GOOD HABIT BULLETIN BOARD

This was a card sent to my class from another class.  The bottom part was the inside prose.  I think it would be a beautiful bulletin board for the beginning of the year.  Use dark blue burlap as the background.  On the balloons write the habits you want your students to practice this year in your class.  You could even start the board without balloons and add one a day the first week or two as you discuss habits you want your children to exhibit.  A fun thing you might do is get helium balloons.  They last about a week.  It would be cute as a 3-D bulletin board.
Good Habits:

1.  Enter classroom Quiet and Ready to Learn.
2.  Hand in Homework everyday.
3.  Use Inside Voices when you are conversing.
4.  Be Polite and Friendly to all your classmates.
5.  Do your Best Work at all times.
6.  Stay in your Seat when teacher is out of the room.

I AM A __________ PERSON WHO...

Great project for Catholic School's Week - January.  Students can copy off of a form or you can make the document editable on the computer (see below) and students can type their responses.  You might add some art work to go with this writing or have it framed in black construction paper.  It looks very striking in the hallway.  These can be posted on your website, made into a class book, and finally put in the Journal/Memory Books.  (Of course the title could be I am a child who or I am a student who...)

  

I AM A CATHOLIC PERSON WHO…

likes ___     

hates  ___    

can  ___    

cannot ___     

would never  ___    

would rather  ___    

loves to   ___   

wants to learn  ___    

used to be afraid of   ___   

would be better off if   ___   

is really good at   ___   

gets really angry when   ___   

bugs other people when   ___   

has the good habit of   ___   

has the bad habit of  ___     

wishes I could change the way I  ___    

wishes I could change the way people ___     

will someday ___     

by: ___  

http://tltgroup.wordpress.com/low-threshold-applications/25-creating-editable-forms-in-microsoft-word/
Teachers often need to provide documents for students to respond to a structured set of questions.  This technology provides a way to create a document for your students where it may be important to maintain some consistent format, or where there is a need for a structured response.  In a typical assignment, an instructor may distribute in paper or electronic format, a list of required questions to answer, but when 30 students freely compose their responses, you end up with 30 different kinds of documents to read.

Some advantages of this type of technology

• No special software beyond Word required
• The information returned is consistently formatted
• The amount of text returned can be limited
• The document can have portions locked from changes by the student
• Students can save the document to their hard drive and go back at any time to finish theirr work. (PDF forms read in Acrobat Reader do not save content)
• Students can save a copy of their document and/or e-mail it to an instructor
• 
  

Steps

1. Create an approximate layout of the document, leaving room for the answer spaces. You can use formatting borders (Format -> Borders and Shading…) to put boxes around these areas.
2. Display the Forms Toolbar (View -> Toolbars -> Forms)
   
3. Move the mouse to the location where an answerbox should be. Click the ab| icon on the Forms Tool palette to add a text form field (a place for someone to type text).
4. When you have added all of the desired form fields, lock the document by going to Tools -gt; Protect Document… In the dialog box, click the radio button for Forms.
   Then enter a password and click OK. You will have to re-enter the password as a confirmation:
   
5. Save the document. Keep the original in a safe place (in case you need to make changes) and make a copy of the document to try as a user might see it. Students can tab from field to field, print, email, and save the modified version of the document.

Then when students are done filling in the blanks, save to their name.

Teacher can then go unprotect and print OR

Print off the student copy without saving and let them use it as a sloppy copy to write a final draft.

This is a FORMATTED EDITABLE FORM for student use.  

A BIOGRAPHY POEM

This is a great formula poem for any student, but especially for students that seem to have trouble finding words when they write.  Make sure you walk students through the poem while they are filling it out.  Once the sloppy copy is checked, then encourage BEST HANDWRITING on the final copy.  These look great in the hallway outside of your classroom.  You can also post on your class website.


Word Choice:
My adjectives are excellent and thoughtful.
I use a good balance of action and linking verbs.
My nouns are precise; I don’t overuse pronouns.
It is clear that I am not afraid to take risks with new words.
I used a few color and texture words to describe.

RESPECT - A CHARACTER THAT COUNTS

This project has the ability to be a Bulletin Board Strip-above a chalkboard, window, or any space.  Once there has been discussion have the students copy the saying you are working on that day, draw a picture depicting what it means and writing what it means to them.  When you are done, students have a booklet to take home and share with their family.

CITIZENSHIP BOOKLET

This could be used as a culmination of your Citizenship Study.  Students discuss the aspects of Citizenship in the three areas of their life: At Home, In the Community, In the Country.  They draw a detailed picture showing how they can be a good citizen in each of these areas.  After being checked by the teacher for good detail, the students can color.  After all three papers are completed, the students are ready to complete the written portion of the booklet.  Make sure all writing is proofed and encourage neatness at all times.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR TEACHERS

I found this very interesting and in some ways it encapsulates what teachers need to do to stay fresh and continue to enjoy the "teaching element" of the job in today's world.

FRIENDSHIP FOLDERS

Each child needs to make a FRIENDSHIP FOLDER before starting the main project.  Fold a large construction paper in half.  Have students staple the sides with finger spaces between each staple.  Students choose a heart, glues it on their folder, and draw a face on it for them.  Write their name under the heart face.  Attach folders to the child's desk.

Encourage students to think good thoughts about their classmates.  These is something wonderful about everyone!  (Older students) Brainstorm and write phrases on the board or chart paper. Then ask each student to make a paper heart for everyone in the class.  Have a variety of hearts in several colors and sizes for students to choose from.  Give each student a paper that lists the name of each child.  Have the students write the name of a classmate on each heart and (younger students) glue a symbol which most reminds him of that person or is best demonstrated by that child or (older students) have them write one of the phrases off of the board.  Deposit the Valentines into the special Friendship Folders that are attached to each child's desk. To make sure that everyone gets a heart every day, have students start with the name below theirs on the name list and then continue in order. You can work on this project for several weeks. If done in a quiet reflective atmosphere, you will have a more meaningful Valentines Day - one which will have everyone going home with a folder full of good feelings.

CHARACTER COUNTS - FAIRNESS GAME