Leveled Math Station!

So there has been this pin on Pinterest that was just nagging at me to work on. It seemed like such an easy project to make and seems like it will be an effective math station for my kids to work on during my math block. So.....here it is!

It's a leveled addition station! Red is for students who are still getting the grasp of addition, yellow is for more on level  or approaching on level students, and the green is for on level to slightly above level.

These are great because students not only work on addition skills at their level, they are also working on their mental math! Im currently working on a leveled subtraction set, and hopefully, I will make a mixed set! Maybe I'll throw in some math lingo!....more than, less then etc. 

Hope the kiddos like it!

Man! I am motivated!

So I've been researching classroom organization ideas on Pinterest since I will be using tables instead of desks this coming school year. I'm super excited, but am very unsure about how to help the students stay organized. Let's face it....I can be unorganized myself! So I was at Walmart today and came across these cups. I figured I could put them inside a shower caddy to organize the tables' scissors, glue, markers, pencils, etc. I will have four hexagon tables and I want each table to have their own color. I just need to find cups of one more color! The supply boxes were on sale for $.57 so I got 5. I'm not a hoarder....I swear! I figured each table could have one for......something! Let me know if you have any ideas!

Another project I want to work on this summer is valences for my windows. I had curtains (made from Walmart sheets) in my classroom last year and it gives the room such a home like feeling. I love it! This coming school year our second grade team will be out in the portables and I desperately want to bring some life to the room. These colors should do it! I found the chevron print in the fabric department and the orange and off white are just $4 sheets! Can't wait to see how they turn out. I most definitely will post a picture of the final project.

The last thing I'm going to post about tonight are my birthday flowers. I made these last year and the kids loved them! I just cut flowers out on my Cricut machine and tape them to a pencil. I had a cute flower pot laying around the house and I put them in there. When it's a student's birthday, they can pick which ever flower they want. Super easy AND cheap......a teacher's dream :)

Another Project Done!

As I'm finishing my class economy wallets, I decided to start a Pinterest inspired project for school. You can't have too many projects going at the same time.....right? So most people know the following things about me......I love monkeys, volleyball, my dogs, and teaching. I came across two separate posts on Pinterest, and being as creative as I am (uh huh) I decided to combine the two and...........

voila! 

I plan to use these cards for making groups or pairs randomly in the classroom. 

 

I used my Cricut machine to cut these shapes which make the adorable monkeys.

Of course nothing lasts long in the classroom unless you laminate it!  I love these thermal
laminating pouches! You can find them at Walmart for about $3.00...not too bad! And I'm
WAY too cheap to buy a laminator, so I laminate with my iron! Make sure you put it between
a cotton T-shirt. Works like a charm!

2013-2014 Bring It On!!!!

BRING IT ON!!!

I love that phrase! It's something I teach my kiddos. When something is difficult or when they have to take their insanely long and difficult district landmark tests, I teach them to.....BRING IT ON! I live by this and it helps me get through difficult tasks and times, so why not share it with the kids. It really does wonders in their attitudes and their effort.

Anyways.....back on track. When thinking about the upcoming school year, the first thing is to hash out a schedule. A teacher friend of mine and I got together to do just this. You teachers may know this, but most people don't realize the challenges of planning out your daily schedule. There are schedules within  schedules within schedules! Well, here is what we came up with thus far! I'm sure it will change, but here we go! Let me know what you think! 

2013-2014 Schedule

7:30-2:40   

7:30- 7:50          breakfast/Tumblebooks/meet with extra groups
7:50-8:20          Morning Meeting/Poem of the Week/Phonics Dance
8:20-8:50          Writing (10 minutes mini lesson    10 minutes independent work    10 minutes sharing)
8:50-10:20        Math Block
                                 8:50-9:00        Warm Up (Minute Math, Spiral Review, Facts Practice)
                                 9:00-9:15         Group #1
                                 9:15-9:30         Mini Lesson
                                 9:30-9:45         Group #2
                                 9:45-9:55         Mini Lesson (Problem Solving)
                                 9:55-10:10       Group #3
                                 10:10-10:20    Wrap Up-Math Write
10:20-10:40       Read Aloud (vocabulary focus)
10:40-11:00       Guided Reading Group #1
11:00-11:45         Specials
11:50-12:30        Lunch
12:30-12:45        Read Aloud (with same book as morning but with comprehension focus)
12:45-1:00          Independent Reading (teacher conferences with students)
1:00-2:00           RTI  Block
                                  1:00-1:30    RTI reading groups
                                  1:30-1:40    Root of the Week
                                  1:40-2:00    RTI math groups
2:00-2:25            Science
2:25-2:35             Homework chart and pack up
2:35-2:45             Recess

Hello Blogging World!

I'm so excited to become a part of the blogging world! I just hope I can keep up when school starts. I got together with a teacher friend last week and it was just the kick in the bootay to get school stuff started for the upcoming year. You know how it goes....throughout the school year, you always tell yourself, "Oh! Next year I'm going to change this and going to make that better and do this cool project." The work has to start somewhere, so let's get started! 

One of the first school projects I've started working on are my class economy wallets. They are so easy to make and the kids LOVE using them. It makes the experience more real for them and helps them stay organized. 

I used felt because it's very cheap and it lasts the entire school year. It's also super easy to sew!
First, I bought my felt. I used half a sheet of two different colors to make a wallet. 

Next, I sewed on the velcro. I decided to use the sew on kind rather than the
stick on kind. It lasts way longer! After the velcro is sewed onto the pockets,
they I sewed the pockets to the wallet. Sew on three sides, leaving one side
open for the kids to put their class money.

Ta da!!

 

My pile so far! Halfway there!