Category Archives: Classroom Organization

Classroom Organization. Everything from Teacher Organization, Classroom Design, labels, flexible seating, and organizing student materials. Here is where we find help in the “daily” activities of the classroom. Tips and Tricks help the classroom run efficiently and effectively.

NOVEMBER? Already? Don’t BLINK!

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I just LOVE

Kenny Chesney… Don’t Blink

I think he is really, speaking to ME!
As I  am singing…no  BELTING OUT… his song
( in my car of course…windows up..no one wants to
hear this voice)

“DON’T BLINK”

Don’t blink
Just like that you’re six years old and you take a
nap and you
Wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high
school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don’t blink
You just might miss your babies growing
like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know
your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than
you think
So don’t blink
 
I can TOTALLY RELATE!
I swear…I just looked at the calendar & it was OCTOBER!
Early OCTOBER!
THEN…WHAM!
Halloween is here..NO..GONE!
and now it is NOVEMBER! 
WHERE DID OCTOBER GO??
As I turn the calendar, I realize 
I need to slow down
and appreciate ALL that I have in the HERE & NOW!
So, my friends..
BEFORE the Holidays come…55 days to be exact!

Don’t BLINK!

Take a few moments to 
STOP! Look around! Remember this MOMENT!
It will be gone in a BLINK!
Enjoy the…
LULL
( Before the RUSH!)
Take a minute, relish the moment, and
ENJOY!
BECAUSE…tomorrow will be here soon enough…
I wonder where I can get a
2024 CALENDAR?
(I better hurry…it will be here SOON!)
HAHAHA
Enjoy your weekend!
 
Here are a few 
“helpers” to get you through the
 Nov./Dec.  rush!
 
DON’T  BLINK!
 
Let’s Talk Turkey
Fact  Family
Adding 3 numbers
November Vocabulary Banners
The Elves are Working OVERTIME!
Winter Vocabulary Banners
Enjoy!
Wendy

 

Do YOU Dress Up for Halloween?

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I hate to wear hats when I dress up.

I don’t like things on my head.

I do enjoy a great laugh.

I want to participate with the group.

I am a TEAM PLAYER.

 

BUT… I don’t dress up for Halloween!

Sreaming Child

There!  I said it!

I am the “old teacher” who does NOT dress up for Halloween.

Old Granny

WHY?  I dunno.

Just never got “into it”.

The whole “make-up, costume, prop thing” just doesn’t appeal to me.

I don’t get the whole “dress up as someone else”, thing.

DON’T GET ME WRONG!

I love HALLOWEEN!

I dressed my kids up in HOMEMADE costumes AND store-bought costumes.

They were SO CUTE!

Teachers EVERYWHERE dress up and they are AMAZING!

I just can’t do it at school!

My kiddos are NOT allowed to wear costumes to school.

I will NOT, if they cannot.

I wouldn’t dress up, even if THEY could. Sorry, Not me!

Maybe I’ll dress up at home!

A cute T-SHIRT! YES!

Maybe.  Maybe not.

Maybe??

So for now… I will live in my “COSTUME”

vicariously through all of YOU on PINTEREST!

This post might help me…

My Fall Dilemma 

WOW! CUTE hat!… Maybe…  Gotta go…

I think I found a HAT I LIke.

Stay tuned.  Check out my Instagram.

There may be a HALLOWEEN pic.

Maybe.  🙂

Do YOU “dress up” for Halloween?

Help me out…What do YOU dress up for on HALLOWEEN?

Leave me a comment. 🙂

Wendy

 

I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

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I SEE PUMPKINS! Meet the “little ones”…

My hubby, AKA  Farmer Without a Farm, is growing
pumpkins!
In our backyard.
On the fence.
Across the lawn.
In EVERY garden we own!
And FINALLY…Yes, I say FINALLY…

WE HAVE PUMPKINS!

2 to be exact!
Meet the “little ones”.
Clara the colorful…
She is turning ORANGE the fastest.
Sidewinder SAM.
He is growing SIDEWAYS ON my ladder!
Just like the “STEPS” he can take to grow!
HAHAHA
Pumpkin  HUMOR 🙂 
And this is Junior!
Junior is was growing in our garden at school.
I work at a TITLE 1 school…someone STOLE him!
RIP junior.
You would have made a great  PIE!   🙂

To help my FIRSTIES get into the FALL  SPIRIT…

I have brought out the FALL GOODIES!
 Remember…it’s 95 degrees in NORCAL this week…
hard to feel “FALLISH!”

Fall BUNDLE

Falling for NOUNS ( Common Core Grade 1 )
and
FALL Fluency
BUNDLED TOGETHER to save $$
FALL  THEMATIC   UNIT
Includes:

Reading-
Reading Passage
Comprehension Printable
Reading Response Printables
Vocabulary Pocket Chart Cards
Poem ( And Cut a part printable )

Writing-
Spelling List Forms
Word Family Charts
HFW Lists
Journal Pages & Covers
Interactive Journal Pages
Flap Book Graphic Organizer

Assessments-
BPST printable
Fluency Assessment
HFW List

Grade 1 / 2

AND…
BRING ON ANYTHING  
HALLOWEEN “ish”…
Fact  Families
Finally,
MORE TASK CARDS
These are  ADDITION ONLY!
Good starting PACKET
Fall ADDITION TASK CARDS
Now…If I could just get the PUMPKINS
to
CARVE THEMSELVES!
( I Hate the SLIME!)
Oh, well.
Stay COOL my FRIENDS!
Wendy

My OCTOBER classroom DILEMMA!

1 Reply

 

So my October dilemma.

We have a two-week FALL vacation.

 

(NO COMPLAINING HERE!)

WAHOO!!!

BUT…

We return on Oct. 18.

 MONDAY

21 days (exactly ) until…

YOU  KNOW  IT

Sunday, October 31, 2021.

Thank You HALLOWEEN for being on a weekend! 

Says EVERY teacher, EVERYWHERE!

Happy Halloween!

HALLOWEEN!

Parties,

CANDY,

Kids who can’t wait to get home ( highly DISTRACTABLE!)

(some schools…not mine….)

COSTUMES!

So … My October dilemma.

When we go back,

Do I put out HALLOWEEN themed centers?

Do I keep it OCTOBERish with Columbus, Halloween, Fall, Pumpkins, etc?

Do I just “touch” on the “HOLIDAY” stuff…and Promote the FALL  stuff?

Do I  add  THANKSGIVING?

Should I keep it ALL going until THANKSGIVING?

What to do?  What to do?????

FAll Leaves

BTW…   I  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE   FALL!

I love October!

My favorite season.

Pumpkins

Starbuck’s Pumpkins Spiced Latte

YUMMY!

But…

CONTENT is EVERYTHING!

My students MUST take a BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT in December.

I want them to do well.

( I don’t think there will be a

HALLOWEEN question on it.)

Unless it’s about 

HOW MANY CANDIES DID YOU EAT ALL TOGETHER?

So ..what to do?   What to do?

October INTEGRATE!

I must teach SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES!

( Living things…life cycle…Plants/animals…Lifestyles Long Ago..)

So here is MY October plan:

Reading:

  • Nonfiction about pumpkins, apples, plants
  • Biographies about Christopher Columbus, Squanto
  • Fiction about Fall, Halloween, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving

I am checking my district curriculum

( yes, we have one )

for REQUIRED (Tested )  Skills & Strategies for this quarter.

As we delve into our reading…I make SURE to incorporate TESTED strategies.

 

Questioning? Sequencing? Retelling? Etc..etc…

Vocabulary?   Again…check NECESSARY vocabulary for success!

 

I spend A LOT of time on the necessary vocabulary. I have 10-12  English Language Learners.

 

They need visuals, modeling, & practice before they can “TAKE ON” the new information

.

Phonics?   Spelling?   Grammar? 

 Required phonics skills for this quarter.

 

What to use for  Spelling? 

BOTH!

 

  Required spelling skills AND  thematic vocabulary words. 

WHAT?      WHY?

Because…I want them to have some  INTRINSIC vocabulary to use easily in their…

 

WRITING!

 

Bear wrapped as MUMMY

I want MY Mummy!  🙂

Sorry…. couldn’t resist.

October Writing:

  • “How To”..grow..carve…etc… about pumpkins, apples, plants
  • “Informative”  about Christopher Columbus,   Squanto, Pilgrims
  • “Narrative”  about Fall, Halloween, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving
  • Thank You cards, Invitations, Lists, Etc.

Again…I am checking my district curriculum 

for REQUIRED (Tested )  Skills & Strategies for this quarter.

Whatever our REQUIRED writing prompt will be

( I already know mine  is INFORMATIVE)

We will practice, practice, practice!

 

I won’t skip the other genres.

 

Just FOCUS on the INFORMATIVE!

BUT wait!

 

I want crafts! I want CUTSIE! I want products! 

I Love October BOOKS!

And so…we will make CUTSIE lapbooks, paintings, charts, stories & crafts

 about???

, plants, Christopher Columbus, 

Squanto, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving

DON’T tell our FIRE MARSHALL.

I might HANG THINGS UP!

Definitely!

I won’t tell if YOU won’t tell.

MATH:

  • addition / subtraction
  • missing addends
  • place value
  • graphing
  • story problems

And October MATH??

Lots of Graphs, addition & subtraction, problem-solving, story problems

 

ALL ABOUT THEMES!

(Math Journals are GREAT for this!)

and, yes..

I will need to keep it going until Thanksgiving.

 

And I will need to use EVERY MINUTE of EVERY DAY!

 

And yes… it will take planning, and prepping…

Bat craftivity

BATS! 

Black Cat Watercolor

Black  Cats

Pumpkin plant in the garden

Growing  Pumpkins

Crock pot applesauce

Making APPLESAUCE!

Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!

And YES

I WILL LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

You see…

FALL IS MY FAVORITE SEASON OF THE YEAR!

Don’t you just LOVE OCTOBER?

To those of you who hung in there to the bottom of this LONG POST…

A FREEBIE FOR YOU!

Happy FALL!

BOO BANG!

Boo Bang FREEBIE!

Games for ASSESSMENTS???? REALLY???

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Can I really play a FUN game to ASSESS?
Oh YEAH!
We have been playing ( YES…PLAYING) 
fun games this month!
And guess what?
I can use them for assessments! 
( Do I hear OH YEAH!)
Sorry …my WBT is going to my head!
My new SEPTEMBER game is both.
It’s a game & assessment.
I use the foldable game cards as a
September PREVIEW & REVIEW.

 

 

I start the month with the cards to see what my kiddos know…
DO I HEAR KWL???
Then I can plan for the month depending on what they DON’T KNOW!
At the end of the month..REASSESS!
Use DATA for review in small groups.
(WOW!!! I think I am getting this down…sarcasm)
It’s only taken me 23 years..sarcasm
( Some of us have been teaching this way for years!)
Shhhh…don’t tell anyone
Those “young PHDers in Education” may feel sad. 
They think they have created something new..
The education pendulum has swung again!
Smile, nod your head,…and teach!
Do I hear an “OH YEAH!” 🙂

Fall, Apples, & Johnny Appleseed

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It’s ALMOST HERE!

FALL

via GIPHY

FALL! 
The leaves will be changing, sweaters & boots come out of the closet, & PUMPKIN SPICED LATTE!

The world will be “balanced” again!

To celebrate the 
COMING OF THE NEW SEASON

I have a new apple activity for fall!
I LOVE APPLES!
Apple pie, apple cake, applesauce…apple everything!

September is the MONTH of celebrations!
We celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday too.
We make… APPLESAUCE!

 

 


To add to this year’s celebration..
I have a NEW product.

Apples are the BEST!

 

 

 

 

 

September Literacy Booklets for Apples and Johnny Appleseed.

Booklet style..2 on a page..B/W

21 PAGES of Reading, Graphic organizers, Word Work, Grammar, labeling, & Writing!
All in ONE BOOKLET!
Great for Whole Class, Small groups, Partner Work, Independent practice.

Early Finishers WILL LOVE THIS!

Fall themed. 

If you need more Literacy Products… follow 1stgradefireworks

 
I hope you can enjoy 
APPLES ARE THE BEST!
 
Follow my PINTEREST boards for
MORE
FALL  FUN

The Dreaded BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!

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How to get ready for the 

 “PARENTS ARE COMING!”  Night!

Screaming Child

AKA  BACK-TO-SCHOOL Night!

We ALL get nervous speaking to a room of parents!

I can speak to a group of first graders all day every day…but a roomful of parents?

My palms sweat & my brain “freezes” up!

(Wear  good  deodorant, use a breath mint, and  wear  comfy  shoes!)

So..THEY are coming.

Today’s tip is about getting parents to sign up for everything you need at Back to School Night.

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE!

I work in a Title 1 school.

Most parents DON’T WANT TO COME to SEE ME!

So I have to make it very “inviting”.

I tell the kids to “drag” their parents to talk to me.

(Not literally!) Two hands!

I give stickers to kids who “hand their parents the BTS night NOTE!”

And then…

Number 1

Have Food at Back to School Night.

A bowl of apples, a plate of cookies, popcorn, Mini bottles of water!

CHOCOLATE CANDY!

They will come for food!

I also put the Class DOJO sign-up link on a BIG POSTER

 NEXT to the FOOD!  Eat, text, and make the teacher HAPPY!

Number 2

Even though parent conferences are MONTHS away…

MAKE a chart of dates & times YOU are available,

AND HAVE THEM SIGN UP FOR A CONFERENCE at Back to School Night!

(You will send a reminder note as it gets closer..let them choose first!)

Put out sticky notes & pens for those who want to write it down AND

a poster to remind parents to TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEIR PHONE of the conference chart, to remind them!

Number 3

If you have any WISH LISTS or things you might need…

HAVE THEM SIGN UP TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM ITEMS and/or to VOLUNTEER for ANYTHING

at Back to School Night!

( We can always use glue sticks, expo markers, tissues, etc)

AND  LAST…

If YOU want volunteers for classroom work, parties, field trips, etc…

HAVE THEM SIGN UP!

This is the ONLY night they will ALL be in YOUR classroom!

USE IT!

Sometimes a CAPTIVE AUDIENCE…is a good thing!

So.. Just a quick reminder

  1. Rewards for students whose family attends.  DANGLE the CARROT!
  2. Bring FOOD and/or drinks.
  3. Have ALL Sign-UP charts READY

DOJO, Conferences, Wish Lists, Volunteers, etc.

4. Breathe, bring water for YOU!  Smile.

For more info on BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT:

 

Good Luck!

How to Prepare for a Successful Reading Workshop in First Grade

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Reading Workshop

“Creating a Community of Readers”

When I teach reading, I don’t want my students to stop and ask for help.

I want them to have the skills to be independent readers.

I want them to be problem-solvers.

So, I am…

How to create a community of readers

Keep reading for a FUN FREEBIE

Freebie for Followers

 How?

What do you do BEFORE reading?

*Frontload any vocabulary that may change thinking, distort comprehension, or is unfamiliar to them.

Take a picture walk. Cover the words.

Make them use visual cues in the story.

Have them make predictions

PRIOR to reading.

After reading, check their predictions.

When you finish reading, do something!

 I LOVE this!

After reading..then what?

DO SOMETHING!

Reread it for NEW information.

Retell it to yourself or a friend.

We use our 3 fingers to retell.

I love this part…DIGEST IT!

Just as a good meal…when you are finished, appreciate it.

Think about it.

 ENJOY IT!

Read MORE!

 You are NEVER done!

When you finish…read more!

My kiddos love to stack ALL of their books on the left..

as they finish reading a book…

place it in a pile on their right.

Keep reading!

Their goal is to

read more every day!

STAMINA!

Reading MATS are used to make goals.

Our goals are to read MORE!

Use your eyes to read…not your fingers.

 We want kids to quit using

their fingers to read.

Good readers use
their EYES!

“SCOOP” up words (phrases)

with your eyes.

When reading, put 3-4 words together

and read the phrases!

*GREAT time to teach

prepositions & prepositional phrases!

Always reread text

 Always, always…reread!

You will see more, read more, and understand more when you reread a story.

Read it to a partner, a

parent, or a friend.

The same book can sound new

when you are reading it

for the second or third time!



So there you are…


GET  READING!


Remember…


When in doubt…


ALWAYS make it


BALANCED  LITERACY




For more early literacy


 reading and writing resources


Check out


  1stgradefireworks


Click HERE for 


FUN FREEBIE


Freebie for Followers


Signature


 

					

		
		
	


	

				

			
						

				Close Reading and a FREEBIE!
			

										

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Bringing it BACK!






It’s time for…






NIBITS FOR NEWBIES!






This week’s theme…


CLOSE READING


If YOU need CLOSE READING info…


just ask


PINTEREST!


From HANNAH @ The Classroom Key


https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430164201886627298/






From Jen @ Teacher Karma




and from


Kristine @  Young Teacher Love


She has a GREAT blog post about


CLOSE READING!


If you are learning…check it OUT!




Gotta know YOUR standards!




And so…


to help US all


DIVE  INTO THE  TEXT…


Here is a little  FREEBIE


from ME  to  YOU!


Enjoy!





					

		
		
	


	

				

			
						

				I LOVE the Guided Reading Table!
			

										

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What is YOUR favorite time of the day?


Before lunch?




Recess?


 


Mine is…






GUIDED   READING!


 




 


The place where “MAGIC” happens!




The “AHA!”..the lightbulb…whatever you want to call it.


 


Last year I got rid of my 




TEACHER  DESK.


 


This is my 




CENTRAL COMMAND.


 


 


 




 


Then I added stools from IKEA.




My kiddos LOVE IT!


 




 


My next favorite “accessory”




from by BFF…AMAZON!


 


Brewster Wall Pops 


WPE99065 Peel & Stick Calypso Dry-Erase Dots


 with Marker


 




 


I put  BIG teal dots on my table!


 




 


My kids write on them!


 


 


 




 


After we read… then




we write questions on them




 and then change seats to answer them!




Musical Chairs!


 


 




 


They LOVE it!




Write & WIPE! 


 


The BEST!


 


I use my 


BALANCED LITERACY BINDER


 






to guide my lessons.


 




 


I use it




to assess kids reading levels,




 to group them with like skills,




 and to teach them AT THEIR LEVEL.


 


Now a couple of things I have learned “on the way”…








1.  Guided Reading is NOT the independent reading time!




They read to themselves (READ TO SELF) at a different time of the day… we do it after lunch.


 


2. Guided Reading is NOT a time for a LONG teacher LESSON!




I only have them for 15-20 min.




 Always give them a skill or strategy they can use NOW!




Your goal is to create INDEPENDENT READERS…




do not enable them to wait for YOU to do the reading.


 


3. You DO NOT have to read a BOOK every day!




(This is not the time for HOW MANY BOOKS have you read?)




  My lowest reading group needs PHONEMIC AWARENESS.




If you don’t know your letter sounds…it’s really HARD to read.


 


So Guided reading should be called


 


GUIDED  LITERACY


 


Meet them at their level.




Give them a “takeaway” that they can use TODAY.




Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.


 


I also use FRIDAYS for assessments ONLY.




NO GROUPS!








 














 


 


I do one-to-one RUNNING RECORDS.




I do fluency assessments.




I do letter & phonics assessments.




BUT…




Don’t  “DAWDLE”…




Make it quick. Not a “story” time.




Try to get the most BANG for your buck.


 


Suggestion:


 


Start with your middle groups.




The “BUBBLE” kids.




They will be moving the fastest.


 


Next. Alternate assessments between your highs & lows.


 


Your highs probably will make continued growth with “less” support…they




 came in with strong foundations or they wouldn’t be HIGH!  




Don’t forget about them.




Keep them connected with BOOK CLUBS, Writing, and




 LOTS of comprehension.


 


My low babies. You can’t practice TOO MUCH.




When they become “done”…distracted, unable to focus, etc.




CHANGE IT UP.




Interactive writing, phonics games, reading with “finger pointers”, etc., etc.




   Change the game…not the content.


 


Here is a Sight Word FREEBIE for YOU to get started!








 


 


So I LOVE the guided reading table.




LOTS of learning goes on there.


 


BUT ALWAYS, ALWAYS, remember…


 


IT STARTS WITH


 


BALANCED  LITERACY!