Sunday

Do You Need a Brain Break?

Brain Breaks!  We know our kiddos need them, but do you need one?  The answer is yes!  Thank goodness for this 3 day weekend!  I needed a break from school, not to get away from school, but to reflect on how it's going so far!  I completed Day 13 on Friday and haven't had a moment to breathe.

Good teaching takes reflection and, too often, we are so busy with planning "what's next," that we don't take the time to relect!   For example, I've been caught up with some behaviors this year.  While dealing with one or two students, I've allowed other students to "not quite read to self" but read with others.  It sounds small, but it will be the death of my Daily 5 classroom later!  Tuesday will be a much slower day for my students as we review and reinforce procedures.

Back to Brain Breaks!  You know your students need them!  They need them more often that we probably realize, too.  I've implemented a new procedure this year and my students are loving it!  Do you ever have those students that are "too cool" to participate in a brain break?  Yes, you know the ones!  Since using GoNoodle in my classroom, most of my students participate already simply because it's so engaging, but I still have my stinkers!  So I've implemented the GoNoodle Champ system.  I keep my eye out for a student that is doing a great job participating during our brain break and they become the GoNoodle Champ!  This means that they get to CHOOSE the next GoNoodle activity!  OMG!  They love this!

And let me tell you, we GoNoodle several times a day in our class, so we have lots of chances to be a GoNoodle Champ!

I have a GoNoodle lanyard that I picked up at the I Teach 1st Conference, but any lanyard will work.  I attach a badge holder to it and slide in one of these cards!  You can download this free.  Just click the picture!  Students wear the lanyard until they pass it to the next champ.  It's simple, engaging and keeps us all happy!

If you haven't signed up for GoNoodle, what are you waiting for?  It's FREE!


Sign up for GoNoodle!  Your students will thank you and you will love it!





Friday

Hop over to Classroom Tested Resources!

You can find me over at Classroom Tested Resources today!  I'm blogging about Brain Breaks!  Hop on over and grab a freebie for your students!


Wednesday

Back to School - Day 5

Day 5 began like any other first grade days...flag salute, walk to class, morning hugs and then...
one poor baby throws up in the middle of the room. Right before said child got sick, mom had taken him to the bathroom because his tummy hurt.  Well, it must have really been hurting!  Meanwhile, another sweet baby misses her mommy and proceeds to wail...and so went the day!

 Luckily, I work with great people and had lots of support with my little class of 22.  

I am happy to report that we are rocking it with Daily 5!  I'm taking it slow (which is soooo hard)! I have some great new seating options for kids and they love Read to Self!  We are up to 8 minutes!  I'm sure this will fluctuate as I introduce other choices, but I'll take it!
 

They love taking the pillows and turning the chairs over to create a comfy spot...thank you Pinterest!

I also introduced Math Daily 3 and this little roll and color activity!  They each had their own die and completed Math by Myself perfectly!  The goal was engagement and independence to learn procedures!  They did it!  Download this freebie for your kiddos!




Next up...Work on Writing! Are you using the Daily 5?