Classroom Reveal!

This year, I have been going in to my classroom little by little, and it has seemed to be less stressful!  Today, I got to a point where the room is pretty much done. I am still waiting for my class list.  That will be more things to complete, but for now, here is what I have.

 

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More Math!

I guess I am in a math frame of mind lately, since that is what I have been posting about.  Well, I am working on my workshop plans for Unit 1, so I am finding some things in my files that I had kind of forgotten about.

Today, I am attaching a math scavenger hunt that I have the kids do in groups on one of the first days of the year.  It covers a variety of information, gives them a good review, and gives me a glimpse of things that need more practice.  Click on the magnifying glass below to get to the document.

Professional Reading

While I spend A LOT of my summer reading kiddy lit, I also do some professional reading. A couple of books I am going to read and think about this summer are Readicide by Kelly Gallagher and Number Talks by Sherry Parrish.

I am also looking for some books to continue the development of my math workshop.  Do you have any recommendations?

A Recipe for our Classroom

As one of our end of the year writing activities, my students wrote a "recipe" that I will hang outside of the classroom at the beginning of the school year.

I divided the kids into groups of 5, and they had to determine four ingredients that they were an important part of our classroom.  We took the generated list and then discussed wording and additions.  We had to vote on whether we wanted the recipe's measurements to be cups and teaspoons, or more real for our classroom.  The kids decided on hours, and then they worked to figure out pretty accurate amounts of time for each thing.  We used 180 school days even though the kids aren't in attendance 180 days.

Here's how it turned out.  I think it will be a great welcome for my new students and parents.  :)

My classroom pics

My room is not completely ready, but it is getting there. I will not have a list of student names until Friday, so there are a number of things that I can't do until I have that...

Here is what is done.

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Beginning of the Year

So, I have been basically back to work for the last week and a half.  I have been providing technology training for teachers in my district in the mornings and then trying to get my mind wrapped around the new year in the afternoon.

I have prepared for the beginning of a new year for over 20 years, but it still excites and scares me!  I have so many ideas, and I enter my room, and just feel overwhelmed.   And, while blogging has provided me with great ideas and resources, I feel like I just can't get my head around them all.

Next week will be my final week of summer.  I will not be teaching classes, but I am sure I will be spending much of my time in my classroom.  There is  a lot to be done, but I won't find out my students name until the end of next week, and those kiddos will be in my room less than a week after I get their names!  So, I have a lot of planning and waiting, and then hurrying to get things done!

How are you feeling as you prepare for the new year? 

My Daily Schedule

I have no idea what my schedule for the fall will be.  My principal did an AWESOME job last year of scheduling my specials at about the same time each day, so that made my schedule easy to do.  She also made sure that all four of us 3rd grade teachers had common prep times so we could collaborate as necessary.  Is she great, or what?
Anyway, I am posting two schedules.  One is my schedule from last year, and one is my "dream" schedule.

Last year (2010-2011):
     8:30-8:45  Arrival/Morning Activities/Announcements
    
     8:45-9:15  Targeted Instruction Time ( whole 3rd grade remediation/extension)

     9:15-9:25  Choral Reading

     9:25-9:50  1st block of literacy student choice (I meet with groups or conference)

     9:50-10     Students share reading/writing

     10-10:25  CAFE Minilesson/ Partner Read to practice skill

     10:25-10:50   2nd block of literacy student choice (I meet with groups or conference)

     10:50-11:15  IMC  or Art  or  Music 
             (I am messing with my times a little here because each day of the week was different.  Students had IMC on Monday for a half hour, Music on Tuesday for 25 min., Art on Wednesday for 45 min, IMC on Thursday for one hour, and Music again on Friday for 25 min.)  So this time started some days at 10:45 and ended others at 11:45,but you should get the idea. 

     11:15-11:55 Math

     11:55-12:45  Lunch

     12:45-1:05  Read Aloud

     1:05- 1:30  Math

     1:30- 2:00  Social Studies

     2:00-2:20  PE  (every day)

     2:20-2:50  Science  (on Fridays we did Kindergarten Buddy activities)

     2:50-3:10  Writing

     3:10-3:15  Dismissal

Of course, on typical days, these times ran a little into each other, but I work hard to stay pretty much on schedule.



My Dream Schedule

     8:30-9:05  Check-in/Announcements/1st Literacy Block  (I conference or work with groups)

     9:05-9:10   Students share reading/writing

     9:10-9:15  Choral Reading

     9:15-9:40   CAFE minilesson and partner reading

     9:40-10:05   2nd Literacy Block  (I conference or work with groups)

     10:05-10:30  Writing/Spelling/Grammar

     10:30-11:00 Targeted Instruction Time

     11:00-11:30  Music, Art, or IMC  (approximate times)

     11:30-11:55  Math

     11:55-12:45  LUNCH

     12:45-1:05   Read Aloud

     1:05-1:45  Math

    1:45-2:15  Social Studies

     2:15-2:35  PE

     2:35-3:05  Science

     3:05-3:15  Independent Reading

     3:15  Dismissal


     Obviously, I was pretty lucky with last year's schedule.  It was pretty close to my dream schedule.  Who knows what this year's will look like?  We have a large school, so it is likely to change somewhat.

   Go to Simply 2nd Resources to check out the linky party and other people's schedules!


    

Back to School Math Activity

The 10 things to Know about Me Linky made me think about a Back to School activity I do with my students.  It is a math lesson and a good quick assessment of what they remember.  I also like to use it to introduce the use of rubrics.  I use rubrics for nearly everything, and I find that students are not familiar with them and not sure how to use them to help them complete activities. 

An image of my sample is included, too.  When I explain the assignment, I display my sample and then use the rubric to score it so the kids can see what grade I would get.  Sometimes, I display one that is missing information and demonstrate what score it would get, too.

I find that this quick activity is a good ease into the school year, and it helps to show the importance of numbers in our lives!  Hope you can use it!