Classroom reveal...organization.....FREEBIES!

Happy Friday ya'll!! Welcome back up for air after a crazy non-stop week! We started back this week and it has been a whirl-wind week. Love the new little ones though!! They have given me some natural energy to teach with.
It is the 2nd Texas Size link up and I am happy to be a part of it with The Little Ladybug Shop and Planet Happy Smiles.

This week for me is going to be a little bit of everything! 

First up, some B2S uplifter ideas...I know I am a tad late posting this but maybe you can still find a way to utilize this now or even for next year! 

I made these little minions to just say welcome back! (please disregard the horrible need for a manicure) One of my minions got bruised in the transport home so sweet hubby ran back to the store and grabbed a few extra as back up plans..nobody wants a bruised gooey minion. 

Grab the tags HERE

I am also the lead mentor this year for the campus so I put these little snacks together for all my newbie teachers and the new to campus teachers. I just attached a small bag of goldfish! Easy and fun!

Grab the tags HERE

One organizational idea I have done the past few years has been with my dry erase markers. We as teachers know that these are cherished in the classroom and seem to mysteriously dry out quickly..

haha...well we don't actually ask for them on our list so I use funds to buy the good stuff..expo!

To help the kids keep up with their marker and for me to also see how long they are lasting I use small labels and write the kids "magic number" on them. I then just tape it to each marker. It really is fast. Eventually I also write the date (8/23...9/14 etc) on the label after the first time I have to replace them just to help me see how long they truly are lasting...money doesn't grow on trees now..ha! I know, I know a little OCD much? Guilty...but it really does help keep the kids accountable as well not to just let the marker sit around open and airing out.

I also just went to Dollar Tree and picked up baby socks for erasers. They have lasted me like 5 years, no joke! I just take them home and wash them and they are good to go the next  year and are small enough to fit on their hands if needed. 

The kids store their marker in the sock and then inside their team tub at their tables. It makes it fast and easy to grab! 

I finally also got some of my Responsive Readers cards printed!!! You really never know how a product will look until you get it printed! Well I received the strips and I think I might like them!! I had them printed on cardstock so they will last longer and an amazing co-worker of mine laminated and cut them for me! I then just put them on a ring with the reading mini anchor charts. When a student or buddies need to respond to their books it is all in one spot!! Of course everything is color coded to help with finding the correct objective! 

You can check this pack out HERE!

Our campus has also gone full on Whole Brain Teaching!! I am excited about this especially since I have been using this for a few years now and have seen it work so well! I attended one of the training's this summer while Chris Biffle was in town and did learn about some other things I haven't tried out. Brainies!! Love love these!! I  am hoping to be able to post a video of one of my kids using them soon!! 

I put together a little cheat sheet resource based off what WBT already had. I just tailored the info to match what we will teach in first, slapped a cute cover together, laminated them on cardstock and put them on a ring! The teacher can carry this around if needed or the kids can refer back to it!

Ok so I may be a little late to the party for classroom reveal and mine isn't still a full reveal just bits and pieces, but I am sure you will get the idea! I finally found a set up I like and work wells so I have stuck with it for a whole 2 years now! WOOO! Give me until Christmas, I am sure I will find something to change up haha! 

This is right when you walk in my room. It is my happy spot! I have personal things that make me smile as well as where we start some of the postive reinforcements for the kids. Pebble jar, Tardy Tater, helpers, Super Improver Wall...(I posted about some of these things last year and how to use )

The orange folder file holder is where I keep their take home papers every week. Each kid has a numbered box. 

Next to this area are also our buckets for bucket filling! If you have never read this book it is a MUST! 

I have read it every year to start out my community in the classroom. The kids love it and really attach to the idea! All year long I will hear "_______ filled my bucket because...." and I will even get "_______ dipped a bucket...." haha we always end up discussing that. 

After reading, we make a chart with starter ways to fill a bucket. I then give each kids a sticky note and they write their name and draw a picture of a way they can fill others' buckets. I then have each kid stand up and share what they wrote to put on the chart. 

To help with oral language and get them feeling comfortable in front of the class they say..."My name is __________." We all respond with a big gestures wave and say "HI! _______" Then the kid proceeds to tell us how they can fill a bucket. 

Math Area:

This is where we do calendar and number of the day. I also have another wall adjacent that is empty for future anchor charts and the bookshelf of math manipulatives. I forgot to get that picture up close. Sorry!!

You can find the Number of the Day and Math Attitude Posters also in my TPT store.

I did get this shot of my ten frame boards I put on the shelf in the baskets. 

Fun Friday!!

I have posted before how I do Fun Friday in my classroom. This is the shelf of goodies. The black sorter is for the IPADS once I get them charged and ready to go!

Take home readers/Guided Reading:

I use this shelf for all the A-Z readers I use for take home readers. I also have my hats on the top shelf. I use these when I am reading with a group or student so the others know not to interrupt. I have different ones for various seasons and occasions ;) I scored big last year during crawfish season!!

I also have a smorgasbord of pencils!! This is not even the half of it! haha. I was blessed to be able to get these for the team for us to have to spoil the kids.

Goodies: 

I don't really do a class store anymore. I mainly use coupons and intrinsic motivation haha..however, a sista's gotta have a plan b....I use this little cart to store other things I can use to celebrate birthdays, accomplishments etc. I know some people don't believe in giving prizes but it is fun to have some goodies stored to use as needed. Oh and I didn't spend a fortune either! A lot of it I have compiled from various sources and I eat kids meals A LOT so......

Teacher Area:

This amazingly, gorgeous rolling cart from Really Good Stuff is where I am keeping my weekly activities and my personal planning resources. 

 I have labeled each bin to quickly grab what we need during planning for different subject areas.

I also have my personal books I don't necessarily want floating around the room. ;)

Teacher Area 2:

I also have these wonderful rolling carts to store resources for other grading periods and extra supplies. 

I also organize my mentor texts and teaching books like this.

I group them by objective and then use binder clips to keep them together. It has made it really easy to grab books we can teach with while planning. 

I keep supplies I might need close by.

nurse passes, band-aids, coupons, etc.

I know everyone had the pretty typed labels for these sorters. However, I discovered the dry erase labels at Hobby Lobby one day on sale for like 1.00 so I grabbed them! The best part is they are removable and can be moved!!

Class library:

Some more carts from Really Good Stuff!!

I have leveled almost every book I own haha. Thank goodness for Scholastic's App!!

For my "free choice" and subject books that do not have a label I organized them with a number sticker on the corner of each book. This way the kids can easily put them back in the tub they got it! It has worked perfectly!! Now to perfect putting the spine out lol!

Writing Wall:

This is the wall where all our writing will go! 

Right now it is bare since we just started. I have put up my anchor charts I have made that are part of my "Wondrous Writers" pack. I have not yet been able to get them on TPT but will soon! I want them to be used in action first to show how it all works together! 

The tree is empty too right now, but when I read "Rocket Writes A Story" we will add pictures of things we can write about all around the tree like leaves. (example from last year)

Wow that is not even the entire room! I will post more as things get going in first grade this year! 

Once more thing before I go:

Hubby and I made this Pinterest recipe for breakfast the other day and I took pictures joking that I could probably post it as a Pinterest gone wrong recipe...but it turned out great!! 

Ingredients:

Cresent Rolls

Cheese

Eggs

Bacon or Sausage or BOTH

Now pay attention this is where is gets complicated haha.

Unroll the cresent rolls

crack an egg on top (seriously though it is slip sliding everywhere so you may  have to bring that bad boy back onto the cresent roll)

Sprinkle cheese, sausage, bacon on top

Put in oven on 350 and bake about 10-12 minutes...

Yum!!!

I even took one to lunch the next day and it was still good!

Ok I seriously need to not wait so long in between posts haha this one is a long one! If you made it to the end as with all my posts, CONGRATS! and good night haha. 

I hope you found a little something to take away! 

Have a BLESSED (and restful) weekend!!

"Gracious speech is like clover honey-good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body."

Proverbs 16:24

Library Shopping Cards

Howdy ya'll!!
Get those summer brains ready to turn to the off position because ready or not...new year is almost here!!

I am linking up in honor of the the #TexasSizeLinkUp hosted by The Little LadyBug Shop and Planet Happy Smiles!!

This week is about a BTS product! There are SO many things to do and think about with the first day, first week, first month....whole year!!

If you teach reading at all and have a classroom library I am sure you have struggled at some point with setting up your library, kids checking out books, how will that work? etc...
I can tell you my first year I was all over the place trying different strategies.
Well 8 years later, lo and behold, I have found something that has worked consistently for me and my kiddos! I don't always go based off the first year I try something new because it could go disastrous the very next year. I usually give it a bit to sink in, work out any kinks found early on, and let a few classes rotate through my doors to make sure I want to stick with that particular plan.

Once I finally got my library organized and labeled and found that system to have worked well I then moved on to the "how" my kids would check out books. Being the OCD  crazy person diva I am I wanted something that would not only help me keep up, but give some responsibility to my kids in an organized, manageable way. I did not want the class library to take control over our every waking minutes since there are many other important things to accomplish during the year.

Enter the Library Shopping Cards!

An easy way to manage their checkout time. They are simple simple to use, even a caveman can do it!
1. Print on cardstock and laminate for durability.
2. Use a wet erase or even a sharpie to fill out once you know your kids reading levels and what their "just right books" would be.
3. Kids can keep them at their desks, in a book bag, or even stored in a jewelry hanger.


You fill in the information based off of what you want them to get when they visit the library.
As you teach them how to do it, they really take ownership of searching for the correct books without feeling smothered but also gaining some ownership in their choices, even with some teacher parameters. They also get the opportunity to choose "free choice" books as well.

The wonderful thing is you can simply erase their info as they move up reading levels and the amount of books they can check out. It also divides them up during the week for their specific shopping days so they aren't all going at the same time.
Typically I have 3-4 kids on the same shopping day.

The levels I have on the cards are aligned to Fountas and Pinnell, however, I am more than happy to try to align it specifically for you in another way if you contact me.

On a side note- I have two carts of books in my library. Blue is the leveled books and Green is the free choice. I have written the level on the book in the top right corner of the books on the blue cart since these are the "just right books" they choose from. For the green cart in free choice I have written a number in the corner so they know what tub to put that specific book back in so there are no tubs overflowing.

 Unfortunately I do not have a picture yet of the green tubs. You can see them slightly in the picture. The labels on each bucket are like these below, but just with a number correlating to the number on the book. They are also divided up even further OCD  into categories:

-hard picture books

-soft picture books

-science (animals)

-science (earth) 

-SS (people)

-SS (land)
etc and so forth..

This has made it a ton easier to inventory when needed or when looking for a specific book. 

I really hope you find these helpful. Like I said, it has worked consistently for first graders!!
Oh I also have a "Library Expert" who goes once or twice a week to check the bins and turn the books to spines out as needed. Takes the pressure off of me having to do this as well!

You can find the cards HERE!

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. " 

John 6:37

I love knowing this holds true! What comfort! No matter how my day is, the slips and falls I have in this flesh HE loves me! I accept HIM and he never will cast me out! Now that is some unconditional love that is insurmountable!!

Have a BLESSED weekend!