Back to School...

Today was officially my first day back in the office. I ran staff trainings all day, which is exhausting, but one reason I love my job so much (I can talk all day long - imagine that!). I think I'm slowly getting back in to the groove of things (good thing I have a few weeks before I'll see my students - I have LOTS of new activities I'm getting ready for them). Don't forget to enter the Back 2 School {GIVEAWAY} for your chance to win an amazing bundle of book companions! You won't want to miss it. Only 2 days left to enter.

Enjoy!

Yes, I'm tardy for the party...Linky Party: Show me the data!

Crazy Speech World is hosting a linky party: Show me the data! Check it out. Lots of great ideas. And yes, as usual I'm tardy for the party!

I posted a little bit about my data collection process earlier this summer. Here is my throwback data post. I try to keep it simple. I use the following forms to collect attendance and data. You can find both, as freebies, in my TpT Store. Links below.

2013-2014 Attendance Calendar

Basic Therapy Data Sheet



New companion sets posted, and an AWESOME back to school {GIVEAWAY} you won't want to miss!

I told you all...it was quiet, but not for long! This summer has flown by and I can't believe (in just a few short days) I'll be headed back to my home away from home. So, I thought, what better way to say good-bye to summer than to offer up an AWESOME back to school giveaway! So here it is! One lucky winner will receive a copy of ALL of my Old Lady Swallowed... companion sets. There are 10 individual sets in all (I have them bundled by season: fall - books, bat, leaves, pie; winter - bell, snow; spring/summer - rose, clover, chick, shell).   To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter info listed below. Entries will be accepted beginning 07/29/2013 12:00 a.m, through 08/03/2013 12:00 a.m. CST. Good luck, and WELCOME back to school!

Here is a link to my TPT store to check out all of the individual sets!

Mindy Stenger - TpT Store Site

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A quiet week. Oh, just wait!

It's been almost a whole week since I've posted anything. School's getting ready to start back up so I took a much needed break away from things for a few days. I have, however, been working on getting some new companion packets created...be on the look out for those. Don't forget to follow my TpT store (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Mindy-Stenger) and like me on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheSpeechBucket). Who knows when a Back to School Sale might get started?!?

Enjoy!

Slowly Moving into WINTER?!?

I'm slowly getting my materials ready for the upcoming school year (and again I generally use themes, so I've been traveling through the seasons this summer). Today I finished some of my winter companion sets (There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell, and There was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow). Again, I LOVE the Old Lady Sets, just as much as my students do! Click on the link below to see these sets in my TPT store. Enjoy!

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell - Language Packet

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow - Language Packet

Save money and buy these two sets in the WINTER bundle - There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed... [[WINTER BUNDLE]]

Love it & List It: Top 5 Therapy Games

Speech Room News is hosting a linky party, and you're all invited! This week SLP Bloggers, participating in the party, are posting their favorite games to play during therapy (and as you all know...there are so many GREAT games out there!) I've narrowed my list down to my top 5! Enjoy!

1. Jumpin Monkeys - "Be the first to catapult all of your monkeys into the tree and get a bunch of bananas" There are 4 sets of plastic monkeys (primary colors - red, blue, green, yellow). Students take turns using their matching launcher, to catapult a monkey up to the big plastic tree. If they're lucky, the monkey will catch a branch and hang on. Then the student collects a banana. The student with the most bananas at the end, wins! This is a great game to use for turn-taking, articulation practice (e.g., /sw/ - swing, medial /k/ - monkey, etc...), concepts (more/less, most/least)....my students love it!

2. Guess Who? - "Try to deduce the identity of their opponent's mystery person and ask the right questions to eliminate the wrong faces." This is another game my students just LOVE! Asking questions, answering questions, descriptions, negation, etc... You get it all with this game. (I even have several different versions - Disney Characters, Star Wars Characters, etc...). 

3. Chutes and Ladders - "A game of rewards and consequences. Chutes and Ladders is ideal for younger children who are still learning to take turns. No reading required. It's also a gentle introduction to the higher numbers as players climb to 100 at the top of the board." 

4. Cootie - "Be the first to create your own Cootie. Just arrange the bug parts on the fold-out board and roll the die to win the parts you need. (Roll a 1 and pick a body, roll a 2 and select a head, roll a 3, etc.)" - This is a great turn-taking and following direction game! Another favorite of my students!

5. Topple - "To play, perch the game board (a five-level, 8-inch square of molded plastic) on top of the 7-inch- high stand, choose your color piece, and agree on what score will win. Each player then rolls a die and must place a piece on the game board level that corresponds to the number rolled." My older students love this game. I use it in articulation sessions, and in language sessions. Number matching, cognition, problem solving. It's all here!

Fall themes, already?!? Yep!

I try to run my therapy sessions based on themes throughout the school year. Typically, I'll start with back to school activities (getting to know you, going back to school, books, etc...), then I move into the fall themes (Halloween, leaves, cooler weather, football, Thanksgiving, hibernation), then into winter (holidays, cold weather, snowflakes, etc...), then into spring (Valentine's Day, plants, butterflies, flowers, etc...), and finally into SUMMER (beach, warm weather, vacations, swimming, etc...). I usually have a year long calendar made up - I'll try to post it later (once it's finished for this school year). I always try to coordinate my activities with my special education/regular education teachers (remember we want our activities to compliment what's happening in our students classrooms.) I've attached a link to my latest Old Lady Companion Set (To use with the book - I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, by: Alison Jackson). This is a great fall/Thanksgiving activity to do with your students after reading this book. Again, my students LOVE the Old Lady sets! I know yours will too!

**Just a little disclaimer...when I read this book to my students the old lady cries - I change it from "dies". We like the Old Lady, and she makes many more appearances during the school year! No dying allowed!**

Enjoy!

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie - Language Packet



If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

This is another great book from Laura Numeroff! I've attached the companion pack I created to go along with this book. The language activities in this packet target story sequencing and retell, story comprehension, following directions, categorization, basic language concepts, and much more! My students love these sets. I know yours will too! Click the link below to find the packet on my TpT site.  

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Language Packet

 Enjoy!

The Old Lady is at it again...

This time she's swallowing books? This is a great book to pull out for the beginning of the school year. Again, I've created a language companion pack to go along with the story! Included in this packet are activities that target sequencing, story retell/comprehension, basic language concepts, following directions, and more. Click on the link below to find this packet on my TpT site.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books - Language Packet

Pages 2 – 10 targets story sequencing. The larger pictures (pages 2-5) can be used for a classroom story board, or for individual students/small group sequencing tasks. The smaller pictures (pages 6-10) are combined with worksheets for each student to complete with guidance, independently, or with a small group. The students can cut out the pictures and/or words, sequence the story, re-tell it, and take it home. Parents would love to hear and see the story that you read with their kids during school! (Note: these activities are differentiated, so they can be used with a variety of students).

Pages 11 – 12 targets story comprehension (and identifying the types of questions being asked - what, where, who, how). The first set (page 11) asks a variety of questions without picture supports for responses. So students must think of the responses on their own (or look back in the book). The second set (page 12) was made with picture supports. Each question has a choice of three responses (1 correct; 2 foil).

Pages 13 – 14 targets picture identification and negation (is it a school supply, or NOT a school supply?). There are two game boards.  One has pictures and directions written out for you; the other is blank and you can use it as you’d like.

Pages 15 – 17 include a picture “BINGO” game…although you don’t need to call out the BINGO letters for this one! Give each student a card (pages 15-16) and have them listen to the items being called (you can call the item by name, or you can call an item by function e.g., “this is something we can write with”). If they cover 5 pictures they WIN! Page 17 can be used for a variety of things – you can cut out and place each picture card in a bucket (or paper bag), draw out one picture at a time, and have your students place a marker on their board as you call out the pictures. Or you can use this board as a receptive identification board for item and/or function (“show me the…”, or “point to the one we write with”), or as an expressive vocabulary board (What is this?))

Pages 18 – 19 target expressive language and written language for older students. Both pages ask the student to draw a picture and/or write a short story, given a structured sentence starter. On the first page, the following writing prompt is provided - “My favorite thing about school is…” On the second page, the following writing prompt is provided – “My school is the best school because…”

My students love the Old Lady sets, and I know yours will too! (If you’d like to see more pictures or get more information – visit my blog at http://thespeechbucket.blogspot.com)

Enjoy!



SLPs Connect...

Just added my info to the list! Check out the link below! 

All Ya'll Need (Thank you for creating SLPs Connect!)

Happy Independence Day!

One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One Nation evermore! - Oliver Wendell Holmes 

I'm gearing up for fall...I know, a bit early...

I just posted another Old Lady Swallowed...Language Packet. This one is companion to

the book - There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves, by Lucille Colandro.  Again, Included in this packet are activities that target sequencing, story retell and comprehension, basic language concepts, following directions, and more. Click on the link to check it out on my TpT site.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves - Language Packet

My kids love the Old Lady sets and I know yours will too! **Keep an eye out for more Old Lady sets to come...(a book, a bell, and more...)**

Enjoy!

Halloween Freebie...

A little early, I know, but I'm on a roll! I created this interactive picture board as a companion activity for the book "The Spooky Wheels on the Bus" by J. Elizabeth Mills. You can read the book (or sing the words in the book, using the original melody of the Wheels on the Bus song). Print out the bus, (and the picture cards) on heavy card stock, and laminate. Then Velcro the pictures onto the bus. Once the story begins, you can have students pull the matching picture off the bus. At the end, you can have your students put them all back on the bus in the order they pulled them off...or, each student can have a bus and a set of pictures. Then they can put them on (or take them off as you go through the story). This makes for a fun Halloween themed circle time activity. Click on the link to download this activity from my TpT site.

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus