Organization

I LOVE binders. (and page protectors!)

I use them to keep everything organized. 

I even have most of them color coded by subject-so I know what to grab since I've been too lazy to make covers :)

Lt. Blue-Science; Dk. Blue-Math; Purple-Writing; Pink-Social Studies; Teal-Reading (Graphic Organizers)

Of course, I have WAY more than this....

I've stashed them on my shelves across the room-those hold more specialized units, like

 and

 and

as well as my interactive notebooks-one binder for each type of notebook (Math, Language, Reading).

For my supplies, I like everything nice and organized!

I use bins from the dollar store to help, and have sectioned off my wonderful shelving into areas.

Math, with Science on the very top

Literacy (and you can see some of my extra binders!)

Social Studies, Writing, Odds and Ends

Of course, my desk is always a different story-I'm a piler!

BUT, I always know where things are in my pile-it's when I get a wild hair to organize it that I have trouble finding things!

Part of my piles are due to my turn in bins-

 I have one for homework-and they have to sign in their homework-gives me a quick look at who is missing-and one for classwork.

This year, I'm going to try to cut down on the amount of  classwork turn in by doing more in their notebooks-we'll see what happens!

How do you organize yourself?

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Construction Completed

My classroom is mostly done-it just needs a few more details!

You can see 2012 and 2013 here.
Ready for some picture overload? :)

View from the door, standing on my tiptoes and raising the camera high above me!

Turn left...

Desk/work area

Around the mailboxes and attendance

Fiction Library and Focus Wall

Other corner (with a whiteboard in the middle that I forgot to take a picture of!)

Whole Group and Small Group area

Along the wall

Ready for some students!

Writing Workstation

Show How You Know and Vocab section

My area

Whole group (projector broken :( ) SMART Board area

Student Supplies -the math boxes and chair will find a new home!

Along the other wall now

Nonfiction library on bottom, Math and Science above

ELA Resources

ELA, Writing Portfolios, SS and Tissues!

Closets and then out the door!

I hope you enjoyed the view!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

I am..

  Hello!

For new friends, I'm Kaitlyn, and I've been blogging at Smiles and Sunshine for over 2 years. :)

 I teach 4th grade in New England, and this will be my 8th year of teaching (and my 4th in 4th grade!)

I LOVE to read! (Both paperbacks and Kindle!)

I have a slight book buying problem...

This is maybe half-I have 3 more bookcases out of sight!

Almost at 800 books-definitely by the end of the year!

And those are just the adult books-I have kids books stashed away as well!

Clearly, there are issues there :)

I'm also a hooker...

My friend gave me these for my birthday-aren't they gorgeous?!

If you want to see more of my completed projects, click here. (Or go through old Monday Made Its!)

In fact, I dabble in lots of crafts!

Painting:

Cross-stitching:

Making cards:








Stamping:

If it is crafty, I've probably tried it once!

I have a sister who is 20 and a junior in college.  She is going for business psychology. :)

I like to spend lots of time with my friends PJ and TV...we hang out on the couch a lot!

I'm homebody (and an introvert), so I spend most of my time there. I get my people fix at work. :)

So, some new things about me!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn

Monday Made It

My last Monday of vacation-back to work next week!

First up, I finished my Lesson Planner!

I have it so I have a two page calendar spread

In front of the weekly lessons for that month

I've also put in PD days as well as days off

This way, I won't have to worry about handwriting it :)

Next, I made a HUGE Parts of Speech Bulletin Board.

As we cover each part of speech, I'll add the definition with examples underneath each part-to help us remember!

Next, I updated  a few resources from last year.

First up, my Writer's Checklist-By making it bigger and condensing a few things!
Old Version:

OLD

OLD

New Version:

New

New

It's right above my writing process chart!

I've also updated my rubric by adding a set of expectations to it.

This way, the students can get a better gauge on what their grade means, as well as what it takes to get to the next level.

And finally, I've been squarely busy, happily hooking away!

I'm very close to being done squaring away-I need 54 squares and I have 43! The tough part now is finding square patterns from my books that I haven't done-I want all different squares (except maybe the corners...thinking of doing two different kinds...).

 The fun part will come when I have to join them all together.

Have a happy Monday!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn