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FOLDERS,

PAPER CONTROL AND MORE

Deciding the logistics of your classroom space is one of the most important decisions you will make in setting up your classroom learning environment, routines, and day-to-day interactions. Whenever I survey my empty classroom it seems I always have limited workable space, big ideas, and a lot of "stuff." This page lists some suggestions that have worked for me. However, I often tweek my system of organization each year. There are a lot of variables to consider when planning your workable space and the procedures you will teach your students. I always have a backup plan because the kids in my class are so different each year. Consider their ages, school experiences, and level of independence. Most of these factors you will observe after they arrive. That is why I have a "Plan B" in my pocket. I hope some of the suggestions enable you to not, "fall to pieces" (song playing on this page).

Homework- include weekly homework assignment sheet stapled inside of your homework folder. I use pocket folders.. one side for parent homework (notices, forms, etc) and the other side for student homework. I laminate the folders and they last all year long. Each year I have students bring in pocket folders with specific colors. I make the folders for each year at the end of the year for the new kids.

Students also have a daily reading log. This reading log is interactive. Parents listen to their child read from their book bag, complete the reading log, ask questions, and I respond on the log each day. The children begin the reading logs and book bags after I complete the reading assessment (DRA) and PALS testing.

Work Folders - Each student is responsible for keeping his "office" neat, organized, and clean. A pocket folder works best. One side has a label for "complete work"; the other side for "incomplete work". Before recess, lunch etc. they put incomplete work inside the folder. Before leaving for home, all completed work is placed inside the "completed work" pocket and the folders are placed in a basket. I added labels/stickers to the completed work pocket that say, "I did my best!" Homework folders are placed in a homework tub each morning. I have one student in charge of the homework tub, both morning and afternoon, each week.

* Another way to make folders....Take a 18" x 11" piece of construction paper. Fold it one time hamburger style. Then, take another piece of construction paper the same size. You can use the same color or a different color of paper for the second one. Fold this one hot dog style. Open the first folder and lay it flat on a table. Then, leaving the second folder folded, slide this with the opening up and the fold down on to the bottom of the first folder. Fold again. Staple the folder edges on the outside. You have a four pocket folder. Thank you Rosie C. at Moncure Elementary for this idea.

Friday Folders - Pocket folders are used to carry home graded papers and projects. This folder goes home only on Friday and returns on Monday. There is one pocket dedicated to "parent homework." In this side I put progress reports, notes, special announcements, district news, and my classroom newsletter. I have used shoe storage boxes as well as the cubbie mailboxes for a student mail center. I label the child's name on each mailbox. They are responsible for picking up their mail as homework folders are passed out before dismissal.

Notebooks - Three ring binders - are used for poetry notebooks, journals, or writing centers. I also put the dividers in the notebooks designating themes for poems, work in progress, to edit, or best piece. The students take the notebook home at the end of the year. The past two years, I have not had the three-ring binders to use. I now use a folder with prongs (same color for all students). One is for their daily math investigations, one for daily geography, and one for poetry work that they take to a center. I find the folders with prongs work much better for my kids. However, some people want to do the M.O.O.S.E notebooks. For more information about this system of parent communication, work and paper control, there is much on the Internet. Other information may be found at:

http://www.teachingheart.net/moosebooks.html

My class uses this notebook idea but we call our organizational tool P.A.W.S. (Perfectly, Achieving, Well Organized Students). We are the "Pugsters" so our paws are really into this notebook. It has helped my students personally responsible. I suggest to teachers with a "young" first grade class to implement this notebook after January. I use a modified version prior to January that transitions the kids to use the P.A.W.S. folder efficiently by the time we return from our December holiday.

Baskets - I buy small baskets for students to keep their crayons, pencils, glue, scissors, or other "office" tools. These slide into the desks. Saves time in finding that pencil each day. If your classroom furniture involves tables, here are a few suggestions:

Purchase the large, cardboard boxes from Staples. The boxes look like open tubs. The price is reasonable and you will get a lot of peace of mind for your dollar plus change. Put ONE box under EACH table. Students can store supplies, backpacks, or whatever you want them to put under the table.

SUPPLIES: Put daily supplies in small, individual pencil boxes. I prefer this method to the community pencils and crayon concept for each table. Also, with colds, flu, and germs, sharing pencils and supplies that are handled each day is not a comfortable decision for me. Keep these supplies under the table in the large Staples box tub. Another method I have used is to use plastic shoe boxes with lids. One box is dedicated for each table. On the lid I put a number or color picture/word to match the table number or color. Inside of the box are scissors, crayons, glue, etc. Table captains gather supplies for their table as part of the morning routines. Caddies - If you prefer to use caddies, (plastic carry totes), these work well for materials at a table. The same process applies as to identification of the caddie for each group and the task of getting the caddy and returning it each day.

FOLDERS, NOTEBOOKS, ETC... for each table are kept in magazine holders. One person is the table captain each week. This student will bring all of the folders to the table each morning and return the box to the shelf before dismissal. Writing, math, and reading journals are kept in the magazine boxes. I make labels with names and subject for the cover of each folder. Each topic has a different color. It is easy to see who has the wrong folder when each topic has a specific color (geography, blue; math, green; etc);

Chair Pockets - These are pockets that hang over the student's chair. They can be made from a variety of fabrics. I have used scrap material, pillow cases, and burlap. If you do not sew, a glue gun does work as well as "Stitch Witchery" that is ironed on the seams. You will need to measure the chair and leave space for the seams. Sew a pocket on the WRONG side. Turn inside out. I make a seam at the top of the fabric and feed strong yarn or string through this part to tie the chair pocket onto the seat.

Work Baskets - Students can put completed work in a classroom work basket or tub. I prefer the dishtubs with labels. One if for their homework folder, completed work, Friday folders, etc. I start with two or three tubs in September and teach the routine and process of where paper, work, folders, etc live. Stray folders and papers are called "orphans" and need to find a tub home.

Cubbies or areas for "mail"- If you do not have cubbies for students to keep their papers, supplies, or personal belongings, the world will not end. There are other materials that can be used. Plastic hanging shoe storage - I bought several of these hanging shoe storage organizers at a discount store. Each one has clear plastic covering the space. These can be hung from a portable garment rack or hook in the room. Get colored labels. On each label, write the student's name. Stick the label on the clear plastic on the shoe pocket. Voila! You can see if they have picked up their papers or notes home to parents. Cardboard shoe storage boxes - These work well and can be labeled with the student's names. I usually have to buy two to three for my classroom depending on the number of students. They stack well and take up little space.

DESKS: At the beginning of the year, I only put desks together in groups of four the first day of school. After I observe and get to know the students, I make changes. First graders do NOT work well together at the beginning of the year when there are more than two kids. I prefer grouping desks for convenience of cooperative work activities. After a week, I usually know who would benefit from a change in scenery.

WORK WORK, DICTIONARIES, ETC: You can make your own word bank/dictionary. Here is what I have done for my classroom:

A spiral notebook - I purchase the spiral notebooks at Wal Mart (a teacher's home away from home) before school starts with the magic word, "SALE" flashing in my mind. Since I have not had enough dictionaries for all students to use, I have used the spiral notebooks for word banks. This year, thanks to a great idea from Rosie C. at Moncure Elementary School, I made each spiral notebook a dictionary. If you would like to do this for your students, it is not too complicated.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Open the spiral notebook to the first page. On the first line (not the big spaced line at the top) write "Aa". Then, take three sheets of paper together (this page and the next two). Cut from the bottom of the page up FOLLOWING THE RED LINE. Then, cut under the Aa following the blue line. Cut until the side cut meets the cut along the red line.

2.) While the Aa page is flat, write 'Bb" on the page that is visible. Turn the Aa page away from this. You should be looking at the Bb page.

3.) Cut as you did in step one on the Aa page. Now, write "Cc" the say way you did Bb.

4.) All of the letters have 3 pages except: e, i, j, k, o, q, u, v, x, y, z. These pages have two.

When you close the book, it will look like a notebook with the alphabetical dividers. The kids keep the words they need for writing in this notebook.

In years past, I have kept their word banks in boxes and in their draft writing composition books (Reading Recovery). I have also used the spiral notebooks and then used alphabet tabs running down the outside of each divided section. The tabs are reinforced with the clear, packing type tape. Using spiral notebooks has been successful in my classroom. The kids can work on writing words following a pattern, individualized spelling practice, and find needed words they are using in their writing. The procedure fosters independence and the reduction of kids thinking I am a dictionary with legs when they want to spell a word.

Daily Geography folder - I use the same color folder for each child. The daily geography I use is published by Evan Moor, first grade, published in 2004. Great resource and the overhead maps for each lesson are included in the book. Best money I have spent.

Daily Math Journal - In years past, I was using Investigations Math. The children had a daily math problem to solve based on the theme, concept, skills, and processes we were working on during the week. Our District is using Investigations Math. I create morning math problems or activities to support the lessons in Investigations. I use blank white computer paper for the folder. I punch three holes in the side of each page for the prong folder. Students keep the pages in order from the first day of school until the last. A great form of assessment and artifact for parent conferences.

Two Composition Books - One book is used for spelling, phonics and word work. The other book is their writing draft book. I use the Units of Study for writer's workshop and Reading Recovery methods in reading and writing. Each student writes every day. They have a plan (drawing) and writing. I conference with students as they revise. They also work on phonics and spelling at this time with me. Students have a file folder that is laminated. Outside are letters of the alphabet and sounds associated with each letter. Inside they have the alphabet, a number chart (0-100), left and right hands, a ruler, etc. I do not use the composition books at the beginning of the year. Just paper stapled together and writing folders. Spiral notebooks also work well for a journal type of writing book. The developmental stages of your learners will dictate the type of writing paper you will use. You can learn more about the Units of Study (Lucy Calkins) online.

OFFICE FOLDERS: Some students need the feeling of privacy, some need an area that enables them to focus, and sometimes you want to watch what they can do or understand their thinking when working alone. I have made several different versions of office folders that enable students to have this privacy.

* DESK OFFICES/DIVIDERS - There are many professionally made desk dividers that open to make a study corral for each desk. I certainly do not have the money for these so I make my own. You need three pieces of poster board. Each one is 14" x 11". Set the three pieces in front of you so that each side touches the other. Then, use packing tape along the seams of the two sides. These desk dividers will fold and open and last quiet a long time. I often tape notes for students who need reminding of special classes (speech, etc) to the inside of the note. It also helps students who need little in the way of distraction to accomplish goals. If you would like to see some other ideas for these office folders, visit http://www.jmeacham.com

File folder

Sound Folder

PAPER AND SUPPLY STORAGE:

Shelves: I have thousands, yes thousands, of children's books in baskets in my classroom. Each basket is labeled with either a reading level, author study set, topic, or theme. I now use the closet organizer shelves from Wal Mart (Target also carries these shelves). They are about ten dollars and can stack. You cannot use tall baskets inside of the shelves but the paper or medium sized baskets fit. I hang the titles, levels, etc, using a typed label on an index card tied with yarn on each basket.

Paper and supplies - Markers and colored pencils are stored in a caddy in the front of the room. I keep all of the colored pencil sets in plastic drink cups inside of the caddy. Markers are stored in a plastic shoe box with sets in boxes or at the end of the year, sets are held together by rubber bands. Paper of different sizes and styles are in paper baskets along the top of this shelf in paper trays. I used 6 of the closet organizers to make the shelves (2-each stacked) and keep these under the front board.

Daily Work Tubs - Plastic dishpans (Rubbermaid) (5) are labeled on this shelf. There is a tub for each day of the week. All work for the week is placed in each tub. I also have separate kitty litter pans (unused by my cat, of course) to hold other materials. One is for handwriting, one for overhead materials, one for special project materials for the week, one for word sort/word work, and one for my letters for the pocket chart I use in the front for word work activities. It is really easy for a sub to find things with this system.

Folder Tubs

Math activities - Are kept on the same type of shelves in the back of the room. I use shoe boxes (plastic) for math cubes and label each box. All math tubs are labeled and stored in this math shelf (time, money, measurement, number sense, fractions, geometry, skill drill, patterning). Children are able to get the math games and materials from the shelves after they learn the procedures.

Word Wall - I do word wall activities daily with my students. They also have their own spiral notebook with word wall words. In addition to the word wall, I keep a seasonal and content area word wall in the room. I do NOT mix the content or seasonal words with our "sight" word wall. In addition, I make a folder for each child from manila folders that contains some sight words and sound card.

To make this student folder

1. Use a manila file folder. On the front, I glue a sound card (Reading Recovery) that has each letter of the alphabet and a picture of something that makes the letter sound. This is glued to the cover.

2. When you open the folder and lay it flat on the table, you can glue a name card/plate at the top. I usually use the name plates that have the alphabet, the right and left hand, a chart of numbers 0-100, and a ruler. The kids open this folder for their "office" as they work.

3. On the back of the folder, I glue a typed list of common sight words.

4, Laminate the folders. Write the student's name on the front.

There is a web site that has a mini-office ready to print. You can download this office by clicking on the following link:

http://www.sewwhat4ucorp.com/teacherresources.html

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to Mini Office. Click on that link or right click to save as a file.

POCKET CHARTS - I am the pocket chart queen! I have pocket charts on PVC pipe chart stands as well as the "professionally" made stands. Additionally, I hang a pocket chart at the poem center with sentence strips as well as the poem sentence strips cut apart, word-by-word, for students to regroup and read the poem. I also have one for word families and a math center chart. Pocket charts cover one bulleting board at the Morning Meeting area (never have to decorate a this board). Morning poems, chants, and activities are place in these charts. I also have the white board with a chart and calendar math at the Morning Meeting area. We do daily math activities and review our math journals at that time. Pocket charts can be purchased at a teacher supply store or, of course, Wal Mart. They are about $10.00 cheaper at Wal Mart, A.K.A. Wally World at my house.

NAME TAGS - I laminate my name tags FIRST. Then, I write names on the tags. This way, if a child has a name change, does not show up, or if there are last minute changes to your class list, you can use nail polish remover (I heard hair spray also works) and wipe off the marker ink. If you want some free name tags, you can go to: http://www.ehhs.crmich.edu/~tbushey/newfree.html. I have examples of these on my web page, developing a classroom community. D.J. Inkers is another web site you may want to investigate for clip art books and clip art on CD. Many of their clip art books are on C.D. and can be used for notebooks, projects, writing, nametags, and more. Go to their web site at: http://www.djinkers.com.

ROOM PICTURES

2005-2006

Welcome Pugsters!

Book Baskets

Shelves were purchased at Wal Mart. Baskets have books labeled by topic, genre, reading level, or series.

Meeting Area

Morning meeting area, group meeting area for activities, book basket reading, etc Lunch Card

OPEN HOUSE PARENT INFORMATION

Parent information folder contents for Back to School Night - Open House

Each year I make a folder for each classroom family. I use a manila or color file folder and make labels (Information). Parents can review information about our classroom after they leave open house. Additionally, the folder is a great place for parents to keep all of the information and newsletters that I send home to them throughout the year. On the outside, I staple a table of contents.

ROOM AREAS

2005-06

Students in my classroom are very involved with geography. I have a daily geography activity (EVAN MOOR, DAILY GEOGRAPHY, GRADE 1) as well as center practice. Each week students have two projects to complete at this center. I keep all of the materials for each project in pocket folders. The folders are labeled and can be used each year. The folders are easy to store. Centers made on display boards are wonderful. For centers that are not used all year long, you fold up the center when it is completed and stack the display boards. When you want the center again, open up the display board and voila.. instant center. Under the geography center are labeled math tubs for the math activities.

Area used for math center, group writing, etc.

The poem center is a daily literacy center. I used a laundry soap box and covered it with contact paper. Inside of the box are poems for the week. The Keep a Poem in your Pocket (Fall) Teddy Bears poem is displayed in this pocket chart. Activities for each day are stored in pocket folders and baskets.

Listening Center

I keep the four headphones on a carry tote. The tape recorder is stored in a plastic stackable shelf from Wal Mart. Activities students work on after listening to the book on tape are in file folders in the basket below the listening center. Books and tapes are stored in individual Zip Lock bags in a plastic file drawer (yes, from Wal Mart).

Our Mascot

This is our classroom Mascot. She travels with students on weekends. Students will journal about their adventures with Maggie, the Pug.

I will be adding more pictures of my classroom at Triangle (2006-07) as the picture unfolds. Come back soon for a virtual tour of my new classroom, Room 20. If you have questions, just email me.

Happy Teaching!!!!!!!!!!

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