CLASSROOM I.D.

Suggestion is to have students fill our and attach to the top of their desk.  I would extend this activity and for the first few weeks of school call groups to line up or for other activities by the different titles on the I.D.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

The project is phenomenal.  It takes a bit of work, but well worth it. You need to explain the three levels of 'liking' you are using:  USUALLY LIKE, SOMETIMES LIKE, USUALLY DISLIKE.  Read each section with the class, explaining in detail and answering all questions to make sure of understanding.  Have the students mark one group with a light dot near the words.  Make sure they double check prior to coloring.  Magic Markers look very bright and colorful.  Remind students of the coloring rules: go one direction, cover all space, and be neat.  Help them with the painter at the top.  Some children do not understand what a paint pallet is.  I had my students color the eyes with their eye color, the brush brown with favorite color at the tip, an appropriate face color...  When completed color the frame two colors-black and tan.  Remind them to be neat and to go slowly.  I had the students cut on the outer frame line inside the dotted line.  We did it together as a class, going very slowly.  I glued the end product on construction paper, made a label stating the three color meanings and attached the label next to the painter on the construction paper.  I made sure this was in the hallway or up in the room for Open House.  When you are ready to take it down, remember to put it in the Journal/Memory Book.

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING

I do this at the beginning of the year for 3rd-5th graders.
It is nice to post at Open House.

IF I WERE THE TEACHER...

Do you want to know what your students are thinking should be taught in the classroom?  This writing assignment is an eye opener!  Pros/Cons of brainstorming:  students have material to use while writing....students might limit their responses to the options listed on the board.   Makes a cute Class Book.   This can also be put on the website if you wish to share with others.   Will be a nice addition to the Journal/Memory Book at the end of the year.

ALL ABOUT ME

I can't think of an easier writing assignment.  The guidelines are at the top of the page in question format. The students just need to answer the questions using complete sentences.  The questions also lend themselves to make it easier to capitalize and punctuate.  Tell the students that for each answer, they need to start with a capital letter and end with punctuation.  I encouraged the students to add a bit more: grade they were in, hobby, pets, sports, favorite subject...  We did a little brainstorm session before we began writing, so the extra ideas were on  the board, to help them.  A nice ending sentence could be:  One other thing I think you should know about me is _______________________.  I always had my students start a writing project with a Sloppy Copy.  Have the students bring their first effort to the teacher to be checked for spelling, capitalization, punctuation, idea...  On the Final Copy the students should be very aware of neat writing.  This project makes a great Class Book.  Remember to put in the Journal/Memory Book at the end of the year.

COMING TO AMERICA - OUR ANCESTORS

When November rolls around and you are talking about Pilgrims, pull this worksheet out for the students to fill out at home.  Have them draw a detailed picture of their ancestors coming to America and color it neatly.  While students are working, you can read the following book:

Coming To America: The Story Of Immigration by Betsy Maestro and Susannah Ryan

This makes a great Class Book for your Reading Corner.  Remember to put it in the Journal/Memory Book at the end of the year.  You might also post these on your website for parents to enjoy.

BEGINNING OF THE YEAR - GET TO KNOW YOU PAPERS

This is a compilation of papers(Interest Inventories) that I used to get to know my students as well as for them to get to know themselves and their peers.  They can either go in the Journal/Memory Books or in Class Books after you peruse them.

FOUR GENERATIONS - GRANDPARENT TREES

This makes a cute booklet for the children to look at through the year.  

Before doing this project read one of the following:

Who's Who in My Family by Loreen Leedy

Me and My Family Tree by Joan Sweeney

Climbing Your Family Tree by Ira Wolfman

http://www.wikitree.com/printable/family-tree-diagram.html#alternate-diagrams  is a site that is full of different types of grandparent trees or you can use one you have on hand.

I would send the Family Tree Chart home so parents can help.  Younger students might need a parent to fill it out for them since space is usually very small.

HERE'S THE SCOOP

This is a great way to begin to understand the newspaper.  Begin by having the students make a Pressman's Hat.  All children love origami and this is a cute way to include it in a lesson.  You might want to give the directions and model doing it for the class.  Later, you can publish the directions in your newsletter to your parents.  While students are working on their hats, you need to bring in newspapers.  You might need to send a note home a few weeks in advance to get enough papers.  Discuss the statements on the worksheet before you hand  it out.  Give directions how to use scissors, cutting and gluing neatly, and appropriate noise level for the activity.  Talk about maintaining the border of the paper.  You do not want students choosing pictures that are too large for the page.  Spend an appropriate time to get this job started and a few completed.  Show these to the class to encourage others to complete in a timely manner.  Eventually, this will have to become a center or free time activity.  You can post these papers on a bulletin board, in the hallway, on your website, in a class book... When you are finished remember to put it in the student's Journal/Memory Book.

GRAPHING GREEN

Redo graph for number of students in your class or combine two classes.  Copy completed graph for each student has one to put in Memory Book.

LANDFORMS IN YOUR AREA

Help students understand landforms by relating them to the area you live in.  Get a map of your community and its surroundings.  Name and mark the landforms with colored paper on the map.  On the side, list the landforms with the definition.  To make it more interesting to your students, get push pins and label with each child's name.  Push the pin on the map where each child lives in the community.  Watch your students look at the board again and again.  

See postings below for other ways to enhance the learning of landforms.

http://okscribbler.blogspot.com/2009/03/study-of-water-and-land.html; http://okscribbler.blogspot.com/2009/02/landform-learning-bulletin-board.html 

FRIENDSHIP POEM

Pair students up for this project.  Have students fill out Web sheet alone.  Give students time to talk about their Web sheets with their partner.  Once they are finished, hand out the Friendship Poem.  Explain the format and have the students work on it together.  It can be published on the bulletin board, on the web and end up in the Journal/Memory Book.

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.

FREE TIME IDEAS FOR WRITING AND CREATIVITY

I ALWAYS SET UP THE PAPER I WANTED THE STUDENTS TO USE.
1.  Choose a poem to copy.  Copy it neatly and correctly.  Illustrate the poem.
2.  Draw a fall design.  Use fall colors. 
3.  Use the leaves to make a design.  Decorate each leaf.  Use fall colors to color the picture.  Each leaf should be a different color.
4.  Think about something your family likes to do together.  Draw a picture of you and your family doing your favorite thing.  Write on the bottom of the paper what you are doing.  Make sure you name each person in the picture.
5.  Draw and color a picture of you iun your Halloween Costume.  Write one or more sentences telling about it.
Pick out a "How To Draw Book".  Find an item you want to draw.  Follow the directions.  Add background to compliment your drawing.  Color it neatly.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Have students fill out form NEATLY.  It helps if you brainstorm and write ideas on the board.  BUT tell students everyone should have answers that mean something to them.  Color and cut out the picture on the other side.  Glue the picture to the outside of a folded constrcution paper and the written work on the right inside.  You can take a picture of the student and glue on the left inside.  Then send home.  IDEA: Blow up the picture, color, and laminate to use as the center of a new year bulletin board.

YEAR OF THE FAMILY

I made this a Class Book at the beginning of the year.  It helped to have an idea what kind of family your students came from.  Make sure you erase 1994 at the top of the page.  If you do not want to have "Family Day" for each student, put this on their "Star of the Week" Bulletin Board.  You can delete the top portion of the page.  Have the students take home so parents can help them fill in the questions.  The students can use the page to help them talk about their family. Make sure to make a copy for your class book, before you  put the papers away for Star of the Week.  See STAR OF THE WEEK in Beginning of the Year.

EVERY YEAR SHOULD BE ABOUT FAMILY 
This page is from Copycat Magazine - out of print - see below.     

eBay Store - copycat: copycat magazine, k-3 teachers, back issues

After 20 years, Copycat Press Inc. has closed. Copycat Magazine is a teacher's resource for grades K-3, and we have the only remaining unused inventory ...

stores.ebay.com/Copycat-Store

ALL ABOUT ME HAND

GETTING TO KNOW YOU PROJECT FOR THE NEW YEAR!

Students trace and cut out five (or more) hand prints.  On 1st, ALL ABOUT _______ with thumb-stating name, pointer-stating age, middle-stating grade level, 4th finger-stating height and pinky-stating hair color. On 2nd hand, MY FAVORITE BOOKS - each finger names a book.  On 3rd hand, MY FAVORITE PEOPLE - each finger names a person.  On 4th hand-MY FAVORITE FOODS - each finger names a food. On 5th hand-MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO - each finger names an activity.   These topics can change according to your interest.  When you are finished, staple together at the wrist.  You could add one more hand.  Write What I Want to Be When I Grow Up - list one occupation on each finger, OR My Hopes and Dreams....  And it could go on.  Definitely, I would only do one hand at a time, with younger students, to get a better result.

GINGERBREAD GLYPH

TRAVELING PILGRIMS

STAR OF THE WEEK BULLETIN BOARD PREPARATION

The first week of school send out the attached paper work, stapled together. Parents need to read the information sheet and help their child fill out the sheets.  Have the paper work returned within a few weeks, before other homework becomes an issue.  You then have a years worth of STAR OF THE WEEK BULLETIN BOARD at your finger tips.  Assign each child a week, skipping short or holiday weeks, (I went in alphabetical order, so the parents sort of knew when it was their child's turn to shine).  Remind the children a few weeks before their assigned week.  The student will bring in a poster board with their photos and you will add their paperwork from the beginning of the year.  EASY TRANSITION!  After the child's week, the autobiography/character count papers may be added to their Journal/Memory Book or placed into a growing class book.
P.S.  I made the 1st board about me, the teacher.  That way the students saw what was expected and I modeled the way their oral presentation on each Friday should be given.  Your students also learned a little bit about your life outside of the school setting.