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The end of the school day can be pretty chaotic! After all, there is homework to gather, backpacks to pack, lunchboxes to remember and a whole lot more. Throw in winter, and there's scarves, gloves and boots upon other things. I don't want the last impression my students get of leaving me to be running out of my classroom community frantically trying to catch a bus. So, I utilize a "Cheer of the Day" to bring a structured day to a peaceful and consistent end. Each cheer description is written on a card that gets pulled out of an actual Cheer detergent box that I have emptied out. I go over the cheer directions and we do the cheer, together, for a total of three times. The used chair gets placed in a separate basket so it does not get repeated. Here's one of my favorite cheer cards, the Cheese and Grater.
Then, students are dismissed by coming up to me to get their Homework Folder. Lastly, they go to their locker. That's not all! Each student must give me a high five before I dismiss them to the bus lines, after school program, or to their families. This is my way of providing my students with an appropriate and fun closure to our busy day. Children (and adults) of all ages love these cheers!
A number of teachers have asked how to get the cheer cards used at the end of each day. Thanks to the talented Dr. Jean, you can print them out, in color, for free from her June, 2004 newsletter by clicking here. There are over 30 cheers for your students to enjoy.
Here's how I keep my leveled book bins organized in my classroom library. For larger tubs, I place a rectangular-sized tissue box in the back of my books. For smaller bins, I recycle my square-shaped tissue boxes and do the same.
This tip will keep your books facing forward and upright--the best way for your readers to make their appropriate selections. Doing this not only adds order to your classroom library, but also keeps your books from bending. It's the perfect way to prop your books up when you may not have enough of any given level. Check out this before and after shot!
I have just finished adding a new item to my store. It's an excellent resource for you upper elementary teachers to use when teaching poetry. It includes a handy glossary of poetry terms with an aligning blank template. Just take any poem and have your young poets interpret it based upon the template. This tool can be used whole class, for homework, as an assessment or in a literacy center. It can be used over and over again. Just keep a tub of laminated poems and blank templates and you are ready to go for September. As a bonus, you will also get seven fun and interactive ways to share poetry to promote both fluency and an appreciation of the spoken word. Click here to spice up your poetry unit this coming year!
Here is my Noise Gauge. Shhh!
Check out my Noise-O-Meter! It's Just Right!
Here's a new upload, teachers!
It's all that I do to successfully manage my classroom all in one pdf! Let me know what techniques work for you.
Just click here and print.
Happy Thursday, which for me means the end of my summer program work week. To celebrate, I have just finished my "Classroom Clap" Cards. This is a quick and fun idea to give both you and your students a round of applause throughout the day. Just click here, download, print and laminate.
You can have your students of all ages do a different applause to celebrate a job well done each day of the month! This is a favorite among all my students. This freebie will be up all of August. Be sure to check out my other items and like me on facebook. Enjoy.
