Showing posts with label organization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organization. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Teacher Week: Classroom Tour

Day three of Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week!
I am on maternity leave so although it's bittersweet that I do not have a classroom to prepare this year, I get to spend my weeks with this cutie: 

But if you're new to my blog, here's a throwback to my last first grade classroom reveal:
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*apologies in advance: I am horrible at remembering my camera so all of the following pictures were taken with my phone at 7:00 this morning. So the lighting is strange and the pics are somewhat blurry!*
Above is the view from my classroom door.
This is my little "where we are" information board located on the outside of my door:

To the left of the door is our command centre. This is where the kiddies put their communication folders, drink/food tickets, and move their star over to sign in. There's also a classroom "lost & found" bin, tissues and hand sanitizer, and bins labelled for "notes" and "work" to go home:

(you can download my FREE magnetic sign-in labels HERE!)

To your right when you walk in the door is our corner prayer table (not pictured) and the "welcome" bulletin board, which is currently featuring our class jobs and birthdays. Beneath the bulletin board is my behaviour management system (currently pictured is our old ticket system but I have since switched to a much more effective program). I don't use a clip chart or ticket system anymore and have switched to a program called 1-2-3 Magic! and the Zones of Regulation.
(If you would like my FREE class jobs labels click HERE!)

Next to the welcome board is our word wall and the Word Work 2 centre:
(Download my FREE blank word wall labels HERE)

Separating Word Work 1 and Word Work 2 is my alphamagnet "Read It, Build It" activity. This filing cabinet was just a waste of space last year--I NEVER use it. So this year I had the great idea of turning the drawers to the wall, and using the remaining 3 sides as a magnetic activity board. MUCH better! :)

If you keep moving along this same wall, you will find our writing/reading focus wall. Right now it is just showing off (from left to right) our Visual Writing Rubric, Writing Rules Checklist, our in-progress classroom big book which will eventually be moved to our reading centre, and our current writing focus (recount writing). Below this whiteboard fis the Word Work 1 literacy centre.

Last but not least along this wall is our reading centre/classroom library. That big empty space on the bulletin board is being reserved for our class-made big books. Right now my library is seriously lacking some comfortable pillows/seating, but I have been too broke to buy/make pillows :( ...One day!
You may have noticed the folders on the back of the blue bookshelf above. Those are fast finisher activities. I have not introduced this routine to my kiddies yet but I can't wait! Here's a closer look:
(Although they are not editable, HERE are my fast finisher folder labels--as seen above plus MORE!!--if you would like them!)

The back wall of our classroom is where we display all of our fabulous work:
In the centre of the counter (as seen above) is our pencil station. Here's a closer look at that:
(Grab some FREE pencil labels HERE!)
And beneath on the shelves are all of my math manipulatives and math tubs:
(Download my FREE math tub labels HERE!)

Moving to the other side of the classroom, you will find my guided reading corner:

Beside that is our "math" whiteboard and "math words" bulletin board. Beneath that is our listening centre, which also houses the laptop and Elmo for my SmartBoard:

Here's a bigger view of this side of the room taken from the reading centre:
(The coloured construction paper above the boards is my alphabet, waiting to be customized by my firsties! Download my FREE chalkboard alphabet labels HERE)
To the left of the SmartBoard (as seen above) is our "Morning Meeting" area. 
Here's a closer look at that:

...and looking from the reading centre to the back of the classroom and out the door:
Behind my desk, at the back of the classroom, is our writing wall (currently featuring all of the students' writing from the beginning of our "Recount Writing" focus until now) and writing centre:
Behind the chart stand, pocket chart, and "Morning Meeting" area, is our supplies station and the storage system that houses all of my math tub activities for each month. Opposite this area is the sink: 
(Click HERE to visit the post where you can download my monthly chalkboard labels for FREE!)

Here is a view from my desk (such a beautiful sunny morning!):

And last but not least, each of my tables has a coloured pompom and a chalkboard group number:
(Chalkboard labels are from my Chalkboards and Banners Decor Pack)

And that about sums up my classroom reveal. I hope you enjoyed the tour!

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    I can't wait to take a tour of everyone else's classrooms!!

    Tuesday, August 25, 2015

    Best of Back-to-School

    Well, it's that time of the year again...
    hahah!
     If you haven't already gone back to school you are heading back soon, so it only makes sense to pump you up by sharing a few of my favourite back-to-school ideas! 
    Let's get started!


    I have always wanted to do something like this for my kiddos. It's such a great way to squash any anxieties they may have and get them excited about their first day back.

    I love this minty fresh idea for Meet-the-Teacher Night! And to make it even better, you can snag Nicole's printable for FREE!


    Why not have a "snowball fight" as a fun ice breaker activity?! Kids write three things about themselves on a sheet of scrap paper but DON'T write their names. Scrunch it up and, on your command, start a "snowball" fight! At the end of one minute or so, each student grabs the nearest "snowball," reads it aloud, and tries to guess who wrote it. 

    Leave it to the amazing Debbie Clement to come up with such an adorable idea for a first day classroom-community-building activity! How cute would this look on your door?

    I did Friday Journals one year and loved it! Every Friday starting from the first week, kids write a little note (and add a picture or two depending on your grade) to their parents telling them a few of the things they learned/did that week at school. The parents write a short response over the weekend and send the book back on Monday. Each parent response earns a sticker for the cover. It's such a great way to practice letter writing, reinforce what was taught each week, and get parents involved...plus it makes for a fun little keepsake by the end of the school year.

    There are a bunch of adorable all-about-me pennant banners out there. This one is too cute...and FREE from The Bomb-Diggity Classroom!

    I apologize for the self-promotion but I honestly couldn't start the year without my monthly newsletters! The editable template makes it so easy for me to produce an informative and CUTE newsletter with little effort. It definitely makes parent communication much easier!

    And finally, it's always fun to end a fabulous first week sweet little treat for your new bunch. There are SO many cute first-day gift ideas out there but using fishy crackers and this snack tag saying is one of my favs!

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      What are some of your favourite back-to-school ideas?!
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