Writing Menu Display

The other day, Lory, from Fun For First, made my day when she blogged about my writing menu display. This visual display contains 18 different writing activities for my students to choose from when they are done with their station work. Sometimes, I use it as an actual station.

Lory had an amazing idea to number the posters and then number the baskets where the templates are kept. I immediately sprung into action and did the same thing in my classroom. Here is the final result:

Sorry about the restroom sign! Going to the restroom is NOT one of my writing choices!

Here is where I keep the writing templates.

Posters 16 and 17 are not included in my writing menu product. However, you can purchase the message books separately here. If you have the message books and the writing menu and would like the poster, just send me an email, and I'll send it to you.

If you have my writing menu posters and want to number them, too, you can grab mine by clicking on the image below. I printed them landscape to get the larger numbers on the wall and I printed them portrait to get the smaller numbers for the mailbox slots. I used binder clips to secure them. You can read more about that here.

The children are really enjoying this new system. Thanks for the great idea, Lory!

I have another mailbox system in my classroom. This one has a dual function. My first graders use them as mailboxes and I also use them to hold the writing activities for my kindergartners. When they are finished with their station work, there are tons of exciting writing activities waiting for them in the mailbox. You can check them out here:

I loved Lory's idea so much and saw how organized it kept the templates and how easy it was for the children to find what they wanted, that I decided to do the number system for these activity sheets, as well. For these, though, I have no posters. So, I put an example of each sheet in a binder and numbered the sheets and the corresponding mailbox slot. Now, my students look through the binder, find what they want to do, note the number, and grab their sheet out of the mailbox.

No more searching and searching. No more taking out the wrong sheet and putting it back in the wrong slot. The binder also serves as an example of how each sheet should be completed.

I am really loving this! And, so are my students!
Please note that all the writing templates shown in this blog post have been updated through the years and are even better now!

Gingerbread Freebie, etc.

Here's a fun activity to do this week if you are still in school, like me! Read a Thanksgiving related story and make a list of all the strong verbs. Then, let the children act out the verbs while the class guesses the verb. This is a great activity to do with any theme and is a wonderful way to integrate grammar, reading, and writing. This book has tons of strong verbs. After each word is acted out, have the children cross out the word so it's not repeated and so you can see if they can find the word in the list.

The First Thanksgiving Day

A Counting Story

By Laura Krauss Melmed

This is a picture of a first grader acting out one of the words. Can you guess which one?

The week after Thanksgiving, I will be starting my gingerbread unit. One of the activities I love to do is called "How I Eat a Gingerbread Cookie!" The children sample a cookie, describe it, and map out the order in which they bit into the cookie. Then, they write about it, using lots of descriptive words. It's always a favorite.

Would you like to do this activity, too? Just click on the above image! I hope you enjoy it enough to come back here and tell me so!

If you need another activity to supplement your gingerbread unit, you can also check out my scrambled sentences pack.

For those of you who are already planning for the holidays, like me, I have this great winter holiday language pack.

Thanksgiving Station Pictures

Here are some pictures of some of my Thanksgiving stations.

Scrambled Sentences

Parts of Speech Sort

Types of Sentences

If you are in need of any last minute Thanksgiving activities, you can check these out here...

Switching the subject entirely, do you remember when I blogged about how I teach handwriting? If not, you can read all about it here. Anyway, when my students finish their handwriting book, they get this cute certificate, telling the world that they have really neat handwriting. This beautiful girl was the first of my students to earn the certificate. She was so excited. As she was coloring her certificate, she said, "I'm so excited, I'm shaking!" Earning this certificate meant so much to her. Everyone in my class is really looking forward to earning theirs, as well.

If you would like to do this with your students, too, just click on the image below. I guarantee, you will see some really neat handwriting. Sometimes, a little incentive goes a long way!

Stuffed With Thankful Thoughts Linky

One of my best blogging buddies is inviting us all to stop and take a minute (or two) to think about some of the things for which we are thankful. Here are some of my random thankful thoughts...

I am thankful for having discovered the wonderful world of blogging. I have made countless friends from all over the world and I truly appreciate each and every one of you. My life is richer and more exciting because of you!

I am thankful for my friendship with Cindy! She's a great friend of mine who recently moved away. We used to teach together and we are like two peas in a pod. We think the same, we like the same teaching activities, and we always complimented each other very well. Although I miss her every day, I look forward to seeing pictures of her new baby! Of course, I have to wait another 5 months.

I'm on the right.

She has a super blog! Be sure to check it out!

I am thankful for great co-workers. They really make going to work fun each day.

I'm on the right.

I am thankful for my two little furbabies, Buddy and Max. They are cute and cuddly and I can't imagine life without them!

I am thankful for my family. I couldn't find any good pictures, but, just know that I have the best family in the world!

Last, I am thankful for good memories. A high school friend just sent this to me today. Ah, growing up in the 70s and 80s sure was a blast! Thankfully, though, to my students, I am forever 21!

I'm on the right. (Again!)

You can link up, too! Come on, it's fun!

Just click on the image at the top of this post!

Teaching Tip Link-up!

I'm linking up with Miss Kindergarten! She's having a teaching tip linky party!

My tip is how to handle unfinished work. When my students don't finish their work, whether it be due to an absence or tardy, or, the dreaded, excessive talking or lack of focus, I staple or clip a little note to it, explaining to the parents that the work needs to be completed at home. The note also tells the parents why the work was not completed at school. There's even a spot to write in a reason. I made the notes tiny, so I could fit a lot of them on one page, to save paper and copies. These notes have saved me lots of time. Now, I don't have to keep writing notes home for the same reason. I always have a supply on hand and when a student is absent, I automatically attach the note to the work and put it in the child's mailbox. If you would like to use my notes, just click on the image below. Or, you can always make your own that is specific to your needs. Mine actually have my name on it.

Veterans Day and Thanksgiving

Today, my students made these really cute soldiers, courtesy of Miss Kindergarten. They had so much fun making them! One of my first graders suggested I make name labels for them. I blackened out their last names, but, you can still see what I did.

Before they made the soldiers, the children learned all about Veterans Day by completing some fun activities in this Veterans Day packet by Gladys, from Teaching in High Heels.

We also began talking about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I always begin by reading this book by Ann McGovern.

I started my Thanksgiving stations in kindergarten. One of my stations is to make this cute, long-legged turkey.

Sadly, I can't remember where I got this idea from. Last year, someone posted this idea using painted paper plates, but, I used construction paper, instead. If anyone knows where I got this idea from, please let me know so I can credit this talented teacher.

My students are also having fun playing a beginning sounds game:

Matching rhyming words:

And, unscrambling sentences.

These activities can be found in my Kindergarten Thanksgiving Activity Pack, by clicking on the image below.

On a personal note, today, I had to say goodbye to my student teacher. I can honestly say that she is a wonderful person and will make a great teacher. My students and I were a bit teary because she has really become one of the family. One student was teary and another one told her not to cry, but, to remember the happy times. Right after the children went home, I received an email from a parent, letting me know that her daughter was so upset it was her last day and asking if I could email her a picture of her. How sweet! My student teacher knows I love yorkies and gave me this adorable stuffed yorkie. Here's what happened when I introduced one of my yorkies to my new furry friend.

It's hard to tell which one is real, right?!

Claudine, if you read this post, please know that I love you to pieces and will miss having you by my side. 

I'm linking up with Amanda at Teaching Madness!

Let's see your best photos from the week!

November Currently and a Handwriting Freebie

How are your students doing with their handwriting this year? I'm happy to say that mine are doing pretty well. With some direct instruction, weekly practice, and a fun incentive, my students are motivated to write their best every single day.

I've been using these handwriting booklets. 

Here's how I teach handwriting: 

First, I taught my students how to form each letter, using the alphabet chart page in the booklet, stressing which letters are tall, which ones are small, and which ones fall. We discussed how we start writing from the top and how we don't trace over our writing. Then, I showed them how to complete a page properly. Now, whenever they are done with their station work, they can choose to do a page or two in their handwriting booklet as an "I'm done, what can I do now?" activity. You can read more about this here. Believe it or not, they LOVE to work in their booklets. I am using the booklets for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. This is my first year doing formal handwriting and I couldn't be happier with the results. The best part is, it is done completely independently. And, they work at their own pace. They are very motivated to complete the book, earn a certificate, and be known as a neat hand writer!

As an incentive to complete the book correctly, I have promised my students a certificate upon completion. First, I assess their handwriting, and, if I'm pleased with it, they earn this little cutie...

Just click on the image above for the free assessment sheet and certificate. I hope your students are as motivated as mine to write neatly!

Here's my November Currently...

Obviously, my mind is on the people affected by Hurricane Sandy. I have a strong love for NY because I was born and raised there. Watching the news is heart wrenching and I pray that everyone gets the assistance they deserve and the strength they need to pick up the broken pieces and start again.

What's on your mind right now? 

Link up with Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade, and let us know!