classroom library
Our classroom library is the favorite place for most students in my classroom. We meet here for morning meeting and spend a lot of work time on the floor in the library as well.
Fiction books in my classroom library are organized in three different ways indicated by the color of label on the book bin. The first way is by series, which have a green label. Kids in 3rd and 4th grade love series books and series books are great for kids who are beginning to read longer books since the characters are familiar from book to book as well as the author's style and plot structure. The second way fiction books are organized in my classroom are by author which have a yellow label. The third way fiction books are organized in my classroom are by genre and those books have a blue label. Kids who are hooked on one particular genre can explore new authors or series by finding a book sorted by genre. Nonfiction books, all with purple labels are sorted by their topic. There are a few series of nonfiction books that are popular as well that have their own bins. Reading Workshop routines
In my classroom we have reading and writing workshop. A big benefit to the workshop model is the opportunity for students to be reading books that they choose that are at their just right level. Students have an individualized book shopping list that they keep with them in their book box (see below) to help them on their shopping day which is at least once a week.
My students have the choice of where to sit while reading during independent reading time. I have a variety of mats they can move around the room as well as some bean bags and dish chairs. Students take turns using these 'book nooks' (see above) according to a schedule that a student switches each day as part of their classroom job. I try to make reading at school as authentic as possible to promote good reading habits. I like to be comfortable when I read and I provide an opportunity for my students to be cozy as well as they read.
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Bitey
Bitey is our classroom pet. He is a 10 year old corn snake and he loves being at school with the kids. Most of the time Bitey just lays in his log or under his water dish, but sometimes he's exciting. Bitey likes to tangle himself in his trees or curl up on top of his tree right under his heat lamp.
My students see what it means to be cold-blooded when Bitey moves closer to and farther away from his heat source. They learn about the stages snakes go through when they molt their skin. My students watch Bitey eat (frozen) mice. They see how snakes will strike, constrict and then eat their prey in one piece by unhinging their jaw. Routines
Classroom jobs (see below) are a big part of our classroom routines. There are enough jobs for each student to have one, as well as having somebody on 'vacation.' Students have jobs for 2 weeks before choosing a new job. The jobs are extremely important for keeping our room running smoothly. This is especially important when there is a substitute teacher in the classroom. The students know who is in charge of doing what around the room and I just need to let the substitute teacher know where the job list is so that they know who has what job.
The classroom has an incentive chart (see above) displayed in the classroom. There are individual incentives as well as class incentives. When a student is 'caught being good' they pull a number from the hat. The number they pull goes in another hat for a reward drawing each Friday. If their number is pulled they get a prize from the prize bucket. They also get to color in that number on the hundreds chart as well. When the class gets 10 numbers in a row they earn a class reward.
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