HOWYWOOD

Bridges in Mathematics : Kid-Friendly Work Place Directions for Kindergarten!!

If your school uses the Bridges in Mathematics Kindergarten curriculum, YOU NEED THESE kid-friendly (and teacher-friendly!) directions!!!

Kid-friendly Bridges Math Work Place Directions for Kindergarten

Reviews:

“This is the best thing ever if you are starting Bridges. It is such a help to organize all the workshops. It helps me understand the new games and give my students clear directions. The student “read” the directions even though they can’t read since the pictures are so helpful. Love love love these. Thanks so much.” ~Nancy

“This resource was life changing in my classroom! Having these directions for students to use made Work Place time more engaging and so much easier for the students!” ~Kelly

“These are so helpful and have increased my student’s independence during workplaces. The visuals within the directions are wonderful.” ~RaeAnn

How To Make “Offices” Students Will LOVE Using

“Offices” are a year-long tool your class will love to take out at writing time (or any time!)! They help kids focus on their work and it give them a ton of helpful reference tools at their fingertips.

Yes, it’s obviously a little prep up front to assemble them, but they last ALL YEAR LONG! I don’t even laminate them and they get stored in my student’s own {sometimes messy} desk drawers! We use them almost daily and they’re 100% worth the little bit of work that goes into creating them.

Here’s my step-by-step guide to making the offices:

Print the pages you want to include. If you want to use the same pages as me (and have more similar options, too), you can find them HERE.
Get plain manilla file folders and staple two together so they overlap in the center. Make sure they’ll still be able to fold closed.
Glue the pages on! I just use a bottle of glue and get to work. I end up laying them out on my floor or countertops for a little bit to dry.
In the end, the ends should both fold inward so it’s just a little bigger than a piece of paper.

Tips and Ideas:

I like putting their name down low in the inside middle section so it’s riiiiight by where they’re writing it themselves on their paper.
As we change writing styles (narrative, how-to, opinion, etc), I have kids just glue the new writing ideas on top of their old one.
For the word wall page, you could print it with your words pre-typed in, and/or you could also help kids add words as they ask for help. When they say, “How do I spell ____?” you can figure it out together and record it for them on their word wall. They LOVE having a tool to be more independent with their writing!
You can put their picture on front or not! I’ve done it both ways- no pressure. Photo alternatives include just making the words larger or having kids draw a picture.

What questions do you have? Let me know if I can help!

Find my print-and-go pages HERE!

All About Me Art & Writing Project

Here’s an adorable project for back to school season! It makes an awesome hallway or bulletin board display and really helps students get to know each other.

Here’s how I do it:

Day 1: At our morning meeting, we go around the circle and share our name and our favorite color. I record student’s answers to reference later. Later in the day, I show them ALL these face options on the screen and have them raise their hand for the one that they think looks most like them. After school, I go print the ones I need and write names, birthdays, & favorite colors on them.

Days 2-5: At our morning meeting we do the same routine each day: I have the stack of papers and as I flip through them, each child answers the question of the day and I record what they said. Each day’s question is just one of the things on the page:

What’s your favorite thing to do? What’s your favorite food? What do you want to do when you grow up? What’s one of your hopes and dreams for this school year? By the time day 5 is complete, the pages are all filled out.

Day 5 or 6: Now it’s time to color! Every year I do a big introduction to each of our school supplies… we talk about what each supply is, what it’s used for (and not used for!), how to take care of it, and then we practice using it. After we’ve learned all about crayons, THIS is the page I use for kids to practice on! They do a really nice job and then this project is ready for display. 🙂

Want to try it out in your class?

Find it HERE!

An Unforgettable 100th Day of School Art Project and Writing : “When I am 100 Years Old…”

“Oh my! This is truly a hit!! My hallway bulletin board is a source of a lot of conversation and admiration. The kiddos LOVED making these, and I can’t wait to send them home to their parents. :)”
~Kindergarten Teacher

This is seriously the cutest, most PERFECT art and writing project for the 100th day of school! I’ve been doing it every year for over 20 years and it is always the talk of the school… everyone adores this and thinks it’s HILARIOUS!

It’d be fun to make in the weeks leading up the 100th day so they’re hanging up in the hall as the big day approaches… or it’s always festive to do them on the actual 100th day as well… either way! It’s a BEST-SELLER you’ll look forward to year after year.

ALL THE INTERESTING DETAILS:

With this resource, you’ll receive:

✅ A brainstorming map

✅ 3 differentiated options for writing papers

✅ A “tracer” template for the head/neck

✅ Inspiring photos of real-life examples (both for writing & the faces)

✅ 7 pages of detailed directions, helpful photos, and all my tried-and-true teacher tips to guide you through EVERYTHING you’ll want to know to make sure this project is a huge success!

You can get it HERE!

OMG… Check out these ADORABLE Kindergarten-crafted examples: 🙂

“Many giggles came from the completion of this project! I did not tell the students we were going to crumple the paper until the end. They thought it was hilarious! Fantastic resource!
Included was a well-aligned writing activity to help display the project in the hallway. Everyone that saw them displayed commented on how cute they turned out! Thank you for sharing this ‘kid’s fave!'”
~First Grade Teacher

Find everything you need HERE!

Top 8 Reasons You’ll Love Having Students “Write the Room!”

Have you tried adding “Write the Room” into your classroom routine? It’s PERFECT for anytime you want your students to do some meaningful, independent, active academic work. I like using it as a literacy center for kids to work on independently while I meet with reading groups. Here are my top 10 reason’s you should give it a try!

8. It’s basically zero prep / print & go: Your time is valuable! I print all the recording pages at the beginning of the year and just pull out the ones I want each week. The only real prep was printing, laminating and cutting apart the cards to display around the room… but it’s the kind of thing you do once and then never have to do again. I’ve been using my cards for years and years.

7. Kids can help you swap cards out each week: They love to help and it saves you more time! I used sticky tack to put 12 clothespins around the room at the beginning of the year and that’s where the 12 cards go each week. It’s very easy for kids to pull the old card out and put a new one in.

6. It keeps kids moving and active: Students grab a clipboard, attach their paper to it and walk around the room to find this week’s cards. I love not seeing them glued to their desks.

5. Recording sheets are differentiated so you have freedom to choose what works best for your kids: Kids can either write the word with or without picture clues or circle the correct word that goes with each picture if writing a whole word would be too much right now.

4. It’s academic and meaningful work… not just busy work: Kids get to write, copy words, practice skills (cards focus on everything from letter ID to CVC words, vowels, beginning, middle, and ending sounds, digraphs, and more! There are even a few fun seasonal sets that I put in at the beginning of each new month.

3. It’s a routine you can use ALL YEAR: Just change out the cards and recording sheets every week, which takes about 2 minutes. 31 sets are included in my year-long bundle! I LOVE the consistency of always having this as an option my kids know how to do.

2. It’s engaging in FUN for students: The cards are new each week, they’re moving around, AND they LOVE having to hunt for the card they need. I keep my clothespins in the same place all year, but it still turns into a treasure hunt for them. 🙂

1. It’s self-checking: Answer keys are included. I like to tape them up on the side of a bookshelf in case students want to just check it out and see if they got everything correct. I often have them show me their work (just quickly to hold them accountable), but I don’t formally grade it.

Thousands of teachers have purchased this best-selling bundle and loved using it in their classrooms! If you’re looking to add “Write the Room” to your classroom routine, you can find it linked below! 🙂 Let me know if you have any questions!

Check it out HERE!

The Self Portrait Directed Drawing Art Project : Your New Favorite!

Looking for an ADORABLE art project that will probably become your FAVORITE ever? This self portrait is an instant classic you’ll use year after year (and many teachers even use it more than once per year!).

It comes complete with 54 unique zero-prep “perfect start paper” options that set every artist up for success …and 40 gorgeous pages of thoughtful, step-by-step directions are breezy to teach and easy to follow, for even the littlest artists. 14K+ other teachers have LOVED having their students create self portraits with this resource … and you will, too!

Check it out HERE!

First Day of School Crowns … and Last Day Crowns, too!

Looking for the PERFECT way to celebrate the beginning or ending of a school year?! You’ll love these print-and-go crowns!

Options are included for “preschool” through “6th grade.”

Kids can color, cut, and glue their crown onto a sentence strip or strip of paper to make a headband.

These are awesome for photos, memories, & celebrating all that’s been …and all that will be!

First Day of School crowns say: This awesome kid had a great first day of _________

Last Day of School crowns say: This awesome kid is officially ready for __________. (These would also be perfect for using if you do a Summer assessment!)

Grab them HERE!

All the BEST Back to School Tips & Tricks for Teachers!

❤️ Are you new to teaching?

❤️ Or are you like I often am and even though you’ve done this before, you’re having a late-Summer panic attack like, “Wait- I think forgot how to teach!”

❤️ Or maybe you’re a seasoned veteran just looking for new ideas!

Whoever you are, and whatever brought you here… WELCOME!

ALL THE INTERESTING DETAILS:

My name is Katie and I’ve been teaching K and 1st grade since 2001. I’m far from knowing it all, but if it helps one teacher out there feel a little more prepared for the BIG first day (including myself- haha!), I thought it’d be worth typing out what has worked for me the past several years. I’m including helpful pictures, step-by-step directions, sanity-saving tips, quick links to resources I won’t do the first few weeks without, and in-depth details about EVERYTHING I do throughout the first day(s)! Steal and take any ideas you want, tweak it and make it your own. This is for you!

CLICK HERE to get this amazing resource for FREE!

REAL-LIFE TEACHER REVIEWS:

❤️”I just wanted to THANK YOU for sharing your time tested First Day of K teacher tips and plans! And for free! I’m a first year K teacher, and have looked through A LOT of resources to help me start the year off. But, when I came across yours, it made me feel so much better. I didn’t feel overwhelmed. I’m actually following your first day plans to a T, and purchasing what you’ve posted on there. I feel like I have my head on straight. More confident and at ease, with a clear direction. Again, thank you so much! :)”

❤️”Absolutely ah-mazing! I have spent the last 2 weeks nervous about what to do on the 1st day as a first year teacher. I am over the moon impressed by this! Thank you, THANK YOU!!”

❤️”I am not new to teaching but I am new to kindergarten and this is a must read. Thank you so much for taking the time to give me a little peace of mind before school starts. This is such a valuable document. Thank you so much!”

I wish you a WONDERFUL first day of school and a blessed, beautiful school year.❤️