Getting Organized in 2014!

Well, I am not sure about you, but I surely enjoyed this 'extended' winter break! Since Gov. Dayton closed Minnesota schools on Monday due to dangerously cold temps and our district decided to close today as well. We got an extra two days tacked on to our already lovely break! Well yesterday and today, even though I am at home, are back to reality. I have been getting things ready to go for the new year and getting organized!

Here are some things I have been doing to stay organized in the classroom:

This idea I got from a co-worker last year and let me tell you- it is a LIFESAVER! 

Instead of doing a filing cabinet with each student having a file folder or other filing systems that are hard to take with you and not very practical. Take a large 3-ring binder and the plastic, folder dividers and give each student their own. (Plastic for durability and folder to hold the important papers.) I print out a small roster and tape their name on each tab in alphabetical order. 

 I can now take it with me easily where ever I need to go- IEP Meetings, Home to Grade, Parent Meetings. It is wonderful! 

Organization Tip #2-

Since the 3-ring binder organizer is for important papers such as F&Ps and benchmark assessments and other important documents, you still need a place for the student's wonderful works of art and other amazing classwork! (Some teachers just send it home after each quarter and some keep special things for an end of the year portfolio.) Either way, this next organizational tip keeps all these items in one easy place and it actually fits the larger projects we make in the younger grades!

Take a plastic crate from any store and turn it sideways- now get the LEGAL size of the file folders- these are longer then the standard file folder. They fit perfect in the crate when it is horizontal. Now, each student has a place to keep and hold their 'special' projects and works of art until the end of the year! 

Enjoy!

Science- Circuits

This has to be one of my favorite science activities!! CIRCUITS!  The first graders love the "light bulb" moment... literally, when their light bulb turns on for the first time! Although, circuits is a difficult topic to teach first graders- I found this is actually one of the easier concepts for them to understand, even my lower EL students really flourished!

I started by giving them the three tools they needed and asked them to simply light the bulb... after 15 minutes of frustration- I gave a few hints. After a few students got it, most followed shortly after!

If you haven't done this in your classroom- I highly recommend it!

The next day, I gave them a worksheet from our focused instruction guide that gave them pictures of different circuits they needed to try. If it worked, they circled it- if it didn't, the crossed it out. Another extremely engaging activity that challenged the students at their level.

Enjoy!

Exploring Shapes!

Our Math Focus is SHAPES!
Last week I had students explore shapes and how different shapes can be composed of other shapes.

I love the different results each student had! 

This was an extremely engaging lesson for the students! They loved the hands on activity and how each result could be different... and that's okay!

I hope this helps you with your shape lessons! 

Enjoy!

Owls Shapes and The Shape of Things :)

The math unit we are working on is on SHAPES!

To kick it off we did this awesome Freebie Silly Shaped Owls from Classroom Freebies.

We started off last week by making the owls and later this week we will be filling out the owl shape packet.

Since my room is owl themed, I couldn't resist this awesome intro to shapes! 

They turned out great!

To kick off this week we read:

It is a cute book the takes shapes and makes them into everyday objects. 

An example is:

A square is just a square until you add some windows and a door. Then, it is a house. 

So, I had my students replicate this themselves. 

I made a template of each shape on Word and typed up a sentence starter that the students just needed to fill in. 

It let students use their imagination and also identify shapes in everyday objects. 

Here is their completed work:

I really enjoyed combining these two ideas to introduce shapes to my class! 

 

Enjoy! 

 

PALS- Reading

My district purchased the PALS- Reading Strategies Program to assist students to gain an overall better understanding of decoding and be more confident independent readers. Best of all it is mainly peer lead.

Here is a link if you are unfamiliar with the program and want it at your school:
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/pals/research.html#reading

 Here are some of my students doing their PALS reading!

I pair partners with a high and low- the high reads first. It is a coach/student approach and the students are very found of it. They love when it is time for PALS reading!

Enjoy!

A Little Halloween Fun!

Since I have so many students who do not celebrate Halloween in my classroom, we had a Harvest party instead- celebrating all things Fall!

However, the students really enjoyed a few activities we did, that were geared more toward the Halloween holiday.

The first was the poem, 5 Little Pumpkins, we made a chart together first and the students got to make their own to take home after. It was a huge hit! They loved it!

Here is the chart we made:

 

I found the Freebie template for the words and pumpkins from another Awesome blogger here:

http://teachitwithclass.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

Here is the link to the Freebie the students made to take home:

http://stuck-on-glue.blogspot.com/2011/10/printable-five-little-pumpkins.html

Another easy activity that we did was read Scaredy-Cat, Splat! I added my own jack-o lantern and I hot glued both his pet mouse and the spider he finds in the book on it. (I also filled it with small candies that I gave out at the end) and the students Loved It!

Easy ways to add some festive cheer!! Enjoy!

Just Another Manic Monday

I found this poster floating around on FB...

Felt it was fitting for this lovely Monday! HA

Enjoy!

ELL Support

As you know from my earlier post, I have a high need for ELL support in my classroom.
After long debate on how to help my students feel like they have an understanding of what their job is in the classroom, I decided to set up a table with visuals and a first this => this diagram of sorts.
                                                         

Here is the end product:

Since I implemented this, I have noticed a huge improvement in behavior and work produced. The students feel confident in their work and have a more solid idea on what their task is.
I like that all I need to do is point at a desired table behavior and the language isn't a barrier. I also have a pre-filled out template of what a finished product of their work should look like in the visual pocket chart so my students KNOW that they are completing the task or assignment correctly. This has been a lifesaver!!

I also have a new comer who benefited from a personal visual schedule.

Here is the visual schedule we made this student:

 
Now, the student has their own picture of them completing each of the days tasks. All I have to do now is point at the next step.

I would LOVE to hear from some of you on how you are reaching your ELL students!!

                                                                               Enjoy!