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!

Ideas For Indoor Play With Students

The below zero days in Minnesota means the kids are inside rather than outside most days!  Yikes you know what that means, rambunctious kids. Here are a couple of things I do to get the wiggles out.

1. Blow up some balloons and go in a large open area  and have the kiddos in small groups, keep the balloons in the air.  The each have to have turns tapping it in the air.  It doesn't take long for those little bodies to start sweating.

2. Often times our noon also means no outside time we play the Smart board game "Give the Dog a Bone".   The kiddos are also in teams, mine are the tables they sit at.   Four chairs are lined up at the side of the smart board, as soon as the timer begins the kiddo in the first chair goes up and located the number space, then it the next child and that continues until one minute is up.  I keep track of the total numbers found.   We play 5 rounds.  This may take a couple of days, but the kids sure love it.
Table 1=____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Table 2=____ _____ _____ _____ _____
Table 3=____ _____ _____ _____ _____

At the end of the 5 rounds the kiddos have their names put on an award in the hallway.

Neat Table or Neat Desk Award

Don't you hate when the classroom looks like a disaster because the kids have their desk a disaster!?!  It seems like the day goes by so fast that it is hard to keep track of each kid keeping their desk in order.  Here is the solution I have come up with and now have the cleanest desks in the school.  On top of that it is easier for the kids to find their stuff and we don't lose time in the mess!
Each month I have a desk or table check for neatness.  I put a small award on the table or desk to let the kids know the Neatness Fairy has come to check.

Example of Award that Goes on the Table

 Rules for the Neat table or desk award are:

 1.  There is no crayon or pencil marking on the surface.

 2.  Name tag or table mats are not torn or ripped

 3.  The inside of the desk clean

 4.  Chairs placed neatly

 5.  The area around the seating area is picked up.

Award  For Keeping Desk Together

The kids love this award because we eat lunch together in a special area and their picture is displayed in the hallway.

Example of picture that goes out in the hallway for the winning desk.

Every month set up a new seating arrangement so there is a new month to work with others to get this award.  The kiddos love the change and look forward to working and meeting new friends.

I just keep a quick tally during the month to decide the winner.

DIY Tent For The Classroom

Who doesn't love a tent?  Making tents is a pastime of all different kiddos.  So why not incorporate one into the classroom?  A tent can be versatile in the classroom.  I think of the tent as a nice little reading nook in the classroom or as a place that the kiddos can go just to calm down.  It is a great way to block out all the "excess" going on in the classroom for some kids that need that.  This tent found on Pink Oatmeal is an easy tutorial on how to make a simple tent for very little money!  If you have an old twin sheet laying around this will easily be under $8 to create this tent that would be a great addition to any classroom.

Pink Oatmeal has easy step by step directions on how to assemble this tent.  No nailing, screws, or hammers.  It is nice that the pieces just fit together.