The thoughts of my students

Every morning I write a journal prompt on the board for my students to respond to in their own spiral bound journal. This is their morning work. At the end of every week I read what they write. There have been some interesting responses along with wonderful writings and drawings. I thought I'd share with you some of the best ones (even though all of them are great!)

Just beautiful

I love this student's drawing of Burger King

This student wants to be an 'animal planet guy' because he likes animals.

I love how the student drew herself smelling the flower

I loved the butterflies

This student's favorite animal is a zebra

I love that when this student grows up he wants to be an 'army guy'

This student's favorite season is summer because she gets to go to the beach and swim in the pool

This student is sitting at a table (see the legs on the four corners?) playing "apples to apples" with her family

This student is playing catch with his dog, a Shelty (?)

This student's favorite song is "Call Me Maybe" - sadly one of my favorite songs too

Of course I had to add this one! This student's favorite dog is a "chuiui" (chihuahua)

And the best one of them all....

Apparently this student's favorite song is "I Like Big Butts" by Sir Mix-A-Lot... sadly... this is on my list too (blushes)

Habitats

I know I haven't blogged in awhile. Life has gotten a bit busy. 

We are 6 weeks into the new school year. I've been so busy getting to know my students, as well as the new curriculum (I taught 3rd grade last year) and a new program for the paperwork side of things - Skyward. Maybe I'll have the hang of it by the end of the school year, just like I finally got the hang of FileMaker Pro last year which is now obsolete.

Anyway... today was the first day I actually was able to do an art project with my students. We finished up our first unit of Science on Habitats. My school uses National Geographic's science series which includes real life pictures. The students enjoyed learning about animals and their habitats as well as learning about how plants need animals and animals need plants. Today, as a way to finish up the unit I had my students create their own Animal or Plant Habitat Mural. I gave students a rubric in which to follow. It consisted of choosing an animal we have discussed in this unit or an animal they know about, then thinking about what their habitat looks like and consists of. (Students were able to look into their science books and look at 3 different books that came with the science series on prairie, ocean, and forest habitats.) The rubric also consisted of drawing, as accurately as they can, the habitat of their animal. They were allowed to write descriptions or label parts of their picture as well.

The students were super excited and got to work quickly. I amazed at the artists I have in my classroom! I will share pictures of their beautiful artwork as soon as it's finished. But here is a sneak peak:

Sorry it took me awhile to get the rest of the pictures up, but here are some others:

The First Week is Ova!

Well the past three days went by fast at times and slow at other times, but I did survive the first week. I have another great bunch of kids! Seriously! Second year in a row that God has blessed me with great kids. I am just amazed at how well they listen and follow routines already. That's the difference between third grade and second grade. My third graders were great. I love and miss them! But they're beginning to want to test the waters a bit, think they can do things completely on their own, etc. Second graders are still "babies", lovey dovey babies. And they want to please their teacher so. And they're so excited over the little things! Like moving your clip up! (thanks to the Clip Chart - best.thing.ever!) 

This week was nothing but routines, routines, routines. And let me tell you, these kids are great at routine (thanks to the wonderful 1st grade teachers they had last year!)! They even had to remind ME of my own routine. Ha! On Friday we packed up and they brought me their planners to sign off on and when a few of them came up to me and stood in line (quietly!) I was like "What are you doing?" and one little girl said "Our planners??" and I was like "Oh yeah!!" They laughed at me forgetting. 

Next week we get into the heart of things as we get into reading, math, science, writing, social studies. I pray I can keep with keeping them doing routine stuff while my brain is focused on teaching them the lessons planned (by my wonderful partner in crime!). I'm ready to start the teaching stuff. I'm ready to try Daily 5 and Lucy Calkins writing. And I'm excited about the science series too. 

I want to stay in Second Grade for forever!

Meet the Teacher

Friday night I had my second 'Meet the Teacher' night. I have 17 students and 15 of the 17 showed up. Most of the teachers I spoke with had a great turn out, so that's always a plus. Parent involvement is necessary for children to succeed. 

I have some cuties! One student told me that the classroom I am in was his classroom last year. I felt bad for him that he was in the same room again, but I said "Well it looks different doesn't it? So it's not really the 'same' room, just the same location." And he agreed. Another student asked about the buckets in my room. I'm doing bucket fillers, where students can write nice notes to each other to 'fill up their bucket'. I also sent home a form in my welcome packet so the families can send in a note with their child to 'fill up their bucket'. And another student wanted to know what my bright colored pink and green chairs were for. I have hot pink and green saucer chairs in my room which I use as a reward, where the student can sit in the chair for the entire day (so long as they keep their focus). I have no place to put them, but want to keep them in my room. 

Overall it was a good night. 

Monday I have a professional development training all day long, with a lunch break to a local church who supports my school by donating school supplies. The church hosts us and serves us lunch. Then we pack up the supplies and bring them back with us to the school. Then on Tuesday is a teacher work day, which will be spent lesson planning with my wonderful team! 

Then we greet the kids bright and early on Wednesday. I can't believe another year is starting again. 

I hope as the year goes by I can share ideas that I use in my classroom. Keep checking back. And check out the new pics of my room!

I will keep track of their weekly behavior for PBS days each 9 weeks

I'll have some celebs in my room for sure this year!

Half of my front board - Noise-o-Meter, Champs chart, calendar, and planner

Up close view of the Noise-o-Meter: thanks to someone on Pinterest!

And the Champs chart - I will replace the pictures based upon the activity throughout the day

My daily calendar

I just can't get over my cute buckets!

Donation Table - 20 stars, all but 4 were picked up!

Welcome table

I redid this board to fit all the black squares. I'll be adding stars with students' names.

Welcome bulletin board in the hallway

I rolled out the red carpet for my parents and students!

This board will be changing but I wanted to have some rules up. Can't really see the rules but they are an acronym for the word STAR.

Welcome packet with a goodie bag of Swedish Fish and a pencil

"You are o"fish"ially a 2nd grader!"

Alphabet Line - love the drawings. They're really cute!

First Official Day Back

Even though I have been in my room off and on since the second week of July ... yes, the second week of July ... today was the first official day back. 

It was nice to be back, but weird. 

I wasn't the newbie anymore. I mean it's only my second year, but there were like 5 or 6 newbies. I wasn't one being totally embarrassed (in a good way) as I was being introduced to the entire staff. In a way I was glad, but yet I felt a little left out. Fortunately I feel a bit more experienced than last year. At least I knew what was being talked about when it came to certain things!

However, whenever veteran teachers would walk through my room to get from one side of the school to the other more quickly than walking down a hallways they were very envious of the fact that my room was completely set up! I am very proud of that fact. 

So since I did not have to set up my room I spent today helping others. It made me feel good. I helped a new teacher who was literally hired yesterday. I gave her bulletin board paper. I helped another co-worker set up his computer. I loaned just about everything to my partner-in-crime Elizabeth. Elizabeth, you owe me big time! Ha! God says we are to be of help to others. I feel accomplished today! 

However, tomorrow, I must get some other things done. Meet the Teacher night is Friday. I need to get my packets together for that. I would have done that today however the copier kept getting jammed up. No bueno!

Pinterest is the best thing since sliced bread!

I must admit I love Pinterest! Where were you last year, during my first year of teaching, oh Pinterest?! 

I have found so many great ideas on there to help with teaching. Something I just found has totally made my day! I am not a huge fan of CHAMPs. And I'm not meaning the store.

CHAMPs is a classroom management idea my school uses. CHAMPs is an acronym and it stands for Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement and Participation. Basically it's a way to help students know what they can or cannot do with conversation, getting help, activity, movement and participation during different parts of the day. 

Well.... thanks to Pinterest I found a wonderful way to incorporate the use of CHAMPs w/out making a large poster that, quite honestly will be forgotten and not used once I introduce it the first week of school. Thanks to Stephanie at http://aloha-kindergarten.blogspot.com/2011/07/champs.html for creating this idea and sharing it with us! I just printed everything out I will need to create this little bit of help. 

I hope I still have space on my dry erase magnetized board!

95% Done

I never thought I'd get my room nearly ready before the first week of school for the teachers. I had set a goal, well actually my mother set the goal, of getting my room completely ready to go before the week back for teachers. That week is busy enough as is with meetings and planning, copying, etc. that I didn't want to really deal with preparing my room. Sure things will still need to be done as the year goes along, but for now it's quite presentable for 'meet the teacher night'. My room, in my most humble opinion, but in others' opinions as well, looks very bright, cheery and inviting! All that's left to do is the welcome board in the hallway. I'm waiting on black bulletin board paper and the names of my students to add to stars and of course die cutting letters. Fun (note sarcasm).

I like my room so much more than last year. The size alone is enough to like it. I have so much room it's almost insane! haha! But also the decor is really nice and bright. The pictures do not do it justice. I have a few more things to do but other than that my room is 95% completed and ready for the students to come busting in. 

"Compliment popcorn" - as students receive compliments outside the classroom (or even in the classroom) they will receive a piece of popcorn to build the word and after they get the whole word built they will receive a popcorn party.

Cafe and Daily 3 Reading Center Pocket Chart board

This will be their work display board - I will add more black construction paper to frame their work. Cut a slit in the construction paper and staple it to the board. Put a paperclip in the slit and then slide work up under the paperclip.

Read-to-Self and Read-to-Someone center. Students will take their own book box full of their own choices of books and read to someone or to their self, sitting around the room.

Word Work center table

Work on Writing center. Students will use clip boards and sit around the room to work on writing. After taking this picture I added another crate filled with dry erase boards and a caddy with dry erase markers. Students can use the dry erase boards as well to write.

Subject magnets. Scholastic is the best! I got these for free with the points I had earned. Going to laminate sentence strips, magnetize them and add them next to the subject magnets to write the EQs on them.

Target's $1 section is wonderful! This year I'm going to try being bucket fillers.

I haven't put up the phrase yet, but it will say "We are bucket fillers!" with the picture of the bucket in place of the word "bucket".

My desk area, with the mail box for students, wire baskets for them to turn in their work on the small table. The small table will also act as a 'think table' for when students need a 'time out'.

Computer station with storage area behind it.

The view from the front door of my classroom. I love the U shape because it leaves a big enough area for students to use as they work in their reading/math centers. I might leave my room like this all  year.

Now I gotta get started with the real part of being a teacher - the planning! Blah!