LisaTeachR's Classroom: LisaTeachR's Classroom: Upper Elementary Back to School Blog Hop!

Saturday

LisaTeachR's Classroom: Upper Elementary Back to School Blog Hop!

We have 12 great teachers with some amazing tips to get you ready for back to school! AND...there is a raffle! You can win $50 or $25 or $10 for TeachersPayTeachers! Woo hoo! Make sure to enter the raffle and hop along the blogs!

My Back to School tips

The teacher sets the tone- You know that old adage about not smiling until Christmas? Well, don't do it. You want your students to feel welcome and at ease. Create a positive classroom environment from day 1.
Environment- how do you get your classroom ready? I choose a theme to decorate my room. I prefer to choose a literature theme (Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Dr. Seuss) to promote reading. Also think about desk set-up. Do you want the kids seated in rows facing you or do you prefer clusters of tables to promote group work?
Rules and routines- Spend the time that first week teaching rules and routines. It will make your life much easier for the rest of the school year. Be clear and consistent.
Get yourself some Sharpie oil-based paint markers. You can write on the desks with them and the writing stays! I love to write the kids names on the corners of the desks. Then they easily erase with an Expo marker. Then just wipe off. I love them!

Freebie

Common Core mathematics is about creating problem solvers. For that, you need good math instruction. This is a cute chart I made for the eight mathematical practices. I copy two onto a sheet and have students paste it into their problem solving journal. I used kid friendly language.
The zip drive has the same chart in three formats: PDF, PNG and editable Powerpoint. Best of all it's free!!!!

Classroom Decor Sets

Are you trying to determine your theme for this school year? Look no further! I have four sets to choose from: Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins and Peter Pan. AND...they only cost $4 or $5 depending on how big the file was. Get your room ready today!
The sets include:

Lesson Plan book cover
Name plates
Name tags
Alphabet bunting
Numbers 1-10
Months of the year
Days of the week (large and small)
AND Pencil top pennants for birthdays and rewards

I also included blanks- just the frame and art of each style for your use. Enjoy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you enjoyed my post. Please visit the other amazing teachers to read their tips, see their freebies and great products. Now go visit Kelly! She is at An Apple for the Teacher!