Thimble Game

Playing games are an important part of my school day.

It teaches the kiddos 

1. Rules

2. Taking turns

3. How to be a good loser and winner.
4. Decision making
5. Social Skills
6. Patience
7. Engaging

One of the games my kiddos love to play is the Thimble Game.   This is a game that causes squealing and great anticipation with all the kiddos in the class!         

Here is how to play the Thimble Game.

 Needed: 1 Thimble
 1 small cup or bowl of water, 1 pad of paper, and 1 pencil 

Directions:

• Choose one person to be "it", my special helper is usually the person I choose to start the game. 
• I have the rest of the kiddos in the class sit down in a circle. 
• I pick a category, such as animals, colors, clothing, fruit, farm animals, the categories are endless. I tell the group what category we are using. 
• The special helper picks a “MY FAVORITE” item from that category, I write it on the pad of paper, and turn it face down.  
• The special helper takes the thimble and fills it with water from the cup/bowl and goes to the first person of the group who must say an item from the category.
•  If the item is not the hidden word written on the pad "it" goes to the next person.
•  When someone finally says the hidden word "it" splashes that person with the thimble full of water and now that person is "it".
• I may choose another category during our play.

This game is always a favorite each year. What games do your kids like to play and why?

How to Garage Sale For The Classroom

In Minnesota we are soon coming into the summer season, which also means yard and garage sale season!  My sisters, mom and daughter are all garage sale queens.  Most of us have a purpose and an idea of what we want to shop for at the sales except my mom.  She buys for all of us and more!

School items are always at the top of my list.  As I go to a sale the first thing I check out is ...
    1.  Quality and well made toy sets(farm, gas stations,etc.)
    2.  Legos
    2.  Games with all pieces and in good condition. I turn them into math or literacy games
    3.  Boggle
    4. Scrabble game tiles  (I use them for math and literacy)
    5.  Books
    6.  Craft Items
    7. Magnetic Alphabet
    8. Anything Alphabet
    9. Craft items
    10. Office supply items
 

Today I was excited because I found two items that were great.  I found a clock that plays Christmas music on the hour.  It is a great tool for the classroom.  Every time it plays a song the kids look up and say the time!  I already have the bird song clock that tweets.  There is an inspirational sound clock that plays Amazing Grace, but I haven't found that.  I think my ideal clock would be a Cockoo clock, but I'm not so sure I'll find that.

The  other item I found was a set of hanging chimes.  I hang them from the ceiling and I have a baton that is used to tap them.  It is a signal in my classroom to begin our day.  One of the classroom jobs for the week is to ring the chimes.  I also use them to get a complete silence and look at me during reading and writing time.

Don't go past a yard sale and not stop, you'll never know what treasures you can find for your classroom.

Assessment Tool Using A Pocket Chart

I hate the thought of all the constant testing that is done in school.  One comment I got was," Don’t you want to know where you’re kiddos are at?” 

I  know where they are, and it doesn't  involve 30 or more minutes of testing each day.  That means I've lost 30 or more minutes of current events, reading a good book, or just good enriching language each day in my classroom!  I  don’t believe that's what we want to lose in our day. 

I’m not saying don’t assess, but I wanted to do it quick and effectively.  I use cards that I've made to do the assessment!  I laminate my cards and have them ready to go! 

There needs to be some type of assessment to guide my teaching in a direction of child learning and skills.

• I want it done right away in the morning.
• I want it done independently by the kiddos and quickly.
• I  want it to be non-pressured.
• It want to be a part of the scope and sequence of curriculum.
• I want it done quickly and efficiently.

I started a morning pocket chart question that could be done with the kiddos

in a blink of an eye.

I have the pocket chart cards as one of the morning jobs before class time begins.  It's part of my morning jobs.

I don't keep track of the assessment in a record book, but I will jot down something I need to remember or want to note as an area of concern for a kiddo.  

This is what I like about the pocket chart questions and the information I get from it. 

• Do the kiddos understand the concept?
• Are the kiddos responsible in answering the card?
• Can I evaluate in the blink of an eye?

Why not use a pocket chart to assess your kids? It's a great way to get information quickly!  Do you have any fast ways that work for you to assess your kiddos?

Re-model at The Teacher Bin

It's true The Teacher Bin has been on a LONG break from blogging.  We were working hard on getting lessons up for the past school year.  For those of you that shopped at The Teacher Bin this school year thank you very much!  We look forward to many more lessons!  Check back regularly at the blog to keep up-to-date on the latest tips, lessons, and recommendations!