Setting up a kindergarten classroom at the beginning of the year can be an exciting, yet overwhelming. Whether you are a student teacher, or this is your last year teaching elementary school, I'm here to share
Real-life kindergarten spaces!
Use these top tips, helpful posts, and free downloads to learn how to have a positive impact on your students as a first year kindergarten teacher.
Welcome to our class! I’ve changed some parts of my classroom this year and I have to say that I’m loving how everything turned out. Please note that this is my 12th year of teaching and I did not create this environment overnight. It’s taken years to accumulate and/or create everything that is in this ... Read More about Learning in Wonderland Classroom Tour
Do your students love to sing? Most young students love to sing, and songs are a perfect way to teach math concepts! These shape songs were...
Let's start at the very beginning.
When you set up your pecial education classroom setup there are a few extra things to consider. Check out these tips for furniture, layout, and wall space to create a learning environment that supports special needs students.
How to Avoid the Summer Slide! Summer is right around the corner! We all LOVE our summer vacation, but not the "Summer Slide!" The Summer Review Packets
All of these organizational printables shown on this blog post are FREE! This page contains affiliate links. Read Full Disclosure
Need to get kids focused and ready for the day? Set-up a DIY Question of the Day board with a drip pan and a few simple materials. Kids love reading the different questions posted each school day!
Description Eye-catching and fun, my latest Spotty Brights Classroom decor bundle will add a stylish & vibrant flair to your Classroom! Made with a mix of B&W spots and a trendy neon rainbow color palette, this pack is bright yet minimalistic, making it perfect for all year levels and seasons! This polka dot and rainbow decor bundle includes everything you need to set up an amazing educational space for you and your students! Most of the elements are EDITABLE which means you can easily customize them to cater for the needs of your students and the requirements of your school. Furthermore, I have ensured that this pack is BILINGUAL FRIENDLY which easily allows teachers to edit the text and type in Spanish or French – just as an example. Transform your classroom from drab to fab, with Miss Jacobs Little Learners’ modern classroom decor! This SPOTTY BRIGHTS Classroom Decor Bundle includes: DOWNLOAD SPOTTY BRIGHTS PREVIEW HERE Affirmation Station (PDF & Editable) Alphabet Posters (PDF & Editable) 3 Versions, with alphabet images and without - Fonts Include: Standard Primary Font, Cursive Font, Australian State Fonts - VIC, QLD, NSW, SA for teachers in Australia Version 1: Minimalistic Spotty Brights design with alphabet associated images Version 2: Spotty Color Strip with alphabet associated images Version 3: Minimalistic Spotty Brights design with no images - Square ASL (American Sign Language) Alphabet Posters with or without spots (PDF & Editable PPT) Auslan Alphabet Posters (Fonts include Standard Primary and Australian School Fonts: Victorian Modern Cursive, NSW Foundation, SA Beginners, QLD Beginners and Sassoon Fonts.) (PDF & Editable PPT) Alphabet Word Wall Headers (Editable) standard primary font and Aussie fonts. Binder Covers and Spines - (Editable) + Spines in 3 sizes, styled to match Birthday Display - (PDF & Editable) Bulletin Board Borders (PDF) Bulletin Board Bunting and Banners - 38 designs (Editable) Classroom Calendar and Weather Display - (PDF & Editable) 2 Versions - Pocket Chart Size and Standard Size Pocket Chart Size Standard Page Size Weather chart Classroom Jobs with Header - (PDF & Editable) Classroom Rules Posters (PDF & Editable) Clock Numbers Classroom Labels - small, medium, large tub, round, square, Magazine & Tolsby (Editable) Labels are all editable for you to organize your teaching resources but also create things like your own Classroom Affirmation Station or Library Bin Labels Classroom Posters in Portrait and Landscape - EDITABLE (Type in your own classroom rules or values, motivational quotes and signs etc) Color Posters (editable) Days and Months of the Year Flashcards (PDF & Editable) Days at School Tally (PDF & Editable) Door Display - 4 designs to choose from (Editable) Flip Calendar (editable) Hand Signal Posters - (PDF & Editable) Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, WALT, WALF (PDF & Editable Meet the Teacher Templates (Editable) Newsletters (PDF & Editable) Number Posters - 0-30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 (PDF & Editable) Shape Posters (PDF & Editable) Slides (over 50 various editable Google Slides and PowerPoint templates) Student Goal Mats (Editable) Teacher Toolbox Labels - multiple designs (Editable) Teacher Trolley / 10 Drawer Cart Labels - 2 styles (Editable) Visual Timetable with Clocks (PDF & Editable) Voice Levels Display (PDF & Editable) Welcome Posters (PDF & Editable) Add a touch of Spotty Brights flair to your classroom today!
Today's blog post will be a quickie. I was just so excited about my latest Target find, I had to share it with my teaching friends! So let's get started with our build a sight word fun! I knew it was going to be a good trip because this was the first thing I saw when...
Are you ready for back to school? I am! Actually, we already had our first day of school and we are just about in full swing. It was a great first 3 days of school and I know next week will be even better as we begin to build some routines. Here are a few of my favorite things from the first day. You are "of-fish-ally" in kindergarten! I had a spot ready for every student with a water bottle (super important!), gold fish, coloring page, and this year I added a little pencil box with manipulatives inside. It went great! I was able to answer parent questions, calm nervous kiddos, and keep everyone in their seat while we got our bearings in the first 15 minutes. Everyone enjoyed coloring this page from Creative Lesson Cafe and I am keeping it for their portfolios. Oh, they enjoyed the snack too! You can get the labels for free HERE! Morning Meeting I wanted to start the first day off right with a morning meeting so I could get that routine rolling. I liked adding this question to the end of our morning message. We read First Day Jitters first to show that even teachers can feel nervous on the first day. Most of my kiddos said they were happy or excited but a few were honest and said they were sad or nervous. We only had 2 cryer's this year, so most of them really were just happy or excited! First Day Name Project This is my FAVORITE back to school project! My mentor teacher showed me this about 12 years ago when I first started kindergarten and I still love it every year! This was the first year I got to actually take part because (long story) I've shared 2 half day classes with another teacher and she always did this with them but I got to enjoy the fruits of her labor. We went full day this year (no more sharing two groups) so I got to do it this year! It wasn't as easy as I remember! I blame it on a clogged glue bottle but the instructions are pretty simple: Trace each child's name on black or white paper in pencil. Prepare small pieces of rainbow construction paper. Trace the first letter of each child's name with glue and give them a red piece of construction paper. Students tear tiny pieces to cover the glue. When students finish their letter I have them raise their hand (good teaching moment on the first day) and I come by and trace the next letter with glue and give them the next color (orange, yellow, green, blue...) Have some bins with manipulatives ready for them to use if they finish fast! I love the result! We hang these in the hallway and they stay there all year. We usually do white paper but went with black this year. I love how they turned out! I have this activity and so many more all wrapped up in one happy package HERE in this Surviving Kindergarten post. Ok, last but certainly not least...I got this cute "Happy First Day" treat from one of my sweeties. It was SO GOOD at about 3:30 after the first day of school when I was totally exhausted and totally forgot I was on a diet. Oh well....every delicious calorie was worth it! What are your favorite activities to do on the first day? There are so many options! Our first day went great, I hope yours does too! Here are all of our favorite Back to School Rules and Procedures to introduce in the first few days! And some FREEBIE labels too! Save this post for later!
I posted about these songs about a year ago on my Instagram feed and so many of you asked if I would be putting these in my TPT shop to sell. At the time, we had only written three, and I just didn't feel like that was enough to make a whole resource with. Since then, I have been working on writing new transition songs that are sung to some of our kids' favorite tunes! Singing CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SONGS AND CHANTS during transitions makes moving from one thing or place to another almost seamless. Songs and chants keep students engaged, focused, and excited to learn, which in turn will save valuable instruction time. It also helps eliminate unwanted behaviors by giving your students the structure, consistency, and support they need. Most of the songs included are parodies of popular songs most kids will know. The words have been changed to help students transition in a positive manner. I printed the songs on cardstock and laminated them. I used a binder ring to attach the set together to hang on my board for easy access. There are also three different color options included. :) Let's go through a little breakdown of when and why we sing each of these songs: The Carpet: We sing this when it's time to transition to the carpet. I start they song, they join in. They have to be on the carpet in their assigned spots by the end of the song. Works like a charm every single time! I even added in some little hand motions that end the song with their hands in their laps. All I Do Is Freeze: We mostly use this when students are working in groups or with a partner. Sometimes, I need them to stop what they are doing, so that I can give them a direction or clear something up. It's a great way to get their attention! Clean Up Chant: This one is pretty self-explanatory. I do not instruct them when it's time to clean up; I just start the chant. You may want to add a timer to it afterwards if you need them cleaned up in a certain amount of time. Let's Line Up: Will kids ever get over Frozen? Probably not. If yours are still obsessed, too, they will love this line up chant. It gets them lined up quickly and without distractions, which saves so much time! Back to My Seat: We sing this when we transition from the carpet to their seats. We usually sing it a couple of times to give them plenty of time to make it to their seats. It's a really quick song! Partner Up: This song probably takes the most practice. Anytime you need students to get with their partner, you can sing this song. It also reminds them what to do when they are with their partner. Learning Math is Awesome: Sing this song to signal that it's time to begin math. I can guarantee it will get stuck in your head afterwards. Sorry. We Can't Stop Reading: This song can be used to kick off your reading block each day. It gets them excited about books and where those stories will take them! Quiet Time: I may or may not have sung this one the most. It works so well! I sing it in a calm, quiet voice, in which students will mirror. It immediately calms the room. Sing it a couple of times if needed! See!: I had to incorporate some Taylor Swift in these songs. We want students to be proud to share their thinking and comfortable talking with a partner. We also want their partners to be respectful and value what they are saying. This song is great to sing before students share with a partner or to close out a lesson by sharing what they learned or took away from the lesson. I just added some NEW songs!!! Like It Was: This is another clean up song. You could sing this one at the end of centers. It's really good about reminding students to put everything back in its place. Good For You: This is a song that you can sing as a class to celebrate someone! Maybe someone had a really great idea or accomplished something amazing, you can sing this to pump them up! We're Amazing: I am all about incorporating mindfulness into our day, so I knew I needed to create a song that encompassed that. This is another one that is going to take some practice to get down, but you can always display it as you sing. Some of the songs might take lots of practice to get down! But don't give up! After you sing it over and over, you will eventually get it. You will sing them to the tune of the chorus from the songs. I have added links to the actual songs in the PDFs. You just click the blue arrow at the bottom of the page. Always check these first NOT in the presence of students. I have gone through them to make sure they are safe, but you never know when things can change. A few of these parodies are straight from my students. I asked them what songs they wanted me to write transition songs for, and these are what we came up with. This group in particular had difficulty this year with transitions because they were all best of friends and LOVED to talk, which in turn got them distracted. I LOVED that about them, but we were losing valuable time trying to get refocused. Once I introduced a song or chant for them to do while transitioning, the difference was crazy! It keeps your learning environment positive, too, which is super important. You can check out the resource by clicking HERE or on any of the images in the post. Let me know how your students do with these songs or if you need another song added! I love your feedback! Happy transitioning!
Time to get creative!
These kindergarten anchor charts will give you the tools you need to teach math, reading, friendship skills, and much more!
Check out my new Pastel Classroom Decor full of bright soft colors that are the perfect combination between colorful and calming! Plus, you get a freebie :)
Explore easy classroom management strategies and ideas from other teachers to keep the classroom running smoothly and meet the 3 C's.
Question of the Day is a fun activity to get kids learning RIGHT when they get into the classroom each morning. It is a great classroom management technique to get the school day on track right from the start.
Transforming an ordinary classroom into an inspiring and engaging learning environment can significantly impact students' motivation and enthusiasm for ...
60+ Must Make Kindergarten Anchor Charts for the classroom. Covers classroom management, literacy and math. Multiple ideas!
A free kindergarten math packet for at home learning.
These classroom routines and procedires are a must to teach in kindergarten! See how I teach my students to line up, sit at the carpet, and more!
I love to see my students work together! So I use a Whole Class Rewards system where students do that. This is a whole class rewards system that teachers...
Real-life kindergarten spaces!
60+ Must Make Kindergarten Anchor Charts for the classroom. Covers classroom management, literacy and math. Multiple ideas!
These kindergarten anchor charts will give you the tools you need to teach math, reading, friendship skills, and much more!
5 writing strategies on how I turned my classroom from students who could barely write their own name, to amazing writers by the end of the year...
It’s a myth that blindly memorizing every letter in a sight word is the only way to learn it.
Behavior management is more than a system of punishments and rewards. Learn 5 powerful alternatives to the Clip Chart and how to make them work for you!
Can you imagine living in a world where no one loves you and you feel all alone? That's how Love Monster feels! This story written by Rachel Bright takes us on Love Monster's journey as he finds love when he least expects it. Today I'm sharing how to make this little craft and writing activity that you can use after reading this story.
Find a cute and easy theme for your elementary, special education, or middle school classroom.
Top Ten Kindergarten YouTube Channels. Teaching with Music and Movement Is How the Brain Learns Best!
This article is an interesting look for early childhood teachers into a full day Kindergarten schedule that still incorporates play!
Do you use visuals in your classroom? Visuals support students understand what you are trying to teach them. They encourage students to associate pieces of information with visuals. Visual learning helps you to store information for a longer period of time. It is said that videos and images are directly processed by long term memory. The visual ... Read More about Classroom Visuals
First grade anchor charts are great tools for reminding kids about concepts in math, writing, spelling, science, and more! Check out these great ideas.
These kindergarten anchor charts will give you the tools you need to teach math, reading, friendship skills, and much more!
Looking for fun and educational resources to help your child learn and practice beginning sounds? Look no further! We are delighted to offer...
Take a look at how I set up my class and organize my stations for a successful start to Daily 5 in kindergarten.
Forty ideas to inspire you!
Tips for a first year kindergarten teacher - for newbies and teachers new to kindergarten. Let's break it down and keep it simple. You can do this!
Whether you are establishing brand new provision or refurbishing your existing classrooms, Early Excellence can support your vision for quality practice for your early years and KS1 children. By investing in our ready-made Complete Classrooms 2-7yrs, which feature exciting resource sets, extensive storage collections and carefully curated complete provision areas, inclusive of furniture, resources and storage, this will provide you with a rapid solution to meet the needs of your young learners. Explore Brochure
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Fun and simple ideas for classroom management from the best resource available to teachers: other teachers! Top hallway procedure transitions and ideas.
Introduce place value in kindergarten and first grade with this printable Days of School poster. Add meaningful math to your calendar time...
Set goals, track progress and celebrate success! I will email you this chart for FREE , plus you can instantly access our entire freebie library.
