Wow, these past few
weeks have been SO busy! Each time I
think of a post I’d like to write, I spend my evening with a school to-do list
instead! The changes in my classroom and
curriculum this year sure have required some extra time and effort, but I must
say, I am beyond happy with them all!
I already raved
about our initial Daily 5 launch, but I feel like I must continue!! My firsties
have now built stamina with Read to Self, Work on Writing, and Word Work (in
that order), and I am just so, so thrilled with this program. Comparing these kiddos to past groups who did
not do Daily 5, they are much more independent in reading and writing and more
willing to read and write, with a calmer atmosphere all around. For example, we have a writing workshop time
separately, during which we focus on Common Core writing genres. I taught Narrative the last few weeks, the
same way I always have, and this time around I was so pleased with what the kids did independently! Without waiting at my side for spelling
help! Without whining that they didn’t know what to write! Without turning in work that was obviously
done with little effort! Writing time is
quiet and focused…I don’t know how to act! I am so excited to see how much we will accomplish
this year!
Speaking of writing,
we began our writing workshop this year by creating our Heart Maps. Heart Maps showcase what’s in a student’s
heart – all the most important things!
Students use these any time in the year when they need writing
inspiration. They turned out so
cute! Here is mine:
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| Click here to get my Heart Map download. |
Another new addition
this year is Math Workstations, inspired by Debbie Diller. We haven’t completely launched these yet. We have learned 8 or 10 math games and talked
about workstation expectations with an I-Chart (inspired by Daily 5!). The plan is to put workstations into action
this coming week….stay tuned!
One last new
addition, definitely needed this year…and a freebie for you! I could tell from day one that I had two boys
who were going to test me with bathroom visits. We’re talking asking every 20 minutes, all day
long. With the little ones, it’s always
hard to tell whether they actually have to go or just want to roam the halls,
but I knew we’d have to do something to help them go less frequently. So, I created Restroom Passes for them - 4
cards for each boy, labeled with their name, 2 for morning and 2 for
afternoon. I laminated the cards and put
them in their desk pockets (also used for our Reminder Cards and Positive Point
cards). The boys know that they get
these 4 chances each day, and otherwise may not go to the restroom (unless it
is a REAL emergency). We’ve been using
the cards for about a week, and they immediately helped! If you’re having a similar problem, I hope
these cards will be useful for you!
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| Click here to download the Restroom Passes. |
That’s all for now! Week 5 begins tomorrow… Have a happy Monday
friends! :)
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