"Friday"

The winner of the Nutrition pack was Teacher and Life Long Learner!  Congratulations, an e-mail is coming your way.  We have a professional development day tomorrow so today was our "Friday" and boy did it feel like Friday.  My kids are always a little crazy on Fridays.  Here's a glimpse of our "Friday".
To become a member of the bubble gum club they need to score a 100% on any of their end of the week assessments which we take quite a bit of.  My county is a little data crazy and they like us to assess frequently.  Usually every Friday we take a comprehension test, vocabulary test, spelling test and math test which means I also have a lot to grade! Sometimes, we don't do all four.  But, I try as hard as I can to have it all graded and returned while they're finishing up their center work during the day. 

Homework is due every Friday.  I use the fabulous homework from Second Story Window this year, as well as their fluency homework.  They are awesome.

I just started back up using Class Dojo.  I used it last year and had mixed feelings, I never remembered to get up and give points.  But this year they have an app!  So, I can award points using my iPad wherever I am, makes it so much easier! I am still not sure how much I want to do with it but since it's new my kids are all into it for now.  We'll see how long that lasts.

We have Fun Friday every Friday, today's activity was watercolor painting.  It is sometimes messy but it's a favorite with my kiddos and since it requires very little prep work I love it too! I forgot to take a picture of center and station work but that's also going down on Friday's as well. What a fun "friday"!

 I had a sweet teacher ask if there was any way I could separate my Comprehension Stars from the Henry and Mudge pack.  So, I did just that!  If you'd like to try using the comprehension stars with your kiddos they are only $2.00 in my TPT store!  

As always you can leave a comment with your e-mail address and I'll pick a winner to receive a FREE copy.  I'm off to try and finish Tales from Around the World: Part Three!  Part one and two were so easy but three is taking me forever!  Happy "friday" friends!

10 comments

  1. I found your blog the other day and I have been reading through it like crazy. You have a TON of great ideas!

    Where do you find the time to create all of your wonderful materials?! I love that you have a ton of flexibility in your classroom. I am really trying to get away from using my basal (I HATE it!). I want to create more of my own materials, but I seem to lack the creativity.

    Any suggestions you have are appreciated.

    -Amanda

    mrs.amanda.garza@gmail.com

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    1. Hi Amanda! Up until this year we used Hougton Mifflin religiously! We HAD to use it for our whole literacy block instruction, but then this year my county adopted the CCSS and the Houghton Mifflin series is not aligned (and they didn't have tons of money to spend on a new series) so, they gave us a TON of flexibility. The county made ELA units by dividing the CCSS into chunks with a theme and we were able to purchase the books we wanted to use with it. So far it's been great except we are limited with resources (no vocabulary cards, leveled readers, assessments, center work and those things that I relied on with the basal) , so I have been working like crazy trying to have centers and things to use. Once I had a theme I found the creativity came easier for what I wanted/needed to make. I am lucky right now that I have no kiddos of my own, just a sweet husband who lets me work away on my computer until all hours of the night : ) I am so glad you found the blog!

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  2. I teach first grade and we love class dojo. I've been using it since December. I really like your idea of a bubblegum club :)

    Sarah
    teachingiscolorful.blogspot.com
    scoatoam@gmail.com

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  3. I must check out the Class Dojo app!

    cheriemae@gmail.com

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  4. ClassDojo seems great, but I haven't quite found the 'perfect' way to use it yet! ;)

    I'm so glad I found your blog! I have found so much inspiration reading through all of your wonderful posts!

    Courtney
    courtni_con@hotmail.com

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  5. The new product looks great! Comprehension is a never ending thing, isn't it?
    tania
    My Second Sense

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  6. Deana, your units are always awesome! These comprehension stars look so useful! :)

    cathy@missversteeg.com

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  7. Oooh I'm liking the comprehensions stars! I hope to give Class Dojo a shot in the near future also. I'm wondering if it will stick after the newness wears off??

    Keep up the awesome work! :)

    Emily
    eah719@hotmail.com

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  8. I am in LOVE with your Comprehension Stars and think it may be one of my favorite things you have! While I love everything I think these would be SO useful for so many different things in my classroom! I could use these for whole group/small group reading, strategy groups, the possibilities are endless! I also have heard of Class Dojo but have not used it in my classroom. I think having an iPad to use to keep track would definitely make it easier than having to remember to go enter something into my computer!

    I also use Second Story Window's half sheet homework and fluency checks weekly and think it has really helped me second graders become better readers! Right now I have been sending home a sheet each night but might switch to sending home a packet that's due Friday. Which do you do? I sometimes get sick of checking to make sure they all have turned it in each night.

    Have a great Friday!

    Jenna
    frederickjennam@gmail.com

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  9. So I couldn't wait and bought them the other day and started using them yesterday. They are fantastic. I also have been using class dojo anouther fabulous find for this year.
    Julia
    juliasmajdek@ccs.k12.nc.us

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