Flamingo crazy

I may have gone a little flamingo crazy this year. It all started when I found this flamingo tablecloth at Joann's for 70% off and then I couldn't back away!

I got a few of the tablecloths and hung them for a display in my classroom to hang work.

 

I couldn't stop with the puns or the flamingos... so I didn't.  I embraced the theme this year! Of course, I haven't taken any other photos of my classroom... but I do have a couple of little flamingo freebies that I wanted to share. First up, some flamingo hall passes. I got these lanyards for my kids to wear when they need to go somewhere. The only passes that are not included are bathroom passes. I use hand sanitizer bottles for bathroom passes, so I just needed passes for other possible places students may be traveling. In the past I haven't used passes because our kids had agendas that we would sign, but this year we have been asked to have passes.

 

These are perfectly sized for the ID badges I got from Amazon. They have simple black lanyards that attach. 

If you would like to download this freebie, click on the picture below:

Last year I grouped my kids according to seating chart and they collaborated most frequently with shoulder partners at their tables. In an effort to use different collaboration strategies, I also made some flamingo Kagan Strategy tags for desks. They fit perfectly in the Target clear adhesive pockets from the dollar spot. Of course... I don't have a photo of these tags in action, but I do have the file available for you to download for free! Just click any photo below to be directed to the download.

I hope the kids embrace this flamingo obsession this year too!

Classroom Management Ten Pins

I am linking up with Ashley at Just Reed again this week to share some my favorite classroom management pins. I am usually really organized and ready to go... last year I felt behind ALL year! I moved to my school literally 3 days before school started and never felt like I was fully able to catch up. I had to put a lot of things just on shelves and cabinets and a lot of it I never got organized quite like I like it. If you are a neat freak, you know how I was feeling! I am actually really excited to be moving rooms this year so I can get everything just right!

I went up to school today... I know... {gasp}. I needed to get a few more things from my "old" room before the new teacher got in there and thought I left it for her. A good friend of mine came and helped me move my furniture {minus desks} into the positions that make sense. Now, I am left with organizing!

Of course classroom management is not just about having your stuff organized.. it's more about having your students organized. So, here are my favorite pins (which I will totally be implementing this year-- or may have already implemented!)

I love how this idea gives the students ownership over the rules. Will totally be doing something like this!

Love this for writing journals, math journals... ok... all journals!

Instead of the "No Name" display I am gonna put this guy next to the turn in basket and it will be a constant reminder that you must write your name on your paper! Love it!

I didn't have a huge problem with this last year but I might start the year with this chart to make sure I don't have another huge problem... :)

I blogged about this a while back. If you are into mustaches, this is available in my mustache classroom decor set. I love how this way of showing who and how they are going home is so easy to change if needed for each day. I hung it and will hang it right by my door for easy access. Love it!

This pin is actually for pointers while reading to help your little ones follow along. I am going to use this for my pick sticks though. Write the name on one end and put the gem on the other. Then after you've called on that person you can flip the stick over so you only pick the ones with gems. Love it!

I am new to the clip chart system, but plan on implementing this year. I love how this gives you a place to put those worn out clips that have gotten so many gems! Totally doing this!

I don't know about you but sometimes a lot of times when we are creating gooey things we have to spread all of it out around the room for drying time... I run out of places to put things to dry! I love this system... and I know I can make it look beautiful! :) Wondering if a pizza place will give those for free... hmmm...

This is one of those... Why didn't I think of that?! moments! I am planning on putting my whole sub binder in picture format.. That way there is no guessing! I can put pics of kids, pics of where things are located, etc. {This might help me remember where I put things too!} lol

Who loves when all your kids who need help come up and surround you? It is my biggest pet peeve-- I almost feel clostrophobic! I can't take it!!! I am in love with this pin... Making it....like NOW!!!

So, that's about it...I mean... there are A TON more pins out there that will be utilized but these are my top 10 that I will for sure be using and geting started! Also, check out my freebies section for a classroom rewards freebie that is sure to keep them making good choices in and OUT of the room!

p.s. I have hooked up with BlogLovin'. You can start following me there :)

cute calendars

The past couple of years I have used the same calendars in my students take home folders. They have worked well, but are kinda plain. I made the template 2 years ago and last year just stuck with it because it was easy to edit and it contained rules, expectations and a place to write a note to parents if needed. Well, it wasn't needed! I am serious!! I only had one student that ever needed a note home and a couple inches on the paper wouldn't have cut it (if you know what I mean).

With behavior calendars I know I am going to stick with stickers and then a marking system for other behavioral issues {tbd}. So, when I saw some adorable hand-drawn BLANK calendars on pinterest I downloaded them! Doodle Alley Art has created some pretty adorable freebies here for you! Check out this calendar for June that I just edited real quick...

Click the picture for the BLANK download link to all 12 months!

How cute is this calendar?! I love how each month is a little different and you can customize these for yourself by just adding some text. Do you know how to add text using adobe reader? It is really easy... Let me show you how {first time making a screen video... no judgements please}:

Excuse the dog barking at the end... My dog barks at EVERYTHING! She is just a little fur-ball that is afraid of her own shadow... gotta love her :)

Also, there may be other ways to add text to pdf's but this is the way that I have found that is easiest.. if you know of an easier way please share! 

So, I know we aren't all on the same schedule, but you can download my pre-made files if you want to see how they look... and maybe your calendar will line up with mine :)

Anyhoo--- what kind of behavior calendar are you using? If you have a school mandatory one, this calendar would be awesome for a classroom calendar.. so adorable! I made one for June (as you can see above)... 

I am about to begin training for a 5K. I know a 5K isn't that much, but I am not a runner. I can probably run 1.5 miles on a good day, but my sister and I are going to run one in August so I really want to be able to run the whole thing. This calendar is perfect for me to keep track of my running and cross-training choices {not to mention the extra-curriculars for my children!}

Have a happy Friday :)

Behavior Management

So, I posted about some awesome tongue depressers I got at Joann's a couple weeks ago and I am finally finished preparing them for their final destination.

As you can see from the photo, one side has a happy face and the other side has a sad face. Everyday the kids will start with their colors on the happy side. Instead of using a "pull a card" system the students will move one of their pieces of colored felt from the happy to the sad side. The supplies used to make this project include:

tongue depressers
markers
velcro dots
3 different colored pieces of felt

We will see how this works out this year! I might be more excited about how cute they are then the fact I got to make my own behavior management system that wasn't "pull a card"!! What are your behavior management plans this year?

Target Project Anyone...

Much like the rest of humankind, I LOVE Target. I cannot go in that place without spending $100. The sad part is I load up from the dollar bin--my hubby thinks I am certifiable but I can't resist! So, today I loaded up on these fabulous little accordian file folders:

These are miniature and perfect for flashcards among other things. My "among other things" will include: punchcards (so students can easily keep up with them) and "Blue Jay Bills" (our school positive behavior incentive money that students can spend in a store). I am loving this idea!!

Check it out-- I put labels on each tab: Need to Practice, Sight Words (2 tabs), Math Facts, Blue Jay Bills, and Punchcards. The first tab can be used for specific sight words or math facts that need to be practiced. So if we are studying certain words they will be in this tab to practice at home. After the student has mastered their cards they will get a new set to go in that tab and the cards that have been mastered will go back under the sight words tabs. Same with Math Facts. Blue Jay Bills can be kept in their tab until spent and the Punchcards will be brought out daily for punches.

I am calling these S.T.A.R. Files. (Students Taking Academic Responsibility). I am hoping this will be a great way for students to keep up with their own stuff. The label has S.T.A.R. in yellow...sorry you can't see!

Please excuse the nails...in need of a manicure ASAP!!


I cannot wait to use these and they are perfect for going back and forth from home to school! Parents will know what should be practiced and will be able to see how many punches their child has received on their card! Plus these can be used year after year. I just wrote numbers on them to assign to students!

So, if you would like to create these it is super easy and not too time consuming. To save you time I have labels here.

Have fun creating!

Behavior Calendars!!

Last year my school made monthly calendars to keep track of behavior. They were in the students folders and were easy to mark at the end of the day for parents to see how their students behavior was daily. Each night I would send the calendar home in the student's folder and the parents would initial they read the note or saw the behavior indicated.

The school I am at this year doesn't have anything in place for this except a very hard to read weekly form that I am not fond of. So, I decided (using that form as inspiration of course) to make my own calendars. Having a calendar you put in the folder once is easier than puting a new sheet in the folder weekly.

I don't really have a theme going this year but thought an easy to read and remember calendar is the "star behavior chart". I went ahead and made the whole years worth so now all I have to do is print and copy :) They are not super, duper cute like some things you can find on teacher blogs but they are sufficient and will work for me. I will probably copy each month on different colored paper so it will be obvious it is a new month.

If you would like a copy of these fab behavior calendar/chart things then click here!

Hope these are helpful!