Writing Station Makeover

This summer I planned and pinned so many ideas for my classroom, it was hard to decide where to start.  I really wanted to focus on my writing station.  I wanted all of the materials to be accessible to the kiddos and easy to maintain.

Here is my Before and the After!

I added a shelf to hold supplies - pens, colored pencils, highlighters, and paper.  Then I added the Writing Folders that I received from Donors Choose last year.  Underneath the cart I placed clipboards, dictionaries and another paper tray.  I added the bulletin board paper to the wall and plan on placing writing options.  The black crate on the floor is for lunch boxes.  I like how it turned out!

I am still trying to decide which Writing Unit to buy on TpT.  I would love any recommendations!

The writing center will continue to be a work in progress!!

I have a set of writing rubrics that I made to go under the white board, to the right.  I thinks they will really work great since they will be sitting right there at the writing center.

Check out this freebie for your bulletin board!

I Have Fallen in LoVe Again!

I have fallen in love with a pig - Mercy Watson!
Last year I fell in love with Mercy Watson.  There are six books in the series and they are perfect for students looking for books after picture books and before picture-less chapter books. This is the adventures of a pig who is treated like a child. Mercy usually causes the trouble, but also comes out as a hero, to the dislike of her two elderly neighbors, one of whom thinks pigs should not live in houses or ride in automobiles.

Kate DiCamillo has created wonderful characters, full of life, personality and fun quirks.  Mercy is an adorable pink pig who loves toast and adventure.

  

This unit is perfect for integrating reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar making it a complete language arts tool. Students love Mercy Watson and her many adventures! Newbery Medal winner Kate DiCamillo has written these humorous early chapter books with quality writing, super fun art, and a humorous plot that is perfect for second graders. 

Check out all of my Mercy Watson Book Units 
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson to the Rescue Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise Common Core Book Unit 
Mercy Watson Thinks Like A Pig Common Core Book Unit 

 Book One and Book Two Bundled at a Discounted Price Mercy Watson Thinks Like A Pig Common Core Book Unit

I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do!

OrGaNizE mY ClaSsRoOm!!

After many days on the internet, pinning pictures and reading blogs, I am excited about organizing my classroom!  I have read so many great things and pinned 10K more!  Now it is time to quit pinning and get busy!  Our first day back is next Tuesday and I am going to be ready!

Here are some before pics!

This is where I want the Writing Station to be.  Something to be said for a BLANK SLATE!  

I have looked at several writing units on TpT but have not decided on one yet.  I have a 30 minutes ELA/Writing block this year.  This was my goal for the summer - redo my writing plans for the year!

This is my back wall where we do What's My Place? What's My Value? and DOTS!  They sit on the carpet in three rows.  The two containers to the left hold math manipulatives.  I want to go up high and add bulletin boards to the top for a math wall.  I also plan on putting the clothes pins back up to hold anchor charts.

This is a new area by the computers.  I want to make this my small group reading center station.  I want a place for their group reading books, SRA books, and Word Work items like scrabble tiles, stamps, and white boards.  The best part is going to be the decorative border I want to put on the while shelves.

Looks like I might invest in a CORDLESS hot glue gun!  I really want to keep it simple and clean!  I cleaned up the room and threw out a ton of junk at the end of last year!!  Hope fully I can purge a few more bags full!

Overlook the clutter on the desk and look at the blank wall!  I want to divide it into three bulletin boards.  I want to put Reading on the far left and make it the biggest board.  On either side of the air vent I want to put a Science and Social Studies board.  I want to put up blue paper and use my same border to frame them out.  I think this will help get rid of the glow-worm Green I had going on last year.  Another project I want to complete is adding scrapbook paper to my white container boxes at the end of the computers.  I think that will finish it off.  I love those containers.  I have one for every month.  I keep seasonal books, classroom decorations and anything else for that month in there.  They work great!

Here are a few of my inspiration pins.  I will post next week to show the finished product!

Setting Up for the New Year

I am really looking forward to setting up my classroom this year!
How cool would it be to win this giveaway!!!
Click Here to enter to win a $22 classroom makeover!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

S C H O O L  S U P P L I E S

     OK, I know! My strange addictions!!! 

But I have decided I could be doing worse - spending my money on worse and harming my body! RIGHT???

I LURV opening a new notebook with a fresh pack of newly sharpened pencils!

      I snapped this picture Tuesday night as I was strolling through Target!  What a beautiful sight!
I decided this year to do interactive notebooks for Reading/ELA and another one for Math.  We only had one composition notebook on the school supply list so I picked up 24 RED composition notebooks for READING.  I figure I could say, "Get out your RED READING notebook," and it would be easier than saying Reading notebook and half of them asking, "Which one?"!!!  I will let them use the one they brought from home for Math!
      I did the same thing for folders.  I like for them to have paper in a $.15 folder.  So I bought 24 Red folders for their Reading folder.  They will use this for Word Work and ELA centers.
     I have been searching for FREE task cards for centers.  I have a lot of file folder games, but have really liked the task cards and scoots I have seen on Pinterest and TPT.  So that has been one project I have been working on.  I have saved them in a folder and plan on printing and laminating during preplanning.

     Near my Small group reading table, I have a bin that I will change out the skill-games every so often.  I have also been working on a SET rotation for SGR.  

I really think that will work better for me and the kiddos!

Spelling Words and Phonics Skills

     This summer I have worked on developing a new spelling unit.  I wanted the words to be meaningful so I took our curriculum map and chose the words based on the phonics skilled I needed to teach.

     I am looking forward to teaching a mini lesson on the phonics skill in small group reading, and then have them work with the words and that skill during word work and independent time.

Check out the design!  I think the kiddos will really like the homework page!

     In addition to the homework page, they will complete the traditional homework pages in their spelling spiral notebook.  They do not tear any of the pages out of the spiral.  I teach them to "save a tree" and write on the front and back, as well as the sides and everywhere in between.  They will have the option of rainbow words, ladder words, hidden picture and many more.  

What do you do for spelling?  Does your System have spelling in the curriculum?

Georgia Social Studies Unit

I have been working on this Social Studies Vocabulary Unit all summer and I am really excited!

Last year I worked on several units in Social Studies, but did not feel I did a good job with vocabulary.  We are going to use an interactive notebook this year and I wanted an easy way to teach vocabulary words.  All children love crayons and colored pencils, so my vocab sheet is designed to be used with lots of color.

Each week we will take the words and write a definition, give an example or use the words in a sentence.  Most words can be illustrated, so they will draw a picture. 

 I love that all learning types will be covered here.  

Audible: Class Discussion

Visual: Color on vocabulary sheet

 Tactile: Completing graphic organizer

This packet is aligned to the Georgia Social Studies Performance Standards.

Using a Bulletin Board as a Student Guided Rubric

I want the students to assess their writing pieces this year.  Over the years, I have seen many great examples of my student's writing, but I have not saved any pieces that I would want to use on a board.  

I made this set to use at the beginning of the year so they can see what we are working towards.

I will hang these in order so they can see the progression of what a GOOD paragraph should look like.

I will teach several mini-lessons on introductory sentences, details and conclusions.

 I will also stress handwriting this year, more than ever.  

I hope you enjoy this freebie!  Click on any of the pictures to grab a copy for yourself.  

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