Writing: Goal Poster Display and Rubric

Many ideas are circulating on Pinterest for Writing Goals displays.  Since this summer, I've been thinking about how I wanted to customize my goal chart for second grade.  I've finally come up with a finished product!  Here it is:

It can be assembled with small, metal binder rings for the students to clip clothespins along the sides  or it can be mounted to a magnetic surface in order to use magnets.  If you'd like to grab the printables for creating your own Writing Goals Chart, click HERE to visit my TpT shop!

Last year, I created a rubric to use when grading my students' writing.  It's been so much easier having a consistent way for grading writing and assigning point values to writing pieces!  I used examples from MANY different rubrics when designing this, so please let me know if I've not given credit where credit is due!  :)  Click HERE to grab this rubric on TpT!

 

Writing Wizards Goal Chart and Classroom Display

Summer break is officially here!  I'm excited to begin working on my long list of TpT To-Do's.  :)  I've just posted my newest resource:

I created this pack to further encourage my students to use proper capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure when writing. The theme is "Writing Wizards Wear Caps" and it uses the following common acronym:

Capitalization
All sentences make sense
Punctuation
Spelling and spacing

It includes a writing goal chart where magnets or clothespins could be used to track students' current goals. I've included a set of magnet templates to use if you'd like to make a set that matches the chart.  Here is a previous post on how I made my magnets.  Once students master CAPS, they earn "Wizard Status" and may move their magnets to the "Writing Wizards" portion of the chart and can earn a wizard card (cards included in set).

 Here's what it looks like hung in my classroom!

I bought the wizard hat off of Amazon and will let my students wear it when they are showing exceptional "writing wizard" skills!  I used magnets I already made for a previous chart.  Here are the matching magnet circles:

I also created a classroom (bulletin board) display.  Here it is:

I am hoping this theme will help my students be more conscious of their writing habits!  You can purchase this set in my TpT Store or can click on any of the images above to view it. 

Happy summer to all those on break and best of luck to those who are still finishing up the school year!  :)

S.T.A.R. Folders, Writing Centers, Class Photos, and Freebies

It has been JULY since I last posted!  (I did spend roughly an hour writing a post several weeks ago, but lost the whole thing.  GRR!  It has taken until now for me to find the time and motivation to redo it!)  :)

The first thing I'm going to share is the setup of my students' "Take Home"/S.T.A.R. folders (Striving for Terrific Attitudes, Responsibility, and Success).

 Front (Nothing special!)

 Front Pocket- This is where students place their homework and anything that needs to be returned to school.

 Class Information Sheet -  Includes: daily schedule, class list, Scholastic Book Clubs code, class website address and QR code, homework schedule, class rules, and grading scale

CAFE Menu -  After reading the CAFE book this summer, I decided to include a reading strategies menu in each of my students' folders.  As I conference with students, I highlight the skill they are working on so they can share the strategy with their families and practice building the skill(s) at home. 

 S.T.A.R. Behavior Calendars -  The students color the calendar each day to show their behavior on the color chart.  Click HERE to view this on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 Nightly Reading Log -  Click HERE to download a free copy of the log I'm using with my class this year!

 The 100 Club -  Check this out on Christiana Bainbridge's blog! 

Back Pocket -  This pocket is for graded work or anything else that can stay at home.

I hope this is helpful, especially to those of you that have asked about my STAR folders! 

I have made ONE measly product since school has started!  {Sad, I know.}  My newest TpT creation is my packet of Writing Center Activities.  I created these to use for the Work on Writing portion of the Daily 5, but they can be used as early finisher activities, for literacy centers, etc.  Here it is:

(Click either photo to view on TpT!)

I keep all of my writing journals, templates, and supplies neatly stacked away in this bin:

I also had many people ask about my welcome sign and table numbers.  You can download them for free by clicking on the photos below!  (Beware: It is a HUGE file...evidently!)

Last, but not least, here are some classroom photos!  (Links to pictured items are included.)

 Class "Treasure Chest"

 Class Library - Chapter Book Section with Petey the Pig

 Front Board w/Daily 5 Rotation Charts and Show What You Know poster

 Front Board with Behavior Chart and Daily Schedule

 CAFE Strategies Board, Early Finisher Cards, and Terrific Tables

 Behind my desk - storage and read alouds

 My Workspace

 Daily Folders - This is where I organize all of my supplies for the upcoming week.

 Storage Bins

 Class Library with Finny the Frog

 Front of room w/Cafe board

 Small Group Area w/Comprehension Posters

 A Cupcake for the Teacher's reading strategies posters and Brownie Points

Boggle Board and Writing Goals Chart

Some Freebies, Ideas, and Classroom Happenings

Hello, bloggers!  I'm afraid to even look at the date of my last post....I absolutely love to, but have not been able to find any time to blog, let alone look at the posts of anyone else!  Anyone else feel like it SOMEHOW gets busier and busier (with work) every year?  Well, our corporation has a 4-day weekend, so I thought I'd take some time to kick back, relax, and share some things!  Keep reading to see some of my favorites from the last...month...or so....  :)

We did our "How to Blow a Bubble Writing".  Check out the hair on this one! Love it!!

(Original idea and printables from The Teacher Wife)

We celebrated the 101st Day of School...dalmatian style!
(Click HERE for my earlier post about this fun day!)

My classroom aide, Angie, and I - I'm the one in the dots (bad pic...ew).
I wish I could share some of the kids instead!  They are MUCH cuter!


We learned about pronouns and used the FABULOUS idea from Lindsay at Teacher Bits and Bobs and made "Pronouns Pockets"!

Click the picture below to download the template I created for this! {freebie}

We read Jane Yolen's book, Owl Moon to reinforce visualization and descriptive writing.  (This book is perfect for practicing this skill!)  Then, I had the students use a white piece of chalk to illustrate their mental images on a blue piece of construction paper.  They were in love with the chalk!

I created some "less-blah" posters that you can download for free if you'd like to do this activity!  Click the images to download!

For Valentine's Day, we made these adorable treat bags!!  The idea and design is from Jennifer at Darling Little Learners.  Head over to her blog to download the templates!

I've been making a few activities that correlate with stories that I've been placing in the listening center for my students.  I've uploaded the Cats vs. Dogs activity and Martin Luther King, Jr. activities I created.  You can grab them for free at my TpT store!  Click the images to check them out!

Cats vs. Dogs (nonfiction) - A predicting activity to complete with Elizabeth Carney's book

A Man With a Dream - A timeline/text-to-self activity to complete with Alyse Sweeney's biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

And last, but not least, I had a Kindergarten teacher request a more simplified version of my Writing Goals Chart for lower grades!  If you are interested in this version, you can check it out HERE at my TpT store!