Classroom Management that Clicks!

A dog training clicker for your classroom?!?

*Let me give you some background information.*

My students walk in a straight line through the halls.  The Line Leader is the ONLY student who listens to my directions while the rest follow and watch the person in front of them.  I will tell the line leader, "Go and listen to my voice" while I stay behind letting my kids pass.  Then I will say, "Stop" for the leader to stop.

Instead of using my voice, I purchased a dog training clicker.  One click will mean GO and two clicks will mean STOP.  I have heard of other teachers using clickers for a variety of things.  This idea is nothing new and probably originated with nuns using it in Catholic Schools (or so I heard).  I just wanted to share with others who might not of heard of this classroom management technique. I am excited to try it starting the first day of school!  

Use a clicker to get students attention, give directions and/or use for transitions.

A clicker in action! You can keep it in your pocket or put it on a lanyard around your neck.

Alternative Big Book Stand

Reading big books has always been a major juggling production because I lacked a big book stand.  If only I had the extra money and room, I would have purchased one long ago.  WELL, good thing I didn't because the solution was right in my very own home!!!  A music stand was the perfect alternative.  

Use a music stand for display and assisting with reading big books.  They are inexpensive, adjustable and easy to store.  

Name Badges

I dread getting name tags ready for the first week of school.  Normally, I would laminate some decal with their name on it and string yarn through a punched hole at the top.  

This would take me FOR-EV-ER!  

The kids were to wear this around their neck while I learned their names.  However, it ended up not working half the time because the decal would get flipped around displaying the back or the yarn would get so twisted it took two teachers to set the child free.

Here is my solution!  I purchased badge holders and badge clips from Walmart.  I bought 2 sets of 12 badge holders for $1.88 each and 2 sets of 12 badge clips for $1.88 each.

Reusable First Days of School Name Tags or Field Trip Name Tags

Classroom Shopping Linky Party

Ladybug's Teacher Files is having a linky party devoted to shopping for your classroom.  Link-up to give and get some ideas from some awesome teachers.  The following products are things I have purchased over the summer. If you would like to view more products I have purchased in the past, click on the label titled Products.

These containers saved me lots of time when passing out manipulatives to the students.  I discovered them at Dollar Tree and bought 5 sets of these 10 mini containers.  I quickly discovered that I use them for EVERYTHING.  For example, lets say we are going to play bingo, I have a container marked, "Sets of Tiles" and I have a student pass out one container per child.  I do this with our coins too.  When we do coin sorts or are just learning about the coins.  You can use them in your workstation activities too.  I basically use these instead of Ziplock bags for smaller things.  

For months, Dollar Tree was sold out and the website was sold out of them too.  I was growing a little impatient, so when they became available online, I bought them.  You can only purchase in bulk on the Dollar Tree website.  SOOOO, 480 mini-containers later......I am one HAPPY teacher =)

I am ready to jump-in head first with BUCKET FILLING for next year!
I purchased these tin buckets from the Dollar Section at Target.  I was super excited because I will be doing a Star Theme next year.

This is another Dollar Tree find.  I purchased the last of the blue and green Locker Bins at my local store.  I bought around 14 of each.  I will use them in my library.  The blue will be for fiction and the green will be for nonfiction.  I will be reorganizing my library this year and was searching high and low for an inexpensive bin.  I love how they are taller and wider than a typical sized shoe box.

ELA&Math Center Activity Resource

This is a great resource for instant center activities.  Print on cardstock, laminate, cut, self-correct with writing answers on the back and GO!

I really like the picture and math sorts.  Since they are quick and inexpensive to make, I am thinking about sending these home next year as take-home reinforcers.

Black-line Masters of ELA and Math Sorts

Monkey Math

The search is over!  Lakeshore Learning carries Monkey Math, in store only.  After months of searching and people telling me they were sold out and it is only sold online, I found it!!!  I got the last 4 in the store.  I can't wait to use these next year in Math Centers to teach the concept of equality and reinforce addition.   

Hang an equal number of bananas on each hand.  If your addition is correct, the monkey's arms will be level and his eyes will look straight.  Love this self-correcting feature! 

 Click for recording sheet!

Subtraction Bowling

Students practiced their subtraction skills by bowling in math centers!

**The following pictures show the recording sheet and two different bowling sets.**  

Students record their results.

Mini-Bowling Set (Purchased from Dollar Tree)

Lawn Bowling Set  (Purchased from Toys R Us, $3)

Dollar Tree Deals!

Foam Dice (2/$1)  Whenever I see these dice at Dollar Tree, I always get them.  You can use them for anything.  Plus, they are quiet.

CVC, Letter Sounds, Number Learning Cards (3/$1)  I bought 4 sets and labeled w/ numbers (set 1, 2, 3, 4-So, students will not mix-up the sets)

Foam Puzzle Clock.  I bought 5 clocks.  Label on the back w/ the number of that set- So, students can work side-by-side and not mix-up  pieces.

Big Number-Line to 70.  I bought 5 number-lines.  I taped this number line together and laminated for durability.  Then I cut it up in puzzle piece fashion.  This number-line is about 10 ft. long, so you need some space.

Phonics Stamps

I love using stamps in centers because they are durable and the students enjoy using them.  I purchased these stamps from Lakeshore to use as an extension after they complete the "must do" activity.  

I created a recording sheet to help the students organize the words.    Each colored stamp focuses on a different phonics skill.  (beginning sounds, middle sounds, ending sounds)  In addition, I purchased the second kit, Lakeshore sells, which focuses on skills good for the second-half of 1st grade. (digraphs, blends, vowel sounds)  I organize the stamps in ice cube trays from Dollar Tree b/c I didn't want the cardboard box the stamps came in to get torn and all inky.

Here is an example of the Phonics Stamps Activity in action.  What a great way to practice!  The only downside is that it is not self-correcting.

One Hundred Day Activities

The following are some activities my students did to celebrate the 100th day.

I made a class set (24 total) of 100s puzzles.  Print puzzle on cardstock, laminate and cut into puzzle pieces.  Each puzzle has 13 pieces with letters on the back that correspond to its bag.  If the puzzle has the letter "A" on the back it goes with bag "A" etc.  All the puzzles are cut differently.  It is a contest to see who finishes it first.

I purchased 4 sets of 25 piece puzzles.  (100 piece puzzles will take them way too long to complete and they will lose interest.)  The puzzles are from School Aids.

I printed a blank 100s chart.  I purchased finger stamps at School Aids.  Students created patterns with these stamps.    I stored the finger stamps in ice cube trays that were purchased at Dollar Tree, 2 for $1.  I love using ice cube trays to store stamps that didn't come in a handy container.

My Rules when Implementing Centers

Yes, I know that the "educational political correctness" is Literacy Workstation, but I am still going to call them centers.  It saves time to say and I am all about being efficient ; )

The Following is my Center Theory 

My rules when implementing centers.

1. Have the students do the same center activity every week, but change the skill focus.  Teaching how to do an activity is a waste of time.  Students need to spend more time practicing the skill.  These center activities that never change, I call my "MUST DO" activities.  This means it is the first thing they must do in the center.
2. Every station has a "MUST DO" activity and a "FUN NEVER-ENDING" activity.  The never ending activity is meant as a reward and motivator for them to finish the "must do" activity.  These never change and are differentiated.  Examples of possible never-ending activities would be: letter stamps, spelling scrabble (I explained this in a previous post), reading in the library, play dough letter stamps, writing etc.  A student will never finish a never-ending center or it is designed to take a long time to complete.  This eliminates the problem of students not having anything to do during centers.  Their work is never done. 
3. I try to give my students at least two activity choices when they have finished their "must do" activity.  One choice will be the "never-ending" activity and the other one maybe an activity that reinforces a past skill.  These activities are new and therefore, exciting for the students (since it is something different), so I model it whole group, on Monday, before putting it in the center for that week.
4. I post simple directions in the center.  I number each direction, so they know what to do first and last.
5. I have two center rotations.  At the end of each center rotation, the students put their heads down and I walk around to "inspect" the center supplies.  This takes 1-2 min.  However, I feel it is a necessity if you want your supplies to be intact and everlasting.    
6. I am super organized when it comes to putting my center activities in their tubs.  I have taught my students to place the flat things on the bottom of the tub.  Putting supplies in a tub may seem like an easy task, however, spacial awareness must be taught.  They need to understand that if you place something in diagonal it will get bent and that if it is awkward in shape, you might want to put it on top of the flat supplies.  Teaching how to respect the supplies of the classroom goes a long way. 

Directions are posted at each center.  Notice I use words and pictures.  These direction never change but the skills do in the "must do" activity.  The "must do" activity will be #1.

Directions are posted at each center.  Notice I use words and pictures.  These direction never change but the skills do in the "must do" activity.  The "must do" activity will be #1.

Example of a "never-ending" center activity.  These letter dough stampers were purchased at Lakeshore.

Example of a "never-ending" center activity.  These letter dough stampers were purchased at Lakeshore.

Example of a "never-ending" center activity.  You can print these mats from Alphabete Avenue.  This activity is great for the beginning of the year.

This is an example of a "never-ending" center activity.  I love these stamps because they have the lines underneath each letter.  So, the students do not accidently stamp them upside-down.  I purchased them from School Aids.

Math Teacher Resources

These books deserve a post.  They are developmentally appropriate and child friendly.  I do not like worksheets that you have to explain.  These are great for assessments.  I am sure this company makes more.

This is my favorite.  I like it because it has a lot of cut and paste graphs.  Since we focus on graphing at the beginning of the year, it lets them practice their fine motor skills.

This books helps with number sense and place value.

Phonics Activity

This is a great phonics resource.  It has lots of work mat reproducibles.  All you need is to copy and laminate.  It does come with reproducible letter tiles, but you could just buy your own.  Letter tiles are sold at any school supply store.

I make the mats self-correcting by having the answer on the back.  At the beginning of the year, the students can use the completed side to place the letter tiles over the letters.

I made a set of vowel work-mats.  I color coded them, so each student has all the vowels.

100th Day of School

Check out this website of handcrafted jewelry that not only looks good but teaches too! Click on the link below.

Zero Is My Hero

"Zero the Hero Necklace"
My mom got this for me as a birthday gift :) I wear it every 10th day of school. So, I won't forget I leave it at school.  She ordered it from the website above.

Phonics Resources

These are great resources to review phonics skills!

I have the following two books but Creative Printing Press makes more. Clink on the link to check them out!

        

Sequencing Fun!

This is one activity that my students love.  Sometimes it is hard to find comprehension center activities that are self-correcting, but here is one that works!

I use these sequencing cards as a quick warm-up or filler activity. You can also use them in centers.  For only a couple of dollars you get a lot of sequencing pictures.                               

You can put these sequencing pictures in centers by printing on card-stock, laminating and cutting. Don't forget to make them self-correcting on the back by numbering them.  On the other hand, you can help their fine motor skills by letting them do all the cutting and having them paste it in the correct order for an assessment.

                                                                               

Phonics Activity

Here is a cute activity for ELA Centers.  It is great for onset/rime, chunking and differentiating between real and non-sense words.  The only downside is that this activity is NOT self-correcting.

The student must match a blue side with the red.
The only downside is they may create nonsense words and not realize it.