Operation Organization and a FIRE!

yep, we had a real-life fire today!
and oddly, it's a funny story.
I never turn on the lights after lunch.
I read aloud while they have doodle time in their special doodle books
I'm reading Les Miz btw! what?! yup!

so since our lights are off, we usually do not notice it the power flips off for a few
but today we heard some screams
and what to little second graders do when they hear screams
run to the door of course

then a few minustes later the fire alarm goes off, but at the same time I hear the intercom flicker, soooo, since it isn't time for our regularly scheduled fire drill, I calmly said some crazy kid probably pulled the alarm and not to worry
back to drudging through patterns
then my teammie comes over and says
there's a fire in the kitchen
get your coat, get your red bag!
oh, so I was wrong about the crazy kid!
Chaos Excitement exudes through the room
we ever so quietly line up in orderly fashion
go out to our designated spot
and
stand
there
for
20
minutes
turns out there WAS an oven fire during lunch
OMG!
and it was put out before we even got outside!
but we were so prepped it wasn't even funny!
man, we did great!
yippee!
we got to see 3 fire trucks come in
1 ambulance
and no one freaked!

so that's it
my first ever fire at school
But seriously, I am so proud of my kiddos! They were great and not a one of them embarrassed me during the ordeal!

ok, so onto Organization
I am taking baby steps
today during indoor recess we each grabbed 2 book baskets from our library
took out any that were not numbered or in the wrong basket
turned them facing forward
and dusted off the shelves!
They ate this up
some really took the lead and were walking around like who has fiction basket 7? Who has red basket 19?
hahaha! I love when they take charge
if only they'd do it during math or reading sometimes!

That's all I really have to share
we are working hard on Determining Importance and I have done some amazing lessons with them so of course I am compiling those into a new file! Plus I am almost finished with my Iditarod class pack and centers pack for us in March. I taught using the Iditarod theme for 5 years in the upper grades, but I am bringing it back this year. This group will love it! SO stay tuned!
and here is our Winter book themed bulletin board.
I love it! We had to do one for our school's reading night.
I ended up putting Christmas lights behind my fabric and it worked out swimmingly!

happy Wednesday!

flashback friday

I'm linking up with my carolina girl Amanda and show you all the screaming and sighing fun things I did this week in room 205!

this has been my life this week.

it has also been such a blessing

you may remember this summer I attended a fountas and pinnell workshop

it was all about the LLI kits

well 1st and 2nd grade teachers are now all using these kits for guided reading

F&P kits=no guided reading plans! woot!

Now all I have to do is get the folder-one lesson per day

we had to do a lot of adjusting, and still are, because each group is now 30 mins. I have 3 per day {the title I teacher has 2 per day}

so for 60 mins-they are having to read! omg, right?! {okay-that's 8 year old lingo for wow, I actually have to be reading in class now cause I cannot even look at Mrs. Lamb during groups!}

I'll be posting more soon!

ugh! 

we are having problems with regorouping since coming back from vacay

but we spent all week doing hands-on, partner activities

I also began splitting my 1 hour math block in two 

30 mins Accelerated Math and 30 mins lesson/practice/wrap up

 Here you can see the look on their sweet little faces
sheer joy!
we used a page from Jen's 3 little pigs pack in partners!

and Thursday we had a little fun

before break we won a pinata in a contest

if was slightly forgotten about until this week

so thursday I asked the PE teacher to hang it

guess how many students ended the fun in tears?

FOUR!

so add a little communities action in Social Studies and Determining Importance { a little unit in the works-I've really found some things that are working!} in reading and you've got our week! I did not take my usual 100 plus pictures this week, so sorry on the boringness

on another topic

I sure miss my windows live writer program.
I just do not like blogging with blogger...weird, huh?
I haven't blogged as much this week because of it

anywho, if you have a mac and a better way to blog-let me know!!
I woke up this morning to two wonderful emails...a custom avatar, oh how cute!
and a questionnaire for my new blog template-a CUSTOM template
oh, I cannot wait to show them off soon!

Pinterest Projects Day 4 and a guided reading tip!

I felt pretty bad for my bloggy followers about yesterday’s post. It was a short and unfinished project! So to continue the Mod Podge theme with today’s craftivity.

Here’s what I pinned: It’s from Jodi at Clutter-Free Classrooms. Have you been following her redecoration summer? I do not do themes in my room, just color schemes. This year my focus colors are “wicked witch green”, teal, and accented with browns.

I picked up a throw away shelf my son’s kinder teacher used as a listening center. The top 2 shelves are open backed which is where I will store magazine boxes labeled with Fountas and Pinnell levels and fill with readers from Reading A to Z. The bottom 2 shelves are back with tile board. That had to be hidden!

What I did

Spray painted the whole thing green

Found a style of scrapbook paper with the same green in the design. Since it was double sided, I used one color on the top shelves and the alternate backside on the bottom shelves. This was the tricky part for me. I had to use an Xacto knife to trim off the bottom, I then used that piece as my guide. I used Elmer’s spray adhesive on the tile board backing then carefully lined up each piece. I am happy with the overall look I think. The group baskets will cover some uh-ohs I made.

Now for a little tip on labeling baskets for your guided reading groups. A few years ago I found adhesive floppy disc holders at Office Max. I planned to use them for labeling my library baskets, but I knew I would not need to ever change out those labels. That’s when it hit me! I slapped the label on sideways so the opening would be at the side and easy to change out. I added a piece of scrapbook paper to match the new shelves. Then I put my kiddos names and F&P level on cards that I can slide in and out as groups change! SO easy!

Here are the bottom 2 shelves I backed with paper. This is where my groups notebooks, resources, and books I have pulled for GR with be. On the top 2 open shelves that you cannot really see with be magazine files filled with leveled readers.

I think it will work nicely! I still have to pull out leveled readers from our basal series, our old basal series, and A to Z books I use!

Tomorrow: Pinteresting Bulletin Boards! Cause I am almost done with my versions!