Peek at my Week….Classroom Tour
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- 18 Comments
Kindergarten Classroom Tour! Looking for ideas to organize your classroom at the beginning of the year? Need lesson plans to start the year off? This post will give you some easy ideas and tips!
My students had desks, although they rarely sat at them. I liked that they had a spot to keep their resources and materials. However, when it comes to work, students can be found in every nook and cranny of my classroom.
Because sometimes the scissors need a time out.
Focus Wall
When I was told that each classroom should have a focus wall, I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. My inner voice was saying, “I don’t need a wall to help me focus… good GRIEF!” Guess what? This was the best thing EVER! It really helped me zero in of the big idea for the week. DAGNABBIT! Ha! No, seriously… figure out a place to create a focus wall if you don’t have one already.
This was our focus wall for the 2nd week of school.
We also have our self-portraits. These make a great end of the year gift too!
Math Station Tubs
This is what my math station bins looked like. If you want to know my math station routine, read HERE.
Classroom Library
Math Tool Kits
These are a game changer! If you feel like you NEVER have enough time, consider math tool kits. You will save about 10 minutes each day by using them! ADD those minutes up and that is close to 30 hours a year!
To read more about our math tool kits and grab a FREE download, read HERE.
Launching Stations
During our first full week of school, we really got rolling with stations. The first week is filled with things that are beyond our control, like bus orientation and safety, cafeteria routines and finger scanning… So week two of school is when things get hopping!
In this photo, we are practicing our pocket chart stations (predictable sentences).
We practiced our Writing Work Station.
We even practiced our Listening Station while turning the pages to the beep. If you want to have your students behave in a certain way, it is important to model it. Some students have never listened to a recorded story. My little sweet pea loved modeling this.
Setting Expectations
At the beginning of the year, we also practice our classroom management routines (AKA: teacher sanity savers).
Lesson Plans
Here are my plans for the first full week of school! Click on the image to download the file.
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Deedee Wills
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
Hi, I'm DeedeE.
My teaching career allowed me to experience teaching in different classroom environments and grades. My heart belongs to early childhood education. My job is to make teaching FUN, ENGAGING, and EASIER. Welcome!
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18 Responses
I love your scissor time out! What a great idea!! Thank you for hosting this link up!!
Mrs. 3rd Grade
I love that scissors time out! Thanks for hosting!
I love the scissor time out, too! That's so great!
I noticed how cool your “bench seats” are in the Best Kindergarten Schedule Fitting it all in blog. I was wondering if you could post how you made these seats as I would love to copy this idea for my classroom. The picture I am referring to is from the Guided Reading, Small Group, and Literacy Station picture.
Even if you could direct me to another site that would have the information on how to make these seats I would be so appreciative. They look awesome!
I just love looking at your site and reading what you post. I learn so much from you. Thank you for sharing your ideas with all of us.
Hi there! The bis are Rubbermaid Roughneck containers. My mom maid them for me. She took foam batting and cut it so it would fit the on top of the lid. Then she cut fabric to cover the foam and sewed a pocket to put the foam in. Finally she stitched up the open end.
I hope that helps!
I LOVE your focus wall! Do you type new ones every week? I’m trying to find a creative way to do that, without a lot of extra work involved! Great idea! Yours is the best and easiest ones I’ve seen!
No, I laminate them and put them on the wall. Then each week I use a dry erase marker to add my objective. It literally takes me 2 minutes a week to update it. 🙂
Hi I love your ideas and how you organize your classroom. I enjoy reading your blogs, being a KIndergarten teacher for only tow years now, I do get many ideas from your blog. Thanks for sharing.
One question, what app or software do you use to blur kids faces creatively in photos?
Where can I find your I Can Statements on your Focus Wall?
They can be found in this unit:
Focus in the Classroom
Hi Deedee!
I have purchased some of your items on TPT and I just recently joined your e-mail list. I love all of your ideas and I am going to spend some quality time this summer looking through more of your site. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I noticed you attended the Southern California Kindergarten conference this year. Is that a conference you attend each year? Do you know what your focus workshops will be for the upcoming school year?
Thanks so much!
Thank you!!!! I’m not sure yet if my schedule will permit another trip to the So. Cal Conference! I would love to go though for sure!
Summers are a great time to lay everything out and make a plan. 🙂
HI! Thank you for all the ideas you share!
Just curious…. how did you make the tree in your library center?
First year kindergarten. Where do the students go for the stations? Do you have 10-12 dedicated spots in the room? We don’t have desks, only tables. School starts Aug 8, and I’m Overwhelmed to say the least. ?
AHH! Don’t be overwhelmed (easy for me to say… I am overwhelmed every year!). YES! They have dedicated spots to go. I just did a Facebook live on this subject last night in our “secret” Facebook Group. If you want to join (you can view the replay). Just email me and tell me the email you use when you log into Facebook. Then I can send you and invite.
deedee@mrswillskindergarten.com
Thank you! I just joined the group and will watch the replay.
Please invite me to your Facebook group.
Hi Vicki, we are actually trying to follow the Facebook rules, so if you click on this link and request to be added, we can approve you:
The Primary Collaborative