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Five For Friday: Core Inspiration

This week, I’m linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for another Five for Friday post.

ONE: Back To School After Winter Break

Regardless of how many years I teach, it always shocks me how tired I am after we’ve had a school break.  The students always come back so energized and all 25 of them have at least ten stories to tell the one and only teacher. By Wednesday, they are still energizer bunnies and I am crashing hard. I definitely spent a few moments at recess each day scrolling through pics on my phone reminiscing about my days off. TGIF!
Beach, flowers, and corgi kissing a snail.

One thing I did manage to accomplish this week to help me keep my sanity are these two new organization systems…one for reading and one for math.


TWO: Task Card Organization

For every math unit, I use Write To Explain Task Cards like a crazy person. I love the deep thinking my students exercise when working through each task card. The format helps me gain great insight about their depth of understanding behind each solution.
This year, I have been lagging on getting organized and have been printing the task cards as packets for each kid (waste of paper but a great time saver). This week, I finally got one step ahead and have my task cards assembled into reusable decks for the next three units. #teacherwin

Math task cards organized in index card holders from Dollar Tree

THREE: Daily Five Rotation Organization

Another little something that felt like a mountain-of-an-accomplishment this week was when I finally made PowerPoint slides to show which reading groups I am meeting with each day during Daily 5.

Last year, when I did full-fledged reader’s workshop in third grade, I created a PowerPoint deck that instructed students on what they should be working during each particular day. It helped them stay organized and really held me accountable for meeting with each group according to schedule with no excuses.

I modified that same idea for Daily 5 and it made a major difference in everyone’s efficiency and time on task.


FOUR: Math Game Success

Over winter break, I worked on organizing my math games (or lack there of) for my addition unit by creating a new set of Math In Motion Hands-On Math Games. For all the deets about how I introduce games to my class so they are a success, read my post from yesterday.

Math In Motion Add N'Roll game card and dice.


FIVE: Teachers Are Heroes Sale

Unless you live under a rock, you heard this week was TPT’s Teachers Are Heroes Sale. After gaining a bucket-load of TPT feedback credits and combining individual store discounts with TPT’s sitewide discount, I rolled away with all these goodies for less than $50! Don’t judge me for the massive amounts of Graphics From The Pond clipart I bought…I have plans people.

Graphics from the Pond clipart haul
I hope you enjoy your week!
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I’m Laura Santos

I’ve been an elementary teacher for ten years, and love sharing tips and resources that make differentiated learning more manageable for you. Thank you for visiting.

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