Class Library

It is a lot easier to keep track of books in my classroom library when students use a sign-out sheet. I can see who is borrowing books and whether or not they are being returned. I can also use the information to see which books are popular and which topics and/or genres I may need to bulk up. Since everyone reads at a different pace, I don't have a time frame for when a book is due. I just ask that the student returns the book he borrows before taking out another one. The system seems to work well and students don't tend to spend too much time with a book because they are eager to read another one. If you would like to download the classroom library sign-out sheet for free, click here. 

College and Career Ready Bulletin Board

Setting up a class or hallway bulletin board can be intimidating, overwhelming, and costly. It's especially challenging in the beginning of the school year when you don't have student work to display. When setting up my hallway bulletin for the new school year, I had a few things in mind. I wanted to create something Common Core-themed, I wanted the content to be thought provoking, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money on materials. I like that the Common Core State Standards Initiative addresses college and career preparedness, so I decided to create something displaying different types of jobs. I used colorful photographs of various occupations and I posed the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up." I was so happy to see the kids reading the question on the bulletin, looking at the photographs, and having conversations with each other and their teachers about different types of jobs that they want to try when they are older. This is great information for teachers to know about their students. We can use our students' interests to tailor instruction, so that lessons are more personally motivating. I was so happy with how the bulletin turned out, I decided to create an electronic version to share the concept with other teachers. Here is an example: 

If you would like to purchase this bulletin kit and/or see more samples from the kit, click here to access my TpT store.