Classroom Door

I was a bit crafty this weekend.  I dusted off my silhouette machine and cut out some letters for a few projects.  I think my favorite project turned out to be the sunshine for my classroom door.

I love how bright and cheery it is.  I made the sun out of scrapbook paper and put the vinyl letters on top.  The ladybug was from the Learning Shop. I washed my classroom door however that did not seem to help it.  I think the only thing that will help it is to re-stain it.  I don't have the energy for that this summer.  

Dressing Up the Classroom

I have the best mom ever!  She just spent the entire day sewing little red check valances for my first grade classroom.  She even took the extra material home to make curtains for the bookcases.

Thank You Mom!  I love you! 

Look how cute the valances look in the classroom.  I finally feel like the classroom is mine.  The valances are up and a lot of my pictures are up.  My little “red” first grade is coming together

Friday Favorites -- Character Traits

Today my goal is to search for ways I to present and display Character Traits in my first grade classroom.  I wrote a couple of weeks ago a list of traits and literature I hope to read to guide my students through different traits each week.  Today I am looking for how I what to organize that information visually for my students.  I am searching my favorite source, Pinterest looking at all the wonderful ideas that wonderful teachers have shared.  Here are some ideas I want to incorporate into my display.  

kindergartenlessonplans.org

 I found this chart from kindergarten lesson plans.org  and I love how simple it is.  I like the definition at the top of the chart.  Nice and simple for the children to understand.

adventuresofroom129

I love this idea, from Adventures of Room 129.  This would be a great activity for mid year after we introduced a lot of traits. It would be a good assessment to see what the children understand.

working4theclassroom

This chart from, Working 4 the Classroom, gave me a great idea.  I could boarder my display with pictures of the characters from the stories we read and then list the traits inside.  

Pinterest

This poster on Pinterest gave me idea for a class book.  I am going to have the children act out the character traits.  I will photograph them and create a class book.  

pencilsglueandtyingshoes

Here at Pencils Glue and Tying Shoes is a cute idea for a lesson for the first week of school.  I am planning on reading this book and this chart will be a great addition to that lesson.  

Ladybug Welcome Cards

Each year I like to make my own cards to welcome my new students.  This year my theme is ladybugs so I need to incorporate that idea into my cards.  Last Friday I featured some ladybug cards for my Friday Favorites, I was able to find lot of ideas on Pinterest.  I made a mental note of what appealed to me about each card and looked around my craft area at the materials I had.  I also took into consideration that I needed to make at least 27 cards for all my students. 

I wrote a little note inside to direct the children and parents to my website where they will find more information about first grade. 

Here is my card….cute as a bug.  I love it.  It was super simple to make.  I added a sticker inside each card for the children, hopefully they will begin to draw pictures of ladybugs.  

  

Desk Organization

I have been working hard in my classroom all week.  The classroom is starting to look like my classroom.  One of the things that came together quickly was organizing a space for my things. 

First of all I have a locker to put my personal things.  I like to keep my little comfort bags in there and some pictures I love from my trip to Paris. I also keep my art smock in there.  I put two command hooks inside the door for my keys and my whistle, that why I know where they are and I don't have to look for them every time I have recess.  

I created a little desk area this year as well.  I haven’t had a desk in about 15 years however I decided to give it a try this year.  I find that a lot of papers and notebooks end up on my guided reading table and every time I sit down to work with a group my table is covered with papers. 

I have a file cabinet with a bookshelf on top of it.  I am tall so I can reach up high. I plan on putting all the textbook manuals up there.  I keep all the schedules on my bulletin boards. 

My top desk drawer has all the little things in life I might need throughout the day, lotion, lip palm, tea, cough drops, a nail file and breath mints.  I am sure I will add other things. 

I had to take all my stickers out of the file drawers and I organized them in my desk drawer.   The stickers are organized in categories and I made pocket folders for them to fit in the drawer.