My Little Projects

I have just 12 days until students arrive in my classroom!  12 days!  Waaahhh!  I want to pretend like it's not happening, and go have fun with my little boys!  

But, alas... I have been diligently focusing on my classroom for last few days.  I am either at school, or at home thinking and planning about school.  I've also stayed up WAY too late working on little projects.  I thought you might like to see a few of the little things I have done:

This year's bathroom passes.  I'll spray with lysol every day, but I think it's going to keep them out of the toilet, and maybe just a little more germ-free!  Made with sparkle visors from Wal-Mart, and sparkle letter stickers from Dollar Tree.

"Ask Me" visors are for my student helpers during lessons where students need help.  I use during writers' workshop, and/or I will have my first finishers put them on to help other students during any type of lesson.  They would be great during centers, too, when you are working with small groups.  Students would know if there is something that can't wait, or they need help with their electronic equipment, they can go to the "Ask Me" student.  I'm sure you have more ideas of how to use!

My new Star of the week bag! Made with a black snap bag from the Target Dollar Spot, iron-on letters, and sparkle fabric paint.  I also painted "Mrs. Geary's Class" on back in case it gets left on a bus!

These awesome notebooks were an idea from Leslie, at Jack of All Trades!  See her tutorial here.  I made some for my co-workers and I, and next I will make some for my boys' teachers.  I think it's a great little back to school gift!  

The "Rock Star" Desk.  Hot-glued a wooden guitar from Hobby Lobby, and used sticker letters.  I'm sure they'll need replaced several times.  This desk will be used for the student with "Rockin'" behavior each day.  I'm doing a Hollywood theme in my room, and I thought it would be fun to choose a rock star at the end of every day.  Since I use tables, the desk is a novelty for students, and they love to be the one who gets to sit in it for the next day!  I announce at the end of every day, and we cheer for the student selected.

I love this little owl cover I made for my shelf!  It hides all of my personal items.  This shelf is part of the student writing center on top, but since I don't have a teacher desk this year, I needed to store some of my things below.  You can't see in the picture, but I sewed button holes on both sides, and the curtain is resting on some hooked magnets  (metal shelf), so I can open it at any time.  

Two more sewing projects -  skirts for a table and projector cart.  I sewed ribbon around the top to make it cuter. :)

Now I have to get busy with my walls.  I have a goal to be organized by Wednesday.  I'm not sure if I'll make it, but I'm sure going to try!

Classroom Pics

Yay!  Report cards are done.... finally!  I wanted to celebrate, but then realized there was no time to rest.  I still have to write lesson plans for this week and go back home (er...back to SCHOOL) and get everything prepped.  Yuck!  I love the planning phase of teaching - not so much the prep.  Anyway, since I've been spending SO much time there lately, I thought I would share some pictures of my second home.
These are from earlier this month.  I should have taken new ones after cleaning in my room for 10 hours last weekend.  But, you get the general idea.

 This is my new "Quality Work" board in my writing center.  I wanted another place to put student work.  I took those penguins down on Friday, and now it is empty.  I am thinking of putting up some colored papers with stars or something of the like, so I can just put up work that really shines.  I did that in kindergarten, and I would put a sentence strip next to the work saying something like "Look how I used my periods!"  or "I can write a sentence!"  Hmm... must get started on that today.

 Morning message. I got the general idea of this from my mentor teacher during student teaching - Kimberlee Grant.   One student reads this, then we pass around our stuffed animal and each student answers the question on the bottom in sentence form.  (It definitely takes teaching to teach them how to do this properly.)  Then, in my class we search our message for phonograms we know, and I circle them.  Then students write their response to the question on the bottom in their day planners.  I come around and each student reads back their writing to me, finds one thing they could have done better, fixes it, and I stamp the planner.  LONG process first thing in the morning, but I think it is worth it!

 This is my easel.  It has our job chart on it for our "Candy Kisses" math unit.  I had a "mystery bag" of candy kisses on day one for students to figure out what was in the bag, and then we put them in a jar.  One of the best math activities ever!  We touched on SO many things, and their counting really got better!  (Above the chart, you can see my words of the week on magnets)

 Our calendar area during February.

 Whole carpet/meeting area.

 My CAFE board, which I love, love, love! (and so do the kids)

 The West wall... computer center.

 Word Work area  (a bit messy, because students' table baskets have to be placed over there at night for the custodian.)  My son's backpack is in the doorway.  He's in first grade, too!

 North Wall... the whiteboard, math center, and some teaching materials.  You can also see my messy teacher corner.  I don't do a desk.  I put my kidney table in the corner instead, but sometimes I cover it with all of my stuff as I'm finding things for my volunteers to do.

 You can kind of see the cubby area, and my magnetic attendance/lunch count on the side of the file cabinet.

 Half of our class library.  Someone left a whisper phone on the floor.

 Our word wall with removable words.  The kids LOVE this, and so do I!  They can rip off a word and take it to their seat to use during writing.  Next to the word wall is our listening center.  (Again, table baskets stored there overnight!)

My students have to write a book report for each book read, or they can give an oral report to the class, or re-read it to a volunteer.  This is for a "Reading Challenge" I have them working on.  They have grown so much through this project!

Hope this gave you some good ideas!  If you do use something of mine, please let me know!  I'd love to hear how you changed it/tweaked it!  Or... even if it just worked well for you as is!