Inspirations

With summer break I have been blogging :) a lot, doing some work stuff (lessons, book study etc.) along with attending workshops. Today I attended a wonderful Empowering Writers workshop. It has great ideas! 

But I have to say that the best thing as been blogging. I have been so fortunate to have found some great idea!!!

Inspiration:

 

From www.mrsrojasteaches.blogspot.com 

 

My creation:

Mine is not as cute but will keep me organized. I am thinking that maybe I will end up changing out the colors. This was made with what I already had. :)

 

Inspiration:

 

My creation is still under construction since I am not at school :) Will post about it once its up and working miracles.

Will later post more of my to do's :)

How to celebrate birthdays in the classroom?

Birthdays!!!!! All kids love to celebrate their birthday. In my classroom students get special treatment on that day. We all sing Happy Birthday as they blow their candle(light with 'magical switch') It's funny that even though they know they are not really blowing it out and that I am the one turning it off, they get so excited.

'Magical' birthday candle

 

They get a birthday crown and a get to put a King or Queen chair cover. What they love the most is taking the 'Dia Especial' journal. In this journal they are to write, draw or include a picture about their birthday celebration. They get to take the journal over the weekend and share with everyone on Monday. 

To display my students birthday I created 1 cupcake for each month. I cut yellow construction paper to make candles, wrote students name and date on it. They loved them!

Birthday cupcakes with yellow 'candles'

What do you do to celebrate your students birthday??? Please share...

My little share today is..........the letter to parents(goes inside journal). Hope you enjoy!! 

Birthday Journal

FYI: My fonts changed when I added the file to the post and it doesn't look very attractive. But you can always change it to fit your needs. ;)

Thinking while reading at home...

Every school year I send home on level A-Z books for my students to read at home. I try my best to change them out weekly or bi-weekly. I have tried sending them in plastic baggies and large yellow laminated envelops. Even though they have both worked out okay,  I want something that will last longer and help my students be more organized. This next year I plan on trying something new. Below are examples of plastic envelops .

 

What I like!!

I am planning on using. Students will keep their reading log, book marks, reading strategy page, 2 books and question cards. At the beginning of the year many of my students read many fiction book for this reason I provide them with fiction question cards. After we work on non-fiction books I provide them with non-fiction question cards. They worked out great! Students could use their answer as their reading log summary. I simply printed the non-fiction and fiction cards in different colors, cut them and put them in a small binder ring. Students or parents would randomly pick a question to answer.

I have attached them for you to use!!! Hope they are helpful.... :) 

Please let me know how you organize or do for students home reading.

ENJOY your weekend...

Home Reading Questions English

Home Reading Questions Spanish

Read 80 books!

Wow! It has been a while since my last post. I am excited to have a few new followers :). This post is to share a reading incentive idea that I got from another blog.( I can't remember which :( ) I just changed a few things up. The original idea was for students to read 100 books but I decided to do 80 books. I gave students a couple of months to complete their goal and had several incentives for completing it.

 Below is an outline of how it worked in my classroom.
* I cut strips of construction paper and would send it home with students, usually bi-weekly.
* Students had to write the date, title, genre and a summary of what the story was about on their strip. To do this they would use both sides.
* Students brought their strips every Friday for a quick check. Strips were not yet joined.
* Students joined or made their chain at home.
* Once they reached their 80 books they brought their chain.

Student incentives:
1. Became a Reading Queen or King and were announce on the schools intercom.
2. Got a pencil etc.
3. Their picture with a crown was put on the hall way bulletin board.
4. Chains were hung in the classroom.
5. At the end all Kings and Queens had a pizza party, where they decorated crowns.

Here are some pictures of what I mentioned above.(Sorry pictures are side ways) I also included the letter I sent home in Spanish and English. Enjoy! :)

 ReadingTo80 English

Reading To 80 Spanish 

Chains around the room

Reading King and Queen hall way board

Student holding chain

Another student with chain