Whew! I survived the first two days of school! 🙂
I have the cutest bunch of littles! Seriously, they are ADORABLE!
We spent most of Thursday and Friday going over routines and procedures: hand signals, voice levels, how to line up, how to walk in the hall, how to… you get the idea! I also introduced my firsties to all the workbooks they will be using through the year:
{More not pictured!}
Between our reading, math, and science series, the kiddos have about seven different workbooks. And most of them are red! It’s hard to tell some of them apart, so to help my sweeties take out the correct book in the beginning of the year, I color code them:
I just swipe a fat Mr. Sketch marker along the bottom pages of the book. That way, when the books are piled inside their desks, they can see the colors! When I ask my students to take out a book, I’ll say something like, “Please take out your Grammar Green book!” It really does help, and it makes transitions quicker and easier! And after a few weeks, my kiddos will be telling me which book is which! 🙂
I forgot to take pics of the activities we did this week 🙁 The first two days were like a whirlwind! I promise I will definitely be on top of picture taking from now on 😉
Before I go, I have a little freebie for you! After my last post on paint cans and my various incentive ideas, I got a lot of requests for the labels I used… so I put them together and uploaded them to Google Docs for you! 🙂 I print the labels on sticker paper from Staples {or you can use Avery full page labels}.
Before I go, I have a little freebie for you! After my last post on paint cans and my various incentive ideas, I got a lot of requests for the labels I used… so I put them together and uploaded them to Google Docs for you! 🙂 I print the labels on sticker paper from Staples {or you can use Avery full page labels}.
Here’s an example of how I use them:
There are two labels included in the download that I don’t think I mentioned in my last post. I use the “Happy Birthday” label on a paint can full of krazy straw birthday balloons, and the “Warm Fuzzies” label on another paint can {I really love those paint cans} that we use as our class bucket {you can read more about that HERE}.
Okay, I’m off! I’ll be completing work for my grad classes and putting together stuff for school this week… and hopefully getting started on a little Christopher Columbus unit that’s been brewing 😉 Have a great Sunday everyone!
Great idea Teri! I can't believe you have that many workbooks. We only have the teacher version that we can copy from if needed. I don't use the pages hardly at all. Thanks for sharing your labels. I love the little paint cans!
Swimming into Second
I love the idea of color coding their workbooks! I have been in school 3 weeks and my kids are still having trouble telling the grammar book from the practice book from the math book and so on… I am going to do this for my kiddos this week!
-Juliet
Ms. Fleming's Second Grade
Teri,
Oh my goodness, I did the secret star thing with my kiddos on Friday and was blown away by how perfect they were walking in line!! It was absolutely incredible!!! Thanks so much for the fabulous idea! And now I can print off your cute label to put on the jar!! 🙂
Molly
Lessons with Laughter
That is a lot of workbooks. YIKES. Love the color coding idea.
I'd love to read a post about getting everything in when using Treasures. We just adopted it. Boy, it can fill up the day…FAST. Any tricks of the trade?
Thanks so much for the freebies. I'm off to Michael's today to get the paint cans. i see that you're using Treasures. We just adopted it this year. Hoo-boy, can't believe all the materials! I still haven't finished unpacking them. I've been a follower for awhile but now that I've moved to first, I'll be stalking you much more!
Kathy
Coloring Outside The Lines
What a good idea to colour code them. Good luck with your new students.
so smart Teri!! Thank you for the freebies–they are adorable on those paint cans!
Great idea with the workbooks! We only have a few and the kiddos still can't seem to grab the correct one. 🙂
Crystal
Teaching Little Miracles
Congrats on surviving the first coupe of days!
Lory
Fun for First
The Robin’s Nest
Hi! I'm a new follower. Thanks for sharing the cute labels.
The REAL Teachers of Orange County
Hi! I'm a new follower. Thanks for sharing the cute labels.
The REAL Teachers of Orange County
Hi there. I am a new follower! Thanks for the workbook tip – that's genuis! We have the same Treasures Reading series workbooks, and the color-code system will be SO helpful!
Lauren
Very cute freebie. Thanks for sharing!
Don't Let The Teacher Stay Up Late
What a super duper easy idea! We use Treasures in our district also so this will come in handy! Thanks for the great freebie also! 🙂
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
Love the color coding idea 🙂 We use Treasures as well and all the red kills me. Our Everyday Math books are red too. Here is a post that shows what I do:
http://fun-in-first.blogspot.com/2011/03/no-morewhat-book-what-page.html
Thanks for the freebie. I love the rainbow Chevron background. I always LOVE your ideas.
Rhonda
Classroom Fun
Thanks for these great labels. Love how they are so colorful. You are brilliant with the simple idea of marking the pages with marker. Perfect! Making the magic playdough to celebrate our first full week.
Sounds like you are off to a great start.
Sara
Love the color coding idea! Will have to remember that one. Thanks for the labels freebie! 🙂
What amazing ideas you have 🙂 thank you!#
What a great idea for the workbooks! Thanks so much for sharing the labels. 🙂
Love these! Thanks 🙂
Christopher Columbus?!! I can't wait to see how cute he turns out!!
Your workbook idea is GREAT!
My kids have three workbooks in their desk at a time. One is HUGE, one is really small, and one is in the middle. One is green with a bear, one is colorful with kids on the front, and one is magenta and it has some kind of religious thing on the front… I can't remember. Totally different looking. Still, my first graders this year are absolutely boggled by which book they are supposed to take out. Crazy kids!! 🙂
Marvelous Multiagers!
Super-duper SMART idea! Love it.
Gotta go color code when I get into school in the morning!
❤Dragonflies in First ❤
Thanks for sharing this great idea! My students workbooks are all different colors and widths but I am still having kids do the wrong book. I will be doing this tomorrow!
I love the jars! but the label wont open for me 🙁
I'm going to try again when i get home from work.
Thanks for sharing 🙂 x
We love the honeymoon period when our kiddos first begin (before they show their true colors:)
We love "kiss your brain" and so do our littles. The giggles that we get every time our priceless! Thanks for the warm fuzzy post!
~Christy & Tammy
Fluttering Through First Grade
Why are the best tips always the most simplest!!!! I tell them daily to get out their floppy green workbook or floppy orange math workbook and they still ask me which one…"The one with the fish? The big one?"
Tada!!! Now when I say orange they'll see that big ol streak of orange on the bottom. Score!!
Brenda
You Might Be a First Grader…
I love that idea! Thank you so much for sharing it! 🙂