The First Week

The First week of Kindergarten is cRaZy and it never goes as planned!
I did manage to get through 3 of my favorite books last week.

Pretty impressive!

So here they are and the activities I did for each. 

First book was Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate.

                                                                     

After reading this book we talked about what we did to get ready for kindergarten.  

I made a list on the board of what each student did.

We then did a readers response.  

The students drew a picture and I wrote what they did .  

I then made this into our first class book.  

We also read the book David Goes to School by David Shannon.

                                                                     

I created an anchor chart with a picture of David in the middle.  

As a class we came up with rules that we should follow (rules that David should have followed). 

I keep this anchor chart up throughout the year.  

The other book that we read the first week was The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

                                                                         

We did a reader's response page and a retelling page.  On the retelling page I traced the students hand in the middle and then we glued on Hershey kiss.  The students took this home and retold the story of the Kissing Hand.  

For different name activities and Reader's Responses for the beginning of the year 

check out my TPT Product:

On Sale NOW! (For 2 Days only)

This set includes Reader's Responses, Bus activities, and lots of name ideas!

This week I will be focusing on names and Nursery Rhymes. 

I will blog about that this week.  

Don't forget to check out the 180 Days of Flair link!

A Few Beginning of the Year Pointers

Next week is the second week of school.

I must admit I forgot how exhausting the first week of school is. 

I planned lots of activities but managed to get to a very few of them.  

That is fine, typical of the first week of kindergarten!
I focused a lot on procedures and rules.

Here are a few pointers for classroom organization and classroom management.

Tip #1

When I first started teaching kindergarten I had classroom jobs.  Lots of classroom jobs.
If it needed to be done it became a classroom job!
Well...that was a mess!?!?!?!?
I had so many other things to do I couldn't keep up!
Classroom jobs became a job in itself!  HAHA!

My answer...
 I still have classroom jobs but only 2.
1 boy and 1 girl.
Whatever is needed to be done they get to do it.
They are line leaders, they get to lead the calendar songs, they get to collect stations cards,
they get to help me with anything I need.

I change the names every day at calendar time.  I just flip the card and viola!

Tip #2

Calling on students.  

I remember my first year teaching my principal observed my class and 

asked how I decided who to call on.  At the time I had not really thought about it.

I called on the students who were raising their hands.
I tried to call on a girl and then a boy to make sure I was keeping that even.  

Since then I have a new plan.  

I use popsicle sticks.  

I write each students name on a popsicle stick and put the sticks in the "pick me" bucket.

During calendar time I pull out a stick and have that student do the task at hand.  

That way every child gets a chance.  

I put the stick in the "done" bucket until everyone has a chance and then I start over.  

Another great way to pick your students is with this great app.

Stick Pick

This is like a virtual popsicle stick "picker"!

But it does SO much more:

Differentiated Instruction

Track Formative Assessment Data

Support Common Core Standards

Actively use Blooms Taxonomy in your classroom

(Great for those Teacher Evaluations)

Check out this app here!

  

Tip #3

Mystery Students are great for Classroom Management. 

I use mystery students throughout the day.
During whole class teaching, calendar, lunch, and when we have special visitors.

I write each students name on a popsicle stick.
I draw out one popsicle stick before whatever activity we are doing.
I don't tell the students who the mystery student is.  Depending on the activity I wait until the activity is completed.  For instance, during calendar time I will pick a mystery student before we start.
Once calendar time is over I reveal the mystery student.
If that particular student made good choices then I will let the class know who it was.
That student will receive a gold star (school wide incentive) or possibly a behavior buck.
If the mystery student was not making good choices I don't tell the class who it was and let them know that they will have a chance when everyone's stick has been drawn.

As I draw a mystery student I put the stick in the done bucket even if the student didn't make good choices.  Once all the names are in the done bucket I start over.

Tip #4

Popcorn words (sight words)

I can't say I came up with this because I didn't.

 I had an AMAZING student teacher who used this little song when introducing popcorn words.  

I am not sure where it cam from so if you created this song please let me know.

I took the song and typed it out and we do this for every popcorn word.  

We sing and clap, tap (knees), clap, tap, clap , tap...

The kiddos LOVE it!

At the beginning of the next week we take the previous words and hang them on the word wall.  

We look at the first letter and hang it where it should go. 

Tip #5

My Bravo Board
This is a group incentive that focuses on positive behavior.
I have four student tables yellow, green, blue, and red.

As the tables work to gather as a group they earn bravo points.
(Work quietly, work as a team, line up quietly, work hard, etc..)

Once they reach 10 tallies they earn a behavior buck and then we start over.

Tip #6

Lunch Choices

At our school we have lots of lunch options.  

For kindergarteners, that can make choosing lunch a challenge.

They can choose from a sandwich, salad, yogurt entree, hot lunch, PBJ, or they can bring their lunch. 

I am a very visual person so I made these little lunch card buckets.  

The kiddos pick what they want for lunch and put their card in the corresponding bucket.  

                              

                                                  

Tip #7

Terrific Work

In my classroom I have a terrific work board.  I put student work on this board throughout the week.

At the end of the week the students gets their name called and gets a special sticker.

This is great for encouraging students to do their best. 

The level of terrific work is different for each student.  It is their personal best.

What is terrific for one student may not be considered terrific for another.  

I always tell my students, "It doesn't have to be perfect...you just have to do your best!"

I hope you can use some of these pointers in you classroom.  

TGIF!

Yeah right!  I am a teacher...an exhausted teacher.

It is more like this.

I did it!  I finished the first week of kindergarten!

I have been contemplating if it is TOO early to go to sleep (since 6:30) haha!

So tonight I am going to share a few ideas from my classroom.  

I bought these cute baskets at the Target Dollar Days for $1.  I added a binder clip and labeled 

them.  Voila!  Instant organization.

      

I have them for:

to do, collect, grade, return.

For back to school night I print off a page with QR codes for 

my classroom twitter page, my school website, and my email. 

Once my parents scan the QR code they can save the link 

and they will have all of my classroom info.

The QR Codes are covered with erasers but you get the point.  

I give one of these to each parent and have a copy hanging outside of my door.  

I use Kaywa Qr code creator.

https://qrcode.kaywa.com

You can create QR codes for free.  All you need is a web address.  Just sign up and start creating.  

You can create as many static QR codes as you want for free.  

The main difference between static and dynamic  (that I can find) is that the website will

note save your static QR codes.  In order to save your static QR codes 

you can just copy and paste the code into a word document.  

I am hoping not be so exhausted next week!  

The First Day...Did that really happen?

 Is it just me or am I the only teacher that forgot what the first day of kindergarten is like?!?!?!

You teach for 180 days have a summer break and your mind is instantly erased!

You walk in the first day with "kindergarten teacher amnesia"!  You have lesson plans.

Day 1 plans:

(no particular order)

morning work stations

talk about morning procedures

practice morning procedures

talk about rules

do rule booklet

practice lunch 

recess rules

recess

go to lunch

calendar

math workbook page

Introduce the letter A

Allie Alligator

Do Allie Alligator Zoo Friends book

Color first day of school page   

Take first day of school picture

Read David Goes to School

School Rules anchor chart 

Share special stuffed animal

Day 1 plans:

(reality)

Morning work

talk about morning procedures

practice morning procedures

practice lunch

recess rules

recess

lunch 

Read David Goes to School

School Rules anchor chart

Share special stuffed animal

Lesson Plans!?!?!??!!?  

What was I thinking!!!

I knew I would be tired NOT EXHAUSTED!

I couldn't keep my eyes open!

Don't get me wrong I LOVE kindergarten!

I just always forget the challenge of the first day!

Teaching kindergarten on the first day is like herding cats.  

(Believe it or not it gets better!)

I would't trade it for the world!  

A little Humor for you:

What we think the first day of kindergarten will be like:

What they (society) thinks the first day of kindergarten is like:

What the first day of kindergarten is really like:

Okay so it really isn't that bad!  HAHA!

Okay so I didn't get much done the first day but I got more done today!  I know tomorrow will be even better!  I still haven't taken my first day of school pictures so I guess they will now officially be the first week of school pictures.  

Teaching Tip:

Here is a little something that I use for my 1st Day of School pictures.

(Or the first week of school pictures!  HAHA!)

I took a wooden letter "K" that I bought at a craft store and

decorated it with scrapbook paper and stickers.  

I have the students pose with the letter "K" at the beginning of the school year 

and at the end of the school year.  

I put these pictures in the students scrapbook at the end of the year so parents 

can see how much they have grown.

Don't forget to check out the 180 day of flair tab!

Back to School Night Gardner Style

Back to School night with a little Gardner flare!

In 5 days I will be meeting my new kindergarten students and their parents.  

I am SUPER excited to meet my new students but I must admit I get 

SUPER nervous for the parent speech!

I can speak to little guys anytime but speaking to grownups

is a little more intimidating.  

Who am I kidding I will be sweating bullets!  :)

I have done this two different ways:

1.  parents only

2.  students and parents

So everybody needs an ice breaker.

So here is where I add my own flare.  

I do a read aloud. 

I know what you are thinking?!?!?!

You read to grownups!!!!!

Out loud!?!?!?!

Yes, I read out loud to a classroom full of grown ups.  

Why not?

I like read alouds.  That is my zone!

So what do I read?

When I have parents only I read The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing.

Click here to purchase your copy

This is a great book that focuses on the parents of kindergarteners.
It is definitely reassuring for parents as they get ready to send their little ones to kindergarten!
If you haven't read this it is a must read!
(You don't have to read it out loud to parents...but you never know you just might want to!)


When I have both parents and students at Back to School Night I choose to read
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg.

Click here to purchase your copy


This book is one of my favorite books to read!
It focuses on being nervous on the first day of school.
Which is perfect-who isn't nervous on the first fray of school!?!?!?!
We all are...students, parents, and last but not least us teachers!

So once again in five days I will be reading First Day Jitters
 not to just my students but to my parents too!

I will start my back to school night introducing myself and telling a little bit about who I am.
You know-the basics.

I will then read First day Jitters out loud!
My little ice breaker.
It is actually calming and truly helps with my jitters.
I am in my zone.

After the read aloud I then go through a packet of papers with my parents.

Including:
*Specific kindergarten information that pertains to the school and more specifically to my class.
*Transportation forms
*Volunteer forms
*Qr codes for my classroom twitter page and my classroom webpage
*The First Day Poem
(I will find a copy and add a link soon)

After I go through all the info I then take the time to answer questions,
talk to parents, and hang out with my little kindergarteners.

Our back to school night is the night before the first day of school
so I go home after back to school night with my own case of
First Day Jitters and toss and turn ALL night long!

6 Days and counting!

A few tips to get started

So...I am officially back from vacation and I have to say it was AMAZING!  

I spent one week on an island with my family.  It was a little busier this year than the 

last time we went.  One day the beach was SO busy we saw 6 people. 

Here are a few pics to share how my week was.

     

                                     
 
                                                        

Well now it's time to get back to reality.  

Okay so as soon as typed that my mind instantly went here:

https://youtu.be/G7spia6eTjU

"Back to life, Back to reality..."

School officially starts in one week!  

ONE WEEK!!! AHHHH!!!

So first I will share one of the little goodies I give my students at back to school night.

Last year was the first year I did this and I had SO many parents talk about it!  

Kiddos slept with confetti for the first week. :) 

I can't take credit for the idea so I will share the link.  

Bonus:  It's FREE!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Back-to-School-Ready-Confetti-Card-141557

So this is were I got the idea but of course I had to add my own touch.  

Why!?!?!?!

Because that is what I do...I have to add my own flare!

So here it is.  

Here is the cover

The inside

(Of course I didn't just add confetti I definitely felt a tattoo was necessary!)
Who doesn't love a KiNdErGaRtEn RoCkS tattoo!

This is the all you need to bring smiles to your own kinders.

Construction paper, confetti (dollar tree), snack baggies (dollar tree), and of course kindergarten tattoos!

Click here to order your own!

7 days and counting...

Stay posted for a week of ideas.

Letter of the Week - What are your thoughts?

When I started teaching we did a letter a week.  That was then...this is now.

What do you do?  What are your thoughts?

In the area that I teach, the majority of our kindergarten students come in to kindergarten already knowing their letters.  (I will talk about what I do for the students who don't know their letters and sounds at the beginning of kindergarten in a few.)

When doing a letter a week we are spending 26 weeks teaching the alphabet.  We are teaching letters up until late February early March!  WOW!!!  That's a LONG time!  

(Especially for students who already know their letters.)

In order to keep students engaged we need to teach them new things and help them grow.  

With that being said, I teach a letter every two days and review on Friday.  

Here is an Example of my week:

Monday

Letter A

(Introduce the Letter, Write the letter, discuss letter sound, Introduce Zoo friend  (Allie Alligator), do unscramble a name with letter A names, 

(split into 2 days if you have more than 2 names)

clap syllables, add stickers to a sentence strip with name on it, hang name onto word wall.  

Do letter (Letter A) work during Literacy stations for Monday & Tuesday.

During Literacy Stations we do a letter A writing page or a letter A activity. 

(I do Literacy Stations Monday - Thursday.  I do six stations over a two day rotation

twice a week.  I will go over my Literacy stations in a future blog.)

Tuesday

Letter A review

For the review I have a set of picture cards that I use.  I pick out all of the picture cards with pictures of items that start the letter A.  I mix in a few cards of pictures that start with other letters.  

As I go through picture cards, if the letter starts with the letter A the students say the letter A sound /a/.  If it starts with a different letter they hold up their hand and say "stop"!  It's a simple game that takes just a few minutes and my students love it!  

Then I read a Letter A book

Brainstorm words that start with the letter A on an anchor chart. 

example:

Wednesday

Letter B

(Introduce the Letter, Write the letter, discuss the letter sound, introduce the Zoo friend  (Bubba Bear), do unscramble a name with letter B names, 

(split into 2 days if you have more than 2 names)

clap syllables, add stickers to a sentence strip with name on it, hang name onto word wall.  

Thursday

Letter B Review

(same as Tuesday)

Read a Letter B book

Brainstorm words that start with the Letter B on an anchor chart.  

Friday

Letter A & B Review 

I use letter cards with pictures that start with the letter A and B.  The students then say the letter sound that the picture starts with it.  Once they get the hang of this 

you can throw in a picture that starts with a random letter.  

I continue to do this every week until we have completed all of the letters.    

My thoughts on homework are something to be discussed in a different post, 

but I do send home written homework when introducing letters.  

I send home a writing page on Monday night and on Wednesday night.  

Now lets talk about the students who come to kindergarten not knowing all of their letters.  

(I totally understand this, my youngest son was one of them.)

I remember stressing about sending my son to kindergarten without knowing 

all of his letters and sounds.  (Seriously, I was a kindergarten teacher and my own son didn't know 

all of his letters and sounds!?!?!)  He was busy he wanted to play.  I realize now that is okay.  

Guess what... he learned all of his letters and sounds in no time!  He is now a fifth grader who is 

exactly where he needs to be.  

So for those kiddos I spend more time with them working on 

both letters and sounds. 

 During my literacy stations, I have a guided reading group. 

This group is grouped by ability.  I take this time to work with students 

on what they need.  At this point, these students need more work on letters and sounds so that is what I do.  We still work on reading and sight words like the rest of the class but I just add a little more.  

This way all students in my class are getting what they need.  They all have the opportunity to grow.  

Here is a link to my alphabet pages if interested.  

I will do these along with our kindergarten writing work books.

(One for in class and one for homework.)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Alphabet-Practice-Pages-No-Prep-1884343

So no letter of the week for me...

I guess I do 2 letters a week!

Once again, these thoughts and ideas are mine.
It's just what I do in my kindergarten room.

Who doesn't want to be a STAR!?!?!?

Okay so this is something that I am SUPER excited about!

I know I am always pretty excited, but this time I am SUPER excited!  

This post is going to show the true kindergarten teacher in me!  HAHA!

So first let's start with "Star" of the Week.

When I first started teaching we used to send a Star of the Week bag home for the weekend 

with our Star of the Week students.  (SOW- for short)

We used to collect spare change during our Bear unit at the beginning of the year.  At the end of the unit all of the Kindergarten teachers would take all of the money collected for their classrooms and have a Build a Bear Shopping Spree.  

(Sometimes we had enough money to buy 2 bears, a boy and a girl, and lots of accessories.)

We would then vote on the name and our class bear(s) were ready to go.

The SOW took the class bear home in the SOW bag.
Took pictures with the bear and added to the class SOW book.  

That was then...this is now.

Allergans, lice, bed bugs, smoker's vs. nonsmoker's...

TOO MUCH TO WORRY ABOUT!

I started to become leery of sending home a stuffed animal, with clothes, and accessories.

Eventually I stopped.

I still did Star of the Week but I didn't have anything special to send home.   

Lets face it it wasn't as fun!  :(

This is where I get SO EXCITED!  

So one day I was thinking, all things kindergarten, 

and I was trying to figure out what I could send home.

I loved the idea of kiddos taking pictures with a special classroom item (bear) and sharing it with the class.  Maybe I could find a plastic Seuss toy.  (My theme is Dr. Seuss).

My mind went a million places but at some point on that trip I thought of Flat Stanley 

and how lots of classes send Flat Stanley to places all over the world.  

And that folks is how Flat Cat was created.  

Flat Cat is a normal cat who likes to go on adventures.  One day he went to the circus and 

low and behold he was rolled over by an Elephant on a circus ball.   

He then became Flat Cat.  

Check this out..

Introducing the NEW & IMPROVED Star of the Week Bag!

Cute?  I know but it looks like you typical Dollar Days Dr. Seuss bag, 

but it NOT.

This is what is inside:

plastic pronged folder

(a binder would not fit in the bag)

Inside the folder is the Adventurers of Flat Cat

and pages to complete a class book.  

The Flat Cat book explains the story of how Silly Cat became Flat Cat.  

Super Cute!

The book ends with the SOW the week taking Flat Cat on an adventure.

Cover page with directions of what to do.

On this page students can take a picture (or draw a picture) of what they did with 

Flat Cat and write about it.

I always have my students share their favorite book when they are SOW.  

So here is a page where they can draw a picture of their favorite part of their favorite book.  

Don't forget Flat Cat!  

Flat Cat is laminated card stock.  

He is kept in the back pocket of the folder.  

Kiddos can take pictures of their adventures of Flat Cat.

Here are a few more pictures:

 Just a few pics of the Flat Cat book. 

I also like to send home a special book for parents to read with their kiddos.  

The one that I will be sending home is 

I'm Special, I'm Me! 

by Ann Meek

This is everything that gets sent home in the Star of the Week bag.  

Now don't worry I didn't stop there.  

I am all about adding a fun back into kindergarten.  

It's birthday time!  

Due to all of the different food allergies our school is technically a snack free school. 

With that begin said students no longer bring in birthday treats.  

I totally understand the reason behind this but that was one of my favorite memories 

as a child.  Bringing in my birthday snack.  It was special and made the day about me.  

I still do a birthday crown, sing Happy Birthday, and give a birthday pencil, but I felt the excitement was lacking.  Could you imagine a kindergarten classroom without excitement!?!?!

Introducing the Birthday Bag!

Starring Flat Cat in a Birthday Hat!

CUTE!

Yellow plastic folder with prongs and the cover of the 

class birthday book.  

 Cover page with directions of what to do with the Birthday Bag. 

 Draw yourself wearing a birthday hat and decorate and color the Birthday page. 

Left Page:  Write the date of your birthday and write how old you are.  

Draw that many candles on the cupcake and color.

Right Page:  Take pictures or (draw a picture of you) with the 

Birthday Flat Cat and write about it.  

Here is Birthday Flat cat!
Copied on card stock and laminated.

Of course I added few birthday books to my Birthday Bag.
I am going to be ordering the Dr. Seuss
Happy Birthday book to go into this bag
(but for now any birthday book will do).
Now that will be so cute!

This was my project for last night!
Once I had everything completed I realized that something was missing
form the birthday bag...
A Flat Cat Birthday book!
Have no fear I am working on it now...
I know you were concerned!!?!?!?

If you are interested in getting your very own set of for your Take Home bags here is the link!
This includes all of the printables you need to include, even the Flat Cats, and the Flat Cat books.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Birthday-Star-of-the-Week-Take-Home-Bags-1943182

Hope you liked this idea.
Sorry if it is a little FLAT!
(See what I did there?)

Teddy Bear Sleepover

The first week of kindergarten can be challenging for everyone involved:  parents, kindergarteners, and even us teachers.   I know for me the first week, let alone the first day, always seems to catch me by surprise.  I know it is going to be a bit challenging but by the end of the year I forget what it was like.  

Don't get me wrong I love the first week!  

You get to see all of those sweet little smiles that you will get to spend the next 180 days with. 

 But along with those sweet little smiles comes tears, fears, excitements, 

and probably the quickest day of the entire year!  You blink and it's gone!  

Most kindergarteners are comforted by a teddy bear or some sort of stuffed animal.  That is how the Teddy Bear sleepover came to be.  How much more comforting would school be if you could bring your Teddy Bear or favorite Stuffed Animal?

This can be done a few different ways.  During Back to School Night or Meet the Teacher night you can pass out a note to have students bring their favorite teddy bear or stuffed animal to school with them on the first day.  This will help make the student feel more at ease and a great show and tell for the first day of kindergarten!

Free Download

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Teddy-Bear-Sleepover-1912182

During the first month of school we do a bear unit.  At the end of the bear unit we have a bear sleepover.  I send the invitations home on Wednesday.  The students bring their bears or stuffed animals back to school and leave them for the night on Thursday. 

Boy do those bears have a good time!  

 

When the students come in they are AMAZED!

On Friday we have a bear picnic.  All of the kindergarten classes get together with their bears or stuffed animals and have a special bear themed snack.

The snack includes:
goldfish
teddy grahams
honey comb cereal
&
Cap'n Crunch - Oops All Berries.



What a fun way to end a unit!