September Planning Calendar

TeachersFirst Classroom Planning Calendar

September, 2011

15, Thursday - October 15, Saturday

National Hispanic Heritage Month
TeachersFirst's Resources for National Hispanic Heritage Month

17, Saturday

Constitution Day
Celebrating the Signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787

28, Wednesday -30, Friday

Rosh Hashanah (starts at sundown previous day)
TeachersFirst's Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Resources

Source: http://www.teachersfirst.com/calendar/

More September Resources, Lessons, Activities:
http://www.mrscjacksonsclass.com/septthemes.htm

Play Dough Theme Day 9-18

http://www.edhelper.com/DailyThemes_September_18.html  Play Dough Theme-9-18

http://www.playdoughrecipe.com/  All Types of Play Dough Recipes

http://teachnet.com/lessonplans/art/traditional-play-dough/  Play Dough Recipes 

Traditional Play Dough

* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup warm water
* 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon oil
* 1/4 cup salt
* food coloring


Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last.
Cook over medium heat until smooth. Continue cooking after the mixture thickens, and continue to cook until the dough comes together in the pan to form a ball. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when completely cool.
Store in a cool place and avoid allowing condensation to form in the storage container.

http://teachnet.com/lessonplans/art/traditional-play-dough/  See More Play Dough Recipes

September Themes-Lessons-Activities

SEASONAL HOLIDAY THEMES-LESSONS-ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS:

SEPTEMBER FUN THEMES, LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, CRAFTS, IDEAS, AND INFO

GRANDPARENT'S DAY THEMES, LESSONS, ACTIVITIES, CRAFTS AND TEACHER RESOURCES

SEPTEMBER 11-NEVER FORGET ALWAYS REMEMBER THEMES, LESSON, IDEAS, ACTIVITIES, PROJECTS

LABOR DAY THEMES, IDEAS, ACTIVITIES, AND LESSONS

DISNEY THEMES, UNITS, ACTIVITIES, RESOURCES

NATIONAL INVENTORS MONTH THEMES, FUN ACTIVITIES, LESSONS, IDEAS

APPLES THEMES, LESSONS, IDEAS, CRAFTS, AND RESOURCES

HISPANIC MONTH THEMES, UNITS, IDEAS, ACTIVITIES, & TEACHING LESSONS

INSPIRATIONS-QUOTES THEME UNITS, LESSONS, PROJECTS, IDEAS, CRAFTS, & RESOURCES

AUTUMN OR FALL THEMES, LESSON PLANS, PROJECTS, IDEAS, CRAFTS, ACTIVITIES

AUTHOR'S DAY-BOOKS 9-6 THEMES, RESOURCES, LESSONS, ACTIVITIES

TEACHER TIPS, IDEAS, RESOURCES, LESSONS, ACTIVITIES

CONSTITUTION DAY AND WEEK THEME UNIT, LESSON PLANS, ACTIVITIES, PROJECTS

BACK TO SCHOOL THEMES, LESSONS, IDEAS, CRAFTS, AND TEACHING RESOURCES

Tips for Better Classroom Management

Besides teaching a class of 20 to 30 students, a teacher also needs to have skills in keeping the classroom contained. Classroom management is a big part of a teacher's job, and having tips for maintaining a better classroom environment is key. So, take a look at the 10 tips mentioned below that are geared to help teachers in this way. Tip #1 Develop a compliment chain. Start a chain of either paper or paper clips. Explain to your students that every time you notice someone in the class behaving extraordinarily, you will add a segment to the chain. When the chain reaches a certain point, you will reward the entire class with a prize or a special snack. You may even consider adding segments to the chain if another teacher compliments one of your students. You can start the students off with one or two segments to get them motivated to continue the chain. Tip #2 Classroom setup option. Try arranging the chairs and tables in your classroom into a three-sided shape that forms a square. With this setup, every student is in the first row, and this means you can move around the room and keep your eye on the entire class at the same time. Studies have shown that with the more typical chair and table setups, the further back a student sits from the front of the room, the more likely bad behavior arises. If you need to set your chairs and tables up for a cooperative learning environment, you can do so easily within two minutes. Tip #3 Classroom scavenger hunt. To help transition students into a new school year, invite parents and students to your classroom for an "Open House." Play a scavenger hunt game with the parents/children whereby they have to things around the room, such as a clock, a poem, their name on a desk, etc. Make yourself the last item they have to find. This will make the parents/children feel comfortable with where things are in the room and make the first day of school easier. Tip #4 Establish rules upfront. Give your students the advantage to make good behavior practice decisions themselves by telling them the rules of your classroom upfront. Keep the rules short. Discuss with them why these rules are important. Tip #5 Learn your students names quickly.The quicker you are able to remember the names of your students, the easier it will be to control classroom management. Play name games with your students in the beginning of they year, so you learn them quickly. Being able to call on a student who is disrupting the class will be much more effective, if you are not stumbling to remember what that student's name is. Tip #6 Be firm and then let go. Some teachers find it much better to be firm and consistent at the beginning of the year, not letting students get away with much of anything. While some students will feel this is a mean teacher, other students will like the security that they feel when their teacher is able to keep the classroom in order. As the year progresses, you can certainly let down your guard a bit, but still be consistent with reinforcing your rules. Tip #7 Red light/green light system. Set up a bulletin board with a traffic theme. Give each student a pocket on the bulletin board with their name on the pocket. In the pocket place a red, yellow, and green card, respectively. Let the students start off with a green card every morning. If a student misbehaves or is un-attentive in class, change their light to yellow. If bad behavior persists, turn it to red. If a child gets a red light on any given day, send a note home for the parents to sign and for the child to bring back the next day. Tip #8 Use poster to make a point. Find retail posters that you can hang around your room that point out positives. Rules are generally made to react to undesired behaviors. With the use of positive posters, your students will be reading things to build them. Rules are certainly necessary, and should be in every classroom, but sprinkle some positives around your room, too! Tip #9 Create an "All About Me" board. Each week pick a handful of students who have displayed exceptionally good behavior in class. Tell these students to bring in pictures of themselves and of anything that they want to show-off to the class. Hang these pictures on this special board that showcases them. This will make every student in the class want to get their name and pictures on the board, so they will all try to display good behavior at one point or another. Tip #10 Use points to make a point. If your class is having a hard time staying quiet, try using this point system. Make a chart and give each student 20 points to start the day off with. If a student is having a hard time staying quiet, subtract points in increments of 5 points. If a student is left with 0 points, then you can send a note home to the parents. At the end of the class each day, add up all of the student points as one number. Set a goal for students to reach a given number of points for the week. If they meet the goal, hand out small prizes like stickers or candy. If they do not meet the goal for the week, the entire class gets nothing. Remember you matter, educators make the world go around! Cynthia Hughes & Carol Bailus (Newsletter Editors) September 8, 2011 Worksheet Library Source Teacher Worksheet Library Newsletter Image Source: http://shannonschricker.com/classroom_management/start.html More Resources: http://mrscjacksonsclass.com/classmanagementideas.htm

Celebrate Citizenship Day

Citizenship Day was first celebrated in May 1940 and was called "I am an American" Day. In 1952, it was moved to September to correspond with the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787. Schools, homes and federal offices celebrate Citizenship Day in similar ways.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Visit the National Archives in Washington, D.C., to see the original Constitution that was signed on September 17, 1787. Enjoy the Archives celebration events during Constitution week each year such as author meet and greets, role playing, movies, and signing your own Constitution.
   • 2
     Learn more about the Constitution. Research the writers and signers, who created the first government of our nation. Our Constitution is the oldest working one in the entire world.
   • 3
     Consider your rights and responsibilities as American citizens. The rights you may take for granted are denied in other countries and are secured for you by our Constitution, our founding fathers, our current and past governments, and the men and women sacrificing their lives to ensure our freedoms.
   • 4
     Thank a United States Military serviceman or woman for their contribution to upholding our nation's Constitution.
   • 5
     Teach others the values of being an American citizen on this special day in our country's history. If you have children, use the day to answer questions and teach lessons that may otherwise be overlooked by their teachers at school. The more you teach others, the more you'll find yourself learning in the process. If you don't have children, volunteer at a youth home or teach co-workers or neighbors about this day's significance.
   • 6
     Find games and activities online to play with your students, children or friends. Take an online course to refresh your constitution memory.
   • 7
     Wear red, white and blue to show your American pride. Display your flags on flag poles, in your yard, on your vehicle and anywhere you can.

Read more: How to Celebrate Citizenship Day | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2099249_celebrate-citizenship-day.html#ixzz1X0JWx9rS

More Resources at: http://www.mrscjacksonsclass.com/constitutiondayweek.htm

Labor Day Lesson Plans

 

Labor Day Lesson Plans

More Lesson Plans From Other Sites

1. Job Fair- Students will learn about different types of jobs. Students will practice oral presentation skills. Students will learn to use a checklist as a tool for staying organized in the midst of a project.
2. Labor Day Newspaper- Students will learn about the history of the Labor Day holiday. Students will write a newspaper about the history of the Labor Day holiday in the United States. Students will learn about and practice writing newspaper articles.
3. Labor Day Tools- This is a very simple "hands-on" lesson plan for grades K-3. I usually begin this mini-unit reading Curious George Takes a Job to the children.
4. Occupations and Worldwide Occupations Unit- This collection of poems are taken from several different poetry anthologies and all have to do with the topic of work and jobs, both locally and globally, past and present.
5. Strides for Women Posters- Students will learn about the strides women have made in various career fields. Students will practice research skills. Students will create a poster for display in the classroom.
6. What is Child Labor?- Students will learn about the subject of child labor. Students will take action against child labor.
7. When I Grow Up... - Book based lesson.
8. Women and World War II- Students will understand the impact of World War II on the advancement of women in society.

Read more at :

http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/holidays/labor/

 

More Labor Day Ideas:

http://www.mrscjacksonsclass.com/laborday.htm

Happy Labor Day