Classroom Tour

Here is a tour of my classroom this year:

 

The first set of pictures shows the whole room.  UGGHHHHH on the colors of my blinds .......Crystal did them (I am now in her room this year) and I love them except she used KU colors (they should have been purple)!!!  I am a KSTATE fan!  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are the baskets that I have in the middle of their desks.  They have pencils, erasers, germ-x, white boards and markers with pom-poms on them as erasers.  I found the pom-poms idea at Fifth Grade Frenzy and they work great!

 

 

These are my frog theme birthday straws.

 

My frog behavior chart

This is my chart where students pick a prize after having 10 good days.  They just put their clothespin on what they want.

 

Our cool book boxes this year.  Last year we had cardboard book boxes and this year we have plastic ones.  Notice they are purple!!!  :-)  YAY!!

Our Daily 5 Board (not much on it yet), we are still in training to do it.

 

My reading group area with my cat litter container seats that I made this summer

 

Calendar Area

Math Manipulative area

 

Mountain Language area with worksheets in the baskets

 

Lunch and Milk Count area.  Students move his/her stick to take lunch and milk count.

 

Our Morning Routine Freebie on tpt that I use every morning.

 

Job Chart

 

Also my mystery walker sign that I found at What Happens in First Grade

 

My Secret Student sign that I got at What Happens in First Grade

 

Rules and points that I give the students throughout the day for doing good things

 

My whole brain teaching posters

 

 

Area where students turn in their work.  They highlight their name before they turn it in.  The one on the right is where they turn in their homework.  They find their clothespin and put it on their paper.  This makes it easy for me to quickly see who did and didn't get homework done.

 

 

Work Folder-this is where the students put any work that isn't done or needs corrected.  My co-teacher's mom sewed them for us and did a fantastic job.  I love them!

 

 

 

My gym shoe and water bottle holder.  I had seen baskets put under chairs at Kindertrips and loved the idea.  So, when looking at our student chairs, I decided to use containers I already had and bungee cord them under the chairs.  This has given the students a great place to keep their shoes for gym class.  I also decided that I didn't like having water bottles on the desks because they take up too much room.  So I found holders and attached them with zip ties. 

 

Hope you have a great and restful 3 day weekend! 

 

 

 

 

Wisdom for Wednesday-God's Love

 

 Thanks for coming back for this weeks:

 

 

 

I don't know about you but I am so glad that we have a God that forgives and still loves us unconditionally.  I fail him on a daily basis, but I am so thankful that he continues to love me even though I disappoint him! 

 

As I begin a new school year with these precious little ones, I always try to look back on my day and reflect on how things went.  I always find things that I should have done better, should have said, or done differently.  The next day, I always try to remember those things and do things better.  Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there isn't a day that passes where I don't mess up somewhere.  But, luckily I know that I have a God that is forgiving and loves me even with my many imperfections!

 

Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

 

Classroom Tour and First Day Activities

I'm happy to report that my second day teaching K music was much better. There was no jumping off benches, rolling around on the floor, or banging on instruments. There still may have been a couple of boys plugging their ears and refusing to participate, but at least they were sitting/standing in their own space! I'm thinking baby steps...

 

Anyway, I finally got around to snapping pictures of my "completed" room (I have already rearranged the desks once) and I thought I'd give you a peek at a couple of our first day activities in 2nd grade.

 

When the students came in on the first day (last Thursday), they had an All About Me page waiting for them. I found this (via Pinterest) here. AMAZING amount of FREE printables on this site so be sure to check it out. Here's how some of mine turned out:

 

 

I always read David Goes to School on the first day to introduce our rules. I used this craftivity and writing freebie from Angie Neal. I always think it is funny to see how they turn out so different...

 

This Back to School Fun Packet from Smiling in Second Grade was waiting for them to start on when they come in Monday morning.

 

 

Now for the tour of my VERY small room...warning - lots of pics!

 

View from the door looking right.



View from the door looking straight ahead.

Wall of bookshelves to the left of the door.

My reading "nook." And yes, I sewed the pillowcases (don't look too close)!

 

 

Here's my desk area...first year without a teacher's desk. Still working on getting organized!

Eventually this will be where the kiddos do Listen to Reading...and also where my paras can work with students.

Mountain Math/Language sheets. I copied them front to back...we will do one sheet each day M-Th to finish the chart page (see below).

 

 

Calendar Area with those famous cupcakes...it is fun seeing them pop up on Pinterest!

Here's my board...all ready using our freebie Morning Routine posters. Check our TPT store. I tried to link, but TPT must be having  a problem right now.

Here's another look of that writing bulletin board from A Cupcake for the Teacher. The giant pencil is from The Teacher Wife. I also sectioned off an area of my whiteboard for math charts.

This wall of white board has been devoted to writing and reading. I have the names of our class written here for easy access - thanks Tammy at Forever in First for the idea. I've got my reading and writing goals posters - pinterest inspired. The baggie next to them has pencils and books ready with student numbers to add to the posters. I also have my Daily 5 anchor charts on this board...you can see the Read to Self one. The others just have the titles waiting until we introduce them.

Another peek at my reading focus wall. Technically this pic should have been by the calendar, but Blogger is having a fit...

Mailboxes, lunch check-in, and homework club...



Job chart!

Kansas Jayhawks! My son made that for me. I wonder how many days until basketball season... The poster was left by the former teacher and I just liked it. :-)

Have a great week! I'm exhausted already!

 

First Full Week of School!

Yay....we made it through the first full week of school!  We had an awesome week and the kiddos are already starting to get into a routine.  Although, I will say that I believe that they were extremely tired along with me yesterday. 

 

I was very excited because we learned our first math game and played it with a partner.  It was our first partner activity so I was a little worried and nervous about how they would do with it.  They did an outstanding job!  They played it just like I would have wanted them to play.  Each student stayed on task and played nicely with his/her partner.  Therefore, I was very happy that they are already able to work with a partner nicely.  Of course, we have such great kindergarten teachers that they train them so well to do all of this stuff already!  Check them out!

 

 

I was also excited because this is the first year that I am trying to incorporate some Whole Brain Teaching.  I have taught a few things to them so far, but by far my favorite one is the Hands and Eyes.  This has so far been such a great way to redirect them if they aren't focused in on what I am teaching.  I am excited to incorporate more Whole Brain Teaching as the year goes on.

 

Next week, I will have a tour of my classroom and will be posting some pictures.  I found some really good ideas on pinterest that I incorporated in my classroom this year to help with some organizing.  It has worked out well for me. 

 

Hope all of you have a great weekend!