Penguin Pals

Here is a cute idea to promote responsibility!  AND the kids LOVE this activity.  During our little penguin unit each child gets a personal Penguin Pal (great idea from my friend JB).  These little cuties are made out of pipe cleaners.  The kiddos can make them OR you can... to prevent ending up having to do it anyways. :)  Each child will bring their Penguin Pal around with them throughout the course of a week.  They must care for their companion by keeping it safe, clean, and of COURSE they CAN'T lose it!  The fun doesn't end yet!  Each night the children are to write a few sentences about what they did with their Penguin Pal that day.  SO CUTE!

 To make wrap a black pipe cleaner around a pencil and pull it off.  Fold an orange or yellow pipe cleaner in half and slide it up through the black one.  Pull some of the yellow/orange pipe cleaner out a few loops before the top.  At the bottom, twirl the remaining pipe cleaner to form feet.  

For the belly, hot glue on a small strip of white.

 Here is an example of a journal page.

I sent home the penguin and journal booklet in a zip lock bag together.  

This way nothing gets lost or ruined on the bus ride home! :)

My Recent Obsession!

This is a live web cam near Jordan Lake in Raleigh, NC.  It is on the nest of a bald eagle.  (Which I have always found intriguing!)  My kiddos and I have loved checking up on her! In fact, we named her Izzy the Bird!  Today we watched her protect, keep warm, and feed her babies.  At one point she even brought a big old fish to the nest!  It was great!  I turned it into a compare/contrast lesson with the kids.  Since we are learning about penguins, we compared and contrasted bald eagles and penguins.  Is it sad I can't wait until daylight to see what she and the precious babies are up to?
CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Tour my Classroom

 I love to be organized.  Here is a view of my classroom.  

Read on for a closer look at my layout and management techniques.

This is my word wall.  Each week I display a new list of sight words.  We review them daily and then they get added to the word wall.  It is a great reference for the children during writing time.

 Here is the calendar area.  Each morning we meet here to do our calendar routine.  I keep all of the calendar materials in the bins.  There is also a CD player for our songs/read alouds.

I also teach a lot of lessons here!  I love having the children nice and close.

When we do lessons on the rug the children use a clipboard.

Here is the "bean" table where I teach small groups.  The COOLEST thing is... I invented this special table top!  The white is actually a dry erase board!!!!!!!!!!  The children can write on the table with Expo markers.  They love it AND it saves paper.  All that you have to do is go to Lowes and buy the white board, lay it on your bean table, trace it to the exact size, and have hubby cut it with a jigsaw.  :)  

Oh, and I use Velcro to help it stay put.

 This is one of my most favorite things about my classroom.  These are my personalized crates for each unit I teach.  From apples to Christmas to dental health... I add my teaching items to the appropriate bin.  It is always fun to go into a bin after a year away from it and remember all of my crafts, activities, sheets, and examples.  I also love how they look stretching across the cabinets in my room.  ALSO- it gives everyone a little preview of what the school year will bring. :)

 

Here is a closer look.  Each bin is titled and has a little picture to go with it.

When the children make a "good choice" they get to add a sticker to their incentive chart.  Two rows equals a trip to the treasure chest.

When the children make a "bad choice" they must "pull a stick".  I used a pocket chart and put each student's name inside a pocket.  There are Popsicle sticks in a cup for them to use to put in when they need to.  I also have a class list and a marker handy to keep track of how many sticks are pulled daily.  OH!  And the ear... it says, "Wanna tattle?  Tell the ear!"

 

This goes along with a book I love called "Have You Filled A Bucket Today?"  It teaches the children to be kind and be "bucket fillers" and not "bucket dippers".  I made a poster and added pocket envelopes with each child's name.  I had it laminated and then used an Exacto knife to slit each envelope open.  When the children finish their work early or during snack time, etc. they can write a compliment and add it to a classmate's envelope.  At the end of the week the children collect their notes and enjoy being praised.

Thank you Seusstastic Classroom Inspirations for the printables. (Click link if you would like to see more!)

I just keep this cup with some pencils and "bucket filling slips" nearby for the kids to grab when they decide 

to fill someone's bucket.

Here is where I have the day's schedule as well as posted learning objectives-- kid friendly!

Each day I post the special and "student of the day".  The student of the day gets to be the line leader and help with various classroom duties.  Instead of giving everyone separate jobs, I let my student of the day do it all.  (OH, and we also keep track of the compliments our class gets in the hall, from the special's teachers, etc.  Once we get 15 we have a party!)

I absolutely love this idea!!! When I saw this *here* I just knew I had to do it!  Instead of hearing, "Mrs. Morse, I'm done! Mrs. Morse, I'm done!"... the children know they can just go grab a Popsicle stick and do the activity.  We always say, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!"  The kids really love doing the "I'm Done" activities.  The following pictures are some samples of what the children may choose from the "I'm Done" jar.

Listening Center

Flashcards

Making Words

File Folder Games

Each table is named Monday-Friday.  At each table the children keep their pencil boxes which hold their crayons and scissors and glue.  In the cup they keep their pencils for faster access.  Under the bins the children keep their Work Folders.  This is where unfinished work gets placed.  

Each table has the opportunity to earn marbles.  They must show good teamwork, clean up timely, and follow directions.  The table that earns the most marbles at the end of each week goes to the treasure chest.

In each child's cubbie they have two notebooks.  One for math and one for writing.  They also keep an extra folder in there.  On each hook hangs the child's lunch necklace.  This has their lunch number on it.

Here is where I keep leveled books.  The children take home a Bag Book for reading at home.  When they return it, I send them to the proper bin to choose another.  It makes it easy for them to know right where to go, depending on their reading level.  This website can tell you the reading level of pretty much any book! 

I love it!

Here is my organized and labeled math manipulative storage.  Each of these bins pulls out like a drawer. 

For each unit I put out corresponding books.  These are the books I usually use for read alouds.  This is also one of the options from the "I'm Done" jar.  The kids love to read the teacher's books!  (I love when I catch them reading alone and pretending to be reading to a class, showing the picture and all! )

 This is where I keep all of the *other* files.  (The ones that don't go in my labeled bins)

The ones I am currently using I place in this file holder.

In this pocket chart I keep the kids' pictures.  I will organize them according to center groups.

Here I have the months posted.  Under each is a cupcake to post each cihld's birthday month.

I have a binder for each child.  Inside I keep their assessments and 

also parent contact information.

Each child has a mailbox where graded work goes.  On Mondays (after I have had the weekend to grade) the children take home their Monday Folder full of each week's work.

Before I grade their work and it heads to the mailboxes, they put it into this basket.  

(My "to be graded" bin!)

The children put their bad pencils into the "bad" pencil cup and take a good one.  This saves times during lessons and prevents distraction from pencil sharpening.  (Apparently Mrs. Morse has some sharpening to do!)

This is our estimation jar.  Whoever guesses the closest gets to bring in the next estimation item.

One of the kids' favorites!  Dress the penguin for the weather!  It is all magnets!  And it is SO CUTE!  I bought this from Really Good Stuff.

This year I got rid of the old overhead projector and now use my document camera on a daily basis.  

I love it!

I put the old overhead projector in a center for the kids.  

They LOVE to write on it and use my old overhead manipulates.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour!

Free Fonts!

This site has great FREE fonts!  Install them and they go right to Word!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The children have been interested to learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the difference he made for our Country.  What I realize is that the kids love to make mini books!  Today, after learning more about MLK and having a special read aloud, the children put together a special mini book about him.  I also love the mini book idea because the kids can bring it home and reread it!  This helps them remember all they learned! :)  OH, and gives extra reading practice!  Here is a great link that has a MLK mini book and includes detailed directions.  It also has a few extension ideas.  Have fun!
MLK Mini Book