Aloha to Second: Spring Clean Up Blog

Spring Clean-Up Blog Hop!

I am so excited about this blog hop! There are so many amazing teachers involved in this hop. You also have a chance to win the Rafflecopter! Please make sure you enter your name to win!

In my classroom I have worked hard to organize my files and make it easy for me to find where things are located. I use these large tubs from Wal-Mart to organize my monthly activities. I keep each activity that I place in the tubs in a large gallon Ziploc Bag. These are like gold to me! I use them for everything!

I also use these tubs from Wal-Mart to organize my reading and math center activities. I sort them based on skill. For example, I place all the telling time activities, graphing activities, and tally mark activities together. Each tub contains certain activities, depending on how many I have for that specific topic. Some tubs contain only one type of activity because I have so many items for that one skill. I just use sentence strips to write what activities are in each tub, and I tape it on the outside.

I also use my filing cabinets to sort various math, literacy, and writing activities. Each file folder is titled a different topic, such as; fluency, comprehension, digraphs, addition, subtraction, money, etc. I then use these file folders to copy worksheets for my students to practice the skills. This helps them practice what they are struggling with.

I use skill boxes in my classroom. Each child has a red box in their cubby and this is where they keep their personal activities. I believe differentiating is very important. Therefore, each student has their own box where they keep activities that meet their educational needs.

Each box also contains various resources to help them while working on Kindergarten skills that match the Common Core Standards. Here is a resource folder students can refer to. They do this often throughout the day. I love that they can look at this before they ask me questions. I think it is important for students to work independently.

Each child is given an index card. This card shows them what skills they are practicing. I pick out the skills based on classroom observations and objective checks. Students then have to complete at least 5 activities on one skill in order to move on to the next skill. Each time they complete one activity, they have to show that they understood it - then they will receive 1 tally mark. Once a child receives at least 5 tally marks, they can move to the next skill. If a student needs to continue practicing, they will continue practicing and receive more tally marks until they have "mastered" the skill. My students LOVE this! They get so excited to finish a card and get a new one. I keep all of their cards in their data notebooks to track their progress throughout the year.

I use a filing bin to sort file folders in. Each student has a tan folder and an orange folder. The tan folder contains reading activities, and the orange folder contains math activities. I then place worksheets that match the skills on their index card in their filing folder. I keep the papers in order to match their index card. The students are great at getting out the next paper that they need to work on. This allows me to prepare activities for them in advance, and they don't keep 20 pieces of paper in their red box. Each student keeps one paper in their box at a time, and once it is completed and checked, they get the next paper from the appropriate folder. I always tell them what color folder to get their work from depending on what skills are on their index card. This is the best way I have organized my skill boxes, and I find that it is very productive!

Check out some of my student work from their Red Skill Boxes. My students work on their skill boxes in the morning when they come in the classroom (this is their morning work), and they also work on during our Intervention and Enrichment time.