It has taken me awhile to really figure out what I want to do during calendar time. I know that it’s important and it’s a skill that I want my kids to master. I have tried countless binders, folders, pages…etc. Nothing has really worked for me until now. I am not undoing binders and then copying 30 pages each month just having to put together folders again.
The days of that are OVER!
All you need to make this happen is a folder, page protector, expo marker (and some sort of eraser…really you could just use tissue) and ONE calendar page.
That’s right folks…one page.
Game changer.
I’m sharing this now for you before I have it up for sale because it really has just been such a huge change for me that I have loved. My kids also love getting to use expo markers…so that’s a plus.
Sometimes, I feel like calendar can be overdone. I only have 60 minutes to get everything in that I want to get in during my math block. 20 of those minutes are always BUILD so by the time I do calendar, math journals, a lesson and practice…it can become crunch time quickly!
We do our calendar songs, I pull this up on the smartboard and we complete it together. I really like Heidi Songs calendar songs or you can use Jack Hartman or Harry Kindergarten. I have a calendar helper go around and ask the date, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We talk about the month (they trace it everyday but you don’t have to do that if you don’t want), days in school and weather.
Done and done.
We erase at the end and they have a fresh one ready to go for the following day.
I feel like we get what we need in calendar without being rushed. Out of any year this has been the most efficient ways I have ever spent calendar time. It’s important to me for kids to have a task during calendar time. The paper flipping re-stuffing pages each month just wasn’t working for me anymore. Once I have all of the pages done…you really could put the months you need in one folder and not have to worry about it again.
Like I said before, I want to share this before I have it on sale for the rest of the year and I would love your feedback! I plan on adding something small each month while keeping it simple and to the point. Click here or the pictures of the calendar to snag it for free and try it for yourself.
Another K teacher told me about these fantastic erasers that fit perfectly in toolboxes and they are extremely inexpensive. I used a sharpie and put their name on one and told them they get one for the entire year. If they lose it or ruin it, then they have to use a kleenex. You get 30 of them for $15 and the quality of them is definitely worth it. I will be purchasing these every year!
Hope this helps you as much as it has already been helping me! Be on the lookout for the rest of the year in this calendar unit. I’m hoping to be done soon!
Just a quick question. You say you only print one, so does just one child do it each day to show to the class?
Just one page for each folder, but each student has their own folder 🙂
LOVE IT! Please make them for the rest of the year! My team and I would love them!! We have been looking for new ideas for Calendar time and yours is PERFECT!!
Done and done 🙂 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calendar-Made-Easy-2104772
oh my goodness this is genius! can’t believe I haven’t thought of this!
Do they draw a picture of the weather in the box? I love this idea.
Yep!
I, too, am over the restocking of the calendar binder each month! As much as I love that it keeps all of my kinders engaged in calendar, it was just way too much prep. Thanks for the freebie! Looking forward to this unit when it’s finished!
-Andrea
Are you making these available for the entire year? Will they be editable? Looks fantastic!
Here they are! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calendar-Made-Easy-2104772
I have miss kindergarten’s calendar and it is also super cute but takes forever!!! I would love to know how you organize folders, markers, erasers, handing out and passing back in a short time. I also only have 60 minutes and it is jam packed. I’m going to try this out next week!! Thank you.
What a wonderful sensible reinforcing way to embrace Calendar Time1
Will you be posting additional months?
Just finished it 🙂 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calendar-Made-Easy-2104772
Just finished it and you can snag it on sale 🙂 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calendar-Made-Easy-2104772
Love this! We have been looking for an easier way to do calendar with our kiddos. These are perfect. Thanks for doing these. Can’t wait to have the rest of the year.