Restart

After a tough three weeks, I finally feel like I have some of my energy back. This weekend I felt much more optimistic and eager to make some necessary changes in the classroom.

The signs below will be the individual tracking system for our "Strong Minds and Big Hearts" theme. Students will receive stickers to place on the numbers when they show one of the characteristics of someone with a "strong mind" or "big heart." Once they reach 10 stickers, they will get a certificate and a special "surprise" - aka I need to figure something out :) I think the kids will be excited to see the next bulletin board tomorrow!

Language Arts Makeover!

Below are our Reading and Writing Goal Binders. Each student has an assigned number to keep them organized. More info later on the contents inside!

I finally created my "Writing Center" to use during Daily Five and Work on Writing!  Below the writing center are our Words Their Way sort bins. Students have a word study notebook and materials for their word sorts for the week.

Some of the paper options for "Work on Writing." During Daily 5, students have a choice of what they can write about. In Writer's Workshop we focus on a specific writing skills and types of writing. We just started our Personal Narrative Unit.

I have five different word study groups based on students' spelling development stage. I am using Words Their Way to differentiate instruction for my kids!  So far I really like the program and it fits seamlessly into the Daily 5 routine.

I've been a little bit of a control freak with materials this year, so the kids will be excited to get their own pink erasers Monday. They will also have to be responsible for this mini-sharpener as a group. Always trying to minimize 2nd grade messes :)