Pit Crew Bulletin Board

This is one of my fav bulletin boards to get up and running every year. It's simply adorable and it serves as an ongoing display space for work all year.  Students make a racer portrait of themselves flanked with a laminated piece of paper for the body. This is where I switch out the work to display.  The cutest feature is attaching the race flags to each hand. Now if you don't have a race theme you could do the same idea but say attach an Ipod if you're doing a Rock Star theme, or a mitt or ball for a sports theme.

I also have the students fill out a Get to Know the Pit Crew form.

Find more great ideas on my Pinterest page or TPT store

Nifty Game Piece Pockets

So I've spent a good part of today printing, prepping and laminating games I've gotten from great blogs.
I found a wonderful Post It pocket that can hold all those game pieces or flashcards that miraculously always seem to go missing upon clean up time. The pockets are self sticking and can be removed easily and then reattached! Here's one of the games I prepped today with a pocket attached for you to see. Want your own pockets? I got mine at Office Depot.

Task Card Easy Does It Game

Grab an Easy button and play this game with a set of task cards.

Click image to get a free copy

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Homework Management

In 3rd grade responsibility is expected for my students to record their daily homework. Here is how I manage it. Students are given a weekly homework chart and as part of their morning routine copy down assignments from the board. It takes a few tries to get the process streamlined for some students, but it's a valuable skill learned.

Click image to get a copy

EZ Grader Slider Charts

I haven't stepped into a Dollar Tree store all summer, but today I did.  I am pleased that I did not go crazy with buying. But I wanted to share that I found some neat sliders for grading and math.

Does this look familiar?

Yep, the EZ grade slider that I got at Lakeshore for $6.99

How about this?

So cute and only a dollar.

Now I have one for at school and home.

Dollar Tree also had these sliders for addition/subtraction and multiplication/division

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Task Card Battleship

One activity I use often with task cards is Task Card Battleship which is played in the same manner as the familiar game Battleship.  Click the image below to grab a free copy.

Looking for task cards for your classroom? I have many to choose from in my TPT store, including a MEGA bundle of all by Reading and Language sets (at a huge discount)!

40 sets at a 20% discount

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Blog Mixer Linky

Oh the Places You'll Go with the blogs you know!  I'm having a seek and find Blog Mixer Linky party. Let's have some fun spotlighting each other.

In your link up find the following:

1.  A blogger who is a "New Kid on the Blog"
(Let's say someone who has blogged 2 months or less and has less than 200 followers)

2.  Post a blogger in your same grade level

3.  Post a blogger in a different grade level

4.  It's all about the button. Find a cute blog button and post it.


Ready....Begin.

1. My New Kid blogger is Counting on Coffee. Cyndy started blogging on July 9th.  Hop on over, but bring your coffee!

2.  I teach 3rd grade and I found a fellow grade mate at Mrs. Obregon's Third Grade Rock Stars.  And she liked my Mini Me's and blogged about them.

3.  Tara at 4th Grade Frolics has a great writing tidbits post.

4.  Button Cuteness spotlight goes to Ms. Durbin at 3rd Grade's a Hoot

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!

You're next. Go blog seek, find, and share.

1.	Teaching 4th	39.	WILD about First Grade	77.	Dishing It Out
2.	Quench Your First	40.	Teaching in High Heels	78.	Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies
3.	4th Grade Frolics	41.	All in a First Grade Day	79.	Mrs. Smith's First Grade
4.	Simply 2nd Resources	42.	Michele Moss	80.	Yaya's Kindergarten World
5.	Tales of a Third Grade	43.	Thinking of Teaching	81.	The Strength to Teach
6.	Just4Teachers	44.	3rd Grade Gridiron	82.	Mrs. Freshwater's Class
7.	1st Grade BlueSKies	45.	Mrs. I's Class	83.	She-Homeschools
8.	3rd Grade's a Hoot	46.	AWESOMENESS	84.	Just Another PB&J Day
9.	Creating & Teaching	47.	Third Grade Bookworm	85.	Sister Teachers
10.	Mrs. Grant's Kinder-Gators	48.	Miss Kindergarten	86.	Thoughts of a Third Grade Teacher
11.	Lifelong Learning	49.	Teach, Blog, Repeat	87.	Castles and Crayons
12.	The Sweet Life of Third Grade	50.	Miss Snowden	88.	Crayons, Scissors, and Glue Oh My!
13.	Faithful in First	51.	Swinging Through Second	89.	Mrs. Stamp's Kindergarten
14.	First Grade Owls	52.	Mel D @ Oh the Places We Will Go	90.	Mrs. Williams Whiz Kidz
15.	Sunny Days in 2nd Grade	53.	Living a Wonderful Life	91.	First Grade Shenanigans
16.	Little Literacy Learners	54.	Funky in 1st	92.	Triebel Telegraph
17.	Amy Brown (aka Science Stuff)	55.	Lessons Learned	93.	First Grade and Fabulous
18.	Education Journey	56.	Reading Really Rocks	94.	Fourth Grade Fanatic
19.	Fun 2B in First	57.	Swimming into Second	95.	Special Education - A Work of Heart
20.	New Classroom, New Baby, New Hobby, Oh My!	58.	Create●Teach●Share	96.	Effective Teaching Articles
21.	Buzzin' on Cupcakes in First Grade	59.	I Heart Teaching Elementary	97.	Kinders on the Block
22.	First Rate First Grade	60.	First Grade Fever by Christie	98.	The First Grade Splash
23.	Marvelous Multiagers!	61.	Third Grade Rock Stars	99.	Mrs. Langley's Class
24.	Michelle Lundy	62.	Pitner's Potpourri	100.	{heart} to reed
25.	A Teeny Tiny Teacher	63.	Just Love Teaching	101.	RainbowsWithinReach
26.	Always Learning	64.	First Grade to the Core	102.	Ms. W's Wonders
27.	A Day in the Life of a 2nd Grade Teacher	65.	The Silver Lining	103.	The Teacher Organizer
28.	1st Grade Glitter and Giggles	66.	Light a Candle	104.	I Love 1st Grade
29.	Sophie and Sadie's Scholarly Site	67.	Mrs. Dougherty	105.	Mrs. Foreman's Fourth Grade
30.	Extra Special Teaching	68.	Rambling About Reading	106.	Teaching in Pink
31.	The Teacher's Lane	69.	Sweet Time in 1st Grade	107.	Farmtastic Fun in 2nd Grade
32.	Learn with ME in Grade Three	70.	Mrs Hawk @ the Hawk's Nest	108.	Colorful Teaching
33.	Mommy Teaches!	71.	Mrs. Teachnology	109.	Adventures in Teaching!
34.	Wiggins World	72.	Sneaker Teacher	110.	The Wise & Witty Teacher
35.	Ms. M's Blog	73.	Once Upon A Teaching Blog	111.	2nd Grade with Mrs. Wade
36.	Mrs. Egley	74.	Life In Special Education	112.	Simply First Grade Fun
37.	Jack of all Trades	75.	Krazy Fun Teaching
38.	Little Life Coaches	76.	Mrs. Bee

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Raising Small Souls Videos

Raising Small Souls website has some helpful resources for parents and teachers.

This video has tips on parenting, specifically on the benefits of setting a healthy morning routine.

Another resource that is inspirational is their Animal School video

Teambuilding starts at home and continues at school.

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Favorite Back to School Read Aloud

One of my all time favorites to read to start the school year is Nobody's Mother is in Second Grade by Robin Pulver. It's a story about a mom disguised as a plant so she can go to school with her child. It's a great way to discuss the importance of being an independent third grader.

I created this literature prompt to follow my read aloud.  The student's responses are always good for a chuckle. This version posted is for 3rd grade, as that's the grade I currently teach. I just couldn't let this story go when I moved from 2nd grade. 

Enjoy!

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Memory Game for Student of the Week Activities

This team building game is great for building classroom relationships and was inspired by a familiar baby shower game. Of all the games played at baby showers...grabbing baby pins in rice, stealing clothespins from shower guests, and wrapping toilet paper around the  mother to be, I must admit that the baby item memory tray game is my favorite.  

I use this concept in my classroom as a Get to Know You activity at the beginning of the school year, but it can also be used as a part of your star Student of the Week activities. Students bring in 15 small items that are special in some way to them to display on a memory tray. The tray is passed around to classmates as they study and memorize the items.

Once the tray is out of sight, give students a {classmate memory tray worksheet} to fill out. Afterwards the star student gets to share about the items. I used to always do "Me Bag" sharing for Back to Schoolbut this now takes its place. The classmate memory trays build classmate connections as well as recall and memory skills.  Can't beat that! 

I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!  (Freebie ideas and giveaways are sometimes shared there!)

Keep in touch. Find me at:

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Classroom Team Building Ideas

1. Learn with Me in Grade Three	2. 7 Ways to Help Students Get Along	3. No more 'Me Bags' for this class!
4. People Bingo	5. Teambuilding 101	6. Little Treasures
7. Puzzle Races	8. Class Crossword

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Spelling Relays

                                                                   

  

Get active with spelling using relays. This is the way it works. Make relay teams. Position a "referee speller" across from the starting line for each team. They should have a spelling list handy to refer to.
Boys in the relay line will run with a football down to the referee. Likewise, girls will have pom poms. The referee will state a word to spell. Boys will "hike" the ball for each letter and girls will "cheer" the word letter by letter. The referee give them a thumbs up if they get the word right and they run back to the next person in the relay line to repeat the process.  If a word is not right, a second try is given. If still not correct, the referee provides the correct spelling and the relay continues.  Hey, Ho, Sport Spelling is the way to go!

Making Multiplication Arrays

I use the very cute book Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies to introduce basic multiplication and arrays.
This book is written in rhyme with whimsical bunny illustrations. For example, one rhyme is as follows:

Count the bunnies at the ball

Rabbit partners short and tall

Now the music comes alive

And 5 x 5 = 25

I follow this story by having students create an array using small objects. Some students have used items like pennies, cereal, buttons, beans, stickers and more.  

Like this idea?  Grab the {array worksheet}.

This is part of  a 3 product bundle of multiplication activities. You can grab it at a discount.

 

                      

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I recently started a Facebook Group for teachers to share ideas, questions, and inspiration. 

Come Join the group!