Work stations and HELP needed

This week we are continuing with CVC short a words. We have also been working on nouns and identifying singular and plural nouns. I have made an activity for alphabetical order and combining the ability to read and illustrate. Here is a copy of what I have planned if you are interested.

I have made several cards for each letter so that I can either have this as a "read the room" activity or small group work station.
  ABC Order Short A I definitely am not the most creative when it comes to powerpoint!

http://tunstalltimes.blogspot.com/search/label/classroom%20pictures

Where can a rug like this be found?  I need want this--not for my classroom but my house! Click on the picture to go over to Tunstall's page to see her entire, beautiful, fantastic, amazing room!

Computer BATTLES

I think my computer/computers must be possessed. It has been one battle after another this week.

1. After so many of YOU have been showing all the fantastic items made with a Cameo I decided to go to their website and put in for the educator's discount. But...nothing happened. Not one little tiny teeny email back. I tried again. Nothing. And again--Cameo must not like me.
2. I do my lesson plans on the computer. Since this is the first week of the year that plans have to be turned in it takes a little lot more effort to get the template just the way I want it. Just the way it is easier to use. OK. That task was complete so I wrote a part of the plans yesterday. I finished the plans today and actually printed them. But...now they have disappeared in to computer never land--never to be seen again. GRRRRRR
3. I try to retrieve my Homework template from last year to modify it. I can't locate it either. 

The trouble lies in that my Dell laptop has a C and a D drive. But the way it is made is that all the documents have been "programmed" to go on the C drive. The issue is that the C drive is very small. I've moved files to the D drive. I've moved files to the Passport. I guess those files just didn't want to take up a new residence.

AND...number four is the most frustrating of all.

We use Treasures as our Basal Reader. I used use an on-line student edition to project the student textbook. We only use it for a shared read. But it is convenient. Well, it WAS convenient. Now the link doesn't work. I logged on to Proteacher and apparently other teachers have the same results. I tried to put in the ISBN number as requested on the McGraw Hill link but it does NOT recognize the student book. Now...I have it in my hand. They sold it to our district. How can they not recognize not only mine but the other teachers who are "upset" over at ProTeacher. This is my update to our Weekly Update! I think I just got divorced.

Readers Workshop

I can use strategies to understand what I read. I make connections to what I read using my schema.

Treasures Reading Activities: Book One 

Read and listen to Treasures reading stories. (Apparently the link is currently not working)

So...my weekend has been spent trying to solve one, two, three, four issues.

The happy part is that I am going to turn this computer off and go take a nap!

Room Tour

Whew!!! Finished--well as finished as I will be. Tomorrow--Sunday--Open House. I worked most of today to finish up.

This is the view from the door. I have four children in each group.

To the right of the door are the mailboxes. On top of the mailboxes are the trays to place finished work. The table next to that is where I will sit to use the SMARTboard slate. 

The whiteboard that becomes the Interactive board when used with the SMARTslate. I have baskets to place donations if parents bring in any supplies. We aren't allowed to give out a supply list.

The pocket chart is where I display the "I can" statements. My trusty rocking chair and chart stand is next to the whiteboard and meeting area.

The anchor chart area for our reading will be displayed in this area. The baskets on top of the long bookcase will be our word work/work stations for Daily 5. The pocket charts allow the kids to choose their activity. I use a kind of Daily 5 but not truly!

With Common Core an emphasis is on non-fiction. The classroom library is separated into different genres. This is the non-fiction area.

The small group/teacher area is next. We have four student computers. 

I display student writing above the sink. Next is the Math area.

And finally back to the door.

I used hot glue to put Target pocket charts on the metal cabinet doors. I have my classroom rules, schedule, and clip chart on these.

You do realize we spend more time in our classrooms than waking minutes in our homes for the next 180 days--don't you?????

Math Number Cards Freebie

Polka dots. Numbers. Common Core. Ten Frames.

I've tried to combine all of these. You are welcome to this freebie.

Number Cards

August????

It actually is August. Not only August but...gulp...school starts next week for me. As in back to school staff development, meetings, and more. As in Open House--next SUNDAY! So it only means that it is time for Farley's Currently.

To explain--Mr. Spouse has been away. SADsville. We both went to Florida to take care of his mom who was having surgery. But he had to stay because her surgery was scheduled the day AFTER our return flight. Now he is coming back home! Thus the thoughts of him and needing a REAL vacation are on the currently fore front of my mind.

But..remember school starts NEXT week. So--no beach vacation since it would take six hours to get there and hardly seems worth the effort to only drive back six hours in the other direction.

Going....deskless!

I've thought about it. I forgot. I am now sure I have ADD/ADHD.

Yesterday I went to school to work. Number one on my list of things to do was to finish labeling the non-fiction classroom library. I am putting labels and AR dots on all the books. Number two was to put up the number posters I got here. 

Number one--halfway finished. (I had left my labels sitting on the air conditioner unit and I guess the moisture caused the label sheet to wrinkle. Boo--wouldn't go through the printer correctly).

Number two--had to change the location since they wouldn't fit where I had them in mind. Easy fix--take down the months of the year "bear" set I've had up for a decade. Put them over the Math bulletin board.

Now the ADD/ADHD must have taken over my body. While I was putting hot glue on two of those number posters at a time, I decided the round table and rectangular table needed to be exchanged in location. I moved the round table--perfect! Then...it hit me like a ton of bricks. Why not just use the rectangular table where my desk sits and the room will be less crowded. 

This was the desk. It was sitting at the front of the classroom. I don't sit there to work. I only placed it there to have a place to put the SMARTslate and remote during the day. The SMARTslate operates the projector and all my links/smart files/powerpoints, etc. I "sit" at the kidney shaped table in the back of the room to plan during specials and hold guided groups. 

So this is my new arrangement. It will work out great I hope! Anyway--my desk is gone.