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By: Olivia Lee

Spring 2018

Philosophy Statement…………………………………………………………………………2
Classroom Arrangement………………………………………………………………………3
Classroom Rules………………………………………………………………………............6
Discipline Plan………………………………………………………………………………...7
Procedures…….……………………………………………………………………………….9
First Day Plans………………………………………………………………………………..21
Resources……………………………………………………………………………………..24
Dedication..…………………………………………………………………………………...27
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Philosophy Statement
Over many years in the classroom, as a student and as a teacher, I have learned many

skills to create an effective classroom. Using the pedagogical skills in practice during student

teaching has taught me about children, school systems, and the profession. Overall, I have

learned that teaching has a million daily decisions but only two decisions are the root: how will

you show love and how will you be their advocate? As a teacher, I must love students through

content. I must also love them by making an unpopular decision. Therefore, with that love, I will

advocate for each student in any capacity. Each child that walks into the room, no matter their

background, ethnicity, or upbringing, each deserve a cheerleader.

My education philosophy also includes an analogy that I remind myself at the beginning

of every day. I will start everyday by imagining a box of brand new crayons. Like a new box of

crayons, each student is unique and colorful in their own way. The new box also has crayons

that are all fresh and sharp. Thus, just as if my classroom was a new 24 pack of crayons, I will

remind myself that my students are sharp and deserve a fresh start every day. Furthermore, I am

like the sharpener on the back of the box. I will mold the students into humans that enact their

brains in new ways and practice caring hearts. Hence, even though I might end a ruff day with a

box of crayons that is broken and beaten-up, I know my love, advocacy, and pedagogical skills

will enable my classroom to meet state requirements and any objective!

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Classroom Arrangement

My classroom design and layout will allow myself and my students to have ample space

that provides a sufficient and effective classroom. As your walk into the room we will have a

welcome mat to make it feel more like a home. Past the door we have our cubbies for book bags

and lunch boxes. I have chosen to put the cubbies near the door so that leaving and coming to

school will go faster and the room will look more orderly. Next, on the right hand wall we have

our main carpet area. In this area of the classroom we will have our daily meeting, closing

message, transitions, mini-lessons, and whole class reading. This section will also have pictures

on the wall to describe SOLs that we are currently going over (see pictures below). On the

Active Board I will display flipbooks, videos, and classroomscreen.com. I have chosen to also

use the Active Board as an interactive surface instead of a sole projector. Below the Active
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Board, I will have the bins for SSR books. As you move closer to the kidney table, two blue

carpet circles will hold the “Pizza Box Review” games.1 I have decided to give them a

permanent home in the classroom so that review and spiral review are always available! Next, I

have chosen to use a kidney table instead of a teacher’s desk. A kidney table provides a better

sense of community. It also allows the teacher to be more available for questions and concerns

throughout the day. To maintain orderliness, I will have filing cabinets behind the kidney table

and cubbies for the treasure chest, student supplies, teacher supplies, future plans, homework,

and morning work. With this system in mind, I will also maintain orderliness by stacking chairs

on the back wall each afternoon. I chose to do this because the floors can be cleaned each

afternoon.

In the back of the classroom, I will have our centers! The back left is the literacy center

that will have books, activities, and seating. This section will provide students with an area

solely devoted to the love of reading! It will have bean bags and some sort of reading structure

(see pictures below). In the center I will also have the classroom library and a shelf to display

books of the week that correlate with content sections. For example, if we are learning about

Rome I will have books on the aquanauts and the structures. Moreover, in this center I would

have earbuds and iPads for audiobooks. Next to the liteacy center, I would have the science

center. This center would rotate out designs based on the unit. For example, soil and plant units

will transform the center into a plant discovery zone for students to construct their own

knowledge based on challenges and STEM activities (see picture below).

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See Classroom Procedures for description.
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Classroom Rules
In my education philosophy, I identified that each student is different and needs

accommodations to create the best learning environment possible. To do this I have decided to

use guidelines rather than rules. The guidelines in the classroom will allow for consequences

that can depend on a given situation while allowing fairness in the classroom. These guidelines

will be in the front of the classroom above the board and parents will receive a printout of the

guidelines during back to school night. Thus, the five guidelines laid out in the next paragraph

will be a positive framework (L.E.A.R.N) that gives students a voice while also building the goal

of being a family.

The first letter of the framework stands for “Listen to instruction.” In any grade, this lays

a clear foundation that students need to listen to their teacher when he or she is speaking. If

students do not learn to be quiet in the classroom, chaos will ensue and can ruin a lesson or an

activity. Next, I have decided that the E stands for “Enter and exit prepared.” Based on my

experience, I have seen that students have a hard time with transitions in and out of the

classroom. This guideline would tell students that Ms. Lee expects you to come to the class

ready to learn. In addition to this preparedness, each student will need to follow classroom

procedures. Moreover, this guideline would help students develop a sense of responsibility

while at the school. The A will represent “Always try our best.” I want my students to never

give up! I will tell them on the first day of school that they are the best students and hardest

workers I could ask for as a teacher. I will be quite firm with this guideline in that we, as a

family, have no room in this classroom for anyone that doesn’t want to work hard. The R

represents “Respect yourself and others.” In my classroom, there will be zero tolerance for

bullying and unkind actions. I will tell them that as long as they respect the teacher, the other
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students, and the supplies in the room, they will always be able to follow this guideline. Finally,

the N stands for “Never forget to ask for help.” So often, students either forget or feel ashamed

by asking for help. I want my students to understand that as a family we ask and receive help

from peers (when appropriate) or from the teacher.

Discipline Plan

Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary defines discipline as a control that is gained by requiring

that rules or order be obeyed and punishing behavior. This is the definition I will use on the first

day of school to tell the students what discipline is and why it is occurring. I

will tell the students upfront how they will earn a consequence and why they

deserve a consequence. My students will earn a consequence if they do not

follow a classroom rule and thus do not follow the “Lee” way of education.

I will keep count of consequences using a behavior sheet that will be

changed out weekly and placed in their red folders (see picture). Moreover,

if a student does not complete a task in an ample amount of time, such as

homework, the student will have a mark.

However, if a bad behavior persists and does not get fixed via normal incentives and

behavior marks, other measures will have to be taken. First, I will try prevention strategies that

will replace certain targeted behaviors with replacement skills. Below you will find a list of

prevention strategies that could work in the classroom.

- He/she will be provided with assistance during seat work time

- He/she will sit in a quiet area away from the rest of the students

- He/she will be given praise at the end of day

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- He/she will be taught if they need a “breather,” to ask for it

- He/she will have more interactions with their peers so they can know how to form bonds

with peers

- He/she will have 3 choices and will get the opportunity to “control” the situation

- The teacher will provide he/she with a full week schedule so they are aware of tasks

Then, if an individual behavior plan is necessary, I will take the student aside and ask them what

they would want as a reward. Assuming this reward is appropriate, I will use a smiley face

behavior chart to indicate whether the

student is having a good day. In this

method, a student can only earn smiley

face and no frowny faces (see picture).

Yet, sometime the first behavior model

trial will not pan out. If this does not

solve the situation, I can try another

individual behavior plan.2

In addition to the negatives and consequences that they can earn, positive reinforcement

will occur using my behavior plan. I will have several ways to encourage good behavior of the

class as a whole. If we are having a remarkably good class period or lesson, I will reward the

class with one golf ball in the fish tank! I will tell the students that as easily as they earned a golf

ball, a golf ball can be taken out of the tank for poor overall class behavior. If we get a full circle

2
Prior to an attempted Individual Behavior Plan, I will try to find the motive/reason or the behavior and try to
autocorrect the situation.
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size fish tank full of golf balls, they will earn extra

recess for a whole week! Additionally, I will use a

Mr. Potato Head to monitor and alter classroom

behavior (see picture). At the end of the day, I will

decide whether they have earned another piece of

Mr. Potato Head! If he is together at some point, then

the class will earn a reward to share!3

Classroom Procedures

The daily life in my classroom that ranges anywhere from pencils to emergency

procedures will help my classroom be efficient and effective. Each of these will be taught and

practiced in the first week of school. Each student will learn “The Lee Way” of education! We

will work on these procedures without consequences until they become routine for each child.

Our procedures, in a nutshell, will secure safety, learning, and fun for each child in the

classroom.

Emergency procedures will include county policy and regulations such as direction, noise

level, and reporting safety. Additionally, I will use a bag that will always hang on the handle of

the classroom door. In the bag, it will include the emergency exit color pages, each student’s

emergency card, a small first aid kit, and anything else the school system requires that the

teacher keep on themselves during a drill or in an emergency situation. I will also let the

students know that while we are in a drill or a real emergency we will be silent and calm. As the

teacher, I will need focus from each student. Therefore, the first week of school, even prior to

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As the year progresses and I learn more about what motivates a particular class as a whole, I might alter how I
use whole classroom behavior.
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the start of drills, my students and I will practice drills in the classroom such as line up for a fire

or where to sit in a lock down situation.

In the event of a lock down, I will use in-service training for an invader situation. My

students will hide in a corner of the classroom that cannot be seen from the door window. A

shade will be pulled down over the door window and the lights will be turned out. To also

ensure safety, I will have a door lock (see picture) that will either go on each side of the door, or

on the door hinge to add extra security. Each student will understand that this is a serious

situation and that talking is not permitted in any case. As the teacher, I will stand near the

children and will have a silent finger placed over my mouth. I will only use this symbol while in

a drill or lockdown situation to show the urgency of the quiet we need in that moment. Once a

drill is over, depending on the behavior, the students will receive consequences or a reward.

In the event of an emergency allergic reaction or medical need while in the school, I will

call down to the office or the school nurse to come up to the classroom and follow the student’s

individual health plan. Additionally, on the playground I will have another adult run inside to

get the nurse, or I would phone into the school on my personal cell phone or on a walkie-talkie to

send for help. However, if an emergency was urgent enough, or if the nurse had already left for

the day, I would call 911 and follow their directions until help arrived.
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Another important procedure for a functioning classroom is contacting parents/guardians.

Keeping parents/guardians in the loop from the beginning will be crucial to gain their trust and

help them understand how the class will run.

On back to school night, parents and or

guardians will receive a foldable with important

class information (see picture). This foldable

can be kept for future reference if they might

have question. However, communication still

has to be held throughout the year! One way I

will accomplish this goal is by using the

Reminder App. This application allows the

teacher to message parents as a whole, add comments, and answer individual questions

separately from the group. It will also be a quick way to reach me if I am not able to answers

emails at that time! In another way, I will also send out a weekly parent/ guardian letter to update

them on content objectives, classroom updates, and school wide announcements (click here for

example). The final way I would contact parents is through phone calls in the afternoons. I hope

that all of these communication outlets will keep parents and or guardians in the loop on a

weekly, daily, and yearly basis.

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Another important procedure that begins prior to the start of the school year is substitute

plans. Located on the shelf behind my kidney table will be a

basket labeled “Sub Tub” (see picture). This tub will

include plans that are for emergency and non-emergency

use. Normally, I will have substitute plans in the basket

ready to go! However, if an emergency were to occur, I

would have the substitute follow the emergency plans

provided in the back of the bin! Additionally, I will provide

an entire substitute binder that includes daily procedures, class

roster, bus list, locations of supplies, schedules, etc. (see

picture). Overall, I will have an ample amount of information

for a substitute so that they will feel capable and ready to start

the day as soon as the students walk into the room!

Procedures that begin and end with the school day are

also important to classroom success! Collecting papers, projects, and homework properly will

make our classroom efficient. Collecting papers efficiently

will help me address what students understand and what

needs spiral review. Firstly, the students will have to turn in

paper work in different baskets depending on the subject.

For example, English will be a blue basket and will require

students to highlight their name (see picture). Then in the

afternoons, I will stack the baskets on themselves and place

the baskets in the right hand corner of my desk to symbolize

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that they need to be graded and recorded. Once each basket is empty and papers are placed in

their proper place, each basket is put back on the shelf for students to use again the next day.

Record keeping procedures will allow myself to have an efficient gradebook that will

allow me to see grades and averages. I will be using a paper and digital gradebook for record

keeping. A single paper gradebook will be purchased that will hold the entire years grades so

that no grades can be lost or misplaced. The digital gradebook will be on the school district

Blackboard page. Both gradebooks will have each student’s name and roll call number. Each

page will be divided into different subjects. However, in the event that the grade is

departmentalized, I will have a different gradebook page for each rotation of the same subject.

Moreover, depending on school district policy, I will weigh assignments differently and give

letter grades. Additionally, work that is not graded but checked for effort and completion earns a

100 in the gradebook. Each assignment will have two columns: one for the grade, and one for

the completion of the assignment. I have found that it is hard to keep up with every assignment a

student has completed or not completed, so having a completion checkoff for each assignment

will help the students and myself immensely.

When it comes to returning graded and recorded papers, we would have to categories:

graded and non-graded. If a project, assignment, or test was a graded work, I will staple them

together and stamp them with a parent signature mark. Then, the graded work will be placed on

the right side of their take home “Tuesday Folder”. When the folders return on Wednesday, I

will place their signed graded papers in a filing cabinet behind my desk and the folders back in

their designated bucket. I will keep their graded paper for the entire year for reference during

parent teacher conferences and child studies. The non-graded work will be placed in their daily

take home red folder on the keep at home side.

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Additionally, as mentioned in record keeping procedures, I would keep a checklist of

assignments as they are placed in the baskets. With this procedure, if a student has missed a day

of school they must open the “Ketchup Folder” (see picture) and

collect the work with their name on it. The student then during

lunch or seat work time will come to me and discuss a plan to

complete the work that was missed. Yet, in the event that a

student has unfinished work, after an ample amount of time to

complete the assignment their “Fun Friday” is in jeopardy and

may be taken away!

On the flip side, if a student finishes work early, I will have

“PIZZA BOX REVIEW” up at the front of the room. This is a

station where students can pull a pizza box and sit down on the

carpet. The boxes will include matching games, review sorts, and

writing challenges. For example, if we were studying the Lost

Colony of Roanoke, a student would find a map, clues, and hints to

solving the mystery and would have to write a news article including

their new findings! In another way, this could be a way for students

to practice English skills such as sight words (see picture). In

another way, I would let students have S.S.R (Sustained Silent Reading) time if they were to

finish work early. Below the active board, I will have a book pulled based on interest and
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independent reading level. Thus, if a student finishes early, they can go get a book for S.S.R.

time that I know will still be good use of “free time.”4

During the mornings, we will have a set procedure and schedule that will be perfected

after several weeks of school. Prior the bell ring at 7:40am, students may talk at a level 1 or 2

and enjoy a conversation with the desk mates while upbeat music played in the background.

After the bell and the pledge, students will work on morning math work until 8am. At 8am, we

will conduct our morning meeting for 10-15 minutes on the carpet. The morning meeting will

include roll call, weather, day of the week, question of the day, and today’s updates and plans.

This is also a time to express a concern or a question with the teacher if a student needs to do so!

Additionally to create more of a community, the student of the day can tell a fun fact about

himself or herself.5 Then, on Fridays, the morning meeting will also include whether the “Secret

Student of the Week” has earned a prize from the treasure chest!6

The morning meeting will kick off with taking attendance. I will take attendance

differently than some teachers. Instead of just looking around the room and marking students

like Ferris Bueller’s teacher, I will have a fun motive for students to come to the morning

meeting and school in general! The chant will go something like this: “Today’s the day we going

to learn! Who are? WE ARE! Who’s ready to start the day? WE ARE! 3…2…1…ROLL

CALL!” At this point, each student will call out their number and go around the carpet!

Whomever is not there will be marked on the clip chart to absent and we will keep calling roll

call. If we make it to the end of roll call with every number, we will erupt in cheers because the

4
I feel that it is important for students on any reading level to have the opportunity to read alone. With that, early
finishers would not be the only students to get SSR time. I would have a devoted block of time every day for SSR.
5
The first day of school, I will share a fun fact about myself to jumpstart the sharing experience!
6
See Discipline Plan section to learn more about the secret student of the week!
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whole family has come to school today! We will do attendance like this every single morning. I

have decided to do attendance this way because I feel that all too often students and teachers

alike forget that we BOTH come to school to learn! This part of our morning meeting will pump

up the students and myself!

After the morning meeting our day will start! With this start, comes our daily procedures

that include classroom jobs, bathroom/water breaks, pencils/supplies, and orderliness. These

listed procedures are vital to the function of a working classroom for the students and teacher! I

have chosen to make these procedures student lead instead of teacher lead. This will give

responsibility to the students and will make them feel like important members of our family!

The first student lead procedures are classroom jobs. Having the following jobs will

allow the classroom to have orderliness and success. There is a wide array of classroom jobs for

students to complete on a daily or weekly basis. The classroom job list will rotate weekly so that

every student will have a fair chance at doing every job!

The classroom jobs will be on a bulletin board near the

front of the classroom so that they are available for easy

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reference. The jobs vary from simple in-class tasks, such

as desk cleaner, to whole school jobs like hallway patrol

(see picture).8 Jobs included on the “Job Board” that are

not in the photo include veterinarian and bathroom

monitor. Below is an itemized list of what each job includes.

I. Line Leader: TSW lead the students quietly down the hall to our destination

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The job board will have clothespins with numbers on them so that students will use and remember their roll call
number!
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The job board will also look more like a newspaper “Job” section that it does in this example photo.
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II. Clean-up Crew: TSW clean daily after our closing message prior to getting backpacks
III. Pencil Sharpener Captain: TSW be the only one to use the automatic pencil sharpener that week and
will sharpen for the other students
IV. Drink Monitor: TSW watch students during water breaks for appropriate behavior
V. Scrap Monster: TSW collect all scrap paper when necessary and place it in the recycling
VI. Librarian: this student will assist in the literacy corner by helping students check out class books and
reshelf books when needed
VII. Electrician: TSW turn the lights on and off, and during quite time, the student will turn on laps and
twinkle lights
VIII. Teacher’s Assistant: TSW will help pass out papers and grab completed paper baskets at the end of the
day
IX. Caboose: TSW end the line and quietly walk down the hall to our destination
X. Substitute: TSW fill in for another job if a student is absent
XI. Mail Carrier: TSW take notes and paperwork down to the office
XII. Hallway Patrol: This student will watch others while on our way to other places in the building and
make sure nobody is talking or goofing off
XIII. Supply Manager: TSW notify the teacher if the pencil basket is low, or will hand out and collect
supplies provided by the teacher.
XIV. Cubby Inspector: TSW make sure all cubbies are clean and orderly
XV. Desk Cleaner: TSW clean desks tops every afternoon after our closing message
XVI. Sanitizer Squirter: TSW provide sanitizer to students after recess and prior to lunch
XVII. Tech Assistant: TSW help the teacher and other students will any tech assistants
XVIII. Messenger: TSW deliver messages to cooperating teachers in the grade level
XIX. Veterinarian: TSW take care of our class pet on a weekday basis
XX. Bathroom Monitor: TSW keep an eye on students during bathroom breaks to make sure nobody is
goofing off

Assuming we do not have a bathroom in the classroom, the bathroom and water breaks will

be every 2 hours with the use of monitors. Monitors will line up with the students that need to

use the restroom and escort them to the closet bathroom. Monitors will do their jobs and work

watch students to make sure nothing goes on that should not happen. I will stay in the room with

the remaining students. My students will understand that there are no other bathroom breaks

unless it is an emergency. In that case, the student will go to the closet bathroom down the hall

with another student and the obnoxiously large hall pass! Moreover, water breaks will be at the

same time as bathroom breaks. Yet, students will not go get water outside of break times.9

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On a weekly basis, students will be reminded that they can carry a water bottle to class and extra water breaks
will not be permitted.
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When it comes to the class pencils and supplies, students will have their own pencils and

supplies in the classroom. This idea comes from a wonderful 3rd grade teacher and allows the

students to be responsible for their own supplies. In

a large cabinet, each student will have a plastic tub

on a shelf that holds their extra pencils, pens,

highlighters, etc. (see picture). When a student

needs more supplies, they can grab something from

their bucket during transitions. Therefore, students

will not use up or lose all of their supplies in the

first week of school! Additionally, I will keep

school supplies on hand (such as glue and scissors). I will only let the students use them on a

need basis and after the activity is done they can return the supplies to my bucket. As for a

community pencil basket, I have decided to have a “Jamestown Fort Tree Supply.” This is

where extra pencils will be located. Part of this taught process also includes that at the end of the

day, if a pencil is on the floor, it becomes part of the tree supply! Moreover, when it comes to

my personal supplies, the students are not allowed to use them. Each of my personal pencils will

be marked will a fake flower on the top!

In addition, there are many teacher lead procedures that need to be addressed! The first

procedure is paper headings. When it comes to vitally important papers that are going home for

signatures or have to be returned ASAP, I will put the students’ names on their papers. This will

guarantee that their name is written on the document! However, on any other activity or piece of

paper, the student will write their own name. I will prompt them to write down their name and

make them highlight their name prior to placing it in the basket!

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The second teacher lead procedure is getting student attention throughout the entire school

day! I have chosen several ideas that will work to gain attention. These ideas are split into two

categories that include verbal and non-verbal ques. The verbal ques include, and call back

phrases. For example, if the students are at their desks I will say, “Give me some fin...,” the

students will respond by saying “noggin…DUDDDEEEE.” At this point, they will know to drop

their pencils, put their fingers on their temples, and listen! However, if the students are at recess

or working on group projects, I will say, “123 Everybody Freeze.” This verbal que will notify

the students to freeze their body and lips and listen to the next directions. Additionally, I may

use a whisper voice to get their attention if we need to calm down. The nonverbal ques to gain

attention include clapping sequences, hands on the head. When I need to quiet down the class

after pair share and want them to recognize it is time to listen and stop, I will simply put my

hands on my head and let the students follow suit. I would wait silently until every student has

stopped discussions, placed their hands on their heads, and had eyes on me!

In junction with getting attention, I will also need to regulate and monitor student noise level.

While in student teaching, I have learned that student noise level is a large part of classroom

management as a whole group! I have decided to adopt a noise level policy from W.E. Cundiff

Elementary called “Levels.” At the beginning of a new activity or after

a transitions the teacher will tell the students upfront if they are to be at

a level 1 (silent), level 2(whisper), or level 3 (indoor voices.) I will be

consistent on this phrasing so the students will learn and understand the

volume levels. Additionally to have a visual for the leveled volume

scale, I will use the interactive traffic light available on

classroomscreen.com (see picture). Each color will signify a level of

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the noise volume that they actually using. Therefore, I can remind them to change their volume

level to red/ level 1!

Next, leading students in the procedure of staying on task

will be taught and backed with positive reinforcement. My plan

is to use “Quiet Critters” to help students manage how on task

they are during an assignment or lesson (see picture). While

they are called “Quiet Critters,” I will tell them that a critter can

only be earned if you are quiet and on task! The “prize” is

getting to keep the critter on the corner of your desk for the rest

of the day. The students will be taught that in a single day, the

amount of critters one can earn is unlimited! When I find it

appropriate, I will get out the “Quiet Critters” and distribute them to the students that have

earned a critter.10 Like any incentive, some students can turn this into matter of winners and

losers. Thus, as an added precaution to this procedure I will state, “Our class does not bring

down other students but instead we will be nice and kind so do not make others feel bad in any

capacity or you will get a mark.”

The final teacher lead procedures are the daily transitions. Having a way to end and begin a

lesson or subject is necessary for everyone in the classroom! To transition into a new subject we

will have an entrance question up on the active board via classroomscreen.com that deals with

content from the previous day’s lesson. For example, the question could ask, “Who won the

Civil War?” We would then discuss the right answer and jump right in with our mini lesson of

10
Please note that this tactic is not to shame students into staying on task but a fun way to encourage good
behavior in the classroom. A student understands that a “Quiet Critter” is the opposite of getting a mark on their
behavior sheet!
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the day. Then about five minutes before the class wraps up, we would have a closing brain

break! Based on whether they need a video to watch from Flocabulary to calm down or an

exercise from GoNoodle.com to get out the jitters will depend on their level of excitement or

noise level.

Finally, to close the day and to create a responsive classroom and community, we will have a

closing message. I will ask students to share something they learned that day and to answer the

end of day question via classroomscreen.com. The questions will not deal with content (as they

do in transition time) but rather the community that we are developing and have become! It will

range anywhere from “Who had a good day,” to “How can we improve our behavior tomorrow?”

Then after our closing message, the students put their homework folder and planner on their

desks. I will release students to stack chairs and grab book bags by table groups. Then to close

the day, we will get in bus line up order and walk to the buses and car rider stop!11

Lesson Plan

Name: Olivia Lee Date: 4/10/18

FIRST DAY PLAN Grade: 3rd

Virginia SOL: EL 3.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.9 M 3.14, 3.17 S 3.1, 3.2, Start time: 7:20 Stop time: 2:20pm
3.3, 3.4 SS 3.5

Lesson Title: Chicka Chicka BOOM BOOM, WELCOME TO MY ROOM!

Objectives

1. TSW practice memory and team building skills throughout the day

2. TSW listen and answer questions based on previous knowledge to relate to the books read

3. TSW practice map making skills as a whole group by participating in discussion

4. TSW practice literacy skills by writing a journal entry

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At the bus and or the car rider line I will tell the students that I cannot wait to see them tomorrow! 
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Critical vocabulary: Map Team Graph Consequence

Safety Emergency Job

Materials/resources: “First Day Jitters”, “Dragons Love Tacos”, “A Passion for Elephants”, pencils, notebook paper,
active board, extra snack, 1L plastic soda bottle, hydrogen peroxide, liquid dish soap, food
coloring, dry yeast, spoons, funnel, construction paper, safety glasses, plastic tarp, rubber
gloves, giant post-it pad, whistle, copy paper, colored pencils

Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):

8:00-Extended morning meeting. The teacher will introduce the new classroom rules and
procedures. I will discuss our normal morning and our daily schedule. I will introduce my noise level
system! Lay the foundation with the behavior plan and the way students will get marks (BE FIRM)! I
will go over the bathroom and cafeteria behaviors; discuss bus drill and technology safety. I will then
review switching procedures and safety drills such as fire drills, tornado, and lock down drills. The
teacher will introduce new topics as well; such as, reminding the students that the doors lock behind
them and they must have a buddy and a hall pass with them if they are to go into the hallway (unless
they are going to the nurse, then there are to be three). See attached document for complete list of
procedures introduced as the first week progresses!
Body (what comes after your interesting intro?)

READING- The teacher will read First Day Jitters to the class. The teacher will stop
9:00- Language Arts-
and discuss as needed while asking the students to predict what might happen in the story. The
teacher will then introduce the term realistic fiction. The students will discuss why this is realistic
fiction. The students will then be given an interactive white board. On them, they will write: (1) how
they felt on their first day of third grade and (2) how Sarah felt on her first day of school. The students
will then place them on the interactive white board and we will go over their responses... The teacher
will then allow the students to discuss the responses with a buddy and call on a select few to share
their answers. WRITING- The teacher will introduce the writing prompt (write a letter to yourself that
you will receive at the end of the year). The students will then write a letter to themselves
independently and the teachers will provide assistance as needed. *Explain transitions

10:00- Science- Let students get snack out of their bags.

Tell students how science class will run on a
normal weekly basis and display on classroomscreen.com some of the topics we will be learning!
Next, I will read about an elephants called “A passion for Elephants” by Cynthia Moss. After reading
the book and discussing vocab and connections along the way, I will have a science demo related to
making a hypothesis/ educated guess as to what might happen in the “Elephant Toothpaste” demo.
We will write down what we think might happen. We will go outside and complete this classroom
demo. For list of supplies and instructions go to
https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/elephants-toothpaste/. *Practice
Transition
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Outside we will play games that will work on team building skills and memory
11:00-Recess-
skills. We will play Simon Says, Water Noodle Relay Races, and Blue-Purple-Green! *Practice
Transition
11:45-LUNCH in ROOM with video
12:15-Math- READING- The teacher will read Dragons Love Tacos to the class. The teacher will stop and
discuss as needed while asking the students to predict what might happen in the story. The teacher
will then reintroduce the term realistic fiction. GRAPHING- Afterwards I will pull out the large sticky
note pad and we will graph who loves tacos and two other food groups! After, we will discuss why
this is called a graph! *Introduce: Noise Level, Transition + Brain Break

1:00pm-Social Studies- MAPPING/GEOGRAPHY- Introduce social studies with something they learned
about last year in social studies: mapping! We will go over title, legend, and compass rose by mapping
the classroom on the interactive board to familiarize ourselves with the items in the room. Next, to
practice this skill, every student will go back to his or her desk and map out one of their favorite
places. That can range anywhere from their bedroom or house, to a place like Roanoke or Disney
World. I will explain that I want color, detail, and the three things that make up a map! *Practice
Noise level, Transition + Brain Break
Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):

2:00- Extended closing message. We will review the new classroom, and procedures introduced today!
We will have a fun exit question on classroomscreen.com: “Did you enjoy your first day of 3rd grade?”
We will then take extra time to introduce afternoon line up and backpacks.

2:20-Head to the busses in bus lineup and dismiss!

Homework (If applicable):

N/A

Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.

1. If students participated in recess community building games, I will have seen all around effort!
2. I will assess participation in discussion by checking off students based on engagement and hand raising
3. I will collect maps and assess if students can follow directions and include color, detail, and the parts of a map for a
grade.
4. I will collect journals / “quick writes”, assess student writing, and informally assess their spelling level.

Notes

First Week of School Agenda

Talk to the kids about:
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Classroom procedures/morning routine

 Buddy system for office/nurse
 Breakfast/cafeteria behavior
 Fun Fridays
 Behavior sheet/marks
 Fire drills
 Lock downs
 Tornado drills
 Bus drills
 Student dress code – appropriate clothing, shoes for P.E. and recess
 Student code of conduct – no weapons, drawing of weapons, using hands to make pretend
weapons AND using appropriate language that is non-threatening (even if he/she thinks it
is to be funny)
 Bathroom procedures
 Playground rules
 Technology rules
 Daily schedule – procedure for switching classes
 Paw folder – get it signed
 Homework folder expectations
 Get a list of kids with a younger sibling in this school
 Find out each student’s afternoon transportation
 Golf Balls
 Class Jobs
 Mr. Potato Head
 SSR TIME
 Quiet Critters
Label things this way:
Folders:
 red folder- homework folder
 yellow – reading folder
 green– science
 blue-social studies

Resources:

Books to Support the Teacher:

- Educating Esme
 25

- Education Philosophy
- Explore like a Pirate
- Lies My Teacher Told Me
- Preparing Teachers of a Changing World
- Reading Children’s Literature
- Teach Like a Pirate
- Teaching Elementary Social Studies
Books to Use in the Classroom:
- Tall Story
- Amazing Spider-Man
- Aquamarine
- George Washington’s Socks
- Magic Treehouse
- Stink
- Watch the Sky
- A series of Unfortunate Events
- The Chronicles of Narnia fold out book
- Dear America
- Oceanography
- Finding Dory
- Young Indiana Jones
- Wait till Helen comes
- Nancy Drew
- Trixie Belsen
- Wonder
- Charlie Bean
- Scooby doo
- Charlie and the chocolate factory
- My friend bear
- The shape of things
- The Saturday kid
- Night boat to freedom
- Pioneer life
- The patchwork quilt
- Castle
- Sacagawea
- American at Tall Tales
- Green Wilma
- Does a kangaroo have a mother too
- Dog’s colorful day
- Little Critter
- Clifford
- If you give a mouse a cookie
- Little golden books
- Dragons Love Tacos
 26

- President Taft is Stuck in the Bath

- Finding Winnie
- She’s Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!
Websites to Support the Teacher:
- Bestappsforkids.com
- Bestteacherblog.com
- Pinterest.com
- Scholastic.com
- Shel Silverstein
- Teacher Tube
- Teacherspayteachers.com
- Turtle Diary
Websites to Use in the Classroom:
- Artsandculture.google.com
- Classroomscreen.com
- Coolmathgames.com
- Discoveryeducation.com
- Flocabulary.com
- Google.com/maps
- Imaginelearning.com
- Kids.usa.gov/math
- Learnersdictionary.com
- Loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/
- Myon.com
- National Aquarium
- Online.kidsdiscover.com
- Pbskids.org
- Ted.com/watch/ted-ed
Apps to Use in the Classroom:
- 3D Atlas for Ipads
- American Revolution Timeline
- Book Creator
- Brain POP
- Civil War Timeline
- Flocabulary
- KAHOOT
- Madagascar Math Ops
- Prodigy
- Story bird
- Sushi Monster
- Today in History
- WWF
- Zap Zap Fraction
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Dedication
I thank Dr. Murrill, Professor Elmore, and the staff at W.E. Cundiff for helping make this
blueprint possible. I also thank my colleagues for all of the wonderful ideas over the years! Most
importantly, I thank my family for supporting me throughout student teaching.