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Weekly Reading Log

by on March 15, 2009 in Reading Tools

I use this weekly reading log to verify that my first grade students are reading each school night. I usually send home a homework packet on Thursdays to give my kids time over the weekend to work on it-week nights get hectic for most families. I staple a half sheet of the reading log to the front of the homework packet. Students document with parent or sibling help what they read Monday-Thursday of the following week and turn the packets back into me on Fridays. Parents really seem to appreciate the system.

Biweekly Reading Log

by on March 15, 2009 in Reading Tools

This log is for recording two weeks of reading. It provides space for the date, book title and parent signature to verify the reading was done. You will notice that I put a signature spot on some of my reading logs because I just love including that accountability piece.

Biweekly Reading Log 2

by on March 15, 2009 in First Grade, Templates

This is another biweekly reading log for mature readers (no space for parent verification). It includes date, book title, author, and an area for parent or student comments.

Valentine’s Day Mailbox Ideas

by on February 21, 2008 in Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Kindergarten, Pre-K, Second Grade, Sixth Grade, Teacher Tips, Third Grade

I don’t know why, but this year I had a genius idea. Yeah, I am kind of bragging, because I don’t have too many moments when that happens to me. With all of the runny noses and sniffles this year in my classroom, it seemed like we were going through a box of tissues every couple of days. Well, since I don’t like throwing things out (as a teacher I am sure you can relate!), I decided to hang on to the boxes. Then one day when I opened my closet and the boxes fell on me, I decided I could use them for the kids’ Valentine’s Day mailboxes. The kids painted and decorated the outside and voila! They were perfect! There was no annoying cutting needed and they didn’t take up loads of space in the classroom like shoeboxes can.

Here are a few more items that can be used/decorated to create Valentine’s Day mailboxes all while saving money and the planet…

small paper bags

cereal or snack boxes

a shoe holder (1 pocket per child)

heart-shaped pockets (cut out two large hearts from construction paper, decorate 1 side of each, staple together to form a pocket)

mason jars

large cans (makes sure there is no sharp edge)