Well, it’s Wednesday and I’m pretty much pooped. I guess I have been running off of pure adrenaline since Monday morning, but I have finally hit a wall… the wall of exhaustion. Anyone else out there feel the same way?! The first week of school is full of fun and excitement, but it’s a lot of work, y’all! Seriously, my paperwork, to-do list, and pile of forms is never-ending and even if I stay awake until midnight I still have a ton to do the next day! Phew, just give this sister a nap and let’s call it a day!
Before I totally fall off the adrenaline bandwagon, I want to share what we’ve been doing this week with you. I fully intend on sleeping all weekend, so this is my only chance 🙂
On Tuesday we made our Class Promise to one another. I actually haven’t done this in a couple of years, but am so glad I made the time yesterday! We wrote our promise together, signed the bottom, and made our little mini-me’s to go around it. I hope to keep this up all year, but I’m a sucker for changing out student work! I used Krista’s little people that you can find HERE! My 2nd class did the same thing and they are on another wall, so I have 40 of those little people hanging up in my room and two classroom promises 🙂
Today we read The Recess Queen. Last year I would hear my students play this story over and over again using the Storia app on our ipads. Well, I knew if they loved it all year then I needed to incorporate it this year! PTL for Michelle and her precious unit! Because I have two classes, I’m trying to work smarter (not harder) when it comes to making charts. I’m going to try and use my white board easel more so I can save paper. I’m so glad I did today because I got such different responses from my two classes when I asked, “What do you know about Mean Jean?!”
After we listened to The Recess Queen, discussed the main character, and made our very own recess rules, my students worked with their partner to tell me why they are NOT a bully! It started a great conversation about bullies and the appropriate reaction to their behavior!
And boy do they look cute on my wall! My room is already covered with student work, and I absolutely LOVE it!
In math we have been going through my Let’s Get Started! unit. We’ve explored manipulatives, had discussions about our math tools, and even started using our math spirals!
My kiddos have really loved our Number Talk time! This takes all of 7 minutes, and I have found out so much about my students and their number sense through this quick intro activity 🙂
One of my goals this year is to incorporate word problems as much as possible. I would LOVE to say I’ll start every math block with them, but that’s probably not going to be my reality. However, I started them first thing this week so I would get in the habit of including our problem solving time!
We’ve done some of the word problems as a class on chart paper…
but mostly we have been solving them in our math spirals. This really helps me see how my students solve their problems and find their answers. We’ve had several conversations about coming to the same answer but in different ways 🙂
I think the biggest hit with my kiddos was decorating our journals with stickers! After seeing Abby’s post about her son’s journal, I knew I just had to do that this year! I’ve done magazine pictures before, and they also loved that! This was just super easy and very exciting for them!
PS… LOD stands for Language of the Day. It’s a Dual Language thing 🙂
After decorating our covers, we wrote our first journal entry! They chose a sticker to write a short story about 🙂 Easy, simple, but oh so fun for little ones!
Hi, I'm Amy
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Thanks for sharing!! Looks like you and the kids are having fun. I love your Mean Jean bulletin board with the writing samples. I don't know when we will be starting our school year (I teach in BC, Canada and we are on strike)but I will be keeping that book in mind. It is such a great way to open discussion about recess behavior and bullying. Only two more days this week, you can do it 🙂
Lauren Dancing Through The Days With Mrs Gadicke
I can't wait for the place value unit! You always have such cute ideas and it is what we are working on right now in my classroom!
Love!
Wow, there is SO much here that I am excited to use!!! Love the student work displays! I cannot WAIT to see the place value unit!! 🙂
I definitely feel the same way! My class has been asking all week when they get to read the Recess Queen, so I think I'll have to pick up this unit. It looks great! I will also snatch up your Place Value unit the moment that it's posted. Your math units are the BEST!
i'm going to admit…. I'm kind of missing my 2nd grade…AND they're hiring another 2nd grade at our school. boo. lol
I always love to see what you're up to. My husband blessed me today by taking my car to get new tires. I thought I was going to have to do that! Have a great weekend. Jan
I always enjoy reading your blog and you have some great activities! Thanks for sharing!
Katie The Scoop on Primary
I always enjoy reading your blog and you have some great activities! Thanks for sharing!
Katie The Scoop on Primary
Love The Recess Queen! We read that book this week too. Got a question….when you hang their work up like their Mean Jean writing, do you edit with them before so everything is spelled correctly or is their work hung up with their invented spelling? Just curious!
Where are the letters from? The ones that say, “Wow! Great Work!” I LOVE them! Kirsten
11 Responses
Thanks for sharing!! Looks like you and the kids are having fun. I love your Mean Jean bulletin board with the writing samples. I don't know when we will be starting our school year (I teach in BC, Canada and we are on strike)but I will be keeping that book in mind. It is such a great way to open discussion about recess behavior and bullying.
Only two more days this week, you can do it 🙂
Lauren
Dancing Through The Days With Mrs Gadicke
I can't wait for the place value unit! You always have such cute ideas and it is what we are working on right now in my classroom!
Love!
Wow, there is SO much here that I am excited to use!!! Love the student work displays! I cannot WAIT to see the place value unit!! 🙂
I definitely feel the same way! My class has been asking all week when they get to read the Recess Queen, so I think I'll have to pick up this unit. It looks great! I will also snatch up your Place Value unit the moment that it's posted. Your math units are the BEST!
i'm going to admit…. I'm kind of missing my 2nd grade…AND they're hiring another 2nd grade at our school. boo. lol
I always love to see what you're up to. My husband blessed me today by taking my car to get new tires. I thought I was going to have to do that! Have a great weekend.
Jan
I always enjoy reading your blog and you have some great activities! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
The Scoop on Primary
I always enjoy reading your blog and you have some great activities! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
The Scoop on Primary
Love The Recess Queen! We read that book this week too. Got a question….when you hang their work up like their Mean Jean writing, do you edit with them before so everything is spelled correctly or is their work hung up with their invented spelling? Just curious!
Where are the letters from? The ones that say, “Wow! Great Work!” I LOVE them!
Kirsten