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End of the Year Sanity Savers

11 (school) days left!  I don't count the weekends :)

I have been in full DRA mode at school.  Our report cards are due to our principal 9 days before we get out and in order for those to be complete, I have to find the instructional and frustration level of all my 27 Littles.  Thankfully tomorrow I will get some "guest teacher time" in my room so that I can try to finish! 

If your Littles are like mine, they mean well.  They really are trying to be independent and quiet.  Mine have been troopers, but finding activities to keep them occupied is sometimes a struggle.  Here are a couple of ideas that are easy, don't require copies and completely independently doable for ALL First Grade Littles.  The best part, they enjoy them and don't get that they are practicing. They aren't revolutionary, but they saved my sanity today!

Stair Step Spelling
Students write their spelling words/sight words on grid paper.
 Like this:  s
                  sh
                  sho
                  shoo
                  shook

Then, after the word is completely spelled, they draw stairs around the word.  Coloring it in is optional :)  Here is an example from one of my Littles:

 

 Spelling Trains
 Students write the word and then draw a box around it.  The wheels contain the first letter/blend and the final letter.  Connect them with a line and voila, you have a train.  The appeal for this one is that it wraps around the paper.  They get so excited about it. 

So, if you need 15 minutes, one of these activities might be something to consider :)


Have a Blessed day,

Kids Say Funny Stuff!

14 days until summer vacation....I think I can.  I think I can...

Luckily for me, I work with AWESOME Little people everyday that make me happy.  It's just a few of the grown-ups that I could do without.  And, the paperwork.  And, meetings!

I have two cute stories to share with you today.

 Story #1:  It was small group reading time and we were going to start a new book about Mount Rushmore.  So, like I usually do, I asked the Littles if they had any prior knowledge about our new topic.  They knew that the faces were past presidents and that was about it.  Then one Little leaned in real close and whispered, "underneath is where the USA hides all the gold..............and root beer."  Little buddy!  Root beer :)


Story #2:  I am working on an end of the year project and needed to know what each Little wanted to be when they grew up.   I got to one little fella and he was having trouble pinpointing exactly what he should say.  Finally, he said, "a fireman."  One of the little sweeties close by noticed that he wasn't really sure about his decision.  She sweetly tried to help and said, "what about a policeman?..............Do you like doughnuts?"  I cracked up.

I love working with Little people.  You NEVER know what they are gonna say!


Have a blessed day,

Baby Ducklings and Kindergarten Displays

We have baby ducklings!!! 

For several years, we have had a momma duck that has used our enclosed courtyard at school to lay her eggs.  This year she was back to repeat the tradition! 

 

 The ducklings have hatched and they are soooooooooo cute it's crazy!  13 babies in all...that's the most we have ever had. 

 

The best and worst part about our new friends is that the courtyard is right outside our classroom windows.  You can imagine keeping 6 and 7 year olds focused while furry, wittle, bitty, cutenesses are right outside.  I mean, I have a hard time not going over to check on them too! 

 

Our sweet and sometimes curmudgeonly janitor even went and bought duck food for them.  The ducklings are slated to eventually end up at 2 different farms near by. 

 

I don't want to think about them leaving.  I mean, what will I use to distract myself for the last 16 days of school :)

 

Here they are:

And, I just want to show off two kindergarten displays that currently adorning our hallways.  They are so stinking cute!

 

 

  Have a BLESSED day!  



Next year Linky Party

I am linking up with Finding Joy in 6th Grade for a linky party dedicated to thinking about next year!  I must admit, it's one of my FAVORITE things about being a teacher.  You know... that fresh slate every year.  Even though I STILL have 17 days left of this year, I am already thinking about what will stay the same and what needs to change for next year.  Here are a few of my thoughts:

I do that some, but I need to do this even more next year!  My school day keeps getting shorter and shorter it seems with RTI (reading and math) and pull-outs.  I just don't have time to do these separately anymore.  Heck, even writing instruction took a beating with the district requiring 30 minutes of math intervention this year on top of the allotted time for math.  I have to be more strategic and merge where I can.

Currently, I have a filing cabinet that houses lots of reproducibles and masters of worksheets/activities/resources.  I want to organize them into binders.  I KNOW that I have many duplicates and things that I don't even need or want anymore!

My district is slowly putting common core into practice.  This year, k-2 implemented common core in math and next year, we will be implementing it into literacy.  My district is also adopting a new way of measuring teacher effectiveness and it is tied to student achievement.  I work at a highly transient, low income, high ELL school.  I want to make sure that I have all my bases covered.

I love the clip chart.  My Littles love the clip chart.  I want to tweak it a little bit next year though.  Currently, if a student makes it to OUTSTANDING (the highest level), they receive a jewel to put on their clip.  After 3 jewels, they take their clip home and get a prize from the treasure box.  Next year, I want to incorporate class coupons into this system instead of the treasure box.  I also want to have a Hall of Fame spot for my clips to be retired.  These are my inspirations:

and...

Have a Blessed week!  At least for those of us still in school it's a 4 day work week :)




Next Year and Timelines

It's finally official....I will be back in First Grade next year.  Last week, we filled out our preference for next year.  It was difficult for me.  I adore my class this year.  They are 27 of the BEST Littles ever!  I have never had that many in one classroom before, but they make it a blast most days.  So my preference looked like this:

My principal told me today that he couldn't guarantee that if I went to 2nd that I would get my Littles.  Although I heard through the grapevine that one of my teammates was told that she would have her Littles back next year in 2nd...I WILL NOT BE BITTER If that happens  I will have a good attitude!  So, I am back in First Grade.  It truly is my favorite.  I need to remember that when I get my new group next year.  The K's this year are crazy more challenging!  There are sooooo many that I am praying mature move before school starts.

We still have 17 days of school left.  It seems like everyone in the blogging world is winding down already.  But, we are still in full force in the classroom.  This last week we have been learning about timelines.  One of our WA state standards is that students are able to create a sequential timeline about their family or life.  I came up with a simple template and we have had loads of fun with it.  I decided that highlighting 4 BIG events in each Littles' life would be enough since we are just in First Grade.  The 4 categories were:

  They were able to bring in pictures to add to their timelines.  This was the best part.  We LOVED looking at all the baby pictures of our friends that came in.  And, they were so elated that I shared my pictures with them.  Luckily, no one mentioned that I was old :)  Here are few pictures of our projects!

Hope you have a blessed weekend :)

Mother's Day

We have worked hard preparing to celebrate our mommas!  My Littles made super cute cards to express their love. 

 

 My Littles loved wrapping squares of colored tissue paper around the eraser side of the pencil, dipping into liquid glue and then sticking it onto the flower shape that they cut out.  We never use liquid glue so just the sight of it elevated the project in their eyes. 

 

Here are a few examples of the finished product...

 

I hope that your Friday is WONDERFUL :)
~Happy Teaching!