Bright Ideas Blog Hop- Get Kids Moving (And Still Learning!)

Today, I’m so excited to be part of a blog hop of great ideas- not products, not freebies, but just fantastic teaching ideas!

I don’t know about where you live, but we have had many MANY days of indoor recess lately. With having gym only one day a week, my kids are really getting antsy!

As a reading specialist who helps our struggling readers, I seem to see a decent number of kids who struggle with sitting still and/or focusing on the task at hand, even without the cold and snow keeping them inside.

Here are 8 ways to get kids moving to keep their brains active:

• Math Fact Exercise!
  Skip counting is such a valuable skill, and can be ramped up for kids of all ages. Of course, you can count by 1’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc., but what about starting at 14 and adding ten more? What about counting by 3’s when you’re learning multiplication, or by 25’s when you’re learning about money? I have my students stand and do some kind of exercise while we skip count- jumping jacks, touching their toes, jumping in place, etc.

• Brain Breaks
  My kids really enjoy the Just Dance videos on YouTube! I have a whole Pinterest board of brain breaks that get my students up and moving for 3-5 minutes, and it really helps them focus for the next hour. A kindergarten teacher I know even does the Cupid Shuffle, so her kids are counting and having to remember left from right. My kids especially love GoNoodle for LOTS of fun, interactive, and free brain breaks!
  
• Vocabulary Motions
  As a bonus, tying some movement to the definition really helps my kids remember the word meanings. In my classroom, the students help me come up with a motion for the words and we run through them quickly every day. You can read more about my vocabulary routine here.

• Chart Paper Brainstorming
  Can you let your students make a list of something? Maybe it’s proper nouns, words with short o, ways to make 10, factors of 100, or comparing and contrasting with a Venn diagram. Give each group markers, a piece of chart paper, and a section of the floor. Working on the floor always helps my class with the wiggles, and they all love to participate!
  
• Tall-Middle-Small Spelling
  Have your kids practice spelling their words by thinking about where they sit on handwriting lines. For “tall” letters, like t or b, they reach hands up high. For “middle” letters, they put their hands on their hips. For “small” letters, they touch their toes. You can also have kids sit in pairs and “spell” a word with their finger on the other student’s back, and see if they can guess the word.
  
• Scoot! with Dance Breaks
  Need students to get a lot of rote practice with something, or need to formatively assess their understanding? Put each problem or question on one card, and one card on each desk. Then, have the students stand and “scoot” from one desk to the other after 30 seconds or so. I sometimes turn on music and let them dance when they’re finished- makes it easy for me to see when most are ready to move on, and they get the wiggles out! (You can find lots of ready-made games like this by searching for “Scoot” or “task cards.”)

• Phonics Dance
  This is a program my school purchased, and it gives kids motions and chants for lots of common phonics patterns that they will encounter in reading. I love the way it makes phonics “stick” for my students- but it also gives them a chance to move!
  
• Read/ Write/Solve the Room
  Sometimes the simple act of turning an assignment into a scavenger hunt by having students find words/ math facts/ questions posted around the room can make such a difference in how well my students can sit and focus afterwards- and they’re still getting the practice!

• Geometry Challenges
  Give your students a challenge to make a certain shape somehow with their bodies. They can use their fingers, their arms, their legs, or their entire torso- but somehow, can they make a square? A trapezoid? An isosceles triangle?  Making geometry interactive is so much fun!

Love finding ways to get my kids moving AND learning!

Next in the hop, you’re headed to Matt of Digital: Divide and Conquer, who’s sharing a simple tech tip for your classroom!



You can click to some other bloggers here:

Throwback Thursday- 5 Quick Tips!

Every once in awhile, I pick up a quick tip that saves me so much time and sanity in the classroom, and I LOVE it- so I wanted to share a few of mine during Throwback Thursday. A lot of you weren't following me when this was first posted (which is awesome :)

Originally published last November.

I love simple, easy teacher tips, so I'm so excited that there's a new linky party just for them!

My goal is to give you 5 quick tips:

1) If you have a SmartBoard, and you've written a bunch of stuff but need to clear the page, use the eraser to draw a big circle around it all and then tap the middle. Everything inside the circle will disappear.
 

2) Take double grades when possible. My kids get a grade for spelling and a grade for handwriting when they take a spelling test. I grade with a two-sided marker and use one color for each grade. Yay for killing two birds with one stone!

3) Have kids taking too long for transitions? Go to Hallmark and annoy everyone who works there (I know this because this used to be me) by opening all the music cards until you find the perfect upbeat-and-fun-but-not-crazy tune. Whenever you want the kids to transition to a new center, new place, or new activity, open the card and let the music play. It's just a little snippet of the song- perfect for a transition, and your kids will get to know how long the song goes. By the time the card stops playing, you and your kids will be ready for a new song anyway!

4) Put important phone numbers ON YOUR PHONE. I realize there is probably a much cuter way of doing this than the way I have here, but it's so worth it not to have to look up the nurse's number when I need it (or for the sub not to have to search through my sub folder for the nurse's number when someone suddenly gets sick).

 

5) Do you *hate* passing out dice and counters for games whenever kids need them? I keep "game cups" that have a variety of counters and at least one die. The kids know where these are to get them, and know where they go to put them back when they're done. This works incredibly well for center games or early finishers, and the mini cups can even stack for easier storage!

So, there you have it! Five simple teacher tips :) Let me know if one of them works for you!

Of course, it's now too late to link up, but you can still read other teachers' tips at Miss Kindergarten!

Annnd special thanks to Cara at The First Grade Parade for hosting Throwback Thursday!

Managing Library Books- Easily!

I love my specials teachers. My kids go to music, art, gym, and library each week.

This sign from Ladybug's Teacher Files. My room is slowly being taken over by her products :)

Library is sometimes tricky because in a half hour, kids need to return or renew books, learn from a lesson, and pick out and check out new books. Our librarian has terrific parent volunteers that help with checking books in and out while she teaches, but she also has some great management ideas that make it all run smoothly.

Each class has a rolling cart labeled with the class name.



I slide this under a table during the week and pull it forward on library day, complete with a bright sign (just construction paper folded over with some tape to slide over the handle) to help kids remember to turn in their library books on Thursdays.




Easy peasy.



If someone wants to renew a book, they can tape this little note next to the barcode. (Another teacher showed me this- brilliant!)



Our class librarian brings the books down just after the announcements, so a parent volunteer can start checking books in even before our library time.

It’s seamless! We also have lunch bins like the one below for lunch boxes to be easily toted to the lunchroom (since our kids go straight from recess to lunch) and easily toted back to the room by our Lunch Bin Movers.



I love that people at my school have come up with such great solutions to “stuff” problems! Do you have anything like this to make your daily routines more convenient?

Cuckoo for Cotton Balls!

This is so simple that I can't believe I haven't posted about this, but I also think it's hugely worthwhile.

I have a cotton ball jar in my classroom. I started with cotton balls and meant to upgrade to those craft puffball things, but never did, and I have to say- dollar store cup and cotton balls have worked just fine.

Photo Source: http://write-to-learn.tumblr.com/post/22330500361/miraculous-marble-jar

It's not a new idea, at all. Many people use a marble jar or something similar, and kids get to add a marble whenever they get a compliment or do something exceptionally well as a class.

1 Compliment = 1 Cotton Ball

But I don't stop there. There are certain things that I think are worth more. For instance, a compliment from a lunch or recess supervisor? In my last job, that was ME- so it's definitely worth extra.

1 Compliment at Lunch/ Recess = 2 Cotton Balls

Another time that behavior is hugely important is a safety drill. For me, there's no talking, no excuses- and since it's so important, it's worth more.

1 Terrific Job During a Drill = 3 Cotton Balls

Annnnnd finally, the hardest time to behave- when there is a substitute teacher. To me, a day with a substitute teacher is really when I need my kids on their best behavior- so to show them how important it is to me, they can earn extra cotton balls.

1 Amazing Sub Report = 5 Cotton Balls
(a little less amazing means less cotton balls)

It's simple, really. I'm making the things that I value more also be more valuable to them.

Whether you do it with a "marble jar" or not, find a way to make it worth their while to be good when it's harder to be good. It works so well for my kids, and when they fill the jar, they get to choose a reward. (And if you play it just right, you can make the "reward" something you were going to do anyway- like my BFG Party!)

Ten Ways to Motivate Your Students

Teach Bake Love wrote a post of her Motivation Top Ten recently, and I thought it was such a great idea. I did steal a couple of her top ten suggestions :) but make sure you check out her post, too!
What are the top ten ways you motivate your students?

But once I got going, I thought of 12, so... you get a bonus! :)

12. Have multiple ways to reward!
I have individual rewards (clip chart), group rewards (froggy below), and class rewards (cotton ball jar). This way, I can use the good kind of peer pressure, but I can also reward individuals who earn it.

11. Smiles.
Okay, it sounds too simple to be worth anything. But I find that making a point to smile at kids after they answer, or even when I'm reminding them of the rules, makes them more motivated to try.

10. Document data and share their growth.
Data-driven education makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons, but showing students data when they're improving can be really motivating. Kids love to see their improvement! I am careful with this one, though- sometimes, if we're not seeing growth even when someone is trying hard, it can be discouraging. 

9. Give them chances to be social.
If I ask a higher-level thinking question, sometimes I'll have 3 hands up. Then I have them think-pair-share. Suddenly, I have 95% of them talking about the question- and usually, once they've shared with a friend, I'll have at least twice as many feeling confident enough to share in front of the class. Working with friends helps with motivation, too, as long as I'm careful they are working! :)

 8. Get to know your kids.
When I make a math journal problem, I put in a current student's name and try to make the situation involve an interest. It can be as simple as knowing that a kid likes LEGOs, but it's motivating. I also try to go to their events outside of school occasionally if they invite me (and I'm free), but I realize it'll be a lot harder to do that when I have a family of my own.

 

7. Show off their best work.
This can be in the hallway, to colleagues, to the principal, to parents... but I find that showing their work to their peers and complimenting them- or better yet, letting the students compliment them- raises the motivation considerably. I miss my ELMO for this!

6. Express confidence in them...
Especially in science, I feel like we dumb things down a lot for kids. I make a point of telling my class when something we're doing isn't officially "third grade" material, but that I think they can handle it. I work a lot at the beginning of the year to teach them that challenges are fun chances to make your brain stronger, so that they come to enjoy them and rise to them instead of fearing anything difficult. Behaviorally, when I give a reminder of the rules, I like to add, "I know you can do this!"

5. But let them know that you don't expect perfection.
My kids know that I don't expect them to get things right every time. I reward great thinking, not just right answers. (For instance, I might show the class a math journal entry that has a mistake and has the wrong answer, but used a really creative problem-solving strategy.) They have had ingrained into them that clipping down is okay because they can always turn it around. They hear me say- often- that I made a mistake or that I have things I'm still working on, too, so they know that my expectations for achievement are a little different for each individual, even though I always have high expectations for their effort.

4.  Positive notes.
At my last school, we had a prize menu sort of thing, and I was always amazed with kids turning down toys or candy if I would call their parents with positive news, or send a positive note home, but it was extremely motivating. I found these great postcards at Wal-Mart at the beginning of the year, and I use them to write random positive notes to my students. They get something in the mail, their parents get to see, they get to keep it, and it's a way to let them know that I see the little things they are doing well. I keep a checklist with my postcards so I can make sure I do this for everyone! 

3. Get to know how each student likes to be recognized.
For really exceptional things, my students can visit the principal for a special reward, and she will announce their name during our morning announcements. For most of our kids, this is fantastic- but I had one girl last year who deserved the recognition but asked that the principal please not announce her name because she was so shy and she would have felt embarrassed. Most students like positive praise in front of their peers, but others may want it shared with their parents, or even just privately, and it's important to know that you're recognizing the student in a way they are okay with.

2. Give positive reinforcement when it's earned.
My favorite thing about the clip chart system is that I say "clip up" twice as much as I say "clip down." Many times I can point out misbehavior in a way that doesn't shame anyone or even punish them in any way, while recognizing those doing the expected behavior. I love, too, that I can use it for anything. My kids know that clipping up rewards exceptional behavior, but that exceptional for one kid might be different than exceptional for another, based on what they are each working on. I use other strategies, too, but I love the clip chart for this! 

They also get a chance to be enshrined in the "Sparkling Hall of Fame" which they love, and for various reasons, my kids can be chosen to be a "Star Student" on the newsletter. The qualifier changes each week, so I get to recognize different kids.

1. Keep my instruction interesting and my students involved- especially through integration!
I was once told by a very smart teacher that the best management plan is a great lesson plan. If your students are engaged, they are less likely to be misbehaving or unmotivated. For me, integrating science and social studies into reading and math is one of the best ways to do this. I LOVE teaching in themes, and I find that my students are so much more motivated when they can see connections between what they are learning!

So, there you have it- my top ten 12 ways to motivate students. I know it's not perfect, though- so feel free to share what you do!

Quick & Easy Tips for Teachers- Linking Up!

I love simple, easy teacher tips, so I'm so excited that there's a new linky party just for them!

My goal is to give you 5 quick tips:


1) If you have a SmartBoard, and you've written a bunch of stuff but need to clear the page, use the eraser to draw a big circle around it all and then tap the middle. Everything inside the circle will disappear.
 

2) Take double grades when possible. My kids get a grade for spelling and a grade for handwriting when they take a spelling test. I grade with a two-sided marker and use one color for each grade. Yay for killing two birds with one stone!

3) Have kids taking too long for transitions? Go to Hallmark and annoy everyone who works there (I know this because this used to be me) by opening all the music cards until you find the perfect upbeat-and-fun-but-not-crazy tune. Whenever you want the kids to transition to a new center, new place, or new activity, open the card and let the music play. It's just a little snippet of the song- perfect for a transition, and your kids will get to know how long the song goes. By the time the card stops playing, you and your kids will be ready for a new song anyway!

4) Put important phone numbers ON YOUR PHONE. I realize there is probably a much cuter way of doing this than the way I have here, but it's so worth it not to have to look up the nurse's number when I need it (or for the sub not to have to search through my sub folder for the nurse's number when someone suddenly gets sick).

 

5) Do you *hate* passing out dice and counters for games whenever kids need them? I keep "game cups" that have a variety of counters and at least one die. The kids know where these are to get them, and know where they go to put them back when they're done. This works incredibly well for center games or early finishers, and the mini cups can even stack for easier storage!

So, there you have it! Five simple teacher tips :) Let me know if one of them works for you!




And of course, be sure to link up your own tips with Miss Kindergarten!

I Just Got a Teaching Job- Now What?!- Classroom Management

School started this week, and I am worn. out. Everyone is asking me how I like 3rd grade, and so far I'm having a hard time telling what is different because of a new grade level, and what is different because of the personalities I happen to have in this class. Either way... I'm excited to get in the groove of learning, and not just the first week of school. I am even more excited that it's the weekend :)

Classroom Management and Discipline Tips for New Teachers

part of my series, I Just Got a Teaching Job... Now What?!

 One of the toughest things for a new teacher is usually discipline. There are a lot of tightropes to walk.

• Your kids need to know you care about them, but they also still need to see you as an authority, not a friend.
• The kids need to feel they can be forgiven, but they need to feel like it matters when they mess up.
• The overall atmosphere should seem positive, but there needs to be consequences when misbehaviors happen.

Everyone always says that it's easier to start out tough and back off, and I agree- but that doesn't mean you don't smile, at least in elementary. Kids need to feel they can trust you, and a smile is a great way to start building that relationship with the kids.

But they need to know that you will follow through, too. Being nice and smiling doesn't mean cutting them a break when they break a rule. That first week and after, I make it a point to give one verbal reminder, and then crack down.

When I think of discipline, I like to have:

• Class rewards
• Individual rewards
• Individual consequences
• And as needed:
• Team rewards
• Team consequences
• Class consequences (as a last resort- I don't like to do these very often because you end up punishing some kids who don't deserve it.)

When you choose a discipline system for your classroom, make sure it's something that includes positive reinforcement for good behavior, and is easy to follow consistently for negative behavior.

The "marble jar" works well in my class for a whole class reward, but I also love the idea of team rewards through a "barrel of monkeys" competition or a whole class trying to build Mr. Potato Head together. These pictures are linked to their sources at Pinterest!



That last one is SO much cuter than my marble jar!! (If you pin these, please pin the original sources, not me! It's only fair :)

I was hoping to give you a collection of individual classroom management systems, but it turns out that The Clutter-Free Classroom just did. Check out her post here.

I really enjoyed the clip chart last year. For me, it was a way to give every kid something to work for the whole day, each day, no matter where they were on the chart. Even once a kid made it to red, they knew I'd be proud of them (and tell their parents) if they were able to move back up the chart. It was never to the point of "Oh, you lost your recess, so now there's no need to try anymore" which I found happening with a "stoplight" system in the past.

I can also reward different kids for different things. If one student always forgets to put their name on their paper and they remember this time, I can reward them because it's extraordinary for them. 

 

Whatever you choose, be careful with too many extrinsic rewards. There are many free rewards that will work really well to motivate students, and they're so much better than spending your money on items for the store. Plus, it's teaching kids to be proud of their accomplishment, not just excited for a toy.

I have also found that, even when kids got a choice of the prizes or something like lunch with the teacher or a positive phone call home, they tend to pass on the prizes.

How cute are these free coupons, too? (Again, if you pin, please click over to Mel's to pin it from her site!)

Intrinsic rewards are the best. When my kids reach "Sparkling," the other kids cheer (I didn't teach them to do this, but they started it on their own and I love it). They also take home a bookmark, a sticker on their newsletter, and a little certificate to show their parents (thank youuu, Target Dollar Spot).
 
At the end of the day, they get to sign the Sparkling Hall of Fame (a laminated piece of black construction paper) with a silver Sharpie, which they love. They add tally marks after their first time signing.

After reaching Sparkling 10 times (which only 2 of my kids did last year!), they get to go over their name in gold Sharpie and get special recognition from the principal.

I keep certificates ready to go, even signed already, so that all I have to do is add the name and date while they pick a sticker, and then I hand them the bookmark and the marker to go sign the HoF. DONE.

Plus- let kids make your job easier when it comes to tracking the discipline. My 2nd graders were carefully chosen for the job of Clip Chart Recorder, where they took a mini clipboard and filled out a 0 for red, 1 for orange, and so on up the chart for each student each morning, and then they moved the clips back to green to start the day. They loved helping, and I didn't have to do it. Win, win. Occasionally, kids will make a mistake- but overall, it worked so well when I chose conscientious kids (or had two kids work together so they'd catch each other's mistakes).

When you think about consequences, be careful taking away recess. Often the ones who would get it taken away are the ones who need it the most. That said, sometimes there isn't another consequence that motivates the student, so sometimes it's very hard to avoid.


In my class, kids who reach red take home a Think Sheet. I copy plenty at the beginning of the year, fill out the name and date, and add a note in my binder so I remember that it went home. The kid does the rest, unless I want to write a note to Mom and Dad on there.

Make sure parents aren't only hearing you contact them with bad news. That first week, I make it a point to send positive notes home with the students who I can already tell will be a challenge, because I want their parents to see that I do see the good things about their child. Usually, those parents haven't heard good news from their child's teacher in awhile.

When I send kids to pack up, every kid is supposed to color in their newsletter- and those on red or sparkling come to my desk to get what they need. It's a quick process that I can get done while the other kids are packing up.

Make the rewards or punishments something that will be easy and quick enough for you to do at that point in the day. The end of the day is hectic enough without 10 kids getting stamps or going to the store. If you want to do those things, fine- but do the store once a week, or give a student the job of being a Stamper.

A discipline system needs to work for you, so choose carefully, and just like in organization, don't be afraid to try or add something new. I love my clip chart, but I know that depending on my students this year, it may not work. Or, it may not work for one or two students who need something more individualized and tailored to what motivates them personally. Keep it simple and consistent, and you should be able to find what works for your class.

And if you're not? Please ask for help. Other teachers will be happy to offer what has worked for them, and the blogging world (myself included) will be happy to offer some advice, too!

I Just Got a Teaching Job... Now What?!- Setting Up Your Room

You all are so great for listening on my last post. I think (hope) we all have those moments of feeling totally overwhelmed at the beginning of the school year, especially when moving rooms or switching grade levels or just starting out- and your comments made me feel better, like I wasn't just being a crazy person! Things are getting better, though, and I'm starting to feel excited about 3rd grade again!

I kind of got out of my new teacher series, but I'm hoping there are still a few new teachers that haven't started yet and this might be helpful to. If not, well... there's always next year!

Okay, okay, you finally get to think about setting up your classroom. Even before you go in, you can start thinking about what spaces are on your 'need' list, and what spaces you 'want' to have if it works out.

Step 1- Make a List of Spaces You Want and Need

As you think about spaces in your room, you need to think about the spaces for LEARNING, the spaces for TEACHING, and the spaces for STUFF! You might not need all of these, but here are some suggestions to get you started.

When I say teaching, I'm talking about teacher-directed activities. Of course, students should learn there, too, but the "learning" spaces are for student-directed activities.

TEACHING spaces-
Whole group (carpet)
Small group (usually a horseshoe, semicircular table)
Individual (could be shared with one of the other spaces)
Calendar (could be shared)

LEARNING spaces-
Center spaces?
- Buddy Reading
- Listening
- Writing
Library
Cool Down/ Safe Spot/ Time Out spot
Student Computers
SmartBoard (could be shared)

STUFF spaces-
Coats & backpacks
Shared student supplies
Individual student supplies
Passed back work
Turned in work
Math manipulatives
Science supplies
Snack supplies
Files/ Binders/ Teaching materials
Teacher desk (if you are having one)
Small group materials
Book boxes
Necessary wall displays
Storage of notebooks, writing binders, etc.

WALL spaces-
Calendar
Star Student/ Student of the Week
CAFE or Reading focus wall
Posting of objectives or homework
Word Wall
Hundreds chart
Places to post student work or anchor charts
Boggle board

The important thing is to start big, and then think detailed.

Step 2- Check the Limits of Your Room

Once you have a list of the spaces you want and need, it's time to talk to your technology person, if you haven't already. What are the connections that you can't move? For me, my teacher computer had to be in a certain spot so it could connect to the SmartBoard (which had to stay in its certain spot). Not where I wanted my desk, but I like having my computer at my desk, so... I guess that's settled.

Then, look at what else can't be moved in the room. If you have bookshelves built in, or a sink area, or coat cabinets, those are going to help determine some spaces right off the bat.

When you're thinking about wall spaces, consider which spots are magnetic.

This is also a great time to ask your custodian if there is any extra furniture you might be able to snag, so you can take that into account for your planning.

Step 3- Sketch Your Room's Teaching and Learning Spaces 

Go ahead and sketch out the basic shape of your room with those Can't Move items included.

Then, get out some sticky notes and write out the Teaching and Learning Spaces you brainstormed up above. You can cut Post-Its or put two together if you need to drastically adjust their size. From there? Start playing around with the Post-Its.

It's much better on your body to move Post-Its 50 times than to move furniture 50 times.

I know that I still have to "see" it- but Post-Its help me find a good possibility so I don't have to move it all too many times.

I forgot to take a picture of mine, but here's one from Ms. M. Click her photo to go to her classroom design post:

There are computerized ways to make a mock classroom layout, but I like Post-Its. More fun, and no need to worry about wanting something at an angle that a computer won't allow.

It's important to think over student teaching as you sketch.

• What worked for ME in that classroom?
• What didn't work that I need to do differently?
• What were struggles I had that I need to plan to avoid?
• What are some areas where I still need help and can ask someone for a suggestion?

Keep in mind that what worked for your mentor teacher may not have been what worked for you- and that's okay! I'm a piler by nature- so I knew that I would need to work to make a system for where every little thing went. (I'm still working on this.)

This is a good time to think about your desk arrangement, too. Do you have desks or tables, and how do you want them seated? I like to change my set-up throughout the year, but generally, I like groups and my students do, too.

Step 4- Try Out the Arrangement

Yup, move the actual furniture around. Invite friends and family for this step. Order pizza if needed for bribery. For super-big stuff, like a teacher desk, the custodian sometimes has tools that will help. Please be careful not to scratch the floors or mess up the waxing, because you want the custodial staff happy.

Once you have the room tentatively set up, walk around it. Sit down in the student spaces, and see what it's like from a shorter perspective. Sit down in your teacher areas. Make sure that you can see the whole room from your small group area, so you'll be able to supervise all of your students. Make sure you have the wall spaces where you need them. Walk into the room from the hallway and see what you notice.

Make adjustments as needed, but hopefully, you've got a basic classroom layout!

Step 5- Add in the Stuff Spaces

As a person who struggles constantly with organization (yet lives with a darn-near OCD husband- not sure how he puts up with me!), I know that you have to have a specific place for every thing, and a specific procedure or schedule for how they get put away again. Right now, think about the spaces for students. (We'll deal with organizing your teacher area next time.)

As you think about the 'stuff' spaces, it's important to think about your procedures. What are the things you want your students to do in the morning, and at the end of the day? Is there a "flow"?

I'm trying out an acronym this year to see if it helps my students remember what they need to do, but I also post this as an anchor chart near the door. Click the picture to snag a free copy of my morning procedures anchor chart.

If you're looking for more classroom setup tips, I cannot recommend the book Spaces and Places highly enough. The Cornerstone also has some great classroom setup information, both on her website and in the book!

Plus, if you haven't already, you have to check out The School Supply Addict's room setup page for inspiration.

And just remember, if you happen to get stressed...

Have fun setting up your new classroom!

My Accidental Classroom Theme!

Welcome to those of you heading over from Facebook... did someone link to me? (I'm so curious where the sudden traffic is coming from!)

Anyway- I don't know if you've noticed... but I'm kind of obsessed with frogs. I grew up loving horses, and then went to camp and spent time in a nature center that had tree frogs. I think by that point, I'd realized I was never going to own a horse. (Frogs are a much more realistic pet. And SO cute!)

I mean, look at this adorable little guy! (Okay, I took a picture of him at a zoo. I don't have pet tree frogs anymore. But I would totally LOVE to!)

Anyway, frogs have kind of taken over my classroom. Not in a crazy way, where EVERYTHING is frog-themed... but there's definitely a trend. I didn't actually plan on making my room froggy, but I either had some of this stuff already or other people knew I liked frogs and bought me frog stuff for my classroom!

One of the big frogs in the library was definitely in my senior picture of me with my frog collection. The frog bulletin board was a gift from my brothers years ago, but he works perfectly for displaying a few random things in the classroom, like these adorable Thinking Clouds from Shenanigans in Second (they are totally free- how wonderful is that?)

 The bucket is one of the few things I picked out... but the two little frogs below are from kids in my class. Awww.

Not all of the froggy stuff is just for the cute factor, though!

One of my favorite things in my classroom this year was gifted to me by my first co-teacher. (I started my teaching career as an interventionist/ assistant for a really great teacher.) It was really frustrating at times being an assistant despite having my degree, particularly the second year, but this teacher and mentor continually told me that she believed that I was ready for my own classroom (even when the principal didn't). For Christmas, my birthday, and the end of the year, she gave me teaching supplies and cards packed full of encouragement that I so needed.

One of the things she gave me was this great frog-themed number line (that I put into a hundreds chart). It came with some extra blank lilypads, frogs, and dragonflies. The frogs are all different colors, and some of them are sitting like this guy in the picture, and others are long and leap-y with their legs stretched out.

Of course, we use this for mental math all the time. I taped one of the short frogs and one of the long frogs on each end of a pointer, and made 2 simple rules.

Short frog can only jump by ones.
Long frog can only jump by tens.

Having to "hop" for movements works perfectly. It's laminated, too, so dry-erase markers can write on it and then be erased away easy as can be! Great for showing the 'hops.'

In January we made a class resolution to read 100 books together before the end of the school year, and I keep one of the extra frogs on the number of books we've read and move it each time. Then I can ask how many more we have to go, and students can come up and share their strategies with the frogs.

One last frog I love in my classroom, and this is not a new idea at all. This little guy was at a garage sale with a beanbag around the time I was buying beanbags for my classroom, and I couldn't resist. I mean, could you?

This little froggy likes to sit at a group that's working hard and is quiet at the right times. When we have groups, I just set the frog in the middle of the best group, and... that's the reward. That's it. And they love it. I know, I know, you've probably all been doing this for years.  :)

So, basically... I didn't ever plan to have a frog-themed classroom, but it kind of worked out that way! Do you have a sort-of, kind-of obsession that carries over into the classroom classroom theme?