Signs - Mystery Hero, Happy Birthday, STAR of the Week, and Month Labels

I've been busy making up little signs that I need to finish off my information bulletin board.  As you can see I've been enjoying Powerpoint, my new fonts, and COLOR!  Just click the images to download from Google Docs.    

I redid my Mystery Hero sign from last year - this year it will be colorful!  You can read more about how Mystery Hero works in my classroom from a past post.

On my information wall, I'm going to use a pocket chart this year to hold my birthday dicuts in a bar graph type of format.  In the past, I've always bought a birthday chart with my Scholastic bonus points, but this year I want to use what I already have.  I also made up 2 sets of month labels that I am using on the pocket chart and on our Class Timeline.  The birthday set is the entire year and the other one is just the months that we are in school (August until May).  

I do STAR of the Week in my classroom.  I know, maybe my 4th graders are too big to do it, but I enjoy learning about them - and they enjoy telling about themselves.  The STAR of the Week has responsibilities and perks during their week.  They fill out an All About Me poster and are responsible for certain "fun" jobs.  Then they have the perks of using the special chair during silent reading time, etc. It's a hard job, but someone has to do it!

Hope this helps someone!

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The Beauty of Sheet Protectors

Just a short post today...

For a long time (like the past 10 years) I was anti-lamination.  I think it started back at a school whose lamination wasn't the greatest and messed up some of my stuff... then you add that knowledge with the fact that I was changing up what and where I was teaching, and it just didn't make sense to permanently put something covered in plastic.  Instead of lamination I turned to sheet protectors to make things survive throughout the year.  
Just wanted to put this out there for anyone that may never have thought about it.  You don't have to have a laminator... you don't have to pay for lamination... it is doable and your stuff will still look nice. The reason I finally kept my laminator (instead of taking it back AGAIN) was I wanted to keep my smaller stuff working from year to year (game cards, labels, etc...).  I'm not planning on taking the above posters out of the sheet protectors, they are still heavy duty and don't need anything more.
With sheet protectors you have choices - you can leave the 3 holes on them to hang them up sidewise, or you can carefully cut the holes off.  Either way works.  If you keep the holes on, it's really easy to keep them in a binder over the summer to make them stay nice and flat.  Trust me - the students don't care either way. 
I know some stores sell sheet protectors and they are super thin - and well, not worth it in my opinion.  I love the big box that comes from Costco - Avery Premium Heavyweight Sheet Protectors - 250 in a box for around $10.  I use these same ones when my students make up their Memory Books throughout the year.  I use them to stick practice pages inside, and store them in my Workshop binders.  Game boards are kept in them, and kids have used them as whiteboards too (with card stock put inside).
Anyhow, just something else to think about.Have a great day!     

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Currently and Fabulous Find Friday

I'm linking up to 2 linky parties I really want to join with, even if that means I will be posting twice in a day.  You may not hear from me tomorrow...
 Oh' Boy Fourth Grade is hosting her August Currently:

 The 3 top things that I LOVED this summer were the Penny Deals at my favorite office supply stores - I went to so many different Staples, Office Max, and Office Depots to pick up their cheap supplies.  I don't know if I really needed a million portfolios, but I know I will use every single thing this coming year.  

I also picked up a personal laminator this summer.  I actually bought 3 of them.  The first one came from Target - but then I couldn't justify spending $30 and having to buy laminating sheets separately.  The 2nd one came from Costco for $20, and it came with 100 laminating sheets... but then I talked myself out of needing it... until I decided that I really did need it - so I bought it again.  Then my hubby found laminating sheets on Amazon for cheap 100 sheets for $10.  Couldn't beat that, just hoping they are great!  

I love my paper cutter - and my new circle cutter.  They sure beat having to use scissors... you know?  

Rule of 3... I love the Rule of 3...

I'm also linking up with Elizabeth at Fun in Room 4B to share my most favorite find of the week.  

INK!!!

 Let me tell you a little back story of the ink - I dropped my older boys and husband off at the movies, then littlest boy and myself were on our way to meet my sister and go shopping... only I was running a little early so decided to stop in to the Office Depot to see their deals.  These were on the clearance rack - originally $15-20 a box - down to $4 each!!!!!!!!  Can I tell you how excited I was?!?  I mean, what is the chance that you actually find ink to your printer on clearance for so cheap.  I immediately called my husband, who thankfully hadn't turned off his cell phone yet in the theatre, and he made me check for expiration dates, etc... no expiration dates at all - and I will totally use all of this before it goes bad!  I have decided that I LOVE printing in color, and now I'm not going to give myself a guilt trip about using up the ink.

  This was my most favorite find of the week!

Hope you had a great week and will have a great weekend!  Check out my classroom pictures in the post directly below this one - I've been busy and I'm so happy with the results!  

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My Classroom (with pictures)

2 long days of working in the classroom and it's paid off.  I love my room!  It's not completely done, but my husband brought the camera so I could take some pictures at the end of the 2nd day.  Of course this isn't everything that we tackled... I think the main things left are the paperwork aspects, tweaking a couple bulletin boards, and finishing up my long to do list.  

Enough talk, here are some visuals:

View from the door when I walked in.  I should say that I put up the fabric on the walls before summer break started - so I wasn't having to start with a completely blank slate. 

After 2 days:

1st day -  7 hours - both husband, kids, and sister came to help for a while

2nd day - 4 hours - husband and kids came to help for a while

 Basics of FACE board are ready to go

 Kids' pictures are hung

 Bucket Filler Station is ready to go

 Some games are ready to go - some still need help

 Behavior board has been updated - now including some Whole Brain Teaching cards and Hand Signals

 Student magnets are hung on the board

 Warm Fuzzies are up

 Memory Jar and Box Tops Jar are ready to go

 Student Work Board with the di cut clothespins are up

VOICES board isn't done, but added a cursive alphabet to the bottom - this will become our Word Wall

 My sister updated all the book boxes with student numbers - packing tape holding the laminated cards on.

 She also updated my classroom library with color coded AR level stickers.

 Our new Weekly Goals board - pocket charts and those small 1/2 whiteboards for each student (Target dollar find)- Students will update on Friday what their goal for the next week will be.

 Hubby zip tied the desks together - they aren't going anywhere!

 Then he figured out the velcro on the bottom of the name tags - now it will be easy to just move the name tag when it's time to switch desks.  

 Student texts are in their team crates ready to pass out.  

 My boys had fun opening up a bunch of mini eraser packages (and also running around the classroom, bouncing and kicking all the playground balls).

 Student colored number sticks are ready to go.  

 Clean desk awards are unpacked.

 Team Jars are ready to go - usually I put tally marks on the board, this year I'm going to use pebbles in the jar.  Each competition goes for a month until we switch desks.  Hoping that by using the pebbles this year that everyone will still try (instead of giving up when another team is in the lead.)

 Clipboards ready to go - added red ribbon and my boys added big apple stickers to the back.  Those apple stickers were a great find.  They were on clearance at Office Depot - a 6 pack for 25 cents.  I bought all 10 packs of them and have used them to labels baskets in the classroom.  

 Whole Class Journals

 Target's Star Student chair thing-a-mi-gig  - I'm the first STAR, so it's on my chair.

Here's my board - using bulletin borders to separate out things this year - usually I've used just blue tape.  I love how it all pops.  

 I love this desk arrangement - everyone is super close to me, and it gives room for a big floor area to the side that we can all fit on.

Still more to do, but at this moment in time I'm not feeling stressed.  So thankful for family to help out.

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Labels Labels Everywhere!

They aren't everywhere anymore!  I found this 13 section expanding file in my garage this summer, and thought that there would be something I could use it for...then it hit me - a place to sort and store my labels!

As I've shared before, I got a deal on address labels a couple of weeks ago at Office Max.  After I made up my Writing Rubric Labels, I started to move onto the other aspects of our school week to see where else I could save myself time so I didn't have to handwrite things over and over again.

Ask Me About It Labels:

Ask me about my test!		Ask me about my test!
Ask me about my test!		Ask me about my test!

The saying, "Ask me about my test!" has been around for a while.  It's a great idea, one that I didn't create.  I saw it on the buttons on Pinterest, but I didn't want to make buttons - so I created some labels with it instead.  I want to be able to give my kids a sticker to stick on their shirt when they get their test back and it's awesome (or have the option of putting it in their agendas to take home).  Of course they will bring home their tests no matter what grade to show their parents, but it's mainly that I want my students to feel pride in their accomplishments. So why not give them something that their friends are going to see.  Peer motivation at it's finest.  :)  Here's the document over at Google Docs.    

Math Score Labels:

Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation
Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation
Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation		Math Score: ______= ______% *Show your work *Highlight the numbers, problem, or operation

I'm planning on sticking it on top of their tests and circling what needs to be worked on.  Here is the Math Labels Document.

Please Sign and Return Labels:

Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________
Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________
Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________		Parents: Please sign that you saw this paper, and return tomorrow.  Parent Signature: ______________

If a student doesn't have a passing grade on a test, I need to contact the parents to make sure they know.  It is a student's responsibility to get their test signed and brought back to school the next day.  I go over what a note like this means at Back to School Night, and there are consequences at school if it's not brought back.  Here is the Sign and Return Labels Document.

Saw your note Labels:

Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.		Hello, Thank you for your note.  I did see it, but there wasn't time for me to write you back before school ended.  I will get back to you as soon as possible.

You know how it is - there is always a student that gives you the note at the end of the day when there is absolutely no time to write the parent back before you have to walk out the door for yard duty...  Well, someone posted the idea of a stamp or Vistaprint business card on Monday Made It of something you can hand to the student.  Since I can stick this in the student's agenda (and the parents have to sign the agenda each night), well - I thought it would work just as well.  Here is the document. 


Here are some other random labels that are in my file - 
no explanation necessary.


Student #'s 1-30


Team #'s 1-6 and Student #'s 31-32


AR Levels #2-6

I'm thinking of making up something that includes the strategies for Reading Comprehension, and something that says "Did you check your work?" or "Did you go back to reread?"  I don't know though...

Updating this to add that Tori's Teacher Tips is having a giveaway that includes Election and Math Daily 3 materials.  Go stop by and tell her I sent you!

Hope this helps someone!

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Hot Glue Gun Craziness

Can you say craziness?  I am checking things off my long to do list.  Here's some of my projects from the past 24 hours.  I say some because I spent 7 hours in the classroom yesterday and completely forgot to take any pictures along the way.  I also completely forgot to sit down and was SOOO SORE last night to the point I couldn't move.
Most of these projects were Pinterest and Monday Made It (of course) inspired.

 Puff Balls on the tops of dry erase markers.  I know they can be used for erasers, but I'm using them to mainly label my markers.  If you do this, make sure to stand them up to dry or else they stick to your counter.

 Ear bud holder (2 boxes)

Dollar tree restocked their supply of ear buds, so I stocked up.  These boxes were $1.99 at Hobby Lobby and have 16 smaller sections and one larger section.  

 This project was actually 2 Pinterest ideas that I stuck together. 

(Get it? Hot Glue... ha ha, lack of sleep talking)

These are going to hang up above their student work card stock squares.  In the past I've used pushpins and binder clips to hang up their work without getting tons of holes in their papers, but I thought that it might be nice to dress it up a bit.  I first glued the di cut onto the clothespin, then flipped them over to hot glue on a thumb tack (not a push pin because you want it flat against the wall for leverage).

I also made up my multiplication fact toss with little bits of extra labels - an idea from Live, Laugh, Love, Teach.

Somehow, even with moving so much stuff into the classroom yesterday, my dining room table is still piled up with projects.... Well, I'm off to laminate a bunch of math games.  Hope you had a good day!

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