Thursday, July 19, 2012

Classroom Pictures (Linky)

 This challenge will be posted for 2 weeks.  After that, I will have a different challenge for each of my 3 preps (Geometry, Precalc & Math for College Readiness).  Worksheets will be placed in a manila envelope for each one.  When it is turned in, I will grade it and keep it in hanging folders I have for each student.  It will count as an extra point or two on the next test.
 The yellow trays are where each class will turn in their Exit Cards.  I used these last year and really liked them.  The green dishpans are for their workbooks, which I don't allow them to take out of the classroom.  If I assign a workbook page, they tear it out, hole-punch it and keep it in their binder.
 I bought composition books from Big Lots for 39 cents and put one in each folder.  Students will use these as a journal as well as to demonstrate to me (one-on-one) how to solve a problem.  They will have to write out what they did in each step for credit.  These, too, will stay in my room.
 The black container on the side of the shelves will hold make-up work.  BW stands for bellwork.  Everyday students will pick up a bellwork sheet, complete it in the first 5 minutes and turn it into another set of yellow trays to the right of my door (see below).

 These containers will hold my stations.  Students are required to complete 2 stations per week.  I will post pics of stations I have created on my next blog post (many ideas from Pinterest).  They will be used primarily for review, but on occasion I will throw in something new.
 My assignment board...I have used one every year I have taught (12 yrs).  I fill it in at the beginning of the week, but students know it is subject to change.  To the right, I post all upcoming tests about a week in advance.  Quizzes are spontaneous.
 I laminated an extra piece of fabric (left over from covering a table), die cut letters and hot glued it all to my wall.  The blue sheets are my rules and procedures.
 BAV stands for Building Academic Vocabulary, but if the students want to think of it as "BA" vocab, that's fine!  Whatever gets their attention...LOL!  I used a cute butterfly duct tape to divide my pocket chart into 3 preps.
 Here is the fabric covered table.  I've been told I am getting 2 student computers, so I set up this spot for them.  Not sure if they will be desktops or laptops, but I have plenty of room either way.
 I LOVE BUTTERFLIES and turquoise and lime green! Under the window, I hot glued 3 posters I created demonstrating Cornell Notes.  One is descriptive and the other 2 are examples in math.  Check out the tissue papers balls...from Pinterest!
 I am an organizer and a self-proclaimed container freak!  I love the Dollar Tree and they love to see me walk in!!!  I spend a lot of money there, but not as much as if I bought the stuff at other stores.
 My desk and more organization.  This area is taped off with lime green duct tape on the floor to show students that they are not allowed to be behind my desk.
 My poster wall...I bought one of these posters and made or printed the rest.  My philosophy is that I will have informative posters around the room for students to read at their leisure.  Then when it's time to learn the material, it will seem familiar to them.
 The rings are 3 of the stations I will be using.  In the folders, I will keep and master sheet and an answer sheet for every station, filed by topic (polynomials, circles, order of operations, etc.)
 Pinterest has given me so many ideas for this year.  The saying "You can have RESULTS or EXCUSES not both" came from a pin.  I made it in Word, then used our poster printer to enlarge it.  The disadvantage to using the poster printer is that it prints in one color.  Knowing that, I used an outline font, printed the poster, colored the letters, then laminated it for a more colorful look.
 I like this board, but I really need some black paper to go behind the colored paper so it is easier to read.  I ran out of my black scrapbooking paper, so I gotta make a trip out of town.
 I also enjoy using pocket charts.  This blue one contains folders for my organization: attendance, book lists, new student packets, referrals, etc.
 The red pocket chart contains class folders, colored coded and numbered by period.  The colored ones are flip charts I made using index cards.  If a students has a minor discipline issue or is tardy or absent, I keep those notes in here.  I take them with me to parent conferences.
 One tip I learned 12 years ago from a former elementary teacher (THANKS KEL!) is to laminate posters, then hot glue them to the wall (only if they are concrete!).  The hot pink poster is about test corrections.  It was made using our poster printer, black "ink" on hot pink.
 More posters below the board...the "Sharpen your Pencils" poster came with another for a dollar at, wait for it, Dollar Tree!
 Yet another pocket chart... When a student misses a test, their name on a index card goes in this chart.  This year, I am going to have them sign up (on the calendar under the apple) to take their make-up test after school.
This is posted on my door for Back to School Night next Thursday.  I used http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ to make my own QR codes, one for parents and one for students. Idea is from Pinterest.
This is the view from my door (prior to putting up the butterflies and tissue paper balls).  These desks are new to my room.  I'm looking forward to more group activities and these desks will be easy for the students to move.
This is the view back the other direction.  My door is to the far right in this picture.

If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, here's my link: KelsoeMath




Leaving a Legacy Theme

This year we have chosen the theme "Leaving a Legacy".  We want to encourage our students to strive hard and leave their legacy on the school as well as give them some insight into the people that left a legacy in each of our subjects.  I created a 18"x24" display from a piece of coroplast (like political signs) and its stand, bent to sit on the top of my book shelves.  The coroplast was covered in same type of fabric used throughout my room.  A title was added and 2 sheet protectors were attached side by side under the title.

For my first display of the year, I chose Blaise Pascal.  The first page is his picture which will be placed in the sheet protector on the left. The second is a bulleted version of his biography and will go in the sheet protector on the right.  Under the biography, I have included 3 QR codes for additional websites.  My students can use a barcode scanner on their smart phones to go directly to those sites.

Throughout the year, I will change the featured mathematician.  Others I plan on highlighting are Rene Descartes, M.C. Escher, Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), Heinz-Otto Pietgen (professor at FAU, my alma mater), Pythagoras, Pierre De Fermat and others whose names escape me!

Make your own QR Codes.