I promised my husband that I would post quickly and then shut my computer down for the night. I have been a slave to my computer today wanting to get my “Handwriting Hall of Fame” done! Once I start something, I drive myself crazy until it’s finished.
Can I get an amen?
We are doing weather this week! I am beside myself excited. I secretly thought I was going to be a meterologist. That is, until my college professor crushed that dream by giving me my one and only “C” in college. It won’t stop me from staying glued to the TV when a storm is coming or speculating about snow days. I am one with the weather…my college professor just didn’t get me. It’s fine.
I am just hoping I can squeeze it all in with a short week!
Here are the books we are reading this week.
I even have a momma making us some Thundercake to taste on Tuesday. YUMMMM!!!
Before I leave ya, here is what you can enter to win. It’s on sale in my TpT store until Tuesday but sheesh…why buy it when you can win it!? 
Here is how I am using it in my classroom.
As you all are well aware, we need some reinforcement this time of the year. The product itself has over 75 handwriting pages that you can use all year. The poster doesn’t go up until the middle of April. I can’t keep up with it all year long! I also don’t think that we need to be hounding kids about their handwriting while they are just learning how to be writers. You all know the kid that has been busting it since day 1 to make their handwriting look as best as they can.
They stand out.
This is a way to give them a little extra recognition. It is amazing what it does for that student and then how it impacts the other students. They ALL want to be on that wall at the end of the day. I only pick one person each day. This would be why I don’t do it until the end of the year because I can’t remember to do it every day. Maybe you want to start it at the beginning of the year and you have one person each week. Totally up to you…
It doesn’t always have to be the kiddo with the best handwriting that goes up there, but you will notice that students will start taking extra care. Be sure you let everyone up there at some point! That glitter poster from Target has gone a long way in the past couple of days!
Good luck 🙂
We do a lot of singing, but more than that, the biggest motivators are more partner activities where the kids can teach each other something that needs to be strengthened. They can choose a partner and discuss any activity we’ve used all year and ‘take it to the hall’ to have some privacy (supervised, of course, through our door window or by our para when she comes for our short time.)
Love that!
At the end of the year when the weather starts warming up, we get our kids motivated by taking them outdoors to burn off that energy they have stored up all winter. We have a different theme each week and if the weather is nice, we will do outside activities like have a bubble day or use sidewalk chalk in our parking lot. It really helps getting them outside more towards the end of the year
A little bit of fresh air goes a long way for sure 🙂 My classroom opens up to a courtyard and we do our “Blue Book” phonemic awareness activities out there if it’s nice in the morning. It really seems to wake them (and me) up!
End of the year is always hard to keep the kiddos attention so I try to save all my fun hands-on units for then like bugs, plants, pirates, space, and all those really exciting themes. I also tell them that we are learning 1st grade things so they’ll be ready and they can’t tell anyone that we are doing first grade work or we’ll get in trouble. That seems to help too 🙂
Julie
I love your handwriting hall of fame idea! It inspired me to make a “first grade material” poster to showcase student work in April and May. I feel like I’m herding cats right now, so I’m hoping that will help with their motivation!
I hope so too!
I keep my kiddos motivated by hanging balloons from the ceiling with slips of paper stuffed inside with a special event written on it for the last 10 weeks of school. On Thursdays, we choose and pop a balloon to find out what the special event is (read and feed with snacks from home, popsicles on the playground, bubble blowing, pajama day; whatever is fun, easy and CHEAP) anyone who has had a good week with behavior and turning in homework (reading log) gets to participate. The kids LOVE the balloons popping! They look forward to it all week and the festive balloons hanging all over the room is a constant reminder!
I LOVE it!!! What a fun idea!
This looks totally awesome! I love your little Weather unit too!
Thank you!
I try to have as many interactive activities as possible. My school also does some changing of students per grade level for interventions so that help the students as well to have an additional teacher.
It’s a definite challenge to keep them engaged. I’m trying this year to build in incentives for small celebrations (for ex: the class earns letters of the word POPCORN when they receive compliments for their hall walking–we have a popcorn party or providing little certificates for completing reading and/or sight word goals). I think by focusing and rewarding positives, they are more aware of what will get them what they want! haha! thanks!!
A little bit of bribbing never hurt anyone 🙂 Our compliment chain has almost hit the floor and they voted to bring in stuffed animals. They also love to take their shoes off in the classroom for the day!
Oops! I just commented and didn’t read the question. I try to do throw in some extra fun activities for them to earn. They love to meet the challenge!
It is a real challenge to keep their minds on school! I am trying to build in different incentives each week. I am also trying to break up our work time with a few fun projects.
Love it! It looks great
I just broke out brand new crayons and fancy pens – my kids are excited about using them again during writing and for illustrating. That’s one way to keep things fresh for the next 45 days!
Totally breaking out new crayons today…it’s rainy and bleh here today so I know we are going to need something exciting for this yucky Monday!
As a special education teacher working w/ small groups, I use stickers/sticker charts & prizes to motivate my students. dbednarsk@yahoo.com
Your stuff looks absolutely phenomenal !!!
This time of year we do a lot of smelly stickers for good team work. I also try to include more art projects that go along with our writing and science focuses. Gives them a break from sitting at their tables all day. 🙂
I allow the students to choose which brain break video they want to watch. Also, I use a lot of educational videos that teach/review concepts and incorporate movement for the students.
I always use movement activities to break up the day….I can’t wait to see what all the comments are that you hage gotten!
Isn’t it so helpful when people leave awesome ideas!? It’s such a great way for us to learn from each other even if we can’t do it face to face!