Classroom

5 Activities to Build Community in the Classroom

August 27, 2021 by Jodi Leave a Comment

It’s back to school season, teachers! You know what that means… Lots of introductions, icebreakers, and getting to know your new students on a personal and academic level. It also means that students will begin to build their classroom community, setting the tone for the rest of the school year! I am a firm believer in fostering a positive and strong community in my class. Younger students need that sense of community to build their sense of responsibility, accountability, and compassion for their fellow classmates. It’s the secret formula to ensuring your year goes smoothly and benefits every student!

Why are activities to build community in the classroom important?

A classroom community is more important to an educational environment than you might think! When a class shares strong feelings of community, they are more likely to hold other students accountable and take ownership of their own behavior. Day-to-day activities will go more smoothly when students work together and understand the value of their interpersonal relationships. They will be more likely to follow rules and work together to get tasks done. Finally, a good classroom community helps students act with kindness, compassion, fairness, and respect towards each other.

1. Start the morning with a song

Using songs in the classroom is a way to build classroom community while learning. Younger students respond really well to songs, and I’ve found that to be true with my first graders. Singing is great for bringing students together and helping them focus on whatever task is at hand. I love using my Songs for Your Classroom with my first graders, but they also work well for kindergartners and second graders.

2. Hold morning meetings

Morning meetings are a fantastic way to hold engaging discussions each morning and help your students focus on the day ahead. I use these Digital Morning Meetings for 1st Grade with my kids. The meetings let students sing a morning song together, answer a question of the day, get moving, and even answer a math problem! Students always get excited to start their day with this fun activity. Plus, the meetings are perfect for both in-person and distance learning.

3. Ask discussion questions

When students get to know each other on a deeper level, it helps foster a sense of understanding, compassion, and form lasting friendships. They also encourage critical thinking skills and help each student develop a sense of self. For this reason, I love including discussion questions in my classroom routine or in my morning meetings. To make it easier for you, I have two sets of discussion questions that are perfect for elementary students. Here is Set One and here is Set Two! I also wanted to include these Morning Meeting Roll and Talk Discussion Questions and Digital Discussion Questions designed for K-2nd grade students.

4. Let students design their perfect classroom

Here’s a fun one: this Design Your Perfect Classroom Activity is an amazing way to let your students envision their perfect classroom and build community while doing so. This project allows your students to think critically about what would be the best learning environment for them and their classmates. Students will work together through 10 steps to complete a model of their perfect classroom. The steps of this project include individual and group brainstorming, research, planning, revising, and creation. Students can reflect on their final products, too! A project based activity like this is a fantastic way to introduce group work to your students and encourage a collaborative environment.

5. Incorporate community building into your first day of school

A positive classroom community starts on the very first day! When planning your first day activities, I recommend including activities that help students get to know each other. For example, my Digital Back to School Activity lets students share their “Silly School Name” with each other. Trust me, this game is sure to bring about a lot of laughs!

Conclusion

Encourage students to build a positive community and take ownership with these 5 activities to build community in the classroom. From silly songs to collaborative projects, these resources will help you construct a compassionate and productive community that will last all year long!

My Favorite Items for Phonemic Awareness

August 2, 2021 by Jodi 1 Comment

Phonemic awareness plays a HUGE role in reading success. Children that struggle with phonemic awareness have more difficulty with reading and writing. In the younger grades, we have to make it a point to provide plenty of phonemic awareness instruction to our students. I love using a variety of fun manipulatives while working on these skills.

The links below are affiliate links. Should you make a purchase using any of the links, I do earn a small commission, which helps to support Fun in First.

Here are a couple of my favorite manipulatives and how I use them with my Phonemic Awareness activities.

Slinkies

Slinky spring toys are great for giving students a visual to “stretching” through their words. My students start by holding their Slinky together. I give them a word and they stretch it out as they say each sound. Then, they repeat the word and push the Slinky back together.

Pop-Its

These are easy to find EVERYWHERE right now. Since my students are obsessed with these, I might as well use them for instruction. Say a word and have the students push down a bubble for each sound that they hear. You can also use these for counting syllables or words in sentences.

Magnetic Wands and Magnetic Chips

These are always one of my first go-to items when working on phonemic awareness skills. I give each student a magnetic wand and 3-5 magnetic chips. I say a word and the students pick up a chip as they say each sound in the word.

Unifix Cubes

Unifix cubes are a great tool to demonstrate building words with sounds. Just like with the other items, cubes are a great manipulative for phonemic awareness. Students can add a cube for each sound they hear in a word. You could also use different colors for beginning, middle, and ending sounds.

Play-Doh

Have students make 3-4 small balls of Play-Doh. Say a word and have students smash a ball as they say each sound in the word. They LOVE this!

Mini-Erasers

Mini-erasers, or any other type of fun objects, make a great manipulative for students to use during phonemic awareness. I use these with Sound Boxes (free download below). Say a word and the students move an eraser into a box for each sound they hear in the word. I love that you can keep this fresh by using seasonal erasers.

Download Sound Boxes and a Word List for FREE by clicking on the picture below.

♥Need more Phonemic Awareness activities? Check out Phonemic Awareness at Your Fingertips.

Morning Tubs – All Your Questions Answered

July 30, 2021 by Jodi Leave a Comment

Morning Tubs are my go-to every single morning with my 1st graders. They come in, put their things away, complete a quick morning work sheet on their desks, and then move onto their tubs. Every time I post about Morning Tubs on my Instagram or Facebook page, I get tons of questions, so I thought that I would put together an “All Your Questions Answered” post about Morning Tubs for you.

What do you put in the morning tubs?

I have collected many items to use in my morning tubs over the past couple of years. I started off by using things that I had (math manipulatives, popsicle sticks, Legos, Play-doh, mini-erasers, etc.) and have expanded over time. I purchase most of my items off of Amazon, but I have also received items through Donors Choose projects as well. You can see many of my Morning Tub items in my Amazon store front.

Do students choose at random or are they assigned a tub?

I have six different morning tubs. I have a chart on my board to rotate the students through the tubs. There are 3-4 students per tub. I keep students at a tub for 3 days before switching. This allows me to only have to change out the tubs every 18 school days. It also gives the students more opportunities to be creative. I love seeing what they come up with each day.

How long is your school day and how do you make time for them?

Our students can begin coming into our classrooms at 8:00, but our first bell doesn’t ring until 8:15. Morning announcements and the pledge take place around 8:20, so we do Morning Tubs until about 8:30. At that point, we clean up and go over our morning work page. This gives my students about 15-20 minutes max to do Morning Tubs, but most of them have about 5-10 minutes of play by the time they come in, eat breakfast and get settled. Our school day ends at 2:45. If these tubs work better for you as a transition after lunch or to end the day, that would also be a great time to do it.

How do you introduce the tubs, and when do they start them in the year?

I actually introduce the tubs on the first day of school. I explain how they will work and where to find their name and tub number on our chart. Then, I go over what is in each of the 6 tubs. I show the students how to get the tub for their group and where they should take it in the classroom. After I have explained all of the expectations and procedures, I have them practice. Then, they get to “play” for about 10 minutes before we clean up. I review this again on the second day of school just as a refresher.

What are the expectations and procedures?

The expectations and procedures definitely need to be set in place right away. When I first introduce Morning Tubs, I show them every little detail. How to pick up the tubs and where to place them in the room. How we sit and play using inside voices. We do not throw any items. We share with others and work together. How to clean up and put them away when it is time. After I explain and show them, I have the students practice. If we have to practice 10 times before we get it, that is fine with me. Every once in awhile throughout the year, you may need to go back and review expectations and procedures. If someone cannot handle the expectations of morning tubs, I have them return to their seat and sit out of tubs for the day. This usually solves any issues.

Do your kids have to complete something prior to going to their morning tub or do they go straight to it?

I personally have my students complete a Morning Work page prior to going to their tubs. The sheets that I use only take about 5 minutes to complete. I do keep an eye on their work to make sure that they aren’t being sloppy and rushing through just to get to their tubs.

How many students per tub?

I have 3-4 students per tub.

Where do they sit?

I have them assigned to spots around the classroom. For example, Tub #1 is on the carpet by the calendar. Tub #2 is over by the sink, etc.

Do you have a guide at each tub?

I don’t. This is something that you definitely could do, but I am a big proponent of “free play.” I personally LOVE to see what my students come up with, and I have found that they are MUCH more creative without strict guidelines to follow. For example, the first time that I ever put popsicle sticks in a tub, I showed them some examples of things that they could do, but what they came up with on their own was so much more creative. This is really a time for them to explore and use their imaginations.

How and when do you rotate?

Like I said above, I keep my students at a tub for 3 days. This gives everyone an opportunity to use the items even if they have a day when they are running later than normal. This also frees me up a bit because I only have to switch out all of the tubs every 18 school days. To rotate the tubs, I just move the numbers down on my chart and I’m all set.

Do they eat breakfast while doing tubs?

This is a personal preference, but I do not allow them to eat while doing tubs in my classroom. They can work on their morning work page while they eat, but they have to finish at their desks. I don’t want food spread out all over my classroom.

How do you respond to potential backlash of “it’s an extra recess or free play time?”

I really think that setting those expectations right away and sticking to them is extremely important. If students are taking advantage of this time and not following the procedures, have them return to their seats and not participate in Morning Tubs for that day.

How did you accommodate for social distancing? How can you utilize these when students can’t share supplies due to Covid?

This was a huge challenge last summer when I was trying to figure out how to make this still work in my classroom. Since we could not share supplies, I created individual Morning Tubs for my students. These were stored up on my shelf and the students came and grabbed their tub after they finished their morning work. After 3 days, I sprayed all of the materials. Then, I rotated their names on our chart and they used the next tub on the following day. I also had students use hand sanitizer prior to grabbing their tubs and after they were finished. This really worked well last year. I am hopeful that we will be able to go back to sharing supplies though. Even though individual tubs worked, I missed the interaction and the sharing of ideas that comes along with small group play.

Can you include a list of tubs and the links?

You can find many of the items that I have purchased over in my Amazon Storefront. Remember to keep in mind that you can use things you may already have in your classroom. Math manipulatives like pattern blocks, Base-10 blocks, dominoes, snap cubes, geoboards etc. are great items to include. Also, simple things like popsicle sticks, mini-erasers, index or playing cards, magnetic letters, strips of scrap paper, small paper cups, etc. make great tub items.

How do you buy these items?

My biggest recommendation is to start out by using things that you already have and start collecting other things slowly over time. Look at yard sales or Dollar Tree for some affordable items. I have also used Donors Chose to get some of my materials.

Want to read more about Morning Tubs? Check out these blog posts.

Morning Tubs – Round 1

Morning Tubs – Round 2

Morning Tubs – Round 3

Morning Tubs – Round 4

Morning Tubs – Round 5

Morning Tubs – Round 6

Digital Morning Meeting

July 25, 2021 by Jodi 1 Comment

The 2020-2021 school year definitely brought the importance of technology and digital learning into the forefront. Teachers and students had to adjust quickly and as seamlessly at possible. Digital Morning Meeting was the perfect way to make this adjustment in my classroom and will continue to be something that will work well during a “normal” school year.

What is a digital morning meeting?

The focus of a morning meeting is to help build classroom community and provide a safe environment for students to feel heard and supported. Digital morning meetings serve the same purpose, except with the use of technology. These can be projected on a screen for your students as they sit on the carpet together or in their own seats. I go through each of the daily sections as we discuss the items together. (Welcome song, discussion questions, phonics, math, word of the day, physical activity, etc.) The entire meeting takes about 15-20 minutes, but can definitely be adjusted for days when we are short on time.

What is included in the Digital Morning Meeting?

This Digital Morning Meeting is the perfect way to start the day whether you are in the classroom or still teaching virtually. This includes 11 months of daily morning meetings. Each monthly download includes 4 weeks of daily Morning Meeting activities.

What are teachers saying about Digital Morning Meetings?

“I LOVE this resource! I have used this both with my distance learning students and my in person students and it is extremely engaging and low stress. My kids love the songs and I love all of the different components. I am never able to get to all of the components but I love having all of the options. It keeps it fresh and exciting for my students.” -Deandra

“This resource is INCREDIBLE! I have used it in-person with my class since September. We went remote right before Thanksgiving and the transition for Morning Meeting was seamless. The kids are super engaged. The “Question of the Day” is our favorite! Best.Purchase.Ever!!! :)” -Jennifer

“This resource is a game changer during hybrid teaching! My students love every facet especially the movement and the word of the day! I have both at home students and in school students use the word of the day in a sentence then seesaw it to me so both myself and parents can see how they are doing! Also great vocabulary building activity! I can’t say enough about it! Thank you!!!” -Margaret

Do you want to try a FREE WEEK of Digital Morning Meetings? Click on the picture below.

15 Things to Do Before School Starts

July 15, 2021 by Jodi Leave a Comment

Have you started thinking about going back to school, yet? Maybe you still have plenty of time or your first day may be near. No matter when you start back, there will ALWAYS be things that you have to do before the first day. Even though I have had MANY “first days of school,” I still question myself about whether or not I got everything done. Going back to school is exciting, but definitely stressful!

Here are some ideas for things that need to be done before the first day of school.

3+ WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

1. Reflect on your classroom procedures, layout, and lessons.

This is a great time to really think about what worked and what did not work for you during the previous school year. Make a list of things that you want to change or things that did not go as you had planned.

2. Browse Pinterest, teaching catalogs, blogs, etc. and start getting some fresh ideas that you may want to try this school year.

REMEMBER that you cannot do it all! It is VERY easy to get overwhelmed by looking at all of the ideas on the Internet. Look back at your list of things that you wanted to change about your classroom. Use this list as a guide to find new ideas. Pick 2-3 things to try. You can ALWAYS add more later, but you do not want to add even more stress to the beginning of the school year.

3. Order any supplies that will need to be shipped.

If you have any bigger classroom supplies (furniture, curriculum, etc.) that has a longer shipping time, make sure that you order it in advance. Amazon Prime has my back most of the time, but there are definitely some items that need more shipping time.

4. Read a professional development book.

Every summer, I try to read 1-2 PD books that interest me. This year I read Shifting the Balance by Jan Burkins and Kari Yates and A Fresh Look at Phonics by Wiley Blevins. (I highly recommend both.)

5. Write a Donors Choose project.

This is the perfect time to create a Donors Choose project for supplies that you may want for your classroom. (Scholastics News magazines, books, classroom furniture, technology, …)

2-3 WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

6. Set up your classroom.

This is definitely one of the most time consuming parts of a new school year. This is the time when you will want to arrange your furniture, put up bulletin boards, set up your classroom library, and so on and so on. REMEMBER that you do NOT need to fill all of the wall space. I love to have some blank bulletin boards in my classroom to start the year. Student work will eventually fill up those spaces, but I do not feel the need to have anything up on them before the first day of school.

7. Buy school supplies.

This is the perfect time to buy school supplies. All of the stores have major sales in the weeks prior to school starting. I highly recommend getting extras now. If you wait until January to buy more crayons, they will not be as cheap. (Check out this post about Supplies that I Can’t Live Without.)

8. Start making copies.

I ALWAYS make sure that I have all of my copies done for at least the first week of school. I also make sure that I over plan, even if almost every year, I don’t get everything done that was in my plans to begin with. With each new group of kids, you never know how quickly they may be able to work through things, and idle 6-7 year olds never ends well.

*Need your plans done for you? Check out The First Week of First Grade.

9. Prepare for Open House/Parent Night

If you have an Open House or Parent Night before school starts, this is a great time to start prepping for it. I like to prepare a folder for each student with parent forms, a welcome letter, supply lists, etc. This way, if a parent is unable to attend, I can send home the folder on the first day of school.

10. Get organized.

Once school starts, it is much harder to organize your classroom. Take the time to throw things out that you don’t need, sort through books, make sure your emergency sub plans are ready, etc.

THE WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

11. Finalize lesson plans and copies.

Make sure that your lesson plans, for at least the first week, are complete and you have ALL of the materials ready to go. Also make sure to have a couple extra copies of any back to school forms that you may need for last minute adds to your class list.

12. Check your technology.

Double check to make sure that any technology that you will be using during that first week is working. If you do any type of Meet the Teacher Slide Show on the first day, run through that and make sure that it actually works.

13. Start labeling…with caution.

I am always cautious with labeling things too early. Even though I have a class list, that ALWAYS seems to change up until the first week of school. I actually just place a Post-It note with each students’ name on their name tags until I see their body in their seats. This way I am not wasting any expensive name tags 😉

14. Get things ready at home.

I know that I am always absolutely exhausted that first week of school. I like to make sure that I have dinner planned for that first week, whether it is Hello Fresh or making or ordering premade meals. I also make sure that I do a big grocery run and that I have items for lunches.

15. Take some time to do something for yourself!

Things are going to get BUSY! Do something for yourself before the chaos of back to school hits. Get your nails done, get a massage, read a book for enjoyment, sleep in…whatever makes you happy.

Download the checklist below by clicking on the picture.

My Favorite Items for Morning Tubs

June 30, 2021 by Jodi Leave a Comment

Morning Tubs have been a staple in my classroom the past 5 years. I absolutely love that my students can ease into the morning, chat with each other, work cooperatively, and most importantly, have some fun. Typically, I have six tubs with 3-4 students at each tub. I rotate the tubs every 3 days. (Last year, I had to use individual Morning Tubs due to the pandemic.)

One of the most common questions I get about Morning Tubs is “What do you put in them?”

Here are 15 of my favorite Morning Tub items.

All of the items are numbered and linked below.

Please note: These are affiliate links. I do receive a small commission when items are purchased from these links. This helps to support my little area of cyber space and keep the blog up and running.

Pattern Blocks – I love that this set of pattern blocks include picture cards to give students ideas.
Brain Builders – These are such a simple concept, but the students love making the items on the cards.
Magnetic Building Sticks – These sticks have magnetic ends to stick to the metal balls.
Kanoodle – If you haven’t tried Kanoodle, you really should. I even have a couple of these strategy games at home for my own kids.
Brain Flakes – These are so fun to create with. Such a simple idea, but the kids love them.
Emido Building Blocks – Similar to the Brain Flakes, but thicker and very sturdy.
Building Block Bars – My students love these.
Legos – Legos are always a great addition in morning tubs.
Star Flex Blocks – These are great quality. You may need more than one box of these though for a group of 3-4 students.
Plus Plus Blocks – The small size of these blocks are great for fine-motor skills.
Zoob Builders – These may be my absolute favorite. I have given them as birthday presents as well. They are so much fun, and the students get so creative.
Mini Erasers – Mini erasers are such an easy addition. You will be amazed at how much your students love just “playing” with erasers
Play-Doh – Play-Doh is great for developing those fine motor skills that are needed for writing.
Guidecraft Interlox Squares – These are fun interlocking squares, but I will warn you that if your students are not gentle, they do break kind of easily.
Magic Magnetic Cubes – I just got these last year and they are a lot of fun. You will need more than one set for a group of 3-4 students.

If you do Morning Tubs in your classroom, what are some of your favorite items?