Summer Writing Journals

Sometimes we worry that our students will forget everything we have taught them over the summer. To try to prevent this from happening, we prepare summer writing journals and distribute them as parting gifts. To make your own, copy and bind pages topped with a variety of writing prompts, such as, “I finally learned how to…”, “The best thing I did with my family this week was…” and “A great movie I just saw was…”. Alternately, you can glue journal prompts to the tops of pages in a composition book and add a cute cover to the front. These give our students support and encouragement to journal over the summer and confidence in their writing. 

 

A Clever Storage Idea

Here’s a handy classroom storage tip. Collect empty, plastic tennis ball or Pringles canisters. (A local fitness or tennis club is a good source for rounding up the tennis ball canisters.) Wrap the containers in colorful contact paper or laminated construction paper. Add decorations with permanent marker or stickers. Use the containers to store chalk, pencils, art supplies or manipulatives. Students can even store their school supplies in a canister as an alternative to a pencil box. The canisters are durable, take up very little storage space and slide into cubbies and shelves easily.

Can’t Miss May Books

As you are pulling out your books for May, consider adding these to your list. Some are charming, others are illuminating and several are full of heroism. Plus we’ve included some ideas for reading follow-up. Let us know if you have some good May books we should be sharing with our classes!

Good Behavior for a Buck

How do I know it’s spring? The flowers are blooming on the trees, the birds are chirping in their nests, and the students are bouncing off the walls. It’s time for a new behavior plan! I’ve done sticker charts, printable behavior charts, and reward coupons (which my class can’t get enough of this year!). Now it’s time for the kids to earn some cash.

I made each student a wallet using a piece of construction paper. First I cut it in half (9x6) and then folded it in half again (9x3). Finally, I taped up the sides and folded it in half one last time. Sometimes I leave the wallets a plain color, other times I decorate them. 

Buy or make some paper money to use as your classroom currency. Students have opportunities to earn dollars throughout the day. I give them out for things such as following directions quickly, working quietly, focusing intensely, or doing an outstanding job on an assignment. After students have had many opportunities to earn money, I provide chances for them to spend it! They can buy a trip to the treasure box, an extra snack, a book from the classroom library, etc. I love to use this as an opportunity to do some spring-cleaning in the classroom (if I’ve got something I haven’t used in the last few years that I think a kid would love, I put it up for sale).

What are your favorite behavior management techniques for the end of the year?

Can’t Miss April Books

As you're pulling out your books for April, consider adding these to your list. Some are hysterical, others are enlightening and several are just plain enjoyable. Plus we’ve included some ideas for reading follow-up. Let us know if you have some good April books we should be sharing with our classes!

Spring Bouquet

Flowers are just starting to bloom, but sometimes it's more fun to make your own! As we enter the month of April, we like to treat our students to a tasty spring bouquet. You will need: wooden skewers, gummy hearts or gumdrops and flower shaped butter or sugar cookies. Cut a gummy in half horizontally and place the bottom half on a skewer.

Then top that half gummy with a cookie.

Add either a full gummy or the top half of the gummy you cut.

Now your flower is complete. Make a class set and put them in a vase. If you don’t have your own class, make them for a meeting or your family. And of course, remember to carefully dispose of the skewers. Spring has sprung!

The Remembering Club

This time of year can feel like it drags a little as teachers and students start counting the days until spring break. Our students seem more distracted, which makes holding their attention a challenge. This isn’t usually the case with an entire class, (at least I hope not!) but you could probably name a handful to which this applies! I recently created “The Remembering Club” for my unfocused students. After whole group instruction (when my first graders seem most preoccupied), members of The Remembering Club come up one at a time, to tell me something they just learned. I record their successful responses on a chart. 

Yes, this is straight recall, but these students need it in order to progress to the higher level thinking we strive for. We also have quick discussions related to the application of this information as well as our whole group follow-up assignments. Whenever a student gets to the end of his/her “row of remembering”, he/she gets a prize. Instead of playing with shoelaces or looking out the window, my  Sidetracked Sam and Sally are now watching me and whatever I am holding or using to teach. Print your own Remembering Club chart (either horizontal or vertical) and watch the progress!