Class scavenger hunt {freebie}

We are going into week 2 of our new school year and I am looking forward to getting my new class. Besides setting rules and expectations, I am hoping to foster a positive classroom vibe to really make our year successful! This one of the activities I am planning this week.


Students go around and find people who fit each category. I usually make a rule that you can only have each persons name ONCE! This encourages more conversations and mingling among the kids. Click the pic below to download the file. There is two versions included - the one pictured and another, more generic version.

I hope you can use it and your students enjoy getting to know each other :)

Five for Friday!

Wow, what a week! It is Back to School for 2015 and it has been such a looooong week! I didnt take a whole lot of teaching pics this week as I have not had my new class yet. We have been in holding classes, but should be ready to get to it on Monday.

1. Monday was Australia Day. We are in the middle of summer but Monday was cold and wet! I spent the day packing and trying to look after my poor back which I may have hurt playing pool volleyball with the kids on Friday in the pool.

2. Tuesday was a day I would rather forget. It started with a bad night sleep and a very leaky roof. I then went to put things in my car to go to work and discovered I had left the front passenger door wide open all night - and it had been raining all night! So the car was full of water and mozzies. THEN I had to battle horrendous traffic to drop the kids off. THEN I got lost on my way to our staff development at another school. THEN I was late. Oh.My.Word. 

3. Wednesday was the kids first day back. I looked after the Year 6 kids while in holding classes. Going from Kindergarten to Year 6 is certainly a huge difference - the noise, the discussions, the level of independence, the SIZE. They take up so much space! I was thankful for my classroom with learning spaces, which I think actually gave me more room for them. Once my room is looking more engaging I will be doing a post on it.

4. Thursday - another day in holding classes. I did manage to make some cute stickers for my Erin Condren Life Planner and Teacher Planner.

5. Friday! Nuff said :)

Five for Friday! Jan 23rd

I am linking up in my last week of holidays before our new school year begins next week! Teachers return on Tuesday and kids on Wednesday. Depending on numbers within the school, we will hopefully have classes formed by Friday and get to start off the new week with our new kids.

Its nearly back to school! Aldi had their stickers and stamps again so I grabbed about 10 packs to get me started. I also bought the NAPLAN books to give me an idea of the questions my Year 5s are going to have to understand (and chocolate - just because!) 

I was given a pie maker for Christmas so last weekend I made my first batch! These are pizza pies! Basically in a microwave bowl I put ham, cabonossi, cherry tomatoes, diced beef, beef stock, gravy powder. I blitzed it in the microwave til the beef was cooked, then added cheese to the top. They were quite delicious!

 

 I spent another day in my classroom this week and got my library set up, as well as my reading/chill corner. Those metal bag holders will have to go but I needed a power screwdriver to remove them. Hopefully soon!

I added a new freebie this week - only available through the blog. Go check it out HERE

This is my current labour of love at the moment. Moving to Stage 3 this year, and using a new syllabus for Maths means doing something new and different. I am currently working on Interactive Maths Journals which will align to the NSW syllabus and current Australian curriculum. Stay tuned!

And dont forget the giveaway that my friends and I are having! Click HERE to enter the rafflecopters

BTS ELA and Math Bundle Giveaways.....and a TPT voucher to be won!

We are in our final week of holidays here in Australia! Its been so nice to swim, and relax.

Instead of suffering the BTS blues, some of my friends and I have decided to cheer you up with a giveaway!

My friends and I have teamed up to give you a chance to win 2 fabulous prizes!

All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

and I am giving away a TPT voucher as well! For a chance to win this prize, enter this Rafflecopter too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Roll and Multiply

I would like to share a great warm up game for maths time for students who know their times tables. It is great for promoting quick thinking and fast recall of these facts.

You need a multi-sided dice. This will be the number you multiply by. Choose a 6, 10, 12 (or 20 if you want to be able to go up to 12 x but dont have the right dice). Laminate or slide into a protective sleeve to use again.

Roll the dice once (or have the teacher pick) what is the number to multiply by each time. Here I have gone with 5.

Roll the dice. Each time, multiply your initial number written in the corner by the number rolled. In the pic, I would be doing the equation 5 x 3 (3 being the number rolled).

Continue until there is a winning number.

Grab your copy by clicking the image above. There is a few different versions (with different graphics) for you to enjoy.

Bright Idea - Formative Assessment!!! January 2015

I am so happy to be back linking up with this fabulous idea.

My bright idea is to give you my top 5 EASY ways to implement formative assessment in your classroom.

 As teachers, we are all usually very good at summative assessment - that is, assessment of learning, where we check to see if our students are reaching certain goal and standards as set by the curriculum.

But we need to become better at formative assessment - that is assessment FOR learning, where we are more able to support students through the learning process and make adjustments for each individual.

Thanks Classroom Chit Chat for the stick photo.

Graphics - Educlips, Krista Wallden

Fonts - Kimberley Geswein

If you enjoyed this Bright Idea, why not follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or TeachersPayTeachers for more?

And for more Bright Ideas from over 100 bloggers, take a look at the link up below! Each idea has a recommended grade level for you :)

An InLinkz Link-up

Back to School Buys!

Hope everyone is enjoying their time off, or if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, getting back into your routine and aren't too cold!

It is that time of year when Aussie and Kiwi teachers get ready for a new school year. What better way to do that then by buying cute stuff!

Let me show you a few of the things I have grabbed so far. Keep in mind, I still want to go to IKEA :)

1. My new teaching planner and life planner (plus cute pens because show me a teacher who DOESNT like cute pens).

2. Erasable pens and highlighters - an impulse buy from Costco last week. I think they were about $18

3. Hard plastic mini folders from Woolworths - $3 each. These were all the colours that were available. I might have to add some more when I go to do my weekly shop.

4. The cute notepad and clipboard is from Kmart $2 and the fun stamp was from Woolworths too $2

5. The funky lounge style beanbag covers are from Kmart - on special for $20. I may have bought some for school and home (just wish beans werent so expensive!)

6. Whiteboard markers from Costco $14 (I think). Something I seem to use a lot of during the year.

Have you bought any fun BTS items? Leave me a comment letting me know.

Five for Friday :)

 Happy weekend! It is sooooooo nice here at the moment. Our days are filled with lazy mornings and swimming in our pool. I *heart* summer!!!
Time to link up with....

1. Merry Christmas! I hope you had a lovely time with your families and maybe scored a nice pressie or 2 ;)

2. One of my presents for the kids was Kinetic Sand, If you have never played with it, go and give it a try! It is pretty cool - doesnt leave mess, easy to clean and you can mould it like playdoh. But it doesnt stay for long and it is fun to watch it 'melt'.

 3. We spent our day yesterday at a display home village looking for things we like the look of. I liked this colour brick, what do you think?

 4. Putt-putt was on the agenda the other day. It was pretty fun :)

5. After we saw Night at the Museum the other day, we went and grabbed a frozen yogurt with some delicious lollies. I had chocolate cupcake batter and salted caramel with gummy bears and cookie dough.....yum!!!

Happy Holidays :)