This is where all the information is going - weekly newsletter, rules, etc... We don't have our schedule yet, so that will be added when we know it. You can also see the map for our postcard exchange on the left. The birthday chart will be a pictograph with little cupcakes. By the way, I know parts of it look wrinkled, but this is a whiteboard that I had to turn into a bulletin board, and the humidity got to it. I'm just thrilled it's staying up so far!
We officially start Monday, so I feel good to be ahead. This was a new room (I had changed rooms), so I had to start from scratch. I wasn't sure how long it would take me, so I started a week ago (unpacking, etc...).
I still have to finish the hallway, but the brown bulletin board paper ran out and the order hasn't come in yet. Hopefully it will be here before the kids come on Thursday!
You did a great job on your room. I love the AR Board-I may have to borrow that. I have had a jungle theme for the past 5 years and this will probably be my last year doing it!! Great Job!!!
I still don't feel like I use my word wall to its fullest benefit, but I try. I like to do "word wall work" every Wednesday (easy to remember with all the Ws!). It may be something simple like:
1. Write a sentence with each of the "C" words.
2. Write a story using at least 5 of the words.
But this year I want to expand it more and tie it more in with L.A. (like find all the nouns, verbs, etc...) depending on what we're studying that week. Just something verbal that will help them remember the words up there so they can use it as a reference when they're writing.
1. Write a sentence with each of the "C" words.
2. Write a story using at least 5 of the words.
I wanted to let you know that I found some Word Task cards that would be perfect for what you are describing. i cant do attachments since I am new still, but I think i found them on PT. You might be able to find them too.
Not a dummy question at all - I probably asked the same thing when we first went to these computers!
There is just one tower for the 4 computers - they're all connected. The great thing is that shutting them down is easy - I just go to the first one on the right (the one directly connected to the tower) and the rest shut down on their own after that! I think that's as many as they can fit on one tower. I'm not sure since this room wasn't mine until this year.
The tower for the computer on the right doesn't show in the picture because the computer guy came and got it this afternoon. There was something wrong with it . Normally it sits behind the printer. He promises it will be back (or a similar one) before school starts!
lesjohnstone - thanks for the info - for some reason I think I printed those this summer - now it's a matter of finding them! Thanks for reminding me.
Last edited by SusanTeach; 07-29-2010 at 03:51 PM..
Reason: Forgot to add something.
Your jungle room is always so cute! This one looks awesome! Hey where did you find those bamboo curtains? Those are so cute, love your word wall too! I might have to "borrow" that idea..I have that same monkey bulletin board set
The students will love it. I like the use of the word wall work on Wednesdays. Great way to incorporate more writing/language. How did you select the words, from your reading or spelling or?
m&m - I can't remember where I got the words - I think it was a 3rd grade list a few years ago. The state changed the words, but they were sooooo easy, so I switched back to this one. I think they're the "most commonly misspelled" or something like that.
b2keifer - my wall was this bright yellow already, so I was worried, but I love the way it makes the rest stand-out! The bamboo came from Oriental Trading a year ago. Last year I had it on my front door, but people kept running into it so I had to keep hot-glueing it back up there. I think I'll like it better at the window! Feel free to "borrow" anything - I think I got most of my ideas through the years from PT!
Your room is very creative and cute! I just want to grab a book and curl up in your reading corner! I like the way you use your word wall, too! Thanks for sharing!
Susan Teach your room looks fantastic! It's truly an insiration to me as I am going into my first yr. teaching this year. I'm soo nervous! I'm actually doing a monkey theme bc I just love monkeys so it's similar to your jungle theme! I will be in 2nd grade and was wondering what words I could use for them on a word wall and activities to use? Do you only do stuff on Wednesdays?
And all of your letters and words .. did you buy them from somewhere premade or type them on computer and do it yourself??
Your room is so cute. I especially love the hut! I am going to "borrow" your idea! I was just in my room yesterday trying to figure out what to do with my mat. I might hang work from it, but I am definitely going to make one of those!
Susan Teach - I was also curious about how you organized your books in the reading area? I have tons of books but am getting very overwhelmed trying to organize all of my files, papers, buy things I need, get things ready, figure out what I need, etc. I am a little stressed out lol. But I am not sure how I should organize the books on the bookshelves?
Thanks and sorry I keep asking you all these questions! :-)
Wow - y'all are so encouraging! Thanks for all the compliments!
newteach14 - I've never taught 2nd grade, but you may want to ask if there are specific words they want you to use. I think each state has a different set of words that they should know by the end of that grade (at least ours does here in MS). Unfortunately, the words were too easy, so I use different ones. No, they're not premade - I just typed them on the computer, glued them to bulletin board paper, and laminated them. I think this is the 3rd year (not in a row) that I've used them.
We use A.R. at our school, so my books are set up by levels. I have one small bookcase (the one with a globe on top, if it showed up in the picture) with "non-A.R. books". The kids may read those when they reach their A.R. goal. The rest start at below 1st grade level and go in order up to 11th grade. I used labels that shows the level, so the kids can easily spot the red (3rd grade), blue (4th grade), etc... stickers and know what area to look. I tried using baskets for my books before, but I really love having them set up like a real library (except they're by level and not author's last name). If you don't want to put the stickers on there, you can just write the level on the front with a sharpie. I did that before I got stickers. You can use www.arbookfind.com if you want to know the level of books. Oh... and the 2 buckets at the top have science and social studies non-fiction reading - they're not A.R. either. The A.R. starts right below them.
I just LOVE your room. I am doing a jungle themed room this year for the 1st time and I can only HOPE that my room comes out half as cute as yours is!!! It is truly wonderful and comfortable! Your class is going to love it!!! Thank you so much for sharing and I sure hope that you don't mind me stealing some ideas!!! : )
I love your room! I save the picture of your reading area. Would like to set mine up like it! However, I don't have a window to look as cute as yours. Where did you get the bamboo curtains?
Here's the link to the bamboo on the side of my window. They have it on sale for $5.99 right now! I had to laminate it to make it a little more sturdy, but I used it last year all year, and seems fine. Obviously my window is smaller than in the picture, so I overlapped the top some. Then I just cut out leaves from bulletin board paper to add to the top. I had it on my front door last year, but I like it by the window better.
Tiger82 - They're just stuffed lions that someone gave me from a garage sale. They're both males, so I gave one of them a tiara to make it look like a female! The other one has a little cloth crown on it already (came that way). The kids get to put a lion on their desk when they're King/Queen for that week. That's so simple and yet they love it so much!
Your room looks great! I really like your classroom library. I also noticed your high frequency word wall font size was appropriately large! Your students will love your classroom!
07-29-2010, 11:09 AM
Here's the hut for the King/Queen of the Jungle:
. I have had a jungle theme for the past 5 years and this will probably be my last year doing it!! Great Job!!!
. Normally it sits behind the printer. He promises it will be back (or a similar one) before school starts!
The other one has a little cloth crown on it already (came that way). The kids get to put a lion on their desk when they're King/Queen for that week. That's so simple and yet they love it so much!
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