Teacher Must Haves

I didn't participate in Day 1 of Babbling Abby's Teacher Week as I only discovered her today! I will be participating in the Teacher Must Haves for Day 2! Here they are--

1) Avery printing labels are like my numero uno teacher tool to make things as cute as teacherly possible. Here is an example of my Writer's Handbook labels and my Science Notebook labels.

2) Magnetic Strips - I love a good flow chart. It's even better when they are magnetic and I can move them around on my white board. My morning procedure is posted in a flow chart and it's genius, not to toot my own horn or anything...

3) Velcro dots - These are amazing! I use them for hanging stuff on my walls and most importantly my word wall. I have a sentence strip connected to the bottom of the letter. The sentence strip contains the exact number of velcro dots on it for words under that letter. When I introduce that word, I just attach it to the sentence strip under the previous word.

I also used the velcro dots to make a Where Am I in the Writing Process wall hanging that of course uses velcro dots! I will have the students name on an arrow and they will move their name to the spot that corresponds to where they are in the writing process! (Sorry the picture isn't great!)

4) P.R.I.D.E. Planner - Our grade level uses a 1 inch binder that contains all the things you could possibly need to send home with your students. PRIDE stands for Practicing Responsiblity In Daily Endeavors. Since our school mascot is a lion, you see why we created this acronym. Anywho, in each planner you will find a pencil zipper pocket for money/doctors notes and a pencil (so your students can never say they didn't have one...), clear plastic sleeves, and two tabless dividers. We put the weekly newsletter, a list of previous and current grade word wall words, a class roster, class schedule, and a response to reading sheet in the clear plastic sleeves. The tabless dividers with pockets are for homework and graded work. There is also a spiral notebook in the back where students complete their nightly reading log. The front pocket of the planner is for School/PTA information and the back pocket is for the parent to take out and keep at home. Each section, sleeve, divider, and notebook is properly labeled of course. =) These are like sacred to our classroom so we really chalk it up how important it is to take care of them. Here are the cover sheets that go in the front and back of the binder so you can get an idea of what it looks like.

5) Flair Pens - I know almost every teacher who participated in this Teacher Must Have said these were among their favorite, but I bet you don't love them more than me!

Out with summer, and in with school!

Tomorrow is the first day back for teachers in our district. I can't believe the summer has already come and gone. I worked on setting up my classroom several days last week, but I still have a few finishing touches and little projects to accomplish. I will be posting some pictures of my classroom's back to school decor this week so keep your eyes peeled! I don't really have anything productive to say today other than I'm ready for my new crop and new year!

What do plants need to grow?

If your students tell you they don't know, then teach them this little ditty.

Five Things Plants Need to Grow

(The the tune of BINGO)

There are five things plants need to grow
Each one is so important
Water, sunlight, space, food, air
Water, sunlight, space, food, air
Water sunlight, space, food, air
Each one is so important!

Anyone know any other cute songs to teach about plants??

Place Value Activities

We always start each year in math with Place Value. I always find that kids at my school have a hard time with place value because they don't have a good number sense. I plan on starting the year with some very basic activities to scaffold their learning.

Here are a few activities I will be doing in my classroom:

1) Marshmallow Towers - To reinforce place values through the hundreds (or whatever place value you choose), each student will get three marshmallows (1 for each place value), three toothpicks, and a handful of fruit loops. After discussing how to read in write numbers through the hundreds in standard and word form, they will practice making numbers on their marshmallows towers. To make them, have the students place all three marshmallows in a row on their flat side. Then, the student will put a toothpick in the top of each marshmallow. Call out a number and have students make it with their fruit loops. My students loved this last year. You can adapt this for whatever place value you are studying, 1'000's, 10,000's, etc...

I used paint to replicate what it should look like. Sorry my fruit loops look so sad!

2) Riddles - This is a great way to review and practice the place values. Example: When rounded by hundreds I will be 500, I am greater than (>) 450, my tens digit is 8 and I can be reached counting by fives but not by tens. What number am I? I always have students determine how many place values there are first and then draw blank spaces for each place value to solve each riddle. You can make up your own on cards and laminate them so kids can just pull them out and do them at their seats.

3) Go! Go! Go! - Divide the class into two teams. Each student is given a digit card (0-9). On the floor are Place Cards (ones through thousands or beyond). I would block on the floor with painters tape. Teacher will call out a number (e.g., 2,369) Students with the correct digit card rush to stand in the proper place to show their number. The team that correctly creates the number first earns a point for the team.

4) Let's Go Shopping - To teach kids to read and write numbers, I do this activity. Offer to buy something from a student for a large amount of money. Write a check to that student. On a projector, look at what a real check looks like. Ask what they notice. Discuss the importance of learning to read and write numbers. Tell them it is now their turn to go shopping. Have cheap items in a "store" for sale. Model check writing again then let them shop!

5) Who's Greater, Who's Least - Put students in partner groups with a deck of playing cards. Students deal the cards out until they are all gone. Students each draw 4 or 5 cards from their deck (it depends on what place value you want to work on). Students use their cards to make the largest or smallest number. You can alternate between rounds.  Whichever student has the largest number will win a point. Game continues until someone reaches 10-15 points. Ace is worth 0 and K is worth 1. Remove all jokers, jacks, and queens from the deck before play starts.

What fun activities do you all use for teaching about place value?

Vocabulary Soul Train

Using a powerpoint or flipchart, introduce your students to the unit vocabulary for whatever topic you are studying in class. Make sure each word has a picture to go along with the meaning of each word. As you introduce each new word, discuss what it means, and give examples. Then, have students create a hand motion to go along with each one. The pictures will be helpful when the students are creating their hand motions. It's important to let the students come up with the hand motions as a class. Try not to give them too much help in creating those motions.

Introduce the first word, come up with a motion, and then practice it. Introduce the second word, come up with a motion, and then practice both motions together in sequence. Continue this way until all of the vocabulary words have been assigned a motion. I would limit the list to 8-12 words, depending on your grade level.

Once you have learned all of the words and hand motions, have students get in a line and have a Soul Train around the room, around the playground, or just wherever your little heart desires to lead you!

You can even make a game out of it! Call out one of the vocabulary words. Students must demonstrate the correct motion. If they do it incorrectly, they must sit down. Continue until one student is left standing. If you narrow it down to a few kids who just can't seem to mess up, get faster! You're bound to trip one of the up.