1st Grade Teacher Tips and Tricks

 I bought these dry erase sleeves a few years ago and they have been wonderful for not having to make copies for everything. I use them a lot at my small group table where I can slip a paper into the sleeve and we can work on it together, easily erasing any mistakes. I bought a class set so while I use them mostly in small groups, I will occasionally do whole group activities using part-part whole mats and hundred charts inside of them. Dry Erase Pockets

 I get a little nostalgic when I think back to the big box of crayons we used to get from school with the crayon sharpener in it. I always felt special when I got that box. Yes, I'm showing my age a bit there, but I have to say being able to sharpen crayons has made them last a lot longer in my classroom. The kids love having sharp crayons as well. I will not let them sharpen them themselves and I've learned they can't be too short or they will break off in it. It's easy to clean when they do break off in it by just popping the blade out. They give you a tool to clean I but I've found a paperclip work just as well. I usually have to cut the kids off and say that's it i'm not sharpening anymore. The look on their face the first time I do one for them in priceless. Crayon Sharpener

 During the summer is always the time for me to think about what will make my year go much smoother. A few years ago I changed from doing pencil boxes to caddies. I had tried both pencil pouches and boxes. The pouches would end up getting holes in them and them and their crayons and pencils would fall out. The boxes by the end of the year would have the lids breaking off of them or you would have the ones with a key and the kids think it is so fun, until I make them take the key home and tell them we are not locking our boxes. I do not do communal supplies, so the boxes would also get quite full with their pencils, crayons, glue sticks, liquid gue, and eraser. These caddies solved that problem. In the large side it holds their crayons and pencils, one small is f side is for glue sticks, liquid glue, and scirrors. The other small size is for a water bottle. I got these around COVID time when we went from water fountains to everyone having to have a water bottle. They did a better jo...

 Have you jumped on the lights bandwagon. I love seeing the different kinds of lights teachers use in their rooms. That is as long as they are not jumbled up. I have an OCD for order. I thought about doing some kind of string lights but I had a feeling it would drive me crazy not being able to get them even and trying to work around the projector and AC vents. I decided to add a little color and go with a set of rope lights. I ordered these off of Amazon to run along the top of my white board. Rope Lights  I liked that they would run in a nice neat line.

 Here are my two floats hung up in my room. I made sure they were high enough that my first graders would not be able to touch them. The shark hangs a little lower as it is over my small group table but still high enough I can stand up without hitting it. Now I think I need to name the shark and turtle .

 Do you go into complete summer mode during the summer or are you like me who is already thinking about he new year and changes you want to make. I love decorating my classroom but always try to stay on a budget. I also don't change out my theme every year. That is too expnenvie for my salary. I've had an ocean theme for a few years now. While I'm happy to keep the same theme as I realize it will be brand new for my new class I do like to add little things so it is not the same for me. This year I want to wow my students with large sea creatures in my room.  I decided to do this with some large pool floats. First I'm going to add this inflatable shark above my reading table. It will be the first thing they see when they come in the classroom. Found this on Amazon here.   I'm also going to add this cute turtle in my back corner near my library. I can't wait to see the kids reactions to these. Stay tuned for pictures after I get them hung up.