Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Tattle Box

Well... I had my Tattle Box for the last two years, and it had a lot of success!  I was so excited to spice it up this year and created a monster out of the box... and then I saw that Mariah at Giggles Galore had already posted a "Tattle Monster".  Although this was my own original idea, I still want to give her credit since she posted first.  So, be sure to check out her blog!!

This can easily be made out of a Kleenex box.  Just cover it in paper like a present and decorate :)  You could even have the students decorate it.  I always have a pencil and notepad ready for the students.  This is great because students are getting extra writing practice and leaving you with a little extra time... and some sanity haha.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Freebie Friday!!

I am sooo excited about Freebie Friday over at Blog Hoppin. Be sure to head on over there to check everything out... and upload something to share!

I have attached my Daily Journl Page that I use as a classroom management tool.  The students will put a happy, sad, or straight face on their own.  Typically if they give themselves a sad face I will ask them why, then write the reason so that parents know.  I have found students to be brutally honest in their journal... but then they will go home and say they "don't remember" what they did to earn the sad face, that's when the parents call.  So, just be sure to jot the reason down in their journal before they go home. 

After they fill in the faces we, as a class, write one thing we did today.  This is a great way to end the day with a little writing lesson. 

When students bring a journal back signed they then receive a sticker. 

Click here to get your copy of this management tool!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Teacher Talk Tuesday

It’s Teacher Talk Tuesday over at Blog Hoppin.  This is a day for us to offer advice to new teachers.  If you have some advice of your own… be sure to link up.

My advice:
1         ~If possible, talk to the previous teachers before the school year.  I usually have them come in and check out my seating chart/desk arrangement to ensure students are in a good spot.  There may be two students that just don’t get a long, or that talk to much, and this will help avoid that problem right from the start. 
              
          ~Communication is key!  In many cases… you can never communicate to much with parents.  Well, I’m sure you can… but they do love their updates.  This is why I keep a daily take home journal.  Students record one thing they did during the day, and parents sign it. Then, if they have any questions they can jot a note down in the journal, shoot an email, give me a call, or pop in the room.

     ~Don’t be afraid to ask for help!  In many cases parents would LOVE to come in to the classroom and help out.  If you have a big art project planned… ask one to help out.  If a struggling student needs an extra person to read to or to work on math with… ask one to help out.  If you have some odds and ends that you need done (coping, cutting, etc.)… ask one to help out.  I think you get the point! 

     ~Be sure to treat yourself.  You deserve to feel relaxed… so make sure you do!  A little glass of wine at night, your favorite shows, whatever you enjoy.  The students catch up pretty quickly to someone who is stressed and becoming angry.  It will make the year much less enjoyable.  You NEED to be able to have fun WITH the students.  This is especially true when winter becomes long, and spring drags on before summer. Those can be some of the toughest times to get through… but you have to do it with a smile on your face and excitement in your heart.

     ~Blog it out!  We are all here to help.  If there is something you can’t figure out what to do… or you need advice… that’s what Blogging is for!  We are all ears and ready to listen/support.

I hope this helps!  Have an amazing year!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Teachers Pay Teachers

I have just uploaded some materials to my TPT site.  You can find the "Classroom Password" and "5 Star Sentence" for free.  I have also uploaded a super cute "Detecting Sight Words" book. There is a title page, a page for each letter to write sight words on, and a page to write words from last year.  This is very useful as students can keep it in their desk and refer to it as they need. Go check it out!  ENJOY!**Once I figure out how to add a preview picture of it I will upload it, I am still new at some of this. But, you can find a preview on my TPT page for now!**  :)

Meet The Teacher Monday


Hello!  It is Meet The Teacher Monday over at Blog Hoppin stop by to meet some amazing teachers!


Tell us a little something about you...

My name is Cora, aka Miss Boucher, from First Grade Exploration.   
I am heading into my 5th year teaching!!  I spent my first two years teaching Kindergarten and will now be in my third year of First Grade.  I absolutely LOVE First Grade!!  The students are now use to the school setting, super cute, and love to laugh/learn.  Their eagerness is an inspiration to me each day. 

A little bit more about me... I am super close with my family, and I am a SPORTS FANATIC! I love watching  football, NASCAR, baseball, hockey, basketball... you name it! I can be found keeping busy playing volleyball, snowboarding, wakeboarding, running, rowing, etc. 

My inspiration?
My sister!!  She passed away from a year long battle of cancer while I was in 6th Grade, she was a freshman in High School, leaving me to be an only child. Through her battle she always smiled and tried to make everything positive, which is how I now live my life.  There is just no reason to get upset about the little things especially things you have no control over.  So, keep smiling and remember as bad as you might think you have it… there are probably many who would love to have your life.

What are you looking most forward to this school year?
This is my first year with a blog. How exciting!! It was my summer project, so I look forward to posting much more as the year goes on. I am also looking forward to a very different classroom atmosphere.  Last year I had 20 students… this year 8!  Yep… just 8 students, crazy I know!!  There are so many things I am looking forward to trying/testing out with them.  

What do you need to improve?
I need to work on finishing a task before starting a new one!  I will start a task then get another great idea and go start that task… etc.  It’s enough to make a person go crazy!! That’s the “busy body” in me… always trying to do more than one thing at a time.

What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?

I love my morning cappuccino… maybe too much.  I try to go without, as I know it is not the best for me, but man can I tell the difference when I don’t have it!

Sharpies- I LOVE to write in sharpies… not sure why, but they are great!

And… ANYTHING GREEN!  I LOVE GREEN!!!!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Favorite Field Trip- Linky Party

Kinders On The Block is having a linky party about favorite field trips, so check it out!!  I have been on many field trips in my short teaching career... and it is hard to choose a favorite.  This last year we went to a place called 1,000 Islands Environmental Center, and the students LOVED it.  They had the students take a trail into the woods and dig for bugs!!  I honestly think the students could have spent all day digging.  They were so excited when they would find one to put in their bug jar.  This is something many teachers could do around their own school if they have an appropriate area to do so. It was just so cute!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Compound Word Egg Hunt


This activity had the students engaged and having fun!! I wrote compound words on those cute little plastic Easter eggs, then broke all of the eggs apart.  While the students were in one of their Specials I went outside and scattered the egg pieces all over the playground.  They then had to try and create as many compound words as they could. 

Once the students created a word, they had me check it, had to write the word in chalk, then place that egg in the basket.  SO MUCH FUN!  Towards the end of the activity you could see them start to work together to create the remaining words.

*Buy the eggs after Easter!  Target had a bag of 48 of them on sale for about 35 cents.  Less than a penny a piece, AMAZING! Can't wait to buy more this next year!!  :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Classroom Password

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest and thought I would create my own for my classroom.  Each day the students will have a different classroom password, this will be one of their sight words of the week. Click here to get your copy.  Thinking I might change my theme to a Spy or Detective theme now.  How Fun!! ENJOY!!

Monday, August 8, 2011

3 Things- Linky Party



Simply Second Resources is having a 3 Things Linky Party!  Head on over there to share the 3 things that you hope to focus on this school year.

My Word Wall-  My word wall has been my main focus this summer.  I loved where I had it, the whole back wall, but the students couldn't reach it... so it wasn't as interactive and I would have liked it to be. I have now moved it... and all though it isn't as spread out as it use to be, I am excited that I will be able to encourage more engaging activities using it.

Reading-  I think this will always be one of my three things to work on.  Reading is always changing!  I have finished the Daily 5 early this summer... so I look forward to using it within my classroom. I will have a very small class... so I don't think the time slot that they allowed for will be necessary so I will have to see what I can come up with as far as a schedule.  I would also like to include more readers theaters, and fun creative things like that.

The last one... oh this is hard because I can't narrow it down to just 3... but I will say Technology-  I have come a LONG way last year with using technology... but have come up with so many more ideas I would like to try with the students. I am excited to get going :) If they turn out... I will be sure to post them for your enjoyment and use!


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Dr. Seuss Bags!

Would you look at these amazingly CUTE bags!!  What a find!  I swear they were not at Target last time I was there, and... are you ready for this... $1 each! Yep, got them in the $1 section... so excited! Oh the things I can do with these.... :) 

Assessment Tool

I found this concept on the Howard-Suamico Website and adapted it to make it a bit more fun/kid friendly. This is a great assessment tool, as you can change each star to say the concept you just learned.  For example, if you just talked about adjectives then make one of the stars say "I used an adjective".  It shows the students exactly what they are going to be graded on. Click here to get a copy!  ENJOY!