Friday Favorites - Classroom Edition

1. Technology
I am blessed to work in a school with ample technology. In my room I'm fortunate to have a projector, ELMO, projection screen, two computers, a sound system/microphone, and an interwrite pad. Plus, every afternoon our class gets laptops for the students to use! We have a distance learning lab where students can go on virtual field trips. I LOVE using technology in my classroom- and today's kids are so tech savvy! My students love using the technology!

2. Secret Student
This is something I started my first year of teaching. Each morning I pull two star sticks-but I don't tell the kids whose name I've pulled. All day I make comments such as "Oh, my secret students are doing so great!". Naturally, everyone straightens up in hopes that it's them. At the end of the day I announce the names, and those two students get to feed the fish, hermit crabs, and check on the tadpoles. The kids LOVE doing secret student.

3. Costumes
I love pulling out costumes to enhance books or a lesson!

4. Click-able Dry Erase Markers

5. Pets
I love having classroom pets. The kids really enjoy them- and it's a good way for them to learn responsibility in taking care of an animal. We have two hermit crabs - Bully and Auby-, a fish named Simon (that my principal gave us :) ), and some tadpoles that a student brought.

Bully has the Bulldog paw prints (we're the Bulldogs) and Auby looks like a Tiger.
Note: I'm not an Auburn fan. A student chose that name :)

The kindergarten teachers hatched chicken eggs- so our hall had baby chicks this week. It so so neat! They are going to hatch duck eggs next, and I'm joining them! My dad has an incubator, so hopefully we will be able to have ducklings hatch in our room! Very exciting for a first grader- and me!


6. Displaying Student Work
I love hanging student work from my ceilings etc.. Right now we have fish hanging from the ceiling- it makes our room seem kind of like an ocean! :)

Family trees made in Social Studies


Growing Up Project for Social Studies
The students brought in a baby picture, a current picture, and then drew what they think they'll look like as an adult.

Mini People made in Science

Close up of a mini person.
They labeled the five senses and four major organs:heart, lungs, brain, and stomach.

7. Murials
I have always done big class murials for different times of the year. The kids really enjoy it!

"Mrs. James' Pick of the Patch"
Their fists made the pumpkins and their hand prints made the Autumn leaves.

8. The Jazz Fly
I absolutely love this book! It also has a CD and the kids LOVE listening to the jazz music! Too funny!
Go HERE to listen to the song.


9. Outdoor Lessons
I love finding ways to get out of the room for lessons. This week was focused on The Writing House (another of my favorite things). It's a writing program- and this week was dedicated solely to descriptive writing. We wrote, and wrote, and wrote! Yesterday we read Little Cloud by Eric Carle. Then, we went outside and sat on the sidewalk to admire the clouds. The students then completed a descriptive writing activity on the clouds they saw. Things like that just make school special- or at least I think so ;)

10. My Sweet, Witty, Funny, Loving Students
Last, but not least, my students. I cannot brag on my sweet peas enough! I have fallen head over heels in love with this group of kids. We've had so much fun this past month. Each day I drive to work so excited because I cannot wait to show them what fun things we're going to learn that day! I am blessed!