Penguin Theme

Well, I thought I could depart from the Penguin Theme… but I CAN’T! Being Mrs. Person’s Penguins is just too cute c: So I have decided I will “up” the theme factor this year.

Door- Welcome to our COOL CLASS! Iceberg and ocean with cute penguins all around- each with one of my firsties names on it! Pretty easy because all you need it white and blue butcher paper!

Line up rhyme- “Standing in line is easy to do when you take care of only you. Flippers are forward, wings to the side, beaks are closed. We walk with pride!” Last year my kiddos kept saying “walk with priZE” so I would always really emphasize the “d” in PRIDE! It became a joke that we all said “Pri-duh!” each day.

Class mascots- I have two stuffed penguins, Piper and unamed fat penguin (hahaha). I let the kids name the fat one c: Last year his name was Pencil.

Favorite Penguin Books- Tacky the Penguin series

The Penguin Who Wanted to Fly

Pink!

Where Is Home, Little Pip?

Behavior System- I am so excited that I (with help from my super creative and hilarious husband) figured out a way to theme my clipchart! It goes like this

Penguin Perfection

Fine Feathered Friend

Waddle On

Ready to Learn

Slippery Slope

Thin Ice

Parent Contact (husband suggested some really silly ones here… eaten by a polar bear, avalanche, etc…. haha)

I downloaded some super cute penguin and ice fonts to fancy up the chart! Right now it is in pieces on the couch… But tomorrow it will be hanging in the room! Whoohoo!

Theme

I am considering doing an Explorer Theme in my room... I have done penguins before, but I just don't do much with the theme. I decorate my door, we have a line-up rhyme that talks about flippers and wings, and we have some penguin mascots... Not an all out theme...

Our school is the Eastside Explorers... No one does much with that either, but I would like to, perhaps. I just don't know. I saw Abby's clipchart that she has made for her Rock n Roll theme. It inspired me to want to have our clip chart that way, too... But penguins just wouldn't work. However, Explorers would! We could start on Ready to Explore and move up to Eureka! or something similar. Moving down could be Off the Path or Lost.

What does a themed room need???

-door decor

-clip chart

-mascot If I did an explorers theme, we could be arctic explorers so the penguins could be the mascots...

-labels around the room "Explore a Book" etc...

-what else???

Anyone else do an explorers theme?

Library Organized!

This week I have finished organizing my library! Hooray for me. Hooray its over. I want to know how you organize your library! I also want to share pictures of mine with you, but I keep forgetting my camera... Oh well, next Friday I'll go in (after our Savannah vacation!!!) and take pictures.

So last year I organized by genre. I leveled nothing. I also realized I did NOT have enough low level books for my kids to be reading Just Right text at the beginning of the year. My friend/mentor Brooke told me she buys sight word sets of books from Scholastic with her bonus points. Genius! So I did too. I want to get one more set before school, and I'll feel good about the number I have.

First of all I went through all my books (feel like I am missing some...) and organized them. I have themed text to use through the year, my books the kids can't touch but I will read aloud, Writer's Workshop texts, and the kids' library books. I divided the kids' books into 4 piles- one for each 9 week segment. I put progressively harder books in each one, but some easier ones will carry over. This took A LONG TIME.

This year I am organizing by genre AND level. Our school library has dot stickers to represent levels, so I got the same. Orange is below 1st grade, yellow 1.0-1.5, green 1.6-2.0. Pretty simple... So I leveled all the books I will be putting out for the first 9 weeks. I used Scholastic's site and the AR site. I had quite a few that weren't in either data base, so I guessed!

So then I put the books into 7 groups: nursery rhymes, favorite books, Sunshine books, Orange level, Yellow level, ABC/Number/Color/Opposite books, and Dr. Seuss books. The groups each have their own tub- labeled with the genre and what level books are inside. For instance- the Dr. Seuss tub has yellow, green, and pink (above 2.5 level) books inside so the tag has a yellow, green, and pink sticker on it.

Now I have to figure out how to use the system.... I want the kids to have books on their level. However, I will have to figure that out for each child- we don't have the STAR test or any other assessment tool to tell us their level. I also don't want to discourage reading the pictures or retelling a story... So here is my idea.
1. For the first 3-4 weeks let kids get whichever books they choose-limit 3 books. After that, limit them to 2 books on their level and 1 free choice. I think that seems ok... Thoughts??

Winners Are...

Congrats to...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 4

Kinderglynn said...

I follow you on TPT! Your game is really cute.
Donna

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 6

Kinderpond said...

I just found your blog- thank goodness for blog rolls!


Jennifer

I apologize for my lack of cute number generators... Someone needs to teach me how! Lucky winners, let me know your email addresses and I'll send you the unit!

Thanks to all who entered! Here's a freebie for you :) This is "Penguin Publication" a newspaper to teach firsties about text features. As I said before, I would like feedback, so if you download it- please let me know what you think!

Last Day of Giveaway!

Alright, its your last chance to win the Peter Pan unit! Enter here. Comment, follow me here, or follow me on TpT to win!

So, I have been busy this week. Well, busy for summer time busy. I went to Promethean Board training. It was the first day of training, and I knew most of the info already, but I made 4 games while I was there! Whoo! I found out that Smart board files can be transferred to our ActivInspire software, so that is exciting!

AND I made some headway for Writer's Workshop this year. I planned out what units I want to do for the entire year, made a daily schedule for how WW will go, and tweaked last year's plans for the first 14 days! I feel ready to go! I will be posting my WW plans on TpT this year.

Also- having too much fun on pinterest!!

Giveaway!

Hello,
Don't forget the giveaway ends on Saturday!! Click here to enter and win my Peter Pan unit.

Ok- I am super excited to say I have fallen in {love} with a new website- pinterest. If you are unfamiliar, it is like having a cork board and putting pictures on it and showing it to your friends! Click here to check it out. I have one board devoted to school stuff- and I have been finding tons of amazing ideas! Its such a fun and creative way to share. If you want an invitation, comment with your email address.

I am currently making some measurement workstation activities (with super cute fairy tale clip art). I just don't seem to have many manipulatives or games/activities for measurement and money, so I am trying to fill in the blanks. If you have or have seen any good money or measurement stuff, please direct me to it!

ALSO- I have been in my classroom a bit- rearranging and such. I decided I will keep my old word wall with post-its, but I'm moving it to a new board.
I will have a vocabulary board beside it, also with post it notes! So, I HAVE to find more post-it notes!! I need the ones with handwriting lines on them. If you see them, PLEASE let me know!!!

Peter Pan.... Giveaway!

I finally finished my Peter Pan unit today! I feel so accomplished. It has reading, writing, math, and art activities in it. It includes some Read, Write, Glue, Draws, math journal questions and thinking maps. The clipart is from JW Illustrations- SUPER cute! It is my first big unit, so I'd love feedback! Hmm. How will I get feedback?? I know! I'll give it away!

So, I am having a giveaway. I will pick 2 winners (hey, only 10 people follow this blog. you're chances are GREAT!) on Saturday, July 9th!
Here's how to enter- comment each time you do one of the following
1. blog about the giveaway
2. follow me here
3. comment about it here!
4. follow me on TpT


Here's the link to the Peter Pan unit so you can check it out!
And... here's the link to the Fishing for Fives game from the last post.
Enjoy!