"My mom won't let me build a fort! It's just TORTURE!" - Sofia ~ Future Fort Builder
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Kid Quote of the Week
Some of my students have been reading and working on a book study of Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne. They all agreed that they would LOVE to have a tree fort, some of them were pretty disappointed in their parents.....
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Kid Quote of the Week
This week has been all about Thanksgiving and being thankful. As a class we were working on writing all the things we are thankful for......
"I'm thankful for clothes because without them I would be naked. Clothes are VERY important." Sofia ~ Miss Proper
"I like running around naked!" Carter ~ Rebel Rouser/Rule Breaker
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Kid Quote of the Week
Our class has been working on feelings in our Second Step Social/Emotional curriculum. There are many pictures of differnent situations that we look at and try to determine the best action/reaction to.
This week the picture clearly showed an angry child and Mylee had a great comment......
Just picture a finger wave, with a hand on a hip, and a head bob........
"Hit me with your other bad mood!" Mylee ~ 6 Going on 16
This week the picture clearly showed an angry child and Mylee had a great comment......
Just picture a finger wave, with a hand on a hip, and a head bob........
 |
| Hit me with your other bad mood! |
"Hit me with your other bad mood!" Mylee ~ 6 Going on 16
Friday, November 13, 2015
Math Journals
Math Journals are a quick 5-10 minute activity that I use in my classroom. I love that it can be a quick check of my students understanding of the concepts I've been teaching and I can also add in new concepts that are a preview to things to come.
I looked all over Teachers Pay Teachers for labels that were already made, could be printed on to mailing labels, were core aligned, and made for first grade. BUT NO LUCK! So... I made my own, and I LOVE them!!
Each label is aligned to 1st grade curriculum and can be done in as little as 5 minutes. I start the year by placing the first label in my students' notebooks. Each day that we work in our Math Journals I give my students a new label. I just do a quick check, star their paper, and stick a new label on the back of their hand. My students are responsible for placing the next journal label on the next blank page. (...... Sometimes the next blank page is really the middle of the notebook!)
You can find Math Journal Labels for the entire school year HERE (That's 180 labels!), or find labels for each month here:
I also have a FREEBIE if you want to sample my Math Journal Labels to see if they are a good fit for your classroom too!
Each label is aligned to 1st grade curriculum and can be done in as little as 5 minutes. I start the year by placing the first label in my students' notebooks. Each day that we work in our Math Journals I give my students a new label. I just do a quick check, star their paper, and stick a new label on the back of their hand. My students are responsible for placing the next journal label on the next blank page. (...... Sometimes the next blank page is really the middle of the notebook!)
You can find Math Journal Labels for the entire school year HERE (That's 180 labels!), or find labels for each month here:
I also have a FREEBIE if you want to sample my Math Journal Labels to see if they are a good fit for your classroom too!
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Kid Quote of the Week
This week my favorite kid quote really made me laugh! Kids are always listening to their parents talk at home......
"TEACHER! Tallon called me a BABY!"
"No, I said Bae. Like Bae Bae. Like my dad says to my mom all the time." Tallon ~ Future Heartthrob
"TEACHER! Tallon called me a BABY!"
"No, I said Bae. Like Bae Bae. Like my dad says to my mom all the time." Tallon ~ Future Heartthrob
That wiggly kid!
My last blog post got me thinking about all the things that I try to implement in my classroom to help those wiggly students.
Over the years I have tried MANY different things, weighted vests, weights for shoes, stress balls, bands on chairs, wiggle seats, etc. It seems like every year I try something new because what worked the year before is not working or because every student has different needs.
This I have loved the exercise bands (surgical tubing) I have implemented. I originally purchased a set of three exercise bands (for $17.00) from a local sporting goods store. It had three different strength bands; heavy, medium & light. The medium and light did not last very long! The heavy weight band has been great but expensive! Check it out!
Because I have several kids this year that bands would benefit I was working on writing a grant to purchase more bands and balance cushions (I couldn't afford $17.00 per band!) when a dad of a "wiggly" kiddo asked what he could do to help his child.
I showed him the exercise band and told him I was working on writing a grant for more (as well as balance cushions), he had a great idea to use surgical tubing! For less than the price of one set of exercise bands, he was able to make 5 surgical tubing bands! AND they are much sturdier than the bands. He simply measured the chair width, tied each end in a knot, made a loop and put a zip tie around it. It works wonderfully! (I found tubing HERE and zip ties HERE on Amazon for a great price; it would make each band approximately $2.00-$3.00.)
This dad also brought in a balance cushion for his son as well. The cushion has been incredibly helpful too. It allows my student to wiggle without falling off of his chair and he gets the movement he needs to help him stay on task.
This is what his chair looks like with the balance cushion and band. He carries his cushion all around the classroom with him because he knows it helps him to stay focused.
It's been a great addition to my "wiggly" kiddo strategies. I found them HERE on Amazon for $12.00 a cushion. I have several students who could benefit from the balance cushions, I just have to get on the grant writing!
Over the years I have tried MANY different things, weighted vests, weights for shoes, stress balls, bands on chairs, wiggle seats, etc. It seems like every year I try something new because what worked the year before is not working or because every student has different needs.
This I have loved the exercise bands (surgical tubing) I have implemented. I originally purchased a set of three exercise bands (for $17.00) from a local sporting goods store. It had three different strength bands; heavy, medium & light. The medium and light did not last very long! The heavy weight band has been great but expensive! Check it out!
Because I have several kids this year that bands would benefit I was working on writing a grant to purchase more bands and balance cushions (I couldn't afford $17.00 per band!) when a dad of a "wiggly" kiddo asked what he could do to help his child.
I showed him the exercise band and told him I was working on writing a grant for more (as well as balance cushions), he had a great idea to use surgical tubing! For less than the price of one set of exercise bands, he was able to make 5 surgical tubing bands! AND they are much sturdier than the bands. He simply measured the chair width, tied each end in a knot, made a loop and put a zip tie around it. It works wonderfully! (I found tubing HERE and zip ties HERE on Amazon for a great price; it would make each band approximately $2.00-$3.00.)
This dad also brought in a balance cushion for his son as well. The cushion has been incredibly helpful too. It allows my student to wiggle without falling off of his chair and he gets the movement he needs to help him stay on task.
This is what his chair looks like with the balance cushion and band. He carries his cushion all around the classroom with him because he knows it helps him to stay focused.
It's been a great addition to my "wiggly" kiddo strategies. I found them HERE on Amazon for $12.00 a cushion. I have several students who could benefit from the balance cushions, I just have to get on the grant writing!
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