Shopping! :)

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is over! Whoa! Time is just flying by...it is going to be 2013 before we know it! I have had a fantastic break and holiday with family and friends, but I am looking forward to Monday and Tuesday! Not necessarily because I am going back to work... but TPT's Cyber Monday and Tuesday Sale is here!! You can get up to 28% off tons of amazing products made by talented teachers!!

I hope that you are "making a list" and "checking it twice", so that when Monday comes you will get everything you need for your classroom! I am working on a few new units to put in my store...so make sure to come by and check them out! Here is some craftivities from my new Winter Wonderland Unit! I had so much fun making them...my students will love these! :) 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :) Happy Shopping!!

Home Project Fun!

So I know I am a little behind with this post, but I just had to share these pictures with you! My students completed a "Jack-O-Character" as a Home Project. I actually got this idea from my friend Jackie! So fun!! The students had to choose their favorite character and then create a pumpkin character. They had so much fun and were super creative! Check them out!!

 The parent letter and instructions for this activity are in my Pumpkin, Spiders and Bats...Oh My! Unit.

The next Home Project that my students will be completing is an "Incognito Turkey". Here are some pictures of the little turkeys from last year!

You can find the parent letter and instruction for this activity in my Thankful Hearts on Thanksgiving Unit.

Happy Wednesday! :)

Printing, Printing and More Printing! Ahh!!

I have come across so many great resources that teachers have created and shared either on blogs or TPT. Wow! The things that are available are just amazing! I create, purchase and find so many goodies, that my poor printer must hate me! It can get really expensive to print everything out that I use in my classroom, especially in color! And when it comes having space in my classroom to hang everything up...there is just not enough room! So when I create or purchase something that I would like to display as a poster, instead of printing it I just display it the same way your would a PowerPoint Presentation. In case you don't know how, here's a little "how-to"...

 

 

 



Hope this helps! Check out my TPT Store  for some great resources for The Election & Voting and Thanksgiving!Whoa...can you believe it is almost already here! Happy Weekend! :)

Reading and Writing Muscles

A week or so ago I was really struggling with getting my little friends to work independently for an extended period of time, especially when they were reading and writing. I kept encouraging them that the more they practiced and worked hard, their "Reading Muscles" and "Writing Muscles" would grow. Sometimes group discussions only go so far, right? An incentive/motivator was needed! As I was driving home I was thinking about what incentive I could give the students to help them become more independent. Candy popped into my head, lunch bunch with the teacher, etc...although I love rewarding my students I didn't want this to be a "get something" reward, more like an enpowering "I did it!" kinda thing. So as I was thinking about big muscles what did I think of...why wrestling of course!!!! So off to the Dollar Tree I went and I knew I had a "hit" when the neighbor kids' faces lit up when they saw what was in the bag when I got home! About twenty minutes later I had created these...

The next morning I had these items displayed at the front of the room, and didn't have to say anything for the students to notice them. Someone asked what they were for, and when I explained that they are a reward for students that have stamina and big "Reading and Writing Muscles"...well let's just say that from that day on I have seen such a difference.  Students are attending to text for longer periods of time and as a class we are reading independently for 15 minutes! Wow! During writing I see students who wouldn't have even attempted to stretch out words independently working so hard! The best part is to see their faces and how they feel so proud of themselves- all of them not just the ones recognized that day! They can feel how they worked harder and stronger that day, and say things like "I know I did better today because..." Yay! Well I have been doing the happy dance for a few days now, and wanted to share my happiness with you!

Anchor Charts for Friday Flashback

Every year I struggle with anchor charts. I think anchor charts are AMAZING and really help students. BUT I am such a perfectionist that the creation of an anchor chart is well...out of control! :) I would always make an anchor chart to hang up- we shall call that one "The Pretty One". I can't tell you how many times I have used several pieces of chart paper before I got the anchor chart to look the way I wanted it to. Can we say expensive and wasteful!!!!  Then there was the anchor chart that I would create during class. That was the "Quick, Hurry Up Before My Little Friends Stop Paying Attention Version"- which was not so pretty. The other thing that I struggled with was the amount of anchor charts I would create, and the limited amount of space that I had to display them. For many lessons in reading, writing and math I would create an anchor chart almost daily. That is almost 15 anchor charts a week! I just don't have wall space to hang/ display the anchor charts.

 

So what I have started to do this year is to create many of my anchor charts electronically. These anchor charts are much smaller, printed usually on regular letter size paper. I struggled with the idea that not all students would be able to see the anchor charts from all parts of the room, so I came up with a plan...

Anchor Charts Galore

 

 

First, all anchor charts are displayed in a way that they are easily moved. None of the anchor charts that I am using are up for the whole year (taped to the wall). They are either hung up with clothespins or magnets. This way I can easy go get an anchor chart and take it any where in the room at any time to reference it. Also, this makes it easy to switch out anchor charts as I am starting new units of study or new concepts. 

 

During lessons I reference the anchor chart that I will display. I also display the anchor chart on my large screen at the front of the room. This way while students are working independently on the new skill taught they can look at the anchor chart on the large screen.

 

Next, as I am teaching a unit of study I think about the anchor charts that I would want my students to have. Then I create a page for their journal/folder. This eliminates the problem of all students not being able to see the anchor chart from anywhere in the room. Each of them will have their own copy to reference in their journal/folder.  

 

Last, after I am done with an anchor chart I place them in a binder with plastic sleeve protectors. This way if later in the year I am teaching a lesson that I need an old anchor chart, I can just go get the binder and ta-da I'm ready!

 

What I have noticed...

1. Probably the first thing that I have noticed is that before the lesson the students see the anchor chart and "guess" what we are going to learn about that day by the illustrations and words that they see on the anchor chart...it gets them thinking.
2. The students remember each anchor chart better because of the colorful clipart and fonts.
3. I see students referencing their anchor charts in their own folders/journals.
4. I am not using my teaching time to create anchor charts, rather I am really teaching and allowing students to apply the skills being taught. 
5. The time spent preparing anchor charts is eliminated and I have more time to prepare meaningful lessons and hands-on lessons.

I have created a set of anchor charts for the beginning of the year and small moments unit of writing. Included are 22 anchor charts to get you started. Click here to check them out! The first 2 people who comment on this post can have a set for FREE! :)

 

I know I am a day late...but I wanted to participate in this linky party because I am really excited about how this is working in my classroom!  Go check out what is working in other teachers classrooms!!