Theme Organization-- How do you do It?

What does theme organization look like in your classroom? For me it involves a lot more than center stations and printables for pocket charts. It includes dramatic play props, gross motor activities, fine motor activities, costumes, sensory table materials, you name it- it's probably there!

Because of this it requires a lot more for me than just my file cabinet. Or neatly organized Sterlite drawers. I need containers. BIG containers.

I am so thankful for this above cabinet storage space that I have. I'm popping at the seams of the storage capacity in my classroom as is! Without this space I'd really be in trouble!

When I first began teaching copy paper boxes were handy, available, and free! I loved them. I fit about 2-3 themes in each box, depending on how carried away I got with each theme.

Now that I'm in my 4th year of teaching I have some themes that will only fit in 1 box! And after a mouse a colony of mice chewed a hole in one my boxes and set up camp for the winter resulting in me having to pretty much throw away EVERYTHING in that box, I decided to switch to plastic.

Large plastic storage containers are expensive, but I know I'll be glad I made the investment. Especially considering we had pipes bursts in other classrooms 2 weeks ago. This stuff is NOT getting wet. (at least I hope not...)

Not to mention these containers are a little bit bigger so I can fit more stuff. (imagine me doing my teacher happy dance) It did take me a little while to come across enough of the same containers. I know you're now wondering why.

Well you see, I have this little thing called OCD (self-diagnosed, but aren't most of us??) And I purchased clear containers with green handles from Walmart. And I want all my containers to be clear with green handles. The same handles, the same size, the same shape. NOT BLUE, WALMART. NOT BLUE! 

With time and patience (that I wasn't sure I had) they re-stocked the clear ones (teacher happy dance again) and I purchased more. They're great!

Because they are so great I decided that they needed fancier labels than words written on index cards that I used previously. So I made these fancy ones!

One theme per label that way I can mix the containers around, and put as many labels on there that I have themes in the box. Well, I can only fit 4 labels but there's no way I'm fitting more than 4 themes in a box anyway!

If you organize your theme items in similiar bins you may have a use for these labels, so I listed them in my store. I actually had a lot of fun making them and deciding on the themed clip art to use. I hope you'll enjoy them and use them to brighten up your organization!

Here are the themes currently included in the pack:

Let me know if there are some theme suggestions you have!

{Click below to go to my TpT store}
 

If you love these labels but don't use bins to store your items in they would make fun labels for the front of your file folders. Is it bad that I'm thinking of doing both!? I have a file (or 2) in my file cabinet that goes with each theme bucket too! 

Do you have other genius ways to maximize the storage in your classroom? I'm going to need some serious pointers for my closet. I can't even close the door anymore... (look of embarrassment)

Snug as a Bug.... {in a Mitten!}

Move over Dinosaur Roar, I have a new favorite unit! When I updated my Dinosaur Roar unit last year it quickly became my favorite product. However, now there's a new favorite in town! 

I really love updating older units or activities that I made. {my secret favorite part is making new covers!}

I've updated my Mitten Unit, which used to be a mini unit with only 4 activities. It now has so.much.more! 6 new activities in fact! If you previously purchased this item you are getting a HUGE deal because you can download the revised version for free!

The activities in this unit also have the specified Teaching Strategies GOLD and Kindergarten Common Core Standards that apply.

Here's what you'll get:  

1. Mitten Counting

2. Interactive Mini Book

3. Memory Game
This game comes with colored picture cards or black and white picture cards.

4. Vocabulary Cards

5. Read, Trace, Write Cards

6. Story Props
This activity comes with colored picture options or black and white.

7. Positional Terms Practice
This activity comes with colored picture options or black and white.

8. Animal Fact Posters

9. What I Learned Writing Sheets
Writing sheets come in two different options. One with 6 lines of writing space or one with 3 lines of writing space and a larger drawing section.

10. Tens Frame Cards

I should have snapped a photo this week...my students loved the store re-telling props and putting the animals into the mitten while we read the story. This is a great way to get the children to participate during read alouds. They have to be listening carefully so they know when the animal they are holding is called.

If you wanted to do this activity with a larger group of students, print multiple animals. More than one student could have a rabbit to put in the mitten, right?

We will also be practicing our positional terms this week. This is one thing all of my students can use practice with, and we assess our students on this skill using Teaching Strategies Gold.

To check out this unit or download the update if you had previously purchased it, click below to go to my TpT store!

And last but not least, maybe you're looking for some MLK activities to include in your lesson plans for this week. My friend Maria at Kinder-Craze has her interactive sight word reader for MLK day for free on Educents! You won't want to miss this deal! {Click the photo below to grab it!}

 

New Year, New You, New Freebies!

 Have you set some New Years resolutions for yourself this year? I typically tell myself a thing or two that I want to do differently, but I never write them down or do anything to hold myself accountable for following through on them. This year I want that to be different! I want to set goals and I want to reach them.

My friends at Freebielicious and I want to share some of our goals and resolutions for 2014 with you! To help you get a jump start on the new year we've also added some freebies that may help you reach your own similiar goals. 

How many of you tell yourself that you're going to drink more water? How many of you actually do it? Yeah, you and me both. This year WILL be different! I am dead set on reaching that goal.

In order to help myself reach my goal I have created this water drinking log that you can download for free.

Click here to download the freebie water log!

I'm a list maker. I have to write everything down. If I want to eat better, I keep a food journal. Now if I want to drink more water--I'm writing it down!

If you're not a list maker there is also this great idea on Pinterest from Modern Mommyhood to mark your water bottle with a sharpie for how much water to drink by a certain time throughout the day. 

Hop on over to Kreative in Kinder for another resolution and matching freebie!