Boy oh boy has it been a busy beginning of the year!  Our school got ipads this year and every single second I am not teaching, I am working on that ipad to find amazing resources for my kiddos.  Overwhelmed?  That's an understatement!  And I love technology!  I just feel like I am starting over in a new grade or new school or something.  Ok, enough of my complaining.  I see the violins coming out.

Check this out!  My grade level was brainstorming ideas to put out in the hall for back to school.  In addition we were talking about putting up a background paper with the students name or something to keep up for the year where we can add their current papers.  With all kinds of nifty ideas throwing around this is what we decided.

1.  I used Whimsey Workshop clipart of a boy and girl and I erased part of their head so students could form their own.

2.  Then I added a cute frame and space to write an acrostic poem.  Students had to draw and color themselves and write an acrostic poem using their name.



3.  Then we took pictures of the kids and pasted them on a short piece of paper.  Students had to brainstorm numbers and words that represented them.

4.  We glued both pieces of work onto a long 12 X 18 piece of construction paper and laminated.


5.  Next we took four paperclips and put them a 1/4 inch above and inside each corner.  That way we can add current papers.  We taped the back to keep them in place.


6.  Last we put them up in the hall!



This is what it looks like when you add a new assignment:



When we take the assignment down and don't have a current paper to put in the hall, it will still look decorated!  Genius right?  I love looking at their drawings of themselves and comparing it to their actual photo.  I have some artists in here!  Toats Adorbs.  What does that mean?  That is my teenager's language for totally adorable!  What do you put in the hall at the beginning of the year?

NOTABILITY AND IPAD GIVEAWAY!!!!  Do you want to learn about Notability and enter to win an iPad mini?  This is for you!!!  My rockin Lesson Deli girls have teamed up to offer not only 16 incredible apps, but their expertise to go along with it!  Oh and let's not forget that since we are talking techie, we are raffling off an iPad mini so you can see what these apps can do for you and your classroom!  




Are you familiar with Notability?  If not, you need to check it out!


What is your favorite app????

Although I've been teaching for a bajillion years, I still find that the littlest organizing tip goes a long way!   I am going to mix a few of my all time favorites with some of my new found treasures!  This is going to make my classroom run as smooth as silk!

1.  Class Mailboxes-  I have used these for years and they are best!  I assign each student a number in alphabetical order.  When turning in papers, I have students place the assignment in their mail slot and I can quickly check to see who didn't turn one in.  Then I can collect them in number order which makes it easy for entering grades!  Oh yeah!  I'm doing the happy dance.  Click for a link to where you can find it in Amazon!  I like the wood ones the best!


I also have a mailbox.  This is used for student notes as well as lunch money, bus notes. and other important information.  In the past, students put them on my desk, but if you saw my desk, you would see why I needed a new plan!  After misplacing a few items, it was time for a change!  I got this adorable designed box from Kirklands for 50% off and added a label to it.  Click on the picture for a link to similar ones from Pioneer.




3.  Leaving the Room Sign-  Also on the inside of my door, I posted this sign.  I laminated the colorful section and made copies of the signing part.  Then I tied a string to a pen and taped it to the door.  When students leave the room, they need to sign out.  Then when they return, they cross it off.  This is especially effective if we have a fire drill.  I can quickly check the list as we are lining up!  Although I usually remember who is out, there is always a panic as I'm counting heads and checking my clipboard for students at a quick second.


4.  Class Library- To keep order for my class books, I bought these baskets and labeled chapter books according to their genre.  I also place color-coded dots on the books with a letter so they can easily be placed back in the correct basket.  For example- M- Mystery.  Below there are fiction picture books on one side and nonfiction picture books on the other side.  Click the picture for a link to the baskets!


5.  Daily Lessons-  This is one of my favorite organizing tips of all time!  My partner, Roberta, found it at Ikea in the children's department.  I can place all the worksheets, plans, even books needed in these bins for each day of the week.  Below the days of the week, I place extra lessons or lessons coming in the future for my subjects.  Boy oh boy does this keep me organized!!!!!  Click on the picture for a link to the white frame!  Click HERE for the green drawers.


 6.  Jobs-  I have two classes.  I assign two students from each class to a job.  That way, if they are absent or out of the room, there is someone to perform the job.  I have two students from each class on vacation.  I allow them to sit back and watch others work!  (I even allow them to put their feet up, ha!)  My jobs include:  Geek Squad, Teacher Assistant, Cafe Team, Clean Team, Pencil Team, Board Team, Library Team, Cubbie Team, Library Team, Chairs Team, Floor Team, Supplies Team.  There is a description of their job duties on the chart.  I have students on the same job for the whole month.  That way I can keep track of their duties!   Then we rotate!  Click on the pic below for an editable version!  



Another idea for team work:  I place 4 different colors on the desks.  Below, you will see a pink cloud.  That is the color who will be the group helper for the day or week or month.  I move them whenever I feel like it!

7.  Missing Work Board-  MIA- Missing/Incomplete Assignments.  I place this on the white board so I can write names under it.  No Names- I clip any no names to this board.  Absent- If they are absent, I clip their work.  Incomplete work- I clip it.  In the middle there is a "Look What I Did" board.  I found this at Kirklands and although it doesn't go with the missing assignments, it was a space on the wall so I will highlight some Rockin Work!










9.  Collect Items-  This is especially useful at the beginning of the year when I am collecting class supplies!  I place bins and signs and they go at it!  Of course if it was something I had to track, I would do it with a list instead of this way.  It saved us lots of time that first day!


10.  Group Supplies-  I found these at Walmart and they are perfect!  Each group has markers, color pens, colored pencils, a tape dispenser, glue sticks, and scissors.  I have rules for the supplies!  Markers need to be facing up to see the color.  If a lid is missing, throw it away and get a new one from the class supply.  Pencils are to placed point down to see the colors.  Keep them sharpened and the bins neat!  Click for similar ones.


I hope these classroom organization tips help you this year!  If you have any tips that work well for you, please share!  I would love to see what else I can do to make my job easier!



Do you need classroom management ideas?

Can you believe that it is time to welcome students through the door?  I had Meet the Teacher last night and got to see all those sweet faces!  I think I am finally ready but have one more day to work on little things.  In preparing for the coming weeks, I am super excited to share a few products that I came across.

I have been working and working and working on this second grade bundle.  OVER 400 PAGES!  I had a few customers who teach 2nd grade who kept looking at my other grade writing bundles and asked if I would do a 2nd grade one.  Whew!  I can now breathe and I am so happy to have it uploaded and ready for BACK TO SCHOOL!  I will give a description but first I want to let you know that it is 50% off until Friday- Aug.15th and 10 pm!  No lie!

DIY- Super Easy Classroom Curtains-  I am not kidding when I tell you it took me 5 minutes to do this!