Trouble areas

 I am always seemingly changing my room- it works sometimes, then it doesn't lol

Here is my library shelves on my main floor:

We have a book bin for Pip the Pup and for classbooks.

The next day, the bins were moved lol

The kids nap in my room, so the boxes get in the way.

If they aren't stacked the "right" way, one of the labels pops off lol

I have another shelf and boxes in my loft too lol

Problems area #2!

First off, I have carpet on half my walls... 

that's not really an issue. I mean, I just don't use it lol

My linear calendar takes up the whole wall- 

but that's the point.

The blue chair is my teacher chair.

It is covering the outlet.

The white shelf holds our CD players.

Then my easel way over there lol

Thank goodness it is on wheels ;)

Maybe I move the white shelves to the center? 

Move my chair towards the easel?

I'll be back later with an update lol

In other news, I got rid of these bucket shelves!!!!

Well I kept the buckets lol

Someone was giving away this Lakeshore unit and I scooped it up!

The sensory table moved down because it was spit between the carpet and flooring.

The table holds big books that need to find a home lol

or so I don't forget about them lol

I need more labels but I keep forgetting to take photos lol 

Since writing this, I changed it more lol

so more updates to follow!

Spring has Sprung!

 Well not so much here... we just has sn*w the other day lol

I rely heavily on my public library.

I reserve books about every other week.

This was waiting for me on the last day of my spring break!

We added this to our calendar time.

This is a tri-fold board. I have literally no wall space to use.

The letter of the day sign, the letter find underneath, the Hh and road h,

Each day we get a letter in our mailbox.

The kids get to open the letters.

Detailed post coming ASAP!!

I used smelly markers to make our rainbow.

Children will sort letters and foam shapes according to color.

Build the number*

Number count*

lay out the cards and add that many chain links at the bottom

The children will find and trace the letter in that color.

There is a missing sheet.*

Playdough cards

Color puzzles

I made a color copy of the puzzle below- it is a little tricky!

*Grab printables here $$

Reviewing and making anchor charts

When we are reviewing an anchor chart, I print items out.

I give clues if they need help. 

Then I place them in the pocket chart on my easel as we discuss.

On the back of the easel, I have my chart.

Then I flip the cart around and there is my anchor chart- blank!

Then we remember what the cards say and I attach them to the anchor chart.

This is for the library from Pocket of Preschool.

This is all done in front of the children and with the children.

I don't put up charts/items for the children without the children.

So they see the blank anchor chart.

I flip around my easel and as they remember the guidelines,

I tape them on the anchor chart.

Weeks 1 and 2

 We started school on a Wednesday and day two was Thursday. We don't have school on Fridays!!

Here are our morning bins.

We rotate daily.

Our first bins were these exact toys- minus the cards.

We play first- I mean we explore the tools first.

In the next rotation, I added the cards- it's not like a week, but sort of it is :)

We go to school 4 days a week and we only have three rotations, last year, I had 5 lol 

The year before, I had 4, it was perfect!

 

When we are done with these morning bins, they go into our centers.

I have a 9 cube shelf, that we store our centers on.

They know how to use these toys correctly, they can play.

I use a Pip the Pup book to introduce pretty much everything in my classroom.

It's how I plan my small group lessons to start with too!

One of my students told me "We don't get to use it unless you teach us how to use it first!"

Such a smartie!!

We introduced pretend and library the first day. I had help :) 

On day 2 we explored blocks. 

We could play in pretend or read in the library while half were in blocks with me.

We are having so much fun!!!!

Not too many photos to share, those have my students faces to share with families :)

Classroom Tour: Library and Light Table

 

Here is my library loft.

There is a bookshelf up there and some comfy chairs.

Underneath is my light table center.

Read more about my light table HERE.

I am thinking of putting another magnet board against the front wall.

I still want to be able to see in my loft :)

When we open the library we read a few books:

Lola goes to the library and this one that stays all year in our loft.

There is also a Pip book for the library too!

Get most of the printables HERE.

There is a sign for the Pip box.

I just made the classbooks sign. It is actually printed on each end of the bin.

Read more about my light table HERE.

There isn't a book for the light table and it is one of the last centers I open up. Like I'm talking October/November!  They help me make an anchor chart and we post it in the center.

Beginning a new unit

Beginning each of my units, we begin with a letter addressed to the class. The kids get to open the sealed envelope. Then I put them in a binder and the kids can read them anytime. I have one letter for each unit I teach.

The letters introduce the new theme and key vocabulary words. As I read the letter, I hold up the word cards.  Those word cards go into my writing area.

Shortly after that, we look at the new books for the theme. These are only some of the books we have in our classroom.  I have another

When I taught higher grades, where they could read, I would have them share a page of their favorite new book with the class. Now my students are 4 and 5 year olds, so we find our favorite page and they show the picture on that page to the class. My goal is to see that they see different books that they might not pick up and look at.


By having them share their favorite books, I am trying to have them start the conversation about books. Yes, they love to read the books that I read too, but a recommendation from a friend, is so amazing!



So far I have letters for:

• All About Me

• School/alpha

• Fall

• Monsters

• Transportation

• Thanksgiving

• Nutrition- covers each food groups

• gingerbread

• Christmas non-religious

• snow/polar/winter

• space

• weather/GH

• friendship/love

• teeth

• Seuss

• Leprechaun

• Vet/pet- intros different pets

• Rain Forest  layers and animals

• Community Helpers- intros different ones

• Spring

• Insects- intros different insects

• Zoo- intros different animals

• Ocean- intros different animals

• Dinos- intros different 

• Apples