Calendar Journal Tips

Friends~I have had some questions since my last post about how I use my calendar journals in class.  You can read my post about these cute journals by giving them a click below!  You also can download a copy of my printable labels too!

To answer the questions that I have had about my calendar journals I have to tell you that I do my entire calendar on my Smartboard.  I transitioned to this 3 years ago and it works beautifully!  I started by creating my sign in attendance board.  You can see it below.  Students enter my classroom and pull their number up to the I AM Here part of the board.  Before we begin calendar my attendance person announces the attendance to me and then pulls the pieces down. (Each month has a different sign in board and calendar feel:)

We then move into our calendar routine.  It is basically the same as I am sure some of you use.  All of the numbered calendar pieces move so that my students can create the calendar one day at a time.(You can check out my calendars by clicking the August calendar below.  They are all pre made and ready to go:)

We label the day of the week and graph the weather!

 I also have songs in my calendars to sing and some linked to play. 

 During the calendar time,  my students have their Calendar (Half Composition) Books and a pencil.  I start the beginning of the school year off training my students how to record our Daily Data!  I use this simple format.  The skills become more challenging as the school year progresses.  This is what I start with.

I used to use a paper copy of a similar sheet that I copied and put into books but with budget cuts I have had to find ways to save copies and paper.  I have found that my students do well with this format.
With the new Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards the idea of starting students on basic note taking during a presentation isn't a bad idea in fact, this activity fits perfectly!

2.SL.2 2. Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

I also want to apologize to those who participated in the Luna giveaway with Learning Resources.  I had chosen a winner and have waited a few weeks for that person to contact me and they have not.  So...I picked a new winner!  

 

So very excited to give The Luna Projection Camera from Learning Resources away!  I love mine and am using it at home with my kiddos and my tutoring friends!   

Be the Queen of Queens!

Friends~You know you did it as a child!  Picked those pretty white flowers from the fields behind your house!  Queen Anne's Lace! This wild flower is native to Europe and plentiful in the south!  Especially, around me!  (I am sure you can find it all over...it has just been staring me in the face all summer long:)

I just had to do it!  Lily, Ian, and our friends Marley and Mason took a rode trip last week and visited Dan Nicholas' Park.  That is a whole other story.  Check out the monkeys below!

On our way home, I forced my friend Donna to get out of the car on the side of a country road and grab us a bundle of QAL!  

We took them home and added food coloring to the water. 

 Sad that I only had orange and green but we went with it.  

 We let them sit for a few hours and we got some pretty flowers!

My kiddos were amazed and they are still checking on the flowers to see how they have changed!  I love Summer SCIENCE!

2 for 1 Compositon Books!

Friends~I finally figured it out!  I have been loving the composition books that have been cut in half recently.  I have seen them on several blogs and I have gone to Lowes and Home Depot as suggested to have my 12 books cut in half so that I had 24 smaller books.  Doubling my lot!  (The kiddos never use a whole page anyway:)

Well, trips to Lowes and Home Depot left me defeated.  Don't get me wrong the guys that helped me and tried to cut the books were super kind but their saws ate, destroyed, tore, and mangled my books.  After the loss of my 2nd book the man at Home Depot suggested that I try Office Max.

Look-ie, Look-ie!

It was less than $3 to have these babies cut!  Office Max can cut around 8 at a time.  I am so super excited about it!  Check out my labels below for the front of the books.  I am using one for my calendar journals and one for spelling.

You can download the labels that I plan to use on the covers for My Calendar Journals next school year by clicking the images below.  If you do so, I would love for you to leave a comment and follow my blog so you don't miss any Back to School Freebies!

Beyond Flipping Cards!

Friends~I have loved seeing all of the classroom management and behavior managements post this week.  I am a bit late getting mine up because this is my last week with my 2nd graders and I have been super busy making the end of the year special for them:)

2 years ago I had one of my most challenging classes.  The mix was wild!  My class was quite a unique bunch with several gifted students, special needs, behavioral issues, and everything else that goes along with teaching.  I spent many afternoons and evenings trying to find a way to manage this class so that I still could teach the way I knew was right.  Sure I could have pushed some worksheets and put the class on a behavior plan but I knew that was not right.   Then I walked into the Teacher's Lounge.  There was a sign and it read~Courage is Doing What's Right When Others are Doing Wrong.  I knew that this is what I needed to bring my class to understand.  To take control and responsibility for their actions.  At that moment,  I started compiling ideas to try with my crew.  Slowly but surely things started to change.  I know I did not get to every thing I normally do in a school year with this particular class but I knew that I had taught them something much more important.  To Lean Like a Champion!  To be in control of their minds, bodies, and choices. 

I have continued with this behavioral training every since. One of the things that I use early on is my OOPS Book.  It is a simple way to document behavior and keep students accountable for their actions.  I use it as a training tool and usually by January it is hanging on my apron as a reminder.

I am adding a link to my 23 page Pre Made OOPS Book packet that you can take a look at by clicking the image below.  You will get everything you need to create your own OOPS Book and more.  Be sure to check it out!

It is pretty simple to make your own too.  I take a set of 24 index cards and number them with sticker numbers.  I place a hole in each card.  Laminate a from and back cover and add a book ring.  I also post my OOPS Book consequences on the inside cover.  My consequences are as follows:
~If I hand you a stop sign it is your warning.
~If I have to talk with you again you will meet with me and sign the OOPS Book on your numbered card.  I write a brief note telling what the behavior issue and the date.
~If I have to talk to you again, you highlight your name and fill out a behavioral reflection sheet to be taken home and signed by a parent.
~Anything after that is an office referral or the child makes a phone call home.

Download a FREE Behavioral Reflection sheet below!  

If you are interested in learning more about how I create a classroom of independent learners you are in LUCK!

You can now purchase portions of past Teaching Blog Expos!  I presented on my classroom behavior and management style in the Teaching Tips Blog Expo a few months ago.  You can now purchase portions of the expo that you are most interested in.  Check it out below!

In this portion of the Teaching Tips Blog Expo you have the opportunity to see my students putting our classroom Learn Like a Champion sign to use. 

Be sure to  preview my Beyond Flipping Cards Ebook. 

 Click the image preview this product.  

This file is a 46 page download that walks you through my behavior management philosophy. Included you will find a description of my OOPS Book and a behavior reflection sheet. I have included a copy of my stop signs to use as warnings. You will get a copy of my reward coupons, my job icons, and a portable stop sign. I discuss my Learn Like a Champion poster and you will receive a download of my poster and a Teach like a Champion Poster. You will also download 5 of my classroom songs and chants that I use daily.
Be sure to download my preview you file so that you can see what this ebook is all about.

Check out this video of my kiddos demonstrating our Learn Like a Champion Poster!

Top 5 Ways I use my Document Camera & a Giveaway!

Friends~I am sure you all know that I love my smartboard but did you know that I also LOVE my document camera?  It makes my life so much easier and my students get amazing interactive lessons every time I turn it on.  Well, I have been saving this post for this week because it is the last week of school for me and I wanted to go out with a BANG!  My friends at Learning Resources have given me the opportunity to review their Luna Interactive Projection Camera and also give one away to one lucky Schroeder Page follower!

I had so much fun playing with the Luna because it is super easy to install and use.  So easy in fact my students will be using it on their own to observe shark teeth in our Science Center this week.  Watch the video below to see some other great advantages of the Luna!

Here are my Top 5 Ways I use the 

Luna in my classroom!

#5~I use the Luna to display math manipulatives for my students to use during our math lessons.
#4~I place my shared reading and guided reading books under the Luna so that my students can follow along and connect to the words.
#3~I set my Luna up at our Science center so that my students can zoom in and observe science materials. 
#2~In Social Studies, I like to zoom in on maps and landforms.  My kiddos love using Google Earth and the Luna allowed me bring our mapping unit alive. 

#1~Taking pictures with my Luna is a breeze and I love to upload them to Smart Notebook so that I can manipulate them into interactive lessons for my students.

Check out my student using our Luna during a PEEP Center!  We took pictures of our Peeps during our Peep adoption in April.  My students had to fill out an APGAR Score sheet on their Peep so they used the Luna to zoom in and check the Peep's sugar coating.  This picture was taken the day I got the Luna in the mail.  It was that easy to set up and we have been using it ever since. 

So with all this good info, I know you totally want one of your own RIGHT?  Well,  it is super easy to enter my drawing for The Luna Interactive Projection Camera.

Starting today June 3, 2012 - June 8, 2012 The Schroeder Page & Learning Resources will be hosting a Luna Projection Camera Giveaway!

 Here are the steps that you will need to do to be entered into the giveaway.  Please post a comment for each step that you do.  You can enter multiple times by clicking away below!

Step 1-You must be a  follower of The Schroeder Page:)
Step 2-Please follow Learning Resources on Facebook.
Step 3- Please follow Learning Resources on Twitter.
Step 4-Please follow Learning Resources on YouTube.
Step 5-Please follow me on Teachers Notebook & Teachers Pay Teachers.

I will also be sending the WINNER a FREE copy of my 36 page 

SHARK! Unit!

Good Luck and Happy End of the School Year to ALL!