New I wonder questions- Morning meeting calendar

Read below to see how I made my morning meeting calendar. The 'I wonder' questions are very popular. I have just created a deluxe version with rainbow borders and 13 new questions. You can get these in my tpt store on the following link: I wonder deluxe. Scroll down for the original version. 

I found a great site, Mama Jenn, that had a great calendar for morning meetings. I decided to recreate one for my classroom and change a few things for my needs. (click on the Mama Jenn link for original calendar).

I decided to keep the day, month and year (like Mama Jenn)- however I decided for the date to have proper dates instead of numbers. In Australia, our date goes day/month/year, so I also decided to put them in that order on my board. 

I downloaded a 2012 calendar from http://calendars.vertex42.com/pdfs/blank-2012-calendar-portrait-ink-saver.pdf

I got these cute season and weather cards from Mrs Pancake

Read below about how I use 'I wonder questions'. I have just created a deluxe version with rainbow borders and 13 new questions. You can get these in my tpt store on the following link: I wonder deluxe. Scroll down for the original version. 

I decided to add on a question of the week to get my students thinking, wondering and using their imaginations. I have about 45 questions and each Monday I will ask one and the students can discuss their answer with a partner. Each day during the week for a few minutes we can discuss this question, add further questions to the topic and even extend it to a writing session. 

I typed these questions up and printed them. To get all questions click on the following link

I wonder questions

Like Mama Jenn, I decided to keep how many days have we been at school because I think that is a great idea to help students practice their place value on a daily basis.

Thats about it, again- not my original idea, but adapted it to my needs. 

Christmas 'Imagine' creative writing prompts

It's 5 weeks until Christmas which means it's my favourite time in the classroom. Christmas inspired activities. Children are so much more engaged in their learning when it relates to things happening in their life. What better way to engage them in their writing than to use these Christmas 'Imagine' creative writing prompts. 

There are 20 prompts in the pack. You can download a freebie to get the above 4 out of the 20 questions in the pack. 

Download this pack from my tpt store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Imagine-creative-writing-prompts-3499753

I am so excited to introduce my 'All About Me Lapbook'. I recently did a lapbook lesson for the first time in a year 4 classroom and I fell in love with the concept. The students were so engaged and excited by this approach to their learning. I then did some research on lapbooks and have created my own ready to use with my new class at the start of next year. At the moment I have the one I made about myself to introduce myself to the children. I will post again with some student examples when they have made their own.

Click on this link or any of the pictures to download the All About Me Lapbook

This lapbook includes 20 'flippies' that can cover at least 2 lapbooks. This enables you as the teacher to make choice over which 'flippies' are right for your class or you could give the students choice and owership over their learning.

I am planning on giving my students choice but planning out before they begin which ones they will use. Here is a close up of the lapbooks:

I would appreciate any feedback or if you have used something similar in your class. 

I have also create a freebie with 2 pages from the bundle in the pack so you can 'try before you buy'. Click on the link or the picture below to get the bundle. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-About-Me-Lapbook-Freebie-3495251

A huge thank you and shout out to Tangstar Science where I purchased the interactive Notebook Templates and was able to make this product! Check out their blog and tpt store at: 

http://tangstarscience.blogspot.com.au/

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Interactive-Notebook-Templates-1000-Editable-Foldables-Commercial-Use-Okay-1289821

Independent Reading Time

There is so many opportunities for independent reading in the classroom that at times it can be hard to keep up with what the children are reading and when they have finished a book. Read on to see how I set up my independent reading time. Follow the link to find the pack 

Firstly I begin the year by discussing what books they might be reading and where they can get the books from. They might be borrowing books from the bookshelf in the classroom, school library or bringing in a book from home.

I then use this poster I made called "How to choose a 'Just Right' Book" 

If the students have chosen a 'Just Right' Book I give them the following instructions:

I get the students to fill out a 'Reading Log' every time they read their book. (A black and white version is available in the pack on TpT

Every time a student finishes reading a book I ask them to complete a book review. They can then choose to present to the class, a small group or a partner about what they read.

I always have those students who get up and down 5 times in a lesson and swap over books. I use these instructions and forms to provide accountability for student choices.

You can download this pack on Teachers Pay Teachers by following this link

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Independent-Reading-Time-3491843

I have also included a freebie of the book report in a black and white version:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Book-Review-3491836

Thank you for reading my post. I would love some feedback on how you set up your Independent Reading or if there is anything you would like me to add to my pack! 

Setting up my room again!!!

I went into school today to begin setting up my room again for the new year! Students start next Wednesday (1 week) and I have been busy these holidays making some new things for my classroom. It is already a great feeling being in my second year of teaching. Having the same classroom makes things a lot easier as most of my things are already set up and I know how I like things. I decided to change a few things though to make it seem a bit different and here are the new things I have done so far. If your interested you can have a look at my old setting up blog post from this time last year to see the difference

My new reading corner

I got a new bookshelf and pillows from ikea. I then made a story map- see other post, and put that on the wall with some story elements posters that I got from Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarten TPT store (free).
I also got some reading quotes from The teacher couple TPT store (free) and used the Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss quotes and suck them on the side of the reading shelf.
I also got an owl I PICK reading poster to put on the wall from cute classroom creations TPT store (free)

Story Map and Story Elements posters

Ikea bookshelf, inspirational quotes and I PICK poster

Birthday wall

I have changed my birthday wall this year- I decided to do an idea that I have seen on pinterest.

My wall isn't quite done but I will post some more pictures when I finish it next week. 

I bought some sparkly scrapbook paper from lincraft and stuck it up on the wall. I then got some cute owl month labels from schoolgirl styles TPT store. However I think I might need to reprint them a bit smaller, because I am going to take a photo of each the students whose birthdays are in each month. I am going to print their dates of birth with their names for them to hold up. I will then stick this picture underneath each month label. I don't have any October birthdays so I might be able to save some room there :-)

I have also redone my birthday pencils- see other post- this is the same as last year. 

I will post some more pictures when I finish this wall. 

Birthday pencils

 Owl door

I changed my door this year and gave it an owl theme. I got the sign from vistaprint . I bought the little owls from schoolgirl styles TPT store and just added my students names to it. I also got a cute owl welcome sign from teacherytidbits blog

Owls

Vistaprint poster

Welcome sign 

Thats it for now but I still have another week before school starts and I'm sure some more things will be happening :-) 

Story Map- Plus a Freebie

Today I have made a 'Story Map' for my classroom.

I originally got the idea from pinterest and decided to make one. I am going to put it up on the wall of my new reading corner (which I will post pics of next time I go into the classroom). It is double sided and has basically the same thing on both sides.

The purpose behind me creating both sides is that I can fill it throughout the week as a whole class in shared reading with a big book, and then small groups can use the other side in guided reading without having to take away the post-its from the whole class.

Ways I will use this: 

Whole class- After reading a story with the class (or before and during the story) as a class we will fill out the story map. I will write down student answers on post-it notes and stick them on the map. This can be done in a single session or can be done throughout the week (depending on how long we look at a book for). Depending on the focus of the lesson, we might not fill out every section, just ones that I feel at the time are important for the students to understand.

Small group- Guided reading, after a small group has read their book, an activity can be to fill out the story map to assess student understanding. Students could each fill in one section, or they could work as a group to fill in the whole map. This could also be used with a parent helper with the same concept.

Worksheet- I have also made a worksheet of the map so that students can go away and fill it in themselves. This can be done from a whole class or small group lesson.

Here are pictures of the story map

Side 1

Side 2-

Worksheet-

This is the worksheet I made. Just click on where it says worksheet or on the picture. I got the moister clipart from http://www.mycutegraphics.com/graphics/monster-images.html

It's been a while!!!!

It has been ages since I have last posted a blog post!!! I got sooo busy- I blame it being my first year teaching!

Well now that I am into my second year teaching my new years resolution is to post more regularly! We will see how that goes!!!

Well I have about 2 weeks until school begins and I have my new kids :-) It will be a bit different this year- I have 6 more students (27) and 8 more girls then last year (16 G and 11 B). 

I have slowly been getting into teacher mode and beginning to make a few new things for my classroom this year- stay tuned....

Number of the day freebie and graduation time

Hello,
After some searching on pinterest I saw a few different 'number of the day' worksheets ( from primary punch and loryevans) and I was inspired to make my own focused mainly on place value for our current maths unit.

download it here number of the day


Also worth talking about, I had my graduation last night! I officially have a Masters of Teaching (Primary) and a graduate certificate in religious education. I had such a great night and thought why not share some pics :-)

This is me getting ready to leave

This is me and my mum after the ceremony! 

It was a really great night- not to mention getting a day off school- and having today off for ANZAC day! I never realised how much work it is getting work ready for an emergency teacher. I was stressing all Monday making sure everything was ready- especially seeing my kids go swimming on Tuesdays!!! Eeeek, will be interesting going to school tomorrow seeing what it waiting for me :-)

Have a great week!!! 

I'm back and a visit to how my first term went

Hello, after a few months of silence I am back.

I never anticipated how stressful, tiring and hectic my first term of teaching would be! But to my amazement, I made my way through it and am now into my second week of term 2, and while I am still tired, I seem to be functioning a bit better.

What a term, I spent the first few weeks getting to know the kids (and still getting to know them... some finally are coming out of their shells :-). What a great, yet exhausting time. I love my behaviour management chart, once I started using it properly it has worked wonders. It is the best motivation for the kids to be quiet. If they get to role model they get a sticker and after 5 they get an award! Very excited last week all my kids finally made it to their 5th and have now all received an award (with one boy and one girl already receiving their second award- 10 role models.... will have to think what to do next once they keep getting awards!)

My kids are also loving the calendar, especially the I wonder questions. We have a new one each monday and each day I change the question a little bit or make it a bit more specific (i.e. make up your own etc). Such a great way to get them thinking and then speaking and listening.

They are probably my 2 favourite things from everything that I made ready for the year, the noise monitor is great and I have noise monitors, but I still have to remind them a lot and motivate them with the behaviour chart.

One great way to start the year was to go over the school rules and have a big chat about what they meant. Students brainstormed each rule. I typed them up put them on the floor and students came out, chose one and explained which rule it belonged on (as some could have gone on a few). It was a great way for students to really explain why we have rules.

Last term we did some great things, one thing which I loved was one of our I wonder questions where we thought about what fruit we would be. At the end of the week I brought in a coconut, kiwi fruit, nectarine, passionfruit and lemons and the kids became budding artists! Have a look at their great work

Another interesting thing that we did was our inquiry topic of 'rules'. We ended up making posters about sun, water and road safety. We also learnt how to play snakes and ladders, wrote a procedure and made up our own with safe (bottom of ladders) and unsafe rules (top of snakes) in it. The kids had such a great time making these and playing them with their parents on our showcase night. 

That will do for now, but I will try my hardest to post up more frequently throughout this term with some things that we are doing :-)