I'm Loving NOTEBOOKS!

I'm saving my science notebooks until they are complete.  Masterpiece kinda thing...

but here are some pics of my S.S. notebooks...

Table of Contents.  Next year...date will be added 

Map Features. 

Facts about Ancient Civilizations.  Came from group presentations.  

Conquistadors Web.  Kids loved this one...

Although time consuming, I think the kids really learn more.  When they have to think about making the graphic organizer, they actually think about the connections it represents.  LOVE IT!

Thanks for the Awards!!!

So...I'm SO Honored to have been awarded two different awards.  Sorry it has taken a little extra amount of time to say thanks!

Loose Shoelaces and Third Grade Rock Star

Gave me the ...

The goal of the award is to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers. The rules are:

1. copy and paste the award on your blog
2. thank the giver and link back to them
3. reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog
4. hope that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers

I'm not quite ready to pass on the award, but I wanted to say thank you!!!

What is the Plan?

So, I've identified my clutter with the encouragement of ...

Unfortunately, teachers tend to not be very good stewards of our resources.  Nothing bothers me more than to make copies that don't get used or clean out old binders and throw away reams and reams of paper.  I try to use it as scrap paper, but how much scrap paper can you have before that is now your clutter?

I will RECYCLE A LOT of paper in the next few weeks.  I will REUSE a lot a binder in the next few weeks. I will REDUCE the number of things I print off the internet and copy for my class.
(That's an example of modeling targeted skill...points on evaluation?)

Ok...I'm going to tackle my huge grey cabinet first...here's the before and the plan.

1. Organize plastic drawers into like items and label.

2.  Purge empty cardboard boxes just because they were there when I moved in does not mean they have to stay.

3. Ask the curriculum coach to store the extra box of leveled readers that I have (should note that I already convinced the ESL teacher to take one extra box.  How do you end up with 2 extra boxes of ESL readers!!!)

4. Label plastic shoe boxes of supplies.

5.  Find new, covered home for EVERYTHING on top.

6.  Figure out how to organize and store my large collection of posters.

Click HERE to join this awesome linky party!

I'll Show you mine...cuz you've already shown me yours

So...it's been awhile since I've posted.

Sorry...but I've been busy, I know you know what I'm talking about.  It is a little hectic right before the holiday break, and then you get this GLORIOUS vacation when you don't have to work...right?

No, that is when you have to work on your home, because that is what you neglect the other 9 months of the year.

OK...so I'm really excited to participate in the Clutter-Free Classroom's Clutter-free Classroom Project

I am a fairly new teacher, so I don't have a lot of "stuff".  This is both a blessing and an expensive hardship.  I also don't have my own children yet, so I still care that all my classroom things look nice and match.  I'm told that problem will be cured when I have my own children to worry about.  

Anyway...here is my clutter-FUL cabinets and cubbies. 

Closed...

I use the large doors for my word wall.  I had to expand it a little, however, and now the right is RLA, left is Math, and the two little cabinets to the right is Science and Social Studies.

and OPEN...

There is one shelf that is organized well...it has plastic shoe boxes with organized supplies...other than that, it is just a free for all of Dollar Tree and Target finds.  

Random Boxes, Bag of Class TShirts, and a lot of old teaching resources that "We still use".  

Paint and chemicals that I'm not really supposed to have...I mean you know how dangerous LYSOL is right!  and the health text books that "We Still Use"

This is probably the most used area in my classroom.  Bandaides and all types of bags on the left,
Glue Gun, Label Maker, Clothespins, various envelopes, and extension cord on the right.  

Sorry it is a little blurry...student cubbies are the bottom 2 rows.  We clean everything out of our desks every 2 weeks or so. This keeps us very clean and I have so many less bugs than everyone else... 

This is more student supplies, with my junk on top

The Command Center...i.e. My Poor Desk.  It is more organized than it looks.  

Student files on left, random daily files on right

top desk drawer

Ok...now I'm ready to go...I'm going to declutter and simplify my space.  I love it!  Join the Linky Party if you haven't yet and check out everyone else's clutter!

Rotation Day

Ok...so we are all feeling the pressure of tested standards.  I feel like every word I speak has to be connected to one of my state standards.  It is hard to want to do other activities with my students, but have to tell myself...I don't teach that in 4th grade.

Due to these high expectations, we have completely taken the fun, crafty activities out of the upper grades...but we do still teach children, right?

My wonderful team came up with a solution to this...and joined it together with holiday fun...and got around that pesky "no holiday party"rule.

We call it Rotation Day.  Each teacher, we have 5, plans a fun activity that corresponds with that holiday.  We have 30 - 45 minutes for each class to rotate around to each other teacher.  It is such a nice break for the kids.  It is also a nice break for the teachers.  It is so easy to plan one activity and do it 5 times in that day.  It is a great opportunity to catch up on grading/cleaning/organizing/planning/anythingelsethatyouneverhavetimetodo.

Now, this is a privilege, so you can lose the right to Rotation Day.  We only have recess 2 days per week (gasp, right).  If you go to study hall, you earn a letter toward a word and when you spell the word, you lose rotation day.  The amount of study halls determines the word.  Our words so far this year have been, Halloween, Turkey, and Noel.

Angels...they are really angels.

As I've bragged before, I have the best class in the world. Not only are they well behaved and motivated to learn, but they are so SWEET!

Example...one of my little girls, Heaven, works really hard and is in all advanced classes, but made a B on her report card. This kept her off 1st honors.

A different little girl, Angel, is a new student to our school, is in RTI, and works really hard to stay afloat in her on grade level classes...but she ALWAYS ASKS QUESTIONS. Got straight A's...and was the only one in the whole class...actually in the whole grade level.

heaven says to angel "oh, my gosh angel, that's so awesome! You must've worked really hard to do that! And you a the only one! That'S so great!"

Angel replies: "thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you. You always help me when I need some help."

So sweet!

I'm a good teacher...on PAPER TOO!!

So...I know I am a good teacher. I even find some level of enjoyment out of teaching the crap text books that my county shoves down my throat...but I recently found out that I'm a good teacher on paper too!

My state test scores were really good and my first evaluation was better than expected too...this was a little bright spot in my stressed life right now!