Getting ReadyGetting Ready

4

ADMIT ONE

Great Student Into

The Classroom

WELCOME!signedMrs. Weitzel

A Very Rewarding IdeaBe on the lookout over the summer for pro-

motional items that can help stock your rewardbox. You’ll find that pencils, key rings, and stick-ers are often given away during advertisingcampaigns. Health fairs, grand openings, andfast-food establishments often carry items thatwork well as student prizes, and are usually ea-ger to donate to a school-related cause. As youenjoy the summer months, you’ll be surprised atthe items you collect for your special students.

VaReane HeeseSpringfield Elementary, Omaha, NE

Coming AttractionsThis welcome-back idea is just the ticket

to help students anticipate the first day ofschool. A week before the big day, mail eachof your new students a special admissionticket to your class. Enclose a list of “ComingAttractions”—a sneak preview of projects,themes, and events that will take place in thefirst weeks of school. (See the patterns onpage 73.) Students will be comforted to knowwhat to expect in their new classroom, andparents will appreciate the information aboutyour curriculum plans.

Betty Silkunas—Gr. 1Oak Lane Day SchoolBlue Bell, PA

Photo FunBe prepared for all the many photographs

you will take during the school year by pur-chasing a photo album during the summer.Start off by taking a picture of each studenton the first day. Pictures of assemblies, fieldtrips, and class parties will soon follow, andyour album will be on hand to hold the prints.Place the album in your class library for stu-dents to enjoy. At the end of the year, giveeach student a few photos to take home.You’ll pass on many happy memories of theschool year.

Kelly Wong—Gr. 2, Berlyn School, Ontario, CA

5

Spelling

Math

Language

Specials

Duties/Reminders* Materials in red bins, tallest file

Book: Choosing Your Health

Social StudiesHealth

Book: Neighborhoods

Handwriting/Composition

Cast-A-Spell

three ring binder, bottomright desk drawer

Lesson plans for the week ofVicki O’Neal 2

Subject: Reading Every DayCounts

Spelling DutiesSpecial Classes

Mon

day

Tues

day

Wed

nesd

ayThu

rday

Frid

ay

Daily

Ass

ignm

ent

note

s ar

e in

read

ing

note

book

.

CalendarActivities

Introduce newunit-write 5x or

take test

Peer-tutoring

Trial testPrac. sheet

Practicesheet

Mastery Test

Music DaysMusic: 1:00Library: 1:25P.E. Day !:00

Lunch duty

Morning recessGuidance8:30-8:55

AfternoonRecess

Alternatemorningrecess

workbooks instudents' desks

Recess 10:15

Simplifying For A SubstituteBe prepared for a spur-of-the-moment

substitute with a list of important classroomdetails. Copy a blank page of your lesson-plan book and fill in important information un-der each subject heading. Make notes tellingwhich textbooks are stored in students’desks, and which are kept on a bookshelf. In-dicate where handwriting paper can befound, and where each teacher’s manual iskept. Include information regarding studentswho need to leave the room at certain timesof the day. When the necessary details havebeen filled in, laminate the pages and paper-clip them to the current week of your lesson-plan book. If an unexpected need for a sub-stitute teacher arises, you’ll rest assured thatall the details are taken care of.

adapted from an idea by Mary Dinneen—Gr. 2Mountain View SchoolBristol, CT

Plan-Book PreparationsAs you set up your lesson-plan book for the

year, much of the same information has to berecopied from week to week. Music class,lunchtime, recess duty, and spelling tests arestandard entries in the schedule, but have to benoted on each week’s plans. Simplify your plan-ning time by creating a master list that can beclipped to your plan book each week. Includeclasses and activities that remain constant fromweek to week, providing a blank to fill in a pagenumber if necessary. Your planning time will begreatly reduced, leaving you free to take care ofthe many other tasks that are always at hand.

Vicki O’Neal—Gr. 2, Lincoln School, Baxter Springs, KS

Super BinderStay organized all year long with a binder that keeps track of all your important pa-

pers. At the beginning of the year, purchase a large three-ring binder and a package ofpocket-type section dividers. Anticipate the sections you will need to refer to during theyear, such as parent correspondence, faculty memos, schedules, and classroom volun-teers. Label a divider for each section and file them alphabetically in the binder. As per-tinent information comes across your desk, file it in the divider pocket or use aholepuncher to fit the paper in the binder rings behind the appropriate section. Not onlywill you be more organized, you will also have an ongoing record of the school year.

Susan Wilson—Gr. 1, Sevierville Elementary School, Sevierville, TN

6

Oh, Goody!Treat your students to an exciting new year

with these back-to-school goody bags. Fill clearplastic bags with items such as pencils, erasers,stickers, and small snacks. Tie each bag with aribbon and place one bag on each desk. As stu-dents come in on the first day, allow them to ex-plore their bags. Students will know right awaythat being in your class is a real treat!

Nicole Iacovazzi—Gr. 3Owego Elementary SchoolVestal, NY

Tracking The TeacherTo set the stage for a first-day discussion,

pick up a few postcards during the summerto send to your students-to-be. Ask to re-ceive a copy of your new class list as soonas it is ready. Collect a supply of postcardsfrom various locations and mail one to eachstudent on the list. Write a brief message ofintroduction, and explain that you are look-ing forward to having the student in yourclass. Ask the student to bring the postcardto class on the first day of school. Studentscan compare the postmark of each postcard,then discuss their own summer adventures.Your cheerful postcards will initiate a first-day discussion of travel tales!

Vicki O’Neal—Gr. 2, Lincoln SchoolBaxter Springs, KS

Say, “Cheese!”As you prepare materials for the first day of school, make sure to have a camera

on hand. A photograph of each student can be used in a number of creative ways:• Display a photograph of the daily leader.• Place the photographs in a decorated basket. When you need a helper, select

a student by reaching into the basket and randomly choosing a photo.• Group photographs together to show students which cooperative group they

will work with.• Photocopy the original photographs and use on nametags, coat hooks, news-

letters, bulletin-board displays, and birthday graphs.• Display student photos on a poster titled “Look Who’s Lost A Tooth!”

Sarah Mertz, Owenton, KY

MONTANA

NEW YORK, NY

CAPE HATTERAS

Sun Dried

RAISINS

7

Low-Cost Lap DesksIf you use lap desks in your classroom, make note of

this thrifty tip! Low-cost and no-cost desks can be ac-quired by asking for materials from local eating establish-ments. Cafeteria trays and cardboard pizza boxes makewonderful lap desks and can be purchased for a nominalamount, and are often given to teachers free of charge. Ifdesired, cover the trays and boxes in decorative Con-Tact® paper. The desks come in handy when students siton the floor for group activities, put puzzles together, orneed extra room for art projects. You’ll find dozens ofuses for these desks, and appreciate how easy they areto store when not in use.

Nancy Bauer—Gr. 2, Kidwell Elementary, Iowa Park, TX

Skill BasketsPurchase a supply of small plastic baskets dur-

ing the summer and fill them with skill reinforcersto use in your classroom. Determine which skillsyou want students to work on at the beginning ofthe year, and make sets of cards to help reinforceeach skill. Sets of color words, ordinal numbers,shapes, and sight words can easily be written onindex cards and stored on large metal rings. Storethe completed sets of cards in the baskets. Placea basket of cards in the center of each group ofdesks. When you need a five-minute filler or anactivity to occupy those who complete their as-signments quickly, direct students to review a setof cards from the basket. Add new card sets asvocabulary, math facts, and sight words are intro-duced. With this variety of skills on hand, you canmake every minute count.

Linda Parris—Gr. 1,West Hills Elementary School, Knoxville, TN

green

purplered

yellow

orange

blue

Get-Ahead GraphBefore the new school year is under

way, prepare for a year-round graphingactivity by constructing thisreprogrammable diagram. Design a bargraph with several columns on a sheetof poster board. Title the graph “WhatDid You Wear To School Today?”Leave an open area under each columnso the topic of the graph can bechanged each day. A picture of a long-sleeve shirt and of a short-sleeve shirtcan be featured one day; the next day itcan be changed to show a slip-on shoeand a lace-up shoe. Each student chartshis response by writing his name on aself-stick note and attaching it to the cor-rect column. It will take only a few min-utes of your day to reinforce graphingskills, and students will enjoy contribut-ing the data.

Kathleen Geddes Darby—Gr. 1Community School, Cumberland, RI

8

Cozy ClassroomCreate a comfortable and cozy atmosphere

in your classroom by adding a few pillows to thedecor. Accenturate a back-to-school theme witha cushion in a bright apple print for the teacher’schair. Matching pillows in your reading centerwill highlight the arrangement. The cushionscan be changed to emphasize a unit of study,such as the ocean or the rain forest. Find a fab-ric pattern to coordinate with the desired look foryour classroom, and dress up the area withcomfort and style.

Kathleen Geddes Darby—Gr. 1Community School, Cumberland, RI

Park It Here!Bring a touch of the outdoors into your

classroom with this attractive and practicalreading area. Purchase two wooden parkbenches and arrange them in a corner ofyour classroom. Place a silk tree betweenthe benches, or mount a tree cutout on thewall behind the area. Students will enjoyvisiting the peaceful setting for indepen-dent reading time, and the benches canalso be used for group lessons, or asseating when visitors come to the class-room. The arrangement is not only aes-thetically pleasing, but convenient too!

Nancy Bauer—Gr. 2Kidwell Elementary, Iowa Park, TX

Quiet QuartersWith minimal effort, you can transform

an old card table and a bedsheet into aprivate reading area for students to useduring independent reading time. Providean assortment of markers and a solid-color flat sheet for students to illustratewith scenes from their favorite books.Drape the decorated sheet over the cardtable, pinning back two corners to createan entryway. Post a weekly sign-up sheetby the table to allow everyone a specialtime to be alone with a good book.

Rosemary LindenRoyal Valley Elementary, Hoyt, KS

9

End With The BeginningBeat the back-to-school bulletin-board blues

with a head start in June. As you’re taking downthe last bulletin board of the school year, makea little extra effort and put up your “WelcomeBack” display. Cover the new board with thebackground paper from the previous display toprotect it over the summer months. What a won-derful feeling it will be to come back in Augustand know that your bulletin board is ready togreet a new group of students!

Vicki O’NealLincoln SchoolBaxter Springs, KS

Wel

Co-Worker KitWhat could be more encouraging for a new co-worker than this Welcome Kit on her

desk on the first day of school? During the summer, collect the items listed below. Placethem in a supply box or gift bag with a note explaining the significance of each item.Your thoughtfulness will be the perfect solution to first-day jitters!

• a rubber band, to remind us to be flexible

• a toothpick, to help us pick out the good in every situation

• a stick of gum, to remind us to stick together at all times

• an eraser, to remind us that everyone makes mistakes

• a Hershey’s® Hug, to remind us that everyone needs a hug now and then

• a balloon, to encourage us to soar to new heights

• Lifesavers® candy, to remind us that we can depend on each other at all times

• a maze, to remind us to create amazing learning experiences for our students

Sandra Kuhn—Principal, Laveen School, Laveen, AZ

Thursday

Wednesday

10

Carpeted DesktopsMany classrooms have a supply of carpet squares on

hand to use when activities call for students to sit on thefloor. Have you ever thought of using those same carpetsquares to cover a desktop? Distribute a square to eachstudent the next time pattern blocks or manipulatives arebeing used. The carpeted surface will help stabilize thematerials, but better yet, it will muffle the sound of the ob-jects being manipulated. How nice to get more mileagefrom materials already on hand!

Nancy Bauer—Gr. 2, Kidwell Elementary, Iowa Park, TX

Manipulative StorageLooking for a way to store math manipulatives that are needed frequently but

become lost when stored in the students’ overcrowded desks? Try hanging asupply bag on the back of each student’s chair. Banks are often willing to donatecanvas bags with ties sewn onto each end—perfect for tying to chair rungs!Manipulatives can be placed in the bags until needed, eliminating the need to dis-tribute and collect materials each time an activity calls for manipulatives. Studentswill have ready access to the necessary supplies without losing a minute of in-structional time.

Nancy Bauer—Gr. 2, Kidwell Elementary, Iowa Park, TX

Storage Hang-UpsReduce closet clutter with this tip for storing

small items. Purchase a tiered skirt hanger and asupply of gallon-size zippered plastic bags.Place math manipulatives, craft items, and otherhard-to-store items in each bag. Attach each bagto a clip on the hanger, and your supplies are or-ganized. Not only is the hanger a space saver,but the bags allow you to see the items so youcan quickly locate supplies.

Rosemary Linden, Royal Valley Elementary, Hoyt, KS

Organizing MaterialsOrganizing Materials

Thursday

Wednesday

11

Recess TreasuresAs you organize materials through-

out the year, you’re sure to comeacross supplies that you have had onhand for several years but have not putto good use. As a teacher, you know it’s toohard to simply throw them out. Make thesesupplies available for your students to peruseby labeling them “OK For Recess.” Studentsknow they may have access to the materialsfor art projects, game ideas, or independentactivities. Your class will enjoy the assortmentof supplies, and your store of materials will beeasier to organize.

Mary Dinneen—Gr. 2, Mountain View School, Bristol, CT

Super Filing SystemHow often have you come across an idea in a magazine, copied it, and then

were uncertain where to file it? Many times an idea can be used in several curricu-lum areas, and it is difficult to pinpoint which subject or theme it would best be filedunder. Why not make several copies of the idea; then place a copy in several dif-ferent folders? The idea may describe a good science activity, but would also workwell in a literature unit. With a copy of the idea under each heading, you’ll be sureto come across it as you plan for a unit of study.

Nancy Bauer—Gr. 2, Kidwell Elementary School, Iowa Park, TX

Favorite BooksAs you use special literature during the

school year, file each book in your monthly ac-tivity folder. After sharing a story with the class,make sure the book is placed with your sea-sonal curriculum material instead of on theclassroom library shelf. If using a book bor-rowed from the school or public library, writedown the title and author and slip the informa-tion into your files. You’ll be pleased to have thebook on hand for the next year, instead of tryingto track it down somewhere in your classroom!

VaReane HeeseSpringfield ElementaryOmaha, NE