DonorsChoose

***UPDATE: I have personalized my DonorsChoose page, and the new link is here.***

Hello everybody!

Sorry about the 2 posts in one day, but in my defense, I scheduled the book study post a few days ago.  Speaking of the book study, does anyone know where we are supposed to link up today?  I have LOVED connecting with teachers the last couple of months, so to keep doing so, I have joined TBA and added the 2nd grade button to my blog.  You all have such terrific ideas, and I love reading them. 

In the spirit of linking up, please join the first day of school activities linky party that you can find here.  I have read all of the submissions so far, but I have yet to comment on any (grad school has kept me BUSY).  :-)  I hope to get caught up with comments within the next few days. 



Okay, now to get to the title of my post.  I, like all of you, try every day to provide a better and better learning experience for my students.  I have heard wonderful things about DonorsChoose, and I have decided to upload a project that will enhance my social studies curriculum and incorporate the use of Thinking Maps that my district will be adopting this year.  You can find my project here.  I have decided to start small as I start out with this new resource and just see how it goes.  I'm sure that it will be another fun adventure!  :-)

That's all for now.       

Trying So Many New Things-A First Day of School Linky

Hi,

I have really tried to stretch my blog knowledge in the last few weeks.  You all have been so sweet and supportive as I leap into the unknown.  I'm totally unsure if this will work, but I want to try hosting my own linky. 

The topic I am choosing is first day of school activities that we do with our students (as I move to a new grade level, from third to second, I know that I will really benefit from reading all of your ideas.).  One thing that I did last year (that I will definitely continue) is I allowed my students to decorate their writing journals (we use the composition books).  I brought in a supply of scrapbook paper, stickers, and sticker letters and let the kids go for it.  They were having so much fun that they didn't want to stop to go to lunch.  :-)  Having a personalized writing journal motivated them to write all year long. 

 

Of course, my first day of school with students, like all of yours, is filled with teaching all kinds of procedures including lining up, going to lunch, restroom breaks, packing up to go home, and much more.  I presented classroom rules through a video I had made using xtranormal.com, which the kids thought was hilarious!  (I will be sure to post about this fun resource later for those of you who are not familiar with it.) 



Do any of you have a favorite read-aloud that you read on the first day of school year after year?  What does your first day of school look like?  For those of you that are participating in the Guided Math book study, what math-related procedures and activities will you introduce right away?  Anyway, these questions were just some ideas/wonderings I had for your posts.  However, I welcome any and all ideas-the sky is the limit!  I can't wait to read about your first day of school.