Planning: Creating a Curriculum Calendar/Map

So, this was my big project this summer to help me get my footing just a little bit into what first grade is really going to entail this school year.  I worked with some of my colleagues from my previous school to piece together what reading, writing and phonics instruction would look like in a first grade classroom when focusing on the school year as a whole.  We took into consideration CCSS, Benchmark Reading, Benchmark Writing and Lucy Calkins materials in order to comprehensively meet all of the rigorous learning expectations.  I then took what we had done together with literacy and added in math, science, social studies, assessments and even what positive behavior qualities I also wanted to be sure to focus on throughout the year with my students.  Linked is the (DRAFT) end product of that work.  Very helpful for me to know I can fit this all into a year!

Again, I have linked my "finished" product as well as a blank template if other would like to try this themselves.

2013-2014 Curriculum Map/Calendar

Curriculum Map/Calendar Template

Welcome Postcards!

So, every year I try to send something to the students specifically to welcome them to the new school year.  This is in addition to the introductory letter that I send to parents.  The letter to parents highlights my experience, who I am and any important beginning of the year dates/events.  The student letters are more of just a friendly hello.  This year I found these cute postcards at The Children's Bookshop in Lynnwood, WA that I am going to send out.  Again, I am not getting too specific in the message, just introducing myself and keeping the message about our new year together positive!

 

Classroom Update

Remind101 Texting for Teachers

So a teacher friend posted about Remind101 and we have been having a good discussion on the "Teacher Talk Washington" Facebook page about the merits of using this mode of communication with students and/or parents.  It is an interesting idea and could be a really effective for reminding about events, assignments, etc.

Here is how Remind101 is described, "a safe way for teachers to text message students and stay in touch with parents".  They also say that in some classrooms student participation has increased 50% by utilizing texting.

It is something that I am thinking could be helpful in communicating with parents in my classroom and I may try this school year.  If I do I will report back on how well it worked for me!  If you already use Remind101 please let me know what you think of it.  I am so curious!!!

If interested there is more information here: https://www.remind101.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_feed&utm_campaign=homepage-20130801

Reading/Writing Connections Book Study

I feel extraordinarily fortunate that the teachers and administration from my previous elementary school teaching assignment have been so open and inviting when it comes to including me in the professional growth opportunities that they are exploring.  This summer they were kind enough to invite me to participate in a book study for primary teachers around the book "Reading and Writing Connections in the K-2 Classroom" written by Leah Mermelstein.  I am loving the book, but more than that I am getting so much from the expertise and insights of these wonderful teachers!!!

Today we met to discuss chapters 6 and 7 from the book, which cover the elements of balanced literacy as well as effective ways to plan and calendar for the year keeping in mind what you want student to know and have accomplished by the end of the school year.  First, I should say I have always considered myself relatively well versed in balanced literacy, my National Board certification is in Literacy: Early/Middle Childhood Reading and Language Arts for crying out loud, but this book drew out many wonderful and new (for me) examples and considerations.  Mermelstein really deepened my understanding on the subject and I was really pleased feeling as though I had some new knowledge to help me guide my students learning next year.  In this way, (and without giving out too many details-- you will have to read the book!) I really believe that a teacher at any level of experience and expertise can gain something from this read.  I was truly blown away though by the insights that my colleagues brought to the table as we began to discuss and delve into the application portion of the book study time and plan for instruction this upcoming school year.  Today we worked on planning and evaluating the first 30 days of our literacy instruction and discussed how we set-up the systems and expectations for reading, writing and word work lessons in the classroom so that students and teacher are able to successfully learn and utilize their time.  I contributed very little during this discussion (those who know me, know this is a rare occurrence-- I am a talker!), but instead sat back and took in some of the discussion about what has worked and not worked for these veteran 1st grade teachers in the past.  So much good insight that I can use as I start teaching in first this year!

I am really looking forward to next Tuesday.  The group will begin looking at the Benchmark Literacy (that is the curriculum our district uses) and will begin to go through the process Mermelstein suggests for planning the year into a curriculum calendar.  I am sure I will learn so much more!

Here are a few pics from our work today:

Getting REALLY Close!

A busy week!  Rebecca and Karen, two of my new first grade teaching colleagues came up with the fun idea of doing our teaching supplies shopping together.  We took a day to travel around to local garage sales and some of our favorite supplies stores.  I learned of a great one in Lynnwood, WA called "Children's Bookshop". http://www.childrens-bookshop.com/  Karen also knew of some great catalogs and websites.  I did some browsing of http://www.reallygoodstuff.com/ and could spends hundreds of dollars there if left to my own devices.  I also got a great deal on a bookcase for the classroom at one of the garage sales-- $10!!!

So, the classroom set-up is almost done!  So, so close!  As many of you know I have been putting in an hour or two on my free days all summer to get things ready.  All the big projects are done as of today and now it is just this week of getting some of the classroom details finished up.  My lovely husband came in this weekend to help me with mounting the last of my shelving and getting the final furniture in place.  My first classroom volunteer in my new room!!!

Here are some photos of Matt hard at work and a couple classroom photos.  Can't wait to dig into the curriculum after this week and share some of the cool stuff we will be learning in first grade this year!

Word Wall and Organizing Student Supplies

Alright we are in pretty good shape!  Got a bit done on organizing the books in the classroom library.  I have a plan at the very least and that is a good start.  Printing labels to mark all of the books accordingly tonight!

Today I worked on getting the students book boxes and individual math manipulatives organized in a way that they are easily accessible.  I decided on having a small shelf at the end of each table group to house these supplies.  I also included a bin for extra pencils, glue and scissors, etc.  as well as a clip board on each shelf with phonics, sight word and math resources (kind of like mini anchor charts).  The students will keep their take-home folders and their own pencil boxes in their desks.  I also was gifted some denim chair pockets so the students can keep their individual whiteboards, math notebooks and science notebooks in their for safe-keeping.  LOTS of supplies to keep track of so hopefully these organizational systems will help the kids and I to be successful with everything!

The other thing I have finished is my word wall.  I used to have my word wall up on an actual wall, but the last few years I have given up a bit of my whiteboard so I can have my word wall there instead.  I LOVE IT!  It is totally worth losing a little whiteboard space.  It makes the word wall much more fluid and easy to color code.  I can put content specific words in one color and sight words in another.  I can also use varying colors to discriminate between consonants and vowels as well as use a specific color to identify word endings for students.  So easy and so helpful!  I will have to post what this looks like a bit more after the year starts and we are adding words to the wall!!!

Starting to Look Like a Classroom!!!

I am so stinkin' exhausted!  I worked my tail off today, my biggest accomplishment being that I have all of the bulletin boards ready to go.  Now to just get the rest of the classroom cleared out and organized so I can get kids in there to teach.  Let's fill those bulletin boards with some cool anchor charts of things we are learning!  Getting excited and nervous for September!

As you can see I am trying something new.  I have organized the bulletin boards by subject matter.  I have seen some teachers in intermediate grades try this and have a lot of success so I am giving it a whirl.  I will let you all know how it goes!

Next big undertaking is labeling all of the books and the book bins accordingly.  That may have to wait until I return from Kauai though...unless I am feeling REALLY motivated tomorrow by some miracle!

You Can Never Have Too Many Suggestions For Good Books, Right?

So, one more for all of you!  This one is just a fabulous read for a teacher's soul.  Reassuring, kind, funny at times and very positive messages overall.  It is a great one to maybe end a school year with or start a fresh year with.  My hussband Matt brought this book home for me just a day ago and I am already close to done with it.  I found it very captivating.  I may have to read some of his other books!

Progress!

Pretty productive day today as far as the classroom goes!  I started the nitty gritty going through all of the materials that were left by the previous teachers.  Lots of great stuff fortunately, so I will need to find some creative ways to store and organize all of those goodies.  Also, have the student desks generally arranged and some areas for whole-group and small-group instruction ready to go(ish)!  This is where the fun part of setting up the classroom begins!  Looking forward to the next phase where I am not just going through box upon box!

Summer Reading

So, I am reading two absolutely FABULOUS books this summer.  One I just finished, but I will likely re-read it as we get into August and I am doing more planning for the instructional practices in math.  The other I have just started.  I am so excited because I get to do a book study this summer with some teachers from my previous school.  Very smart ladies so I will learn a lot.  They were so kind to share a copy of the book with me and include me in their plans!  I am feeling very fortunate.

The book around math instruction covers how to implement a workshop model into your math block, but more importantly outlines that types of deeper thinking questions you might work with students on in small-group.  The significance of this being that you are then providing all students opportunities for analytic thinking no matter what their math ability.  This is somewhat counter to the way I have been previously utilizing small-group in my math instruction since I was often just re-teaching and giving additional practice with math concepts.  I am looking forward to trying out some of the ideas!  A couple of my wonderful colleagues and I already started the work of talking through the math block for our first grade classrooms next year!

A Busy Start to Summer!

Well my friends, I have the very opposite problem that I had in my first public school job five years ago.  Back then I was coming into truly an empty classroom.  In fact, since I was hired just a day or so before the school year started I taught my first week or so with significantly fewer desks than students and not a single book in the classroom!  This time around however, there is entirely too much!  Perhaps I am more minimalist than I would like to admit, but I was extremely tempted to toss everything out and start the year with nothing like the good old days!  But none the less, the last teachers in the classroom did leave some really nice things and so I am starting the process of going through and determining what fits with my "vision" and teaching style and what does not.  The silver lining is that this will probably keep me busy most of the summer and out of trouble!!!

Goodbye Kindergarten and Hello First Grade!

Well, talk about bittersweet!  Today is my last day in kindergarten.  It is also my last day at Canyon Creek Elementary, the school I started teaching public school in five years ago.  I am all packed up and ready to go, but there have been MANY emotions this last week.  Excited to try out a new school and new grade-level.  Sad to be leaving the comfort of my school and colleagues.  Heart-broken to be leaving kindergarten.  Nervous about trying something new!  Hopeful that first grade and the PACE program will be a good fit for me.  LOTS of emotions.  Cried a little, but luckily I have been so busy with the end of the year there have not been too many tears!  In any case, from here on out I will be posting about first, first, first!  It is my big goal this year to really get this blog going!  Wish me luck!!!