A beginning of year goal setting sheet for students.

It's that time of year! Back to school time (even though I know some of my bloggy friends have been back for a couple of weeks now.) While you may be in a district that wants you to hit the academics hard core from the first day of school and cut out "fluff", there's nothing fluffy about a cohesive classroom. And you can forget good things happening academically when nobody can get along. Do you hear me administrators? I think it's a wise idea to spend some time helping your students learn to live together in a room that gives everybody about one square foot of personal space. So here's a little collection of some fabuloso ideas I found through the wonderful world of blogging. Here are some great ideas to get your new friends talking to each other, working together, and thinking about what a successful classroom looks like. 1. Talk about how to treat each other. Tales from a Tidy Teacher shares a lesson using Finding the Green Stone by Alice Walker. She gives each student a shiny green "stone". They plan how they will keep their stones shiny all year. I think this would be a great anchor lesson to refer to all year long. Here's a post from Mrs. Robinson's Classroom Blog. She has a different question each day to get kids thinking about their role in the classroom. Your actions are who you are. When things were getting cranky in my classroom last year, we worked on this activity. We planned out the words that we would want our principal to use when describing us. Then we planned out the actions that would get us there. 2. Talk about words and what they can do (for good and evil). I love love love this poster. It is from Sweet Blessings who also happens to be the genius behind Technology Rocks. Seriously. I had it printed as an 11x17 on glossy card stock ($1.50 at Office Max). I referred to it all year long the last couple of years. By the second month of school, all I had to do was say, "THINK before you speak" and they knew exactly what had gone wrong. Yes, Mrs. O Knows will convince you that toothpaste and toothpicks will teach kids everything they need to know about words. I tried so hard to find the original source for this one. Please leave a comment if you know where it came from. Cause it's awesome. 3. Have kids work together in a fun way. Who wouldn't want to save Fred? This is a great team work lesson from Fabulous Fourth Grade Froggies. This one's from Science Gal. Now tell me that doesn't look fun? And because the best way to learn that the world does not revolve around you, have your kids perform RACKS. Random Acts of Classroom Kindness. Here's an idea from 3rd Grade Thoughts. There are tons more great ideas out there on this, too. Have kids work in teams to plan out some RACKS for each the classroom, other students, and staff, too. And now for a little giggle: Hope you have a great school year!

This is a game that is fun for the beginning of the year. The kids have to find someone different to sign in each box and when they have a signature in every box they call out, "Bingo!" I usually ask the people who have signed in every box to prove that it is true. For example, if they signed th...

July 1, 2014 Teaching kids and students how to be independent learners is essential for preparing them for the future. Independent learning is a learning that has no boundaries, one in which the learners adapt their time and effort to learn new insights using a wide range of techniques. Some of these techniques are captured in this awesome visual I learned about from Sean Junkins. Have a look and share with us what you think of them. Take the lead Question the questions. Is there another way to look at it. Do your research Take a risk Look for inspiration Make use of existing resources, books, magazines, displays etc Ask a friend Take your time to reflect Sketch it out Have a go Try again Ask for feedback Own your learning Embrace some mistakes Plan ahead Teach the teacher Help, support and advise your peers Online tutorial Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest . This post originally appeared in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning ( www.educatorstechnology.com ).

Last year I set a goal to have Brooklyn be able to get her Good Canine Citizen award. Well if you spend more than two minutes around my dog you will instantly know we didn't reach our goal. She is a catalyst of bad behavior. So this year my goal has been for her to walk in Nashville's Christmas Parade with other Nashville Pitties. I always do a lesson on goal setting, but what good is a goal if you aren't organized enough to ensure the steps are in place to meet it? My goal for Brooklyn was a lofty one, in fact it was too big. So we are reorganizing to reduce the stress of dog and mother. This reorganization made and the stress I put on myself to accomplish made me think about how I could change my lesson on organization. After a lot of brainstorming and about 5 drafts here is my new lesson for 4th Grade on responsibility and organization: Lesson 1: We started with a scavenger hunt. I gave teams either an organized back pack or a messy back pack and a list of items. I started the timer and they were off. Most of the teams with organized back packs finished the scavenger hunt within 2-3 minutes and the teams with messy backpacks anywhere from 4-8 minutes. They really got into this, especially because I hid stinky socks, cereal, stuffed animals, and toys in the messy backpacks. Next we discussed that if you were organized that would save you about 2 minutes per day, just enough time to recheck your work, 14 mintues in a week, enough time to read a chapter or two in your new favorite book, and about 56 minutes a month, enough time to watch an entire episode of their favorite Disney show. We ended with a pre-test of work habits so they could identify what they specifically need to improve on. Lessons 2/3: We talked about responsibility and what it means. We watched the video "I Can Do It! Taking Responsibility" which shows the students different scenarios and allows us time to stop and discuss each one. Next we charted what kinds of responsibilities they had in 4th grade. We then role played different responsibilities (the examples are from AIM Education) and in teams practiced what we would do. For example: A new movie you and your best friend are dying to see has just opened up, and your friends wants the two of you to see it this Saturday. The trouble is, your science project is due on Monday, and you and your project partner agreed you would spend Saturday gathering plants in the park. What should you do? At the end of each skit we talked about the different feelings that come with responsibility: stress, disappointment, frustration, etc. That lead us to the postcard activity. I laid several postcards around the room each with a different picture on it. I asked the students to (in silence) find a card that represented how they feel about starting fourth grade and the new responsibilities they are taking on. When everyone had a card we broke into small groups and shared the card we choose and why. Next I asked everyone to set 3 goals for themselves: 1) Something they could accomplish this week. 2) Something they could accomplish in the next 2 months. (I like to remind them of their work habits pre test here) 3) Something they wanted to accomplish by the end of this school year. We then shared our goals with our small group and then with the entire class. I collected the cards and will give them to our students in two months with a personal check in note written on each. **In the past I have done this icebreaker with my faculty and with 6th grade. They filled out the card like an actual postcard and I mailed it to their homes half way through the year. Lesson 4: We continue our talk of responsibility and stress. First in groups they draw what it feels like to be stressed. Then each group shares and we look for similarities that we all have. Next we watch the Brain Pop on stress and at the end they go back to their drawings and surround themselves with things they can do to help alleviate their stress. To finish our series we take the same work habits post test and see if we have improved! Since I only see this grade once a month this 4 part series starts in Sept and ends at Christmas break. Before I know it the sleigh bells are ringing!

Why I don't review the syllabus on the first day of class in high school and what I do instead. Fun first day of school activities and icebreakers!

I LOVE saving figurative language until June - it's such a fun language unit ... and perfect for our "dreaming of summer brains". We finished up our EQAO testing mid week, and this onomatopoeia activity was the perfect break from testing. How fun is that??? Students chose two contrasting colours - one for the background and one for the word and border "bursting out of the page". They also needed newspaper (cut just a fraction smaller that the "bursting out of the page border" and glued the newspaper on top. They glued their word on top of that (we had brainstormed a lot of onomatopoeia words, but for some reason most of them chose SPLAT for their word). I also had them do a little shading under their letters for that little extra POP (see, I know some onomatopoeia words, too). ;) I had seen this awesome idea on Pinterest and followed it back to Artisan des Arts. Her examples are FANTASTIC!! We also wrote simile poems this week. I found a little template HERE for the students to use for their rough copies. When students were finished their templates, I had them write out their good copies, and illustrate a few lines with a small image. I hung these up, too ... LOVING our bulletin board switch up ... even this late in the school year!!! (I have two of these "smART class" bulletin boards side by side in the classroom. 15 more school days left ... I think I can ... I think I can ... Happy Friday!!!

I'm the kind of person that likes to get ready for the next year before the end of this year. I know. You can call me crazy. It's ok. I understand. But it's the way I am. So what am I getting ready? Forms to send home during Meet and Greet: My Parent Survey (it's free!). I keep this in my communication folder. This is what I send home so that I can take pictures for my blog. I know it has my information on it, but if you need it for something else, then maybe you can use it as a template. Click HERE to download it. And I send this home so that I can show some movies that are apparently PG. Click HERE to download it. Click the picture below to get all these forms in my {TPT store} I'm also restocking my calendar bins for next year! Head over to {THIS} post to see how I organize all of my monthly calendar-type activities. I already have my calendar pieces done...but I'm getting ready all the pages that I want to use IN the calendar bundle. Check out my post on the calendar bundle HERE. Our monthly poetry covers are printed up for the year. Find out how I use poetry in the classroom and download the covers for free {HERE} I also have our monthly writing journal covers ready to go... the journals themselves aren't done yet, but hopefully I'll have a wonderful parent volunteer next year to do them for me. See how I use the journals and download the covers for free {HERE}. I've also sent my Spelling Journals to the Print Shop. I'm opting to use these this year instead of doing my phonics notebook, only because it's my first year in First grade AND at my new school, so I want to see what they can handle before I dive in full force! haha. But I used my Phonics Notebook this year and LOVED it...You can check that out HERE. I've also sent my Vocabulary Journals to our print shop (I like send things to the print shop because they copy off a whole class set, with a cover and back cover AND bind them with a spiral thingy.... to me, NOT having to do it is worth me paying for it! lol) Check out my vocabulary Journals HERE. I also have copied off all the writing pages and family notes for our Monthly Family Projects! IF I have enough time, I might even get frisky and run off all the templates for the crafts! I'm also getting ready our Memory Books for next year... as we're finishing up this year's Memory books! lol You can read more about them {HERE} There are "All About Me" pages for the beginning of the year and the end of the year, so you can see the difference between the 2 times of year. It's always so fun to see the changes! Then, there are monthly writing pages, so the students can write about what they learned that month. The kids have really been having fun with this. Check them out in my TpT store {HERE}. You can grab a FREEBIE from these memory books {HERE} I have also printed out and laminated my personal behavior charts that I use from Rachelle. You can read my post on how I use them {HERE}, although, I must say, I am thinking of changing the plan...again! haha! I've also printed up my name tags for next year - I love that I don't have to go on a hunt to buy them every year! They have everything I want on them! You can download them for free on {THIS} post. I've had my wonderful parent volunteer trace and cut out my jerseys for me. In the beginning of the year, the kids decorate their jersey with their number on it and I leave them up all year. Why do they have numbers? FOR SO MANY THINGS! I have a post on what I use numbers for {HERE}. And last but not least, I got all planned out for next year! I came across Traci's curriculum planner, and I knew it would be perfect for me since I don't use the district adopted series. I have my whole year planned out! This is such a beautiful sight. I wish I had this for this year as a first year 1st grade teacher. but now I won't be so "lost" next year - haha! Check it out on Traci's blog {HERE}! WHEW!! That's a lot! And I still have more on my list to do for next year! And, um, this year isn't even over yet - haha! Oh well. I will be thankful next year in the beginning of the year.

Would you like to decorate your classroom with fun, hand-drawn anchor charts/posters? Do you simply not have the time to get them done? Well, you have come to the perfect place! I love making these engaging and appealing anchor charts. I also can draw/create any other topic you would like, just contact me directly and ask! My students absolutely love these posters and references them every day. Many of them are visual learners, so the colorful images really help them connect and remember what they have learned. This particular anchor chart is for readers/writers practicing how to summarize. This helps them learn a strategy of how to include the characters, the problem, and the solution. It breaks summarizing down into 5 steps of how to do this, and helps them mentally imagine the beginning, the middle, and the end of a story! **These will be copies unless asked otherwise for a custom poster. They are not laminated, and are printed on normal, anchor chart paper. I ship these out ASAP after being ordered, but please keep in mind once shipped, it is outside of my control. Therefore, if shipping does not meet your expectations, I highly encourage you to please reach out to me first, and we have always been able to work something out to make up for anything that may have occurred after I have sent your package, thanks so much!! Hope you love it :)

Cooperative learning teaching tips, strategies, freebies, and resources from Laura Candler

I love the way we created our class agreements this year. First, students participated in a carousel activity where they went around the room to each poster. They had a pile of small post it notes that they used to respond to the questions- A Great Classmate, IS-DOES-SAYS-DOES NOT... A Terrific Teacher, IS-DOES-SAYS-DOES NOT... A Learner, IS-DOES-SAYS-DOES NOT... A Classroom of Learners, IS- LOOKS LIKE- FEELS... Then each group of 4 students looked at all of the responses and came up with their own class agreements. Finally, we put them all together and this is what they came up with. I think they did a great job!

5 creative ways students can get to know their teacher.

When it comes to organizing and planning a classroom, every teacher has a few items they couldn't possibly ever go without! It might be that favorite stapler, the perfect book, or an amazing resource! I know, I know. I just posted about Supplies I Can't Live Without but I

I got this idea from my peer teacher, Nina. It's a great way for students to share about themselves. I think it would be perfect for a first day of school activity. I would start by having the students first write the numbers. Later, once we have learned about multiplication and division, I would have them create the equations. Finally, they can put it all together in time for Open House. It can be easily adapted for the younger grades by using addition and/or subtraction. It can be adapted for older grades with exponents, multi-step problems, and including fractions or decimals. Thanks to my friend Nannette for inspiring me with her sample.

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars that signal the beginning of a new year.

At the beginning of the year, it can be difficult to get a clear picture of how our students are performing in math. Use these math pre-assessments to help!

Set a friendly tone in your classroom with these 30 "Get to Know You" games perfect for back to school or when welcoming a new student.

How has your summer vacation been going? Mine has been both relaxing and busy at the same time. I have been working like a busy bee planning for my mid-August nuptials! If you follow me on Instagram, then you’re definitely up to date on all things wedding! I’ve also been making more of an effort...

I love the way I set up my student's interactive notebooks in math! These tips will help a teacher in any subject get things going at the beginning of the year.

I really dislike icebreakers. They make me cringe. When I became a teacher, I swore I would spare my students the torture of icebreakers. That being said, I also realize how important it is to buil…

Back to School is right around the corner for us and I am SUPER excited to kick of this school year with some fun, hands-on and engaging resources for The

Tips for Primary Teachers.

Love podcasts? Check out this post in the form of a podcast episode on The Classroom Commute Podcast :

By the end of the school year, we have our classrooms running like well-oiled machines. The students know what to do, when to do it, and what to expect from

I made up a few FREE Contraction Printables for teaching contractions to ALuv {6 years old} and wanted to share them! {Find the download link at the end of this post.} *This post contains affiliate links. FREE Contraction Printables for Teaching Contractions In the free printable pack, you’ll find: 1. Contraction Concentration: The cards ... Read More about FREE Contraction Printables for Teaching Contractions

Happy Sunday! Common Core math has been a big shift from what many educators and parents have been used to in the past. I have personally embraced the shift towards a deeper understanding of mathematical practices and welcome the shift towards assisting students to build a strong number sense. As a student, I could have benefitted from this style of teaching. I was one of the students that wanted to know "why" when learning mathematical algorithms. My district has adopted the Engage New York curriculum and it has been interesting to see how one particular curriculum has been designed to meet the Common Core standards. I see both positives and areas for improvement with the program. I have really enjoyed the engagement pieces of the program. There are many fun games and activities designed to engage students and practice skills. For some areas of the program I have seen a need for additional practice of skills. To meet my students' needs I have created supplementary materials and have incorporated these materials into my daily routine, as necessary. I strive to create lessons that incorporate a hands-on and interactive component. I have created many cut and paste activities to meet the Common Core standards and they have been very engaging and helpful for my students. When I show my students the cut and paste activities there is always an audible "Yay!" from the children. Check out some of the activities below! Click here to get the Related Fact Number Bond Cut & Paste. Click here to get the Related Fact Cut & Paste. Click here to get the Missing Addend Match Cut & Paste. Click here to get the True or False Expressions Cut & Paste. Click here to get the Domino Related Facts Activity. Happy Teaching!

Check out the original Figure Me Out math activity and learn how you can make this poster with your students. This beginning of the year math activity incorporates numbers (and computation) into a page about students' own lives. Click to read about this fun ice breaker math project that you could easily use for a "who am I" guessing game or bulletin board display for Parent's Night here on Shut the Door and Teach.

Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.

Start the year off right with high expectations for your English Language Learners! Some students learn to avoid answering difficult questions by reminding teachers of their limited English skills. "I don't know" or "I can't" may become a common refrain! Here are some ideas to help shift students' mindsets from knowing the right answer to putting in the effort to figure it out. 1.) Talk about the brain as a muscle: the more you work it out, the bigger and stronger it gets! My elementary students always love it when I comment on how large their heads are getting…to contain the brains that are growing so quickly inside! It's become a real motivator for my students to think hard and work hard. They often ask me if I can see a difference in the size of their heads after working diligently on a difficult project. A wonderful colleague of mine has an EASY button that she got from Staples. When you push it, it says, "That was easy!" She invites students to come up and push the button after working through a difficult problem. It motivates students to push through difficulty, and reminds them that it was ultimately easier than they'd thought. 2.) This chart offers students alternate ways of responding to a question they don't know the answer to. Around winter break, "I don't know" becomes a forbidden phrase in my classroom. It is the students' responsibility to learn to ask the questions necessary to get to an answer. I encourage them to ask teachers and peers for guidance, ask for additional wait time, ask for repetition or slower speech, and ask for the opportunity to consult outside resources. 3.) Make this your classroom mantra: It's okay not to know, but it's not okay not to try. Students should be so familiar with this concept that they encourage each other to try without your prompting. Post it in your room and refer to it constantly! The willingness to take risks is so important in language acquisition. The sooner we can create comfortable classroom communities coupled with high expectations for participation, the faster our students will begin mastering the English language.

Thank you to Diane for submitting this fun book report poster. It’s legal size (paper) worksheet and is great for lower grades (or as an easy project for upper grades). Great end of the year …

Our Consonant and Vowel Toss and Sort activity is a fun and hands-on way to introduce young students to the two types of letters in the alphabet! This activity is part of our 30 Days of Reading Fun for Beginning Readers series.

Back to School is right around the corner for us and I am SUPER excited to kick of this school year with some fun, hands-on and engaging resources for The