Word Problem Organizer & Behavior Chart (free!)

I was having a hard time finding a freebie during teacher week because I couldn't upload any of my documents.  Well I fixed the problem and now I have something more for you!  In New York, our math tests want students to explain how they got their answers.  This is not easy for kids!  I created this organizer for students to use when solving word problems.  It is two sided (only side 1 is shown below).  I print it double sided to save paper.

Click here to download the sheet. 

I also made a 1 page math keywords sheet for students to take home when solving problems.

Click here to download the sheet.

This year I have decided to use binders rather than folders for my students.  Every student will have a binder to keep their papers in.  I started working on reading sheets I want them to have in their binders - like a make-shift readers notebook (reading goals, books to read list, think-marks).  I will be posting those sheets soon so check back!

Enjoy!

-Becky

P.S. A while ago I posted my version of a clip chart.  Now that I figured out how to upload documents properly I adding the link to download it.

Click here for the chart.

Free for All Friday

Today is the last day of teacher week over at I'm Blog Hoppin.  I have found many new blogs to follow and ideas to try this week!  I'm very excited for today because it is free for all Friday! Unfortunately, I am having an extremely hard time uploading anything to google docs.  It changes everything I upload (fonts, spacing, etc).  I did finally get one thing to work so I guess this testing sign will be my freebie.  If someone could please tell me how to upload documents, I'd gladly post more things!

-Becky

Three for Thursday

As you know, Blog Hoppin is having teacher week and today is three for Thursday (favorite font, blog, & online resource).  There is no way I could pick just one font, blog, and resource so I tried my best to narrow it down!

I believe all of these were from Kevin and Amanda. 

Favorite Blog(s)

    

Favorite Online Resource

For classroom ideas I love pinterest!   

My go-to site for math is The Math Worksheet Site.

I use Reading A to Z a lot in my room.  It was a great resource to have as a new teacher with nothing, not even a running record kit! 

-Becky

Where it all goes down Wednesday

Everyone seems to be linking up with Blog Hoppin' for teacher week!  Today's topic is where it all goes down - the classroom.  I'm not finished setting up my rooms but I took pictures the last week of school.  I'll be showing a mix of last years finished rooms and my current unfinished rooms. 

This is my area.  I know a lot of people say the teacher takes up too much space in the room but this is a huge room!  A bookshelf sticks out separating my desk from the reading table.  I put two student desks in front of my desk to layout student papers.  On the shelves under the window I keep my student records crate (blue), teacher binders and books, and the picture books I use to teach.  On top of those shelves I have my pink bin which stores my future work (the next picture shows the folders in it).  There are also pillows on the windowsill but that is because I put them there as I was moving stuff in yesterday.  I store my posters in between the two filing cabinets.  It keeps them straight. 

These are the folders in my pink future work crate.  Each group gets 2 file folders.  One is for activities I want to do next and the second one is for activities I want to do with them later.  It gives me a place to stash half of my piles and it makes lesson planning easier!

This is a picture of my reading area.  The lights are shut off in my room so sorry for the bad pictures.  On the shelves behind the table I have my leveled library.  I wasn't able to take a close-up picture of the baskets but each basket is labeled with the fountas and pinnell level.  Most of the books are printed books from reading a to z.  Those shelves also have my word work basket and art supplies.  On top of the shelves I have a running record kit and student cubbies (magazine files - shown in the next picture).

Student work "cubbies" - Last year I had the students keep their work in folders.  The groups folders went in the magazine file.  This year I bought plastic flexible binders for each student.  The folders didn't give them enough room so we will see how the binders work out. 

This is one of the baskets on the bookshelf.  I got them from the dollar store.

I don't have a lot of art supplies in my classroom (construction paper, colored pencils, crayons, markers, glue, scissors). I keep everything except the paper in this container I bought at Lowes. I love the colored pencil design on the side!

This is my smartboard/chalkboard area.  I have the desks in a U shape.  There are paper lanterns on the desks that need to be hung but I didn't have time to get to it yesterday.  I keep a purple rolling cart by the smartboard.  I keep all my math manipulatives in it.  I always teach math on the smartboard/chalkboard so having the materials right there makes it easier to pass out manipulatives as needed.

Not-so-pretty cabinets.  The first one is filled with rubber gloves for the cafeteria and the second one is storing extra science kits for teachers.  They need to be decorated but I haven't come with an idea yet. 

Unfinished bulletin board

 My writing paper baskets

Below are the shelves behind my desk at school #2

I am no where close to being done with my rooms so please check back soon for more pictures! 

-Becky

Teacher Talk Tuesday (Advice for new teachers)

I'm joining in on Teacher Week at Blog Hoppin' and today is Teacher Talk Tuesday, more specifically advice for new teachers. 

As mentioned previously, I am just starting to not feel like a new teacher anymore.  Here is what I wish someone told me two years ago:

1. Don't go to your mailbox unless you have time to take care of anything that might be in there.  On the first day of school, I usually have between 10 and 15 forms to fill out (many of them include giving money as well - PTO, PTA, Water club, Unisef, Sunshine Club, Birthday Club...).  Take a pen and maybe your checkbook the first few days.  Don't bring stuff back to your room! (I lost several things...ooops!)

2. Figure out a way to keep student records & current materials & future work.  I already felt like a failure after turning in half the forms late the first few days of school but then I realized I wasn't keeping good records.  Teachers started getting in trouble for their record keeping (I work in a district with wealthy families who call lawyers frequently so lawsuits are likely).  Paper piled up like crazy, I spent 30 minutes preparing for meetings on my kids and by preparing I mean sorting through piles for work samples ect..I would prepare materials for something I wanted to do with a group in a few weeks and it would get lost in piles and never get done.  After two years, I think I've figured out systems that work for me and I linked you to them above. 

3.  Keep quarters in your desk for the vending machine because their will be days when you need caffeine.

4.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  At the last conference day I went to, the superintendent said that teachers make on average 7000 decisions a day.  Most of those are probably not huge decisions so keep that in mind when you start stressing out.  I completely stopped caring what my house looked like my first year.  My brain couldn't handle worrying about dishes in the sink as well as all the teaching stuff. 

And most of all, Have fun!  It will be a better experience for everyone if you are having fun. 

************

Meet the Teacher Monday

I'm joining in on Meet the Teacher Monday over at Blog Hoppin'  .  I'm very tired tonight so I'm sorry if my answers seem random confusing!  I am excited to get to know all of you! 

* * * * *

Tell us a little something about you...

My name is Becky and I am a traveling resource room teacher.  I recently bought a house with my fiance (I say recently but it's been about 9 months!) and adopted 2 kittens.  I love teaching and creating lessons!  That is my passion.  When I'm not doing school related things, I can be found decorating my house and doing crafts but I procrastinate - a lot!  For example, we just finished installing new outlets this weekend.  That was a project we started in November.  Also, I got an iPhone yesterday!!! <3

This is Waffles - One of my new kittens.  

My fiance and I in NYC

How long have you been teaching?

This will be my third year teaching.  Before getting a permanent job, I subbed for half a year.  I am finally feeling like I am not in survival mode anymore!  

You might not know...

that I am currently taking classes towards my masters in Literacy.  I only have 5 classes left including student teaching.  Next week I start my Intro to Special Ed class.  I can't get anyone to waive that class even though my undergrad is in special ed and I'm currently a special ed teacher.  Hopefully it will be an easy semester! 

What are you looking most forward to this school year?

I'm looking forward to feeling on top of things.  The last two years I was in survival mode.  I was a new teacher in two buildings every day.  That means I have 2 principals and 2 totally different sets of expectations.   In the past 2 years I have had 4 principals, 2 superintendents, and lost 15 of the 21 people who were hired with me thanks to budget cuts.  Things have to calm down this year, right??

What do you need to improve?

I continuously look at what I do and try to improve everything.  This year I'd like to work on organization for myself and my students.  NY had a lot of changes this year and I'm now required to keep a lot of data on each student.  Being organized seems to be my ongoing goal in and out of school! 

What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?

I cannot live without having music in my room.  I don't have it on all the time because I share a room but I love watching the kids work together while listening to music.  They seem to focus better.   I also love reading a to z!  I can pull up books on the smartboard for students to read.  My running record kit and many books in my library are from reading a to z as well.  

* * * * *

Becky

Projects Progress

I have been productive the past few days!    Here's what I've done so far:

 I LOVED the Lator Gator board idea.  Since I'm in 2 buildings - I made two gators!

 Burlap fish - I hot glued them instead of sewing and they are staying together :)

This is the beginning of the rocket for the hallway bulletin board at school # 2.  I'm going to paint it tomorrow. 

I've also been working on my signs for the daily objectives for each group.  They will be finished while I catch up on Gossip Girl tonight.  I bought ribbon for it already.  I updated my assessment forms.  I created 3 mini-units (visualizing, predicting, and creative writing). I did some online back to school shopping for new clothes today and I've started re-organizing my closet. 

Monday I plan on going to the teacher center to laminate the daily objective signs, the gators, and the rocket. Then I'll be off to my classrooms to start decorating :)

Becky

My "Before School Starts" to do list

There are some super cute ideas floating around on different blogs right now.  I have to narrow down what projects I want to make before school starts and what can wait until later because there are just too many adorable ideas out there!   Here are the projects I am definitely doing before school starts:

The Later Gator as a follow up board.  When students need re-teaching at a later time or when students need new spacer paper journals etc... LOVE this!  If only I can get D (fiance) to draw it for me!

The Best Beehavior Catalog is used instead of a prize box.  I love this so much I stayed up until 2 am re-creating my own!  Next are the class rules that go with this theme. 

The Five Bee Promise is a set of 5 classroom rules.  See all five of her bee's by clicking the link.  After I finish this post and my paper, I'm going to the basement to find all my yellow scrapbooking paper!

Burlap Fish are ADORABLE! I bought burlap at the fabric store and cut out the fish.  I just need to sew them and stuff them!

Common Core Objectives posters.  I'm making headings with my group names and using IEP goals instead of common core standards. 

Birthday Balloons attached to pixie sticks!  Twice this year, I had a student in my room who wasn't my student to do a review math lesson and it just happened to be that students birthday.  My schools give birthday pencils out during morning announcements so another pencil doesn't seem special.  This is the perfect thing to have on hand!  I'm going to Sam's club in a few weeks to get the pixie sticks.

I found this story map on Pinterest and it doesn't have a link to the actual website it was found on (if it's yours let me know!)  I think this is super cute and I love using post-it-notes (I'd laminate the post it notes onto the board permanently).  I would also like to make guided reading discussion questions on Popsicle sticks but I haven't found the right questions yet. 

Problem Solving Board is going to be essential because I am focusing my math lessons on real-world problem solving - not just memorizing facts.

A Touch Point Number Line is a must for an elementary resource room!

Luckily, I have started many of these already (fish are cut out, bday balloons are printed, poster headings are made) but I still have a lot left to finish.  I also need to set up my lesson plan binder (I entered all important dates into planbook.com last night) and my probes binders.  I need to finish my paper so I can get back to work on these lovely projects.  Thank you to all the ladies who posted there amazing ideas for the rest of us to find and "steal"! 

-Becky

Classroom Set up

I went into classroom #1 today for a short time (1 1/2 hours).  I'm lucky because in my district, the custodians draw a layout of your room and pin it to a bulletin board.  When they finish cleaning it, they put the furniture back the way you had it.  Teachers can also draw a new layout and they will follow that plan.  I didn't draw a new layout so I just moved a few things around.

I'm in a full sized classroom and last year I had 20 student desks left in my room.  In September, a bunch of teachers came and stole desks (thankfully!) and now I have about 12.  That is still way too many.  I took 2 and used them as an extention of my desk.  Another 2 I used as a computer table and another 2 desks created a listening center.  Sorry for the terrible pictures, I used my cell phone and they cut the lights in the summer so no overhead lighting!

Listening Center

Computer #1 (only 1 internet port works in each spot so the 2 computers have to be separated)

Smartboard/chalk board - I moved the desks into a U shape

I didn't do any displays yet so the room looks cold and sterile.  I did, however, decorate the door:

I don't use student names because of confidentiality and because I don't know who my students are yet!  As I continue to work, I'll post more pictures!

freaking out...a little

Okay, maybe a lot!  Tomorrow is my last grad class for this summer!  I haven't even been in my classrooms since June.  In building #2, I have a new classroom that I need to move into.  Fall grad school classes start Aug 29th.  School starts September 6th.  That means I have 2 weeks to get BOTH of my classrooms set up and organized before I start not 1 but 2 grad classes.  And since I will be taking 2 classes, I'd really like my lesson materials ready now too.  Thank God for teacherspayteachers.com!  I bought a few poster sets and a couple of mini-units/lessons a couple days ago.  I plan on saving the units for my observations.  I always want to do something extra special for observations and I usually only have a few days notice.  Normally that's fine but on top of two grad classes?  It's going to be an interesting year to say the least!  I think 2 classes might be too much for me to handle on top of teaching.  I think I may have to change my plans and push graduation to the summer instead of spring.  Just typing that makes me feel relieved!  I plan on working on classroom #1 tomorrow so hopefully I can post pictures after my grad class.

-Becky

New Behavior Plan

At the end of last year, I had a few students who did something that blew me away.  One student missed coming to my room for a dentist appointment.  The next day, he went to the library, took out the book, and read the chapter he missed before our time that afternoon.  I was shocked.  This was a boy who can't even finish a sentence without getting distracted and he took it upon himself to catch up on his work without any adult assistance!  I put a star next to his name on our "Make Good Choices" chart.  A few days later, a girl in his group was having a hard time doing her work due to another student annoying her.  Normally, her reaction would have been screaming but this time, she got up and moved to another table without causing a scene.  She too got a star next to her name.  Soon all the kids were asking how they could earn stars too.  I changed my behavior chart to include a spot for exceptional behavior.  This is similar to the clip chart but it is modified for a small group setting.  Here is what it looks like (first time trying to post documents so bear with me!):




I write their names on the chart.  Some students do not come to my room so their names do not go on the chart.  Rule-breaking earns students checks in the warnings, 5 minute, and 15 minute columns.  The number of minutes is the number of minutes the students owe me whether that is during free time or recess.  Good behavior earns stars.  Once 5 stars are earned, the students trade them in for a stripe (Stripes take up less space than stars).  I hope this gives some of you ideas!

School Supply Shopping

All of my glue sticks are dried out.  They last about 2 years in my un-airconditioned classrooms.  I'm not really sure if air conditioning has anything to do with it but never the less they are dry.  I saw that Target has a 6 pack of Elmer's glue sticks on sale for $1 this week.  Of course, I went and spent way more than a dollar!  Here's what I bought:

In case the picture is not clear enough, that is:

5 foam clocks that students can manipulate

5 white boards that look like primary lined paper

5 sets of Crayola markers (10 in each box) so we can make LOTS of colorful charts this year

4 packs of glue (6 in each package) because you can't have enough glue

5 pocket charts because everyone raves about them, why not grab a bunch? I'm sure there will be some GENIUS idea on a blog as soon as my Target runs out. 

& 6 colorful composition notebooks because I am running out of notebooks (something I NEVER thought would happen)

All for only $26.40.  Everything in the picture was a dollar each, except the notebooks which were .40 each.  I'm sure I could have paid a little less if I stalked all the sale papers from now until school but there is something satisfying about coming home with a lot of school supplies.   Target also has flexible rulers for .50 each.  If I didn't buy like 20 when I got my job I would have grabbed some more.  Keep your placement in mind when buying things.  I am in two buildings.  I'm not going to drag glue back and forth with me every day so I bought some for both buildings.  Foam clocks will only be used at certain times of the year and possibly only in 1 building so I only enough for 1 building (assuming I have a group of 5 students who are working on time).  5 is the maximum number of students I can see at one time so I tend to buy items in groups of 5. 

Things I still need:

Electric sharpener

Folders (waiting for that Staples .01 sale!)

Notebook paper

Spiral notebooks

Containers for Pocket games (Target doesn't seem to carry them this year and I hate Walmart!)

Plastic flexible binders (Staples .25 sale)

Index Cards

I always keep spiral notebooks handy because you never know when a student is going to need one.  I always try to buy the cheapest ones possible.  I'm not sure my plans for the composition books yet. I'm thinking about making those my staff meeting - RtI meeting - Ideas notebooks.  If you just got a job and have nothing, you may also want to buy:

Pencil holders (sharpened, unsharpened or highlighters)

Highlighters

Crayons/Colored Pencils

Scissors for kids (I bought 5 kid scissors per building and a pair for me)

Push Pins

Rubber Bands

Clips (paper clips, binder clips)

Magnets

Chart paper

Construction Paper (I buy mine at school specialty store online)

Desk Calendar or Personal Calendar

Pencils & Pens

Binders for your materials

File folders/hanging file folders

Post-its

Obviously, ask your Principal before you buy all this.  I'm sure you can get some of it through the district or even other teachers.  One last tip, sign up for the staples teacher card so you can buy 25 items instead of the usual limits. 

Happy Shopping!

Summers off? Ha!

Who says teachers get summers off?  My first week of summer was spent in a workshop.  The next week was spend on Long Island taking my fiance's mom to the city for surgery and other dr's appointments (well I did get some shopping in - looove my new coach bag!).  As soon as I got back, Grad classes started.  I've been spending all my time scouring teaching blogs and pinterst for ideas, cleaning, and doing grad school work. 
Anyways, as I looked around at other teacher's blogs, I noticed they were all using these really cool fonts.  I finally figured out that they all use lettering delights.  This is another favorite website!  You really should check it out.  Sign up for an account (it's free!) and search the fonts, alphabets (colorful/picture like fonts), and graphics.  Once you purchase them they are put into you library.  You do not need to save them onto your computer!  Anytime you want to make a new heading/label or use the pictures, go to your library and click the try me now tool next to the font you want.  Type whatever you want and save that image.  Upload it into word or whatever as a picture.  I stick with alphabets and graphics because you can get free fonts all over.  I'm going to be creating some forms/labels with the fonts.  I'll upload them here for you to see when I'm done.

Lesson Plans

Don't get me wrong, I love planbook.com but after looking at this blog (http://ateachersplan.blogspot.com/p/home.html) I kind of want to re-think my plans.  I love the cute fonts and checklist approach to her plans.  If my plans were that simple to fill in, I might actually be able to plan a week in advance!  I'm going play with different formats and templates.  I'll post whatever I come up with.  I'm also noticing that many teachers planbooks are broken into subjects by week.  The plans on that blog are broken into ELA, Math, and Content areas.  The music teacher I work with does 1 set of plans per grade level and keeps them seperated by grade level.  I'm considering keeping my plans seperated by group.  We will see what I come up with!

Pintrest

Pintrest.com is my new favorite website.  I'm a person who loves mood boards and pintrest.com is basically a mood board site.  Once you sign up, you will add a "Pin it" button to your favorites and create board titles.  Then as you go through websites and see ideas you like, you click the Pin It button and select the picture you want.  It pins it to your boards for you, attaching the link to the site you are on.  I made boards for teaching ideas, house ideas, wedding, and art.  I'm thinking about breaking my teaching ideas board into Lesson Ideas, Center Ideas, Decorations, and Management.  Then when I need a lesson idea, I can quickly go to my board.  Love Love Love this site!

Summer is here!

Summer is here and yet I'm still not getting time off.  I've spent my first day without students reflecting on the last year, going through student work samples for my portfolio, and thinking about changes for next year.  Being in special ed leaves a lot up in the air each summer.  I don't know what grade levels I'll be working with in Septemer.  I don't even know what building(s) I'll be in.  I probably won't know either of those until about a week before school starts.  Therefore, thinking about long-range planning, as most of my co-workers plan on doing this summer, won't work for me.  So what can we do to prep for the upcoming school year?  Gather ideas and materials.  Here are some of the projects I want to do this summer:

1. Create a new behavior chart
2. Create a writing station (aka - different types of paper in labeled paper sorters - spacer paper, primary paper, primary paper with picture, first and final draft paper, graph paper, blank paper)
3. Set up a binder for student work/probes
4.  Create a few mini reading/writing UbD units
5.  Create my go-to files for reading comp, decoding, writing (Copies of my most used resources)

If you are a returning teacher, I'm sure there are tons of things that you can think of that you want to improve, modify, update, and create.  Take an hour and really think about things you want to do differently next year.  Write them all down and then sort them into order of importance.  Try to get all the highly important items done in July.  That will leave you with all of August to get even more done - or to ignore school completely knowing your "must do" items are finished. 

If you just found out you will be teaching in a resource setting next year, you will need a different approach.  The first thing I would do is set up some sort of filing system in your computer.  You will be using the internet to find the majority of your ideas so this will be important.  Next, think about things you will definately need:
1. Welcome letter
2. Management system/Rules/Procedures
3. Class list sheet to check off things
4. A small collection of lesson ideas
5. System for tracking students progress

Start searching online for ideas.  Save the ideas you like.  With items like behavior plans, make sure you really love the system and you believe it fits your setting before putting work into it.  Remember, Keep It Simple!  I only have my students for 30 minutes at a time.  I don't want to lose a minute every time a student has a behavior issue.  Save your favorite websites so you can go back to them when school starts. 

The more you get done over the summer, the less you have to do while trying to teach.  Have a relaxing and productive summer! 

Student Info Cards

I like to keep Test Accommodation cards on my desk, in case I'm out on the day of a test.  I also like to keep students goals, birthday, parent contact info, and health information handy.  Get out your scrapbooking supplies (or run to Michaels) and create a cover card (like a cover page) for your info cards.  I keep mine on a metal ring on my desk.  I can quickly grab the ring and I have all the information I may need. 

Project Organization Phase 13: Notebooks

If you are like me, you buy a bunch of .10 notebooks before each school year.  I have about 5 spiral notebooks at each building and just grab one on my way to meetings.  The problem is I don't have 1 notebook for RtI, 1 for CSE, 1 for staff meetings and so on so all of the information is mixed together.  To find notes, I would have to look through 10 notebooks. 

Remember, organization is about being efficient with your time and this is definitely not an efficient system.  This is a simple fix that you can choose to do mid-year or start when the new school year begins.  Gather your notebooks - new or used.  Rip out the used pages if you are starting with used notebooks.  Put the empty notebooks on your shelf.  The next meeting you go to - grab a notebook and label it.  Continue to do this every time you need a notebook - as long as it is an event/meeting that will reoccur. 

Here are some times when I use notebooks:

RtI Meetings
CSE Meetings/planning
Principal Discussions (observations, concerns, anything where you meet 1 on 1 with the principal)
Professional Development Workshops
Staff Meetings
Parent-Teacher conferences
Congruence with Teachers

Project Organization Phase 12: Centers

I know many special education teachers who do not have centers.  What I mean by centers is small group games that have clear instructions attached to them.  The games focus on specific skills.  I am building my collection of centers by creating the fcrr.org games and file folder games.  The problem is organizing them.  There are HUNDREDS of games on fcrr.org, if not thousands!  Organizing these seems overwhelming.  Here is what I'm doing:

1. Center games are labeled with the skill they work on as well as a grade level.  FCRR.org games are chunked into K-1, 2-3, 4-5.  Within each group they have Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  Most of these games I keep in large envelopes.  I re-type the instructions (some of them say "the lower student" on the website so I make them student friendly) and glue them onto the front of the envelope.  On the back, I glue a picture of the game being used (these are on the website so I just cut them out).  I also glue on extension activities.  The envelopes I bought have a sticky close top.  I type up the game title, reading area, and grade level and print it onto colored paper (I type a bunch up at a time and cut them into strips to cover the sticky strip on the envelope).  That colorful strip gets stuck to the envelope and it all gets laminated.  I cut open the pocket and keep the game cards/board inside the envelope.  File folder games are simply labeled with the skill area or game title on the tab: "Multiplication Madness". 

2.  After you have a collection of centers, find baskets that are large enough to hold a bunch of them.  If the baskets are too big they will just take up space.  Finding the perfect baskets may take a while but it will be worth it in the end.  When you find them, buy a lot of them. 

3.  Label your baskets with your group names.  Go through the centers and sort them according to who could work on those skills.  My group who is working on fluency will have a lot of fluency centers but they will also have some phonemic awareness, phonics and comprehension centers as well.  These can change as often as you would like so don't overload the baskets with centers.  I plan on changing mine quarterly.  You can also add "When I'm Done" activities to these baskets. 

4.  Centers that do not fit with any group will be stored in storage containers.

This project will most likely be a ongoing one.  It takes a long time to create these games and find the right baskets. 

Project Organization Phase 11: Class Library

There are a thousand websites out there that will help you organize your classroom library.  Most resource room teachers are in a tiny room and have a fairly small library to choose from.  I have a few group sets of books which I keep together on one bookshelf.  These are books that I use with whole groups and they are usually off limits for students to read on their own (in case I use it with their group later on).  I also have a collection of picture books which I use to introduce topics and teach strategies.  These books are also off limits to my students and they are kept on a shelf behind my desk. 

I have another collection of picture books, chapter books, magazines, and reading a to z books that my students can read whenever they have time.  My group sets and these books are organized by Fountas and Pinnell levels.  My students know their reading level and if they forget, they ask.  They want to read in their level.  I showed my students how to look up their books on scholastic's book wizard.  Back to the library organization...the printable reading a to z books are kept in baskets labeled with the level.  Series books are also kept in baskets (magic tree house, junie b jones, time warp trio etc...).  Any book that isn't in a labeled basket has the reading level written inside the front cover.  They are grouped together.  I cut long strips of construction paper and wrote a reading level at the end of it to mark where each level is.  

I know many teachers have their books organized by topic and genre but since I work with k-5 and I want my students reading at or around their level I chose to organize by reading level.  If you like the idea of using baskets, look at your local dollar store. 

If you are going to tackle this project you need to have a few hours to work.  You will need a computer, a sharpie, and baskets if you choose to use them.  You will also need some way to mark the shelves/baskets with reading levels.

1. Put all your books into piles around your book shelves. 
2. Make your labels - I chose to buy alphabet stickers and made a label for all 26 levels. Make it as creative and complicated or as simple as you want.
3.  Start looking up each book on scholastic.com/bookwizard.  When you find the level, mark it on the book and set it on the shelf with it's level label.
4.  Continue to do that until all your books are leveled.  Of course, some books will not be found on scholastic's website.  That's fine, leave those in a pile until you are done. 
5.  Now that most of your books are labeled and leveled, align them neatly on the shelves.  Make sure the shelves are clearly marked for your students. 
6.  Use Fountas and Pinnells books or google to find the levels for your remaining books.  Add them to your shelves as you find them. 
7.  As you buy new books, make it a rule that you level it before it goes on the shelf. 

Project Organization Phase 10: Teacher Books

This is a pretty simple area but it's something that we haven't talked about yet.  My goal is to cover every area of your room.  First, gather all your teacher books.  Next, clear a spot for them.  They should be kept together so if you need to use one as a reference or to make copies you only have to look in 1 spot.  Once you have a space ready for your books, play with how you want them displayed.  Here are some things to try:

1. Line them up according to height. 
2. Line them up according to color - all red books together, then orange.  Within each color, organize them by shade (dark to light) not height!
3. Organize them according to subject.  Writing books group together then reading and so on.

This is a fairly easy task and it's free.  I organize my books by subject/height in my classroom.  At home, I like to group books (and video games) by color because I love the way it looks.  I know what color most of my books are so it's not hard to find them.

Follow Up Board

I was reading other blogs for some crafty classroom decorations and I came across a menu board.  It was pretty and decorated with different scrapbooking paper and embellishments.  I loved the concept and I'm thinking about making one.  It gave me the idea to make a Follow Up board for each building, kind of like the menu board.  Anything I need to follow up on gets written on a post-it and stuck to the board.  Quickly check the board every day to see what things need to be done.  

A few days ago, while walking down the hall, a para stopped me and told me a student needed a new notebook (it's one I make for him).  I had completely forgotten about it because it wasn't written down anywhere.  In the future when I'm stopped in the hall, I can say "Sure, just add it to my follow up board so I don't forget."   

We have RtI meetings every 2 weeks in my district.  For special ed teachers, these meetings become a giant to do list.  When I'm at those meetings, anything I need to follow up on goes on a post-it and stuck to the board.   Sometimes students ask me to do something for them, like help them choose a book they would like.  I can ask them to add it to my follow up board as well.  I feel that this could be an organization strategy that may show students how to organize themselves as well. 

Project Organization Phase 9: Manipulatives and Art Supplies

Math manipulatives can be full of tiny pieces.  I bought a small 3 drawer rolling cart from Target to house my math supplies.  One drawer is for games and flashcards.  One drawer is for counters.  One drawer is for other manipulatives like clocks, snap cubes, fraction tiles, and place value blocks.  I bought dried beans and pasta to use as counters.  I dumped those into ziplock bags.  Other counters I have stored in little plastic food containers.  Nothing is just dumped into the drawers loose.  If I need 5 clocks for my lesson, I want to be able to pull open the drawer and get all the clocks in less than 10 seconds.  I don't want to dig around in the drawer finding each clock.  Students can also easily find what they need this way as well.  If you number the amount of clocks you have on the outside of the bag, you can quickly see if any are missing. 

Art supplies I have talked about in the past.  I stock up on crayons, colored pencils, glue and scissors during back to school sales.  I simply throw it all in my plastic art shoe box I bought from Lowes.  Construction paper is put next to or under the box.  Here is a picture of my art box (this is one I keep at home for painting supplies):

Project Organization Phase 8: Current Student Work

Congratulations!  You have organized areas of your room that are for you.  Now we are going to switch our focus to organization for your students.  Each of my groups has a white magazine file box (I call them "Cubbies").  Each student has a numbered folder (all the same color - I used yellow at one building and green at another - yellow and green are my districts colors).  I know many teachers are against numbering their students because it diminishes them to a number instead of a person BUT I'm not going to create new folders every year.  The only time my students need to use their number is when looking for their folder in their "cubbie".  All the students papers go in their folder and books go in the magazine file "cubbie".  That group and substitutes can easily see where that groups materials are.

I got my magazine files at Ikea but you can find them online or get them for free from Wal-mart and Target.  During back to school sales, big stores use magazine files to hold the folders and notebooks.  Go and consolidate their notebooks/folders and load your cart with the empty boxes.  Ask if you can take them - they always say yes because they just throw them away. 

You could also use mailboxes (like classroom teachers have) and each student gets their own slot.  I have seen classroom teachers keep students work in filing crates around the room so when she needs them to get their reading notebooks, the class disperses throughout the room.  You could use baskets or bins for each group.  Look at the layout of your room and look for containers that you like.  Let that determine what you use.  You want your room to be visually pleasing so try to stick to the same type of container for every group.

Project Organization Phase 7: Future Work

This is an area I struggled with.  If you are like me, as you teach a lesson you see a skill that your students REALLY lack.  You copy some worksheets to help build that skill along with 100 other things and it all lands on your desk.  The piles begin again!  This is my biggest downfall with organization.  It took a while but I think I've figured it out. 


In a previous post I mentioned that I had chosen permanent group names that my students can vote on.  In a crate, I have 2  hanging file folders for each group.  They are labeled with the group name and picture.  I like the permanent group names so I can use my tabs every year. The first set is for work that I'm going to do next with the group.  The second set is for work I'm planning for further in the future.  When I come back from the copy room, I can quickly drop my piles into the correct files - No Piles!  I've seen many teachers do this for every day of the month.  Each file is 1 day of the month.  My students usually work on the same thing for several days so I feel that's unnecessary.  Obviously, every teacher is different so modify this so it fits you and your style.


I started this project by buying pink file folders (<3 pink!).  Then I started printing out little pictures and writing the group names but I didn't like the way the white paper was showing behind the picture.  I remembered I had clear address labels.  Clear labels are AMAZING for this project because there is no white background and I can neatly type all the group names.  It looks so much more professional.  Had I not used clear labels, I would have laminated the folders because the pictures would fall off.  The clear labels allowed me to make the folders in about 20 minutes and use them right away.  That's great because if I can't do a project in 1 sitting, it's going to be put off.