Combo Boards!

I don't know about you, but I never seem to have enough display space in my classroom.  Never mind that I have five (!) bulletin boards. I want most of my display space to be for student work or instructional materials, but I realize it is important to have other displays like birthdays, job charts, and classroom management items.  That's why this year I came up with the idea of "combination" displays.  A combo board serves multiple functions in a small space.
The first example is my job chart/birthday board.  The pocket chart has has class jobs, which I call "leaders".  This goes with our school focus of the "Leader in Me".  Around the outside of the chart, I have a cupcake for each student with their birthday.  The cupcakes are in chronological order, so when a child has a birthday, I can just pull the cupcake off, pop it on a pencil, and give it as a gift.

 

     Another example of a combo board is my Super Improver Wall.  Using cards clipped to the pockets, I can add my Super Improver stars.  At the same time I can keep track of discipline by using the colored cards behind.  If students break a classroom rule, I move the cards.  The consequences for each color are above the display.





Displays for 2013-2014: Part 1 Writing

This week we had two days of teacher workshops, so I was able to get back into my room and do a little setting up.  I have been focusing on setting up for Writing instruction.  Here are the latest pics:

My "Writer's Block" starts out very simply.  I have the six traits and the title "Writer's Block".  Over the first weeks of instruction the traits will be moved to the side of the bulletin board as the actual board is filled with posters that we co-create as part of the lessons.

This is the example of one smaller poster.  The words on the poster match the assessment rubric exactly, so that students can get used to the language of the rubric.  On the first day students decorate the cover of their notebook on the inside front cover write their three goals for the year.

Above the Writer's Block is a graphic with the levels of proficiency I use in my classroom:  substantially below proficient, partially proficient, proficient, and distinctive.  These are the same designations used by my state.

These are my completed editor name badges (see this post) with my shape-coded levels.  There are a couple of students without shapes because they are new to our district.  I will do a writing benchmark on them in the first week to get their current level of functioning and complete their name badge.

This is an expanded view to show how the name badges double as an attendance board.

Assessment Data Binder

This week I have been very busy creating products for teachers.  I have to confess that the hot and humid weather here in the Northeast has been behind it.  The only comfortable spot is in front of the computers with two fans running!  And the last place I want to go is the beach or lake because they are so crowded.
My latest product is a Youtube video titled: Assessment Data Binder.



Many people have asked about how I set up my binder.  It certainly is a "hot topic" (no pun intended!). I am very lucky that us fourth grade teachers get a portfolio that includes both numeric assessment data, and samples of student work.  I pour over these portfolios in early July to set up my Assessment Data Binder.  Having plenty of time to look at the portfolios helps me "hit the ground running" when the school year begins. I definitely make tweaks once I get to know each child individually, but surprisingly I don't need to do that very often.  The video has links to my former blogposts where I offer some of the forms for free.  If you are interested in the assessment web, please leave a comment below.  The writing rubric is part of one of my paid products on Teachers Pay Teachers.
What do you do to keep track of assessments?

More Classroom Organization

This week I have been on an interview committee for a position at my school. I've had a chance to start on my room arrangement. The room is next door to my old room and was the former Title One room. You wouldn't think it would be much different, but it totally is!
For one thing, every thing is facing the opposite direction. I know this doesn't sound like much, but it is driving me nuts! The wiring in the room was upgraded because of the number of computers Title One had, so I have lots of outlets unlike most rooms in our old building. Because of the number of outlets and their height on the wall, when the two cubbies were replaced they were not put together in one unit. In the middle I put the students mailboxes. I hope this will be a very handy place for them. Since there is also one of those four outlet junction boxes, I am going to put a rectangle table there (sticking out into the room) so when we borrow the laptops, we have a place to put them that is right near an outlet.
I am using the floor plan that was chosen by the class last year as the culminating project for a Math unit on area and perimeter. I quickly realized the winning entry was missing several pieces of furniture. So, I plan on moving these items out of the classroom next door to the multi-purpose room. On the first day, I will ask the students what is missing and where we might put those things. It will be a great learning experience to get us back in the mode of working together.

I started working on the main "teaching" board. Yes, looking at the picture you can see it is just a whiteboard clumsily attached to the old chalkboard with the sides of the chalkboard still showing. I wish our school had the time and money to do things right the first time. Anyway, at least I have a whiteboard. I'm allergic to chalk dust! The teacher names on the left side of the board are all the teachers at my school. Fifth grade is the first year they switch for a subject (Math), so this is where one designated student from each class can write the homework assignment from that class.  The right hand side has a graphic of the Olympic Motto as the Olympics is our theme this year.

I have a small class this year (only 20) so there is extra room..... and desks.  I want to help students be more responsible for classroom supplies this year.  Students will also be doing a lot of notebooking and lapbooking in Science, Social Studies and Math, so having those supplies in one central location doesn't really work.  Each group will have an extra desk in the middle of their group.  On it will be a caddie of supplies for the group to share, such as colored pencils, markers, highlighters, glue, and scissors.  Each child will continue to have their own pencils and crayons.  This way, if they leave the cap off the glue, they have no one to blame but themselves!
Me on the web:
class website:  www.4mrsjones.110mb.com
You Tube channel:  mrsc4jones
podcast:  http://frommrsjones.podbean.com
Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/c4jones

Classroom Organization, Part 1

Classroom Organization

Classroom organization is a hot topic for teachers in the summer months.  Everyone wants next year to be more efficient.  Here is one of my favorite organizational tricks:  Bulletin Board in a Bag.  Basically you put all your lettering, borders, and small items in a gallon zip top bag, like so:

The bag can be clipped to larger items that can't fit in the bag and hung from pants hangers so the large item doesn't bend.

For more organizational ideas for the classroom, listen to my podcast at:  http://frommrsjones.podbean.com, go to my Pinterest page at http://pinterest.com/c4jones or visit my You Tube channel at mrsc4jones for a video tour of my classroom.