Martin Luther King, Jr. Products Giveaway

Hi everyone!  It's Latoya from Flying into First Grade !!!

As you gear up for Martin Luther King, Jr. week with your kiddos we are happy to announce that The Primary Chalkboard is having a MLK, Jr. giveaway!!!  As you scroll down you will see many great products that you can win!!!  Check out the products below!!!

P.S. You will find some MLK, Jr. freebies too!!!

Good Luck!!!

Products You Can Win

Some MLK, Jr. FREEBIES

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winter Restlessness...Classroom Management for the Long, Cold Days

With winter break being a distant thing of the past, we're trying to get in our 2014 groove. Our students are too. It's hard coming off of breaks, but there is definitely something to be said about getting back into the swing of things.

We're not going to let our students freeze up this winter with their behavior. We hold high expectations of our first graders, and each time we do they prove us right! We like that part. :)

Here's a few tried and true classroom management ideas...Polar Vortex style. Well, winter style, but didn't that sound so much cooler? 

When we grew up, we had to walk uphill in the snow both ways being asked to write your name on the classroom board was not a privilege. But, it is in our class! Simply draw a thematic character up on your white board or on a piece of large construction paper or butcher paper. Leave colorful markers nearby. Call students up throughout the day to write their name in the snowman. They love it! We call on them as many times as they are caught. Some end up in the snowman 2-3 times before the day is up.

 

 At the end of the day, we let all the students who were "caught in the snowman" head to our class Sticker Station. It's just a tub that hold stickers. Easy! We throw seasonal stickers in there too each month to keep it fresh and fun! To read more about our Sticker Station Basics click {here}.

 Each of our students keeps a Sticker Board inside of their desks. We made generic ones which you can grab for free {here}.

But, today we've made exclusive Snowy Sticker Boards just for our Primary Chalkboard followers! 

Click {here} to grab your own Snowy Sticker Boards.

 You've probably heard of a class marble jar...We put a spin on an old classic just by changing the color and calling the contents a different name. It's all in the packaging sometimes...Ha! During winter, our students work together to earn class "icicles". Each time they are working together as a team to follow our class goals, they earn an icicle. When they earn 50, they vote on a class celebration. In December, we celebrated with a class Polar Express Hot Cocoa Party...Basically movie and hot cocoa station. But, other months we keep it simple ~ Extra recess, class free time, you get the idea.

 Getting our class to work quietly can be a consistent challenge in our class. But, not with the help of some stuffed friends. Each month, we have a stash of stuffed animals that float around the classroom, on the hunt for the hardest, quietest workers. Once found, they swing by for a visit while the student works. Amazing how quiet they get just when we pick him up! This month, Snowball the Snowman will be making his rounds in hopes of catching them for stickers or icicles.

Thinking outside the box when it comes to classroom management is one of our favorite things about teaching. We are firm believers that if we can't behave, we can't learn. 
In fact, we feel so strongly about students truly engaging in their learning at a young age, that we've just finished up our latest project to help them become great listeners.

 Listen Up! 
Auditory Activities for Little Listeners
Active listening is essential in today's classroom and world. Yet, even as veteran teachers, we're finding it more and more challenging to really get today's fast paced students to listen attentively. Listen Up! is helping our students move towards independent, active listening skills in meaningful and fun ways.
Visit our blog for more details.  

There's Snow Business like Snow Business!

For me, today is 'Back to School Eve'!  I don't know about you guys, but...this break was so relaxing and fun!  I had a real blast! :)  I really miss my kiddos...but...R&R?  You can NEVER have too much of that, you know?

So...what's a Florida blogger like me know about snow?

Ha ha!

Quite a bit, actually!  I grew up in New Jersey and had plenty of it in the winters! :)

Even though I'm not snow bound during the winters any more...I still like a snowy center or two in the winter! :)

Right before the break, I made some really cute melted snowman ornaments with my kids!

We had a blast making these together. Explicit instructions for this can be found HERE.

Thanks Marie for sharing the idea with me! :)

Before we left on the break, the students and I were working on non-standard measurement.

We used pop-cubes to create a winter scene with snowmen.

I graded them on a rubric. We turned it into a Christmas Dinner Placemat!

Check it out!

I made two different freebies recently for my word work stations.  One for nouns and one for adjectives.

If you'd like this freebie for your class, please click HERE.

If you would like the nouns freebie, that one is on my blog.

You can click HERE for that! :)

Latoya from Flying into First has a brand new winter writing freebie that has TONS of 'snow' words in it! :)

If you'd like to download this for your 'snow-stash'...click HERE!

Hope you have a wonderful first week back with your kids! :)

Fun Freebies

Hey everyone!
I seem to have a thing for posting late.  It's like twelve minutes until New Year's Eve, so I guess I might need to get moving.  Of course, I could pretend I live in California right?

Anyway, I hope y'all have had an incredible break and have gotten lots of rest, watched sappy Hallmark Christmas movies, and eaten a tray or two of Chex Mix.  That to me is the perfect break!  Of course, all breaks come to an end at some point.  Please don't hate me for that statement!  Since I'm sure most breaks are ending in a few days, I thought it may help if you had a few things you can save, print, and laminate.  That way you can relax a few extra minutes (especially if you procrastinate like me).

Here are two of my freebies that I have over on TPT.  One is my New Years freebie and has several language arts centers and a math center.  The other is a winter freebie and it is a true/false math center.  Just click on the pictures and it will take you to my store so you can download them.  Hope you enjoy and when you have a few minutes, stop by 1st Grade Fantabulous for a visit.

Faith :)

FREEBIE - New Year's Printables

Happy "Almost New Year's" to you all! :)

It's Tamara from

I am super excited to share my new printables freebie with you! :) I needed something quick for my first day back to school and I whipped this up to use with my own learners! I hope that you like them!

Click HERE to download the pack for your classroom! :)

I'm also doing this quick and easy craft with my kiddlets when we get back as well! :)

Click HERE to go to my TPT store for this craft! :)

Enjoy, friends! :)

Hello 2014! Let's Get Healthy!!

Hi friends! It's Laura from Peace, Love, and First Grade.
     Thanks so much for stopping by The Chalkboard!

 Disclaimer: This is a post about strengthening your immune system.
I do not profess to be a medical professional.
I am simply sharing teachers' suggestions for living a healthier lifestyle.

Stay with me, friends. There's a freebie at the end!

Over the last two years, I have had the stomach virus twice,
a few sinus infections, Bronchitis two times, and Walking Pneumonia. 

Remember, I'm not a new teacher, either...
Frankly, I'm sick of being sick!
Obviously, my Immune System is shot! 

Well, let me tell you something, I want 2014 to be different,
and I know it's up to me to boost my system!

SO...I asked some of my blogging pals and teacher friends
what they did to stay healthy in the classroom.
I've compiled their answers right here.
One list is for things you can do at home
and another for things you can do at school.
Hopefully, if you are in the same boat I'm in,
we can toughen up before that boat sinks!

What You Can Do at Home
Let's be honest, we all know we shouldn't smoke.
We should eat our fruits and veggies,
and we should limit alcohol intake, right?
But what else can we do?

1-Take your vitamins
 
2-Take probiotics. Ask your doctor for the right one for you.
3-Vitamin C every day

4-Get plenty of rest and sleep
5-Drink tons of water


6-Drink green tea daily, cranberry juice, or vitamin water
7-Eat a clean diet (so hard to do)
8-Exercise regularly (even harder to do)
9-Get about 20 minutes of  fresh air and sunshine daily. You need the Vitamin C.
10-Use saline solution or a saline rinse before you leave your house and before bed.
My doctor recommended Simply Saline.
 
11-Throw away your tooth brush after you are sick.
Do this with your family members' brushes, too.
12-Change your pillow case every single day when you are sick.


13-When you feel yourself getting sick, take something like Emergen-C or Colloidal Silver.
14-Take a steam shower at least twice a week. All those flu germs can't survive in really high temps.


15-Cut out the stress from your life. Okay...we teach. At least find the time to relax!


16-Don't always bundle up inside. Bare skin in the elements helps build your immune system. Who knew?
 
17-Make time for yourself. Once a week, find time to do something you enjoy.
18-Get organized. If you aren't already. This helps alleviate stress.
19-Learn to say, "No." You don't have to do it all. You don't.
20-Several teachers swear by "juicing," too. Link below.

Things You Can do in the Classroom
1-This one is a pet peeve with me.
Teach your students to cough and sneeze into their sleeves, NOT THEIR HANDS.
Makes me cringe when I see teachers coughing into their hands.
2-Don't touch your face and (try to) teach children not to touch their faces.
3-Use hand sanitizer before touching your skin ALL DAY LONG.

4-Use a cup with a lid. Keep it away from kiddos.
5-Use your own pencils, markers, etc.
Try not to touch kid pencils, etc. or sanitize right after using.
6-Use your own tissue box, separate from the kiddos.
7-Use anti-bacterial wipes on all surfaces touched by kiddos or spray with Lysol. (keyboards, door handles, light switches).
8-Have students blow their noses by the door.
Have them put their tissues in a trash can by the door, then use hand sanitizer.
9-Have students get hand sanitizer before guided reading,
reading books in the class library, or using math manipulatives.


10-Wear a small apron filled with YOUR supplies.
Don't share those supplies with the kiddos. 

I set up a "Get Well Station" in my classroom.
I keep tissues, hand sanitizer, and a trash bin next to the door.
Students blow their noses, drop tissues in the trash,
get some hand sanitizer, THEN walk to the sink to wash their hands.
Is it overkill?? Maybe, but we need to stay well!

I hope you've found something here to help you stay well in 2014!
If you have anything to add, I'd love to hear it and will add it above.
Thanks so much for sticking with me!

Here's a little freebie for you if you decide to set up a "Get Well" Station.
Click the pic to download.

Links to Teacher Recommended Products

Wellness Formula

Juice Plus 

Emergen-C
 New Chapter Perfect Immune

Juicing