First Week Complete & Class Reveal Continues

I have so much to update ya'll on and I have plenty of time to do so since there is NO SCHOOL tomorrow, Tropical Storm/Hurricane Isaac has caused my district to close school. No worries though, we shouldn't be getting hit by anything too crazy just lots of rain and wind!

I'm a little bummed and excited all at the same time. Monday would be our 5 day count and I really want to make sure my unit is safe! You see.. second grade numbers are a little low. I only have 13 kiddos in my class which I am totally loving but the district probably is not. However 1st grade numbers are sky high having 24 in some classes (Florida only allows 18 in primary classes) so some readjusting might be done and I'm hoping I stay right where I'm at with my fabulous class! But if I were to be moved to 1st grade my room would stay the same I'd just get new kids. It wouldn't be the end of the world but I really hope I get to stay with my class and my team! *Crossing my fingers*

Yes, my class of 13. I am the ESE class so I have all the students with IEPs. They're great though. It took me a while to fall in love with my students last year. Maybe it was because sometimes they showed some not so desired behaviors. Maybe I had no idea what to expect since it was my first year. But this year is different because I LOVE my class.

I have some super, super smarties and some students who will need a lot of extra help. However, they are all so caring, energetic, mature, and motivated to learn!

I'm starting teaching the Daily 5 this upcoming week but the first week I taught lessons on just fit books, genres, and why we love books/reading. Each day I gave my kids time to explore books at their tables and they were silent, engaged, and showing all the Daily 5 desired behaviors for like 15 minutes straight! I'm thinking implementing the Daily 5 should be pretty easy and the students will catch on quick. The best part is I think they will LOVE it since I have so many who love to read. Their eyes literally get big and bright when I give them time to read.

Ahhh! Yes, so they already love to read!!! That means they CAN read people! This is HUGE! I'm used to 1st grade and my last class of teaching them all how to read. I'm so excited they already know how! When I write stuff on the board, they know what it says. I'm over the moon.

I can't say enough positive things about my class but I'll spare you the rambling and show you more of my classroom :)

As you walk in my room, right next to the door is a table.

We have our class jobs clip chart, student mail boxes (file folders that are numbered), hall passes, and that green tub has moved next to the mail boxes to turn in work. The green tub also has a red and blue tub join it (now that theres room) so work will be turned in to different colored tubs depending on subject. The books you see there now are all in my student's desks.

Also next to our class jobs is now our bucket fillers and bucket dippers anchor chart. Wish I took more pictures before I left Friday! Shucks.

Heres a closer look at my class jobs:

You can purchase my class jobs here.

I explained all our jobs to my students and then they applied to which ones they wanted. As in they wrote a letter to me telling me why they would be good at that job just like an application. They took this assignment VERY seriously. Then I had them write two other jobs that could be back ups if they didn't get their first choice. I'm hiring students this weekend as I'm reviewing their applications :)

I'm planning on changing jobs every quarter. I can't handle changing them every week, I can't keep up who is doing what! I want my students to get good at their jobs so our class procedures run smoothly.

The table by the door has two clear tubs underneath of it. One for girls backpacks and one for boys. Makes it easy to pass them out at the end of the day. I tell my students once the backpacks go under the table in the morning, there is NO going back to them! If they forgot their homework.. sorry. Forgot their agenda.. might have to move your clip down. Your cold and want your jacket? Sorry again. I know I'm mean. BUT my students have already learned theres no going back so they take out everything they want in the morning... snacks for lunch, jackets, erasers, and agendas. It only takes telling a few of them no for them to really remember.

And do you see that nice dark blue table skirt. I used the fabric last year on my bulletin boards but had no need for it this year until I realized how good it would look as a table skirt. Do you want to know my secret? You just can't tell my principal.. she will not be pleased.

I hot glued the fabric to underneath the table. GASP! I know. I shouldn't have done it but I was excited and just went for it. No one will look at the top of a table will they? Will hot glue residue matter if it is UNDER it? And hot glue residue does come off somewhat easily. Stay updated and I'll let you know how it comes off.. in June.

Next to that table is a little hole then another table. Inside the odd hole I put a chair thing and bean bag students can use during the Daily 5. You'll notice they are FAR away from my carpet because I don't want them to become an issue during our morning meeting. I can only imagine the fights that will break out for who gets to sit on them and I'm not going to rotate people.. that is a little much for me.

Under nether that table is...

Science supplies and materials! This table is our science table. We always have to have a long term investigation going and I plan to do experiments regularly so this table will house all those materials and our trifold board for the long term experiment. I am really excited to focus on science instruction this year and really make it fun.. having a place dedicated to it is all set up :)

Above the tables is my big window; thats why you don't see any pictures of a wall. I love getting so much sunlight in my room. It makes the classroom so bright and cherry.

My banner is hung and our number line is above the window and goes around the room a little bit. You can kind of see the display on my window. Our school theme is 'Drive' so my window says 'Driven to New Depths' with student's names in the little fish. The adorable fish and crab my mom cut out and made for me last year.

When the blinds are closed it looks a little more boring but no trifold board or science experiments yet!

See more of my classroom reveal here and here. And if you want to purchase  my classroom jobs click here. It is my first item I posted on TPT that actually costs money!!

What would you do if you had a hurricane day and no school tomorrow? I'm thinking my day will be filled with planning and get a good head start on the weeks to come (but scared I won't be in 2nd much longer :O <--- scared face)!!!