The Organized Classroom Blog

Put the Tension Back Into Your Classroom?

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:49:40 +0000

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Kind of a funny title for a blog post, right? Actually I am talking about tension rods. In case you haven't realized it before, tension rods can be used a ton of ways in your classroom! Tension rods are relatively inexpensive, as are S-clips or O-rings you might need to use as the hanging piece.

I have a few ideas I have come up with in the past, and I did a little scouring of Pinterest and the web to find even more useful ideas so you could use those that will work within your own space. Check them all out below!

DIY Roll-Out-A-Center

Hanging Around for Chart Organization

Washi Board Tools (use a decorated tension rod as a pointer)

A Puppet Theater

Use paper and a rod to create curtains

Cover shelving or closets

Create a Supply Center

Organize Filing Cabinets

Create Beautiful Classroom Displays

There are so many ways to be creative with tension rods! What do you think you could use them for in your classroom? I would love to hear your ideas in a comment below!

This Game Goes to the Dogs

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:05:56 +0000

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Hi teacher friends! Today, I was introduced to Shelby the Pug, who is the star of Shelby's Snack Shack Game from Educational Insights! Adorable!

Shelby even has her very own Facebook Fan Page!

Shelby's Snack Shack Game would be a fabulous addition to any PK or Kindergarten classroom! It helps with counting, recognizing the numerals 1-5, beginning addition and subtraction, and more! I also love the fine motor skills practice with picking up the bones with the dog tweezers. Of course, basic social skills, such as taking turns and following directions would also be addressed as small groups are playing the game as well!

The game play is pretty basic:

1. Spin the first spinner to determine your play. Look out for sneaky seagulls!
2. Spin the second spinner to find out how many bones you win or lose.
3. Use the Shelby squeezer to pick up the bones and put them in your bowl.
4. Collect the most bones in your bowl and you win!

Educational Insights always has the best educational games out there! Seriously!

And if you (or someone else you know) has an adorable cat or dog, make sure to enter him or her into EI's Bow-Wow Meow Photo Contest for a chance to be featured in an upcoming game and you win a free copy of the game too! How cool would that be? Enter quickly for that contest as it ends June 15th! Click on the image below to head on over to that contest.

Now, for those of you that would love to see Shelby's Snack Shack Game up close and personal, Educational Insights has been so generous to giveaway a copy to a lucky Organized Classroom reader! Whoo hoo! Get entered below for that and good luck to all who enter from Educational Insights and Organized Classroom!

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A Walking Staycation!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:45:51 +0000

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Now, I know many of you are already out for the summer and you may or may not be headed off to a fun getaway vacation. Even if you aren't, you can always have a fun staycation with us! Our Facebook Walking Group is making some awesome progress cross-country and we only have about 3 weeks to go - feel free to join our team walking challenge! {You can read all about our group HERE if you missed the previous blog posts.}

We have made it to Idaho, but not without stopping to check out the scenery in Yellowstone National Park! How fun!

Since I have my trusty MyStride Activity Monitor, I know my miles being contributed to the group are accurate. And how cool is the fact that you also get a 4-month FREE membership to the LifeSpan Fitness Club!

This club is really neat for not only tracking your progress, but it has a wealth of information right at your fingertips!

Check out my home page after I log in:

There are tons of awesome online resources and a reference library. You can also set up a team group in the fitness club as well. And for those that LOVE to compete, you can also earn achievements by ranking high within the online club too. It also tells you how many calories you should be eating daily to maintain or lose weight. Very cool!

The system actually starts out with a few questionnaires so you can set up some preferences and realistic goals. After that is done, it allows you to pick from different exercise programs like on the page below. You can choose your equipment and difficulty levels, but each day when you log in, it will tell you what your program is for that day. Kind of like your own trainer!

You choose programs in each of the following so you have a balanced exercise program:

A very neat site for sure! And it goes hand in hand with the MyStride Activity Monitor from LifeSpan Fitness!

Would you like to win your own MyStride Activity Monitor? Get entered below and good luck from LifeSpan and Organized Classroom!

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Following Directions! Huh?

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:13:50 +0000

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Hey teaching friends! I don't know about you, but I dread when I hear the word "huh?" It makes me cringe because I know I will have to explain everything again. For the 50th time. In the last 5 minutes.

Well, I have come to realize that listening skills take some practice, like any other skill we wish for students to learn. Much like sharing, standing in line the correct way, and holding a pencil, these are teachable moments that have to be continuously practiced until they are second nature. But listening skills and following directions still seems to be overlooked as when you are already flustered from having 5 children come to you at the same moment because they are clueless about what to do - even with visual cues - that moment is not the best to try to reinforce the idea of listening attentively the first time.

So, I created a fun little product that does focus on those listening skills! It is called Following Directions in the K-2 Common Core Classroom! I am super excited as I have been working on it for a bit now and it is finally ready! {And there IS a sample version for you to test run yourself! Keep reading...}

The full edition includes the following:

*36 weekly activities which can be done as a whole class or as a center activity, including the answer keys

*All the matching handouts are included as a full page and as a half page, in both color and in grayscale, which will make for easier printing for those that do not have access to a color printer

*All 36 weeks worth of audio files

You can use this resource as a whole group activity - or even as a center activity so that you do not even have to be present! And it won't take hours to implement - even with a full group discussion of the ideas, the total time investment a week would be no more than 15 minutes. That amount of time is completely worth your sanity. :)

If you want to check it out, please click HERE to grab the free sampler pack. {Make sure when you go to the download page, you scroll down to the bottom UNDER all the images to click on the actual download button.}

And if you are feeling particularly lucky, enter to win your copy! The fans at the Facebook fan page have requested this as a quick giveaway and I aim to please when I am able. :) Get entered below and good luck to all!

Happy listening friends!

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Repurpose That Old Filing Cabinet!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:27:51 +0000

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Hey teaching friends! I hope everyone is fabulous! I have noticed throughout various media outlets that many teachers are beginning the process of scanning hard files into computers and archiving them that way. While it does take some time, it certainly also takes up far less space in your classroom!

If you are one of those that have decided to go the digital route - what will you do with your now empty filing cabinet? I actually store construction paper and cardstock in mine! I first organize the colors (and if you look closely, I don't get too particular about which shade of green is next to another shade of green. I am pretty flexible about it as long as it is in the same file). Then, I place each color in a separate file folder, then set the file folder in to a hanging folder in the filing cabinet. It makes it soooo easy to to grab a piece or 50 when needed - just grab the whole file folder out and return when finished!

Well, after I organized all the paper and cardstock, I took a good look at this fancy piece of furniture. Yuck! We actually inherited this fling cabinet from a hospital that was going to toss it because it has a big dent in one side. Of course, I couldn't allow a perfectly good (and expensive if new) filing cabinet go to the landfill, so I snatched it up for my home office. The dent now rests nicely along a wall where no one can see. :)

But, I knew it needed a little facelift of some sort, so I grabbed my washi tape and decided to take matters in to my own hands - literally. I used 2 different tapes to decorate the front panel and then added a fun label.

Last, I added a border around the edges.

I am sure many of you are asking about time and budget. Here is the skinny:

Time: Doing the one drawer pictured above took me about 15 minutes total.

Budget: I used about a half a roll of the blue tape which was the majority of the drawer. At $1.99 for one roll of tape, it should cost less than $5 probably to do a whole cabinet depending on how much tape you use.

The best part? if I get tired of this color combo or change my office colors completely, the tape can be removed and I can start over! Yay!

Since I was making the flower labels for the drawers anyway, I threw together a freebie for you to enjoy if they will match whatever project you might be working on as well. They do include a blank template that you can type right onto as well to customize for your needs.

Enjoy and happy organizing!

FREE Flower Filing Cabinet Labels

Reader's Choice Classroom Theme 2013!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:09:44 +0000

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Hey teaching friends! A super quick post today! I wasn't planning on doing any new themes for 2013, but I just can't resist! As you all know, I currently have 8 full theme sets, which include Designer Dots, Owls, Black and White, Nautical, Beach, Jungle, Space, and Hollywood!

Each theme has the following coordinated items:

Classroom Essentials Sets Teacher Binders (the Owl Set has the Mega Planning Pack instead)

Common Core Lesson Planning Packs (K-5 available)

CCSS Complete Vocabulary Programs (K-5)

Personal Planning Calendars

(and coming very soon: Classroom Parent Handbooks in each theme as well!)

So, since I want to help out those who want a new theme, BUT I also want a life and some time with my family this summer (last summer was almost the death of me with all those themes and I didn't get any down time at all), I figured this would be a nice compromise!

Please don't ask for other themes than what I have listed as choices from above. I only have so much clip art already purchased and I really try to do different things than what is already out there. :)

Vote for your favorite and in one week, the winner will be announced! Yay! If you have one of the above you REALLY want to win, then make sure you vote and send all your friends over to vote as well!

Enjoy and happy voting!

Final results listed below! Looks like Monsters was the theme YOU chose! Yay! I will start work on it soon and have it posted as I get each piece finished. Thanks to all who voted!

Classroom Crafting Cuteness!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 19:51:53 +0000

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Hey teaching friends! Many of you know I have been obsessed lately with washi tape! Some are still asking "what is washi tape?" It is paper tape, much like patterned masking tape. Not quite as thick as duct tape, but not as thin as regular invisible tape. That completely makes sense, right?

I have done a few posts recently using it that you might want to check out for yourself. :)

Easy DIY Folders

DIY Washi Tape End of Year Classroom Awards!

Washi Board Tools

Custom Teacher Desk Organizers

Today I created some fun desk accessories from a plain stapler, regular stuck pens, empty plastic containers, push pins, magnets, and more! The possibilities are only by what you choose to decorate!

Of course, I wouldn't have been so crafty without some awesome washi tape from Downtown Tape! They were SUPER generous and sent me 25 rolls of their tape! So much fun! And I have my eye on several other rolls in their online store as well. Each roll is only $1.99, with shipping at $2.95 for US purchasers! While I have looked in my local craft and bog box stores and can find a few rolls, they do not have the selection that Downtown Tape does.

Not only were they super sweet to send me some, they have also agreed to do a giveaway of 25 rolls to one lucky reader here at Organized Classroom too! Whoo hooo! Want some of your own to create with? Get entered below and good luck from Downtown Tape and Organized Classroom!

Happy crafting!

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Custom Teacher Desk Organizers

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 30 May 2013 20:33:15 +0000

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Hi teacher friends! I thought a fun DIY tutorial would be a great post as we are almost headed into the weekend. And this one is super simple and fun! Have a drawer you need to organize? Well, if you have to organize it anyway, might as well make it cute along the way!

This is so easy, you can complete it in an hour or less!

Step One: Empty a drawer (that step might take you a little longer than the other project - lol).

Step Two: Grab some empty jewelry boxes. You might have a bunch sitting in your jewelry box already, and if so - score! If you don't have any laying around, I found mine at the local craft store, at a cost of less than $10 for 4 packages all in different sizes.

Step Three: Set up the jewelry boxes in your desk drawer however you like best! Tip: Take a picture of this arrangement so when you start pulling the boxes back out to add your inserts, you don't have to remember what goes where.

Step Four: Grab some washi tape (mine came mostly from Downtown Tape) in any color combo you like. Pull off a little piece of tape and place it in each box so you can see how your colors and patterns will play out in the final version.

Next, I actually pulled the boxes out of the drawer and replicated the same design on my worktable just so I had more room to work. You will also need plain cardstock in any color you choose and either scissors or a paper cutter. I didn't end up using the ruler.

Step Five: Place some tape for your first box on the cardstock. Try to match up the patterns as best as possible when you are lining up the strips.

Step Six: Take your box and place it on top of the tape. Use a pencil to trace the box shape on top of the tape.

Step 7: Use the paper cutter or scissors to cut on the lines - or even slightly inside so it fits nicely in the box.

Step 8: Take your insert and place it inside the box. You can choose to tape it or glue it in if you prefer for it not to move at all. Personally, I like letting it sit unattached because if you choose to change your colors or arrangement at any time, just flip the box over and replace with a new taped cardstock piece.

Below is another finished box in the set.

After you finish all the boxes, put them back into your drawer! I set up mine so they all jigsawed in there wonderfully, but if you aren't so lucky or choose not to jigsaw them in, you can hot glue the boxes together so they don't move and/or hot glue them in place inside the drawer. Too cute!

Add your supplies as you like!

Have fun organizing your custom desk drawers! You can update them as little or as much as you like, and you can coordinate your colors with your classroom theme! Yay!

I also linked up {FINALLY} at Made It Monday at 4th Grade Frolics!

My Teacher's Summer Break Book

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Tue, 28 May 2013 11:56:57 +0000

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Hey teacher friends! Hopefully this year is wrapping up quickly (and quietly) for you! I know it is a crazy time of year to say the least!

While you may already have finished up - or even have the rest of the year planned, if you are someone who still has some time left to fill, I just created a fun new product that you can also easily recreate on your own!

My Teacher's Summer Break Book!

Here is how to make your own:

1. Grab some blank paper, pass out to the students.

2. Ask them to write the following sentence: "I think my teacher ____________ over summer break."

3. Have them fill in the blank with their own answer.

4. Draw and color in a matching image on the rest of the paper. :)

When all students have finished, either scan the pages and use for an end of the year slideshow or just share and send home. If you choose to scan the papers, make sure to save the hard copies and bind together for a memento of your own of this year's class! Fun!

Now, if you want templates already made, I also have templates created which also include 17 other options for the sentence. There is one for the principal, specials teachers, cafeteria staff, and more! And each template is available in full color and grayscale! Click on the image to see some examples of the templates!

My Teacher's Summer Break Book

You could have each student do the specific templates you choose and then bind them together to give to the staff member who is mentioned on that template - or take pictures of those particularly memorable and then bind the rest for the students to take home as a gift for the end of the year!

The choice is up to you, but either way, I am sure the responses will certainly bring on some chuckles!

Have fun and enjoy the end of the school year without getting too crazed! :)

Washi Board Tools

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sun, 26 May 2013 18:08:04 +0000

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Hey teaching friends! Today I was feeling a bit crafty and I was thinking of the good ole plain whiteboard that most likely takes up a big chunk of your classroom! Maybe even some of you still have blackboards? Either way, why not spiff them up a little for next school year? All items use washi tape, which is a bit like patterned masking tape that you can find in a craft store, a small selection is usually available in a big box store, and can definitely be bought at DowntownTape.com (where mine is from).

I created 3 fun projects today in about 15 minutes: a homework frame border, a pointer stick, and a marker/eraser container! Check out how to make your own and choose colors to match your classroom theme below!

Decorated Frame Border

The homework frame border is fun because you can create as many as you need for various subjects or other ideas. For instance, maybe you want to have the countdown number for how many days of school are left - toss up a frame and use your expo marker to add the current days remaining! Or line the frames vertically along the far side of your board and write homework in for different subject areas. Maybe highlight an exemplary assignment or a star student? The sky is the limit!

How to make:

1. Grab a photo frame matte in your choice of colors and sizes. Personally, I like the 10"x13" size because it gives you plenty of room to write in the middle.

2. Use any patterns of washi tape to decorate.

3. Place magnet on each of the corners on the backside of your frame and place on your board!

Decorated Pointer Stick

Next up was my fun pointer stick! We just happened to have one of those winter snow yard-thingees you place along your driveway in the winter so you can still find your driveway when there is a ton of snow on the ground. Not sure what the exact name is, but that is pretty much as technical as I get - lol! I noticed that there were a few hanging out in the corner of the garage and since it is now almost June, I didn't think the hubby would mind if I "borrowed" it. Ha!

How to make:

1. Take a long snow-driveway stick thingee or even a thin wooden dowel and add one piece of tape to the end.

2. Keep wrapping the tape around the pole while turning the stick (as opposed to trying to wrap the tape around). Much easier to just turn the pole itself.

3. Add a second - or even third or fourth - color of tape.

4. Optional: Grab some Christmas tinsel or kids' bike handle bar tinsel and place under the tape on the end. Use some tape to secure in place. It adds a little flair to the end of your pointer. :)

5. Store your pointer right along the chalk/marker tray of the board and use (or have students use) when teaching specific concepts on the whiteboard, easel, or interactive whiteboard!

Decorative Magnetic Supply Container

Last up is the supply container that matches both of the above items! It is super simple to put together and even involves some upcycling!

How to make:

1. Take an empty soup can that has had the label taken off, dried, and cleaned.

2. Add rows of tape in any order you choose. Optional: if you don't like the silver can that shows through on some of the patterns of tape, feel free to spray paint your can in any color before you begin. Just make sure you give it plenty of drying time before adding the tape.

3. Hot glue a strong magnet to the back of your can and pop it right on your whiteboard! Add markers, erasers, student names on popsicle sticks (easy grouping), or anything else you tend to grab while you are near the front of the room. Simple and cute!

Hopefully you can find a way to use one or more of the ideas in your classroom and if you think you might, I would love to hear your ideas below!

Have a great holiday weekend friends and talk to you soon!

Playing Games in the Organized Classroom

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:23:46 +0000

Today I was given the opportunity to check out Sifteo Cubes and if you haven't seen them yet, you will see how much fun they are! I originally saw these little learning manipulatives at the BlogHer Convention last August {see that post HERE if you weren't a reader then}, and I immediately knew that you all would love them! Well, they finally contacted me and offered to send me a preview copy to check out for myself. They are as fun as I remember!

The outside of the box they come in basically says "unpack and play" and they weren't kidding! It comes with everything you see here, including the batteries! It is wire free and does not need Internet, so use in the classroom would be a cinch! Speaking of cinches, all the materials fit nicely right into the black pouch they provide as well for super easy cleanup!

You start simply by adding the batteries to the cubes and to the dock, which is also a speaker. From there, you just turn it on and the cubes wirelessly sync with the dock to be able to sense one another and play as one unit.

You can also get additional single cubes and play with up to 12 cubes in one game! I have 4 and that was fun, but I can see having a team in a classroom work together with 12 cubes in one set to play the games. They would have a blast!

The unit comes pre-loaded with several games, and you can also get additional games right at their website sifteo.com. The two games that I really feel will be utilized in the classroom the most are Word Caravan and Chroma Splash. Check out this quick video showing you how Chroma Splash actually works below {it is an updated version of the video but the same concept}. I can see the possibilities for higher-order thinking right away. This will sharpen thinking skills for sure!

{jumi [*289]}

Word Caravan also uses the same type of concept except there are letters on each cube and the students will have to tilt the letters and move the cubes around to create several words from the given letters. Once the cubes touch and are recognized as a new word, they light up and new letters or combinations are given. Imagine the vocabulary and spelling skills reached!

Now, I am sure you are wondering about pricing. They will be pricey for those of you who have a very small classroom budget, so I would suggest looking for grants to help cover the cost? The awesome Sifteo folks actually DO have educator pricing though, so that is a start anyway! You can see all those details right at their website HERE.

Last up - if you want to be able to win a set of your own, get entered below! Yay! Good luck to all who enter from Sifteo and Organized Classroom!

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End-of-the-Year Magazine!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:35:15 +0000

Need some help preparing your classroom for the end of the year? Make sure to stop by and check out the newest edition of The Organized Classroom Magazine, which was released today!

This month's edition includes tips for packing up your classroom, organizing your materials, and finishing those student files! Also includes BONUS digital features! Head to The Organized Classroom Magazine page right here at the site, and check out some sample pages for yourself - and as always, the March 2013 edition is completely free to view, print, and access!

Enjoy and happy organizing!

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Working and Walking

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:22:53 +0000

Hey teacher friends! I know the school year is winding down for most of you and you will have a little a lot of extra time to do coveted pinning and blog hopping throughout the summer! Yay! And I know many of you will keep those classroom wheels turning, even when you aren't required or on the clock.

While you are doing all that computer cruising, make sure you also use some of that time to get up and get in that physical exercise. You are so used to walking All. Day. Long, that your body might revolt if you suddenly stop and become a bag of potatoes at your desk - lol! Here is my solution, and while it is not practical for everyone, it is something to keep in mind if you need a little incentive to allow yourself time to pin. :)

As many of you know who follow my Facebook fan page, I posted this fantastic picture a couple months ago.

It is my LifeSpan Fitness Desk Treadmill! And I adore it! I am able to work/pin {for instance right now} AND walk at the same time! Now, no worries: it moves REALLY slow {0.4 miles an hour} as the default when you start. Eventually your hand-eye coordination catches up with your body and you can move a little faster. I don't go higher than 1.0 mile an hour because I don't want to fall off. And I would. bahaaa! But it is also great if I don't want to work on the computer and just want to crank up the tunes and do some walking even if it is 100 degrees outside! Whoo hooo!

It has an awesome display panel which tracks all your calories burned, steps, miles, and all that other good jazz. The large desk is WAY bigger than I intended, but it is fabulous! I can pop my laptop, the power cable, some binders or books, and a glass of water and be set for quite some time. There is even enough leftover space that I could toss a small fan just in case I get too warm. :) Even my hubby (who is a computer engineer) remarked how he thought he could even work from the same space!

Talk about inspiration! Here is the view from my new "office."

Anyway - it works as a wonderful team with the LifeSpan MyStride Activity Trackers! And while I know some of you might be disappointed that I am not giving away a treadmill on the blog this week {mine is even on loan - lol}, they have agreed to give away FIVE more MyStride Activity Trackers! Want to read all about them? Check out THIS BLOG POST to find out more!

Ok - here's to keeping fit even in the summer and good luck from LifeSpan Fitness and Organized Classroom!

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DIY Washi Tape End of Year Classroom Awards!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:49:54 +0000

Hey teaching friends! I know I mentioned my new love for washi tape in the Easy DIY File Folders post a few weeks ago, but I am seriously smitten with it! As I am not so much a crafty person, I have found that tape is definitely a medium in which I seem to be able to work and make something look cute. :)

I grabbed some new tape from a Pick Your Plum deal, and Downtown Tape has also graciously sent me 25 rolls of their awesome tape as well, so I have to tell you in advance: I have an entire summer of washi tape projects on the roster for your classroom! I have a list as long as my arm, and am so excited to see how some of the projects come out! Yay! {Check out my Downtown Tape stash below.}

To kick off things, I am starting off with a super fun end of the year awards ceremony change from the routine: washi tape student awards! I cannot take credit for this at all - I actually saw it on the OhMy! Handmade Goodness blog and although she doesn't mention using it for students, I knew right away that these would be an adorable change of pace from the regular award certificates! And if I can make them, so can anyone. :)

Let's get this party project started! You will need only a few items:

Washi tape in one or more colors of your choice

Craft hole punch - I used a 2.75" punch for the larger ribbons and a 1.75" punch for the centers, as well as for the smaller ribbons

White cardstock for the hanging ribbons and for printing the award centers on

Set of Student Award Ribbon Centers {optional as you could certainly make your own if you want to take the time to do so}

1. Start by punching one circle and using your tape, start on one side with the tape flush. Start pleating the tape (creating the pleats by sticking the tape to itself lightly) gently turning the circle as your continue around the circle. This is something that will come out way crazy at first, but as you continue to practice, it comes along nicely. :) As you can see from my example below, it wasn't quite a circle when I was done - lol.

2. If you use large circles, you will either want to add another large circle with the award on top (see next step) or add another row of tape in the same or in a coordinating color.

3. Add your award circle to the top of the center with a looped piece of tape {shown above}.

4. Next up, place several pieces of tape right onto cardstock. These will be your ribbons hanging down. Cut them apart and with corners as you like. There are a million ways you can customize your ribbons.

5. Attach to the back with a piece of tape.

That's it! Create your award centers before adding to the front of your awards or play around with colors and textures some more. For example, with the green one, I added washi tape to the cardstock before using the round hole punch to punch the center. While I haven't tried it, you MIGHT even be able to run the washi tape on top of the cardstock through your printer before using the hole punch. :)

The final products! The best part? The tape hangs off the circle, so they stick on clothing without needing an extra pin or clip! You could also use this same idea for Star Student of the Week, weekly winners during the school year as student motivation, or create a class set as part of a birthday treat. :)

Again, if you are looking for printables with all the awards, I have just listed these Student Award Ribbon Centers if you prefer not to take the time to create your own.

Either way, I would love to hear how your award ribbons turn out! Have fun creating something your students will be sure to love!

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Wave Your Student Desk Flags!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:50:21 +0000

Hi friends! This week I have a super fun video review of an awesome product called a Flagbee! It is so simple to set up and the possibilities of use are numerous!

Check out the video review I have below:

{jumi [*288]}

So, as you saw from the video, there are a ton of options for how to use these! A couple more I didn't mention in the video, but the creator suggests:

Lunch Counts! Upon entering the classroom in the morning, students who are buying lunch that day just raise their flags. Makes an easy nonverbal way for your lunch count person to find out how many to order in the cafeteria!

Basic Student Turns for Reading, Answering, etc. during a lesson! Just have the students raise their flags, and when they have had a turn, drop the flag (or vice versa). A simple and effective way to make sure everyone gets a turn. Even helpful if you allow students to choose the next person. They can also easily see at a glance who they can pick.

If you think that Flagbee would be a good addition to your classroom, make sure to check out their website at Flagbee.com. They also come in a variety of colors, so you can choose the color that works best for your classroom theme. The super generous creator has also agreed to give one lucky reader here at Organized Classroom a box set of six Flagbees in your choice of colors! Whoo hooo!

Get entered below and good luck to all who enter!

I would love to know ideas for how you think you could use Flagbees in your classroom? Please share with us below in the comments!

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Happy Moms (and Filling in for Moms) Day!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sun, 12 May 2013 01:39:40 +0000

Just stopping by to wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day! And to all the teachers who help to fill the role of mom on so many levels for many hours during the week as well! My grandmother told me once that you are never really complete until you are a mom. I was 13 at the time, and didn't appreciate that notion as much as I do now. :)

I don't share out picts of my kids too often, so here is a little glimpse into what fills my life with joy each and every day! {And yes, they are 12 years apart. And no, I did not have my oldest right out of high school. I was 22 - lol.}

I pulled together a little fun quote picture for you - or for a mom you wish to give to - for today! The image below has my watermark for social media sharing purposes, but if you click on the image, you can download it right from the freebie category of Organized Classroom's Online Store without the watermark. No one says it quite like Mark Twain. :)

Happy Mother's Day friends!

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Teacher $1 Hours at Organized Classroom Blog!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:16:09 +0000

I know Teacher Appreciation Week 2013 is wrapping up, but I wanted one last chance to say thanks for all you do! This was honestly a last-minute idea I am hoping to get out to you before it happens. :) I also sent out this same message in the newsletter, but I am also posting it here on the blog in case the cyber monkeys ate it {or most likely a school district filter did}.

Speaking of that - if you have subscribed to the newsletter via your school email, you might also want to subscribe with your home email. Why? Because many school districts limit most of everything coming through to your school email during the year, but even mores over the summer. You want to make sure to keep receiving the great teaching tips and decorating ideas for your classroom throughout the summer, when it is more likely you will actually have time to be a little more creative. :) Sign up via the right sidebar right here at the website.

In honor of teachers being #1, I will be offering almost every item in the Organized Classroom's Online Store for $1 each! WHAT?!

Here is when and where (all times ET and the times will be prompt and non-negotiable):

Friday, May 10th, 2013

8-10 am ET: Reading/LA Category, Quote Packs

10am-12 pm ET: Classroom Essentials Set Teacher Binders Category, Classroom Parent Handbook

12-2 pm ET: Video Tutorials, Common Core Lesson Packs

2-4 pm ET: Pacing Guides, Science Category

4-6 pm ET: CCSS Complete Vocabulary Programs, Owl Theme Mega Planning Pack

6-8 pm ET: Personal Planning Calendars, Math Category

8-10 pm ET: Interactive Bulletin Board Sets, Blogger Tutorials Category

A quick note about the order system at Organized Classroom: All orders done here on my site are digital files. You will never receive an order in regular post office mail from me when you order from this site. The sale prices will be already marked when you put the items into your cart if it is the correct time. {If not, please clear your cache and refresh the page.} You will not be able to order more than one of the same item - that is a system default, not mine.

Out of professional courtesy, PLEASE make sure if you intend to share with other teachers that you ORDER ONE ITEM FOR EACH TEACHER in separate transactions if necessary. Copyright law does state that each item is to be used in one classroom. That goes for most any digital items you would ever buy on the Internet, so it is not just my own personal preference. It really is copyright law. Also do not place on school servers - it allows anyone to google it and pick it up for free. I don't like to be the bad guy and have to alert administrators when this happens, so I hope you will respect my time and efforts to pull these resources together for you. :( It takes time away from my own family to be able to do so. Thanks so much for your cooperation and understanding.

Also - MOST IMPORTANT! If you have not received your order link via email, read below as it may save us both a little time.

First, check your email spam filter. Many times, it ends up in there. You are going to receive TWO SEPARATE EMAILS - one from PayPal that says you paid, and then another from my order system with your item links. On that second email you will see a link that says "Download." Click that to retrieve your order.

If you are an AOL or Comcast email user, chances are you will not receive your order via email as those two ISPs keep blocking my order system from delivering your email correctly. Many school spam blockers will also do the same. In those cases, please just email me below at my email address (listed below) with your order number and I will personally send you your links via email. Make sure to check your spam filter (again) within 24 hours if you have not heard back from me as I always return order emails within 24 hours, barring any extenuating circumstances.

My personal advice? If you have a personal gmail email account, use that to order. I have never had an issue with a gmail order (other than the occasional spam filter, but it is always in there if it is no where else to be found).

For any other ordering questions, please feel free to see my FAQs page where it might already be answered: Frequently Asked Questions

The fine print: Does not apply to previously purchased items. Only valid at the Organized Classroom's Online Store. All items are digital downloads.

Thanks all and I hope you appreciate this sale as much as I truly appreciate you for making my life so meaningful. It is a pleasure to serve you each and every day through various outlets, and this is an opportunity for me to give back as best as I can (remember this is my full-time job now and I have my own family at home too).

Here's to celebrating teachers everywhere this week and every week throughout the year!

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Weren't able to catch the sale? Just announced: 20% Off everything in the store through Monday, May 13th. Grab some deals while you can!

Make Your Own Bulletin Board Lettering Tutorial!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:34:06 +0000

Hey teaching friends! I haven't done a video for y'all in a while, so I thought it was about time. :) I just finished posting my newest Interactive Bulletin Board: Flower Power Figurative Word Play for grades 4 and 5 {picture below}, and as I was creating the bulletin board lettering, it dawned on me how much easier it is to just create my own to match a classroom theme, rather than try to fight the traffic to see what the teacher supply store may or may not have in stock.

I figured maybe you might want to see just how easy it is too! Check out the video tutorial below and see for yourself. :)

{jumi [*287]}

Have fun creating your own super cute bulletin board or poster letters, and make sure to stop by the Interactive Bulletin Board Category at the Organized Classroom Online Store to check out the fun (and educational) options for your classroom wall space!

See you there!

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Building Bridges

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sat, 04 May 2013 05:57:20 +0000

Hi teaching friends! Sorry I have been a little MIA this week on the blog, but I am currently out of town attending a business conference in Santa Clara, California! It has been fun and informative - and I am only halfway through it! Plus, I have a TON of new ideas for how I can even better help you! Yay!

A bonus perk is that I am getting to hang out with Mandy Neal from Teaching with Simplicity all week! It is the first time we have ever met in real life and she is just as sweet as she appears on her blog. :)

Since this is the very first time I have ever been in California, I made sure that we did at least a little sightseeing. So, off to San Francisco we went in our utterly ugly rental car. Why are all rental cars that aren't deluxe models always so hideous anyway? But, I digress. As a person who likes to reflect on my own learning, I can say with certainty that I learned a few things when traveling to SF:

1. There is traffic. All the time. Everywhere. At very fast speeds. I honestly thought when I lived in South FL I could handle driving in just about any place. But this was a bit intense even for me. But we made it. Eventually.

2. If you find yourself taking a small "shortcut," you will end up on the opposite side of town because of the crazy one-way streets. And you will have no idea where you are. {see #3 for a related tip}

3. When you realize from #2 that you are lost, you will attempt to navigate yourself back to a freeway. ANY freeway. And it is then you will notice that both passenger's cell phones are now dead. yay.

4. Finally, upon THINKING you have found the correct one-way back towards the freeway, you will suddenly find yourself staring up at a VERY large hill that has stoplights every 20 feet where you are forced to sit at a very sharp incline while praying your brakes do not let go and roll backward into the 20 cars behind you, while making sure to gun it when the light finally does turn green. After finally cresting the hill, you will notice you have the exact opposite problem. Oh - and try to muddle your way through all of that with trolley car tracks in the middle of the lane so you aren't really sure where you are supposed to be driving. LOL!

It was a hair-raising experience for sure and next time, I think I will leave the driving up to a professional, but it really was an adventure that will not soon be forgotten. We went on a hunt to find a place to take some shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, and we finally found a place to stop. These shots were worth all the craziness in the journey to get them:

One of my faves!

Just in case you were THINKING of turning around on the bridge. :)

My attempt at being a little artsy. The sun was casting a perfect shadow of the bridge on the water below with the city in the distance.

And my absolute favorite image I captured:

Thinking about how important bridges are and how much you really can teach about them in the classroom, I found three great resources below that you could use if you were looking to include bridge building as a fun end-of-the-school year activity for your students!

Engineering a Bridge - Scholastic

Bridges - Discovery Education

To Build a Bridge - PBS (includes some really neat video components too)

Hope you enjoy those resources and I would love to hear if you have others in the comments below!

Or if you just want to share your crazy travel stories or suggestions to add to mine. Signing off with my flying buddies from down at Fisherman's Wharf!

Have a wonderful weekend all!

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Teacher Appreciation For Your Feet and a Friend!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:56:59 +0000

Hi teacher friends here at Organized Classroom! I am SUPER excited to share this fun post today! I know many of you will be just as excited based on the response of the picture below that I posted on the Facebook fan page a couple of weeks ago. I had so many likes and comments that I knew this would be a giveaway opportunity I couldn't turn down!

For those of you who have never heard of (or tried) Dansko shoes before, I am here to share with you that their tons of teacher fans can't be wrong. Since teachers are on their feet all day long, you NEED shoes that support your feet, back, and alignment. I know so many friends who have had to have some serious foot surgeries from being on their feet in unsupported shoes for all those years of service.

Well - as much as I am all for making sure that my feet don't hurt at the end of every day, I also refuse to wear shoes that look like they came from local nursing home residents (nothing wrong with those that need specific shoes for specific medical reasons, by the way). But, I DO have a choice and if I can combine comfort AND style, I am in! :)

And how cute are these anyway?

Professional enough to wear at school with skirts or dress pants, but also cute enough to wear on the weekend with jeans or shorts too! I LOVE when I can utilize clothes and accessories for double duty! And while I don't normally choose red shoes, when I saw these Sandi Red Moray Leather shoes, I had to have them. And yes, they are very comfortable. The soles are soft and spongy so they really do feel great when wearing!

Dansko knows that teachers can really benefit from their products (PS - they have a men's line too!) and they wanted me to share with all of my teacher readers that they are doing something special just for teachers in honor of the upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week!

They are giving away 500 of these adorable teacher bags! I personally might have an addiction to teacher bags, so I believe one can never have enough. Plus, you get to say thanks to a teacher! Check out all these heart-warming messages! Just reading the notes makes me feel all gooey. :) You can also get entered before the contest is over on May 15th! Click on the image below to add your thank you - I can't wait to read them all!

Even more exciting? Dansko has also offered to do a fun contest right here for the readers at Organized Classroom too! Whoo hoo! And not only will the winner get an awesome pair of their own Dansko shoes, but the person that the winner nominates in his or her comment below will ALSO win a pair! WHAT?! How cool is that?

Increase your odds of winning by telling all your teacher friends to head on over and nominate you too! {You may only nominate ONCE though, so make sure it counts.}

Get entered below and PLEASE make sure to stop at the Dansko Facebook fan page and leave a thank you message on their wall thanking them from being so generous to teachers from Organized Classroom! You are awesome and they really have a way of spreading the teacher love and appreciation. :)

And don't forget to enter their tote giveaway too!

Thanks to all who enter and good luck from Dansko and Organized Classroom!

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The Walking Classroom

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:04:51 +0000

Hey friends! Today I have a really fun review and giveaway for you! make sure you watch the video review below so you understand what you might be getting yourself in for. :) The Walking Classroom is an awesome program and I wholeheartedly agree with their mission and hope they get a ton of new fans and readers - it is perfect for so many classrooms across the country for sure!

Here is the video so you can see what I am rambling about - lol!

{jumi [*286]}

So do you love it too? Here is a picture of the Walk Kit, which is pre-loaded with 95 podcasts that correlate with the Common Core State Standards! Awesome!

Here is a sample lesson plan and comprehension quiz straight from their website! {Feel free to click on the images to go right to the page online as well.}

Can you tell I am super geeked about this product? Learning + movement = serious differentiation for so many students that need it. AND it integrates subjects and is aligned with the CCSS? Nice!

Even better? Laura, the creator at The Walking Classroom, has also set aside a Teacher's Guide and one Walk Kit for one lucky reader here at Organized Classroom! Whoo hoo! They are so cool. Make sure to get entered below, stop by and thank the sponsor, and good luck!

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May Teaching Tips Event!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:57:45 +0000

Hey teaching friends! Not sure whether you have heard about the great upcoming event at Teacher's Notebook, but I wanted to make sure I shared it with you in case you hadn't seen it! They are presenting a May Teaching Tips Event!

There are 8 amazing speakers, including Annie Moffatt from The Moffatt Girls, Tracey Schumacher from The Teachers Chair, and Maria Manore from KinderCraze! I know all three of these ladies a little better than the other speakers and they are awesome! From reading the descriptions of the other presenters, I have no doubt this online event will be filled with fabulous tips and ideas!

How does it work?

Basically, you get to attend a professional development session without traveling anywhere - or even getting dressed up! Sweats and snacks in my own home? That is a PD session I can get behind for sure! I have personally participated as a speaker for a couple of the TN Teaching Tips Expos in the past and they are always top notch over there - so I am positive this one will be no exception!

You purchase a ticket, and receive a log-in info code, along with your digital handouts that you can print off. When the event is "open" from April 27-May 17, you can log-in as much as you like and watch the tips at your own convenience. Even cooler? You get a a product package worth $100 just for buying a ticket! The products included will be the exact items the speakers will be showing you how to use in your classroom during their session!

This months' topics include fun holiday ideas for Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day! These are real teaching tips from real teachers - and you apply the lessons they teach in your own classroom with the materials they are sharing! Fun!

Anyway - I encourage you to click on the image at the top of the post for more information. The tickets for the May Teaching Tips Event are only $10 - and again - you also receive $100 worth of materials. That is a steal for sure!

Enjoy and happy learning!

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Full disclosure: I receive a whopping quarter for everyone who actually buys a ticket to the May Teaching Tips Event if the image above is clicked. As you know, I will always give my honest opinion of a product or service and only share with you things that I feel will enhance your teaching and learning. Period. I will try not to spend all my quarters in one place. :)

Easy DIY File Folders

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:16:45 +0000

Hi teaching friends! So, I have been so busy with the newest issue of The Organized Classroom Magazine, which is now live and ready, I haven't had a chance to post too much in the way of just some fun ideas.

So, I decided to grab a couple of items at the craft and big box store the other day and really had a blast creating a fun idea for you today!

I know many of you are going digital for your teaching files and may not have a ton of file folders hanging out in filing cabinets, but sometimes file folders are super handy for carrying items to and from meetings, placing important student information (such as an allergy list or the like), or even a great way to organize your reading groups {see this awesome idea post from What the Teacher Wants}!

These file folders usually need to remain close at hand, and even displayed on a tired file folder rack like this type.

Well, if you are going to display it out in the open, who wants plain old manila colored file folders when you can have super cute folders like the ones below?

You can purchase patterned file folders, but they usually work out to be about $1 a piece. That is kind of pricey. The best part of the DIY versions? They are inexpensive and you can completely customize them to match your classroom theme or colors! And they are super fast to create. I created 3 of the 4 folders in about 10 minutes - literally.

Here's how to create your own DIY File Folders for your classroom:

You will need to grab some file folders in any color you choose at the store. The primary colored pack I used were handy and available in a large package from my local Walmart for less than $5.

Also grab some washi tape (basically it is patterned masking tape), patterned duct tape, or patterned packing tape. Or try a combination of the 3 to see which you prefer to work with on your project. You can find those items either in the craft department, school/packing supplies, or even in the hardware section. My local craft store had a wider variety of the washi tape I used.

Here are the examples I made, but again, you can be as creative as you like!

For the green and blue folders, I simply placed the tape in a geometric pattern. I also made sure my tape colors on the blue folder complemented each other.

The red folder included 2 tapes that I rotated in simple horizontal lines. To place the decorative ribbon, just use a regular hole punch to punch 2 holes (not too far away) along the top of the folder. Thread a piece of ribbon through the holes inside the folder so that they come out of the front and tie it up. Again - you can be as creative as you like. You could even weave a ribbon border all along the outside of the folder!

The last folder was a little trickier (but still only took about 15 minutes to put together). I started by placing a border along the top and bottom edges. I wanted polka dots of the other tape and at first tried a regular hole punch to see how it work out. As you can imagine, the tape dots got stuck on the inside of my hole puncher, so that idea was quickly abandoned. Instead, I placed several rows of tape on a piece of cardstock, and then used a craft punch to punch it out.

I simply then used rubber cement to glue the dots in place. If you have more patience than I do, you could also have tried to peel the tape circles off the cardstock and place directly onto the folder. Or I can see even using a cutter, like a Cricut or Cameo to cut the tape circles as well. My method worked for me, so I decided to stay with that option.

There are so many variations of craft tape out there, so your folders are only limited by the styles and colors you can come up with. I was going to look for black folders and use glitter craft tape as well, but they didn't have the folders at the store where I was and I just didn't want to truck across town to the office supply store to grab them. Perhaps next time I am there I will grab them though and try it out. I bet they would really pop!

Hope you have fun creating your folders! They are a fun and easy weekend afternoon project that you can proudly display in your classroom on Monday!

I would love to hear your ideas and/or see your pictures too! Feel free to share in the comments below!

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Mental Math Game {Giveaway}

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:59:04 +0000

Hey teaching friends! Sorry I haven't posted too much. I have been busy this week on a few projects for you, including getting the May issue of The Organized Classroom Magazine ready for you! For those of you that are subscribers, you will receive notification the minute it goes live tomorrow! Yay! {If you want to check it out and see the always free March 2013 issue, stop by The Organized Classroom Magazine's page HERE.} Just for fun, here is a sneak peek of the new cover!

I will have some other exciting news to share in the next week or so as well for some of the other top secret activities I have been pulling together behind the scenes as well. I know you'll be as excited as I am!

Now, on to even more fun! This week, I had the fun task of reviewing a math game from Learning Resources called Mental Blox. Marked as a game for 3 or more players, and for Ages 5+/Grades K+, it was a blast! Here are the sturdy plastic pieces that come inside the game:

In addition to the pieces, there are 20 double-sided cards with activities listed on them. An answer key is provided for the cards that have specific answers and not open-ended. The activities include some that are geared for younger students, but definitely more complex activities better suited for higher level abstract thinkers as well. Perfect for working on math vocabulary as well!

There are also 2 separate games posted in the instructions sheet that could be played as a whole class divided into teams, or in small groups. Personally, I love how the learning can move from concrete to abstract simply by starting with the cards AND the blocks, and then moving into some scenarios where students might draw out the solutions, and finally maybe even moving into a place where it is done mentally.

Some of your students will rock this game - and it will probably be those that you would not normally believe would. I have a really tough time with these types of activities myself if I am not able to manipulate the objects. Is anyone else out there that way too? :)

This is a great item to place in a center for students to be able to explore the objects and the vocabulary associated with them. I do think that some of the cards might have sentences too challenging for beginning readers, but a simple audio file on a tape player, etc. could be implemented in the center for those situations to allow for independent learning.

Who else thinks Mental Blox is awesome? Well, Learning Resources has offered to do a giveaway of one to a lucky reader here at Organized Classroom - yay! Get entered below and good luck from Learning Resources and Organized Classroom!

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Pacing Guide Giveaway!

cpreston@pengrouponline.com (Charity Preston) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 01:16:50 +0000

Hey all! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Just a SUPER QUICK stop to let you know that there is a contest on the Facebook Fan Page right now where someone will win a set of the K-5 CCSS Pacing Guides for ELA and Math! You can read more about them by clicking on the image below.

It's super easy to enter: you just have to be a fan at the fan page! With over 20,000 other teachers already loving the daily interaction there, you can't go wrong. :)

Contest ends at 11:59 pm ET 4/14/13 (that's tonight!) as it was only a spur of the moment 24 hour opportunity. Make sure you head on over there now! ===> The Organized Classroom Blog on Facebook <===

Good luck to all who enter!