Last week we focused on fire safety. Our local FD came out to share important safety information with us and we capitalized on that highly engaging topic!
Here’s three ways we used the topic of fire safety in writing this week!
First, we shared the pen with some whole group shared writing about a time we got burned. After reading a quick fire safety decodable on the projector, 20 hands shot in the air ready to share a time they were burned. The stories began and I realized instantly that we would not have time for all the sharing, but it certainly was a “hot” topic. {sorrynotsorry} {punny}
I asked them to help me write an example burn story and we were SO proud of our collaborative efforts. Mostly I was proud of myself for handing off my beloved Mr. Sketch markers… without tears.
Students also cut and arranged a mixed-up fire story. Then wrote sentences for each picture. I don’t have the origin of this activity, but it looks like it came out of a sequencing skills book. I prefolded the big red paper to help organize student’s thought and writing process. They were thrilled. I then let them sharpie their sentences. When the sharpies come out the room falls silent and the students get super intense. #winning
In the writing center, we used some of the pictures from engaging writing to write a creative story about fire safety OR to write out fire safety facts. {student choice}
I just LOVED these gorgeous owls that were up on Friday and HAVE to share them with you! Our art teacher is really creative! I love her ideas and my students LOVE going to art class each week.
Look what she did for owls! If she hadn’t already done it with the second graders at our school, I would be stealing it straight up. But hopefully you can run with the idea!!! *mental note- begin newspaper hoarding* Just the word BOO in big newspaper letters outlined with black would be ridiculously cute.
And…LOOK at this mosaic! It’s not nearly as stunning in photos as it is in real life! I am guessing each grade level was a designated color and they made a 3X3ish picture of themselves. hellogenius.
It’s beautiful!
….Looking ahead for next week. I don’t have the time anymore to make visual plans to share. I know, right? We have a system of inputting lesson plans that takes a very long time. #accountabilitykillscreativity do.not.get.me.started…
But I can snap a picture of how I get ready for the following week in my classroom!
First, at the front of the room, I keep the math journal and any other guided math practice ready to go. (top left) This is the best place for it because it is up where I teach from. I can reach right over and take it. My students even look at it and then tell me what we are going to be doing. #thankyounellyknowsalot
I keep a set of three drawers for my small group in the back of my room, but you and I both know I never actually put the materials in the drawer. I did one week and then forgot they existed. Now I just set it behind me on my materials table. Naming it “materials table” makes the piles acceptable. (bottom right picture)
The bottom left picture is my small group word work. This is different from what students do independently during word work. For that info you can click here.
This week in reading small group we are using:
Flipping for Phonics (Digraphs)
Roll and Write Phonological Games (Digraphs)
Magnetic Letters (h digraphs)
JD’s Rockin Readers Guided Reading Toolkit (Digraphs Activities)
For Math we are focusing on place value as well as continuing number relationships
This week in math workshop we are using:
Plenty of Pumpkins Math Centers with Journal Activities
October 10 Math Centers
Cara’s Place Value Packet of Fun
Free Dice Games not in a packet yet. (Coming Soon)
For more about guided math stations you can click HERE.
So can I ask what your school mascot is? Our elementary is bobcats, we feed into the middle school to become jaguars, and eventually go on to high school to become cougars. All this to say, I have a collection of shirts and other cute things that are paw-themed. Can’tgetenough!
I read a funny article last week about being able to spot teachers out in public due to our paw themed t shirts. #soguilty I have to share this pic from Friday. A student brought me red sparkly paw earrings (they matched her earrings and my red sparkly paw shirt that I also happened to be wearing)
So here’s my end of the week paw loving picture…

Love your post as always!! I SO wish we were in the same school 🙂 Your lesson planning system sounds like it might be what we are dealing with :)… Something that is "just a tweak on what your already doing" is adding and ABSURD amount of time to planning!
Thank you for all your resources!! You are amazing!
Chelsea
Kickin It Whole Brain In Texas
Girl! Can I tell you that I never even look at them once they are done? It's just not a primary teacher's thing. …sigh…. we roll with the outcomes of our interactions up in here! Love your feedback Chelsea!
Reagan I have been using all of your resources for my small group work and I love them!! Where are your dice from? with the 10 more/ 10 less… on them. I would love to use those as well!
the dice http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1604189274/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687762&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0085N0A0E&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1867ZX7K6FVG5328N6ZD
Halloween, all the good fall stuff to do, and let's throw in fire safety too! I found this fire safety guide at Scholastic Month by Month http://monthbymonth.scholastic.com/teach.html for some ideas that would merge well with what you have already done. Now just conferences, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to end the year.
So feel your lesson planning woes. When we were required to: include standards, included three types of evaluation for EVERY lesson, etc. my weekends became a thing of the past.
I just finished math. It took 2 hours. 🙁 And I have been teaching forever…. It's just getting nuts!!
Jeanne – that's just NUTS.
I'm coming up on my formal observation–I teach K–doing my lesson on Stellaluna–thank you so much for the bat post!!: )
You will rock it! Can't wait to hear how it goes!
It sounds like we all need some extra hours in the day –and the energy to go with it!! And that's just for the paperwork and meetings, let alone the "tweaking" what we already do!!
We are the wildcats! I may need paw print earrings 🙂 Thank you again for your weekly updates – they truly help me focus on what's ahead. I love to see the other "fun" things people are doing.. accountability is boring! #notpaidnearlyenough
Have a good week!
One more quick thing – I was just curious if you have a copy of your daily schedule anyplace. I am having a heck of a time fitting everything in I want to do. I love to look to see how others structure their time. Thanks in advance if you do…
I love your website and your posts are so insightful and full of useful information. I was wondering if you still carry your library labels in your TPT store?
Wow! You have so many ideas in one post! I have to say my favorite is the owls! I love the idea of using newsprint. I also think it is important for schools to bring in firefighters in all their gear. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos!
~Shelly
Promoting Success Blog