Well, we just finished day 14 on Friday. Whew! I think we are
finally making leeway. Do you feel like that too? I had a family emergency on
Wednesday so I had to get a sub. Eek! I would rather have had a surgery then
have a sub the third week of school. When I returned on Thursday, it felt kinda
like day one. We pulled it together but I didn’t have much of a voice by the
end of the day. Bless their hearts (that’s the Texas way of saying OMG…HOT
MESS!!).
finally making leeway. Do you feel like that too? I had a family emergency on
Wednesday so I had to get a sub. Eek! I would rather have had a surgery then
have a sub the third week of school. When I returned on Thursday, it felt kinda
like day one. We pulled it together but I didn’t have much of a voice by the
end of the day. Bless their hearts (that’s the Texas way of saying OMG…HOT
MESS!!).
Next week is homecoming for my kids so this weekend has been a
little busy and I am sure this week will be all kinds of nuts. I cooked for a
few hours last night and made about ten freezer meals for the next two weeks. I
was trying to get ahead on this whole mom business! Besides, I need time to get down with my bad self. LOL!
little busy and I am sure this week will be all kinds of nuts. I cooked for a
few hours last night and made about ten freezer meals for the next two weeks. I
was trying to get ahead on this whole mom business! Besides, I need time to get down with my bad self. LOL!
I thought I would share with you tonight how I have my library
set up. This is my little library. I actually have two book shelves. The one on
the inside of the library is for my students. The one on the opposite side
(facing our group rug area) is my library that I pick books from when I read to
the class. Once I read a book, I put it in their library. This way, they are
not reading anything from their library that hasn’t been read to them. I hope
this helps them to “read” better.
set up. This is my little library. I actually have two book shelves. The one on
the inside of the library is for my students. The one on the opposite side
(facing our group rug area) is my library that I pick books from when I read to
the class. Once I read a book, I put it in their library. This way, they are
not reading anything from their library that hasn’t been read to them. I hope
this helps them to “read” better.
I also have available reading phones. My brother in law made
these for me out of PVC pipe and cost practically nothing. I also have tons of
fun glasses that I bought from Oriental Trading and popped out the lenses.
these for me out of PVC pipe and cost practically nothing. I also have tons of
fun glasses that I bought from Oriental Trading and popped out the lenses.
I use Frog Street Press to teach phonics, colors, and numbers
(along with district curriculum). I have these books based off of their songs
that students can read too. They love them. They only issue is keeping them
quiet because they can belt out some Apple Annie like it’s Broadway!
(along with district curriculum). I have these books based off of their songs
that students can read too. They love them. They only issue is keeping them
quiet because they can belt out some Apple Annie like it’s Broadway!
I also like to keep magazines available. I have Zoo Books,
Scholastic magazines, etc. that have all been taken apart, laminated, and put
on rings. They will last years this way. It’s part of our TEKS (Texas
guidelines) that students read magazines and newspapers.
Scholastic magazines, etc. that have all been taken apart, laminated, and put
on rings. They will last years this way. It’s part of our TEKS (Texas
guidelines) that students read magazines and newspapers.
I also have a basket of puppets handy so they can act out stories, though I prefer this not to be in the actual library.
We also participate in a program with our local newspaper where
a business donates a class set of newspapers to our classroom once a week. The
students love Tuesdays because of this. I teach them where the title of the
newspaper is, where to find the date, weather, headlines, local stories,
etc. Each week I will also give them an
independent focus. For example, highlight all of the letters “a” or sight words
“see”. We use it to find capital letters and punctuation. Really the
possibilities are endless. J Kids also
love to take the newspapers home and discuss what they learned about it.
Parents are pretty impressed. You should see if your community has a program
like this. J
a business donates a class set of newspapers to our classroom once a week. The
students love Tuesdays because of this. I teach them where the title of the
newspaper is, where to find the date, weather, headlines, local stories,
etc. Each week I will also give them an
independent focus. For example, highlight all of the letters “a” or sight words
“see”. We use it to find capital letters and punctuation. Really the
possibilities are endless. J Kids also
love to take the newspapers home and discuss what they learned about it.
Parents are pretty impressed. You should see if your community has a program
like this. J
Sarah says
I need to do that too my magazines. They are already falling apart. I saw bless your heart too. It must be a Texas thing haha
Yeehaw! Teaching in Texas
Kristin says
Ooh! I need to get some sunglasses to pop the lenses out of!!!
So fun!
Anonymous says
I love your library and how you've organized it. So smart. I also like that you have puppets for your kiddos to play with. What a fun way to get their creative juices flowing!
Christa says
I'm not sure if you will see this but I am wondering which Frog Street Press CD you have that you made the Alphabet Song books from (Yippity Yak, Apple Annie, etc)? I don't know if I should purchase the Teacher Guide CD or the Reproducible Mini-Book CD. Thanks for your help!