Owl-ways Be Inspired

Managing Your Turn-In Tray Using Clothespins

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Hi everybody! It's Jamie from 2nd Grade Stuff. Today I am hosting a Throwback Thursday post from my own personal blog. It's a fun, easy, and useful way to use an everyday item in your classroom - clothespins! See the Throwback Thursday post below!

For the next few weeks we are showing you fun and easy ways to use everyday items in your classroom! We hope you'll stop back by and link up some of your own ideas! Come join in the fun and Show Us How You Use It! :)

Do you ever feel like you are constantly checking to see who has turned in work, who is still missing work, or who the no-name paper belongs to? As a teacher, I think we all find ourselves dealing with the Turn-In Tray Mess! I came up with an easy solution that saves me time and best of all, it's cheap and easy!

At the beginning of the year, I give each student a number. It is their number to remember all year long. It's their cubbie number, desk number, clip chart number, and best of all....their turn-in tray number! For the turn-in tray, I put their numbers on clothespins. Let me say, yes, I could have used Washi tape or dye or paint or cute little numbers for the clothespins, but I was going for FAST and EASY, my friends! This is what my turn-in tray looks like before student work is turned in:

When the students go to turn in their work, they have to find their clothespin, clip it to the top of their paper, and place it in the tray. This is what it looks like after work has been turned in:

This serves two purposes. 1) If you find a no-name paper, you can quickly figure out who the paper belongs to because their student number is attached and 2) You can easily see who hasn't turned in their paper! Check it out below:

Don't forget to join the rest of the girls from Owl-ways Be Inspired for more useful ways to use clothespins in the classroom. Browse through the links below or link up a fun idea of your own and Show Us How You Use It! :)

An InLinkz Link-up

Using Clothespins to Pick Centers

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Hi! Jen Ross here... from Teacher by the Beach (formerly, The Teacher's Cauldron...which is why my pictures have my old blog button on them)

I'm here to show you just ONE of the ways that I use clothespins! I use them to pick my centers... it varies from year to year, but no matter the variation, one variable stays the same... the clothespins! Last year, this is how I had my center choices set up. The students all have numbers (you can read about my "NUMBERS" post HERE) and I write their numbers on the clips. They pick their reading center in the morning when they come in. They use their menu to check to see which center they haven't done yet and I can only have 3 students to a center.

And actually, last year I had 5 reading centers and 5 math centers....so the blue cards were the reading centers and the green cards were the math centers. So they had a clip with their number in blue for reading centers and a clip with their number in black to pick their math center. And my janitor at the end of the day just lined them up in number order on the baseboard for easy organization.

Here is how my center menu correlates...you can check out the post HERE on how I manage my small groups.

Hope that gave you an idea of how else you could use clothespins...other than hanging up their beautiful artwork!

The Owl's Wish List Giveaway and TPT Sale!

The Owl's Wish List Giveaway and TPT Sale!
Each week some of the Owls are going to get together and wish you, our followers, a Happy Wish List Wednesday by having a sale on one of our most popular "wish list" items on TPT. In addition to big, big, big savings, on each blog you will have a chance to enter to win the item too!
Let's have some fun this summer EVERY Wednesday!

An InLinkz Link-up

Clothespin Math: How I Use It!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Hello everyone! It's Halle from Across the Hall in 2nd Grade.

Today is my very first Tuesday of Summer Break...I know, right?! I've been drooling over some of your summer pictures for about a month now, and I'm just getting to enjoy summer myself.

Let me tell you, the first Tuesday of Summer Break is glorious. It's everything I remember it being :)

Last week some of my owl pals stopped in to tell you how they used popsicle sticks in their classroom. I've already filed a few of those ideas away for next year. Those creative owls!

This week it's all about those other wooden tools in your classroom...clothespins!

I use clothespins for lots of things in my classroom. Most notably, my clip-chart! I've jeweled and glittered more than a few clothespins in my time! I also use them to hang student work above my windows in my classroom.

But my most creative use of clothespins?

Clothespin Math!

I love clothespin math for so many reasons. One, it's super easy to get organized and use over and over again. Two, it's extremely cost effective. 50 clothespins for a dollar? Sold!

Here's how I do clothespin math.

1) I take a bunch of clothespins and a sharpie. On each clothespin, I write a math fact or math skill. You can do doubles, addition facts, subtraction facts, 3 addend addition, multiplication, division, you name it.

You can also do arrays, repeated addition, or mental math.

Really, the options are unlimited.

And you can totally use clothespins for other subjects as well. Parts of Speech in Language Arts? Genres in Reading? Backbones and no backbones in Science? Community characteristics in Social Studies? Yes! These ideas are totally coming to me as I type, people...as I type! The possibilities are endless!

But alas, today we will focus on Math.

Ok, back to the steps. Boy to I have a tendency to ramble, even in written form!

2) After you decide what math topic you're going to focus on, and you've written the facts on your clothespins, you'll need a place to clip them. This could be as basic as writing the sums or differences on notecards.

Of course, I like to cutesify it up a little.

You can do seasonal clothespin math. I offered up a Halloween-themed version on my blog almost two years ago! Click here to grab it!

Or you can just do a basic number card, like the freebie I have for you here. I just whip these babies up on Power Point. The set I made-up includes numbers 1-24, so it lends itself to quite a few skill options.

3) Lay out the cards and attach the clothespins to the correct card. I like to make sure I have about the same amount of clothespins for each card.

4) Throw the cards and clothespins in a basket and voila! Instant center!

I hope you'll start using clothespin math in your classroom if you don't already! It really is such an easy center and a great way to target specific skills!

Click here to grab my Clothespin Math FREEBIE!

Stay tuned for more great ways to use clothespins in your classroom! Do you have your own way of using clothespins in your classroom? Link up below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Show Us How You Use It: Clothespins {with Amanda}

Monday, June 23, 2014

Are you ready for another amazing week of sharing ideas here at Owl-ways Be Inspired?

This week is all about...

the clothespin!

I use clothespins for so many things in my classroom, but today I'm going to share some of the most basic ways because they are my can't-live-without-them, saves-my-tail-every-day management systems.

I have several sets of clothespins that I've written student numbers on. You know what that means - I'm able to use them year after year after year, thus saving me so much prep time!

When students enter the room each morning, they head straight to our attendance/lunch board. They find the clothespin with their number and move it to their lunch choice for the day (A, B, C, or Lunchbox). I know that clips still hanging on the ribbon are students who are absent that day. Lunch choice and attendance made easy and quick with no wasted instructional time!

I use this same method for lots of other charts around the classroom...like our Cozy Reading Spots Rotation Chart (you can barely see it hanging on the wall in this picture (above right of furry monster on the floor). :)

By using clothespins, a student can easily rotate our cozy reading spots at the end of each day. Speaking of students' jobs...this is exactly how I handle jobs in my classroom, as well. I have them listed on a chart and students (numbered) clothespins clipped beside the job name. SO easy to change each quarter!

I don't have a picture of my classroom clip chart for responsibility, but I'm sure you've seen those ALL over teacher blogs and Pinterest. Yep..clothespins are a teacher's best friend!

Here's a new little idea I'm going to use with my clipchart clothespins this year. I've seen teachers add a "jewel" to the clothespin when a student reaches the top of the clipchart. Once it's full of jewels, it is "retired" to a hall of fame. Well, I plan to let students add a little pom-pom each time they reach the top of the clipchart and once it's full of pom-poms, they'll get to add wiggly eyes to it and take it home to share with their families. How proud will they be?? I mean...I had to incorporate these cute little clothespin caterpillars from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom somehow...so CUTE!

So, tell us...how do YOU use clothespins in your classroom? Link up with your ideas below and come back for a new idea tomorrow!

An InLinkz Link-up

Show us how you use it: Popsicle Sticks!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Hi everyone! It is Melissa from Inspire Me, ASAP and I am here to share a few ideas about how I use Popsicle sticks in my third grade classroom.

First idea- monster grins!

I love to use these during my monster multiplication unit of study! As my students master their math facts, they become official monsters of multiplication!! I take a picture of the students holding the monster grin and send that home to the parents, with a label "I am a monster of multiplication!"

Idea 2: Persuasive Paddles

I use three different smiley faces (thank you Nicole, Teaching with Style! for the adorable clip art!) that I tape onto Popsicle sticks. My classroom transforms into a courtroom for this lesson, as the judge and jury members represent a mock trial. The students are put to the test as they read their persuasive letter in front of the court. The topic? Why I deserve to go to fourth grade! As the future fourth graders read their persuasive papers in front of the court, the jury members use the faces on the persuasive paddles to hold up their verdict for whether they are convinced or not that the student deserves to go to the next grade. Of course, the final verdict comes from the judge- me! And, of course, all students get a smiley face and an official "pass" to the next grade. This idea comes from my Tell it to the Judge file.

I also love to use these Popsicle stick faces as part of a formative assessment. The students can easily "flash" me their face as I ask questions to review or math lesson.

Idea 3: I "Mustache" You a Question

I love to glue the mustache clip art to a Popsicle stick and use them with a variety of different reading, writing, and math lessons. This picture shows how I use the mustaches for a back to school, getting to know you activity.

All students in the class has the opportunity to sit in the "hot seat." Each student in the class asks one question to the student in the hot seat. However, they must use their mustache when asking the question, such as, "I 'mustache' you a question. What do you like to do when you get home from school?"

The students then write what they learned about their new friend and I take all responses to compile into a class book. The students loves to take their book home as a fun little keep sake from their friends.
You can learn more about this file by clicking HERE.

The first 2 readers that leaves a comment about their favorite use for Popsicle sticks will get one of these files (your choice) sent to their email. Don't forget to leave your email address!

Take care, my friends!
Link up your ideas here!

An InLinkz Link-up

Melissa :)

Show Us How You Use It: Student Logins Made Easy With Popsicle Sticks!

Hi teacher friends! It's Linda from Around theKampfire with a simple management trick using popsicle sticks! Each week, we'll be posting a series of ideas for using simple household items in the your classroom. We'll post a new linky each week so if you're a blogger, we'd love for you to link up your ideas!

Here's an easy way to help your students remember logins during computer time. At the beginning of the year, I use jumbo craft sticks and write each student's name and their login info. on them. One side has their AR login and the other their online assessment login.

These sticks do double duty. I keep them in a frosting container that I wrapped in duct tape

at the front of the room so I can also use them as pick sticks!

Click on the picture above to see how I use pick sticks and pointers

along with more tips for managing your computer time!

We'd love for you to share your ideas in the comments and

link up if you're a blogger!

An InLinkz Link-up

Show Us How You Use It: Popsicle Sticks for Brain Breaks

Monday, June 16, 2014

Each week, we'll be posting a series of ideas on different household objects and how you use them. You can link up a blog post too! This week we're talking popsicle sticks!

How do I use my popsicle sticks in class? I use them as brain breaks for time fillers! I bought the larger size at the Dollar Tree.

Then I wrote a bunch of brain break/time filler games. The possibilities are endless! You could put jumping jacks, sit ups, arm stretches, etc.

Cheap, quick, and fun!

Don't forget to link up your popsicle stick ideas!

An InLinkz Link-up

Show Us How You Use It: Popsicle Sticks

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Summer is the time to relax and recharge for teachers. It's also the time where teachers are looking at renovating and revamping. Most teachers I know are fantastic at looking at something and thinking "How could I repurpose that for my classroom?" Or, they look at it and say "I could use this to {insert management/organization piece}!!! I am a genius! This will be going on Pinterest later!" No matter what category you fall into we want to see how you use every day objects in different ways in the classroom.

Each week, we'll be posting a series of ideas on different household objects. We'll post a new linky each week so if you're a blogger, share your post on this week's topic (popsicle sticks) and link up. If you aren't, we'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below. We'll be sharing ideas for things like clothespins, aluminum cans, and paint strips.

The idea I'm going to share with you is not a new one, but I'm hoping that my tweaks on it will give new ideas to a person or two.

I use popsicle sitcks as name calling sticks. I put a piece of washi tape on one end and write the students' names on the stick. I put them in a cup either washi side up or washi side down. Then after the student has been called, the washi goes the opposite direction. This helps me to make sure everyone has a chance before someone gets a second chance.

I've also used popsicle sticks with my whole class reward system. You can read more about it by clicking the image below.

Basically, every time my class gets a compliment from me or a staff member in the building, they get to add a letter on our reward board. I draw a name stick to choose who gets to pick out the letter from the bag. I've recently added that green colored stick as a wild card. If I draw that stick, the student's stick that I draw out next gets to choose the reward to do that day, even if they haven't filled up all the letters.