Tabor Rotations

If you have not heard about Glenna Tabor's Math Rotations and Guided Math framework, you need to check it out!  It's the best math workshop model I have ever seen or used.  The students work in teams to do purposeful math station games and manipulatives, while the teacher works with a group of students.  The teacher can see at least 8 students a day!  Go to Glenna Tabor's website for much more info:  http://glennatabor.com/

I have also made a Wiki for my staff to share ideas and to learn more about Tabor.  Check that out for more resources.

My 3 Fav Sites for SMARTboad tools

Here are a few great sites to check out for SMARTboard tools.

This site has lots of templates you can tweak and make your own as well as ready made lessons.
http://www1.center.k12.mo.us/edtech/SB/templates.htm

There's also a blog for teachers with SMARTboards: http://www.teacherslovesmartboards.com/

And lest we forget SMART Exchange:  http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0  

Please feel free to share your favorite SMARTboard sites!!!!

Online Stopwatch

I like to use Online Stopwatch to help me stay on schedule, and to give my kids a visual to know how much time they have left before we transition to the next part of our day. I use it on my SMART board, but even if you only had a computer screen, you can adjust the size to fill the screen, and adjust the volume to be loud enough for the class to hear.  It's also really handy for running records and DRA WPM tracking.

Daily 5 posters

Go here for Daily 5 posters that illustrate all 5 choices.

Daily 5 "I PICK" Poster

Found on a Pinterest and a fellow blogger's page...
I PICK poster

First Day Treat!

The first two days of this school year have come and gone.  All in all, it was a smooth success.  Here's a picture of the CUTE treats I sent home with each kid on the first day.  :)  You can download these notes from an earlier blog post.

iPads in Schools

We're getting iPads in our K-2 classrooms! One of my staff members shared this LiveBinder full of resources about integrating iPads in the classroom.

ME box for Daily 5 book boxes

Create Your Own Book Box!
  
What You Need
Empty cereal box
Scissors
Craft glue
Decorations: Wrapping paper, cloth, or kids school coloring or art projects (made from paper), pictures, etc.
What You Do
1. Cut off top of cereal box. Halfway across top of box, cut at a 45 degree angle down to front of your magazine or book holder, cut straight across then back up other side at the same angle.
2. Glue your decorations to the outside of the cereal box.
3. Label with your name and return it to school.

Simple Writer's Checklist

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=86572866

Found this from a fellow blogger's page.  It's a good simple one for the beginning of the year.

50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom

I believe that we need to teach our kids to care about the Earth so that future generations will make changes in how we use and care for our natural resources.  This the only planet we get. 

I made this video to show my school at our Earth Day assembly.  Check it out and feel free to share it!  I also encourage you to check out the Glog I made for our recycled art contest last year.

QR Code Treasure Hunt

Make learning fun and engaging while incorporating technology tools!  Create a scavenger hunt around your room or your school.  Students will look for the QR codes to find the questions they need to answer.  Great collaborative group activity.

FREE brochures & business cards, etc.

If you haven't discovered Vistaprint and all they have to offer, you must!  The products are free and numerous.  You do have to pay for shipping, but that is usually around $7.  That's not bad for 250 free business cards, you can design and personalize!  I order my Christmas cards from here, and brochures for my class' parents at the beginning of the year.  They look very professional!

These are the brochures I ordered this year.  Super cute, and I got to choose the design and edit all the text.

Guided Reading Wiki

I created a Wiki about guided reading for teachers to share ideas. I first got the idea when a new teacher joined my team and wanted to know what different kinds of activities she could do in her small reading groups. There's just too much to tell someone in one meeting! A wiki allows myself and other teachers to contribute ideas
Check it out and pass it on. If you want to join, you can also add your ideas!

Guided Reading Wiki

These are some of my favorite teaching resources.

Daily 5 CAFE posters

I found these on a teacher's blog to use with the Daily 5 CAFE.  I need to learn more about incorporating the CAFE, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Daily 5 and highly recommend it!

S'MORE First Grade Fun

Check out this really cute idea for a send-home gift the first day of school.  I can picture passing out little baggies with one s'more and this cute little poem for kids to bring home.  No matter how bad their day might have been, they'll be more eager to come back! ;)

 

 

Pinterest!

How much do you love Pinterest?!  If you don't know about it yet, check it out!  So many great ideas; very addicting.

I have arrived in the blogging community.

So, with all the other social media, and sharing websites out there, I never understood why I needed a blog.  Then I spent all weekend searching from one awesome teacher's blog to another, and I got it!  There's so much teachers are sharing with each other, and I wanted to join the party!  Hope I can contribute some greatness.  ;)