Blog Hoppin Teacher Week 2014 - Wednesday and Thursday

Blog Hoppin Teacher Week 2014 - Wednesday and Thursday - A catch up!  Yesterday was  crazy day for me.  I spent the morning in my class.  It was not nearly as productive as I hoped it would be. 
 

The floors have not been waxed yet so I couldn't set up my class, my storage closet has all my furniture stored it in so I couldn't organize or make the science kits, and the photocopier jammed and a technician had to come out an fix it after I left.  LOL.  On the other hand I got to tidy up, water the plants, and rearrange my desk space.  So not totally without purpose. 

Just after lunch my daughter picked me up (I cannot believe she can drive alone..) and we made lunch for the kids and then did grocery shopping.  For a family off 7 this is a 3 hour investment.  I also stopped at Michaels and the dollar store to grab some supplies for a few of my organizational projects.

Ran home, put groceries away, cooked pizza (but ate pita chips and hummus because I HATE pizza) and ran to church to volunteer in G Force (Grade 1 to 6 youth group).  I love it there :o)

Came home, put on Twister with the hubby and worked on  few of my organizational projects and realized I forgot to buy my extra letters,  rivets,  and staples.  LOL!


I mentioned I  am working on some organizational projects right now.  Most are not done (as per my lackluster trip to the store where I forgot the finishing elements..sheesh).  This is  my Brain Break/Bell Ringer Organizer for the front of the class. I am also working on a weekly photocopy folder, no name magnetic wall boards, absent file folders, and then onto STUDENT DATA TRACKING. 

Some of my organizational elements will not change. I have an old desk with no top on it.  I flipped it around so the opening faced forward, staples a blanket to the top and added some pillows so it makes a nice seating area. 

Underneath I have six filing boxes.  One box for each grade/class I teach.  After each unit we clean binders out and the students have a labelled  folder where they keep their work from the year.  This makes binders cleaner, exam studying simpler, and finding NHI or lost homework quicker. The pink and black basket to the side is my Math Survivor bin.  It has folders for each of the weeks we are in school.  In each folder are 15 problem solving activities photocopied 7 times - one for each group, and the answer keys.  The binder in the back helps me track points and prizes. My classes favorite math class is Problem Solving Survivor Fridays.

So onto Thursday - WHEN!! My daily/weekly schedule is not set in stone yet.  My principal let me peek at it yesterday but my dept. head has to approve any changes.  However, Math is always taught in the morning when possible – while the kids are still alert and tuned in.  Bible is taught at the same time school wide – last year from 10:30 to 11:10.  I teach Health and Science in the afternoons.  Science is very hands on and I love to have it later in the day to get kids recharged, and honestly it is easier to do an end of the day cleanup this way too.

I have science laid out perfectly for me, but math remains open ended since each class starts at a different place.  I will complete my Math outline after I review where we need to start.  My year outline for science looks something like this:

Sept-Nov	Dec-Feb	Feb-April	Apr, May, June	June
Interactions Within Ecosystems	The Dynamic Earth and the Earth’s Crust	Forces and Structures	Mixtures and Solution	Exam Prep and Review

I have slowly been creating full downloadable units for each of them.  Interactions within Ecosystems, The Dynamic Earth and the Earth’s Crust are all in my TPT store.  I like to over-plan so making units makes my life easier.  They include all reproducibles, links, teaching suggestions, and instructions for labs, quizzes and reviews, posters, literally anything I need to teach each of these units.  I LURVE them. Forces and Structures should be up soon.