Day 9 of 2012, WBT

Today was my 9th day of school.  Rules and procedures have been in place and practiced.  I believe that the students should be able to follow and understand the rules and procedures now.  We started Daily 5 on the second day of school.  I always think it is so overwhelming to get my kinders into the Daily 5, however this year my students are doing AWESOME!!!  Take a look for yourself!

We have been building our stamina for Read to Self and Work on Writing.  We are around 7/8 minutes for each.  The students get so excited when they beat the time from the previous day.  I always go back and forth on if I want to do Daily 5 or if I want to do my regular centers.  This year is difficult because Daily 5 takes time and dedication to teach the students.  I have to be ready by the first of September for guided reading groups!  I love Daily 5 but it has really stressed me about not being ready.  After thinking and thinking about it, I decided to continue with Daily 5.  Daily 5 is great and makes the students LOVE reading and writing.  Although I think my other centers do it, there is just something about Daily 5 that keeps bringing me back to do it with my class.  My fingers are crossed that my class will be ready by September for small groups, but if they are not, then I will deal with it then.  

At my school we have certain worksheets we have to complete during center time.  It is a part of our reading curriculum.  I love that Daily 5 doesn't have any worksheets with it.  It is all hands-on and that is the way I love to teach.  What I have worked out in the past is that the students have to complete their worksheet first, then they go to their first choice of Daily 5.  

Well, I have taken the leap!  The leap to WBT!!  So far I have taught my kids Class! Yes! and the rules.  Today I started Teach!  Ok!.  I am loving all it!

I didn't think I really liked the 3 peats!  I thought it made the students look like robots.  Well, let me just tell you.  They are AWESOME!!  The 3 peats help the students remember/know what to do.  It helps them learn to do things quickly!  It gives them motivation to follow the direction quickly!  Oh my!! I just can't believe how much I love them!!  They are my new favorite thing.  Today I also started some of the Power Pix.  I look forward to using them more and more and Teach! Ok!  I can't wait to see the difference this makes in my class this year.

Well, I am off to redesign my lesson plan!  Also look for a new 5 Senses integrated unit on TPT (another one of my favorite things).

 

Open House

We had Open House on Saturday, August 4th.  My room was all set up for parents and students to see.  I also like having my take home folder all prepped so the parents and can take that home and read through the paperwork.

 

 At each child's seat, there is their blue take home folder (Snoopy Book), a pink welcome paper so they know what to do, and apple with the apple poem, a baggie of goodies for each student, and my Student Info Paper for them to fill out.

All of us in our school make out a wish list of items we need for parents to take and donate to our class.  I wrote what I wanted on the flags the Woodstock was holding.  The note beside it says if they would like to donate please take a Woodstock.  Here are some of the items I asked for:

Forks

Paper bags

Plates

Magic Eraser

Folders

Throughout the year if I need items I asked the parents through my newsletter.

 At my back table I have: containers for paperwork, fees, and Student Info Sheet.  I also have a sign in sheet so the parents get volunteer hours for coming, party sign up, email sign up, and how their child is getting home. 

During our Open House the parents and students come to meet their new teacher and they check out the room.  I usually take a picture of each child during Open House so I can label different things in my classroom, however I didn't have everyone show up this year so I haven't printed the pictures off yet. 

Well, another school year has officially started!   Here is to a great year and teaching my students everything and more that they need to know!

 

MLK

MLK

This week my kiddos are learning about Martin Luther King Jr.  Here is what we have done, or will be working on this week. 

TLC Art Project

TLC Art Martin Luther King project.  
I love seeing how different all the students picture turn out.  After we make the TLC project I have my students complete a writing.  We talked about what a dream is and what Martin Luther King's dream was.  Then the students have to write about their dream.  I started them off by writing My dream... on the board.  After the students finished the writing, they glued their art project to the top of it.

 I read this book to the class.  It is a good book that talks about why we have MLK Day.

Martin's Big Words

I will be reading this book to my class tomorrow. 

MLK Book

 After I read one of the MLK book, I pass out these pages to the students.  I have them cut on the lines and put the book in order.  Then we read the book together and then the students color it. (I believe this book is from The Mailbox)

Freedom Freedom Poem and MLK Picture

 My students each have a Poem Notebook.  We start it at the beginning of the year we when start learning the color words and continue it throughout the year.  I pass out the picture of MLK and have the students color it. Then they cut around it and glue it down on the next double page spread.  Then we go over the poem.  I have them cut around the poem and glue it on the opposite page of their MLK picture.

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King.