Book Bags for Kindergarten and Small Groups FREE file

Kindergarten book bags for small group with a free download These are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Small Group Activities

One of the word work activities we do at our small group table is segmenting CVC words.  I simply use the CVC word cards from my games units.  Since I have a game for just about every season and holiday, this is an easy activity to keep going all year long.  Once we are done with the cards at my table, they become a literacy center.  You can see the different games HERE.

The students press a light for each sound as they segment the word.

Books bags are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Books bags are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Taking the skill up a notch… now they are working on scribing the sounds that they hear in the CVC word.

Books bags are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Then they can check to see if they got it right!  You can find these small group activities for kindergarten by clicking HERE.

Books bags are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Kindergarten Book Bags and Bookmark

For the last few years, I had used a book bag card that I would clip to my student’s guided reading books.  This helps the parents to know which book in their book bag I REALLY want them to practice.   I checked in with the student the next day for fluency.   If the child had practiced the text, they should be fluent and able to read the book like they talk.

 Kindergarten book bags for small group with a free download These are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

I decided to change the card into a bookmark.  We slipped this bookmark into the students’ book back so they could take it home each night.  I have stars at the bottom so I can reward those students who demonstrate fluency.   I can tell when the book has not been practice because of this lack of fluency. Perhaps this is something you can use in your classroom.  The idea is that I want the students to practice the book that is within their zone of proximal development.  YES, I encourage them to read and to listen to books that are read to them, but I also want to be sure they are fluent with their instructional book as well.  This guided reading book is part of THIS LEVELED TEXT series.

Kindergarten book bags for small group with a free download These are an important part of my small group instruction. Nightly reading is their kindergarten homework. Here is a look at the activities I use to reinforce the skills we learn in my kindergarten small group and guided reading lessons!

Would you like to read more about how I run my kindergarten guided reading groups?:

 

Kindergarten book bags FREE bookmark

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Deedee Wills

My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!

Hi, I'm DeedeE.

My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
 

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47 Responses

  1. I love the idea of the bookmarks! I have been typing up a quick note indicating a particular skill we worked on that day for the last couple weeks. I didn't intended to keep doing it, but it seems to be helping, so I need to start saving them! We are using a new "detailed lesson plan" (scripted) curriculum this year that has not yet introduced any word attack strategies, so I have been focusing on this in leveled books. Our curriculum is phonics-based, so these other strategies are not taught; I feel they are very important though! Thanks for the resource!

    Amanda
    http://www.averycuriousclass.blogspot.com

  2. I wanted to share with you that my kids have been enjoying your poems. The first one we did was Up in the Artic and they love it so much that when they are working at their tables someone will start the group singing it! It makes me smile every.single.time. 🙂 Traci

    1. Thank you!!!! I am so glad they love it! I am not sure if I have every embraced poetry like I have this year. We are having a great time too! Now I need to get my rear in gear and get the readers done for October, November, and December… Ha!

  3. What a cute poem! Besides sending books home, our reading series has a fluency component and that also gets practiced at home. I like your bookmark, and it is a great resource for parents!!! The stars are a great motivator 🙂

    Bridget
    Literacy Without Worksheets

  4. I love your poems. I was just gluing Monster Love onto sentence strips. I have been singing it in my head all night!

  5. I love the idea of the bookmarks, and I love the tips in the parent letter! It's so well-written! Thank you for sharing this resource with us!

  6. Thank you for sharing your fluency bookmark! We have such a shortage of guided reading books and printing limits make it difficult to photocopy from A to Z or other printable readers. I'm really struggling with providing "familiar reread" opportunities for my kinders. It's such a valuable component and has been a source of deep frustration this year. I love this idea that helps remind parents to engage their child in rereading at home! I mention it to parents every chance I get. But, I think there's just something about having a bookmark/note attached to the book that might help families remember the request. I also love the stars…who doesn't love a little recognition!!

    Amy
    Happy Teacher Heaven

  7. Hi Deedee,
    I too wanted to share with you how much my class is loving the poems in your poetry units. The kids are so engaged each day as we read/sing them and do the activity. I love watching them work with the poems in the literacy station also. Lots of language being used, lots of cooperation and collaborative learning. It's great!
    Thanks again,
    Sandi

  8. My kids LOVE the shared reading poems. We acted out "early thaw" as swimming! Thank you for creating this resource =)

    1. I love it! I always brace myself for Monday because I know it will be an active discussion on the moves. They have strong opinions!!!

  9. I love the book marks and letter to the parents. This will be a great addition when I send home books from guided reading. Then maybe I can tell if they actually read it or not! Lol! Thanks for sharing your hard work!

  10. I think the bookmarks and letter will be very helpful I am preparing the bags this week and hope to have them ready for Monday. So you send a new book everyday?

    Terri
    KinderKapers

    1. Hi Terri, I send the books home that we do in group. They can also "self select" books that go into their book bags, but their reading priority should be their guided reading text. I hope that helps.

  11. Question-
    I love all your units you do…do you have a textbook that you follow for do you just use the common core and create units from there. We are looking at purchasing math books next year and I am not sure that I want one in kindergarten? Any thoughts for me?
    THanks
    Amy Ppe
    First Year Kindergarten Teacher (9 years in SPED)

    1. We do have Saxon math… Um…it is district adopted… that is all I will say about that 🙂

  12. Deedee! I love the bookmark idea!!! And I got so excited to see you have been using highlighting tape in your pocket chart! I remember using that when I was student teaching but have no idea where to find it!!! Would you happen to remember where you got yours?
    Jessica =)

  13. Hi! Would you mind if I had this resource translated? My district would need a letter giving permission to do so. You can e-mail me at harrisla@bcsd.com.

    Thank you! I can't wait to use these this year!

  14. I love the bookmarks! How would I go about downloading them?

    Thanks for your awesome ideas and resources!

    1. Just click on the image and it will take you to the google docs file. Then you just click "download".

      I also have them on my Facebook Fan Freebie page

  15. I love the bookmark idea! I will be using it this year with my take home reading bags. Thank you for sharing.

  16. I read that you don't use a basal series, so what books do you use for the guided reading books to go in their book bags? Thanks!!

  17. I absolutely love the guided reading bookmarks and your letter is spot on and the best I have read. Thanks for sharing!

  18. Thank you so much for sharing. These guided reading bookmarks and letter is just what I need.

  19. I has no idea when I read this post who you were. I am a huge fan of your on TPT. I Want To Download All Of Your Stuff. Thank you so much for all of your hard work.

  20. Do have this in a Spanish version or editable to where we can make a Spanish version. I would love to have these in dual language for my ESL readers.

  21. I would love to have copies of your book bag to parents and bookmarks if you would be willing to share them!

    Thank you!

    1. Yes! You got it! If you click on the bookmark, it is already hyperlinked to the download 🙂

  22. Hello all! I have subscribed to the blog and received and email with parent-guide, but it did not include the book-bag bookmark. Am I missing something?

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Jackie,

      Each of those are housed in their own file… so you would have to request that one too. Here is the blog post where you can find it.

      1. I don’t see a link to click on your reply?! I’m sorry! is there another way to request it?

        1. Hi there!

          If you scroll all the way to the bottom of the blog post, there is a box. That is where you can access the free file 🙂

          1. How weird! I’ve tried on two different computers to click on that link and nothing happens. It’s okay. Thank you for trying! 🙂

  23. I have tried to download the parent letter and bookmark freebie several times by entering my name and email address in the free bookbag book mark area. I have not received an email and have checked my junk. Is there another way to get this resource? I want to start sending books home for students to read with their parents.

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