Back to School 2020-2021

 Hello, friends!  Today's post is my annual "back to school" post.  It includes a few classroom photos (nothing too exciting this year, given the circumstances) as well as what I've been doing with my students during the first few weeks of school.  We are a hybrid model this year.  I have 2 groups of 8 students.  Each group alternates days.  I see kids 5 days a week.  On the kids' off days, they are doing paper/pencil spiral review as well as some optional online activities.  

Here's my hallway display!  Grab the sign by clicking below!  The banner is from Target several years ago.

This is my door.  The pencils have my kids names on them now.  The saying is one my mom, a retired 4th grade teacher, always used in her classroom.  She always helps me set up, but this year did not, due to Covid.  I put the saying up in honor of her!

Here are how the student desks are arranged.  As I mentioned above, I have two groups of eight.  Each student is spaced out and sits by themselves.  

Here is my trick word wall.  We use Fundations Phonics, so my words coincide with the program.  You can grab my Level 1 word wall by clicking the image below.

Also pictured is the classroom library.  I sort my books by theme.  The kids select six books and keep them in their baggies to read daily until they shop for new ones, which is every five days.  You can grab the library labels by clicking the image below.

Speaking of Fundations, here is my Fundations area.

Next up is the calendar bulletin board.  I don't "do calendar" anymore, and haven't for probably 15 years, but I still like to display a calendar for the kids.

These hand-washing posters are hung next to my classroom sink...yes I am lucky enough to have a sink in my room!!  You can grab the posters by clicking the image below.

This is the class birthday board.  I bought the cards from First Grade Blue Skies several years ago.  I made the board by painting a picture frame black, adding Scrabble tiles, twine, and mini clothespins.  The birthday board cards are editable so you can type your kids' birthdays into them.  I've also just written them with EXPO marker and erased them each year.  Click the image below to grab the cards.

That's all the classroom photos I have this year.  Now let's look at what the kids have been up to!

When they arrived on the first day, I had crayons and a coloring sheet ready on their desks.  I do this each year, however this year's coloring page looked different than years past!

We learned about hand-washing right away!  We even had a nurse from our Children's Hospital come and teach us proper technique.

We did lots of sorts for expected behavior vs. unexpected behavior.  These sorts covered different areas of the school...lunch room, playground, restroom, classroom, hallway, etc...Find the sorts HERE.

We created our own BINGO boards and played "School Supply BINGO."  Grab it by clicking HERE.

We worked on a "First Day of School" mini-book.  This is always a great time-filler!!  Grab it HERE.

We read tons of back to school books.  You can shop my favorite books on Amazon with my affiliate links HERE.  My Mouth is a Volcano  is always a class favorite.  Several of my students struggled with shouting out the first week of school, so I implemented my volcano trick.  It's a strip of laminated squares with volcano images on it.  Each time they shout out, they have to place a volcano on my desk.  When all their volcanos are gone, they must move their clip.  The visuals work like a charm.  Eventually, I remove the strip, because they are able to demonstrate self control.  Grab the volcano images and sort HERE.

A few days in, I begin some assessments.  Shown below are cvc words, number ID, and number writing.  Grab my back to school assessment pack by clicking the image below.

In Math, we have been reviewing numbers...to 20.  The kids missed out on their teen number instruction in kindergarten, so we are filling in the gaps.  We've been counting, watching counting You-Tube videos, and playing independent games to help with number ID.

Grab the spinner game FREE by clicking below.  

We have also been playing games from my "Math Games on the Fly" bundle, which you can check out below.  Almost all the games within it are zero prep!!

I created this 120 number grid over the summer.  It was a free download from A Differentiated Kindergarten.  You can grab it HERE.

I placed these number charts on my kids' desks.  They were a free download from This Reading Mama.  Grab them HERE.  *I printed multiple to a page to make them small.

Each class created their own class promise.  I typed it up, sent a copy home, and hung a laminated version in the classroom.  I took their pictures and they surround their classes' promise.

I sent home our first book order last week.  I always have the kids preview it in class.  That way, they can show their families what they saw/liked.

The classroom library was introduced the first week.  I usually wait a bit but we all know the kids haven't been reading for 6 months sooooooooooooo......

I usually start them out with a few minutes of reading time, but this year, we began with 10 minutes and it was fine.  The ask me "When is it time to read our books?" every day!!!!!!

In addition to number ID, we're working on letter ID.  I created a quick "color the room" activity for the kids to use to go on a letter hunt.  The apple cards and recording sheets comes in lowercase letters or capital letters.  You can grab this FREEBIE below!

My favorite picture book of all time is Corduroy.  We read it and made our own bears.  We also wrote about our favorite toys.  Grab the craft patterns HERE.  

I introduced the early finisher board.  I have kids staggering in to eat breakfast for about 20 minutes each morning.  I needed to have something for the kids who don't eat breakfast at school (and those who eat quickly) to do.  My teammate suggested my Early Finisher Board and it's been working really well so far!  Click below to grab it.

That's a wrap!  Thanks for sticking with me for this whole post!  If you have questions, feel free to email me at meganwheeler44@yahoo.com

xo

Megan