Banners & Peacemakers FREEBIE

It's B2S time!  I've spent the last few days setting up my classroom.  Once it's all finished, I'll be sure to give a full tour.  But in the meantime, I wanted to share a few freebies.

While I've always had a dedicated wall for math, I never officially labeled it.  I didn't want to spend time cutting out die cut letters and laminating, so I made a larger banner.  Less time cutting = happy teacher.

Here's a view of the reading bulletin board.

You can download the banners HERE.

If you're in the midst of lesson planning for the first few days of school, I encourage you to check out Cara Caroll's peacemaker post.  I cannot make posters as pretty as hers, so I made these instead.  Scroll to the bottom to download them for free!

You can download the posters HERE.

Timesaver Assessment Tips

It's overwhelming to try to teach procedures to the students and assess them at the same time.  Definitely use the first few days to focus on procedures because without them you'll be lost.
But when it comes time to assessing the students, you need something that they can do independently and takes a long time.
Here are three things I use to keep the class busy while I'm pulling individual students.

Cut Apart Spelling from First Grade Fairytales Students have to color each group of words a different color, then cut and glue the letters to make a word.  It goes along with short a words which I start the second week of school.  It's a freebie and a lifesaver!

Dictionary and Phonics Notebook from Teacher by the Beach Last year was the first year I used interactive notebooks.  I had always done a poetry notebook but seeing the interactive notebooks on Pinterest and blogs made me want to jump on the bandwagon. (Hint: Check out my post on glue sponges.  I was afraid on how many glue sticks interactive notebooks would use, but glue sponges solved my problem.)
Over the summer, I copied each part of the phonics notebook on colored copy paper.  If the students were missing a piece it would be easy to find.  
I didn't give everything to the students at once.  The first day the students glue the personal alphabet chart on the inside cover.  They color the vowels with a red crayon.  Next, I pass out the title cards.  We do A-C together so they can understand the process.  The next day we do the word lists before moving on to the category section.  I usually do the phonics  portion as we learn about each skill.
Make sure to double check the students work!  These notebooks are something we use all year long so if something's off it will be off for the entire year.  Most of my students do really well with this but you always have a few slow cutters.  Have the early finishers help with cutting or picking up trash. 

 
Neat Numbers Booklet Most of my students come in knowing how to read number words, but the teens numbers always seem to get a few of my students.  I have a number line in the back of my room that I see a lot of students refer to for reading the number words.  
I also need the students to practice ten frames.  It's a simple skill, but it's one that can be easily forgotten over the summer.

Within the Neat Numbers Booklet, students practice forming the numbers correctly, writing the number words, coloring and filling in a ten frame for each number. I won't accept sloppiness so if the students finish too quickly, I will hand it back.
Right now, it's only in D'Nealian, but I am working on making a print option.  It should be finished by the weekend!  Be sure to follow my store to be notified!
What to you use in your classroom to keep students busy while you're assessing?  I'm always looking out for new ideas and tips too!

Alphabet Posters & FREE Schedule Cards

I've been teaching for 8 years and I've had two classroom themes - bees for five years and polka dots for the last 3 years.  This year I'm adding a few touches of chevron to switch things up a bit.

I found these lights on clearance at Target. First I was bummed because the polka dot lights were not on clearance, but a co-worker convinced me that polka dots and chevron can go together.
My number line is green and pink polka dots, so I thought it would be fitting to do a chevron print for the alphabet line since it's on the opposite site of the room.

It's hard for me to find D'Nealian items so if you need this in a different theme, let me know. 

I also made a polka version (lined and unlined).  

I've been using the same schedule cards for several years too.  I had mounted them on scrapbook paper, but them some of our enrichment classes changed and I didn't have something to match it.  Every Monday there was a blank hole.  The kids finally got used to the blank hole because they knew it was Cultural Studies.  

My Friday schedule was always a little different in the afternoon. Let's be honest and realize that you probably cannot teach a lesson the last hour of the day, especially if you have just come back from enrichment.  They are D.O.N.E.  (And maybe the teacher is too.) Usually class store happens at this time.  Some weeks I would show a movie related to whatever we were learning.  Other weeks I would do a directed drawing from Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies.  The schedule cards include both of these options!

They include:

Lunch

Snack

Social Studies

Science

Math

Calendar

Reader's Workshop (alternates include Reading and Phonics)

Writer's Workshop (alternates include Writing and Grammar)

Music

Art

Library

Spanish

Computer

PE

Recess

Morning Work 

Dismissal

Field Trip

Class Store

Directed Drawings

Movie

Bible

Chapel

Praise & Worship

You can download the free schedule cards {HERE}.

Daily Schedule

It was my intent to blog every single day for Teacher Week.  (<---I'm kind of laughing at that.)  Sheer exhaustation in the evening will do that for you.  I'm playing a little catch up with a few of my favorite days.

Here's a peek at my daily schedule.

I love my schedule!  It's been the same for the past two years, maybe three...honestly I can't remember that far back.

I work at a private school, so that's why you'll see Bible and a Praise & Worship time.  We have "chapel" every day.  The students sing a few songs and there's a short devotion.  It's a great way for students (and teachers) to start their day! 

8:50 - 10:20 Readers Workshop

There's 1 1/2 hours for Readers Workshop.  It seems like that's a long time, but we are constantly on the move!  I have students do a modified version on Daily Five (this year I'm only doing Read to Self and Work on Words), a phonics lesson and snack time.  

This past week I've been using Go Noodle for brain breaks during this period.  I had read about it on several blogs and gave it a try.  They love it!!  You've got to try it!

10:20 - 11 Recess/PE

The students have 20 minutes of PE, then 20 minutes of recess everyday.  On Tuesdays, they only have recess for the entire period.  I love it when they come back sweaty and stinky.  :)

11 -12:05  Math

This is the busiest time of day!  There's so much to squeeze it.  We start off with our Rise & Shine Folders.

Next, we move onto our math journal.  I've always done math word problems in a journal, but this year I decided to give the interactive journal thing a try.  (More on this later - it's going so well!!)

Usually a short brain break (something math related) before we move onto the whole group lesson.

The students end the period with math centers.  Sometimes we get to these, sometimes not.

12:05 - 12:35 Lunch - almost duty free.  We alternate lunch duty with the kindergarten teacher.

12:35 - 1:20 Writer's Workshop

I'll typical start off with a grammar lesson before we move into writing.  I feel like I'm constantly fine tuning my writing lessons!

1:20 - 2:05 Enrichment (Library, Computer, Music, Art, Cultural Studies)

2:05 - 3:05 Bible/Science/Social Studies

I don't try to squeeze in all three in one hour!  I alternate science/social studies monthly.  Right now we're studying space.

As for our official Bible lesson, it happens 2 to 3 times a week.  I really try for 3, but Friday afternoons are just an attempt at this point.  It gets better as the year goes on.

3:15 Dismissal 

Neat Numbers

Does anyone else get sad when they look at the calendar in July? I have 5 or 6 unfinished items that I want to make for the beginning of the school year.  I'm back at work on July 31st, but the students don't arrive until August 11th.

Since back-to-school is right around the corner, I wanted to think about my lessons plans.  I think one of the toughest things is having engaging activities for the students to complete while you are assessing other students.  Something that they can do independently, but still slightly challenging and maybe a little time consuming.

The first unit in math covers number sense, comparing numbers, and number words.  Most of my students come in knowing their number words to twenty, but I always have a few that do need extra practice in this area. I have a hard time fitting in handwriting lessons the first few weeks. Students (and parents) think it's silly to practice writing numbers. 

But I have to disagree!  In October, when I can't read your child's answer to an addition problem it is a problem.

I created this interactive booklet to help students practice writing numbers, number words and using ten frames.

For 0 - 10, students color, trace and write the number and number word.

For 11 - 20, students fill in ten frames to represent the number as well as tracing and writing the number and number word.

The books are easy to put together.  There are two booklets per page.

Cut down the middle and staple!  

I made a sample one to show my students.

Can't wait to use these in my classroom this year!  Be sure to check out Neat Numbers in my TPT store!

What I'm Working On

Welcome back to my blog!  I went on a little hiatus during the school year.  Now that my grad school is behind me, I'm hoping to focus a little more on creating things for my classroom and sharing ideas.

Here's something that I put together quickly.  My first unit in social studies is about being a good citizen and specific character traits like honesty, respect and perseverance.  I whipped up this little poster for my classroom.

There's also a boy version too, plus black and white copies if you want to save on ink.  

Click either picture to go to my TPT store to download for free!

Thanks to the Kindergals for hosting this weekly linky!

What's On Your Wishlist?

It's Back to School time on TPT!  I was wondering when the sale would be this year because I have a ton of items I want to buy!  It was finally announced that sale is August 18-19.  Time to get shopping!

Button By Krista Wallden

I decided to link up with Collaboration Cuties linky about my top two wishlisted items from my store and my own personal wishlisted items.

My top 2 wishlisted items are Landforms Mini Unit and Landforms Posters.  

It includes a landforms dictionary which helps students identify and learn the different types of landforms.

There's also a matching game and ABC order cards that are perfect for literacy centers.

Click HERE to add it to your TPT wishlist.

My second most popular wishlisted item is Landforms Posters.

Landforms included in this packet are island, mountains, volcano, canyon, desert, hills, valley, plain, river, lake, and ocean.

I also made a set of black and white posters in case you want to save on colored ink!

Click HERE to add it to your wishlist.

Now about my personal wishlist......it's way too long!!

I'm one of those weird people that wishlist free items too.  I'll find something that it's perfect for a unit that I'll be teaching in a few months and I don't want to forget about it.

However, I have item I know I'll be buying at the BTS Sale!

I'm required to have an Emergency Sub Tub and let's face it...I never do a super job organizing it because I'm such a control freak that I run up to school when I'm sick (which is rare) and I don't like to take days off.  But last year I came down with the stomach bug overnight and I literally could not stand up.  This would have come in handy!  I love that there are lessons for the beginning, middle, and end of the year.  You know firsties grow so much and what you do at the beginning of the year is completely different than the end!

Click HERE to check it out!

Tell me something on your wishlist!  Is there something I just HAVE TO HAVE that I'm missing out on?

DOT Book + Freebies

Two more days of freedom!  Teachers report August 1st, Open House is August is August 8th and students come back August 12th.  I plan to make the most of the next two days - pool, reading and trips to Target.

Last year I changed my classroom theme to green, pink and black polka dots.  Before that I had a bee theme which resulted in tons of bee gifts....you should have seen the amount of bee stuff at my last garage sale.  I was just over it!

I have always used a communication binder to send information home.  I was still stuck using a BEE ( Bring Everything Everyday) book.  I finally made a DOT (Daily Organizational Tool) book.

I'd love to show you a sample of it put together, but my binders haven't arrived.  Most of the packet is editable so you can put the student's name on the front cover, edit your own schedule and create your own rules if you would like.

I made to different sets - everything is the same except for the cover page.

I haven't decided which cover I'm going to use yet, so that's why I made two. Click any of the pictures above and it'll take you to my TPT store.

I'm working on my M.A.T. and my latest assignment I had to create a bunch of math assessments.  I'm glad I started making things for TPT and learned that Power Point is SO much easier.

Here are a few FREE number sense printables.  Nothing too fancy, but I figured it was better to share them than to let them sit on my computer.

Enjoy!

Work Frenzy

I realized yesterday that I only had 15 days until I have to be at work.  While I've been pinning a lot of ideas, I haven't actually done any!  It's time for me to get to work!

I made a new set of class rules.

This is my first year using the Whole Brain Rules.  I used the callbacks last year and they worked wonderfully.  Click HERE to download them for free.

I also cut out my new number line - in pink & green, of course!

I ran up to school to laminate everything and also make copies for my Rise and Shine Binders.  I just bought them from Reagan Tunstall.  I loved her post about how she uses them and honestly I'm tired of making copies for morning work.  We don't have a copy count yet, but I'm afraid it's coming. The kids really do trickle in and I feel that it's always their morning work that gets the best of them (at least for the late arrivals).  After awhile I know the work won't be as challenging (she suggests adding morning work in the back), so I plan on putting Cara Caroll's Calendar Companion in the page protectors in October.

I'm going to make this today.  Sadly, the pin doesn't link to a source.  But it is based off of the Calendar Companion.  I tried to go in my room to grab some sentence strips, but someone moved all of the furniture right in front of my closet.  It was not worth the effort to move the furniture for some sentence strips.  ;)  

When do you go back to school?  Teachers start August 1st and the students come back August 12th at my school.

Don't forget to enter my word wall giveaway!