Math Manipulative Organization and Management

Organizing and managing (passing out) math manipulatives can be a PAIN! It takes extra time during the lesson to get them out, pass them out and then to put them away at the end. I like to save time with this tip that my team at my last school used.

My most used manipulatives are stored in little tupperware boxes that each of my students have inside of their desks!

They keep these boxes right inside of their desks. The tupperware/Gladware boxes are the kind that are "disposable" and found near the Ziploc bags. These boxes have lasted 7 years! Whenever we use a certain manipulative, my students can quickly grab it out and be ready for our lesson. 

Inside of their boxes I put the most used math manipulatives that we have. It took me a few years to accumulate all of the manipulatives that I wanted in their boxes.

    

If you'd like the number cards, you can click here. (Tip: copy the number cards on various colors of card stock to keep them from mixing up their cards with other students at their table)

Erin Condren Teacher Planner and Life Planner!

It's no secret that we are BIG fans of Erin Condren and her beautiful planners! Every year we like to showcase some of her new products and share why we love our planners!

(Please note: this post contains affiliate links.)

Rachelle has the *NEW* Teacher Planner!

 

Here are some of the details:

•  It now come is ROSE GOLD binding! *SWOON*
•  Thicker pages for durability
•  The new cover designs are beautiful
• TONS of new accessories 
• 40 weeks of lesson planning pages
• Monthly calendars
• Pockets folder to stuff junk in!
• 
  

I could go on and on about this teacher planner. It is MY FAVORITE!  Each year they make it better, even when I don't think it can get better. I immediately feel more organized right when it comes in the mail and it is worth every penny! :) If you're on the fence, take my word for it.... BUY THE PLANNER! PLAN ALL THE THINGS!

To buy a Teacher Planner: CLICK HERE

Natalie has the *NEW* Hardbound Life Planner!

This is a completely new design from the original Life Planner. 

Here are some of the details:

•  4 Stunning Satin-Finish Covers with Metallic Detailing
•  Available with 18-Month Calendars Only
•  Each of the 4 Cover Options Has Its Own Unique Interior Design 
•  5"X 8" (Horizontal) and 8 X 10" (Vertical) Size Options
•  Personalization Choices in Rose Gold, Gold & Platinum Foil

What I like about this new planner is the durability. I'm a busy mom of 3 and need to take my planner with me on the go. This new hardbound planner will be great to last me all 18 months. Of course, I also love the beautiful cherry blossom color and the gold accents.   

To buy a Life Planner: CLICK HERE

As you can see, we LOVE our Erin Condren planners! 

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Management Monday: Guided Reading Groups

How do you organize your students in their guided reading group and/or guided reading levels? I use a FOLDER!  Just add stickers with each level, laminate, and add velcro.

I just type up my students' names in a small font, copy on cardstock, laminate, and add velcro.

Then, I can visually see my reading groups as well.

Want this EDITABLE folder cover? Download for free {here}.

Want more ideas about Guided Reading? CLICK HERE.

Clipart: Melonheadz (custom clipart)

Paper: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs

Fonts: KG Fonts

The ABC's of Classroom Organization

Organization...the 12 letter swear word. ;)

We all want to be more organized, I know!  Well...now is the time! You're getting ready to head back to school and your furniture is all pushed against one wall of your classroom.  There's no better time than RIGHT NOW to pull yourself together and put your big-girl panties on. Let's get ORGANIZED! Here are the ABC's of getting your classroom to look in tip-top shape!

I will be doing a short series on organizing your classroom. You'll want to download {these} FREE handouts.  Up first this week, organizing TEACHER STUFF.

I bought these tubs at Dollar Tree last year (they still have them this year) and I store supplies on the top of my cupboard.  I pick supplies that I don't need every day and maybe just extras of things my students use.  I used clothes pins to attach the labels to the bins (since I'm constantly changing things).

 Inside of my cupboards I label ALL THE THINGS (there's even labels on the sides of the big containers. I want an outsider to be able to come to my classroom and find whatever supplies they are looking for (ie. substitute). 

Would you like these labels (over 48 labels PLUS 6 that are editable)? Perhaps the opportunity to edit and customize? Snag them {HERE}!

I love to hide things under table with a simple table skirt (my mom made it). 

These rainbow drawers (I got mine on Amazon and sometimes they have them on sale at craft stores)

You can get the labels for these drawers {here}. 

*Please note these are free and I won't be able to customize these or offer them to be editable. Love you!

I'll be back next week to talk Lesson Organization!

We LOVE our Teacher Planners!! {Erin Condren}

Natalie and I love our Erin Condren Teacher Planners.  I've had one for the past 3 years and I'm not sure how I lived without it before!  Every week that I plan, I get excited because I get to write in my planner.  Who gets excited to write in a planner? YOU WILL, when you order one! I tried to do digital lesson plans and honestly, I didn't love it.  I like to be able to make quick changes and have it sitting right in front of me. Plus, there's nothing like crossing off something on a list. 

{All 3 of my Erin Condren Teacher Planners.}

{This is Natalie's 2nd year using a teacher planner. She's hooked now too!}

Here are the planners we got this year.  

Natalie's Planner - "Education Quote - Imagine"

Rachelle's Planner - "Happy Stripes"

This is what I get out when I plan each week.  It makes it all the more fun.  

*Washi tape

*Flair pens

*What the Teacher Wants Pen/Highlighter

*Pencil

*Whiteout tape

There is so much included in the planners.  There are checklists, monthly calendars, list pages, absentee logs, a birthday chart, clear inserts (I keep my recess schedules and important pages in these) lesson pages, seating chart and so much more - and everything is in FULL color and personalized! They've thought of it all, people! I also love how STURDY they are. That's very important to me. 

I like to use blue for blogging, purple for school and orange for personal.   Can you see that my birthday is on the first day of school? FUN TIMES (said no teacher ever)! 

 Here's my favorite part EVER.  The lesson planning pages.  They are so roomy, have lines, and plenty of time slots.  I love that it goes horizontal.  I use washi tape to showcase my recess, lunch, and specials time.  

I love everything about my Erin Condren Teacher Planner! It's worth the money, for sure.

 What if your school makes you do online plans?  

I would highly suggest getting a Life Planner so that it can PLAN YOUR LIFE! I love to make lists and have a tangible calendar, so I just ordered a Life Planner last week (I'm currently stalking the FedEx man). You heard me right... I have a Teacher Planner and now I am going to have a Life Planner, too!  I *hate* iPhone calendar apps and I'm hoping the Life Planner will help me become more organized and little more balanced.

Getting Organized!

I'm SO over sticky notes!  I love this to-do list Weekly Planner to keep my brain in order.  Sometimes I can't remember what I went into the workroom for.  It's getting bad. ;)

I've attached a couple of versions of this and hopefully you can find one to use.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new personalized clipboard from C. Jayne Teach. It makes a to-do list look glamorous.   I'm thinking you need one as an end-of-year gift to yourself.  Maybe buy one for your teammates while you're at it. personalized goodies I got from C. Jayne Teach. These products are TOP NOTCH. 

Guided Reading Mini-Lesson {Storage & Organization}

Today I'm sharing how I store all of my games and supplies that I use for guided reading mini-lessons. 

I made these storage benches a few years ago.  I've finally stocked them up with some guided reading materials so that I can have quick access. 

I keep marker boards inside of the storage benches.  I also have markers and erasers in one container in the next bench. We use marker boards a lot!

I also have container after container of games and centers.  Some of them I store in the benches, and some are in my cupboards.  They are all labeled. And yes, we spell words with Fruit Loops. 

I just used bulletin boarder to spice up my drawers.  In the bottom two drawers, I keep the games that I use all of the time.  They are labeled comprehension, fluency, vocab, and word work. 

Any supplies we *might* even need can be found in the drawers next to my desk.  Witch pointer finger, reading rock star glasses, pencils, markers....  all be found in these drawers. They are labeled so that my students can easily find what we need.

 Many of my graphic organizers and posters are in the file box behind my desk. 

My comprehension graphic organizers are all separated in folders. I keep enough graphic organizers copied to last me months! :) 

 Sometimes, because we don't like to waste trees, I have my students fill out their comprehension graphic organizer in a page protector with a dry-erase marker. They love it!

Here's how I organize those graphic organizers in a binder (there are 6 of the same graphic organizers ready to go). 

I keep word work card games in soap containers!

I am just overwhelmed with the sweet feedback I've received on my Guided Reading Mini-Lesson Pack. :)  I just really NEEDED this pack for my classroom and I hope you can use it in yours too!  It's perfect for Kinder and 1st graders....and at over 250 pages, there's something for everyone!

Check it out HERE!