloud this book, anytime the kids heard an "-og" word they would blow their frog's tongue out.  SO FUN!

How to make my Frog Cup Puppet:

 Materials Needed:

• Green Felt
• Google Eyes
• White Pom Poms
• Green Paper Cups (I find mine at a discount party store.  Come in packages of 24)
• Blowouts
• Scissors
• Packing Tape
• Tacky Glue or Hot Glue Gun (I use Tacky Glue if the kiddos are primarily making the puppet)

PREP:

{I'm thinking of selling prepared kits of these frogs in my etsy shop.  So, keep checking back!  That way you don't have to do the prep work and the craft kits are all ready to go for your classroom or bday party!}

 First, cut off the little fringe around your blowouts (if needed).  I know some come with paper decor on them that will need to be removed.

 Second, cut out the frog legs out of your green felt.  For each frog cup puppet you will need 2 feet and 2 legs.  Depending how high you want the legs to come up on your puppet, that determines how tall you make them.

 Third, push out the bottoms of the green paper cups.

 It will look like this.  Throw away the bottom and just push back the paper lining left on the bottom of the cup.

Like this! :)

ASSEMBLY:

You choose based on your kiddos abilities how much they can do.  You know them and what they can handle.  When I was teaching first graders and made these with my class, I put tacky glue on a plate and gave them toothpicks to use to glue the legs and google eyes together.  Then, they could come back to the "mushroom table" and I (or a parent helper) would hot glue the legs and eyes to the green paper cup.  Installing the blowout is a little tricky for the younger kiddos too.

I used hot glue in the pic just cuz I'm an adult and it's easier. :)  When the kiddos do this with tacky glue, I tell them to hold it until they count to 20.

Make sure the feet are glued facing different directions.  One facing left and another facing right.

 The kids can decide how close they want their frog eyes glued together on the top of the frog.  Then, put glue on the sides to glue on the frog legs.

 The favorite feature of the frog puppet: his/her tongue!

I cut about a 3 inch strip of packing tape (I use packing tape because it hold the best).  

Put the piece of tape on top of the blow out.  Hold the edges up in like a "U" shape.  Tape it to the inside of the cup.  See below pic.

 I then write the kiddos names on the inside of the cup so we don't spread any germs on the blowouts. :)

 YAY!!  All done!

FROG PRINCESS:

So, these puppets would be such a cute/fun craft at any "Princess Frog" birthday party!!  

All you need to do is add a crown!

 You can buy little foam crown kits at a craft store or you can make your own.  I just have these foam sheets from the Dollar Store and these Jewels that I bought from Michaels.  

The girls will love gluing the bling on the crowns!

 Just glue the princess crown behind the eyes.

**These frogs are for personal use only!!  Please link back to my site if you share them on your blog!**

Personal Progress Interviews

Personal Progress Interviews

Sometimes (well a lot of the times) we have to stay on top of our Young Women to see where they are at when working toward their Medallion and Honor Bee.  I like to have semi-annual Personal Progress Interviews with the girls and one of their parents.  I like to schedule them around General Conference time (not the actual day, but just that time of year) so that it's easy to keep track of when you had the interviews. 

I've done it 2 ways:

1: All the Young Women (and their parent) came to a designated leader's house and either met with the YW President, 1st Counselor, or 2nd Counselor.  It's pretty much like Visiting Teaching interviews, except it's Personal Progress.  

-OR-

2: I've also done these where it was just your age group.  For example, just the Mia Maids went to a certain house where they and their parent met with both the 1st Counselor and Mia Maid Advisor.

Hope that makes sense.... :)

We've always had a "waiting area" that had soft church music playing and little snacks or treats for the YW and their parents to enjoy while they wait for their turn for their interview.  Just in case they are running behind or if a YW shows up early.  When we did it the above #1 way, our YW Secretary hung around in the "waiting area" and would kind of keep the interviews going by sending the YW and parent into the next interview once a leader was available.

What do you do in the interview?

Well, at the interview you sit down with the Young Woman and their parent and go over their progress in the Personal Progress Program.

  

You can:

• Check to make sure their master chart is updated
• See if they are logged on for online Personal Progress
• Check to make sure they are updated on their Personal Progress Ribbon Bookmark and that it's made correctly (there is a you tube video some Laurels made to show how to make them.  Yes... seriously!!  Tons easier to understand than the directions that come with the bookmark!)
• Answer any questions about the Personal Progress Program.
• Go over the Honor Bee, if they are ready to begin.
• Have them pick out a project or experience for YW in Excellence (finalize it in their October interview)
• Make goals of what Personal Progress experiences or projects they want to have done in the next 6 months. (6 months is when you will have your next round of Personal Progress Interviews)

These are the forms I use:

You can download them HERE.  Make sure you download it as a "doc" so you can edit the dates, times, etc...

***UPDATE!***
You can now download the forms on a new site HERE
or in Dropbox HERE

This is the sign up sheet I send around in Opening Exercises for the girl's the sign up for their interview time. Send this around a couple weeks before the actual interviews.

These were the reminders we would hand out to the girls either the Sunday before or day of the interview.  Just as a last minute reminder of when they signed up for their interview and when and where it's at.

This is the form the YW leader has in front of her while conducting the interview.  Make sure you write the goals in both places.  You cut off the bottom copy so the YW and parent go home with a copy of the goal they made during their interview.  I then file this with the Young Woman's chart so I will have it to reference to for the next 6 months.

** Make sure you follow up with them!!!  I like to send a little postcard or letter in the mail after it's been about 3 months with their goals listed for them again.  Just in case they lost that slip of paper. :) **

Hope you find this helpful!! :)

Read & Find: Colors

When I would teach reading groups I would like the kids to use different "tools" to find specific words/letters/sounds when reading.  For example, I would use these "Read & Finds" (that's what I call them) when I wanted the kids to find the names of colors in the story.  Some great stories to use with frequent colors are:

I would print these on card-stock, color them, and then cut them out.  I would cut a little window out big enough so the students can fit it over the word they are looking for.  Then, I laminate them for durability. 

Download my "Read & Finds: Colors" file for FREE.

It's a great reinforcement activity for the kids!!  And they feel like a detective!  

You can also buy these mini colorful magnifying glasses at Oriental Trading. 

Colors Sight Word Recognition Test

When your kiddos are preschool/Kinder age they should be able to "read" or actually read the names of the colors.  Back in 2004 I was tutoring a second grader who didn't know his colors and was unable to read them.  So, I made an entire tutoring lesson on colors!  I created a test to use on students to assess their knowledge on reading their colors.  This is a great tool to use if you are teaching preschool!

You can download my test for FREE here: Color Sight Words Recognition Test

There are 2 levels to the test:

Level 1:

Use page 1, the list sheet, to put in front of your student/child.  I use an index card or paper to cover up the ones below so they are focusing on one word at a time.  Just slide down the paper as they go (hope that makes sense).  Then, you as the teacher record their responses on page 2.  Put a check under "sound" if they get it correct and a check under "IR" if it is incorrect.  You can also record the actual word they say in the column too so you know if they are getting their yellow and orange mixed up.

So, this test really tells you if they can recognize their COLORS rather than actually read the word.

 Page 1

Page 2

Level 2: 

Perform this test the same you would do the test above.  However, this test more assesses whether the child can truly read the word without the color being associated with the word.