Student Writers' Wall Makes for Great Display

Happy Wordless Wednesday! Linking up today and thinking about my classroom set-up... 'tis the season, after all. I'm sharing a photo from last year of how I display our student writing.

My Little Corner of the World

This pic was taken outside the door of my classroom, in my corner of the centrum. Through the window is my classroom, which is rather small for kindergarten, so I make every inch count, even those inches outside my door. This corner houses many things. It has a low, round table that we use for center work with parents, and for our listening center. The table is not in the picture, but you see our headphones hanging on the wall for easy kid access. It has my message board, where I post notes from the kids– I encourage writing every way I can. It has my beautiful class sign– so nice to be married to a talented artist. And it has our Writers' Wall.

Our Writers' Wall is where we display our best work from each writing unit and mini-unit we do. For each unit celebration– that oh, so important aspect of writers' workshop– we gather here in a circle and read our work before ceremoniously hanging it on the wall.

The binder clip system allows me to easily put the newest writing pieces on top of the old. Everyone, especially parents, can stop by any time to see their child's work. Keeping all the work together really highlights the progress kids make through the year! Notice I put up a little sign that lists the important objectives we learned in that particular unit. By the end of the year each child has this nicely collected portfolio of their best work in one place. I put it in construction paper folders to send home as treasured keepers.

To set up the binder clip system, I print each child's name on the top of a heavy cardstock sheet. Then I glue down another piece of cardstock on the back, so it covers the top third of the back page. I reinforce it like this so that after I laminate the pages, and make a slit to insert the binder clip, the weight of kids' writing doesn't make the paper rip at the slit. I make a slit, the width of the binder clip with an Xacto, about an inch below the name. I insert the binder clip carefully so the binder clips "wire thingy" that helps you open it is at the back of the paper, and the clip itself is clipped to the top of the slit. It takes a little finagling. I staple each child's display paper securely to the bulletin board. There is then enough leverage when you push on the front "wire thingy" to open the clip, and slide papers up into it, so they hang down in perfect view.

It provides a practical, convenient, and beautiful way to show off our hard work! If this is something you want to try, Pin, Pin, Pin-It :)

How do you display student work?

Thanks Christina for providing us a way to share our ideas! Head on over there by clicking!

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High Praise for Maddi's Fridge

Some of you will remember at the start of summer I was eagerly anticipating the release of Maddi's Fridge. Well, it is now in my hands, hot off the press, and I am pretty excited to be giving it one of it's early reviews. Thanks to Deanna for her Book Talk Tuesday linky to help get the word out.

A New Favorite Book

Maddi's Fridge is written by Lois Brandt and illustrated by Vin Vogel. It is the story of best friends Maddi and Sofia who share a secret that has the potential to ruin a friendship, but instead solves a problem and brings them closer together. One day after their usual romp at the park, Sophia gets a glimpse into Maddi's fridge, and much to her surprise and Maddi's embarrassment, finds the fridge completely empty of food, except for some milk.

Uh-oh!

Now Sophia has a dilemma– she wants to help Maddi and her family get food to eat, but she has to do it without letting out the secret that Maddi is poor. Sofia tries various solutions as she keeps her promise to Maddi. These have less than successful and sometimes hilarious results. Look what happens when she brings fish to school in her backpack.

Hee!

Sofia struggles to figure out that there are times when you must go to adults for help. And she learns that friendships can survive a broken secret when the reason is right.

Brandt does a beautiful job of dealing with the serious issues of child poverty and hunger. Maddi's Fridge gives teachers the perfect background for discussing the diversity found in most of our own classrooms in child appropriate ways. I know some of my students will resonate with Maddi's problems and some will be just as shocked as Sofia to find the fridge empty at a friend's house.

So crucial to picture books, you'll find the illustrations just as wonderful as the text. The story begins as soon as you open the cover, and doesn't end until you close the back because Vogel doesn't waste an inch of space in bringing the story to life. Check out these end papers!

The story starts with the inside front cover.

The pictures throughout add big city elements in terrific ways– look at this picture of Sofia running home to figure out her new found problem just as the sun goes down, which "took all the colors with it."

Love it!

I know I'll use Maddi's Fridge to bring up issues of friendship, helping, and secrets with this year's class. It will be one of the important books I share this year.

If you're still not convinced to add this book to your collection, well, you gotta know that Flashlight Press has done it again in the resource department. Their website includes writing pages, a drawing prompt, coloring sheet, and even a recipe for Cheesy Bombs. The Common Core Curriculum Guide makes teaching the concepts so easy. All of these are FREE resources for you and your kiddos. Click on this pic to see for yourself.

Yep, folks, this is a keeper! You can get the book yourself by clicking on its cover at the top of the post. Or look for it in your favorite book venues.

Thanks Deanna for our favorite linky party!

The post High Praise for Maddi's Fridge first appeared on kidpeopleclassroom.com

Monday Made It! Died-And-Went-To-Heaven Chocolate Cake!

This is today's post for Fourth Grade Frolic's Monday Made It linky!

Died-and-Went-Heaven Chocolate Cake- YUM

This is my first "post" to my Other Page! Finally! Yippee-ki-yay! See it by clicking on the cake pic!

Also, while I have you here, here's a little head's up. Because I am doing PD for our incoming and new to grade level teachers in a couple weeks, I am giving a little spruce up to some of the helpful forms for incoming families and kids. They will become some freebies in this next week. Stay tuned for some new ideas and easy to use handouts coming this way!

After clicking on the cake, click on this Monday Made It! button to take you to the linky par-tay!     Thanks Tara!

Currently August

Wow! It's August! That means it's back to school month! Even if the kiddos don't actually come to class this month, I'll be seeing them for this or that before the calendar turns again. Which means there is a LOT TO DO! No better way to think about it than with Farley's Currently August... even if I am a little late coming to the party this time because I posted every day this week and ran out of days!... THAT's a first. Please check out my lining up tips post– there's some surprises in there. Whoot!

Listening to those darn squirrels. O.M.Gosh what PESTS. They eat my flowers, they make messes, they craze the dog, and now as I sit out here on my wonderful deck in the last almost calm days before school gets under way, they're dropping stuff on me! Bonk, Thunk, Dink, Thump! Ugh. WHY do I still like them even a teeny bit... well, they are cute. They are funny. And all three varieties– Gray, Black, and Fox– have been hanging out here all summer keeping me company... I'm such a wuss. Ugh.

Loving that I still have some fun social engagements on the calendar for this month. Time for one more coffee or one more lunch with some of the girlfriends, and a visit or two from friends and family. Yesss!

Thinking about going back... Yup. Like all the rest of us who are not quite back yet, we almost might as well be, because is there ANYthing else to think about this month?? 

Wanting to have my classroom organized and done. Done. Done. 

Needing to finish up!  Finish up what you ask? Prepping for some district PD I'm doing for new and new-to-grade-level kindergarten teachers AND meeting with my new principal!!!! AND prepping my packets for incoming families AND gathering my first week of materials AND cleaning the house one more big time this August... how DOES it get dirty all the time... it's like someone LIVES here... AND putting finishing touches on some TPT materials FINALLY... AND ... AND... AND... maybe Farley should add a "Hating" up there because I'm not so happy about these to-do list things that are pushing me toward panic... and I have not exactly been idle all summer! Ugh!

The ol' going back dates... well, district teachers are "officially" back on August 25.  I'm "back" the week before because I'm giving PD. The kiddos' first day of school is September 2... Labor Day is early this year... and as I've said before, it is Michigan law that kids can't start back until after Labor Day to help everyone have one more long weekend Up North to put some bucks into the Michigan tourism trade.  I'll be seeing my kiddos before school starts at a couple school/kindergarten welcome events. And of course, I'm already back in shoving, and painting, and sorting, and finding... the never ending job of a teacher.

Sigh. Breathe. There's still time. I know I'm not alone with most of these feelings. Every teacher in the profession is right there. with. me. Maybe you, too, need to remember you are not alone.

Now head on over there to Farley for more great Currentlys. Click below.

The post Currently August first appeared on kidpeopleclassroom.com

Getting From Here to There– Learning to Line Up

I still have a month before school starts (I didn't get out until mid June, remember), but my mind is drifting toward starting school with my new kidpeople. Learning how school works is always so key in the early days, so I'm joining up with Five For Friday to discuss lining up.  Look for lots of little tips hiding in here :)

1.  Teachers have all sorts of ways to teach lining up, like talking about how cars go past the fast food drive-thru window in single file– this idea's from Leslie over at Kindergarten Works recently. It made me grin.

No matter how you transition your kids to the line, it is very important that instruction starts on the first day of school, the first time you line up. I tell my new kiddos that this is something we are going to do many times each day, so we need to become Line-up Experts. (The kids don't know it then, but they will be experts in all sorts of things by the end of the year.)  Experts know three things– we line up quietly, we keep hands off friends and walls, and we take the next spot as the line forms and stay there for that trip. I allow time to practice getting into the line several times, even before we leave the room the first day. Practice and high expectations goes a long way in achieving a smooth running classroom later.

2.  Part of my lining up instruction each year involves this friendly fellow!

Yep, the old Slinky Dog, who got a renewed following when the Toy Story movies came out. I use him to demonstrate how our line should move along. I show how there is space between the coils, but not too much space. And I show how his tail end slinkies up to catch up with the rest of him at certain points. Our classroom is on the far side of the building so we have several stopping points throughout the halls to allow for our tail to "slinky up" so we don't get too spread out. We have a Head of the line, and Arms (their job it is to hold the door open when we pass through.) These two kids wait until they see our Tail  bringing up the rear before going past our stopping points. The Tail makes sure they're the last one at all times, with no one behind.  Our jobs change weekly so the kids really learn it by the end of each week.

I keep Slinky Dog nearby all year so we have a quick visual reminder when needed. And while on the topic of Slinkies, don't forget to keep a couple traditional ones in your block corner to use when making ramps and stairs– they make for fun science related extensions.  They come in several sizes, too.

3. Speaking of gaps in the line, I made a sign like this one to post near our classroom door as another reminder to watch our spacing as we walk down the hall.

I loved hearing and seeing this phrase years ago when riding London's Underground, and I started using it this way at school when I got back. People need to notice the "gap" between the subway door and platform when riding the Underground, and kidpeople need to notice the gap between themselves and the friend in front of them when walking in a line. I printed up this sign, too, to pull out mid year if we need a little refresher... mine has the little crown on top though, that is missing from pic... I tell them it's there because I am the queen– ha!

4.  I have a musical wire wand like this one that I keep at the classroom door to help us get ready to walk in line down the halls.

I don't usually introduce it the first day, but as we need it. I give it one *ping* and we race the wand to see if we can become silent before it does. It works beautifully on the days when we are particularly excited about our activities and need a little extra prompt to be quiet. I posted about many sound maker transition helpers a few months ago, and you can read about them HERE.

5.  We sing this great song I learned on TeacherTipster.com...  I love Mr. Smith's sense of humor. We sing it as we line up at the door. We sometimes even whisper sing or mouth it as we move down the hall. It's easy to learn and worth a listen. Click on his button to hear it. Your kiddos will learn from it and love it, too.

Now that you know why we refer to our line as a Slinky, you'll get a kick out of a couple of kid stories that I posted just yesterday. Click on the button for a laugh!

Now head back over to Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday and find more good stuff!

The post Getting From Here to There– Learning to Line Up first appeared on kidpeopleclassroom.com

Funny Kid Friday- We're a Slinky

Hello to fellow teachers and friends who like a little laugh every once in a while.  Today is Funny Kid Friday and I have a triple giggle for you.

Before I can tell my tales, you need to know that I use a Slinky Dog to teach kids how we walk in a line.

A Slinky Dog makes a good visual for moving along while lined up, something that not all kindergartners know how to do when they start school.  I describe our class moving down the hall like a Slinky Dog does, and I pull it along letting it stretch out, and then tighten back up again. And like a Slinky Dog, we have to be careful not too spread our line out too far, or it won't work. We have designated spots in the hall where the line leader, or "Head," waits for the back, or "Tail" to catch up. It works pretty well. However, as kindergartners usually do, my kids have taken this quite literally over the years...

One day, one of our line leaders looked back and saw that the end of the line hadn't even come around the corner yet, so said, "Mrs. Wright, our Slinky must be broken because I don't see the tail."

Another day, one little guy in the middle of the line fell down (darn those loose shoelaces), and the two following him tumbled right on top. The next kiddo in line proclaimed, "Uh-oh, our Slinky got tangled up!"

And once, a mom on a field trip reported to me that her daughter told her that she couldn't come with us unless she knew how to do the Slinky. When she asked her daughter if this was a dance, she replied in a shocked voice, "Mom! You can't come on the field trip if you're going to dance! We only dance in the room!"

Are you ready to do The Slinky this school year?  Look for tomorrow's post when I talk more about getting kids from here to there by lining up.  Right now add your funny kid tale in the comment section or by linking up below.  Be sure to grab the button below and link back to this specific post.

An InLinkz Link-up

Poof! Bday Candles at School?

You read my title today and thought, no, we can't have candles in the classroom... except we can! My Wordless Wednesday photo features a very special flickering, LED, votive candle. It looks like a regular one, but you can blow this one out! Yep, one little poof and out it goes!

On *Poof* Off *Poof* On AGAIN!!

And not only that! You can blow this candle on again, too! It "relights" itself when you give another little poof. Ha ha– I am gonna have some fun using this with the kiddos. Imagine their surprise the first time we get it out!

The candle has a small master switch on the bottom that has to be turned on, but after that, a poof will turn the light on and off endlessly. The secret is that little black hole you see next to the "flame." And that's what you have to look for when you go shopping for this votive. I got mine at our fabulous local ACE store... but the helpful hardware ladies had no idea this candle was special this way. There wasn't even any indication on the box! Silly! I only knew because years ago a friend of mine found one. I've had my eye out ever since, knowing this would make birthdays fun in the classroom where candles were not allowed. Just imagine this sitting on top of the birthday cupcake :)

Hope you and your little buddies have fun with this new delight for birthday celebrations.

What special things do YOU do for birthday celebrations at school?

Thanks to Sugar and Spice for their weekly linky! Click to find more treats.

The post Birthday Candles in the Classroom? first appeared on kidpeopleclassroom.com