SCOOT!

Here's a game that can be played in so many ways!  If you go on Pinterest or any teacher's blog out there, chances are you'll find SCOOT games!  It is such a common but awesome game that so many are playing and using it in A LOT of ways!

For this last time of playing, I set it up to review telling time to the hour and half hour.  My kiddos struggled with telling time to the half hour, so I thought moving around (I mean, when is movement a bad thing in first grade world....right?!)  would be good to help master this skill.  Anyways, I set up different analog clocks in the hallway.  Every other time I've played this, I've set it up in the classrooms on the desks.  For something different, we used our lockers.

Each locker had a different time: hour or half hour.  When every student got a sheet (sort of a grid style) they picked a clock to sit by.  Each clock had a corresponding letter with it.  The sheet each student had, listed the letters from the cards.   When I said, "GO" they had to write down the digital time that the clock showed. So, if a kiddo was sitting by card "A" then he/she wrote down the time in BOX A...then when I said "SCOOT" he/she would move to card "B."  If a firstie started at card "J" then after I said "SCOOT" they would move to card "K."

Like I mentioned earlier, I have played this in the classroom.  Rather than a card on each locker, each desk had a card.  The kiddos would move around to each desk answering the problem.  Listed below are different skills you can practice by playing SCOOT:

• Addition Facts
• Subtraction Facts
• Write the Missing Number ( ex: 12, 13, ____, 15, 16)
• 10 More/10 Less 
• Place Value
• Skip counting (ex: 2, 4, 6, ___)
• Write the Fraction
• Greater Than/Less Than/Equal To
• Patterns (ex: A, B, A, B, ___)
• Unscramble the Sight Word
• Rhyming Words (ex: What word rhymes with fan?  hop or can)

 I hope this game can come in handy in your classroom!  It truly is such an engaging and fun way to practice math or literacy skills!  Each time we play, my kiddos LOVE it and are so excited!  If you have any questions about the game or need ideas, please leave a comment below! 

Let's Play Catch Up!

It's been WAY TOO LONG since my last post!  Things have gotten so busy and I've been wanting to sit down and make a post, but well, I've been busy!  Looking back from my last post, there has been a lot going on in First Grade World!   Let's take a look back!  We got through February with Dental Health Month, Groundhogs Day, Valentine's Day, and Presidents Day!  Oh and did I mention Parent/Teacher conferences?

Here in the Midwest, we have been fortunate enough to have a pretty low key winter!  At first, I thought Mr. Groundhog was wrong!  Well, here comes this week and winter is still here!  A lot of snow and colder temps have reappeared!  So, March has come in like a lion and I'm ready for it to go out like a lamb!  I'm ready for spring!

March has started off just has lively as February turned out to be!  Below you'll see a few pictures that sums up our first part of March!  Let's start with: Dr. Seuss!  How could anyone in the primary grades NOT spend time celebrating one of the most beloved children's authors?!  Well, at my school, and with my team, we did not fail!  We got our books, our craftivities, and our students, and we celebrated Dr. Seuss all during the week of his birthday!

Uhhhh, can you say Target's dollar spot got me again????  #addictedtoTarget

How cute are these hand prints turned into Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3, etc....19 Things altogether!

My class has been learning about the sky and weather in science.  One of my most favorite ways to teach the different types of clouds was to use shaving cream.  I wanted to change things up just a bit this year and found this engaging science experiment still using shaving cream.  I want to give credit where credit is due, but can't find who to say THANK YOU to, so many thanks to the teacher who created this experiment...I wish I could take credit for it!  Each first grader got a cup filled with a little water and shaving cream on top.  They dropped colored water on the shaving cream CLOUD and waited to see what would happen when the cloud became too full with water.  Would it rain? YES IT DID!

Indoor recess has always been a little chaotic!  I do give the kiddos many options of games, coloring books, cards, Lego's, etc.  I used one of my extra Jenga games to turn into a math game.  I have seen this wonderful idea floating around Instagram, so it was my turn to transform Jenga into Math Fact Jenga.  Now when my kiddos want to play Jenga, they will also be working on mastering their addition and subtraction facts!

Last but not least....my firsties are really AMPED up for Friday aka St. Patrick's Day!  I take one for the team and keep trying to have memorable activities that my kiddos will hopefully remember for a long time to come!  For many years now, my kids can make a leprechaun trap at home to bring to school, in hopes of catching a leprechaun!!   Each year, I know their excitement and anticipation cannot be controlled and while it can be challenging to stick with everyday routines, I know it is only temporary and this is something they truly enjoy! So why take it away?  Today, the leprechaun visited for the first time, but thankfully, didn't cause too much trouble!  Here are a few of the creative and well designed traps some of the kiddos brought to school.  Wish us luck in catching this wee little man!

I hope everyone's March has gotten off to a good start! What's up next....SPRING BREAK!!!  Please continue to share this blog with your friends!  If there is anything you need or have questions about, please leave me a comment and let me know!  Many thanks again for the support!   xoxo!!

Read the Room

The day after the Superbowl was a little slow going!  That game lasted later than most little first graders should have been up, but I understand that it was an event and knew that many of them were out with their families watching the game.  As Monday went on, we were on the struggle bus to get going and focus.  At the last minute I changed my plans and rather than doing a pocket chart sort, I created a "Read the Room" to introduce "or" and "ore" words.  Many of us have probably done Read the Room or Write the Room activities.  My firsties have been accustomed to doing these for word practice, math facts, or problem solving.  Plus, seeing them use their clipboards and being so involved is cute to watch too!

So with that said, I knew they enjoyed this, so I had to do something that would get them up and moving, but of course, also making sure they were learning at the same time!  Adding a little movement helped!  They were engaged and did well at reading the words found around the room!

Attention Student Teachers or New Teachers: 6 TIPS for the first year!

This post may be a bit early for those new teachers on the job, but I'm hoping this can be of some help and reach out those who are student teaching now, in the future, or those teachers that will just be starting out.  Time has flown by for me as a teacher...15 years!  That got me to thinking about my student teaching experiences and the first year or two as a teacher.  There are MANY things I remember and probably many MORE that I have forgotten, and with probably due reason.

I wanted to do a post where I could give my thoughts or advice to help those just starting out and things I learned along the way that I wish someone would have told me.  Grab a snack and a drink.  This will be a LONG one!  So here we go:

1.  ASK QUESTIONS and ASK FOR HELP!!!  I'm going to be honest: YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN!!!  I certainly tried and I know you will to.  But, you may need to rely on your team members, mentor teacher, administration, or parent volunteers.  It's okay to say no to being on a committee...it's okay to focus on your classroom.  There will be A LOT of new things, so ask questions...yes, write down the questions you have so you don't forget, but ask your team members.  They have all been in your position before and will help you out!  They are the best resources to go to!  If you're lucky to have involved parents, they are willing to help you out in any way you need...trust me!  Create a rotating schedule for parent volunteers, have them help make copies, sharpen pencils at home, cut out laminating at home, etc.

2.  DO WHAT YOU KNOW!  When I first started teaching, I started three weeks after the school year started.  My students had already gotten in the groove of other teachers' routines, structure, and schedules.  Then, they had me!  Well, they did better at the transition than I did!  I was fortunate to have some administration, team members, and other district staff help get my room set up before I started so it wasn't a blank slate.  While that won't happen for everyone, the big thing that helped was I took what I knew from my cooperating teachers (student teaching) and my former assistant job.  I made homemade posters, games, or worksheets.  They didn't include cute fonts, clip art, and weren't the most attractive to look at, but they worked.  The kids learned their sight words, vowel sounds, math facts, etc.  I used classroom management routines, organizational tips, and other things I observed with my cooperating teachers.   I was determined to get new things, I knew I had to watch how much money I spent.  Now, don't get me wrong, I spent too much PLENTY of money on things for my new classroom.    This leads me to #3.

3.  UTILIZE THE PEOPLE AND RESOURCES AROUND YOU!  Like I mentioned earlier, talk to your colleagues...they have TONS of resources and will be more than willing to share with you.  Ask fellow colleagues if you could observe them teach a lesson or look around their room for ideas.  You don't have to spend so much money when it's time for resources in your room.  Now, we are so fortunate to have TpT (Teachers Pay Teachers).  If you're on a small team and need more ideas, this website (along with Pinterest and Instagram) is a hub for resources!  You can get many items for FREE or for a low cost!  I use this site now and only wish I had this 15 years ago!  Who knows, maybe I can get some things posted on TpT inthe future.  You will want things to be engaging for your students to use, but remember...start out simple and easy for you to manage.  You can always change things later.  The Goodwill, Salvation Army, or garage sales can help you add items for your classroom for an inexpensive price too...indoor recess games, classroom library books, bins/baskets, book shelves, stools, etc.

Here are some teacher blogs/websites that I have found over the past few years and love seeing what they are doing and creating in their rooms....awesome inspiration and teachers!  (I hope they don't mind me mentioning them here!)  There are so many more out there too!

What The Teacher Wants

Pocketful of Primary

Fabulous In First

Smitten in First

Fun in First

4.  GET TO KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES!  Every school is different and some schools are smaller/bigger than others.  No matter the size, get to know your teammates, school secretaries, nurse, etc.  These people are just as busy as you, but can be just as helpful!  With this tip, the best advice I can give is eat lunch in the teacher's lounge.  Not every teacher takes his/her lunch break to eat in the lounge but give yourself a break...you will need it!  If you feel as if you can't or don't want to take that time to eat and you'd rather get some work done, that's fine.  But, make yourself a goal of maybe at least twice a week using your lunch time as a break and a time to EAT (you will need to EAT, trust!)  By sitting in the lounge, you will get to know the teachers, share stories, and build relationships!

5.  YOU WILL NEVER FINISH EVERYTHING....there is ALWAYS something to do in the classroom.  I have to admit, I still struggle with this, but I have gotten better over the years.  You may choose to come in to your classroom early or stay late, but remember you need to give yourself a break or two during the day, and know that whatever doesn't get done will be okay and you always have tomorrow!  It can be hard, but prioritize...make lists!  In one of my first posts, I showed a picture of a weekly planner I found and recreated to better fit me.  This has helped me so much!

6.  DO YOUR BEST TO STAY ORGANIZED.  Some teachers have those dreamy, Pinterest perfect classrooms and others, let's be honest...there's so much going on in there, you don't know where to look first!  No matter the way your room looks, you will have your own routine, way to organize, and manage your room.   A teacher binder is one way to keep track of important things.  If you are a frequent user of Pinterest and now that you are familiar with TpT, you can look up different ways teachers stay organized with a binder.  Using a binder can help locate daily schedules, student schedules, calendars, curriculum organizers/outlines, standards, lesson plans, etc. You can have that all in one place and refer to it easily when needed.

Finally, just remember to take care of yourself, make sure you're getting a good amount of sleep, eat, and relax...it will all work out, you will get things done, and your kids will love you no matter how many cute posters you have in your room or if some games are homemade, or in black and white!  Things can always be changed for the next year.

See you next time!

New Year=Motivation

Happy New Year!  I guess I'm one of those who let the craziness of the holidays and winter break get the best of me.  My last post was two months ago...oops!  I'm hoping everyone had a great holiday!  I figured it was time to get back on the blogging train and get going with posting again...and hopefully gain some motivation to keep at it!!   When the new year comes around, we all think about what can we improve on, what will our resolutions be, etc.  I don't know about you, but I need some motivation in a lot of areas! LOL!  Along with my first graders, we are trying to get back in the swing of things this week.  We just got back from winter break on Monday after having two and a half weeks off!  Therefore, we're all trying to remember our routines and how to make it through a full day again (no snacks every hour, no mid day naps).

To my surprise, my kiddos have been doing great at remembering our routines!  But, as expected, the excitement of coming back and sharing what they did over break and with the shock of having to wake up early, we've had to work on those listening skills, showing good behavior and strengthening our stamina!

During this time of the year I usually read the story Stranger in the Woods.    Along with the story, I have my snowman friend aka: the stranger accompany me while I read it.

After I read the story today, I decided to change things up a bit!  For the rest of the day, the snowman was moved around to different students who showed appropriate behavior and who was putting forth great effort!  

Everyone worked hard to have the snowman visit their desk today!  While not everyone got a turn yet, we still have the rest of the week!   So, the stranger in the woods was a little motivator for all of the first graders!  Let's see how the rest of the week goes!  

Again, for those who this blog may get to, I appreciate you taking the time to read it!  Please share it with your friends/teacher friends!  I hope I'm able to give some ideas or tips along the way!  Thank you so much for your support!  

Happy Wednesday!!

Election 2016

Today's post is all about the election.  WAAAITT!! Not THAT election!  Let's talk voting in first grade world!  We had today off of school, so yesterday was our "official" voting day in first grade!  We started off by reading Duck for President.  The class discussed the qualities of a good president (oh those sweet innocent minds), the job of a president, and whether or not Duck should/should not be president.  They voted and here is the result...

Then, came the REAL voting....Oreos or Chocolate Chip?!?!?!?!  We discussed the qualities of a good cookie, flavors that may/may not make it delicious, etc!!!  Each first grader received a cookie of each type...I mean, how could they vote without a taste test, right?!  After they taste tested and gave it some thought, ballots were given and a choice was selected.  The kiddos got to go up to a ballot box to drop off their vote and received an "I Voted" sticker!  The votes were carefully counted and recorded and the winner was.....OREOS!!! 

Well, here's to Election 2016 and the OREO!!  Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!  







Pete the Cat and Cause and Effect

Happy November!!  I wanted to type up a quick post on an activity I have done in my classroom to help understand cause and effect.  For first graders this can be tricky so I looked up ways to help increase the understanding of this on the internet  (probably Pinterest).  I don't remember where I found this idea, but wherever it came from, thank you!!!  What group of first graders don't like Pete the Cat? My class does, so this was perfect!  I read Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes.  In the story, Pete wears white shoes but when he steps in strawberries, the shoes turn red.  When he steps in blueberries, the shoes turn blue!  You can see in the picture, that the boys and girls wrote the word "WHY" over "cause" and "WHAT" over "effect."  They were able to pick which event to write about (strawberries, blueberries, mud, water) and then tell what happened.  Once they were done with the writing, they made a picture showing the cause and effect!

I think using this story and drawing Pete the Cat would be a great anchor chart to help teach the little ones about cause and effect! Leave me a comment letting me know how you teach cause and effect in your classroom!  I hope everyone has been having a great Monday!!!