Author: TCR Staff

The Big List of Classroom Rules

July 9, 2015 TCR Staff Comment

Establishing a set of classroom rules on your first day back to school will set the tone for a productive new school year. Pick 5-10 classroom rules from the big list below that would best fit your students. Write down your main classroom rules on a chart and hang the rules in a highly visible area of the classroom. Put the rules on your main bulletin board as a reminder of classroom expectations. See big list of classroom rules below:

Be ready to learn
Use kind words and actions
Listen when others are speaking
Always be honest
Share & take turns
Start each day with a smile
Do your best
Follow directions
Celebrate each other’s success
Listen when others are talking
Say please & thank you
Work quietly
Be positive
Keep hands and feet to yourself
Be respectful to yourself and others
Play safely
Raise your hand
Try new things
Work hard & have fun
Believe in yourself
Work together
Raise your hand before you speak
Help others
Treat others how you want to be treated
Be a caring friend
Learn from your mistakes
Keep your desk organized and clean
Complete your work on time
Be a Friend
Walk, don’t run
Dream big
Take responsibility for your actions
Be a team player
Never give up
Use your time wisely
Be Creative
Be polite, kind, and true
Wait your turn
Listen carefully

Ready-made Classroom Rules Charts are also available.

Classroom Activities, Teacher Resources

Craft Sticks Activity: Learning Shapes

June 24, 2015 TCR Staff Comment

Craft sticks are so versatile you can use them for nearly any learning activity. Today, we are using Plastic Craft Sticks and foam attributes to learn shapes.

Choose a few shapes to use from the Foam Attribute Blocks Pack and set them aside. We started with square, triangle, and hexagon.
Take Plastic Craft Sticks and separate them by color.
For each set of craft sticks, write down the name of a shape and the number of sides it has on the stick with a marker. You can easily wipe off and rewrite on the craft sticks for other activities.
Separate each set of plastic craft sticks by its shapes.
Have students outline each shape using the correlating plastic craft sticks.

Have students choose a set of plastic craft sticks and have them count it. Once, they’ve counted the number of sides and learn what the shape is called, help them decide which foam shape it goes with.

Teacher Resources

4th of July Activities: Story Starter & More

June 15, 2015 TCR Staff Comment

In this teacher-directed activity, all students work together to come up with a creative 4th of July story. Here’s how:

Bring a small American flag to class. It will be passed from one student to the next.
Explain to the students that the American flag that they are holding is no ordinary flag. Tell them that it is magic because it symbolizes 4th of July and whoever holds the flag can tell great stories.
Explain that no one is permitted to talk unless that student is holding the flag.
Begin a story by making one up yourself that takes place on the 4th of July.
When you are finished with your story starter, pass the flag to another student who will continue the story for a few more sentences.
When that student has finished his or her part of the story, ask him or her to pass the flag to another student.
Continue this way until there is one student left. That final student has to complete the Independence Day story. Alternatively, if you want the story to be completed, indicate to students in a prearranged way. Perhaps at the beginning you all agree on a sign that will mean “wrap it up”.

More 4th of July Activities:

Celebrate Independence day all week long with these 4th of July activities:

Bubble Fireworks
4th of July Facts & USA Brain Teasers
Patriotic Science
Baking 4th of July Cookies

This activity is from Celebrating Holidays: Reading, Writing & Hands-on Activities.

Classroom Activities

5 Ways to Play & Learn with Bear Counters

June 1, 2015 TCR Staff Comment

Using bear counters and other manipulatives is one of the best ways to teach a variety of math concepts to preschoolers and elementary-aged kids in a hands-on way. Counters are great because you can use them in and out of the classroom for summer learning. Here are 5 ways to play and learn with bear counters.

Addition and Subtraction

Have students use the bear counters to count out each number to be added, and then combine the amounts. They can use different-colored bear counters to represent the different numbers. Students could also use different-sized bears for the different amounts. Bears can also be used to practice the concept of subtraction in a similar manner. Students can do the problems on paper first and then use the bears to check their arithmetic.

Weights and Measures

Students can practice measuring weight with the bear counters and a balance scale. Two small bears equal the weight of one medium bear, and one small and one medium bear equal the weight of one big bear. Three small bears also equal the weight of one big bear.

Place Value

Pass out small bear counters and have students group them into piles of ten. Tell them that 10 small bears is equal to one medium bear. Ten medium bears is equal to one medium bear. Ten medium bears is equal to one large bear. Have them practice trading up with you. Then they can practice making numbers using the different-sized bears. For example, have students use the bears to create the number 128. They should show you one large bear, two medium bears, and eight small bears.

Multiplication and Division

If multiplying, students should pre-group their bears. For example, if they are working on multiplying by 3, have each student organize their bear counters into several groups of 3. If dividing, they should separate the number into groups the size of the number being divided. For example, if dividing 12 by 4, they should separate the 12 bears into groups of four.

Fractions

Put some bear counters of different colors in a group. Have students record how many bears are used in total and how many are of each color. Explain that the total number of bears represents the denominator while the bears of one color represent the numerator. Have the students practice writing the numbers in fraction form.

You can use all different types of counters. For more fun math learning activities, see math manipulative games.