Another Binder

My entire life doesn't revolve around binders, I promise. My classroom, on the other hand, well...

My 4th grade team makes packets for math, science, and social studies units. So everything the kids are going to need that 6 weeks are in the packet. It's kind of nice not having to make copies 3 times a week, and my students have been relatively good about keeping up with their packets (I've probably had to replace 15 throughout the year).

That means I have to keep up with my packets too. To do this, I [naturally] made a binder. Go figure.

My tabs are:
1. math (this is the student math packet, that I also use to make answer keys)
2. science (this is the student science packet, that I also use to make answer keys)
3. social studies (yeah, same thing)
4. Moose Math (this is our math homework packet, and this tab has my answer key packet)
5. Lone Star (this is our math warm up, and this tab has my answer keys)

The cover of our current math packet.

Inside our current math packet. It contains all the worksheets they'll do in class.

The cover of our current science packet.

Inside our current science packet. Contains the worksheets and labs they'll do this 6 weeks. You can see I've also made answer keys.

I paperclip all the old homework answer keys together so I can flip right to the current one.

If I lost this binder, I would be so lost. I love it. Everything I need for class in one place. When I have a sub, I just put a sticky note on the pages they'll use, and they've got everything in one place too. :-)

Organization Ideas

Today I was looking through the pictures on my phone trying to decide what to post about today. I finally decided just to do a hodgepodge of ideas.

This is an idea I got from pinterest. I put an empty toilet paper roll inside a plastic cup for my popsicle sticks with student names. The popsicle sticks stay inside the roll until after I call on the student. Once I've selected a student I put it there popsicle stick outside the roll, unless I may want to call on them again.

Because I've now spent four years teaching science, and have never actually taught reading, most of my classroom books are about science. Just like I have my other books split up by genre, I split my science books based on topic.

I got this organizer from Dollar Tree. It is perfect for happy notes, nurse passes, change in transportation forms, missing work notices, and other small items.

I bought a bunch of used games and puzzles from thrift stores for indoor recess. I am storing them on a shelf hidden behind a grass skirt, also from the dollar store, that goes along with my Safari theme. Goodwill has a lot of good games and toys for decent prices. I even got a huge tub of Legos.

I do not have a closet in my portable for students to put their backpacks. I do, however, have a coat rack. To store their backpacks, I bought sturdy hangers to make use of the coat rack. Students hook their handle handle around the hanger.

So I don't have to pass everything out separately, I keep whiteboards, dry erase markers, and wash cloths in baggies. The baggies currently being used are gallon sized, which doesn't work as well. My favorite was the 2 gallon bags because the whiteboards could go in sideways and the bag could fold over. This makes it so much easier when every student is using a whiteboard.

Binders

I'm the binder queen, it's true. When I interviewed for my current job, I had a binder with me, and the teachers that sat in on the interview say that's why they picked me. :)

I have a binder for each area of science (earth science, physical science, etc), one for language arts, handwriting, warm ups, small group activities, tutoring, extended learning activities, student information and classroom managers, and of course then there's my sub binder. I'm sure there's more I'm not thinking about right now (since it's SPRING BREAK and all).

Each of my binders have a cute cover. They don't all look alike, because that's boring. Rather, the font I used is somehow related to the topic of the binder, and then I print it out on paper with a cute border.

I have my binder covers on Teacher Pay Teachers for free.  Enjoy.

What I do with graded papers

Grading papers. Ugh. It's kinda like laundry - it just never ends!

Every teacher has their own way of keeping these papers organized from collection to being sent home, and I thought I'd share my method for those interested.

I have classroom managers, and one of those positions is a Pick Up Manager. The past two years I actually had my Pick Up Manager collect papers in number order (alphabetical), but this year I haven't done that. It does make it easier to input grades if they're already in order though.

Once papers have been collected (or maybe students are turning them in individually), they go to the inbox. The inbox has two shelves - the top is for my homeroom and the bottom is for my switch class.

From there, I may go ahead and grade them, or move them into another paper sorter to keep out of the way until I get a chance to grade them.

The paper sorter is 3 years old, and used to be my inbox when I taught three classes, or it's falling apart a bit. Teaching two classes, this is how I use it to sort papers...

• The first column is for my homeroom, and the second column is for my switch class.
• The top row is for papers that still need to be graded.
• The second row is for papers that have already been graded, but have not been entered in the gradebook.
• The third row is for papers that have been graded, entered in the gradebook, and are waiting to be filed to go home. My kids know this, so if they see papers in the third row, they ask me if they can take them to go file.

When papers are ready to be filed, I stack them near the folders they're filed into.

The black tray on top is for papers that need to be filed. I don't like having mailboxes, because I think they take up too much room. I value my space! So I keep hanging file folders for each student. Every Tuesday, the papers go home.

Instead of using student names, I use numbers so I don't have to change it every year. I've used these folders two years now, and I'll use them again next year. They're in great shape still. Sometimes students forget to write their number on their worksheet, so I have everyone's number typed up and stapled on the wall behind the folders.

Memory Lane: My First Classroom

Yesterday I was looking through my old portfolio where I had pictures of my very first classroom (a whole 3 years ago, lol). My first year, I taught 6th grade science, and two 8th grade science intervention classes, in an inner city middle school. Our building was previously a high school, so my room was an actual science lab - not just a regular classroom. As ghetto as it was, I loved having the huge space, and having sinks in my room. Here are some pictures of my first year teaching in 2008-2009. Nothing fancy - I was still learning.

Beginning of the year bulletin board, and our daily warm up on the chalk board.

The front chalkboard. Heading, frayer model, daily objective.

The entrance, front chalk board, and beginning of the year bulletin board.

"Never leave your numbers naked." Great way to remind students to put a unit with their answers. They thought it was funny. :)

The entrance to my room.

Word wall, pencil sharpener, school info, etc. Basically our information center right inside the door.

The information center again next to the fume hood. Since we didn't use fume hoods in middle school, I used mine for storage and to post posters. :)

Bookshelf, aquarium, student work about properties of matter.

Bookshelf, globe, fire blanket, elephant pelvis. The teacher who had this room before me just left this bone there. Looks like an elephant pelvis to me, so that's what I tell the kids.

Students who did all their homework the entire 6 weeks got their names put on the Homework Heroes board for the next 6 weeks.

The back shelf was set up for a tools performance test. After that, I kept their science journals there, separated by class.

The exit (I had 2 doors to my room), and my filing cabinets.

The side chalk board behind my desk. This is where I wrote the activities and homework for the week, our 5E's, and the bell schedule.

The weekly agenda. We had a block schedule which is why I have the same activities written two days in a row.

We were required to post the 5E's for every lesson we did. With science, one lesson usually took two classes (and classes were about an hour and a half each).

Bulletin board with students work of bar graphs. We graphed the colors of our jelly beans.

On my strategies bulletin board, I posted winners of the science fair that were in my classes.

Students wrote a story from the perspective of a snowman for our water cycle unit.

Textbooks

First of all, I just want to say that my DonorsChoose project (digital microscope) has been fully funded! I'm so beyond excited and grateful to my donors. Thank you!

Now, moving on to textbooks.

When I taught 5th grade science and language arts, I did not have my students check out their own textbook. We just didn't use them enough for it to be worth it. Really, the only reason I had them for for a quick and easy activity when I had a sub. I checked out a class set of textbooks that I kept in my room just to use as needed.

This year, in fourth grade, we still don't use the books a whole lot. I have a class set of science books, but the students have checked out their own social studies and math books. Looking back, I would have preferred a class set of social studies, but I went with the preference of the team.

To try to keep desks neater, my students keep only their math book in their desk. I have collected their social studies books to keep on the bookshelf with the science books. I have two "book managers" to pass out the books when we need them.

I switch classes with another teacher. It's pointless for those students to carry a huge textbook back and forth everyday, when we only use them once or twice a month.

To let my students in my switch class know if they need to bring their math book or not, I post a sign on my door. I actually got this from a 5th grade math co-worker, and it works well. On one side of the sign it says "No math book" and on the other side it says "Bring math book today." In the morning as students arrive, the sign is posted on my door letting them know. They're learning to take responsibility, and I don't have to interrupt my partner's class (or even remember to!) to let the kids know to bring their book.

Sub Binders

Since I will be out tomorrow for a dentist appointment, I figured this would be a good time to post about my sub binder. If there is one organizational thing that I'm proud of, it's my sub binder. Let's face it - subs have a tough enough time as it is without going into a classroom where they don't know the daily procedures and expectations. So I try to make it as easy and painless as possible for my guest teachers.

I keep my sub binder on the chalkboard near my desk so it's visible in case of an emergency. My kids also know where it is. When I know I'm prepping my room for a sub, I put it on my desk.

I recently made my binder nice and colorful.

My intro is just a welcome with basic information such as which teachers can help with lessons, and which students are helpful. After that starts my daily procedures.

My Daily Procedures section is several pages long. I want to make sure that the information is there in case they need it. But I think with the font size, spacing, and sub-headings, it's not too overwhelming.

My Classroom Management page explain my attention signal, rewards, and consequences. I also have a quick run-down of the daily schedule.

Emergency procedures for fire drills, etc.

I include a list of which students are pulled on each day (for academic support, speech, etc), as well as a map of the school. On the map I highlighted important room, and drew arrows showing how to get inside the building from our portables.

In rare circumstances, I may be so sick I am unable to get to my classroom to prepare for a sub. Though it is unlikely to happen, and I haven't ever had to use it, I have emergency plans laid out just in case.

At the back of the binder I have time fillers such as word searches just in case my class finishes their work early.

I also have a form that I leave for the subs where they can leave notes for me and tell me about their day.
 

This is a link to get to my sub binder word document. As with the sub plan template, I took out some identifying information for privacy's sake, which is marked in red.

Yup, I'm proud. :)

Dollar Store Finds!

I wasn't planning on shopping today, but when I drove by the dollar store near my house, I saw that they were going out of business and everything was $0.19, so I absolutely had to stop. I love a deal! I could have gone crazy in that store, but I decided to behave myself. I bought only things for my classroom, and I only got things that I had a use for - I did not buy things on the chance that I may find a use for them later on (I do that sometimes too). I got all these goodies for less than $5.

I felt like I won the lottery. :)

Stickers.

Pencil grips to use as a reward.

Can always use magnets.

I think I ended up with about 20 containers total to organize my drawers.

Six place mats. Now this one I don't have an exact idea for, but I'll be putting paper on them and having the flowers as the border. I just don't know exactly what papers will go on them yet.

This is a makeup case I'll be using for paperclips, push pins, etc.

If I didn't have somewhere I needed to be, I'd have walked through the store a second time to see what I could come up with.