Group Organization and a Freebie!

So, this year I have decided to try small groups in both Reading and Math.  I am also trying my hand at a 2nd grade version of a homework planner.  In order to do this and have organization, Target has stepped up and provided me (at my expense of course) with PLASTIC 3-pronged folders!  Fabulous!  Now hopefully, they will last longer than the paper ones!  Let's see what I did with 'em!

First for the homework planner.  Nice bright yellow.  No hiding this in those backpacks!  

Here's what's inside:  (the pictures show a skinnier version, but they print out landscaped)

Click the link for your free copy! 

I printed about 5 of them back-to-back and placed them into the folders.  The students will be responsible for copying down the homework each day in each subject.  I will have them do this at the end of the day so I know everybody is doing it correctly.  I'll have my copy on the elmo for them to copy from.  

For the reading log, they need to tell me the date, the title of the book they read, and the start page and the end page.  Their parent needs to sign it each night.  For the past few years, I had a reading log that had the above information, plus a question for them to answer.  For example on Monday night it was: Tell about your favorite character in the book.  Tuesday was: What is the main problem of the part your read?  So on and so on.  I had parents complain that the reading homework was taking longer to complete than the rest of the homework itself.  I was trying to incorporate higher-level thinking questions into their homework.  But alas, I had to decipher the students failed attempts at complete sentences and I thought "There has to be a better way."  So evolved this.  Short, sweet, and to the point.  Just how I like it. 

For guided reading, it is a bright red.  Just because. 

Here's what's inside so far:  

A hot/cold reading graph for kids to monitor their own fluency.  More things will be added as I start reading groups and find resources and response worksheets as per the groups needs.  I found the graph on Teachers Pay Teachers and you can pick up your own copy here for free! 

For my guided math groups, I chose purple 'cuz it's my favorite.  What can I say?  There's nothing in it so far, but like guided reading, I plan on adding a graph for their math fact fluency, and other goodies that they'll pick up during group work time.  

Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss all the great things I thought of procedure-wise over the course of this summer.  In retrospect, I did a ton of thinking this summer! No wonder I'm pooped!

Until then, I remain, always yours, 

Shauna