DIY Dry Erase Boards

Hi Friends,

Need some new dry erase boards, but don’t have the funds to get new ones? 

Here’s what it looks like: 

Here’s What You Need:

1.      Sheet Protectors (one for each student)

2.    Paper.

Get my FREE paper inserts HERE.

If you need erasers for your kiddos just cut some black felt fabric into small rectangles.  I like using black felt because you can’t see the residual ink from the expo markers. 

I also insert worksheets in sheet protectors and place them in my literacy and math centers so I don’t have to make a ton of copies.  Saves me time and paper!

Till Next Time,

KKAP

Classroom Management: Classroom Library Organization

An area of my classroom that I really wanted to update this school year was my classroom library.  I put this off for a while because it seemed like such a huge task, but with the help of my wonderful husband, it only took us an afternoon.  I did some research to find the best way to tackle this job and I believe I’ve found the easiest way to organize any classroom library.  Trust me, if my kindergarteners can successfully borrow and return books, yours can too! 

Download my Library labels for FREE for a limited time only on my TPT store here.  My only request is that you rate my product. J  This is only FREE until Thursday, September 12, 2013 so tell all of your teacher friends ASAP!

**Updated:  Freebie now Closed**

Purchase this pack on TPT!

Place a number label (included in pack) on each Library Label and on each individual book like this: 

Labeling them this way makes it really easy for kids to borrow books and return them to its proper place. 

My Library Cards includes 144 labels by:  genre, months, series, author, holidays, and leveled readers A-Z.  Each library label is 3"x4".  It also includes number and letter labels that you can print on Avery 5160 (1" x 2 5/8") address labels to place on each individual book.  

How To Use

1.  Print Library Labels on white cardstock.

2.  Cut and laminate them for durability.

3.  Print out number labels on Avery Standard 5160 address labels (1” x 2 5/8”).  The amount of number labels you print depends on how many Library Labels you will use.  Each bin/container/shelf/cubby you use will have a different number.  I use shoebox sized plastic containers to hold my books. Each label has 2 numbers on it.  Cut each label in half.  Each sheet of labels should have 60 numbers.  

  

4.  Place a different number label on each Library Label/Container.  Each book that goes with a specific Library Label should have the same number.  For example if you placed a number 2 on the Ocean Library Label, then all of your Ocean books should have the number 2 label on the bottom corner of the book.  I secure each number label with clear tape for durability.  This will help your students return books to their proper place.  This works wonderfully in my kindergarten class!  

5.  If you would like me to add a label that isn’t included in this pack, email me:  kindergartenkidsatplay@gmail.com and I'd be happy to help you!  Just give me a few days to complete this task!  As I add more labels to this pack, you can re-download the file for the updated version on TPT.

Hope this makes your library a little cozier!

Until next time,

KKAP

Work Less By Going Paperless: A Scanner Review

Work Less By Going Paperless

Are your file cabinets full of worksheets, ideas, and other miscellaneous goodies that you just can't let go of?  I’m constantly on the lookout for new and fresh ideas for my classroom and grew tired of looking at my cluttered file cabinet.  Organizing paperwork can be time consuming.  I usually end up having stacks of paperwork at the end of the year that I have to organize because I didn’t have time to put them away after I used them.  Well, if you are anything like me and have a tough time purging through your paper clutter I have a solution for you!  Go paperless! 

My secret to going paperless is my new gadget called the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300iScanner.  By the way this post isn’t sponsored in anyway.  When I received this device in the mail I was surprised at how compact this scanner was.  They even have a smaller version for on the go.  This device can scan up to 10 pages at a time and you can even sneak in a few more pages in afterwards or configure the program to ask if you would like to add more pages to the document.  The ScanSnap also scans double sided sheets so it saves you time.  It can scan up to 12 double-sided color or black & white pages per minute.  It scans your documents into PDF files, Jpegs, Word documents, Excel, or PowerPoint. 

(Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300iScanner)

(It is about the size of two 3 hole punchers.)

It literally took me a few hours to get all of my file folders packed with worksheets, paperwork, pictures, etc. in to digital files.  Now I just keep one copy of the worksheets that I need in my file cabinet and the rest on my hard drive.  The best part is that I don’t have to worry about losing my hardcopy. 

Another option that this scanner offers is that it allows me to scan my documents into Word.  Let’s pretend you have a paper copy of a handout that you would like to edit, but you lost your digital file.  Instead of retyping the whole thing over again, all you have to do is scan your document to word and edit the areas you need.

(This is what it looks like when you open it up.)

There are also many other practical uses for this device.  You can scan receipts, photos, cards, etc.   Its price tag is a bit hefty, but I consider it money well spent.  It can easily become a teacher’s best friend.  On Amazon, it currently costs about $260. 

If you use this device or another gadget that helps you with paper clutter, I’d love to hear from you.  I’m pretty new to this so if you have any tips you’ve discovered along the way please feel free to share with me your ideas.