Full of Excuses: Vocabulary and Spelling Words

YES! I'm full of excuses about not blogging consistently (family, health, classroom, family). I promised myself that blogging would be a reflection of my teaching practices and a journal of my teaching experience. Of course it is also a huge learning experience. I L.O.V.E. it. I especially love it because what I'm about to show you will truly be appreciated only by teachers. Everyone else close to me humors my classroom talk but they don't really get it. 


I've been working on redoing my bulletin boards and maximizing my wall spaced for student learning and student made learning products. 

This board is to the left of my whiteboard. On the right of my white board is the exact same bulletin board. I transformed the "right" one today!

This is my finished product! This wall is for our vocabulary words and spelling words. The blank red paper is an example of what will hang from the "clothesline." Usually all our anchor charts, vocabulary illustrations/definitions etc are created on the size paper. The red pocket chart is for our weekly spelling words. There is one word in their (the rest were in a container so I left them there for now :) The blue pocket chart is for our vocabulary words and task cards etc. In between the red and blue pocket chart are spaces for spelling anchor charts. If I choose to use 8.5" x 11" paper I can hang two, OR I can use the red paper size (I'm having a brain freeze on the size) from the top string under "words."
II had been creating this board in my mind and wondering if it would really come together. It is SO much better than I thought it would be. I love the ease of the paper clips. I love how clean it looks. It is nice and uncluttered. The titles are simply white and pop in my opinion. 

I placed six red clothespins on each of these ribbons. When I attached the ribben I made sure it was very taut. I also tucked the ribbons beginning and end under the bulletin board border.  I also stapled the middle fo the ribbon to the board to help avoid any drooping! What's also great about the clothespins is the ability to move them. I love the flexibility they afford me. 

Sorry it's a tad blurry ~ I'm still just loving the way the white title pops! 

I have been working in my classroom this week. I plan on having my entire room first day ready by Friday of next week. That includes LPs and copies :) I'm determined.

That's all for tonight! This week I plan on posting how I plan on using a writer's binder in my classroom and my writing station. There will be a couple freebies involved!!

Vocabulary Creations

Oh my! Today was a GREAT day! 

First off - I danced in front of all the elementary school for our school fundraiser program. Let this be made clear I do NOT dance ~ at all period. The program our school uses is amazing. I completely understand why all my kids were so psyched about it. It was contagious and I danced. . . 

I had a blast teaching today. Starting Monday off right really does set the tone for the rest of the week. I figured out a couple ways to get through to a couple of my difficult sweets and it was SUCCESSFUL! Who knew one little skittle could be such a motivation booster. I've said it before and I will say it again "If you are EXCITED about what you are teaching your kids will be EXCITED." 

There is something I've been wanting to share with you guys. Now we all teach vocabulary and if you don't I would be a bit bemused. About a month ago when I was thinking of some ways to make learning fun I came up with this vocabulary introduction activity. My sweets keep asking when we will do it again. So far, we've been doing at the beginning of every new reading story. 

Here is how it works ~

1. Split your sweets into mixed groups (I have three groups in my classroom)

2. Assign each group a couple new vocabulary words (I assign about 2 vocabulary words to each group)

3. Tell them they will be paying charades so they must keep their assigned vocabulary words TOP SECRET (my sweets are extremely serious about this part)

4. Give each group a piece of white construction paper per a vocabulary word

5. Each group is responsible for finding the book definition, creating a definition in their own words, create a sentence with it, draw it, and think about how they will "act" it out in charades. 

6. I give my kiddos this sheet:

Vocabulary Creations FREEBIE

They fill it out as a group and then they create a "poster" for each vocabulary word they were assigned. The poster must included the book definition, a sentence, and picture "showing the vocabulary word.

7. When time is up I have each table "act out" their vocabulary word(s) and the class must guess what the word is (this is the charades part). Once the class guesses correctly they explain their poster and what they found.

This is an example of some finished posters. The words were: ranch, exhibition, dappled, and landscape business.

I would love to know some ways you teach vocabulary in your classroom!