First Week of School Reflections

The first week is over, and it's time to reflect on what went right and what needs to be updated. Getting students acquainted with their peers and getting to know my students are at the top of my list. 

My developmental classes journal the first ten minutes of every class period, so I introduce myself to these students through the use of my Road of Life map. I always share my journal each class period, and some of my writings are personal. Therefore, I share more of myself and my life with them by going over my map then asking students to complete their own maps for future writing topics:

 

Another great way to get acquainted is to use the Find Someone Who... Bingo sheets, and I have several versions of this depending upon the grade level you teach. My composition students enjoy peer interaction after we go over the syllabi. Ask students to do a blackout Bingo to fill all the squares. I refrain from signing since students have my information on their syllabus. This completed handout is students' "go-to" sheet if they miss class or need extra help. Ask students to contact their study-buddies first, and then if more help is needed to contact the free tutors. I'm the last lifeline on the list once class times are over. 

The last activity is used as my own helper rather than for my students. I get new students every semester, so remembering their names is a challenge for me. Therefore, I hand each student a blank notecard. These can be color-coded by class, if desired. Next, on the board, I list: 

Name
Address
Phone (working)
Email (working)
How many courses are you taking?
What are your interests?
Anything else I should know about you...?

I hand each student one notecard and ask each to write down their information. The notecards are very helpful! Many students have new addresses and phone numbers by the time classes begin, so contact information in the college system is already outdated. Also, this activity helps me to understand students' workloads and home situations. For example, I have students with small children who may have to miss classes, or some work night jobs and struggle to make it to day classes. This activity makes me aware of these issues. Plus, I have a 7:00 a.m. class, and if I should happen to get up sick I use the notecard information to text students that class will not meet. My 7:00 a.m. dual credit high school students are appreciative of this! 

However, the best part of using notecards comes at the end of the class! I stand at the door to gather cards as students exit for the day. I address each student by name and try to put face and name together. Also, a firm handshake along with a "Glad you are in the class...Thanks for being here...See you next class...ect..." helps students feel welcome. I don't admit to them that my weakness is learning their names, but it really does take me awhile to put names and faces together. 

As I reflect on the first week of classes, my goal is to learn more about my students and to make them feel welcome in my classroom. Hopefully, some of these first week activities will work in your classroom.

Have a great start to the new school year!
Educator Helper


This week's freebie:

Visit my TpT storefront for the complete Abe Lincoln: Life and Times history comic coloring book with writing activities and more.

Back to School...Already?

Are you in Back-to-School mode yet? Summer days flew by, and now it's time to start thinking about the first week of school. Getting to know students tops teachers'  must-do lists. We want to learn about students' aspirations and how they intend to accomplish their goals. More importantly, we want students to thrive in safe learning communities, so this means learning about and sharing beliefs and cultures.

There are many fun and educational activities to help students learn about each other. To help out, below are some fun activities to get to know students!

Find Someone Who Bingo

Back to School Fill-in-the-Blank Stories

To purchase the complete packet, click here!


Back-to-School Make-a-Book Project
Directions: Right click to save the pages/images, Xerox, have each student choose one cover, choose and complete story pages, and pick one The End page. Finish by binding: staple left edges, cover with construction paper then staple or use a hole punch then lace with crochet thread. Be sure to make time to share students' books!

To purchase the complete project, click here!

A Road Trip to the U.S. National Parks

It's peak vacation time, so what are your plans? Maybe a trip to  a U.S. national park is on your itinerary? If so, be sure to pack along the below national park road trip guide to help elementary students prepare for their visits to national parks.

One of the top national parks to visit is Yellowstone. My first visit to the park was when I was an infant, and it's not one that I remember. But, I do love looking at the old 1963 photos of the trip! I've visited Yellowstone many times throughout my years. Some of my best memories are of visiting the national park during summer vacations. When I was about ten-years-old, my grandparents, mom, and brother, Mike, packed the overhead camper that sat atop a Chevrolet single-cab pickup and off we went to Yellowstone. We stood in awe as Ol' Faithful shot high into the air then we walked amongst the many hot, boiling geysers. The park ranger informed us to be very careful since the board walkways had no handrails. I'll never forget being in front of my brother and thinking how easy it would be for him to reach over and push me into the geyser, which the park ranger said could boil the skin off a person's bones in about one minute. All of the pranks and tricks I played on my brother throughout the years ran through my mind. Would I survive our Yellowstone vacation? I learned a great deal about geysers, nature, and humans on our visit to Yellowstone.

Every summer, my parents took us on vacation. We went to the Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, Painted Desert, Rocky Mountains, and many more places. These vacations created wonderful memories that shaped my appreciation and pride for the great, historical country of America. Then, when my brother, Mike, moved near Yellowstone for work related reasons, he brought my husband and I for a visit a couple of times. We walked the land that Indians owned, that settlers fought and died over, and where recorded wars took place. We watched buffalo graze while bears, deer, and elk waded in fish-filled streams that ran as clear as tap water. We saw Custer's last stand and touched the rock where Lewis and Clark carved their names. We played in snow that was pure and untouched on peaks that seemed to touch the heavens. We stepped back in time to experience life as it once was. 

Every national park offers big discounts and has free days, so check the National Park Service government website to learn more about affordable options. Kids can sign up to become Junior Rangers and can play online park games, as well as learn fun facts about parks. Take time to experience life as it once was in the United States, and help kids learn about funding and preservation of our national parks. 

Share stories and pictures of national parks with your class . Ask students to contribute by bringing in vacation pictures and invite parents to tell about their trips. Encourage a park ranger or local park manager to speak to students about funding and preservation of national parks. 

Enjoy your trip to the national park!
Beth, Educator Helper

Visit TpT storefront and ETS for all your educational needs!

To begin your national parks unit, have students start with the My Road Trip to the Top 10 National U.S. Parks handouts (sample pages below). Start with the Road Trip Map that lets students plot their trip and uses math skills to configure mileage. Then, learn facts about each of the parks, fill in your own information, and color a scene from the park. Be sure to incorporate students' poems and oral and written stories about national parks to complete your unit. 

National Parks Included: 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Olympic National Park 
Zion Canyon National Park
Grand Tetons National Park
Acadia National Park
Glacier National Park