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Top Bananas- Letter Fluency Success The Fun Way and a Party

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It’s time for a party.  I celebrate successes of all kinds, and, hopefully, today is the first of many this year.  Today was a Top Banana celebration made for the best letter fluency masters I know.   That’s right!  Every single little monkey in my class has mastered their letters and can fluently identify at least 40 in a minute.  Whew!  That’s fast.  They didn’t believe they could do it.  But they did!
 
So it was time to celebrate!  And how better than with a sweet banana split made for a top banana queen or king!  
 
 
 
When a student masters their letter fluency goal, they get a certificate and their banana put on our tree . . . We all cheer and hoot and holler and make an all around big deal over it.
 
And you want to know the best part . . .as soon as they make one goal . . . they are on to the next.  I have a feeling it won’t be that long until I’m throwing a Baseball Word Champs party.  This year’s class just can’t seem to get enough of ball words, and they are working like crazy to master those words.  

 
 
 
If you’d like to more about Top Bananas or Ball Words, just click on the picture above to see my post about how I use these mastery systems in my classroom.
 
 
And to find out about our Dolch Mastery system ‘Ball Words’ click on the picture below to see my blog post.
 
Happy Top Bananas Day!
 
 

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Marsha Moffit McGuire

With more than 20 years of teaching experience, it is my pleasure to bring you my most favorite ideas and activities to keep young learners engaged and loving learning.

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7 responses to “Top Bananas- Letter Fluency Success The Fun Way and a Party”

  1. Lesson Plans and Lollipops Avatar
    Lesson Plans and Lollipops

    Woohoo! My kids have mastered the letter names too! It’s a great accomplishment for November. I’m doing the happy dance for your kids too.

    Katrina
    Lesson Plans and Lollipops

    Reply
  2. Learning with Mrs. Brinn Avatar
    Learning with Mrs. Brinn

    Congratulations to your little Top Bananas! What a great accomplishment to achieve at this time of the year! :0) Gwen

    Reply
  3. cintagame.com Avatar
    cintagame.com

    Visit from indonesian………….

    Reply
  4. Lee Ann Rasey Avatar
    Lee Ann Rasey

    Congratulations, Class!! Great accomplishment!! I love this idea and would love to do something similar to encourage my Title I kindergartners. I’m a Title I teacher for kindergarten and was wondering how your strugglers do with letter recognition. I have several in my groups who are at 10 or below for letter naming in one minute, but have shown growth. Do you make the 40 letters a goal for all or do you have their goal as their individual growth goal? Also, are the letters in a minute a combination of upper and lower case letters or do you check for mastery of all 52 letters? Thanks!
    Side note: in the town I grew up, there was a McGuire family, daughter Marsha and dad Mike. Looking at your picture, you look similar to the Marsha McGuire I remember as a kid.

    Reply
  5. Heather VanKuiken Avatar
    Heather VanKuiken

    YAY! That’s so exciting for your class! 12 of my 18 are Top Bananas! Can’t wait to celebrate with some sort of banana snack when all 18 pass!! And my kiddos also love your ball words- thanks so much!!

    Heather
    The Land of I Can

    Reply
  6. Sue Avatar
    Sue

    Hi Marsha! Getting my Top Bananas ready. We don’t start with kids until after Labor Day. My question is, do you separate your letter rings into capital and lowercase? Also, what do you send for the kids to practice at home? Ball words have a list for each level. Am I missing something? Excited to start this program! It’s my 22nd year in K. Looking forward to trying something new!

    Reply
  7. Jenny Avatar
    Jenny

    Do you have a letter that you send home to the parents to tell them about the Banana Letter Program and the Ball Words program? I have the bundles but I don’t see one in it.

    Reply