Congratulations!!!

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Congratulations!!!
By Debbie

Hi Sioux,
Welcome to the wonderful world of teaching...I take a bit different tactic to the room decor. Rather than putting up commercially or teacher made things, my walls are papered with fadeless paper (not cheap,
but worth the price in resilience) and a generic border. This year I chose a sky blue with a rainbow border. One board will be a word wall with minilessons from spelling and other content area vocab., one has a daily schedule posted. The rest are all for student works. When the kids first arrive, I take their photos. We brainstorm interview questions of things we'd like to know about

one another, then once the interviews have been done and shared with the class; these are posted on a board with their first day photos all around the class schedule. In addition, we usually do some type of art project that they create to tell something about themselves and their family. Last year our focus was on our state, so they each created a two dimensional 'family seal' modeled after the state and tribal seals. The other boards changed, we did lots of author/genre studies. The final projects were hung with artwork and writing. Anything big project we did in the other subject areas, was hung as well.
On the manipulatives, there are two places that have these at a 'reasonable' price because they are non-profit. One is the Math Learning Center, and the other is 'The Center for Innovation in Education'. Before you go and purchase your own manipulatives, check to see that there aren't materials put away somewhere else for you. Then check your teacher's guides to see what is absolutely essential...we use unifix cubes, base ten blocks, pattern blocks, tangrams, geo blocks alot, but see what you can get by with. Maybe one of the other fourth grade teachers has some surplus to share, on those you won't be needing often. If you're looking for some recommendations on professional titles to get you ready, please post or email. We'll be happy to help, just ask! ;-D Also, see the Teacher's As Readers board...we're doing a great book called Guiding Readers and Writers, which has sections on mini lessons in Reading, Writing and Word Study, from procedures in setting up your workshop times to minilessons in strategies, etc.