Center Rotation Cards Using Paint Card Samples and So Much More!

So Many Uses For Paint Card Samples!

Hello everyone, I'm Fern from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas. Today I wanted to share some of my favorite uses for paint swatches, paint sample cards, paint chip cards, paint color cards.... Whatever you call them, I ♥love them. I am a "cheapie" by nature and these cards call to me, I can seriously hear them saying "Fern, Fern, Fern..." when the hubby and I go to Home Depot. We enter and he goes one way and I turn into the paint department.
SIDE NOTE: I am a big believer in asking for them and not just opening your purse up and knocking over the entire display. I have never been told no. :)

Paint Card Examples

{Click on any of the pictures to go to my blog post for more details!}

Daily Five Organizational Bookmarks

A Mickey Mouse Spin on Triangular Flash Cards

Somebody Wanted But So Reading Strategy

Whole Class Answer Cards and I Need Help Cards

 St. Valentine's Day Cards

 

 Four to a Card - Fact Family Cards

More FREE Ideas for Disney Paint Sample Flash Cards

Different colors for the different fact families!

  Easy Make and Take Centers

Place two matching stickers on the back of the cards so the children can check their own answers!

Please visit my blog any time, I ♥love my readers!

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Leaving Center Games at Your Tables for the Early Finishers!

Leaving Center Games at Your Tables for the Early Finishers!

Hello everyone,

Fern from Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas here again to share a little tip or two to help make your job easier. Today I want to share how leaving center games at each groups' tables helped me with those students that finish their work early and might need a challenge or two before the next transition. 

The picture above is one of my freebies from TPT, so you can download it too. I like making multiple copies of the center, placing them on colored file folders and then leaving them in the center of the group table. 

If, like above, you have a red group, a blue group and a purple group, etc. using your groups' colors for the file folder center makes it easier for the students to know where to return the center and easier for you to file them away, and take them out again when you want to spiral that skill.

By keeping the games at the table, there is no movement, no interruption of the teacher's small group time, no "Where do I go?" What do I do?" When the student is done working, they know to pick a center, usually one of five skills, from the center of the table. I do spend a few weeks at the beginning of the year teaching the expectations of the THOSE center games. 

1. All work MUST be done before you select a file folder.

2. Two people may work together if they are both done and use a low whisper.

3. Everything must be cleaned up and placed back into the file folder center before the next transition.

I love having all these hands-on center games in my classroom. During parent conferences, I love to show the parents of my higher level children what I'm doing to differentiate and motivate my earlier finishers. Right there...right on the table, sometimes having the parents ask the child if they've finished all the ones currently on the table....perfect, instant, immediate feedback for both the parent and the teacher!

If you are new to teaching, or maybe just to reading our Owl-Ways blog, and you need to acquire some center games, click here to see all my freebies at TeacherspayTeachers.

Click here if you would like to visit my blog to download many more center games and teaching resources!

Follow me to be notified of when I publish new resources and freebies!

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Using Clothespins to Pick Centers

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!

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My Classroom Organization Must Haves!

I have some "go to" organizational ideas that have always helped me stay sane (well, at least enough to keep it all together - LOL!).  I wanted to share them with you in the hopes that you'll be able to use them as well!

For me, student papers drive me crazy UNLESS you have a organized system of keeping up with all of it.  Here's how I organize center recording papers (before students ever touch them).

I have labeled baskets (which are also colored-coded by subject) to keep recording sheets and any other center materials.  Click the picture above for free center labels!

When students are finished, they put their work in this pocket chart (labeled with their student number).

At the end of each week, students put their papers in order (written on the board), I staple them, and take them home to grade.  It's MUCH easier when all the papers are in the same order.  I can check the top sheet of everyone's center work and then flip to the second when I'm ready.

When I'm finished grading, I put their papers in these mailboxes (again, labeled with student numbers).

On Fridays, students come to their mailboxes, take out their graded work, and put it in their Friday Folders to go home to their parents.  This system keeps the paper monster to a minimum! ;)

I also keep some of the students work and forms in this crate system:

When I have to go to an RTI meeting or have a parent meeting, the important "stuff" is right there and easily accessible!

Another thing I have to do is keep MYSELF organized!  Here are some of my tips:

I keep a weekly planner and an accordion file with me at all times!  If I want to check my schedule or file an idea away, I have the tools I need to do so.  

Keep track of important dates and events with a cute desk calendar.  Don't get an ugly one...you'll start to resent it just as much as all those extra meetings.

Finally, I wanted to share a video and resource I shared a few weeks ago on my blog.  Here is the video:

Also, here is the link to a checklist freebie that goes along with the video:

 I hope all of this info is helpful and isn't too overwhelming.  Good luck getting organized!  And remember, the kids can do a lot to help keep things organized!  

The more help from the kids, the less stress on you!

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