Common Core Assessment Workbooks

It is the middle of the year and I have been looking for some way to assess my students for math and reading. I came across the Common Core Assessment workbooks while searching online. I love these books! This is an effective way to make sure that the students are learning what they need to be learning in Common Core. It has over 100 pages of assessments. They are easy to read and easy for students to use.  I downloaded the 3rd grade sample copy and can't wait to get me full copy!

They have workbooks and assessment workbooks for K-5th grade!

To get your copy go to their site: www.corecommonstandards.com/common-core-standards/common-core-assessments/

Owl Beanbags

I wanted to have something in my reading center for the kids to sit on. I had a big beanbag in my class that the kids poked a hole in last year. It was one of the vinyl ones and the duct tape kept getting pealed off. I put it in a trash bag to contain the beans and put it on my back porch. Then I had the idea to make my own bean bags to fit my theme. I looked at all of the owl beanbags on Amazon...and didn't like any of them.

I searched the web for a pattern for an owl stuffed animal. I found it and make it in the suggested scale. Then I enlarged the scale of the pattern free-hand on the material and this is what I did. 

BODY: 

I found this soft brown material at Wal-mart. It was only $2.50 a yard. You will need to cut two owl bodies out of the material, one is the front and one is the back.

The body of the owl. (placed on the fold and cut 2)

WINGS:
The pattern had a wing that was more like a triangle but I did not like the way it stuck out so I drew a wing that looked more like a tear-drop. I liked the way this one turned out much better. You will have to cut two out of the body material and two out of the belly color. Sew the wings right side together leaving the flat side un-sewn. Turn them inside out and sew around the outside edge of both wings.

the wing (cut 2 from belly color and 2 from body color)

BELLY: 
To make the belly, I placed the material on top of the body of the owl. I cut the rounded  bottom of the owl and them made the top match the bottom. You could also cut out a circle and put it in the middle. When placing it on the front of the owl, I pined it close together to keep the fabric from slipping. I first sewed it together with a zig-zag stitch. Then I sewed it again with a zig-zag stitch that was really close together. I was going to leave it that way and then thought that I wanted to add some more color to it. I decided to add pops of color using rick-rack. I decided that I would use purple, pink, and blue. I sewed it on the edge of the belly and around the eyes.

the belly(cut 1)

EYES:
To make the eyes I took a circle and traced around it. Then I placed the same circle and slightly overlapped it and traced around it a second time. Then I cut it out of white felt.

two circles slightly overlapped

the whites of the eye (cut 1)

FEET: 
I made the feet out of brown felt. I cut four pieces and then sewed two of them together using a zig-zag stitch.

the foot (cut 4)

BEAK:
I cut two of the beak pieces out of a yellow/orange piece of fabric. I used two because the fabric was thin, if you use felt or a thicker material you would only need one.

the beak (cut 2)

I sewed the eyes, beak and belly of the front of the owl. Then I set the wings and feet in place. Make sure that they are folded to be inside of the owl. Then I placed the back of the owl (right-sides together) and pinned it all together. I left about five inches at the top open (un-sewn) so that I can turn it inside out and then stuff the owl. You can use polly-fill or beanbag beans to fill the owl.

the front of the owl with eyes, beak, and belly

pin down the eyes, beak, and belly and sew around it

sewn front

The finished owl...well minus the eyes that I have to find. I want to have black or brown buttons that are about 2-3inches. I will hand sew them on when I find them.

finished owl (except for the eyes) 

my pink owl (I am going to sew big black buttons for the eyes. I just have to find the right ones)

Subject Binders

I have four binders, one for each subject (the 5th one in the photo is my planning binder). This is one way to keep all of the word wall words, worksheets (keys) and activities in one place.

the spine of the binders

In the binders, I have large manila envelopes that have a 3 inch strip of contact paper at the top and hole punched.

envelope with a 3 inch strip of contact paper attached at the top

On the contact paper I wrote the lesson number in the text book (1-2 is chapter 1 lesson 2), the title of the lesson, the standards that are covered, and the vocabulary words used in the lesson. 

the final look of the envelope

Inside the envelope I have the vocabulary words for the word wall. Behind the envelope I have any worksheets (and keys) or activities that would be used during the lesson/standards.

To Do List

It is funny how long my to do list is getting the closer I get to school. :-)

Projects to Work on:

• PowerPoints for science and social studies
• paint clothes pins for the wall
• paint popsicle sticks for word sorts
• recover the two one chair for the library
• design my student data binders
• make a welcome letter
• update school website
• update my class website
• make bookmarks
• print standards (cut and laminate) for EQ/LO/Standards board (ELA, math, science, and social studies)
• print, cut, and laminate word wall words (ELA, math, science, and social studies)
• find material for a bulletin board
• make a stand for my chart paper
• cover my door
• put up student work display place in the hall
• make an owl bean bag for library center
• make sub binder
• make a chart for "How do I get Home?"
• make a birthday chart

Odds and Ends To Do List:

• unpack room
• design room arrangement
• make first weeks copies
• go through and weed out books in library
• find bright colored and white card stock
• plan a big research project for the 1st 9wks
• plan the class novel for the 1st 9wks
• print out Daily 5/CAFE posters (and laminate them)

Seat pockets

I wanted to have something on the back of the chairs that had a pocket. I found several places that carried them but the only problem was they were too expensive (they were $11.49...EACH!). While looking I found a pattern for the pocket.

Here is what I did:

• cut (2) 17"x36" pieces of fabric (one of a thicker solid and one of a thiner material)
• pin and sew the right sides together leaving a space about 5" not sewn
• cut the tips of the corners off, make sure that you don't cut the thread
• turn the material right-side out, pushing out the corners with your fingers to make the corner square
• sew all the way around the material
• cut a 5"x7" rectangle out of a clear plastic fabric (optional)
• Pin on the pocket fabric about 2" from the top
• fold the material like a "Z" (see photos), pin and sew up the sides 
• repeat for additional pocket

Cut material

Sewing the see-through material

Showing the front

The back

The back view with flap up

Showing the side view

Front view

the finished product