Pinterest to the Rescue

Teaching in a small, multi-grade, self-contained classroom has a plethora of challenges. Organization is one of the greatest challenges, because I have to keep track of all the assignments for each day. I like to work ahead, but often found myself making the same materials over because I could not find the ones I have already made. I tried the folder method, with a folder for each day. I would take the folder out and it would disappear. It doesn't help that I seem to be in constant motion all day and would carry it off, lay it down and forget where it was or leave it on my desk and cover it with a couple pieces of paper. Then, I was perusing Pinterest when I found what has proven to be my greatest find.

The funny thing was, I was not unfamiliar with the solution; I had just never put the two things together. Plastic drawers that hold 8 x 11 1/2 inch paper saved my day, and maybe, my sanity. I bought two sets of them and used sentence strips to label the first five: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The bottom drawer (there are three drawers in each set) is used for left-overs or for things still too far in the future. It makes keeping track of the work as easy as pie.
The site where I found the ideas was Controlling My Chaos.

My second greatest frustration in my classroom was the bulletin board. I loving having them. I hate changing them. I do not know where I saw this on Pinterest, but I followed a link about bulletin boards. The author suggested putting up a black background because I would go with anything. Last school year, I bought black material and put it on the board. Amazing! First, I love black and how it makes everything pop. Second, it really does go with everything!!! To make it even better, I found chevron borders at Joann's Fabric, in close-out. Check out how my board looks now!

I loved it so much, I used black on the bulletin board in the hall this year!

When I wanted to make a giant class puzzle for the first day of school, the idea was inspired by a link on Pinterest. I went to Have Fun Teaching because I check out most of my links because some don't work. I saw puzzles and thought about a first day of school activity that I had seen on the Internet, though I know not where. I made a giant puzzle by blowing up the puzzle pieces and gave one to each child. They wrote their name on it and decorated it. We put the puzzle together and I put the school and such on extra pieces. We glued the puzzle on to stock board and hung it on our door. Every piece was necessary for a complete classroom!

Our last day of school is totally fun. I look for activities that a school with students from K-8 can enjoy together. Looking at Pinterest, I found several Minute to Win It sites and saved lots of ideas. When it came time to plan the day, I went to my End of the Year Activities board and created our last day plan.

That worked so well, I spent spare summer moments building a new board for Back to School activities. A few days before my wonderful class entered the building, I sat down and used many of the ideas I pinned here and organized our first day together. I have to have tons of ideas because I teach the same children for up to six years and Pinterest has so many ideas, I never have to repeat myself unless I want to redo something they loved.

This year, I am trying to be a STEM classroom, that is I was until I went on to Pinterest and found out about STEAM. Now, with the tons of pins I have pinned, I will never run out of ideas and activities. I only have one problem now. I keep trying to remember how I taught before Pinterest, and I can't quite seem to remember! What is your best find on Pinterest?

Portable Centers

My classroom is small and I do not have good places to set up centers for every subject. Labor Day weekend gave me some free time to actually think about the situation and I think I may have come up with a workable idea.

I stopped by a dollar store to check for yummy veggies and fruit. As I walked down one aisle, I noticed the little, tri-fold boards and an idea was born. I bought it and brought it home.

The first thing I did was head over to my Anchor Charts board on Pinterest. I chose two math boards, both on fractions. I drew the Backward Zorro on the top half and the Butterfly Method on the bottom. Now I can add exercise sheets (which I will hold in place with page protectors) on either side-the left for the Backward Zorro and the right for the Butterfly Method.

Now I can put it on the table at the side of the room or kids can actually set it up at their desk. That is the beauty of the smaller tri-fold boards-they fit on my student desktops. When we are done, I can put the board away or leave it on the table.

I plan to make them for every subject. When I need to change the subject material, I have another plan. I am going to punch holes in the top of the board and add ring holders. Then I will be able to add new pages. As I change the pages, I will just flip it over to the back. To make the pages durable, I am going to laminate them.

STEM and the Parachute

Studying air pressure led us to a fun experiment. If you have a higher spot on your playground, you could do it too. For us, there is a second story staircase outside of our gymnasium that, though not as high as I would like, does work for experiments like this one.

When you climb to the top step and drop a metal washer, it falls straight down and lands very quickly. Let your kids see this for themselves Then the experiment begins. Every student needs a washer, a string and a plastic trash bag as well as access to tape. They were to construct their own parachute and see if they could slow the descent of the metal washer.

As you can see from the various pictures, they cut their bags-some into circles and some into squares. Some students opened their bag before they dropped it while others folded it up. They were allowed to re-design their parachutes, try new ways of dropping it and take more than one attempt. When they had all finished their experiment, we went back into the classroom where they wrote about what they did, what they changed and how their results were affected by the changes. When they were completely finished, we had a great class discussion. 

Kids learn so much more when they are allowed to experiment and learn things for themselves. Next year, we will intentionally be doing STEM/STEAM projects in our classroom. This one was just an example of what I like to see my students work in my room.

Easy Games for Mixed Ages

Physical education can be difficult in my classroom because I have a large range of ages in my room. There are a few games that just seem so easy to do in a mixed group. These are some of my student's favorite games.

At my school, we actually have four basketball hoops, but we could still do well if we only had two. These games may be very familiar to you, but you may have forgotten about them. I divide the students in groups of ability, rather than age. Now you may think that that could cause a problem, but I find that this grouping usually put kids in groups with their friends, and, because they have a chance to win, they are all happy in their own games. There are also times when the division ends up being along grade designations.

Golf Basketball:

In this game, a variation of Around the World (another game my kids love enough to play in their free time) you can use hula hoops or chalk. Draw circles in various places-or place the hoops in the various places. Vary the closeness of the "holes." They do not necessarily go in order. Number the holes-if you are using hula hoops, write the number inside the hoop. Also-in a small circle, give the hole a point value with harder shots getting higher points.

The students line up and take turns at each hole. If they make the shot, they go on and do not stop until they miss. As the go, it is up to them to keep their score. They keep playing until everyone finishes the course.

Horse:

Remember playing horse or pig or whatever word you want to spell. Again, the kids form a line. I will say oldest, youngest or maybe ABC order to give the kids an order to start the game. On the second game, we change the order.

The kids shoot the ball. If they make it, the next people have to do the same shot until someone misses. When someone misses, he gets the first letter from the word being spelled. Then the person behind the one who misses is off the hook and she gets to start with her own shot. The game goes on until someone has spelled the chose word.

Tennis:

This tennis game doesn't actual use a racquet. Create two teams. Draw a line between them on the cement or blacktop. Each team sets up like a volleyball game. One team gets the ball. You can use a tennis ball or a playground ball. The server bounces the ball and hits it across, just like a tennis player. The teams hit the ball back and forth like a tennis match.

The rules are the same in that a team can only get a point if it serves the ball. When a team has served and they fail to score, the ball goes to the other side. Each person has to guard her own space. Rotating is done just like rotating in volleyball.

Sometimes, it helps to draw lines for the different players. Then the rule that says you have to let each person play for themself is easier to monitor.

These are just a few of the games we play that actually work with a multi-grade classroom. They also work in single grade classrooms. Do you have a favorite game that you play with your kids? Share it here.

Stretching Classroom Dollars-6 Ideas

This morning, I was writing a post on a blog I have started about living on less (something most Christian teachers due because we are usually paid less than our public teacher friends-and everyone says they don't make enough) when I realized that the information would be good for teachers too. Here are some hints that will help you save money in your classroom.

1) Lighter fluid: A simple bottle of everyday lighter fluid will help you remove gunky materials from scissors (that was what I wrote about on Living Daily for Less) or removing labels from books (really helpful if you buy them at Goodwill.)

2) Batteries: If you have a digital camera in your classroom (or at home) and it burns through the batteries, don't throw them away. They can be used on electronic devices that use less power (like pencil sharpeners or flashlights.)

3) Sales: Check out end of the school sales at stores like Michael's and Joann's. Even Walmart has some great deals. You can save tons of money on things you would like to have in your classroom.

4) Coupons: Stores, like Michael's, have weekly coupons for 40-50%. Adding one item a week can be a huge benefit for your classroom, plus you are more likely to find clearance materials that are great!

5) Handouts: Make handouts for family, friends and church members asking them to save specific things for your classroom. For example, I am giving my people a list that includes things like:

a) Measuring lids from Dayquil and other such bottles-great for science!
b) Paper towel and gift wrap rolls.
c) Cardboard
d) 2-liter Soda bottles (I don't drink soda, but I really, really use the bottles!)
and much more!

6) Ask: Stores often throw away so much stuff that I can use. For example, I was in my local teacher supply store and they were emptying out tall thin boxes with bulletin board paper. I took five home and they are saving more! From Walmart's photography section, I scored 2 plastic bags full of empty film containers. If you see it, ask. The worst they can say is "no." The best that can happen is that you can walk out the door with something free. My personal favorite score was a display for sticky notes. It had suitcases with the names of different countries on it. since I did world history last year, it was the perfect display to sit on top of one of my high bookcases.
 

Worship on a Prayer! The day I forgot my egg...

I forgot to boil an egg and bring it to school. This would have been no problem if the egg was for my lunch, but this egg was for a worship talk-not just any worship talk. Today, I would be speaking to the entire school. When I realized it, my classroom was about to fill with children. I needed this scene for a little bit longer:

The truth is, every one of my students was there and one of them had just said, "Here they come..." referring to the rest of the school. Have you ever  volunteered to do something (if fact, it was my idea) and then wonder, "What was I thinking?"

I ran to my closet, praying, "Lord, help me find a good worship talk right away!" I often had different 'just in case' items in my closet, but it was the end of the year and I wasn't sure there was anything left.

I opened the door and looked down. There, in front of the first shelf, was an item that, through God's spirit, became my worship talk for the day. What was it? This:

Just common, ordinary duplo blocks that had never looked like a worship talk to me before! Of course, not just those blocks.  I also had a dollar store box with a "lego-like" set of blocks with blocks that were much smaller than Duplos and they were sitting on the shelf just above the Duplos. The two were suddenly a perfect match.

Somehow (actually, I know how-God answers prayers) the idea just fell together. As the younger students settled in their desks, I ran to my desk to grab the only other thing I needed-my Bible.

I dumped the blocks on a plastic tray and added a few Duplo blocks that I picked up at Goodwill. Then I stood in front of the kids, placing my tray on a tall stool.

It went something like this:

Have your ever played with blocks that came in a kit? I tore open the box. Sometimes, you need to have the instructions to figure everything out. Let's see-I need this little piece here and it goes on to this piece. Now it says I add this piece. 

(I continued on for five of six pieces, talking about them as I went. Then I picked up a Duplo block.)

Now, what about this piece. I wonder where it goes. Hmmm... 

(The younger students said, "It doesn't go with the others."

What? It doesn't go with the others?  Let me look at the directions. 

Hmmm, you are right! I don't see the bigger blocks in the directions. I guess it doesn't belong there.

You know, I have another set of directions here. 

(I held up my Bible.)

These directions tell me how to act like Jesus. I like to read them so I know how my life should fit together with someone who wants to be with Jesus in Heaven. It tells me to tell the truth, to be kind and loving. Just like these instructions tell me how to build this little car, my Bible tells me everything I need to do to make Jesus smile. If I am ever not sure about something fitting into my life as a Christian, just like I found out the big block didn't fit with this car, the Bible will let me know if something doesn't fit in with the life I am trying to build.

An example would be-does the Bible tell me anything about how I should act towards my mom and dad?  (They responded) 

Absolutely-it tells me, in the 10 Commandments, that I should honor them. If I am thinking about being rude to my mom, will my instruction book help me?

Today, I am going to ask you to use your instruction book-your Bible-to help you know how you should live your life. If you are not sure about something, also check it out with God's big instruction book.

Then we prayed. 

Teachers, you never know when God can use something as simple as a box of blocks to bring home a message your students need to hear. Have you ever created a successful worship on the spur of the moment? I would love to hear about it!

Small School Libraries

If your school library is like my school library, it comes without the benefit of a librarian...or a library...or anything but the books and you. I have a multitude of bookcases in my classroom and they often end up looking even worse than the one in the picture.  On top of that, the books are not all appropriately marked with the necessary grade level/reading level markings. This year, I aim to end that problem and, thanks to a wonderful app, I can do just that.

Literacy Leveler works with your iPod, iPad, and iPhone. It supports the  Guided Reading leveling , DRA and Lexile systems. While not every book is covered in the database, it is very easy to use. The cost is just $3.99.

First, you scan the ISBN and it gives you the levels.  You can search for the book using the title, author or level and add it to your library. The great news is that Literacy Leveler is also available on the android devices-if fact, it is a dollar cheaper on android-$2.99.

I can't wait to get started so that my library can start the year looking like this-with a great deal of the books marked for easy return: