My first grade teacher Mrs. Callahan used to call words that didn't sound the same way they are spelled "rule breakers"...I guess because rule breakers are words that don't really follow the rules we teach in phonics. Last year I noticed that my students were having difficulty spelling the words was and get, so I decided to reintroduce those words as rule breakers--and we stuck those words in jail!!! They loved it! I think the visual of seeing the word behind the little bars stuck with them like it did with me so LONG AGO! After that, every time they came across a word that wasn't spelled the way it sounded, they would say, "OOOOH! Rule breaker! Let's put it in jail!" So thanks for teaching me about rule breakers, Mrs. Callahan. Maybe my students will remember it forever too!
Hi Sarah - your ideas are so super cute! I saw your blog through another teacher's blog, Chalk Talk, by April. She was a speaker at a math conference I attended last week and I have been looking at both of your blogs ever since!
ReplyDeleteI get so excited to see what you are going to post next! I teach 2nd grade in Texas, and feel like I can use a lot of your ideas for my kiddos too. Keep the cute ideas coming! Do you have a cute way that you take lunch count?
Thank you very much Stephanie! I am so glad you found (and like)my blog! I love April's ideas too! As for the lunch count, we don't really do that at the school I'm currently at, but when I taught 4th, I had a lunch choice desk. I bought 3 colorful plastic bowls, and labeled them with a 1,2, or 3. The kids each had a colorful plastic spoon with their name on the handle, and they would place the spoon into the bowl of that day's choice. (I had a dry erase board right above the desk with the daily choices. (Example: 1-pizza 2-pbj 3-lunch from home) I hope that makes sense. I wish I had a picture--I'm a visual girl! It was really cute! Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I feel SO lucky to know you! hehe! You're famous now!! Plus, you're such an inspiring teacher!! I look forward to your post every day! I have two questions....#1--Where do you get all your SUPER CUTE fonts?? and....#2--Do you have a "First Grade management plan, that includes classroom rules and procedures?? If you do, could you email me a copy?? I'd LOVE to see it!
ReplyDeletelaurenmurdoch86@gmail.com
Have a GREAT week! :):)
--Lauren
Well thanks, Lauren! I feel lucky to know you too, girl! You made my day! Alright, I posted today about the fonts for you, and I will check the school for the behavior management plan--don't have it with me! I'm glad you are visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteYou are Awesome!
ReplyDeletePS--I have the same border in my classroom that you have now!
"Dots on Chocolate", I believe!
Love it! :):)
Sarah - love the idea of using spoons for lunch count! Also, is there any thing special you do for assigning spots on the carpet or to handle tattling issues? Sorry to keep bugging you, but you have THE CUTEST ideas!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you inspired me to create a blog for my classroom too. It looks a whole lot like yours, hopefully you'll consider it a compliment :).
oh one more thing - how do you have your kiddos choose their books? do you choose for them? or do they choose them daily or weekly?
ReplyDeleteThanks so so much!
I teach 3rd grade and last year I had my students make WANTED posters for the rule breaker words. They had to describe the word, turn it into a person in a drawing and tell why it was breaking a rule... they got really into it!
ReplyDeleteI just found your book through another friend and this it is TOO cute! Can't wait to keep following
http://watchthecrashingwaves.blogspot.com
LOVE the wanted poster idea! Thanks for sharing!!!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. Maybe you could have different jail houses for rule breakers that break the same rules.
ReplyDeleteI have a small section of a few phonics rule breakers on this lens I wrote at Squidoo. http://www.squidoo.com/help-a-struggling-reader
There are many more rule breakers and some fall into the similar categories. I think it helps to see groups of words to learn and remember rule breakers.