Lesson Planning

Weekly Lesson Plans

I thought I would give you a little glimpse into what I do for lesson planning each year.  My first year of teaching I started by writing my lesson plans on a store bought lesson plan book.  When I realized how much work it would be year after year writing and rewriting each week’s lesson plans I decided to take things digital! 

 

I created this lesson plan template in Microsoft Word so I could open it up and work on my lesson plans at work or at home - since both of my computers had the Office software on them.  I created multiple text boxes and sized them into what I needed for my daily schedule.  (Each year I sometimes have to refigure my text boxes depending on my schedule and what I am adding to my day.) 

The thought of retyping lesson plans and starting from scratch year after year makes me cringe.  So I save my lesson plans on my computer on a week by week basis.  That way each year I can copy, paste, move, add, delete, etc. instead of retyping.  Here is a look at what my lesson plan files look like saved on my computer:

 

 Displaying My Lesson Plans

I print and place each weeks lesson plans in clear plastic sleeves.  Then I store them in a 1" binder.  I have placed my 1" binder on a plate stand and have it on my desk for easy viewing!

  

2013-2014 Lesson Plans

Thinking back to my first year teaching I remember how helpful it would be just to see a first grade teacher’s weekly lesson plans.  I thought it would be so helpful to see what lessons to teach, what time to teach them, etc.  So I decided to upload my weekly lesson plans here.  Hopefully someone will find them useful!  J

Click HERE to download my weekly lesson plans for FREE on my TpT store!

(I will be adding the rest of my weekly lesson plans as the school year continues.)

Yearly Outline Curriculum Maps

The district that I work in provides teachers with a math curriculum outline that lays out each weeks/days math lessons that are to be taught at that time.  

 

I saw how helpful it was to have a yearly look and perspective on things.  It helps to know if you are on track, behind, or ahead of the game with your lessons.  It was so helpful that I decided that I needed to make my own Language Arts curriculum outline for each year.  This week by week look into the curriculum really helps me coordinate my lessons together.  I try to align certain lessons together.  For example, my reading series story, phonics lessons, and spelling lessons are similar in what new skill is being introduced.

 

I usually work and prepare my curriculum outline map during the summer months in preparation for the upcoming school year.  It helps by giving me a general overview on what I am teaching each week.  It also helps me stay on track with my lessons and make sure I get everything covered each year.

 

When Common Core was implemented and I saw how much writing was stressed I made my own writing lesson curriculum outline as well.  You can view my writing curriculum and outline HERE.

 

I look at all my curriculum outlines each week as I type up my weekly lesson plans to make sure I am on track and covering everything that I need to!  :)

 

Click HERE to download the lesson plan and curriculum outline maps on my TpT store!

 

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Ready for Parent/Teacher Conferences!

I decided to share a little glimpse into how I put together my Parent/Teacher conferences each year!

First, I start out by sending home this parent/teacher conference request form.

When the parents return this form requesting a parent/teacher conference I schedule their conference and send home an appointment notice letting them know the day and time their conference is set for. 

I also send home this parent questions and concerns form.  This really helps me make sure I am not caught off guard by any questions the parents might have and make sure I have all the resources available to answer their questions during their conference time.  

Before conferences I put together a folder for each child that has all the information, paperwork, etc. that I am going to discuss during conferences with the parents. 

Each folder has….

...a benchmark note that explains to the parents the different tests and data we use to measure how a child is performing academically.  It explains the data and where a first grader should be at this point in the school year.  It also lists how their child is performing at this time.

...Printable reports such as their child’s Accelerated Reader reading report, STAR Reading level report, report card, etc.

 

...An evaluation of how their child’s work habits and behaviors are at school.

...Handouts and ideas on how they can help their child at home.  This might include sight word practice pages, handwriting practice pages, math fact practice, reading fluency pamphlet, writing prompts, non-sense word practice, syllable count practice, etc.

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

During conferences I set out this bulletin board outside my classroom door.  This bulletin board has helpful information for parents to read while they are waiting for their conference time.  The bulletin board includes handouts and practice pages they can take home to help their child at home.  Many parents want to help their child at home, but just don’t know how.  These handouts and practice pages give the parents easy ways to help at home.

Click HERE to download my Parent/Teacher conference forms, bulletin board, and practice pages on my TpT store!

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Using old iPhones in the Classroom!

I was super bummed when I found out at the beginning of the school year that I had to turn my iPad back in to the school.  Since our school only has 10 iPads the teachers have to share the iPads between each other every year.  I was really upset that I was losing my iPad because I had planned to have one of my literacy centers be an iPad learning center.  On my drive home from work I couldn't help but think, “What in the world am I going to do for that center now?!?!"  Then it hit me! I could use my old iPhone that was sitting in a drawer somewhere. All I had to do was erase all the stuff on that old phone, download some learning apps, then I could have my center idea back! Not only that, but I asked my mom and brother if I could have their old iPhone's too!

Now instead of the students having to share the iPad between each other – they now have their own iPhone with the learning games!  The iPhones don’t even need wifi for the students to play the games.  I just download all the apps from home.  Not only do the students LOVE to go to this center – but it works as an awesome center.  The students are actively engaged the entire time and they are learning the whole time.  This really helps while I am reading one-on-one or with a small group of students during the literacy center rotations.  I don’t have to worry about the students at this center.  They stay quiet and engaged the entire time! J

Here is how I cleaned off my old phones to get them ready for my students:

Click on SETTINGS – GENERAL – RESET

Then, click on ERASE ALL CONTENT AND SETTINGS

After I erased all the content and settings I put all those extra apps that my students don’t need to click on in a folder labeled Misc.  I sent that folder to the last screen page on the iPhone.  When I was teaching this center to my students I made it a rule that the students cannot click on anything but games – or else they would lose their iPhone game privileges.

Next, I added restrictions to the iPhone. This will make it where the students cannot click on apps, such as Safari, YouTube, etc. that would not be appropriate for them.

To turn on these restrictions click on SETTINGS – GENERAL – RESTRICTIONS.

Click on ENABLE RESTRICTIONS

Then turn off any apps you do not want the students to have access to.  It will even remove the app from the home screen.  I turned off Safari, YouTube, camera, location, and mail accounts off.  If your school has WiFi – I would make sure to turn off iTunes after you have downloaded your apps.

Since my old phones were 3G’s it was a little more difficult to find apps for these phones.  Not all apps are compatible for this old of a phone.  But with a little bit of searching I found plenty of apps that would work.  I made sure that all three phones had the exact same apps so there would not be any fighting over the phones!

 

Math Game Apps

 

Literacy Game Apps

 

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Grandparent’s Day Craft

Every year I always search the internet for a cute, simple craft for a gift during our Grandparent’s night.  Every year my search for the perfect Grandparent’s Day craft ends up in a loss.  So this year I decided to make something for my students to create for a Grandparent’s Day gift.  Since Grandparent’s night always happens during the first couple weeks of school – it’s hard to fit in a lot of time for extra crafts with our busy schedules.  So these crafts are super easy and simple! 

 

 

For this craft the students just stamp their handprint and sign their name.  I of course supply a picture that I took of them during the first day of school.  You could also just have your students draw and color a picture of themselves in that box as well.  

 

I tape the handprint on the paper so it folds open as if it were blowing a kiss and the message "Blowing lots of kisses your way!" is revealed....

 
 

For this craft the student just stamp their handprint, sign their name, and write their age.   

 

I always like to have two crafts sitting on each student's desk during Grandparent’s Night because so many of my students have two sets of grandparents that show up for Grandparent’s night.  I would hate for only one set of grandparents to leave with a special gift.

 

 

 

 

Click HERE to download my Grandparent's Day crafts from my TpT store!

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Absent Folders

 

For this new school year I decided I needed to come up with a plan for when I have students that are absent.  In the past I would always forget to gather the work and handouts that they missed.  I would be scrambling at the last minute trying to gather work for when the student returned to school or a parent came at the end of the day to pick up their child’s missed work.  So this year to help make getting work together for my absent students I have made “absent folders”.  When a student is absent, I place the “absent folder” on their desk.  Throughout the day as I pass out worksheets, handouts, etc. I have the student that sits next to that child put the work in the “absent folder.”  When the student returns to school, I send the “absent folder” home with them.  The student then takes the folder home and completes their missed work.  When their work is completed they return it in the folder.  It’s super simple and saves me so much time!

 

Here is what my Absent Folders look like!

 

Here is a look inside my folders.  I have a "Missed Work" and a "Keep at Home" pocket with instructions.

You can't just have one!  :)

Click HERE to download my Absent Folders from my TpT Store!

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Wish List Apple Tree

Last year my Wish List apples were a big hit!  I had many parents leaving Open House with an apple that had an item to donate to our classroom.  This year I decided to spruce up my Wish List Apple idea!  Instead of just laying the apples out on the table, I took my Wish List Apples and transformed them into a Wish List Apple Tree!  The best part of the Apple Tree was it cost me nothing to make it!!  I just used an old pot that I had stuffed in a closet, sticks I found in the neighborhood park, and old flower arrangement Styrofoam and moss.  I hole punched each apple and hung them on the tree!  Now my parents can pick the item they would like to donate off of the tree!

 

Click HERE to download my Wish List Apples from my TpT Store!

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