Paint Sample Words

I saw a similar idea on pinterest and adapted it a bit.  I would like to thank Wal-Mart for not getting made at me for taking about 50 of their paint sample squares. :)  I got a bunch and cut them in half, then punched holes on each side and used the links that one of the Kindergarten teachers just gave me.  I turned this center into a competition and gave a pencil to the student that had the most 4 letter words. It's a fun way to add some color and I didn't even have to get them laminated!

Organizing Binders

So I am a self admitted pack rat and somewhat of a hoarder.  So I keep every paper that I've ever copied during student teaching, subbing and now in my first year.  I have accumulated quite a nice stash of worksheets and activities from K-6!  I am constantly trying to get organized and I have finally decided that my system of tons of over stuffed file folders and hanging files in my too full filing cabinet and the 3 over filled crates was in desperate need of a change.  I was able to get some old binders from the IT company that I used to work at and got to work!  I am still not finished, but I've gotten a big chunk done!  I created some binder covers you can check them out here, they aren't very high quality but they sure are cute and they served my purpose!  My Reading Files binder has everything I need for reading separated by big categories like comprehension, centers and graphic organizers.  Then smaller tabs to break each down by sub category, like plot, main idea, theme, character etc.

Clothes Pins Spelling

I got this idea from my cooperating teacher during student teaching.  I wrote letters on the ends of clothes pins and tied a string to the end of a desk.  One side has capital letters, the other has lower case. 

Word Work Eggs

I got the idea of using plastic Easter eggs for word families searching the internet and adapted it a tiny bit and made it a competition.  I wrote words on the eggs, beginning sound on the long side of the egg, ending sounds on the smaller side of the egg.  I gave them a sheet that had 95 lines (I couldn't fit 100 on one paper), and told them whoever can come up with the most real words will get a special prize. They are so competitive that they stayed focused and determined through the whole center!!  I had one girl get over 110 words!  The competition worked so well I'm going to do at the word work center again next week! :)