Sunday Spotlight

It's time for another "Sunday Spotlight" with Countless Smart Cookies! Be sure to head over to her blog and read all the spotlights!

This week I am spotlighting one of my newest theme-based units, "A Feast with Friends."  This unit includes 4 Common Core aligned activities and an extended response assessment.

 This unit, (along with all other November products) will be on sale for 20% off from Sunday through Wednesday!  Grab last-minute activities, assessments, and calendars, or stock-up for next year!

I'd also like to spotlight a fellow TPT-er, "revidevi!" 

 To create a new NGSS science unit for first grade, I bought one of her clipart sets.  It was the perfect addition to my unit! Her clip art sets are SO cute and very affordable! 

Be sure to check out her store!

 

You Oughta Know About... My Classroom!

I'm so excited to link up with other bloggers at Jasmine McClain's blog, Buzzing with Mrs. McClain, for my very first blog hop!

Be sure to follow all the links and check out what "You Oughta Know" about this month!

For my post, You Oughta Know About...

My Classroom! 

I strive to run an organized and efficient Kindergarten classroom. (With room for play and fun, of course!)  This summer I added a few things to my management system that have made a big difference!

1. My whiteboard is the hub of communication and information in my classroom (aside from the Smart Board). My "CHAMP" icons and schedule cards are on magnets so that I can easily adjust them each day or each learning block.  My Daily 5 posters are kinder-friendly and easy to understand.  (Grab them for free here!)  I also have a set of mini posters just for me, "The 7 C's of Teaching," to remind me of my responsibilities to these 21st Century kiddos!  (Grab them for free here.)  The small red pocket chart is used to spotlight our learning targets as they change throughout the day.

 

2. I also have a bulletin board that runs the length of the room.  The largest section is for learning targets.  Small pocket charts hold the target/standard cards for the week (or unit) so that I can readily access and display them as we transition throughout the day.  Beyond the word wall and birthday displays is the job chart.  I have 24 students and 24 jobs.  (Sounds crazy, I know!)  Students have one job per week and we rotate throughout the year.  Giving each student a job has had such an impact on our classroom community!  Some jobs are small and others are more popular, but when all students have ownership over the way the classroom runs they learn to work together and take responsibility for the good of the group!

  3. My favorite bulletin board is the one next to my desk!  I created this tree a couple of years ago and have added to it each year.  It serves as a place to post important information, student gifts and drawings, and words of inspiration about education. 

Plus, it's super cute (if I do say so myself)!

I can't wait to share more about my classroom and look forward to hearing about what you have added to your classroom to make it more efficient, more organized, and more fun!

Thanks so much for hopping over to my blog!  Be sure to visit all the other November "You Oughta Know" bloggers!   

An InLinkz Link-up

The Travel Agency is Open!

Since we finished our News Project with the production and sharing of a class news broadcast, we have shifted our focus to a new theme for play and explore centers. 

This month's theme is "Travel."  It is the perfect fit for our current Social Studies units on Christopher Columbus, Maps & Globes, Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the first Thanksgiving. 

These centers give students the chance to make modern day connections to our history lessons.

At the dramatic play center students are encouraged to help each other plan trips and vacations.  Using a form I created, some computer keyboards, and plenty of brochures and maps, students work together to plan trips. 

This center even spawned an impromptu transportation center when one student set up the "airline," checked tickets, and served refreshments!

At the writing center I provided blank brochures that students can use to create their own informative writing and drawing piece.  On the computers students explored a program called Map Maker 2.0 that I found on the Mr. Nussbaum website. With this website students can use various paint tools to explore and color different maps.

At the bock center students are encouraged to create a dwelling or mode of transportation.  I have been struggling with this center since many of my boys seem to "get stuck" only creating spaceships, rockets or other flying vehicles that warrant they should run around the room pretending to blast each other.  While I believe this play is completely okay at home, it's not the most appropriate for school.  So, I devised a planning page for the block center.  The result was a focused, planned time with blocks during which a few of my boys drew elaborate plans, carried them out, and then worked to sound out words to write about their creation.  WOW!  They didn't even realize they were engaged in engineering, problem solving, planning, AND literacy!  Score one for this teacher!