Hit the ground running...

So today was the first day back from our break. They cleaned our windows over the holiday so we had to move everything away from the windows. First thing this morning I had to put everything back. Amazingly it looks more organized than it had:) I also had to draw our color words back on a window and shape words on another window. We had started a spicy words window but now I'm not sure it was as effective and maybe I need to redo a lesson and a new idea.

We are getting geared up for our big visit. This is our accreditation year so we are madly checking and rechecking that we are doing everything we are supposed to and have the data to prove it. A suggestion was given that we walk through other rooms and see what we may be missing and that we can add to our own rooms. Immediately I saw that though I have my reading strategies posted, I didn't have my math strategies posted. Hmmm....

The problem is...WHERE WILL I PUT IT??? A teacher friend laughingly commented that she thought I may have a small corner where my flag is that we can hang something. Then in a more serious tone, she suggested I use the ceiling!! Well today I finished putting up all my key words for addition and key words for subtraction (blown up giant - I'll try to upload a photo). I got these from another fabulous teacher out there but I don't remember who just now. If I remember - I'll be sure to give her a shout.

Anyhoo....I wanted to keep with my camp theme so I made a campfire of our strategies (see the Number Talk book by Math Solutions)

(I love this book! Click the book to go to Amazon. )

and I thought the kids could give examples on tree templates that would go around the campsite. Originally I thought to put this on the ceiling as well but now I'm concerned at how often I may be required to climb the ladder to add those trees:) Back to my original problem of where to put it....

Lastly I have a question before I crash for the night...Do any of you have some creative ideas on how to show evidence of Think Alouds? Someone suggested sticky notes with the title of books that were used and the strategy that you focused on but that seems a lot of work and the possibility of losing sticky notes.