Teacher Week: Favorite Subject

I can't BELIEVE its the last day of Teacher Week!

I'm very sad about this!

I've had so much fun sharing things each day!

This was a HARD ONE ...

I don't have a Favorite Subject to teach per say ...

But I love teaching CENTERS!

Centers are my time to meet with small groups and really DIG into the learning of my students on a more one-one basis!

SO here is a glimpse of my Literacy Centers and my B.U.I.L.D Math centers! ENJOY!

MON-STAR LITERACY CENTERS

I love the way that I operate my Literacy Centers!

It is very simple, hardly no prep, and the kids love it ALL year long!

Here is a peek at all my CENTERS and how each one works!

This picture shows how my centers are organized!
I take photos of my kiddos and group them with partners (2 groups will have 3 students)! I place their picture on the board and pin my "Mon-STAR" center labels underneath their picture. We typically do 1 center a day .... so the next day I just rotate the centers around by moving down the "Mon-STAR" labels.
I find the pictures make it very visual for the students to see what they are doing for Literacy Center time. Plus, they think it is so neat to have their picture displayed for all to see!

BIG BOOK CENTER
The students go to my BIG BOOK area (little storage unit I found specifically for big books) and pull out a book of their choice! While they are reading I have them look for any of our weekly vocabulary words, amazing words, or focused "sounds" that we are working on. For instance, this week we reviewed letters Cc, Nn, Pp, and short /a/. This student is writing down any words that display these skills! To BEEF up the center throughout the year I easily change out pointers that they students can use to help track their reading. Once I decided to staple 5-6 pieces of poster board together and I let a group write and illustrate their own BIG BOOK! I still have their finished product at the center! SO NEAT!

LIBRARY CENTER
My library is my PRIDE and JOY! I organized my library based on book levels. I have a folder with each level and I place students' names under the level that is appropriate for them. When students go to the library they check the folder to see what level they should pull from, and then simply pull a book that looks interesting to them. They read the book silently to themselves while enjoying a comfy chair or rug! Later in the year I may have them read a book and complete a foldable or worksheet that correlates with a recent reading skill we have studied. For instance I may have them reproduce a foldable identifying the characters and setting in the book that they read. This early in the year I just let them read a book, and if they finish prior to the end of centers they just select a new book! 

Listening Center
I have to admit that this center is a class favorite! You can tell the kids are always anxious to get their turn at the Listening Center. I was blessed to be given wireless headphones this past year, which made this center SO much easier! Our library has a large stock of books on CDs that I check out once a week. The children get their book out, put on their headphones, and press play! How EASY is that! Better yet they are engaged the WHOLE time! Check out my kiddos following along with their POINTER fingers ........ Not trying to honk my own horn but .... TOOT TOOT!!

MAGNETIC CENTER
I owe this center to my WONDERFUL husband! When I realized I needed some cubbies for my classroom, we got busy building (much cheaper than buying them already made)! I knew I would place my red cubby so that I would create a "hallway" type entrance into my classroom. So my brain started pondering because I KNEW I wanted to still use that space! So we went and found a sheet of metal, drilled it to the back of the cubby, and BAM you have a magnetic center! The kiddos grab my bucket of magnetic letters and build words. They can build spelling words, vocabulary words, or focused letters/sounds that we are focusing on during the week!

READ TO SELF
Granted this isn't the class favorite, BUT it is SO IMPORTANT!
The students use their reading textbook at this center and simply read to themselves! I have them read the weekly story twice, and then they are allowed to check out a library book to read! I make it engaging by allowing them a variety of tools to help them read! They can use our "Reading Phones," they can wear REALLY big glasses (another Dollar Tree treasure), or a magnifying glass! These little tools make this center fun and engaging for the students!

WORD WORK CENTER
This is the only center that takes a LITTLE bit of prep from me each week! I change this center up each week or every other week depending on what skills we are working with in reading. This week (beginning of the year) we reviewed the letters Cc, Pp, Nn, and short /a/. So I BUSTED out my stamps. The students used the stamps to create words with the sounds/letters we were studying. Sometimes they have a cut/paste type of Word Work activity, sometimes they have a Phonics related board game they can play. This is the only center that really varies from week to week.

Writing Center
Write, Write, Write!
The only thing the students have to do at this center is WRITE! I have a Writing Center wall that offers the students a multitude of ideas of things to write about, or different forms of writing! I provide a little buckets with writing tools. Since this is the beginning of the year I only have some pencils and crayons in the box. Later on I will spice it up by providing funky pencils/pens, markers, fun stationary, and anything else I may find that will engage them and make them excellent authors! First week of school and these babies are writing away ....... and it is so neat to see how PROUD they are of their work!

B.U.I.L.D Math Centers

Here is what my B.U.I.L.D Math Centers looked like this week!

Buddy Games: The students took turns drawing a card from the middle of the table. These are 10 Frame playing cards. The 1st player to get number 1-10 first won. If they pulled a card they already had they had to place it back into the bottom of the pile!

Using Manipulatives: The students pull an addition flash card from the pile. Then they solve the problem by counting out the "rings" and building the addition sentence.

Independent Work: The student pulls out two 10 Frame playing cards. Then they write an addition sentence and solve. They place those cards in the bottom of the pile and pull two more cards. The game continues until center time is over.

Learning About Numbers: Students roll the dice to create addition problems on their 10 Frame. They use apples to represent the problem and write the addition sentence using a dry erase marker. When they solve they simply erase and roll the dice again to start a new problem!

Doing Math: Students pull an addition flash card and solve using a number line! They can use the long number line or use the Ziploc bag number line. They must write the completed addition sentence using dry erase markers before pulling a new card for the next problem!

Teacher Week: Sanity Savers

How to keep one's Sanity?

I have taken these steps to try to keep my SANITY and not stress!

1. Stay Organized 

Easier Said than Done ... I know!

2. Try to have plans a week ahead of time so you are ahead of the game. 

You can always modify your plans as needed.

3. Recruit Helpers

Parents are usually eager to help teachers ..... 

teachers just need to learn how to ask!

4. If all else fails .... Let It Go!

When all else fails.... Let It GO!

Don't stress things that are out of your control!

We all have "off" days!

Just BREATH, Let It GO, and move on!

Teacher Week: Classroom Tour

ENJOY the tour of my classroom!

 Isn't is exciting to see 19 precious names and feeling so anxious and excited to get to know these AWESOME kiddos that will become "my" children in a matter of days! Yes, I refer to them as "my" children! My own children/family has learned to accept this fact!

This is not a GREAT picture, but these are my new Hallway Work Display Monsters! I found this SUPER cute Monster note pad, laminated the sheets, and glued them on clothespins! We are ready to display the great work we do in my classroom! I wish I would have listened to my heart and bought several of these notepads; however my bank acct. won and I only bought one! If I find these again I'll have to STOCK up!



The most important thing to find out on Meet the Teacher day is "How do I get home?" My first year I remember having nightmares about dismissing and not knowing how to send some of my babies home, or WORSE sending them home the wrong way!

This hangs right by my door and I put a student clip on the circle that tells me how they get home. I also keep and list on a clipboard next to it for substitutes in case of emergencies! The lanyards you see hanging are my hall passes that the students wear when they need to leave the classroom!

Grab your Transportation Display here!



So what do you do when you line up and realize you still have 3-5 minutes before you have to leave? That is where these little babies come in handy! The top packet is Line Up Chants and Songs, and the bottom packet are 5 minute time filler questions that you can ask your students in line! LOVE THESE!
Grab some of these goodies here and here!

Monster Charts!
I have my Birthday chart, Job chart, Months of the Year, and Day of the Week!
I purchased all of the Monster Themed supplies at Trend Enterprise! 

I am in love with my cubbies that my WONDERFUL husband built me! I knew that the back of this cubby was going to be exposed and create a "hallway" like entrance into my classroom! Of course I had to find I way to make this space useful so ..... we went and got some sheet metal and drilled it to create the back of the cubby! NOW I have a magnetic center for my students to use each week in our Literacy centers! I decorated it up with some monster border of course! My kiddos love it!
The baskets you see on top are there for "Meet the Teacher" day, which will be a later post!

LOVE my group tables! Now that I have had group tables, I will never want to go back to regular desks EVER! It makes group work and activities SO much easier! On each desk I place their name plates (these are wonderful because they hold their pencils too), and a red supply bucket! In each bucket I have Ziploc bags labeled with their names. They will put their supplies (crayons, glue, scissors, erasers) in their bag! This way they have what they need at their seat in a nice organized way!
You can find the name plates at Lake Shore Learning or just click here!

Work to ROAR about! I can't wait to see the GREAT work my kiddos will be anxious to share!

My library was my BIG project last year! I purchased my shelves from Big Lots and then got busy organizing my books into levels! I put labels on every book (yes EVERY book) and then put them in the right place on the shelve. The bins at the top are seasonal books that I have ready to use for different holidays/occasions! When my students go to the library they get out a folder that tells them what levels they should be pulling books from. I update the folder often so that the students are reading on a level JUST RIGHT for them!

In the process of moving out my room for cleaning in the summer, I lost my "K" label! I still need to get that replaced!

What Kind of Monster Are You?

In my classroom positive reinforcement is a BIG deal! I'm a firm believer that putting emphasis on the good vs. the bad makes a HUGE impact on the classroom environment! When my students make poor choices they are asked to move their clips down and will face a punishment like loss of some recess time. HOWEVER, when a student makes a good decision they move their clips up and earn tickets for our treasure box! You would be shocked at how much power is behind "Kate I LOVE how you are engaged and working really hard on your work, please go move your clip up!" Suddenly you notice that Johnny and Amy who were talking are now working diligently because I moved Kate's clip up! I could have just made Johnny and Amy move their clips down, but focusing on a positive behavior was much more effective and it gave Kate a BOOST in her confidence! LOVE IT!

Get your Behavior Clip Banner here!

Do you have a TATTLE problem?
Meet BOB the Tattle Monster! When you have a Tattle, write it on a note, and let BOB eat it up! I check BOB's tattles every so often and address things that I may need to address. NOW on the first few days we have a lot of discussions about What is a Tattle vs. What is something Mrs. Jessica needs to know! Also, make sure the students see you check BOB's tattles, so they feel like they are being heard. I made BOB out of  a tissue box using some paint, white foam paper, and googley eyes!
I will post my "Tattle" activities on the 1st week of school!
Grab your TATTLE monster poem here!

My Writing Center! This offers great ideas to get the students' brain flowing with ideas! I also place a small container with pencils, erasers, crayons, pens, and markers for the students to use while at the center! (Ignore the papers in the picture, my children were using the center supplies while MOMMY was trying to finish up her classroom!)
Do you want this Writing Center?
Grab it here!

Ok so this board is a little BLANK right!?
On "Meet the Teacher" night I will take my little kiddos' pictures and they will be placed on this board! I pair my students up and then add labels beneath their pictures to tell them what Literacy center they will be at for the day! The kiddos love seeing their pictures up in the classroom!

I've Got some SMART COOKIE MONSTERS!
I purchased this resource on TPT and LOVE it to help my students gain fact fluency! Each Wednesday we complete a fact quiz! If they score a 100% they add cookies into their cookie jar (I buy cookie crisp and give them a scoop for a special snack, and then put a cookie sticker on their jar). The resource also has recording sheets so you can track each student's progress. If they don't score 100% they take the same quiz the next week! The kiddo's really look forward to earing cookies!
Smart Cookie Math

Mon-Star Math Mash!
I am still deciding how I want to use this board honestly! I thought of trying to use this board to display my math centers, or posting our Math anchor charts here to show what we are learning!? If you have any suggestions please share, because I'm a little stuck!!

This is where my little darlings will turn in their work! Do the monsters look familiar!? I also put my pencils here for the kids to get when needed! I will (have not done this yet) have some highlighters here so that students will highlight their names on their papers prior to turning it in .... I don't know about you but my babies have a hard time remembering to put their names on everything and the HIGHLIGHTERS really help! EVERYONE wants to use a highlighter because they are SOO much fun!

Oscar the Grouch! Our classroom trash can! Just buy a red trash can and paint the dots and teeth! PVC pipes make some great eyes with a little (a lot) of hot glue! Throw two Styrofoam balls into the pipes and paint on the eyeballs! TAADDAAH, you have a monster trash can! This is something I usually get a lot of comments about from parents on "Meet the Teacher" day!

A look at my carpet area! I LOVE my puzzle mats! Affordable and efficient! I believe I found these at Lowe's!

My schedule .... as long as nothing changes as the year goes on! You guys know how THAT is!
Schedule Cards

A little cork board, ribbon, and initials and BANG ... a place to hang all those cute pictures and notes from my lovely kiddos throughout the year! They love to see their gifts displayed!
My initials have changed now due to my marriage and all, BUT I don't think I'll have time to correct this until next year! Hopefully no one will notice!?

Ahhh, a clean organized desk! I have to take in this moment because in a week  I know it will no longer look like this!!!

Supply storage, Supply Storage, and organizer for my Literacy center groups! This looks a little PLAIN Jane to me ..... I'm going to work on sprucing up the look of this area!


WELL that's my ROOM!
Make sure to check out my POSTS about my LITERACY CENTERS and B.U.I.L.D Math Centers to see MORE about how we operate in my Classroom!