{Lots} of Classroom Pictures

Alright!  Here are my updated classroom pictures.  I have been so excited to be able to use a lot of new bulltein boards and classroom decorations from all of the ideas that I have been finding on the internet from many amazing teachers!  Thank you for sharing your wonderful creations!  They have definitely helped make my classroom very bright and cheery this year.

This shot is right inside of my classroom door to the right.  Normally I have a carpet here, but I am thinking of not having it back and using carpet squares instead - they aren't so permanent.  The blue chart is the daily schedule.

This wall is to the left of my classroom door.  It houses the students' mailboxes, behaviour chart, daily objectives, VOICES writing board and my math bulletin board. 

Close up of behaviour and objectives. 

I don't often use the centre chalkboard since we have LCD projectors, but I do like to leave a little space just in case.  Right now we have our voice levels chart, stamina graphs, and classroom rules. 

This is a close up of the math bulletin board.  The math word wall part will continue to be added to throughout the year.  I also still have to make number cards for the hundreds chart. 

This is the word wall.  LOVE this idea that I found on the internet. It fit the space I had perfectly.   

Word Wall close up.

Class writing journals. 

School theme bulletin board. 

A place to hang student work.  Each student will get a square. 

Writing bulletin board. 

AR Goals.  I still have to make the library cards to go into the pockets.  These cards will track the students' points during the year.  They are right behind my desk, so they will be easy for me to update. 

Student mailboxes and supplies

Full shot of CRAFT board. 

Thank you for looking!  And agian, thank you thank you thank you for sharing your many creations on the internet!!

Linking up with TBA's Freebie Friday

Sorry I haven't blogged in a bit...been camping!!  I have been back and forth to school a few times but keep forgetting the camera....this weekend I will try to remember it. 

In the meantime, I have been working hard creating my lessons/handouts for my Word Work classes. I will attach the document here....sorry the Guess The Covered Word Lessons are missing.  I don't know how to attach PowerPoint presentations yet - eek!  The document is 108 pages and it goes along with Month-by-Month Phonics For Third Grade by Patricia M. Cunningham and Dorothy P. Hall.  Hope they can help someone out!!  Be sure to check out all of the other bloggers on TBA!!

VOICES Writing Menu

So, I don't often blog twice a day {usually not even twice a month - though I am trying to be better at that}, but I am SOOOOOO excited about how my new writing bulletin board turned out.  I am extremely OCD when it comes to my bulletin boards and when I stumbled across Kristen's VOICES headers and coordinating lined paper on her blog, I jumped all over it.  Using some of the 6+1 Traits of Writing strategies that I found over on proteacher, I came up with this!!  Now I will be taking the time to sit down and create all of my writing lessons for the upcoming year based on this new bulletin board ~ hoping I can find lots of ideas on your blogs!!

Updated Behaviour Chart

For a few years now I have been doing a colour-coded {I am Canadian!!} behaviour chart.  I found that throughout the year, as it was used, I was FOREVER re-stapling it to the wall.  This year, I am planning on using the CRAFT and VOICES bulletin boards, thanks to Kristen at Ladybug Teaching Files{LOVE the colours and circles}, so I was thinking of sticking with the circle theme when designing my classroom this year.  I am planning on following the behaviour chart steps from Littlest Learners.  I love the idea of changing the colours of the clothes pins and adding stickers to them - so simple!! 

So here is my new chart so far.  I am going to attach all of the circles together with a thick black ribbion to hang from the wall to keep it very secure and therefore, no re-stapling.  I am really liking the way that it will take up a lot less wall space as well.  Oh, and I should explain that the red circle "SIR" stands for Student Incident Report...what the school sends home to the parents if the child clips to red - our school's behaviour policy.

Behaviour Clip Chart 2012-2013

A Rainy Day = A Trip to School

It has been either exceptionally hot here or pouring rain....ugh!  But one thing about being cooped up inside....productivity!  Since my builder husband was unable to work today {due to the weather}, I took advantage of him being home to watch the kiddies and drove off to school for some library organization, photocopying, and laminating. 

Before I began, I took the opportunity of an empty classroom to snap some pics.  It's amazing how easily you forget what your classroom and bulletin boards look like ~ but I guess that's what can happen when you have taught there for as long as I have ;)

This is the front black board wall - usually I cover 4 out of the 5 black boards since I usually use my LCD projector and document camer for any whole group lessons.

Emergency Exit wall....I LOVE having an outside door on my classroom ~ great breezes!

Back Wall ~ first half

Back Wall ~ second half (and classroom library)

Entry wall....usually do my CAFE (this year CRAFT) board here.

Oodles of laminating that I brought home to cut!!  CRAFT & VOICES bulletin boards (thanks to Ladybug!!), some things from Clutter Free, and a socials bulletin board that I created.

Time to start cutting!!

  Well, at least all of the cutting will keep me busy during the rainy day they are predicting for tomorrow .....that and I found my bread maker!!  I already have a loaf of banana bread on the go and plenty of zucchini bread to follow! 

New {School} Year ~ New Ideas

Every summer, like all teachers, I sit and reflect upon the previous school year.  I then proceed with making a list of things to work on.  This year I have quite a list, but most of it is just making some old things seem new again - new socials projects, new Bible notebooks, but the same curriculum. 

However, I do have a few brand new things that I am going to implement this year. Yesterday, Mrs. M had a linky party.  She asked us to list 4 new things that we are going to implement into our classrooms this year.  While I drank my morning coffee this morning, I browsed her blog and the other blogs and was hit with much inspiration.  I am thinking that my list of new things may soon become much longer after seeing these wonderful ideas!  Thank you for sharing everyone! 

But for now, I am going to concentrate on my own list...hopefully I can get it done early so that I can try out a few new ideas I have found reading other wonderful blogs along the way. 

1. 6+1 Traits.  I began implementing this last year, however I want to take it all the way this year.  Writing is something I find my students struggle with from year to year and I want them to love it.  I want to brighten up my bulletin board for this and make it something I can use from year to year. 

2. Math:  This year our entire school is switching to Bob Jones University Math Curriculum.  I am VERY excited about this. The program is very teacher friendly (much unlike the last 2 we have tried) and it has wonderful expectations for the students and strives to have them not only understand math concepts but to love math.

3. Spelling:  I don't have it yet, but I am implementing a new spelling program this year too....a little more "old school" ~ the way spelling was when I was younger. I am still planning on using Spelling City for my tests and review games, but most of our lessons and activities will be done in class. 

4.  Admin Team:  This year I will be on the Admin Team of my school.  We are running without a principal this coming year and 3 staff members have stepped up to cover that role.  My duties will include being in charge of the schools curriculum review and implementation and supervision of staff professional development.  I am very excited about this and have full confidence in the Admin Team and the rest of the staff to have a very successful year.

2012-2013 Daily Plans

Thanks to Ladybug's Teacher Files, I have managed to come up with my daily plans for this year.  I absolutely love changing it up each year to keep things fresh and she managed to give me great inspiration.  Here they are:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.  Hope they continue on in the inspiration department!

Bob Jones University Math 3 Chapter One Curriculum Plan

This year my school is switching to Bob Jones University Math.  It is VERY teacher friendly and I am really looking forward to implementing it this coming year.  I've spent the last day and a bit hammer out Chapter One and here is the document that I've come up with....only 18 more chapters to go!!  Stay tuned.  I hope to be a much more diligent blogger this summer and throughout the year!