Quality Counts Board

It's about this time of year that students get antsy and don't always put forth their personal best.

I find myself saying over and over, "Is this your best work?" or "Did you rush?"

So, this week I'm bringing out my trusty Quality Counts Board.

I ordered a large size car magnet from Vista Print a few years ago titled "Quality Work". When needed, I simply display it on my white board. Then every so often I will pick a few model work samples to hang underneath it.

The work I pick has to show quality effort. If I pick a student's work he then gets to write with a special pen until I replace their work with someone else's. It works like a charm and saves some of my teacher sanity as the "holiday-itis" sets in.

~Denise

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

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Mr. Peabody’s Apples Read Aloud and Story Craft

This is my Patchwork Apple bulletin board. The read aloud lead in to our apple art was the book, Mr. Peabody's Apples, which is one of my first week MUST reads. It has a wonderful moral lesson that teaches about integrity and responsibility, particularly around the idea of spreading false rumors and the consequences that come from it. It shows the importance of mutual respect and trust in relationships. 

Following the reading students used squares of solid and patterned red wrapping paper to decorate the apples. Easy and cute!  I keep this bulletin board up year round as a reminder of the message the book sends.

Find more great ideas on my Pinterest page or TPT store

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!)

Test Prep Activities for State Testing

Testing will be upon many of our classrooms before we know it. Several years ago I created Testing Tips posters and rhymes that have become a valuable resource for helping my students for the dreading week of testing. I display my poster set as a bulletin board right at the beginning of each school year and find it provides constant reinforcement for test prep.  The set has 18 posters with a bulletin board caption. Go grab yourself a copy {HERE}.

I also do the cutest writing activity using this book:

It is included in the poster set.

I have a copy of this book on video from United Streaming.

 

Another wonderful, engaging test prep idea is my Grade the Teacher activity.

Students get to grade the teacher's mistakes on work, and it is always incredibly engaging and versatile.

You can get it HERE

 

 

Find more great ideas on my Pinterest page or TPT store

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

Come Join the group!

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

The Value of Bucket Filling

For the past several years I've used the popular Bucket Filler books by Carol McCloud in my classroom.

If you've not taken a peek at this series it is a MUST do.  At the start of every school year I begin the bucket filler program. I have this bulletin board display of personalized buckets for classmates to add positive bucket filler thoughts.

Here's my Bucket Filler Bulletin Board. I personalized each bucket with student's names and taped them to party favor treat boxes.  

 

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!)

I've also created seasonal themed bucket filler notes. Grab them here:

Pick of the Patch notes

Thankful notes

Holiday cheer notes

New Year's notes
Valentine notes
St. Patrick's notes
Eggstra Special notes
Friendship Growing notes

 

Stay in touch. Find me at:

My TPT store