THROW BACK: Genre Graphs in the Classroom!

This is a major THROW BACK!

I used to always have a genre graph in my classroom. Now, this was before the days of my school district having any kind of curriculum. I take that back. We technically had some boxed program, but I started using it and it wasn't meeting the needs of my students, so I asked my principal what my options were and she literally told me to teach the standards however I saw fit. So....I did my own thing!

Now, this genre graph helped me a lot. As we worked through texts in fourth grade, We would add the title and author on a sentence strip and put it on the graph above the genre it fit with. This was beneficial is a variety of ways:

1. We were working on graphing. Who doesn't love cross curricular displays?

2. We were reviewing the genres and discussing them as we placed each text.

3. We were practicing how to cite texts when we wrote them on the sentence strip. And yes, I had kids write them. Get those kids involved in your classroom displays!

4. It held me accountable. I have favorite genres. I have favorite texts. Does that mean I can teach just that genre all year. No. I need to hit them all at some point. So, when I saw my kids' scores on a benchmark and they were rocking nonfiction questions and then I realized we had read 13 nonfiction texts and only 2 fiction texts so far....well, that made sense. And it helped me adjust what I was doing.

*Also, those genre posters were a freebie. Just a plain old google search.

Welcome to Open House!

Do you feel completely bombarded by tons of families, all trying to meet you like you're some kind of celebrity at Open House? Me too.

So, a few years ago, I made this photo booth. I downloaded some free photo props, laminated them and left them on a chair outside my classroom. It was a good stopping point for families before they got into my classroom to meet me, or a fun activity as they were leaving. And it gave them just another thing to do while they were waiting to get a few words with the teacher!

Bonus? My administration is trying to get Twitter and Instagram and Facebook going at our school, so some families sent the pictures to them or used hashtags so that made me look pretty good! :)

A Balance Board

I am always on the hunt for toys that engage for hours. I want my kids using their imaginations and creating. I had seen so many parents rave about these wooden balance boards, but I never realized just how open-ended they could be. My kids are WAY more creative than I am!

My kiddos, who are 1 and 3, have made slides, boats, bridges, homes for their animals, caves, and so much more. You need to monitor the young ones - my one year old has bopped his head on it once or twice. Overall, I see growth in gross motor skills, determination, perseverance, collaborative play, and just sharing a toy! Not an easy feat for toddlers!

I've Said it Before and I'll Say it Again - The Pure Joy of Having a Box is UNMATCHED.

We order from Boxed. Have you heard of it?

I live kind of in the middle of nowhere and I love bulk shopping. Like, love it. When everyone was hoarding toilet paper at the start of the pandemic, I was totally fine because I naturally keep every single bathroom fully stocked and have an extra 30 pack in the basement just in case. I also happen to love saving money, so buying in bulk is a way to do that in the long run.

Anyway, I always drove out to BJs once every few months to stock up on essentials. Then the pandemic hit. I was pregnant and not about to go into a big store surrounded by tons of people, so I cancelled my BJs membership and discovered Boxed. It doesn't have quite the selection, but they deliver! To my door! No more leaving my house and hauling giant, heavy boxes to my car! So, I love it.

And here we are. A Boxed delivery means my children have access to the world's biggest boxes.

For this box, we used markers to draw inside. We drew a scene and on the ground was a pond with fish and of course my one-year old swam in it. 

I have set my kiddos down in the box like a playpen, thrown some markers and paint sticks inside and let them go nuts for a while. Do we need a bath afterwards? Yes, usually. But I can also make dinner without worrying about the one-year old trying to twist the knobs on the stove, so I call that a WIN!

Anyway, I think it is important to remember that expensive toys are NOT always where it's at. A plain old box from an awesome online bulk supplier can do the job, no problem. Well, the only time it becomes a problem is when my three-year old hoarder child decides to literally fill that box with everything she owns for no reason. And then put a chair on top and sit on it. But that's my problem. 

A Change in Scenery to Get Kids Reading

I've found both at home and in the classroom that switching things up sometimes can be really valuable and reinvigorate some enthusiasm. I am a major supporter of routines and procedures, but every once in a while it is motivating to make a change.

At home, we will create "reading nooks" every once in a while that will stay in place for a few days. For example, turning our two chairs into a little bed and adding a bin of books. Later, we added cozy pillows and blankets. Additionally, every few weeks I take a huge armload of books from one kid's room, bring them to the other kiddo's room, and switch up the books on their bookshelves. It always leads to them rediscovering books they love but forgot about, or spending an hour going through their "new" books.

In the classroom, I would bring in different flexible seating options throughout the year, introduce new books to the library, switch things up with a "Flashlight Friday" routine that involved reading in the dark with flashlights, reading marathon days, etc. Just something different and exciting to get kids refocused on their love of reading! Isn't that the point? Kids who love reading, read. Kids who read, learn. 

Spark the JOY of READING Early On!

That's the face of a kid who loves books!

Isn't that the goal?

Get books in the hands of kids early on and let them enjoy those books. Every single time a child is reading a book, there doesn't need to be a quiz or a discussion or a running reading record. Sometimes kids need time to explore books and just foster that love of reading that will last their whole lives.

That's why I really do love the program we use in our school, Collaborative Classroom. It gives kids time to love on books, build their reading stamina, and conference with teachers. If you haven't heard of it before, look into it! It's a nonprofit and has transformed our culture for learning!

Just give kids a box. That's it. Save your money.

Seriously. I have spent A LOT of money on toys in my life. Wonderful, open-ended, purposeful play-type of toys, all highly recommended. But you know what really entertains? A box.

A box can be a fort. 

A box can be a canvas for artwork.

A box can be a ride.

A box can be a boat.

A box can be ANYTHING kids can imagine. And it's GREAT play! 

When we get a massive order in a giant box, my kids immediately come and help me unload everything. It makes my heart happy that they like helping until I realize that they are only doing it to get to the empty box faster. Which is okay, too, because then I get to witness the toddler imaginations at work and it really is a beautiful thing.