July 23, 2013

Monday Made It: Teacher Toolkit Times Two

Did you enjoy my alliteration? I just can't seem to be on time with my blog posts this summer :( Anyway, as the title states, I am linking up with Tara again for another Monday Made It. 


I was estatic at the end of the school year when a good teacher friend of mine surprised me with two different toolkits! She purchased this one, which is actually made to store nails/screws
source (Mine actually has 30 drawers but I can't find it online)
and this one!
source

I have great friends, right??
 I saw these toolkits all last summer and didn't think I would need one. I changed my mind. I got really tired of running from my small group table all the way across the room to my desk every time I needed something. This little guy is going to live on a self behind my guided reading table so I will have supplies close by wherever I am! I am planning a superhero theme this year and here is what I came up with. A quick coat of black spray paint and it looks perfect!


 The next toolkit (the one meant for nails) is also going to live right by my guided reading table. It will hold letter tiles (like the ones below) so that I can easily hand out and put away letters for word work!

click on the picture to see them at Lakeshore

There you have it! I am loving seeing all the other ideas but like many of you, my to do list keeps getting longer and longer! See you next week.. I am already working so hopefully I can be on time! 


July 20, 2013

Optimum Organization : Reward Coupons

I am dropping by with a quick post about my reward coupon organization system! picture of reward coupons, baseball card sleeves, kickin' it with class

I simply print, cut out, and laminate my reward cards. Then I place one of each type inside a baseball card holder like the ones here (I bought mine at Wal-mart) and then I put the rest of those cards behind it in the same sleeve. Students could look through the 2 pages of rewards quickly and just pull out the card they were choosing! No more cards scattered everywhere! 

One more small tip. I would have the students write their name with a sharpie or Vis-A-Vis on the back of the laminated card so if they dropped it before using it, I could return it to them. Then, when students "cashed" in, I would erase their name by covering it with dry erase marker and wiping clean so that it could be reused (like this). Gotta save money on that colored ink!

Thanks for stopping by. Please head on over to Fun in Room 4B or Ladybug's Teacher Files and see all the other amazing ideas!






July 19, 2013

Favorite Pins Friday


I am joining Cara over at The First Grade Parade for her weekly pinning party! The rules are simple, share you favorite pins of the week and link back to the original source! 

{Favorite Bob Vila pin}
I plan to redo the kids playroom this summer. Hmmm, I better get busy! Hubs and I are not the fix-it-uppers but this blog post almost makes me think maybe we can make this table. I'll let you know what happens!
Source
{Favorite wanna be paparazzi pin}
Love all the photo op ideas I got today from Mel over at Suesstastic. This whole class 100th day picture makes me smile!
Source

{Favorite toy wrangler picture} This goes with wanting to redo the playroom. A trunk from Hobby Lobby and tension rods? Genius!
Source

{Favorite sanity saver pin} This is one of those "why didn't I think of that?" kind of pins...
Source
{Favorite NEED to eat healthier so I'll pin healthy ideas pin} There are 9 quick healthy breakfast options from Real Simple. I love this one!
Source

{Favorite make the world a better place pin} I adore The Bubbly Blonde and her freebie on the new collaborative blog is so cute it makes my heart pitter-patter. Can't wait to use it the first few days of school!

Source

{Favorite "sub" pin}Lol! Please don't judge - those books where HOTTTT!
Source
There you have it, some of my favorite pins from this week. Sorry I have been such a bad blogger... I was having LOTS of fun the last few weeks in Disney, North Carolina (Outer Banks) and Ohio!!! Pictures to follow. 

I would love for you to follow me on Pinterest here. See you soon,

                                      


July 5, 2013

Ten Pin Linky: Top 10 Reading Pins

I love me a pinning party! I am so excited to be linking up with Just Reed for the first time ever! I have tried to include pins I have actually tried out or used in my own classroom (there may be one or two that I am planning to try out next year) Click on any picture to go to my pin, click the blog name to go to the blog post about the pin!



1. I LOVE this you tube video - Impossible Wordless Film. I used it at the beginning of my formal observation this year to teach an inferencing / asking questions lesson. My principal and class LOVED it!! 


2. This anchor chart comes from One Extra Degree and I used this same idea at the beginning of the year with The Recess Queen. A Great way to start to talk about text evidence with the character traits / actions (proof) and discuss recess rules/ treating others with respect at the same time!

3. Another LOVE - sight word sticker books by Sarah over at First Grader at Last! I actually made my own copy of the book for my daughter who had specific kindergarten sight words. I plan to make a set for my whole class to keep in their homework folders - our district has a set of words (where they came up with these words, I have no idea) Update: Now she has a math fact sticker book... I just added to my wish list! 

4. I haven't tried this yet but I definitely plan too! I love using foldables in my room and think this is a super activity for a guided reading group to add to our spelling or reader's notebook. 
source

5.  I used this adorable {freebie}from Fourth and Ten to introduce author's purpose. I loved that it wasn't the typical PIE activity (although there is nothing wrong with those!)

6.  I fully intend to organize all my reading series stuff like this when our campus reopens in August. In 3rd grade, we didn't use the basal ever but the 1st grade team does - so I'll be ready!! Thanks for the tip from Elementary Organization.

7. Ball words from the fabulous A Differentiated Kindergarten. I have told everyone that will listen to me about this system and I can not wait to get it rolling in my class next year. I want all my kiddos leaving me knowing their first grade (and more) sight words and I think this will be great motivation! I also love her party idea after all the kids pass a level - click here to read the post about it!

8. Another fabulous idea from First Grader at Last. My daughter loves to play candy land and she likes to practice her sight words. Perfect!


9. We always read Charlotte's Web at the end of the year (in 3rd) and this idea from Clutter-Free Classroom looks like way more fun that the typical question/answer worksheets that we used to do! Love the creativity of writing a summary like a diary entry!

10. We made it!!  I think this is a fun way to practice reading with expression! I think I will start with letters and then move onto other short phrases ... This idea came from ?? The link didn't go anywhere! If you know who it belongs too, please let me know. 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing my pins. I can't wait to see all of yours and keep on pinning! Have a great rest of your week. I am off to the beach with my family. #summerrocks

If you're not following me already, I would love for you to start. Follow me on Bloglovin' over on the right side of my blog and Instagram as well. See you there!