Hall Pass Linky

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Product

Well, I just opened my store!  AND…I just sold my first product!  I’m beyond excited! I finally put together a few ideas that I presented at a workshop on integrating the CORE into literacy centers.  I had all of these things that I did and people wanted to add them to their routine, but I didn’t have anything concrete to give the participants – just examples of what I do. So, I finally polished some of the ideas and put them out there!

I just added three more centers this week! These are all things that I use or have used with my students.

The multiplication games have been a quick and easy way for my math students to practice their facts.  They are always engaged and I feel like they help make the most of my 55 minute math period!

I also really love the poetry task cards!  I am the champion of quick and simple centers because prepping can drive me crazy!  I think the magazine center will work the same way – they are activities I have done for years, just put into a pretty package!  Check them out by clicking on the images if you are interested!

Area

So sad that my computer crashed last month.  I lost soooo much – lesson: back everything up! My room right now is not really picture ready – I never feel like it lives up to the rooms in blog land.  Frankly, it looks like my day exploded!  Here are some features that I love!

These are my classroom rules and it’s the first project my kids do together.  I got the idea from The Inspired Apple.

I just love my READ letters!  It just adds a bit of something to the room!

This is my Business Board (obviously!) My class birthdays are above the board.  I have everything that my kids need to organize their day here.   The lunch menu and special schedule it missing.  I also put any info on special events here.  This, of course, was the beginning of the year when it was pretty.  I got the idea for this board when I was student teaching eons ago and it has been a staple in my rooms ever since.  The board on the left is for bus changes.

Not the best picture, but this is my library in progress.  I found this shelf in the hallway, headed to storage, when I moved to the building.  It sat for months in my room, unused.  It was just awkward and I tried to give it away.  Then I realized that I could back it with fabric and it was on wheels, so it could be used as a visual barrier in the event we had a lock down and the kids needed to be out of view – sad how the events in Connecticut make teachers think differently about there daily choices. I finally found this buckets at the dollar store and chapter books fit in them nicely.  I need to do something with the board behind it.  This was my guided reading corner, but now my table is in front of the windows because this was the only place the shelving unit would fit. You can see my picture book shelf to the left.  To the right is a tall, skinny shelf with magazine holders that contain all if my seasonal and teaching books.

Signal

My favorite signal is part of my center routine!  I have my Promethean board set up to ribbit when each round of centers is up.  The board then plays a 30 second snippet of music.  The kids know they need to be settled in their next center before the music ends.  It works wonders and I don’t have to say or do a thing other than get ready for my next group! This is what my center board looks like:

Sanity!

How do I stay sane?  Do I stay sane?  I try to leave work between 4 and 5 each day.  That has been a challenge in a new grade and I have had a few late nights when needed.  I find that I am so much happier when I get home and it is still daylight and somehow, no matter how late I stay, I always get the same amount of work done!

I also indulge in coffee – frequently! I also love to read.  My tastes are all over the place.  Currently I am reading City of Bones and can’t wait for the movie to come out.  I also quilt.  There is something about sewing straight lines and turning scraps into something beautiful that is so methodical and peaceful!

It has been so much fun to check out everyone’s responses!  Check out the linky for yourself if you haven’t!

Have a wonderful week!!!