A Singing Contest (Giveaway)

For about 8 years now, I've so wanted to have a class theme song and just haven't been able to pull it off.  I pretty much only listen to contemporary Christian music and don't have a great idea of what's out there.  I hope to change that this year.  My vision is to have two songs ready before school starts.  Then after listening to both for a few weeks, I want the kids to vote on their favorite.  Here's where you come in.  I need some ideas.  This is what I'm looking for:

• uplifting, encouraging, positive (great message)
• catchy tune and catchy words
• fairly easy to sing along with
• popular and trendy
• theme ideas - character, friendship, being together, family, being you, determination, etc. (ie. "Don't Stop Believin'"...you get the idea)

I'll even bribe you to leave me ideas.  I'm desperate.  If you leave me a song, I'll put your name in a drawing for one of these, but custom-made to fit your favorite color scheme.

I'll put your name in the drawing repeatedly for each song you leave, so feel free to give me several ideas.  Thanks for helping me out!  (I'll take ideas through Aug. 4th.)

Saturday Sayings: The Norm

When I read this quotation, it immediately takes me back to intimate moments I've spent with children's writing folders.  (My writers typically produce vast amounts of writing, most of which I don't see unless I look at it outside of the school day.)  I can picture myself with a folder belonging to one of my best writers, reading piece after piece and feeling pretty good about their progress.  In the midst of the treasures though, is that one piece resembling something they probably could have written in kindergarten.  I'm left thinking, "Seriously?!"  Carol Avery reminds me to give the kid a break.  Whether the writer is advanced or emerging, young or old, variation in the quality of writing is to be expected.  

Sometimes the best clues for how to treat young writers come from the ways we adult writers want to be treated.  I took a writing class this summer.  I gave myself a break on a daily basis.  Not everything I wrote turned out to be a work of art.  In fact, there were moments of thinking, "Seriously?!"  It's just the way writing works though.  If I'm not surprised that the level of my writing seems to vary from day to day, then neither should I be surprised when the same thing happens with my young writers.  They're just being normal.

Dippity Doo Dah

Last week I shared a few of my favorite things to do during transitions at the very beginning of the year.  Check them out here.  I think it's important to mix up the transitions though and sometimes curriculum can help me decide which ones to use next.  Here are a few that I like to do that build better phonological awareness as we transition out of alphabet review.  I did not make these up and unfortunately can't remember where I found them.  Happy transitioning!

Click here for your own copies.

Thanks Barb for inviting me to link up!

Help!

I had the same classroom helper chart for years.  It was in such bad shape that I didn't use it last year or even replace it.  Now, all is well.

First I spray painted a cookie sheet.  FYI - cookie sheets don't like to be spray painted or maybe I just don't know how to do it right.  I added a clear coat finish, and the black paint still liked to scrape off way too easily.  After adding all my words and washi tape, I Mod Podged the whole thing.  I think that's fixed the problem.

I made the magnets with the beads from a bracelet.

The plan is to use the magnets to hold either names or pictures of the kids who will be in charge of helping me out.

Thanks again Tara for the linky opportunity!

Saturday Sayings: Movement to Memory

I am the poster child for this thought.  The way I play the board game Rapid Recall is proof.  The game forces the player to cram as many words into their short-term memory as possible.  My natural instinct is to attach a movement to each word.  My foot taps the floor for "carpet" while I hold my wrist for "bracelet."  My ring finger wiggles in the air for "wedding ring," my eyes blink for "contact lenses," and my lips quiver for "Elvis" etc.  With all my moving parts I'm quite a sight.  When it's finally time to wrench all the words out of my memory, they actually come without too much trouble simply because movement cements memory.

In the classroom, I've seen how attaching movement to memory works wonders.  Every letter of the alphabet has a motion.  Certain tricky words that we spell do as well, like you'll see in a video here.  My goal is to be increasingly mindful of more ways to incorporate movement with new concepts, no matter the subject area.  How can movement improve science, math, social studies, character development, reading, writing, and so on?  I know all the little memories in my room will be better off for it.

I now invite you to head on over to Barb at Grade ONEderful.  She's got a Saturday Sayings of her own to share this morning.  No doubt it's going to be worth a visit!

Inspiring

Today I'm joining The First Grade Parade to share some of my favorite pins.  I hope you find them worth sharing too.

Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

Celebrating with writers is so very important.  I fell in love with this certificate so much so that I created my own versions for all the other units of study that I do with my writers.  

Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten

I could never visualize an easy way to make a pie chart with first graders until I found this pin.  Brilliant!

Kindergarten Crayons

Listening to the author of Pete the Cat read/sing his story is the icing on the cake.  The kids love this.

The Elementary Math Maniac

Believe it or not, this pin comes right from a math lesson.  It's the kind of math I'd love to do more of - a task that's highly engaging, based on problem solving, teaches various concepts, is easy to differentiate, and can last more than one day.  Inspiring.

Welcome to First Grade Room 5

I love classroom books.  My kids do too.  This is one I really need to make.  I've a feeling my kids would read it over and over.

Hooray for inspiring ideas!

Alphabetic Transitions

Good transitions are life-savers.  If you're interested in knowing how I keep track of them in my lesson plans, look here.  I have a few favorites that I use at the beginning of the year when reviewing the alphabet.  The kids enjoy them too, especially when it comes to Batman.  By the way, I did not make any of these up and unfortunately don't remember where I found them all.  Regardless, enjoy.

For your own copies, go here.