Classroom Pictures - Day 1

I finally have some pictures of my classroom.  Now remember...I am doing a mystery theme, but I also used polka dots too.  I used the black border with dots from CTP for all my boards.  I then used a plain color for each board on the behind the black (looks so much better)!  I made headers for each of my board tying in my mystery theme.  And also remember....I moved into a smaller classroom this year.  So I had to start all over with where to put stuff and how to fit in all my bulletin boards.

This is my social studies board.  I am using a new curriculum this year.  I start the year off teaching about colonial life and the revolutionary war.  I use blue for social studies.  This includes bins for center activities and notebooks.  My header says:  Hot on the trail of social studies facts!  I also made a sign that says Revolutionary War (I hate putting bulletin board letters on my board...too much time finding the right letters and too many staples on my board)!  I couldn't bring myself to putting Pilgrims on here (it is only August) so I compromised and made the cute dog in the bottom right corner wearing a pilgrim type hat!

Here is my science board.  I use yellow for science.  I teach life cycles and cells for my first chapter in science.  See my new Lakeshore nonfiction/science comprehension center???  I have the yellow bin there to put learning centers/activities.  My header says:  Let's investigate science!  I don't know if you can see my chapter header, but it says:  Types of Living Things and it also has the Big Idea for the chapter on the sign.  The little signs on the left are my scientific method signs.

Here are my whole brain teaching signs (thank you to Stephanie from Third Grade Thoughts).  She has so many great things about whole brain teaching you really need to check it out.  I made my own sign that said "Ready? Set. Go!".  The rest are from Stephanie.  I thought they looked super cute by the cursive alphabet line.

Here are the rest of the whole brain teaching signs.  If you go to her blog, there is even a video that shows you how to teach with these posters.  Super cute video!

 

That's it for today.  Tomorrow I will show you some more of my classroom. 

One more thing...I jumped on the Teachers Pay Teachers bandwagon.  They are having their BIG back to school sale and I decided to join in the fun with my first sale.  Everything in my store is 20% off! Stop by my store and pick up some new items.   Have a great night!

SPREADS - a Reading Strategy

Have you ever heard of SPREADS?  It was a reading strategy that a co-teacher introduced me to years ago.  I used it in my classroom, but when that teacher left, the remaining third grade teacher said she didn't want to use it anymore.  I don't know where that teacher found the idea, maybe a graduate class.  If it is your idea, please let me know so I can give you credit for it!

Well, that is going to change.  I am going back to using it.  SPREADS stands for:  Scan, Prediction, Read, Evaluate, Authorize (which I changed to Author's Purpose), Details, Summary.

It works like this.  Before the class reads a story, they do the following:  Scan the story and then Predict what the story will be about.  While reading:  they Read the story and write down and thoughts or ideas they have.  After reading it they:  Evaluate (write 3 questions about what they read), Author's Purpose (tell why the author wrote this story), Details (answer the 5 Ws), and then write a Summary. 

My class really enjoyed doing this, so I'm excited to be doing it again this year.  They could do in in small groups with me, with a partner, alone, in groups, or they could even do some parts for homework to check for understanding.

Here are the new signs I made for my classroom using cute graphics.

Let me know what you think.  I have this for sale in my TPT store, if you want to take a look.

Fellow Blogger's Giveaway

Hello everybody!  I just spent another 9 hours in my classroom.  Wow, I forget how tiring these days are.  I will have pictures soon...I promise! 

And now on to something fun and exciting.  Tonya from Tonya's Treats for Teachers is nearing 500 followers.  She is only 80 followers away.  Click on her link and go to her site.  If you are not a follower already, join.  She is fantastic and the giveaway she is planning is great!  Hop on over and help Tonya reach 500 followers.

Have a great night.

Monday Made It

Happy Monday everyone!  Today I'm off to work in my classroom for the first official "you can get in and work in your classroom day"!  FINALLY! 

I wanted to link up with Tara for the Monday Made It linky.  I have only a few things to share today:

I told myself I WAS NOT going to make a teacher's toolbox. Well...here is mine! Okay so I caved in and made it. I'm so glad I did. I love how the polka dot paper looks.

Here is a file box I bought from Joanne's.  I didn't like the pattern on this so I changed it. 

I covered it with fabric and then added purple duct tape to the file parts.  Didn't it turn out cute?

Here is my Book Nooks poster.  I have used something similar, but I made it look cuter this year.  I use this to show where each child will read during silent reading time (that way I don't have any fights).  I use little clothespins that I write the student's names on.  I clip it to where they will read.  I change their spots once a week.

And finally, here is a little magnetic dry erase board I bought.  I covered the ends with ribbon.  I have magnet circles with the student's numbers on them.  When they are going to take an AR test, they will move their magnet to this board.

Have a great day everyone!  I'm off to the destruction zone I mean my classroom.  I'll try and post some classroom pictures later this week.  :)

Linky

I just got back from a back to school teacher party...Teacherpalooza!  It was great seeing my fellow teachers in a relaxed atmosphere.  Just in time for us all to start freaking out on Monday (that is the first day we get to go into our classrooms)!

Since I'm pooped from the get together and running errands today I just wanted to share a quick linky for everyone tonight...Debbie from Rainbows Within Reach is having a Pinterest Linky party.  If you pin (don't we all) you gotta join this linky!  I was number 266...yes I said 266!  Happy pinning everyone and have a great night!

Click on the picture to join this fun linky!

Hall Pass Sign

I finished my hall pass chart.  I usually use a lanyard with my passes.  But my boys last year...I just gotta say I don't know what they did to that thing, but it is beyond repair.  I saw on Pinterest, as I'm sure you did, the cute hall pass signs that people have been making.  I decided to jump on the sign and mini clothespin bandwagon.

So here is how we made mine (we meaning my son and I).  First I bought the wooden star from Hobby Lobby.  It is thin enough so that I can clip the pins right to it.

We painted it yellow.

Then I wrote on it and put polka dot stickers on it to match my room decor.  I also hung a polka dot ribbon so that I can hang it up in my classroom.

The clothespins I Mod Podged, glitter, and Mod Podged again.  The glitter is staying on!  Love that idea.  Thank you to who ever figured that one out.  I used two blue for boys and two green for girls.  I also made a few extras, just in case.

And finally here is my completed sign. What do you think?  Didn't it turn out cute?  And no more bathroom germs!  YEAH!!

Shared Writing Journals

I have used shared writing journals in my classroom before, but the kids never really wrote a lot in them.  Well I decided to change how mine look.   I know there are a bunch of teachers out there who have made signs you can put on journals this summer (I Teach What is Your Super Power has some really cute ones), but I wanted some to fit my classroom.  I used super cute graphics that I know will get my students to WANT to write in them.

I started out making a few and the next thing I know I made 15 of them!  I have topics like:  favorite book, vacation memory,favorite food, third grade, favorite movie, a scary time, a favorite hobby, etc. 

So now that they look cute, what am I going to do to entice the students?  I decided I would start out with 5 and gradually bring out a few more at a time.  You know if I set all 15 out there I would have journal writing overload with my students.  I am going to use this during my writing time in my reading block.  I was also thinking it could be fun if I passed out some and had the children buddy up and write a page together (great getting to know you activity).

Here is a picture of my finished journals.  I just printed the pages on paper.  I trimmed them and then used packing tape to tape the entire cover.  This way I knew they would not get ripped off of the covers or written on.  I know some people use composition notebooks but two reasons why I decided not to:  1) they haven't gone on sale by me yet and 2) I figured the students can use the front and backs of the notebook (and folding over the page for them to write on is impossible in a composition notebook).

If you are interested click on this picture, it will take you to my TPT store where I have them for sale.