Well, let’s just start off with the bad news.  It was 60 degrees today.  Brrrrr!  The good news?  The skinny jeans from last year still fit.  I may have been pants-dancin’ around my bedroom, but, hot dang, whatever works! That’s not educational-related or anything, but of course means that recess duty won’t require sunblock and a mister anymore.  Seriously, it’s been near 100 every day this past week.  {I should probably clarify that “mister” is of the water sprayin’ variety.  NOT a “Mr.” as in, Mr. Cabana Boy, could you please grab me a Diet Coke while you wrangle those kids off the teeter totter variety.  In case there was any confusion.} Anyway.  Back to the topic at hand. I love a classroom rich with print.  Since my kiddos spend quite a bit of time in our room, I want to make sure it is full of things to read.  Things that expose them to text at all times, that catch their eyes, and ground their thinking to our learning.  Things they see while they’re standing in line, starring at from their desk, or intentionally reading with a purpose. One way I do this, is to display our weekly poem at all times from a rolling chart rack.  Currently, I’ve been using sight word poems.  We read these poems all week and then add them to our poetry journal at the end of the week.  We also use a “Chit Chat” chart inspired by our friends in Mrs. Jumps’ Class.  Of course, Daily 5 is absolutely chockfull of I-Charts, so these bad boys are displayed in our whole group area… Inspired by my darling friend, Cara, here’s our What can I write about? anchor chart… I also chart a lot of the skill/strategies/text features for reading suggested by Treasures.  We refer back to them during the week and then post them around the room as reminders. Sorry about the lighting! I also think that adding these type of charts to your room personalizes it for your specific class.  If you’re making them while your students are present and then refer to them with purpose during instruction, your students will remember them and hopefully  internalize the concepts.  Obviously, I play a large part in constructing them, but I usually allow students to help me glue pictures on, contribute ideas that I then write down, or actually write on certain parts (i.e. the labeling chart above).  I hope y’all enjoyed your long weekend, and for those of you going back this week I wish you much luck!!!  Have a great week, bloggy BFFs 🙂