Writer's Checklist Bulletin Board

This is a quick share of one of my classroom resources.  Last year, I saw this great writing bulletin board here on The First Grade Parade.  You can print out her version there.  I made my own to match my blue and green color scheme.

I try to make sure that every space in my classroom is covered with something functional, and this definitely fit the bill.  It's easy for first-graders to refer to and understand, and it helps them check their own work before bringing it to someone else for editing.  I noticed much stronger sentences after I put up this display.

Word Work Idea #2 - Foam Puzzles

Here's the second installment of my Word Work series -- cute foam puzzles that I use for literacy stations.

My students loooove puzzles.  I have a few sets of phonics match-ups and sound-it-out puzzles from Lakeshore Learning, and I love them.  But the selection is somewhat limited and the prices add up.  The cost is a big factor when you consider that pieces are bound to get lost... those babies aren't going to last forever.  Not in first-grade hands!

So, in addition to my store-bought puzzles, I make my own foam puzzles on the cheap.  The foam is more durable than anything I could laminate.

I bought the big foam sheets this time due to color preference.  If you buy the smaller sheets, it makes for less cutting.  I got 12 sheets for $5, so I'll get 72 puzzles out of this pack.. not a bad deal!

I just use a ruler to make straight lines...

...then I cut the foam up.  These pieces are about 6x6 inches each.

Next, I cut each square to make a "jigsaw."  You can use waves, triangular, or boxy cuts.  I don't put a lot of thought into how I cut.  At first, I worried that I might cut two puzzles the same way.  But since then, I've made lots of these puzzles, and I just don't think it's possible to make the same exact cut twice!

Now, the fun part...writing!  You can use Sharpies or 3D paint for this part.

I didn't have time for the 3D paint to dry, so I opted for Sharpies this time.  I like to test on a scrap to pick the color.

Today I made puzzles for sight word practice.  Each puzzle has a phrase that contains one of the weekly sight words.  (The phrases come from my Sight Word in Context pack.)  Write the phrase on the top and the bottom.  Make sure that you don't run out of room!  I almost did here.

Next, I cut the bottom into individual words.

Tada!  Instant center that kiddos love!

You can use these for way more than just phrased reading.  Here are some ideas:

Math Facts
Spelling Words
Sight Words
Capital and Lowercase Letters
Beginning/Ending Sound Matchups

I'm sure there are a ton more.

Has anyone crafted any classroom items out of foam?  Is anyone as obsessed with Sharpies as I am?  I swear, I have at least 70 Sharpies...

Crafty Lessons - Apple Time! (Freebie)

I don't know what it is about apples, but it seems that kids love learning about them.  I think it's because an apple is such a familiar item, so they already know a lot about it. That may be why so many teachers use apples as a beginning-of-the-year theme.

Here's an adorable apple craft that I have made with my Firsties, along with a pack of freebie printables at the end.

I looove paper plate crafts -- paper plates are so affordable, and they can be turned into so many things!  This time, we cut the plate on both sides so that it resembled an eaten apple.  (I recommend having your kiddos mark where they are going to cut -- the curved cut can be difficult for them to eyeball.)  We used one of the cut-off pieces to make the leaf, then cut a rectangle out of the other scrap to make the stem.

I think it would be awesome to glue real apple seeds in the middle instead of drawing them.

Then, their favorite part... which happened to be the most educational part!  We labeled the parts of the apple with Post-it flags.  You could also give each child a regular Post-it and cut it into strips.  (It seems that we forgot to label the flesh!)

We did this activity after reading a bunch of apple books all week.  I also have a pack of apple printables available for free in my TPT store.  The pack includes 4 graphic organizers, writing prompts, and apple stationary.  Nothing fancy, but I wanted to pass it on!

Word Work Idea #1 - Consonants & Vowels (Freebie)

I'm starting a series of blog posts called 50 Word Work Ideas... which I think is pretty self-explanatory.  I hope that it will be a great resource for teachers who are looking for word work activities for centers, Daily 5, interventions, etc.  I plan to post a new idea every Wednesday.

This is the first installment -- it's a simple activity that doesn't require a lot of prep work.  I've included a freebie mini-poster at the end.

This activity reinforces the concept of consonants and vowels.  It's also great spelling/phonics practice.

First, have the kidlets create a key. I let the students pick their own colors, but they must create a key to show which color is for consonants and which is for vowels.  Making a key is a very big deal in our class, and I spend a bit of time modeling and explaining the concept.

Students should write their words with a pencil, then go over that with a crayon or marker.  You might have students use the word wall, spelling list, etc, as a source of words.

Very simple, but effective.  Plus, markers make everything fun!

Here is a mini-poster/instruction sheet that my students use for reference.  You can download it for free at my TPT store.

Behavior Management Chart

The first thing that I would like to share is something that was ALL OVER Pinterest last fall... this behavior chart.

But really, it was ALL OVER Pinterest for a very good reason -- it's totally awesome.  (Please say that in your very best surfer-dude voice.)

My school used a demerit system for behavior -- for each infraction, points are subtracted from the weekly conduct grade.  There are green, yellow, and red infractions, and a different number of points are subtracted for each color.  In first grade, the students moved strips of colored construction paper to their pocket to represent any infractions received that day.

I really wasn't fond of this system.  It didn't allow for visual warnings, and there wasn't a logical way to "take back" the infraction if the student's behavior improved.  I tried a few different adjustments, but after I saw this on Pinterest for the 47th time, I knew I had to give it a shot.

The original idea used clothes pins and a poster, but I used some empty space on the board and made foam magnets for each student.

Here is how it works:  everyone starts on green each morning.  I move magnets up or down as necessary throughout the day.  If someone moves down, they know that a good choice will move them back up. (I keep an eye out for those good choices.)

Anyone who ends the day on 'Parent Contact' gets an infraction written in their folder with a note to a parent.  Several infractions in a short period of time will turn into a parent conference.

Now for the fun part -- anyone who ends on 'Outstanding' gets to add two dots to the back of their magnet at the end of the day.  'Role Model' will earn you one dot.  Once a student earns five dots they get to upgrade their magnet color (in rainbow order).  Upgrading magnet color is a real source of pride for the kiddos!  (The above picture was taken early in the year - the magnets were very colorful by May!)

There are a few reasons I loved this:

1. It really helped my more difficult students.  At the beginning of the year, one infraction could ruin the whole day.  This helped them realize that it's okay to make mistakes.
2. The indicators -- ready to learn, working hard, thinking about it, etc. -- are easy for the students to understand.  My students would say things like, "I'm trying to be a role model!" and "Wow, that's outstanding!"
3. It's very positive.  Moving magnets down was somewhat rare.  Whenever I needed to get students back on task, I found some well-behaved students and moved a few magnets UP.  Anyone off-task came to attention very quickly when they realized magnets were being moved.
4. It's hassle-free -- there aren't any prizes or tickets or anything like that to manage, just changing magnet colors.  The students just love to be recognized for their good behavior -- they don't need candy or knickknacks as a reward.

I'm planning on using this same system in my new classroom, and I hope that it will be just as successful.