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YOU Win & So Do Kids...

 ... With a FREE Book!



Start a free 90-day trial of ESGI, and ESGI will take it from there! (No credit card required)
With every ESGI trial, we will make a donation to support their Read in Color program. Read in Color aims to help distribute books that share different perspectives on race and social justice, as well as literature by BIPOC and LGBTQ authors.
to get started!

You win with all of this:
  1. You will receive ESGI FREE for 90 days
  2. You will save $50 off your first year when you purchase
  3. ESGI will donate $8 towards Little Free Library Read in Color Program
  4. Use the following link to get started:  https://www.esgisoftware.com/sign-up?promo=PALMALIBRARY
ESGI is your PreK - 2nd grade At-home and At-school progress monitoring solution!
  • Inform instruction with real-time data
  • Access thousands of 1-on-1 assessments
  • Personalize parent communications
I know you will LOVE using ESGI and so will your students!

It's FREE Too! Plus YOU get SWAG! Register Today!

But You Can Watch It Later!


You will have until Nov. 18 to view the amazing, free, sessions provided by ESGI at their virtual Teachcon Conference!

I will be presenting 2 sessions on Oct. 20, but you can watch when it's convenient for YOU!

I'm presenting 2 sessions:
Learning Around The House
(without driving your parents crazy)
AND...
Differentiate, Motivate, and Celebrate Writing!




Need more time to watch all of the amazing presenters? No problem!

Just sign up for a FREE 60-day ESGI trial                  (no credit card required)                                  

Be sure to use my code:
TEACHCONPALMA
to qualify for an additional 60 days to watch the sessions, plus $50 off of your 1st year of ESGI!

What? You already have (and love) ESGI? Great! Then YOU qualify to view the sessions                         for a full year!                                                                Yep, you heard that right!

Plus, EVERYONE gets:

Free SWAG from Berteau & Co.

& Really Good Stuff 

is giving away 100 Teacher boxes!

And did I mention that lots of the presenters, including me, are giving away prizes too?

Plus, you can get a certificate of attendance!

You can sign up for FREE right HERE:
Use my code, TEACHCONPALMA,
for an extra 60 day bonus
I'll see you there!






 





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Have You Heard The News? It's FREE!

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 Wow! So many amazing presenters & it's FREE!

I'll be presenting 2 sessions!
"Learning Around the House" and 
"Differentiate, Motivate, & Celebrate Writing!"

TeachCon 2020 REGISTRATION IS FREE!  

Just visit ESGITEACHCON.COM to sign up. 

All Attendees will get: 

·        Inspiration and motivation from leaders in early childhood education 

·        Certificate of Attendance for each session 

·        TONS of takeaways that help you teach virtually anywhere 

Video access for 90 days with a new ESGI Trial Account using 

Promo Code: TEACHCONPALMA

 

·        Berteau & Co.® FREE Digital SWAG 

·        Really Good Stuff® teacher boxes given away      to 100 teachers 

·        Prizes from presenters 

*CURRENT ESGI SUBSCRIBERS qualify for a FULL YEAR of access to the conference! 


Register Here:  https://www.esgiteachcon.com

 

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Calling All Teachers! Look At What YOU Can Do...

... with ESGI's Test Explorer!

Watch the 1 minute video here:
You can even upload the images 
your district's test use!

It's super easy and fast too!

And, if you use my code:
PALMABEE

you will qualify for:

* $50 off of your 1st year
* an entry to will one of ten $100 Target gift cards
*& everyone gets a FREE 60 day trial
(no credit card required)

Just look at all you get:

Click the image to get your FREE 60 day trial with NO credit card required.

for more info.

Have You Heard???

Earn PD Credits in Your PJs & it's FREE!

Click the image for more info.
I'll be coming your way on 
July 15 
at 1:00 pm 
(Pacific Daylight Time.)
I'm so excited to present this 
free webinar: 
 "Back to School with Virtual or Classroom Assessments"
for the 
Returning to school in 2020, whether in-person or virtually, will be different than any other year.
Many students completed only three fourths of their last school year and there was no time to update their assessments before schools closed.
Get ready to quickly and efficiently assess your students with tips, tricks, and freebies!
Click on the image for more info.
Did I just say, "Freebies?" 
Yep!
Whether you watch the webinar live or the recording, EVERYONE will receive a link to a FREE  Self-portrait & Name Assessment Pack that shows growth over the school year. You will also receive a link to a free handout filled with ideas and inspiration.

But that's not all, no, that's not all...
If you watch the webinar live
you will have a chance to win
a FREE year of ESGI
(I'm giving away 3 of these!)
and
One of KFUNdamentals' flash drives 
(filled with PDFs that are perfect for TK & K)

This webinar is part of a FREE Summer Series.
Watch as many webinars as you like. They will all be available free for 1 week after each live broadcast. Up to two credits are available too!
And if you would like to access ALL of the webinars, even the ones that have already aired live, you can just by joining the CA Kindergarten Association. The annual membership is $40 and it comes with a variety of benefits

So, what are you waiting for? 
Register by CLICKING HERE.

Join me, via Zoom, 
on Wednesday, July 15 
at 1:00! 
I'll see you there!

Assessing From a Distance...

Solutions to Distanced Assessments:

So, how do you assess your students from home?
This is just too perfect and it's FREE!

If you don't already have an ESGI account, get one now while it's free through July 2. 
Just CLICK HERE to get your FREE account started with my code KFUN (no credit card required) and you will also automatically qualify for $40 off your 1st year if you choose to continue after the free trial. 
Click the image to get started.

Once you have your account and you have entered your students' names, just scroll down and click on  the purple box on your profile and you will get a code to share with each child's family. 
Click the image to get started.
Set up a testing appointment with each student via the phone or any video device, such as a laptop or notebook, give them the code, and they will be able to enter that code at esgiss.com and see the screen you want to use to test their child. 
Click the image to get started.

You can use the built-in tests already on ESGI, or you can even create your own custom tests! My ESGI tests are listed under "Friends of ESGI" and they are geared for TK, but also work well for kindergarten. Other tests may be found for pre-k, 1st, and 2nd grade.

There is more information and user-friendly tutorials on ESGI too. CLICK HERE for more info. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get started today with ESGI and get the data you need to send your students off to 1st grade! CLICK HERE to get started with your FREE trial!

Hoping this helps:

How To Make A Hospital Mask:


First, I want to say that these are NOT surgical grade masks. They are meant to be used when nothing else is available and you are left using a bandana. They may be used alone or over an N95 mask you might be forced to re-use. It is a last resort as something is better than nothing. That said, let's begin:

I got my instructions from a link my friend, Paula, suggested and watched this video. 

And...
(There are other patterns on her site, too.)

Then, I added a little pocket and a twister tie so you can pinch the top of the mask over the bridge of your nose. 

Let's Get Started:

I gathered up fabric (100% cotton is best), 1/4" elastic, & twister ties.

Cut rectangles of fabric 9"X7" for adults (children size = 7"X5").

Cut 2 pieces of elastic 7" long for each mask.

Cut a twister tie pocket 1/2" longer than your twister tie and 3/4" wide.

I centered the twister tie pocket on the wrong side of one of the 9" edges of the rectangle and stitched 3 of the pocket edges leaving the bottom edge open. Backstitch all of your sewing.

Tuck in a twister tie and pin the opening closed.

Flip it over to the right side and attach one elastic piece on the 7" edge of the rectangle, about 1/2" down from the 9" edge. Do the same on the other 7" side. 


Now, pin the loose ends of the elastic 1/2" from the bottom on each side.

Repeat on the other side.

Place the 2nd rectangle over the first one with right sides together and elastic bands inside. Pin and stitch leaving a 3" opening at the bottom for turning. Be sure to use catch the twister tie pocket while stitching so you enclose the twister tie inside the small pocket. See both photos below before stitching.

(The 2nd rectangle is peeking out from under the dotted one.
It it a white fabric with a black design so this mask will be reversible.)


Now, clip corners close to stitching and turn right sides out. 



Iron flat. Then, fold in half (hot dog style) and iron a crease. Open and fold both long ends in (hot dog style again) to the center crease. Photos of this on on the Sweet Red Poppy web site. CLICK HERE.

Fold, pin, and iron 3 pleats towards the top (where the twister tie is), and stitch in place. Continue stitching along the bottom edge which will close the 3" opening. 

Here, you ca see how the twister tie allows the fabric to bend and stay in place over your nose.
I made 18 of these today. I plan to make more tomorrow. 


I made lots of happy, colorful ones, but now I'm making lots of the more popular plain ones. 

Hospitals will wash these. I washed mine with Tide Free & Gentle (which is not free and not particularly gentle, but it's fragrance free) and they did fine in a dryer on the low (delicate) setting. Since they are cotton, an iron helps, but I kept it off of the area by the plastic-coated twister tie. 

Do check with your local health care providers as not all are accepting these. For those of you who live near me, our local hospital is requesting a different pattern which I plan to work on tomorrow. Thanks to my friend, Kathy, for sharing this link with me: CLICK HERE for another pattern.

Thank you for helping your friends, community, and fellow humans. We are all in this together! Stay strong. We can do this!  



Teaching at Home Individualized for your own kids & it's FREE, FUN, & FANTASTIC!

FREE for Parents To Use At Home:

Are you wondering where to begin when teaching your children at home? ESGI has your answers and it's FREE!  CLICK HERE for the free link.
Directions to get started FREE are at the end of this post.
Whether or not your child's teacher uses ESGI, you can use it for FREE with your child! 
(Directions on how to get started with ESGI for FREE are at the end of this post.)

Creative Ways To Use Flashcards:

Yes, I HATE flashcards. Life should NOT always be a test! But, if you use them as "skill cards" they can change everything:

Here is how to use flashcards in FUN ways:

1. Print your child's flashcards from ESGI.
(Directions about how to use ESGI for FREE are at the end of this post.)

2. Choose a few "skill cards" (let's not call them flashcards any longer) and have your child cut them out. (Use fancy scissors to make it more fun and to build fine motor skills as they are usually a little trickier to use.)
Have them cut around the
 "perimeter"
1st (a great word to discuss)
and keep the scraps.

                 Use the scraps for an art project!


3. Place 2 skill cards, back-to-back, inside a sandwich size zipper bag. 

4. Remove the air from some of the bags and seal.

5. Add air, by inserting a straw and blowing air into the bag, to some of the bags and seal.

6. Now, let's play! In the bathtub, or even in a sink, play "Sink That Skill!" Let the bags with air in them float as your child scans all of the bags for the skill you call out. "Sink the letter Q." "Sink the letter P."
Imagine the tub filled with floating bags of skill cards!
Click on the video:

And use the bags without air to stick skills to the tile. And don't forget to talk about sinking and floating to get a bit of science in too! :)


What Else Can I Do With These Skill Cards?

~Stick individual cards to your child's bedroom door or at the bottom of the stairs and have them slap the skill card and say the letter, #, sight word, etc. as they pass by.
~Hide a skill card under each dinner plate at the dinner table tonight and each person gets to look at their skill card and give clues to the family to help them guess the letter, #, sight word, etc.
~Copy a 2nd set of skill cards, cut them out and attach them, face down, to the refrigerator with magnets. Let your child play the Memory Game as they peek at skill cards and try to match them up.
~Use skill cards as "brag tags" and let your child tape the cards that have the skills they have mastered onto their shirt and wear the brag tags all day long. 

Whatever you do, make learning FUN and don't forget to return to ESGI to re-test your child's skills. They will be overjoyed to see the results as their pie graph turns green and, once they see this, they will actually beg you to test them! Really, they will! :)
So, what are you waiting for? Get started with ESGI for FREE! Here is how...

Getting Started With FREE ESGI:

If your child's teacher doesn't already use ESGI, NO PROBLEM! You can get a FREE account and use it at home.   Just CLICK HERE.
Then, just choose a few tests to run, such as letter names or sounds, number recognition, etc.
After you have tested your child you will have all of the information you need to work on the skills your child has not mastered yet. 
CLICK HERE to get started free.
If your child's teacher already uses ESGI, your child must have an amazing teacher! Just ask him or her for the link to your child's testing data. Then, you'll be all ready to print and play! 
CLICK HERE to get started 
until you get that link or password from your child's teacher.
The FREE LINK is good until July 3.

If you have ANY questions, just ask in by leaving a comment below and enjoy spending time with your child. You've got this, Mom & Dad! :)

Find Out What I'm WILD About!

What's the least known letter in your class?

Give students Fun Foam Letter Stickers for
just the letters they don't know
so they can complete their
WiLd ChIcKa-ChIcKa-BoOm-BoOm TrEeS!
How can you quickly find the letters
each one of your students don't know?
Find out below!
Find out why I've gone Wild for ESGI:

ESGI's automated tracking and reporting system uses real-time student data to:
  • Individualize lessons
  • Create small groups
  • Guide whole class instruction
  • Collect raw scores and track detailed student progress over time
  • Access easy-to-read charts, graphs and reports
  • Convert your raw scores into your report card grading scale
  • And find out which letters each child has not mastered yet by viewing the reports!
Sign up for a free trial through June 30th using Promo Code PALMAWILD at https://www.esgisoftware.com/sign-up?promo=PALMAWILD .

Enjoy using ESGI!


Teachers that sign-up for a new ESGI trial account between February 23rd and April 19th:
  1. Will be entered to win a $500 Amazon Gift Card and 10 Runner Up $50 Amazon Gift Cards.
  2. Will receive a $40 discount off their first year purchase.
  3. Will receive ESGI free through June 30th

So, You Know The Letters They Don't Know, Now What?

Try providing these resources:
Students who needed to identify the letters B and b, located all of the uppercase Bs and lowercase letter bs on this Alphabet Chant page. They traced them with a marker and then they counted how many there were! Thanks to ESGI, I was able to target the specific letters they needed to practice.
My chants can be found by clicking HERE.

After they traced their letters on the Bb page, if they needed to practice the sound of /b/, they illustrated and labeled 3 items that began with the sound of /b/ on their Phonics Dictionary Page.
Students illustrate and label to create an alphabet book.
Click the image to see the set.
They come in color and in B&W.

This set includes 3 labeled images for each letter.I added more images by using graphics from old workbooks or old reading kits. Click the image to see the set of
Dictionary Pages and graphics.
During Small group instruction time, I used individualized RTI targeting specific skills for small groups based on the data I got from ESGI.
I am meeting with TK and K students on the skills
this group is ready for. I got my data from ESGI.
I used ESGI to track my students' skill progress so I was able to create small groups and target the specific skills that group needed. And groups changed according to the needs of individual students. 
My K students' tests were organized by trimester
using bold primary colors. 
My TK students' tests were organized by trimester using pastel colors. 

And, the individualized data that ESGI created helped me to make quick RTI kits for each student that targeted the specific skills each child needed to practice. (I just used the flashcards generated by ESGI to make little RTI kits.) 
Just place each child's flash cards in a plastic bag.
Volunteers, cross age tutors, & paraprofessionals
can all practice skills with each student by using
their individualized RTI kit.
I wrote TK tests for ESGI and you can find them by clicking HERE.

And did I mention that ESGI is so much fun that my students actually begged me to test them! 

Take advantage of this WILD opportunity to try ESGI through June 30 FREE: (No credit card needed!)

For more info about ESGI