Flip that Book

Have you seen this idea?  I saw the pin, from Funky First Grade Fun and think it is fabulous!

source

How fabulous would it be to have books stay open while you read them?  This may be moving to the top of my summer to do list.  Here are the books I would spiral bind.
-The Sisters Books
-On Solid Ground
-About the Authors
-Growing Readers
-Reading With Meaning


Have any of you done this?  Which books would you flip?
Happy Saturday,
 

Behavior and Consequences

We are a PBIS school (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)  We give out "rockets" to kids making safe, responsible, and respectful choices.  We try and re-teach when misbehavior occurs rather than going to straight to a punishment.  Anyway this week I confiscated a note that had been passed back and forth between two girls.  It was a horrible note, that started out with one of my favorite questions (said sarcastically), "Why aren't you being my friend?"  From there the note got worse and worse and included fu....yes fu!  They didn't write out the word, just fu back and forth, back and forth.  (Do they even know what fu even means?)  One of the girls is a stinker, most of the time.  The other one is so sweet, that I was shocked to find her involved.  Anyway we talked, I wrote them "minor alerts" (These are like mini-referrals) And we worked out a consequence.





I am a huge believer in trying to make consequences match actions, so we decided that each girl needed to write five kind and positive notes to five people in the class, including each other.  Once they were finished, what they had to write was so sweet.  They delivered their new notes and all kinds hugging ensued!

Here are some of the note contents:
Dear McKenzie, 
You are funny and good at a lot of things.   I really want to be your friend for a long time and I am sorry about the mean things I wrote to you.  I hope we are in class together next year.


Dear Bailey,
You are really nice to everyone.  I am glad you are nice to me.  When you grow up I think you will be nice still.  Thank you for letting me cut you, in line.  You are a good friend and you are cute.
Love,
Grace
P.S You are funny and fun to play with.


Dear Emily,
You are nice and kind.  Thank you for playing with me and being my friend.  You make me happy when I am sad.  I like you a lot.

So now we are all happy and friendly again...13 more days to go!  I am in no way ready for this year to be over.  1)  I LOVE my group of chickadees (even the ones mentioned above) and 2)  I have a LOT to do in the next two weeks!

Happy Friday, 
 

Special Delivery

During my lunch, one of my friends, brought me this box, from the staff room....

I was a little confused considering, I was not expecting a book order.  Then after reading the label, I realized it was from another first grade teacher friend, who has an adorable etsy shop....she sent me a present.  It's a new pretty-fied clipboard!  

In the words of Sophie Grace, "So Good!"  (My class was as excited as I was....only it was due to the bubble wrap packaging).  My clipboard is my second in command.  Lesson plans, check lists, important daily info., etc are all kept within easy access.
I took some before and after photos so you can see the makeover:
Old and Ugly...if I scrape the tape off the residue leftover will collect all kinds of good stuff....moving this clipboard into the student clipboard bucket.

Before...

Two of my favorite colors!

The Back

Ready to go with my lesson plans.

For those of you still in school, looking for a fantabulous teacher gift or parent/secretary/principal appreciation, check out It's My Party.  She has personalized tumblers and can do all kinds of different colors and fonts to fit your friends!
 

Reading Resort Pet Hotel

I don't know if any of you "get" to participate in DIBELS.  I (reluctantly) have to have the whole class DIBEL'd three times a year.  For those of you who may not know what DIBELS is, it is supposed to be a quick assessment of student reading fluency. (Just fluency...no comprehension...no other reading info.) Three times a year a group of testers come listen to kids read and record the score.  In case you can't read between the lines I can not stand this whole process....but there is really nothing I can do about it.  But I can help my kids with the stress of testing and make it as fun as possible.  All year long we have read to these friends......they each have a name and my chickadees love scooping them up and reading to them.

Reading Resort for Pets...read all day....My kind of place!

So my thinking began to work around re-creating this during DIBELS Blitz Day (yes that what they call it!)  If my kids could just focus on reading to their friends then the person listening to them read and the timer might just be easily ignored.  We have been practicing in class.  I sent home a letter telling families that the Reading Resort Pet Hotel finally had vacancies and could check in as soon as they were ready to drop in.  During the massive TPT Appreciation Sale, I saw this unit, thought it was adorable and would easily fit my thinking about DIBELS Read to Pet Day (my new title for the day).   The unit allows for the teacher to find their own puppies and then kids choose pre-named collars for the puppies.  I just made a blank collar that says, "Name of Pet _________ Loved By __________" and then had students bring a pet from home.

Making a pet collar.

Showing off their recently collared pets.  How many people do you know have pet Dragons!!!

Any time we choose "read to self" we can "read to pet."

Finish reading...return pet to their hotel room.

and now for some "Read to Pet" Pictures:

bunny sits on her shoulder

Love the graphic novel nod.

tucked into the desk

more graphic novels

Little pat on the head for encouragement.

I have put out poetry as well, for the extra fluency practice.  Next we will take our pets to the library for Dibels Day.


Happy Tuesday,
 

Blogger Shout Out and Pinterest Linky

Just feeling the need for a blogger shout out.  Jennifer @ Owl Things First could be my "kindred (bloggy) spirit" in the words of Anne Shirley.  
1)  She has a polka dotted background...I love polka dots
2)  We are both studying birds with our chickadees (although she is much more a bird expert than I will ever be)
3)  We are both in love with the Hawklet cam at Cornell University
4)  She calls her kids "owlets" and I call mine "chickadees"
I could go on...but you all get the idea.  If only we lived in the same part of the country, we could meet in person!
You must go check out the cute and brilliant ideas she has for you.  And if that isn't reason enough she is having a giveaway!
I also wanted to join the Pinterest Linky Party over at Views From Room 205.  

Here are some favorite Pins:
1.) Invitations to a book exchange party.  I loved the idea of this.  So I had a book exchange party at my house.  Then decided to have one for my chickadees to!  Read about it here and here.

2.)  One of my pinboards is all about book quotes and images.  This poster defines what I want every student to discover about reading...they give readers power to escape, imagine, and dream!

3.)  Who doesn't love finding ideas for making things cute!  I saw this and so far it has been the easiest diy I have been able to copy:-)  I even used bulletin border that was exactly the right width, so I didn't have to cut paper!

4.)  This is a pumpkin turned into a book character.  At my school we spend a week doing different book related activities.  Unfortunately that week was not anywhere near October when pumpkins are readily available.  So this pin inspired potato characters instead.  One of the best school activities all year.

 5.)  This became a favorite art project in our room.  We got to talk about lines, shapes, and colors and then put them into practice....clever!

6.)  Discovered LapBooks....I have a new favorite.  We made our own version for out bird unit, and my chickadees are loving it.  I think parents will to, because all the work is collected in one place!

7, 8, 9, and 10.)  Are all on my to do list for next year. 

well this is on my unrealistic to do list

a get to know each other project

appropriate door for my chickadees

I have one of these...just not as cute

Congratulations, you have made it to the end of this very long post.  Hopefully you check out Owl Things First and feel pinspired!
Happy Monday,
 

Positive Teacher-Student Relationships

I am a huge believer that fostering connections with students is one of the most effective ways to help them develop academically, behaviorally, and emotionally.  There are many ways to create this relationship in and out of the classroom.  I can tell them, til I am blue in the face, how much a like and appreciate them.  Sometimes they need to be shown.  One of the best ways to do this outside of the classroom is through extra-curricular activities.  I ask  my chickadees to bring me a schedule and do my best to see them in action.  I have been to 
baseball games...

 basketball games...

 Tae Kwon Do performances...

 Dance Recitals....

 Soccer games....

and Football games....

It is so fun to see them outside of the classroom and they are thrilled that I came to see their activities. (although hiding and suddenly turning shy may be how the evidence this:-)  


Any other thoughts...what do you all do to foster positive teacher/student relationships?  Inside and/or outside your classroom?

Happy Sunday,