Scholastic Book Orders

I LOVE doing Scholastic book orders, and it's pretty easy on my end.  I made an account on http://scholastic.com/readingclub

Then I made note of my classroom code--- it's what your parents will use to order online.  There's also NO shipping requirements when they order online.  Scholastic also has an introductory letter that you can send out with the first order.

I keep it easy and send home the Kindergarten flyer each month.  In our school, many parents get paid on the first of the month, so I usually send it home a couple of days before the first day of the month, and I set the due date to the 2nd or 3rd.  I do send a reminder text to get those orders in.  I also date stamp the front of the flyers.

When it's time to send the flyers home, I pass them out to the students-- they put them in their take-home folders.  I allow them time to browse the catalog, and I always point out the $1 book.

When the books come in, we open the box as a class.  I always share what Scholastic GAVE us just for having students order.

Here's how YOU get started:  Go to the website.  If it asks for a referring teacher's customer number, I'm 064-809-5024.
When you place an order of $25 or more, enter the code 60277 for an extra 250 bonus points.

Happy Shopping!!

The Planner Post

I am not paid by Erin Condren.  I just want to share!  I am a frugal person who prefers quality.  So that often puts me in a conundrum.  My friends were shocked at the price I paid for a planner.  It's more than just a "planner!"

I carry my planner around everywhere, and everything is in it!!  I did NOT regret spending the money!!

Well, I received next year's planner today, so I thought I'd share with those of you that might be pondering it.  You should also check out their little video with its cute music:

So this is what you see on your doorstep!

Then it's packaged oh so neatly, complete with bubble-wrap! =)

And I love all the different wrapping and the little extras they add in.  In this red bag is my FREE tshirt!!!  Right now, they're running a different special.  Put in TEACHER25 until 5/31/15 to receive 25% off.  I love the specials they run.

I added a picture of my sweet Jake to look at if I *ever* have a frustrating moment while teaching.

The calendar spreads are multi-colored and high quality.  Here are examples of removable stickers.  Some are pre-printed; some are blank.  Plus, notice all the inspiring quotations throughout the pages!

There are 3 lined sheets with each month.  I can put ALL my notes/things to do for each month here.

The lesson planning part:

Grades can be put all in one place.  Spring for some extra pages if you like to takes lots of grades!

Also included are:  absentee list, grid paper, folder, and sheet protectors.  Plus you get a ruler and a little pencil pouch.  I added sheet protectors (man, are they thick!).  I like to keep our standards, lists of books/ideas, and teaching strategies.  If I were you, I'd get the pen holder.  It's only a couple of dollars and helps to keep you organized.  ALSO... so fun...  You can take off the covers!  You can move your pencil pouch to the front... or you can order additional covers.

If I lead you to your order, please click on my referral link. =)  Thanks!
https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/kimberlycollins0710

Hallway Bragging!!

I have so much to display in my room that I've had to move to the hallway.  I often remind the kids not to brag on themselves (except to a Mommy).  But I can sure brag!  Here are some ideas to help your students feel special.

At the very top you'll see our Fact Fluency clubs.  Our school really pushes automaticity at every grade level!  I highly advise this!!  They are given a sheet of 100 simple facts (randomly organized) on a weekly basis.  They have 5 mins. to complete as many as they can.  Each student's goal is to increase a little bit each week.  And of course we graph these results!
I also give mine a strip with 20 problems each day.  I give a couple of minutes to work on ACCURACY, not SPEED (strip not to be completed!!).  This TOTALLY makes a difference.  When I taught 5th, I saw that if I skipped the practices, they wouldn't complete as many on our timing day.

4th/5th grades work on multiplication through 12
3rd works on chunks of multiplication facts
2nd works on addition through 20; subtraction through 20
1st works on addition through 10; subtraction through 10
K works on introducing and practicing for fun!

"50 Club" means those kids can do 50+ addition facts in 5 mins.  The "100 Club" kids can do 100+ facts in 5 mins.  There's a history-making student in my class.  (Our school has been open 11 yrs.)  Rachael can complete over 300 addition problems in 5 mins.!!!  Yowsa.
This 2nd semester we're working on subtraction this semester.

The bucket:  fill our bucket!!  We have these all around the school.  Anyone can write a note to our class or to a student.  Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

We are collecting GoNoodle certificates.  I lost the first one! =(

We are the Black Knights, and we adopted a "Champion" mentality several years ago.  I pick a Black Knight each week.

Finally, we need to advertise our AR points.  Thanks to Amy Lemons's freebie, I have super-cute signs for them to autograph.

Lovin' Bloglovin'

Please tell me you have a Bloglovin' account!  No need for email updates.  No need to keep your favorite blogs on your Favorites' bar or Pinterest board.  Just follow your favorites on Bloglovin', and all the updates will appear there for you.  I love to be practical! ;)

Here's a snapshot of what my feed looks like:

I prefer to change my feed to "oldest to newest."  I prefer for things to always be in chronological order.  (one petpeeve about Instagram).

Of course Bloglovin' has an app.

Here's my Bloglovin' button.  Just click there, and you can automatically find me.  Finding those other GREAT teacher blogs are so easy to do!

Conference Time!!

We had conferences last week!  I know it's early, but it's a great time to make sure everyone is on the same page.  My agenda:
1.  Go over our county's Reading/Writing Communication Reports.
2.  Go over current grade averages.
3.  Review how students use our portal.
4.  Explore our writing folders.

I run my conferences a little differently:  I ask that the student comes.  I say, "This is YOUR conference, and we need to discuss your progress."  I love that the parents nod their heads as I'm discussing our expectations.  I have the student discuss with parents their writing set-up (our schedule and folders).

Last year I used Sign Up Genius to have parents create their own schedule.  This year my school used PTC Fast.  Both are very user-friendly!

Any suggestions for future conferences??

Math Jobs

Well, as promised, here is the post about my Math Jobs.  My math time consists of:
10 mins. Calendar notebook/SmartBoard
10 mins. Number Talk or Exemplar modeling
15 mins. Whole group mini-lesson
30 mins. Math Jobs
10 mins. Math homework review

I LOVE our Math Job time.  I have them participate in these partnered jobs Mon.-Th.  Each rubric/set of activities last 2 weeks.  At this time, I pull them for Guided Math.

The partners share a folder and much of the work.  Each child gets his own rubric (word problem gets glued on the back) and independent work.  This is what I usually take for a grade.  There are some "Have To's":  Partner Work, Word Problem, Computation (individual seat work).  The extras are:  games, SmartBoard/computer games, fact fluency flashcards.
Here's a sample sheet:  Math Jobs

Busy at work:

As you can see, I have them circle the numbers of the "Have To's."  This group is checking them off as they go.

 I allow them to work anywhere they feel comfortable:  at desks, on the floor, in the hall.

 I usually have tons of Amy Lemons activities.  They're already learning her name! =)

 All of the game materials are kept in my file drawers, with corresponding number.

I could not teach well without Sheppard Software!!  It has fabulous math games!

And here is where all my sweeties can find their center materials:

I decided to use "Math Jobs" (rather than an assigned center rotation) last January.  It was an easy transition for my students.  Starting the year with them has made Math so much fun!!

Reading Centers

So in my class, my students' reading levels have quite a range!!  In Kelly's class is the same large range.  So we put all of our kids together.  We have 49 kids in 10 reading groups.  She is blessed to have a student teacher that can see our higher students.  In the past, we've given our kids a schedule of their centers- usually guided reading and two more rounds.
THIS YEAR... The whole class is silent reading for the first 15-20 mins. (after the mini-lesson).  We  conference individually with students.
For "Centers":  We made a guided reading schedule, and we're letting go of the reins....
We have come up with 6 other centers.  Students may choose which one they want to go to each day.  I put their face magnet on their guided reading time.  They can choose another center.  The top 3 (under guided reading) HAVE to be done by the end of the week.  The other 3 are like free choices.  (Read-to-Self is actually my story comprehension assessment.  And Puzzles are literacy games.)

This is what it looks like in the mornings when they come in.  Each group has 4-6 members.  If one looks sparse, that's because some of Kelly's kids are in that same group too!

We've only done it this week, but it's working out very well.

I keep this box on the floor.  Any reading activities are in a matching labeled bag.

My Daily Schedule

It's Day 4 of Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week.  WHEN do I teach WHAT?

DAILY SCHEDULE

7:45-8:10      Morning Work:  Previous unfinished work/tonight's math homework/read around the room

8:10-8:20      Morning Announcements

8:20-8:35      Reading Mini-Lesson

8:35-8:57      Read to Self (individual conferences)

8:57-9:19      Reading Center Round 1

9:19-9:41      Reading Center Round 2

9:41-9:52      Morning Meeting

9:55-10:35    Connections

10:40-11:00  Calendar/ Number Talk or Exemplar

11:00-11:15  Whole Group Math

11:15-11:45   Math Jobs

11:50-12:20   Social Studies / Science

12:20-12:30   Review Math homework

12:35-1:35     Lunch/Recess

1:35-1:45       Pack up, agendas, classroom jobs

1:45-2:05       Mentor Sentence/Writing Mini-Lesson

2:05-2:35       Writer’s Workshop

2:35-2:45       Chapter book read-aloud

Organization Skills...

It's Day 3 of Blog Hoppin's Teacher Week.  Today we're showing some organizing tips.  These are not novel ideas, but here are just a few ways I organize:

 I put everything I need for the upcoming week here.  This is one of my favorite tools.  It's all there for me and doesn't take up much room!

 All of my copies or ideas for interactive notebooks are sorted by subject.  I have all originals in page protectors.

 This is an example of Science.  I put the skills needed for the nine weeks at the front and the units (in order) go behind it.  Each nine weeks is color coded. =)

 How I organize my centers:  all of these little signs have those sticker magnets on the back.  I have each day  of the week typed out on a grid, and I have a student put the pictures up in the afternoon, ready for the next day.  *Sidenote:  "Puzzles" is for my reading games.  "Reading" is my Research center.  They just have to stretch their imaginations a little to make it work. ;)

I have a whole different way of organizing Math Jobs, but that is for another day!