Long Time Since I Checked In...

This past year has been a crazy year of learning!  As most teachers know, moving schools is stressful.  Every school does things differently, has different routines, and expectations.  And these are the schools within the same district!  Moving across the country and starting a new school is all of this times 10.  Standards of behavior, expectations, and even culture are different.  I will say that it has made me a better teacher.  I better understand when a student comes in class that lived somewhere far different and doesn't act like the other children.  I'm the oddball, now.  I'm too friendly.  I have a strange accent. 

So, here is what I've learned about getting a new student:
1.  Just because s/he doesn't know what you are talking about, doesn't mean that s/he didn't learn the concept before-s/he may have learned it differently.
2.  Expectations of behavior should be seen within the context of where the child lived before.
3.  Moving is stressful and scary!  Remember your student is going through a very traumatic experience.
4.  Try to help your student make friends-over a year in Washington, and I don't have any close friends.  I miss my friends in Oklahoma, terribly.
5.  Students from other places may eat strange foods because it's comforting to eat food from your home.

There are so many things to be said for moving schools, grades, districts, and even states.  I feel I'm more open to the varieties in education.  I now see the validity in NOT having a federal standard on what children should be taught.  Here in Washington, a lot of nautical classes are offered in high school.  In Oklahoma, you can take Cherokee has a second language.  There is a reason for having regional classes.  It doesn't make sense to learn a lot of nautical things in a land locked state, and, conversely, nobody speaks Cherokee in Washington.

Even in elementary, I found it important to teach to the students of my area things that had meaning to them.  Last year, I was teaching about Native Americans, and there was actually a unit about the Five Civilized Tribes (who were brutally driven into Oklahoma).  Though, this is a necessary lesson, second grade seemed like the wrong year to teach it here in Washington.  The students' background knowledge of states is limited and so this had little to do with them.  In Oklahoma, second grade may be the perfect year to teach it, but those kids don't have to have as much understanding of geography because they have the background knowledge of where the Five Civilized Tribes landed.

On the other hand, I discovered some awesome ways that my new school teaches math.  The idea is to make sure that students have a very grounded understanding of number sense and value.  Students don't appear to get as far in how big the numbers are that they are working with, but they are able to explain their reasoning for what operations they are doing.  Students also have an amazing understanding of story problems, which is a very difficult concept for young students.

Overall, what I've discovered through this process is that teaching looks different in different settings, and there is a lot to be said for teaching in different areas, diverse groups, and other settings.

Classroom Tour

I think I'm ready for kids!  Yay!  Transporting a whole class 2000 miles is a lot of work, but it's done. :)  School starts Tuesday.  Getting the classroom ready has been a lot of work, but I've had some great help.  My husband and sons moved a lot of it, and helped me get it into my class.  My oldest son hung all the high stuff.

Here is a look at my room:

This is the view as you walk into my class.  I love having windows!  I added pennants that I cut from an old Mother Goose book.  My desk is on the left, and under the windows, I have the class library.  The wall to the right when you walk in has a math resource board, and an empty board on the left.  I plan to use the left side for student work so it was left blank.  The bins are for school supplies and won't be left there:

Looking back at the door, I left a lot of curriculum posters up for reference.

I worked a lot on the front of the room since that is where the students look, frequently.  I added letters above the board and left space for students to make pictures to go with the letters.  I also added a focus wall for the ELA curriculum.  I always try to leave some white board because I end up using it, occasionally.  Also, it's helpful if a substitute can use the white board since s/he doesn't usually have access to the Smart Board.  Under the board, is where I put birthdays up.  I usually take a picture of groups of students, all in the same birth month, holding the number date, and then I add it to the circle that has the correct month under the Smart Board.  The table has my Elmo, and some workspace.

Lastly, I have a close up picture of the class library.  I changed my library this year to Lakeshore book bins, and changed the AR levels on the bins.  I use to have a broad AR levels, but I felt that it was better if I marked them a little better this year.

Well, that's it!  I'm ready for second grade!

Classroom Decorating

I have not fell off the edge of the world…I just feel like it.  I've been nonstop busy working on putting away classroom (and house) items.  All of our things arrived a week into August.  That is ALL OF OUR THINGS!  So I had to get my house in order to start on my classroom.  House was quickly put in order in a week of constant frenzy.   After that, I've been working hard in my classroom.

I've moved classrooms before.  I've moved schools before.  I have never moved across the country with a classroom.  It's much more difficult and costly than most people imagine.  My classroom stuff took up so much of the moving van that we had to leave a few important things behind. :(

This was what the truck looked like when we got all or our household items out!  Eek!  We actually just parked the giant moving truck at the school and unloaded.  I didn't want to unload all of this at my house and slowly take it to the school.

When it got into the classroom, this is what I had to face:

Last week, I worked very hard and was able to get a lot of my classroom decorated.  A couple of tips I would give to any teacher moving with a large amount of classroom stuff:

Tips for Moving Your Classroom Across Country ...Or Anywhere ;)

1. Get rid of anything that can't be replaced fairly cheaply.
2. Don't expect to be in the same grade so don't be so grade specific when you pack-it's sometimes cheaper to resupply that to transport old stuff!
3. Label everything!  We moved classroom and house items together.  Across my classroom boxes, I labeled "Classroom" in large letters.  I added a smaller label with info about what was in the box.
4. Find out if where you are moving has access to the same school supply stores (or some of equal prices).  For example, I came from a state that had a very cheap school supply store, and now I haven't found anything comparable.
5. Put all your boxes in one area of the classroom, and begin labeling with Post-its (easily moveable) cabinets and other storage area in your classroom.  Think about what students need to be able to reach, and what you won't be using very frequently.
6. Begin opening one box at a time, and putting away the contents.  Immediately, break down the box, and add to the collection for the janitors or your pile to take out.
7. Temporary labels outside of drawers, cabinets, and other storage have been a lifesaver!

I have made a huge dent in the decorating/organizing.  Time to start taking pictures!  Which means…it's almost time for a classroom tour!!!   But for now, I'll show you my most recent work. :)

I'm very excited about my new decorations and my new class!  I'm SUPER excited about my new school, the new kids, and Second Grade!  More classroom pics to come! :)

Throwing a Sale!

Teachers Pay Teachers Sale starts Today!!!!  Woohoo!  I always have about 40 things on my wish list so I'm always so excited to get the email giving me the dates of the site wide sale.  This year, I have even more than normal that I'm buying since I'm moving to 2nd grade.  I'd like to make my own homework, and, probably, will, as the year goes along, but until then, I plan to make use of some of the great resources I've found.

My store is 20% off, in addition to the site's sale!  In celebration, I'm offering a form from my Open House Packet (which isn't quite finished, but will be soon *fingers crossed*).  This form has been one I have used over and over, and has helped me to get so many volunteers in my classroom.  With all that we have on our plates as teachers, it never hurts to have a volunteer to call on for the things that take away from our actual job -  TO TEACH!

Just CLICK HERE!

I have one month to get ready for school, now!  I'm feeling the pressure.  I have a whole list of things to finish, as I'm sure you understand!  One of my goals is to get my classroom management procedures written the way I teach them so I can share on here before school starts.  Plus, it always helps to remind me of everything I teach those first days (weeks?) of school.  Those are the days that create the culture of your class!  

And don't forget to check out my store!  Click on the picture to be taken there and get your discounted items-->

 Happy Shopping!

Starting the School Year Right!

This summer has been all about getting organized and ready for the beginning of school since I have a whole classroom to set up.  Those days in August when I'd normally be making copies, creating my lessons, making lists, checking them twice, marking whose been naughty or nice…oops! wrong job!  well, those things that we teachers do to be prepped for students, I'll not be doing them first.  I'll be redecorating, dusting off boxed materials, putting books back into AR level, setting up bulletin boards, etc.  All those things I haven't had to do for several years since I hadn't changed schools, I'm going to be busy doing.  Which means all those other things, that have to be done, I'm trying to prep for now, or write on that list spoken of before, not the naughty or nice one…that comes much later ;).

Some of the things foremost on my mind: my very detailed lesson plan for the first day of school.  I always make a VERY detailed plan of the first day of school.  I have many reasons for this.  The main reason is that I'll still be on lazy summer day brain, and school brain will not have kicked in, yet.  I need to have a schedule of everything I'm doing (much like I leave for a substitute-HA!).  I like to put descriptions, games, rules, procedures, practice, and time for first day pictures in this lesson plan.  Since this will be my first year in 2nd grade, it will probably have more stuff than I'll get to.  In 1st grade, you need such a detailed plan because those little guys and gals get lost easy, and you can't be puttering around looking for what you had planned or you may lose a kiddo!  I think 2nd grade won't be so dangerous! :)

After the first day plans, I usually use my regular lesson plans from then on.  After obtaining a calendar, a schedule for next year, and copy of another teacher's plans (thank you, new teammate!), I got a better idea of what next year was going to look like.  I decided to create a new lesson plan book that would also contain my grades.  Grades are new for me!  My first grade years we assessed ability, rather than kept grades.  I've been reading blogs, pinning on Pinterest, and asking questions of teachers to see what the best ideas were for keeping grades.  I know there will be a software to enter grades, but I needed a grade book to keep with my plans.  After some research, I created a new {EDITABLE} lesson plan book that contains the grade book I need, plus a calendar, and other necessary forms.  My hours of work can be obtained from my TpT store, but here's a preview:

I'll be adding to it, and updating the calendar each year!  The price will change accordingly as I add to this file, but you can get it now, and any updates will be free!

What's New Going Back to School?

The big news that I spoke of….I've relocated to Washington State!  This is a huge change from Oklahoma.  One of the most significant changes…rain, but no tornados!  Yay!  Well, no significant tornados (aka, giant, mile-wide ones), and July has been beautiful.  I've really enjoyed the change.  Another change-a new school and a new grade.  I'll be teaching 2nd grade this year, which brings me to the problem of how to change the name of this blog.  I'll still be making products for primary grades, but I will be including things that I'm doing in my class this year.

With the new school, the new grade, and, of course, a new classroom, I've been working on some new projects.  Mostly projects that will include decorations!  I'm very excited about this, but don't want to post any until I have them on my classroom walls to be sure they look as good finished as they appear on my screen. :) Since that will be a little while (my stuff for my classroom is still in storage in Oklahoma and yet to arrive *fingers crossed only one more week*), I've decided to post about a first days rule book that I created last summer.

I used this at the beginning of last year in first grade, but it easily adapts to 2nd and K.  It is a lot of coloring and tracing, as well as a guide to move through the rules.  I love this product, and will be using it again.  I'm discounting it in celebration of my new move!

Get it HERE! 

Big Changes!

It's been a while since I posted, and it's been a crazy year!  Last summer, I taught summer school, which was a lot of fun but kept me from posting some of the great stuff I've been working on.  One of the things I meant to post about was some RTI Fluency Practice that I used in summer school.  The class I had was first graders moving to second, but needed a little boost in reading.  I added this practice, which I could do very quickly, one-on-one, with small groups, to boost fluency:
The great thing about this little gem was that I could teach 5 Dolch words at a time, review them in easy sentences, and the next day add 5 more.  Many of the sentences would repeat previous words that had been taught to create fluency.  I kept my sentences in chart form, but over a full school year, it could be used to cut in strips and have students review words in pairs.  To get this product at a discounted rate, check out my TPT store:

HERE

I have several new items I've created to add, but also exciting news about moving to a new state, a new school, a new grade, and an updated blog to share in upcoming posts.  Until then, here's a hint for the new blog look:

Interactive Math Notebooks

This will be the third year that I've done interactive math notebooks in my class.  My first year I created my own notebook out of things I had collected from different curriculums, teaching magazines, etc., and put them together in my own notebook as an example.  After using a regular composition notebook, I realized that if I had thought this out a little bit, I would have realized that I should have put my example in a binder…and that's what I've done, now!  Yay!  Here is are some pictures of my 95 page interactive math notebook (my 1st graders call it a "math scrapbook"):

Putting all of the pages in a binder makes it easier to allow absent students to catch up on their own notebooks, but, more importantly, it makes it easier to rearrange the pages for changing your curriculum around.  Last year, I used the first notebook I had made, but I had rearranged a few of the things that I taught, and I found myself digging around in the notebook, as opposed to being able to find the page quickly and easily.

Since my interactive notebook is made from many curriculums and pages that I've found or my team has created, I don't have a file I can share.  However, as a back to school present, I did create the Linus the Minus and Gus the Plus to share!  :)  Happy teaching!

Get it free here!

Literacy to match Math!

Last summer I worked on my math homework.  I've had a literacy component that I always sent home, too, but hadn't had time to go through it and revamp it.  This summer, I finally did it!  Yay!  It's mostly what I've done for my class with a few changes.  This year will be a trial year so I'm going to put it in my TpT store for  less than the math unit.  Once I've piloted it in it's new format this year, and made changes, the price may go up... so get it while it's cheap! :)

First 9 Weeks     Second 9 Weeks    Third 9 Weeks    Fourth 9 Weeks

  

This is going to make my life so much easier!  Printed back-to-front, just like the math, stapled, and sent home on Monday, and ta-da! homework done!  34 of the 36 weeks have nonsense words (that change every 4 weeks).  Weeks 10-34 also have a reading passage.  These activities have helped my students immensely with DIBELS testing.  Other activities are introduced as they are taught through the school year, such as phonics rules, base word, suffix, prefix, letter writing, ABC order, etc.

Back to summer relaxin'!

1 File Cabinet + Organization!

Okay, so it's August 1st...  School is right around the corner.  I've been working off and on in my classroom trying to get it organized.  Last year was my first year at this school, and the class was barely ready in time.  There were a few hidden places in my room that were thrown together last minute, and, frankly, they were a little scary!  Desk and drawers were okay, but some of the bigger closets were shoved full of stuff that I just didn't have time to organize before school started last year.  One file cabinet was not even being utilized!  I basically was dropping stacks of paper in it that I needed for future use.

One of the aforementioned closets was full of center and theme items.  I bought 4 blue boxes for center pieces.  I have 8 centers (counting the guided reading table), but only a few of them have a lot of items so I figured 4 would be enough.  Then I bought 10 clear stacking boxes, one for each month of the school year, and filled them with all the little things that I need for each theme.  All 14 boxes are the same size (about the size of a large ream of paper, but a bit longer) and have lids so they stack neatly in the closet.  I won't be able to put large theme items in them, but I don't have many of those things anyway.

Last year I kept a shelf with all the books that I regularly read with each unit/theme.  The problem was that they were not separated into categories, and they were close to my class library.  Every now and then I would find one at a student's desk because they got confused and grabbed from my shelf.  It made it very confusing to keep up with.  Today, I finally moved all those books into a file cabinet and separated them with file folders that had been cut to be taller than the tallest book (and still be able to close in the file cabinet).

Also, on this same file cabinet, I have my AR chart hanging.  Once my students start taking AR tests, I greet them at the door  andnask them if they are ready for an AR (Accelerated Reader) test.  If they are, they get on the 2 class computers while the rest put a clip on this AR chart to keep a line going of those ready.

My last name is on the clip above, for display.  I keep a clothespin bag (I bought for a few dollars at the Family Dollar) with clips of every student's name.  I've used this chart for many years to keep me organized, and it works very well.  Once I show students how to place their clips, I then train them to tell the next person when it's his/her turn to keep the testing continually going until everyone has had their turn.  I don't let students take clips off because then they want to move clips up, and it usually becomes a bit of a problem.  As long as there is room to add clips, I don't worry about removing/moving clips.  After all the morning AR tests, I usually clear it so that it's available for use later.  It's great because if I have a student read a book in the middle of the day, they can just add their clip, and wait till I say it's time for those finished with work to take AR tests.

On the side of this same file cabinet I have a pocket chart that was initially created for counting days of the year and place value.  Since I do this on my Smart Board now, I decided to use it to keep track of where students are.  I bought "people sticks", as you can see  in the picture, and glued magnetic strips to the back.  Last year, I took pictures of all my students, and pasted their heads to the top.  When they are out of the class, they drop their people stick into one of the corresponding pockets.  It was so helpful last year, when things got harried, and I needed to know who had taken the bathroom pass or was out of the room for some reason.

Well, my file cabinet is finally getting some real use!  I would love to hear others' ideas for organizing.  Hope everyone's school year gets off to a great start!

Dr. Jean Summer Camp

Just came back from a Dr. Jean summer camp!  Wow!  She's amazing!  I've owned several of her CDs but never really knew how to use them effectively in class.  I have a feeling I will be spending several hours at her blog this summer.   There are so many great ideas for early childhood.  I love when I can make learning fun!

After yesterday and today, I feel so much more confident about teaching and using her songs in my class.  I was planning on incorporating them into our language curriculum, which I've worked on, daily, to get on Smart Notebook.  I'm really looking forward to next school year and adding these great ideas and songs.  Now, if only I can remember all these great ideas.  Yes, I wrote them down, but how often do you go to a conference/workshop, write down tons of great ideas, then read them later, and ask yourself "What did I mean by that scribble?"  I WILL use the great ideas I learned! ~that is the mantra for next school year.

I would love to share all the work that I've done to make the language curriculum available on Smart, but since I can't put up those files (as the work is not mine to give away), I've decided to share the few slides of Smart Notebook that I created to practice ABC order.  On these slides, I change the words weekly to our sight words, and then work (whole group) to put them in ABC order.  Once we've done it several times as a group, I give students their own copies, and we do it whole group and individually. Lastly, I let them try it individually, and go over the answers whole group.  Always my class has done well with ABC order, and it's interactive with the board, which the kids love!

Go to My TPT Store and snatch up this freebie!

Summer Catch Up

This summer seems to be flying by!  I have so many ideas and plans, but not near enough time to complete all of them.  Since summer began so unexpectedly, I haven't felt like I've really started my vacation.  My summer break started several days early because I work in the Moore Public School district, which had a devastating tornado come through and damage/destroy several of our schools.  (I don't feel I can explain any better than my amazing colleague what that was like, and so I will direct you to her blog, as my experience was so similar being also a first grade teacher in the same school: Mrs. Terhune's First Grade Site!: May 20th - Moore, OK Tornado.)

One of my big goals has been to get all my homework that I created and used last school year up on Teachers Pay Teachers.  It worked great for my class, and followed the new Common Core guidelines, too!  I created homework for both literacy and math for all 36 weeks of school, and will be adding them to my TPT store, as I get them ready for others to use.  Below is the front side and back side of Week 1 of the first 9 weeks Math Menu.

Get the first 9 Weeks homework for math here.

I will be adding the full year soon, along with my literacy packets.

Guided Reading

It's been a while since I've blogged so I thought I better get on it! 

Well, I've been working on a way to reduce the stress of changing out what goes in my guided reading group area.  I have bins that match my groups for their leveled readers, but I was having trouble getting activities prepared each week, and putting them away after.  I think I finally created something that will help with this problem.

I've been working on a Guided Reading Toolbox to use in small groups.  I bought a tower with 10 drawers, labeled each drawer with a reading component (phonemic awareness, letter/sound correspondence, fluency, etc.), then filled the drawers with activities that matched that component.  Each group has different needs, so I use the drawers that match that group.  The drawers are in order from those with Intervention activities, such as flash cards with letters and sounds, to much more in- depth text connectivity activities at the bottom.  This makes it easy to find what I need, quickly.

I've been using this system for about 3 months, now, and I really like it!  Here are some pictures of what I'm using.

COMING SOON!  I have a Guided Reading Toolbox Table of Contents I use to help me remember what activities I have included that I will upload later!

Sub Tub

Recently, I had to miss several days of school.  I have always had an emergency sub file, but this was a whole week I would be gone!  There were several substitute files that I liked online, but so much wouldn't work for my class because it wasn't specific to my class's needs.  As I deliberated on how to create my sub file, I realized that there was no way I could use an already created file, and that there was a very definite need for a file that would have the base set for teachers to fill in their own information that would be very specific to their class's needs.  All this I write to say because I finally came up with a file that worked for me, then generalized it to share here!  Yay!

Below are pictures of how I am using this sub file in my class, as well as a link to download.  Enjoy!

Click Here to Get my Sub File!

Need Votes

This is my first year to try Limeades For Learning, where Sonic will pay for fabulous educational products for the class who has the most votes.  My class really needs some help.  Many teachers have had many awesome products funded so I know it is a good program, but my class just isn't getting the votes needed.  We would greatly appreciate any votes!
http://www.limeadesforlearning.com/teachers/view/1525163/default/849837

On a totally different note, my class will be so excited to have our pets, Toot and Puddles, return to class tomorrow!  I have missed their presence when I'm alone planning.  They are sweet fellas to encourage kindness, responsibility, and empathy, among many other things.

  

First Big Post!

Hello, everyone!  So I'm up late tonight (or early tomorrow), and just couldn't stop thinking about how I needed to get something on my blog.  I've had the desire to get my blog started since the middle of the summer, but changed schools so I have been very busy with moving a whole classroom!  Who would have thought moving a class full of stuff to a new school would be so difficult, and make the first 6 weeks of school so crazy?  I am still trying to get organized and remember where everything is!  Well, here are just a few pictures of my classroom (many more to come).  It's been a crazy start to the school year, but I'm loving it.  First grade is always so full of excitement and anxiety that I think it's just a great year to teach.  The kiddos come in with a lot of motivation to learn and please every one that I don't know how any teacher just wouldn't love this age group!

Here is to a great year and many more posts to come!   Happy blogging!