Dollar Store Day

If it's July, it must be time to start haunting the dollar store for classroom bargains....

Here's what I found at the Dollar Tree today.  (Target, if you are listening....please load up my local Dollar Spot with classroom goodies soon....)

A pack of 20 foam circles (about 6 inches).  I wrote the numbers 1-20 on them in Sharpie marker.  I will pass them out to students to put the numbers in order (as a whole group activity).  I will also have the kids put the specified number of manipulatives on each circle in a math center.

Five (one dollar each) frog bath mitts for acting out Five Green Speckled Frogs at the beginning of the school year. Who can resist those grins?

I have walked by these foam puzzles before, but plan to put the letters in a bag and have kids pull them out of the bag and place them in the frame as a beginning of the year ABC center.  The kids could color this oldie but goodie printable from GrowinginPreK.com for accountability (and fine motor skills).  Click HERE for the free printable:

The original post is HERE

And... happy dance to find lots of the primary lined journals with room for pictures for a dollar each!

Last but not least... These plastic flip top jars were two for a dollar.  I think they will do double duty.  I will use them to hold smelly items for science during a Five Senses unit.  The kids will also count items in them for a beginning of the year math activity.  I need to stop thinking about it or I will go back for more than I have already bought!

Have you found any great bargains yet this summer?

Hugs,

Eilis

Harry and Rosemary Wong

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to attend a conference by Harry and Rosemary Wong.  I was familiar with their classic The First Days of School, but not their new book, The Classroom Management Book.

 This is an affiliate link to Amazon.com

We were given a copy of the book as part of the conference registration.  It may look a little dull on the outside.... but it is engaging, practical, and full of good resources. There are loads of photos from real classrooms. The Wongs were inspired to create this book by Sarah Jondahl.  Sarah is a teacher who had a very successful first year after writing a detailed classroom management plan for herself.  Basically, the Wongs reminded me that whether you are new to teaching or have done it for years, you should have a carefully prepared plan for the first weeks of school.  A major point that the Wongs emphasized yesterday was the importance of modeling every school procedure for students so the classroom will run smoothly for the rest of the school year.

I did not have this opportunity last year, since I came into an existing kindergarten class in January. I tried to leave as many of the previous teacher's routines in place as possible, not wanting to disrupt the students any more than I had to.  Fortunately, her style and my style were pretty comparable.  Still, I am looking forward to "starting from scratch" this year.  I will be referring to this book often.  It even has 40 QR codes that you can use to "visit" amazing teachers and resources.  The conference and book have even reminded me of little things I used to do at the beginning of school that I had forgotten about over time.  That is a great reason to make myself a first day of school script (as they recommend).

Hugs,
Eilis

Student Rekenreks

Happy dance.....I have been looking for a frame to make my student rekenreks on. I wanted something sturdy, that I wouldn't have to drill, without sharp corners, kid proof, etc.

Target came through again!  I found these sand toys in the summer section for 99 cents each. They stack. They have handles. They come in fun colors (blue, green, orange, and pink).  Does it get any better? Well, I guess if they'd been on sale that would have been better. But I'm still as happy as a teacher on summer vacation!

Hugs,

Eilis

Soccer Odd and Even Number Freebie

Do your students love soccer as much as mine do?  I hope they will enjoy this fun freebie. You can download it at my TPT store.
Two players take turns pulling the numbered soccer balls from a bag.  If the player needs the number, he places it on his mat.  If he does not need the number, he returns it to the bag and his turn is over.  The winner is the first player to fill all five spaces on his mat. There are also game mats without numbers for children who already know which numbers are odd/even. This could also be made into a file folder type activity for independent practice.

The cute clipart is by Kate Hadfield.

I am working on more soccer themed activities, so please follow me here, on TPT, or on Facebook for updates.

Happy Summer,

Eilis

I'm Joining the Rekenrek Fan Club

Last week, I went to professional development class on developing number sense in K-2. Before the class I had a vague familiarity with what a rekenrek was.   After the class, I knew I wanted to use them in my classroom next year.  I spent some time on Pinterest searching for ways teachers made them.  I thought THIS IDEA (free on TeachersPayTeachers) was great. Debi Goodman used two magnetic curtain rods (Walmart) for a demonstration rekenrek.

I tweaked her version a little putting mine on a cookie sheet and using wooden pieces from Hobby Lobby. The bag of 20 was around $3. (Sorry about the fuzzy photo.)

 I also plan to make a student set using pony beads.  I am still deciding whether to put them on foam bases or use something else as a frame.

Here are some more interesting links:
K-5 Math Teaching Resources
Mrs. Kurtas on YouTube

Hope you're enjoying your summer!

Eilis

New Catholic Printables

One of the wonderful things about teaching in a Catholic school is the freedom to include religion in my classroom.  This led me to create a new set of printables available in both my Teachers Notebook and TeachersPayTeachers shops.  All my proceeds from the sale of this religious printable will go to the school I teach at.  The needs there are great and I hope this will help.

Here's a little of what is included:

Here's the complete list:

27 Religion Word Wall Cards with pictures

11 Cut, Glue, and Write Sentences

Cut and Glue:  Sign of the Cross

Morning Offering

Our Father

Hail Mary (two versions)

Glory Be

John 3:14

St. Anthony

Holy Trinity

Grace Before Meal (two versions)

Quote from Mother Teresa

Why did God make Me?

Prayer of St. Francis

St. Rose of Lima

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Cover for Classroom Prayer Book

Cover for Classroom Saint Book

Liturgical Year signs for Prayer Table

Prayer quoted from  Pope Francis

The printable mini posters could be displayed on a prayer table, hung around the room, or made into a classroom book (covers included).  I plan to put the religion word wall words in a pocket chart near our prayer table.

Blessings,

Eilis

Mother'sDay

I was tickled by something one of my kindergarteners said today and had to share....

Background information:  in math we are learning to tell time to the hour.  We have not even touched half hours much less "quarter afters".

This afternoon, the children were supposed to be working on gift books for Mother's Day.  The children write and draw things that their moms cook, like, etc.

My student brought one of the plastic clocks up to me with the hands on 3:15.  He asked me if that is what time we go home from school at.  I was impressed that he knew this and told him so.  I bit my tongue and didn't point out that he was not doing what he was supposed to be doing.  Thank goodness I didn't say it.  His next words were priceless. "Good...'Cuz that's what my mom likes."

How absolutely wonderful that he feels that way.  Wow.

I have updated that printable if you would like to do it with your class in the next couple of days.

You can print it by clicking HERE.

The photo above was taken a couple of years ago when I taught Pre-K.  This year, my students did more writing.  We did the same cute fingerprint heart though.

Hugs,

Eilis