Mrs. Byrd's Classroom 2016

 

I did some work in my classroom this summer because, let's be honest, there is a lot of pressure out there to have an adorable, perfect, Pinterest ready classroom.  After seeing all the gorgeous classrooms on Pinterest and Instagram, I was feeling a bit embarrassed about mine.  I teach in a VERY old building.  I have been in this classroom for over 12 years.  I am STILL throwing out things left from previous teachers.  So, before I tell you about my favorite spaces in my room, lets get a little perspective...

This is what my classroom looked like the day I walked in to get it ready for school.  The "deep cleaning" had been done.  Which really means that the carpets and rugs were shampooed, the tops of the shelves, and the windows were cleaned.  That's it.  There were still cobwebs.  There was still dust in all the shelves, and the old tattered boxes for storage were looking a bit sad.

It's funny because the one compliment I get from parents more than any other is that I am very organized.  But, I don't think you would have known it by looking at my classroom.  It didn't scream organized.  It screamed old and tattered, but she can find everything quickly.  It needed some love and attention. I had a teacher desk that collected piles. Something had to be done...

So, I did a "deep cleaning" of my own.  I was really hoping I could reduce the paper storage in my room to the point where I could get rid of the huge metal filing cabinet.  It takes up so much space and there really isn't a natural spot for it in the room.  I filled three huge recycle cans with old worksheets, thematic printables, outdated workbooks, and other stuff that just didn't need to be there.  I ended up keeping the file cabinet.  But I emptied two others that I was able to use in my...

Maker Space!!!  I am really excited about this new addition to my classroom.  It is in the space where my old teacher desk used to be.  I think it was a good trade.  My sweet hubby installed the shelf that all the bins are sitting on.  The drawers in the old file cabinets are for cardboard, plastic, paper, and odds & ends.  The space isn't finished in this photo.  I still need two small containers for trash and recycle below the maker space sign.  I also need to finish filling the bins.  I have tape, yarn, straws, craft sticks, and paper shapes in there.  I will be adding more and just need an afternoon where I can go though all my craft supplies to find goodies for STEAM.  This space is meant to be an open ended creative building space using easy to acquire recyclables and craft materials.  I am hoping to fund this with the donations I get from parents for classroom supplies along with donations of "stuff".  I will keep you posted on how this is going.  It will be an adventure and I KNOW management will be the key to its success.  You can read more about how I set up the Maker Space and get ideas for some great projects with your class here: Maker Space in Kindergarten

You can see the big file cabinet in the corner of this photo.  It is tucked away behind my calendar divider in the classroom.  I made these cute shape posters because I like to have these up all year as a reference.  I wanted them to go with any color scheme in the future, so they are really simple.  If you want them for you classroom, you can grab them right here: Shape Posters 

This is the new big book cart my sweet husband made for me.  It has wheels on the bottom, but two of them lock so it's safe for kiddos.  This is tucked between the big file cabinet and shelving that holds guided reading books right below the shapes bulletin board.  It is part of the "reading space" in my classroom.  Kids are allowed to read big books every day as a choice in my room.   More on the reading space later...

These colors posters are an essential reference in the classroom.  I wanted these to be simple as well.  I want them to work in any classroom with any decor or theme.  You can find them right here: Color Posters.  I actually improved them for my TpT store, so those are even better.

The color bulletin board is on the other side of my classroom across from the shapes bulletin board.  This is part of a counter where my printer and colored copy paper live.  The white drawers next to it hold craft supplies.  My laptop sits on top of there most days charging when I am not using it.  So far, the classroom space is working just fine without a teacher desk.  I have gone back and forth on having a desk and not having one.  I am glad to be back to NOT having a teacher desk.  My classroom is small, so I really want every inch devoted to kid space.  When I need to work or plan in the classroom, I just spread out on the big back table right next to this area.  It works well and then I don't have a flat surface (my old desk) collecting piles.  It forces me to keep only the essential documents and get rid of the other paper that comes in the classroom. 

OK, so I LOVE my new orange clock.  It replaced the old original clock that was wired into some whole school clock system that had NEVER worked.  I had covered it with this old funky papier mache rainbow smiley face that I made in an art for teachers class when I was getting my credential.  It was old and dusty and  it just had to go.  This is such a major improvement!  This was another little project handled by my sweet husband.  He even picked out the clock.  Makes me happy to look at it.

Since I was going through everything, it was time to get my organization looking more uniform.  I really needed to use available resources, because I didn't want to spend too much money.  These were containers I already had just sitting around.  The tops on them were trashed, but the tubs were still good.  They are my new reading book containers.  I made labels for EVERYTHING like this so it all looks uniform.  I don't have matching containers in a color scheme all over my classroom.  I just try to make choices that are neutral so it all "goes".

This was another DIY project by Duane.  It has been in need of love for a long time.  It is the back of two shelving units that hold toys and wooden blocks.  Now it is a cute chalkboard surface and creates a sweet entry space in the classroom.  Those little banners have kiddos' names on them.

This is my favorite place in the room.  I expanded my library and reading space by removing some furniture and enough "stuff" to not need it.  I also got rid of books.  I know that sounds awful.  But I needed the space!  I am lucky to have so many books in my room that I get to insist on having ONLY  quality literature in the classroom.  I said goodbye to Clifford, Franklin, Disney and other cartoon related books.  Books that were falling apart had to go.  One of my criteria for keeping books was if it had won an award like the Caldecott Medal.  Those made the cut.  It took me half a day to go through all the books.  I did it quickly and was ruthless.  I still have tons of books!  These don't include the shelves of all my thematic books that I store separately out of reach from little hands.  We are truly blessed.  Books are EVERYWHERE!!!

Since that is the case, we needed a more comfortable place for reading.  This is a choice after academics every day in my classroom.  How cute are those marquee letters?  I just had to get some after seeing them in other teachers' rooms on Instagram.  The white dish washing tubs work great for book storage.  This space is being used just as I hoped it would.  I saw three sweeties on the cushions with a big book across their laps.  Adorable!  I am so glad my sweet students have a comfy, cozy space to enjoy books.  The kiddos love it when the lights are on too!  Yay!

This is what it looked like the day before school started.  I know it's not really Pinterest worthy, but it is a significant improvement.  It's the best I can do right now with the resources I have available.  I wish so much that I could get new tables and chairs... not happening.  I wish I could replace every storage container in my room so they are all color coordinated.  I just didn't have the time or money to take it that far.  The classroom is more open than it used to be, it has spaces that are functional and "kid centered", and it is tidy and organized to start the year.  Now we just have to keep it that way.

 So, that's it... just a few highlights from my classroom this year.  We are off to a good start.  Hope you are already having or about to begin your #bestyearever in your #bestclassroomever!
Happy teaching!

How do you teach the ABC's? Part One

This is the first of several upcoming posts on how I teach letters and sounds in my classroom.  So, first things first, if you are teaching kindergarten, please tell me that you don't do letter of the week anymore!  I was soooo glad to read this on Cara Carroll's blog too!  I have been thinking it for years now, thank goodness someone just put it right out there.  Kindergarten kids need to have a working knowledge of letters and sounds by the end of the first trimester in order to meet grade level expectations for the end of the year. So, teaching letters weekly just doesn't work.

OK, so... time for true confessions.  Even just a few years ago, I was still doing a poem each week that had a letter reference and activity with it.  Although it wasn't really a "letter of the week" program, I finally came to the realization that it wasn't appropriate any more.  By the second half of the school year, my students were so "beyond" the letter work, I was feeling bad.  It's hard sometimes, as teachers, when we see the value in certain activities, but we know that it is time to move on.  Well, I finally moved on.

So, I tweaked my alphabet program a bit.  Instead of a weekly poem book, my students make a little ABC emergent reader.  It is one of the first books they learn to read.  Not only does it help internalize letter names and sounds, but it also helps my students learn to handle books, point as they read, understand directionality with text, and it makes them feel confident as readers.  Woo hoo!  That's why I love these little books and am happy I made the shift to these.

These books are VERY simple.  You could easily make them yourself by drawing out the pages (wink, wink).  If you have the time and inclination to do that, go for it!  This is not an original idea.  But, if you don't have the time to make them yourself, you can go get these in my TpT store:  ABC Book! Student made Emergent Reader for Letter Learning

I have my kiddos do a page each day as a center activity for the first few weeks of school.  It is nice to have an activity that they feel comfortable doing as we are learning routines and setting expectations.  For each letter, I set out lots of matching picture cards like these (ABC Cards! Letter matching cards for learning) .  I am also in the process of teaching my kinesthetic alphabet to them at the same time.  We are also reading lots of alphabet books.  We are doing lots of hands on activities with tactile letters.  They are getting immersed with letters as we make these books.

The important thing about this book, is that students choose what picture they will draw for each letter.   When the child chooses, she will usually pick something that she has already associated with that letter and sound.  This creates a STRONG connection between letter and sound.  It helps students master letters and sounds quickly.  It has been working well in my classroom.  That is why I am finally sharing this with you.  I have had proven success with this.  (...and I finally made it into an actual product I can share... ha ha!)

You get the idea.  There are also pages with the pictures and words already on them.  Those are for TK or preschool sweeties.  Here are a couple of those:

 

So the pre-K pages do not require drawing, just coloring.  I used these with my TK students last year and they were perfect.  The pictures are aligned with my Kinesthetic Alphabet.  What is a kinesthetic alphabet, you ask?  Well, that is a whole other blog post.  So, keep posted.  It is coming soon.

I hope this idea helps you to teach the alphabet in your classroom this year.  Stay tuned for future posts on this topic.  Letters and sounds are such an important foundation in literacy.  So, it is something we need to share and talk about.  If you want to use this little book in your classroom, you can get it on my TpT shop.  Just click on the image below:

If you have some great ideas for how you teach letters in your classroom, leave a comment below.  I hope we can get a little conversation going.  Let's share best practices to help make us all better teachers.

 

Happy teaching!

Reading Fluency

Need some simple activities to help your young students develop reading fluency? Here are a few things I am doing with my class (in addition to our normal familiar reading practice).  We are done with CVC words and have moved on to blends and digraphs, but, it is really important to practice "putting it all together" to read and write with ease.  I have made some helpful little sheets to practice reading, sentences, and punctuation.  And it is so easy to make them into a literacy center for the class before I send the pages home in the homework.

The kiddos work together in a small group to read and answer all the questions on the pocket chart.  Then, they sit down at the table and do a little recording sheet to practice and review.  Some of the questions are silly, so it is fun.  Anytime they get to use the do-a-dot dabbers, I have happy students.  So, this little activity was a success!

You can get this little pack for only $1.00 in my TpT store.  It took me less than ten minutes to write out the sentence strips to make it into a literacy center.  Woo hoo!  Just click on the image below to go get it.

This is another activity that helps build reading fluency but also helps young students understand what makes a complete sentence.  I did the same thing as the Read and Answer center above.  I used one of the sheets from the pack and wrote out all the sentences and phrases on sentence strips.  I added a couple more into the pocket chart just for practice.  After working together in a small group to complete the pocket chart, the kiddos went to the table to do the practice page with dabbers.

I also made this mini anchor chart to introduce this concept in a simple way to my kindergarten sweeties.  The idea of complete sentences can be a bit tricky.  But this literacy center went very well and the "Is it a Sentence?" sheets will be going home in homework packs throughout the remainder of the school year.

This was a standard 8.5 X 11" sheet that I enlarged to ledger size paper (11 X17").  I put it on the yellow construction paper and laminated it.  It was a really helpful tool to help students with the activity, and you can get this for FREE down at the bottom of the post.  Just sharing the love.

You can get lots of practice pages for this concept.  I have two 6-packs!  Just click on the images below to go get them.  Yes, they are only $1.00 each.

The last item I made to help young readers cover a big concept is Pick the Punctuation!  I know it will be helpful to both kindergarten and first grade teachers.  Students need to read each line and choose the correct punctuation to end the sentence.  I will introduce this just a bit later in the year, but we have already been working on these concepts for quite some time.  This is an example from the pack:

This activity helps with so many areas of reading and writing.  It helps students understand and differentiate the end marks and read with appropriate expression, which in turn helps reading fluency.  These can also help kiddos improve correct usage in writing as well.   This would be just as easy to turn into a pocket chart center like the ones above.  You can get these sheets in my TpT store by clicking on the image below.  Yup, you guessed right, only $1.00.

 
I have lots of little 6-Packs! in my store.  Each pack is a single skill with a single format and includes six different versions.  I think $1.00 is just the right price and hope that it makes your life easier to be able to get just what you need in little packs.  I hate nothing more that paying for a big pack and then only using a few pages. 

OK, here's your freebie!  Click on the image to go get it in my TpT store.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope these ideas help you in your classroom!
Happy teaching!

What can I be for Halloween?

This is just a quick post about a little set of literacy centers I posted on TpT today.  I made it last year and my kiddos loved them!  I didn't get it finished in time to publish it last year.  Sooooo......
here it is ready to share with you now.  I think the sweeties in my class will love it this year too.

It has a cute emergent reader called What can I be for Halloween?  There are two versions, one that is student made with written words like the top picture on the post.  The other version is a little reader like the picture below.  It has nice spacing so the words are easy to point to when reading.

Either one would be a great literacy center and the best part is the black and white printable books can be made for each student to keep in a book box throughout the year or sent home for fun reading practice.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

The other literacy center in this pack is a set of clip cards like those pictured above.  They have all the costumes from the reader along with a recording sheet for kiddos to write the beginning sound for each word.  It was a fun activity last year in my classroom.

You can get it at TpT for your classroom!  Just click on the image below to go there and check it out.  There is a preview file with the entire set so you can see everything before you buy.  As always, it will be discounted for the fist few days, so don't wait.

I hope these are a great addition to the Halloween activities in your classroom.
Happy Halloween and
happy teaching!

Counting and Reading

Hi there!  This is a quick little post on a cute counting book my kiddos made.  It is a simple idea, but has been a great little reader.  I especially love how it is helping my students practice reading the number words.  I thought it would be fun to use these old teddy bear stamps I had hanging around...

Do any of you still have these in your classroom?  They are soooooo old.  I am pretty sure they are from the Mathland program.   It was the math adoption back when I first started teaching over 15 years ago.  But, since I don't use mine often, they are in very good shape and worked out great for this little book!  My kids did the pages as an independent center over several days. 

My sweet little students did a great job on these.  But more importantly, they are a favorite in the book boxes and are read weekly by most of my kids.  I just LOVE when something we do covers both reading AND math.  This little book covers LOTS of standards!  There is something so magical about books that the kids make themselves.  They are so much more engaging than the other reading books we use.  The kiddos love reading them!  (and that makes me very HAPPY!!!!!!!!)

So, I want to put this out there to other teachers - I am sharing this idea so that you can do this in your classroom.  Yes, of course it is for sale on TPT, but since I am sharing it all right here on the blog....  if you have the time and inclination to make your own, GO FOR IT!!!!  I feel like all we do in our blogging, making products, and pinning on Pinterest, is sharing ideas and helping each other.  That is always my intention when I make something.  I made it for my own classroom and am just passing it on in hopes it helps you too!

It would also be really cute to make the pages using stickers like these.  In my packet, there is a page of paper teddies the kiddos can color, cut, and glue on to the pages.  There is also a set of pages with the teddies already on them.

So if you don't have the time or inclination to make it yourself but would like to use this book in your classroom, you can get it here (just click on the image):

Thanks for stopping by the blog.
Happy Teaching!