Binders

I hope that everyone is enjoying their long weekend!  It has been a whirlwind since I went back to school 3 weeks ago.  I have a sweet group of kids who can be a handful at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way :)

In my quest to become more organized...yes, I am that teacher that has piles of things everywhere...I decided to try out the teacher and substitute teacher binders.  They are all the rave on Pinterest right now and with some down time this weekend, I thought I'd put them together.  Pictures coming soon!

These are the sections I put into my binder:

• Year at a Glance
• Monthly calendars with important school events and meetings
• Color coding the weeks that we are working on the same curriclum item such as how families are the same or different.
• Lesson Plans
• My teammate has a spreadsheet guru for a husband who outlined our schedule with boxes in it big enough to write our plans in.  We also have them in a running Google doc.  However, we like having the pencil/paper plan as well for when we are in planning meetings, data dialogues, conferences, etc.   
• Student Data
• Sight Words: We assess the kids on the first 100 Fry sight word list.  When they become proficient on those, we will test them on the 2nd and 3rd 100 words.  Mastery of all 300 in our classes equates to working on how to spell them in addition to being able to read them. Students graph their progress at least 3 times a year.
• Words Their Way assessment and groupings
• enVision Math Scores:  The students graph how many they got correct on each assessment and make personal goals for the next topic.
• ECAW (Every Child a Writer) and 1st grade writing rubrics for each monthly writing sample.
• DRA 2 scores and guided reading levels graphed for each kid throughout the year
• Running Records Class recording sheet (Printable in previous post)
• Common Core Standards and Grade Level Expectations
• A print out of the new 1st grade common core standards to look at at a glance
• We are a LIFT school so I have a print out of what literacy elements are expected on a daily basis, integrated throughout the day to help keep me focused while planning
• Kagan's Collaborative Based Learning list of PIES to help me while planning
• Miselanious
• I put this area at the end of my binder in case I get anything I might need for working on a committee, parent meeting, etc.  
• I have paper in this section to jot notes in case there is something I want to remember for planning or don't have a specific spot to put it.  

These are the sections I put in my Substitute Binder

• A copy of the school's emergency plans
• A list of the 7 Habits (We are a Leader in Me School)
• A rubric detailing the different 7 Habits expectations and how to use them around the school
• In Case you Finish Early plans
• Copy of our daily schedule
• A page detailing students who are pulled from the room for support, who is helpful, who has behavior goals, and nearby teachers
• Lesson Plans for the day
• A list of different attention getters that we use
• A calendar of who volunteers in the classroom and when

Back to School Time and QR Codes

Well, it is that time of year.  Yay!  I have been back in school for 2 days and I have a great group of kids.  I am looking forward to an amazing year.

I have been working on a few QR Code things but have come across a hiccup.  I really wanted to have the QR Code posted around the room that the kids could scan and access a particular sight word or math problem.  Unfortunately, the print on the iPods and iPads comes up so small.  I think I will try doing it with a recording instead.  The kids will read a word or math problem on the wall and can use the QR Code to check and see if they were correct.  This switch is going to take a lot of extra time so I will post an example after a little while as I am feeling overwhelmed with the beginning of the year :)

I did spend a chunk of my summer recording my books on tape and transferring them into MP3 files.  Here is an example of a QR Code that I will put onto the cover of the book.  It will take the kids directly to the recording of the book.  If you haven't checked out my previous page on QR Codes, please do.  There is a great tutorial on how to do this on there.  Let me know if you have any questions and I wish you all the best of school years!

I Love you, Stinky Face

Whole Class Running Record Recording Form

As my mind gets back into the swing of all things school, I have been recreating documents and trying to find ways to get better at documenting student data.    This one is a form that collects class data on one page so I can see my student's scores at a glance.  I hope it is helpful to someone else as well.

Just a snapshot of the document

Click here for my Running Record Recording Form.

How often do I take a Running Record?

(Taken from ReadingA-Z.com)

Running records are taken most often at the earlier stages of reading. Students who are not progressing at the expected rate should be assessed even more frequently than the schedule suggested below. 

• Early Emergent readers (Levels AA–C): every 2 to 4 weeks
• Emergent readers (Levels D–J): every 4 to 6 weeks
• Early fluent readers (Levels K–P): every 6 to 8 weeks
• Fluent readers (Levels Q–Z): every 8 to 10 weeks

Calculating Accuracy Rate

Accuracy rate is expressed as a percentage. You can calculate the accuracy rate using the following formula:

(Total words read – Total errors) / Total words read x 100 = Accuracy rate


Independent = 95 – 100%
Instructional = 90 – 94%
Frustration = 89% and below

Bottle Cap Magnets

Magnets $1.99 for 6

I was perusing through Hobby Lobby for good deals and came across a stack of clearance decorative bottle caps.  They were meant for scrapbooking but I thought they would make really cute magnets for my whiteboard.  All you need is a glue gun, magnets, and bottle caps.

If you happen to drink bottle capped beverages, you can collect your used caps and spray paint them to match your decor.  Now why didn't I think of that before I completed this project?!?

In all (3 sets of 6), this project cost me $11.34.  What a great way to spruce up the classroom for a fairly cheap price!

Bottle Caps $1.79 for 6

Finished Product

QR Codes in First Grade

I must say that I am frankly pretty giddy about all of the possibilities.  I just completed a 4 day training and talked to a teacher there about the exciting ways to use QR codes in the classroom.  I came home, did some online searching, and came across even more ways to use them in the classroom.

For the first time, our primary classroom will be getting technology other than a few old computers ("Only the older kids are able to successfully use iPods and iPads"...I know, right?!?)  in our room and I think the kids will love using an iPod to scan a QR code.

Since all of the books that I inherited for my listening center were books on tape...and there are no longer any working tape players at my school...I thought now would be a great time to convert them to MP3 files.  They have been taking up precious storage space in my classroom for years.  I have a low group of readers coming in and I am thinking I can use this same technique so that they can hear directions for their independent activities rather than having to struggle to read them or rely heaily on the other students while I work with small math/reading/writing groups.  Our 3rd grade buddies can record themselves reading fluently and the 1st graders could listen to their buddy 'read' to them during the week as a literacy activity.  The possibilities seem endless!

A great site, Langwitches,  provides detailed step-by-step directions on how to create audio QR Codes in a downloadable PDF.  Older kids can use these directions to create their own QR projects- they have picture support and are easy to follow.

Click here for a few 1st grade ideas

As I get a few books recorded as an MP3, I will show you what the finished product looks like.  Check back later for a few other freebies, too.  I was just so excited, I had to share now :)

Objective Picture Frames

It is helpful to adults and students alike to have the objectives for the day posted.  When students know what is clearly expected of them, they can achieve higher levels of success.  As a result, I was posting daily objectives on my whiteboard.  I was tired of the objectives taking up so much of this precious space and came across this idea on Pinterest. Needless to say, I was elated!  I don't have much wall space either but these will fit nicely alongside my whiteboard rather than on it.

I found $30 picture frames on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $3 a piece. Since they were meant to be a completed piece, I had to dismantle them before I could begin on my project.  Because the backs don't really matter, it wasn't a big deal- I just tore off the paper backing, took off the Styrofoam piece, and pulled out the dozens of industrial staples.  Once that was done, I was ready to begin.

 

I took my frames outside and, at the insistence of my husband, spray painted them on a box instead of the grass.   For some reason, he doesn't like when I do that :)  With the 102 degree heat and no shade in sight, this process went fairly quickly.  I just used a left over can of metallic spray paint that I had from a previous classroom project.  After letting them sit and dry for a while, I brought them into the house and started the next part.

Sorry for the blurry picture!

I bought clearance scrapbook paper, also from Hobby Lobby, to fit my classroom decor.  I printed subject labels and used rubber cement to tack them onto the paper.  I reinserted the glass, now clean and free of the ever annoying sticky residue, and backed it with the 'art' that was in there previously.  Since the back doesn't matter, I just used grey tape to hold everything in.  This will also make it easy to take apart should I choose to repaint or redo the insides.  Now it is ready to be written on by dry erase markers and will look much better than my previously cluttered whiteboard. Yay!  

Summer Happenings

Many people have commented over the years, "You should start a blog! You are so creative!" and I have just never had the gumption to do so.  This has been one of the first summers that I haven't been working the entire summer so I thought now would be a fun time to explore and follow through on my, "Yeah, maybe someday!" response to blogging. 

As every teacher knows, it is very difficult to turn off the teacher within us; summers included.  I have spent my summer thinking ahead and getting excited for the upcoming school year.  We got new carpet at our school over the summer so we had to completely pack our rooms so that everything could be moved out.  With this de-cluttering experience, I thought it would be a good time to change the decor and color scheme to my classroom.  I can't wait until we are allowed back in (yes, they took our keys!) to unpack and then I can begin to decorate my new space.  Since I am an outdoorsy person, I picked very earthy tones that will also provide an environment that has a calming feeling. 

Here is a picture of all of the different fabrics that I will use in my room.  I will be using the bolt of chocolate brown fabric as all of my bulletin boards with a ribbon border that matches the other fabric colors.