Why I Keep the Same Bulletin Board Up Every Year (And I’m So Glad I Do)

Confession: I used to stress about bulletin boards. I'd spend way too much time trying to make the layout work, only to realize the board was in a weird, hard-to-reach spot where nothing ever looked quite right. I’d try to divide it. Make it “seasonal.” Rotate displays. It never really worked.

Then I stopped.

A few years ago, I created a board with one simple, powerful message: "The Power of Yet." Bright colors. Big, bold letters. It looked great, and more importantly, it meant something.

At the start of the year, I use it to teach a lesson about growth mindset and the “magical yet.” You can’t read… yet. You don't know how to use a number line… yet. We talk about how our brains grow, and the board becomes a visual reminder of that all year long. I use this book before introducing the board:

And here’s the best part: I leave it up all year. I even leave it up over the summer. (I didn't ask...just did it!)

No more climbing on chairs to staple borders. No more second-guessing a theme. No more back-to-school panic about decorations.

It’s become one of the best classroom decisions I’ve made. Time-saving? Yes. Meaningful? Absolutely. And honestly, the message never gets old.

So if you’ve been thinking about simplifying your bulletin boards, this is your sign. Pick a message that matters—and let it shine all year long.

Scholastic News: A Must Have!

Do you subscribe to Scholastic News? I'm lucky that our school pays for the subscription for all of our First Grade classes. If I didn't have it and it wasn't in the budget, I would see if your PTO could purchase a subscription or earmark a fundraiser for it.  It's that good!

What is Scholastic News?

• It's a weekly "magazine" that features timely non-fiction topics that support your curriculum. It's always engaging and I love the way it builds and reinforces nonfiction reading skills. Here are Grades 1-5 recent topics.

• You get 4 issues delivered in a bundle each month. Some months are combined which makes sense. That's 32 issues a year. I think it's a really good deal BUT it still costs around $5-6 per student. So it's not like a teacher could purchase a class subscription on their own.

Here are the themes listed for next year.

While I've always loved the content, it wasn't until two years ago that I fully took advantage of everything it has to offer which includes the digital content.

What's included in Scholastic News:

Print: 

• A magazine for every student (4 sides total. Just the right size for First Graders.)
• Lesson Plans/Ideas to implement/discuss
• Printable activity sheets which I never used until a few years ago.  

Digital:

• The news accessible on any device
• Nonfiction videos that are always spot-on
• Read-Aloud Audio Option which I use
• Interactive activity Sheets
• Games
• Back Issues which I do access. Sometimes videos are the same but often can get short videos that are so well made on a specific topic.

This is what the online version looks like:

For a long time, I simply read the magazine to the kids and discussed it. But a few years ago, after a lot of nudging from my colleague, I discovered the online version and WOW! A great news "magazine" was made even better. (Thanks, Jane!)

How I Use With My First Graders:

Fridays: I share the online version with the kids. This usually takes 30 minutes by the time I introduce the vocabulary, listen to it online (as it highlights each word) watch the video, do the "dance break" offered, and the learning game that is part of it.  No matter the topic, we always learn SO MANY interesting facts! 

Here is my favorite one from this year:

An example of the vocabulary. You click it and it defines the word then asks class to say the word together.

I will definitely do this one again next year.  Truly inspiring!

After We Read On Fridays:

• On Monday or Tuesday, I pass out the extension pages that I make into a booklet  Then I allow the students to work together OR work independently on completing the pages. While most want to work with a partner, I usually have 3-5 that prefer to work alone.

The kids are so engaged and take this seriously. It's a great way to reinforce so many skills as they work.

Here is a free online sample that you can see for yourself.  

And in case you are wondering, I don't know anyone there and don't benefit in any way at all if you sign up.  I just wanted to share a product I truly love!

NOTES: 

• The only thing I'd change that I find really annoying is that you have to print our each PDF worksheet separately.  Why not just have them all together? It would save time. The way it is, I have to open up onw page, print. Then go to next, etc. 
• It seems like my district renews late each year. We usually don't get the print versions of first set until late September. Since you need a code to log on, it's annoying. We are at the mercy of our secretaries. just know that if they received your P.O., they will give you the code even if they haven't sent out the printed copies yet. Just call and ask. 
• I know Second and Third grade teachers who are equally happy and my sister teaches Middle School and uses that version which she loves. I believe it's called SCOPE.

Enjoy! Let me know if you use Scholastic News in your class and what you think?

Packing Up My Classroom

This is what my class looked like on Friday. Depressing!  Notice that I left up a bulletin board and I didn't cover my bookcases with paper.  That's such a waste of paper!  (My custodian approved.) And anything high on walls stays up too.  Are you allowed to keep some things up? Saves so much time in August when I go to set up my room.

I love that bulletin board! It's the first time I had the same one up all year (without student work! Eek) and will keep it for next year. It's a great message and I referred to it all of the time. Another reason I left it up: I can't access all of that board and could NEVER get it to look right last year.

Here is a close up:

Check out the books I use to teach about Growth Mindset and Perseverance at the beginning of the year.

Do you have any books to recommend for me that touch upon those topics?  Let me know in the comments.

The Power of Yet Bulletin Board

I finally made a bulletin board to go with my "The Power of Yet" Growth Mindset theme! 

Creating a Growth Mindset culture and community isn't hard to do. Growth Mindset describes a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. When your students understand that their abilities, skills and talents can be nurtured and their goals achieved with hard work, grit and determination, they’ll begin to see their “failures” as a small detour and an opportunity for continued learning. 

I start off the year reading these books:

Here's another way I use The Magical Yet to work on Setting Goals with my class.

Then we have a morning meeting share following this prompt:

Here are the answers I got this year:

1. Ride a two-wheeler.

2. Make toast for my grandmom.

3. Read Piggie and Elephant by myself.

4. Wash my own hair.

5. Go to sleep away camp.

6. Play in my backyard without my big sister there to bug me.

7. Blow my nose.

8. Fly to Arizona by myself to meet Auntie Kim.

9. Make a Fortune Teller.

10. Tie my shoes. 

11. Take off my training wheels. (7 kids said this!)

12. Put the bait on the hook.

It was a long share but so worth it!  The discussion was great as to WHY they could now do these things. Words learned:

GRIT, PERSEVERANCE, DETERMINATION

By the end of September, I no longer hear frustrated students saying," I can't do it" but instead, "I can't do it YET."  I feel like my First Graders are ready to tackle anything and everything with a new sense of determination.

If you are interested in this Bulletin Board display, you can find it in my store. Click on pic if interested.

Do you know of any other books you could recommend to me on The Power of Yet theme? I'm always looking for new books. Drop me a title or two below if you can. Thanks!

Be Strong Picture Book Review

The picture book, BE STRONG, is another winner from Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill! I'm going to be reading it to my students sometime during the first few weeks of school for sure.

It's a perfect read-aloud to support units on Kindness, Empathy, Grit and Perseverance, Family and all of C.A.R.E.S.

Our school theme this year is BETTER TOGETHER and this fits the bill...beautifully!

This is the same team who brought you

Read more about BE KIND here.   I am such a huge fan of the book!

To read other books I think are great for Back-to-School, click on links.

Playing Possum

Don't Hug Doug

The Belonging Tree

I'll be posting more tomorrow!

Happy reading!

Playing Possum Picture Book (Perfect Back-to-School Book)

Each year, I have anxious kids enter my class and can instantly see that, because of their anxiety, they struggle to make friends. 

Often, these children don't even know how to go about it. 

Playing Possum, written and illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhart, is a must-have book for your classroom library that features two very anxious- and adorable- main characters.

I just discovered this on the NEW BOOK shelf at the library.  The cover's illustrations drew me in and I'm so happy I picked up the book.

then 

So...

then 

Another book that deals with anxiety is the magnificent After the Fall. Truly a wonderful book and one that ALL kids can identify with.

For some reason, many of my friends didn't see the anxiety connection.  That's a reminder that sometimes anxiety is so well hidden but it's there.  It may not manifest in obvious ways but in the case of Humpty, he wasn't able to enjoy the things he did in the past.  

It's such a lovely book.  Powerful.  Subtle.  

I simply cannot understand how this did not win the Caldecott Award.  It's that good.  

I created two packets in my store to support the book if interested. 

The first one is smaller (and at $2, cheaper.  BUT it's INCLUDED in the second packet so no need to purchase both if interested.)

Smaller one:

Larger Packet in store:

And I like to add that no one needs ANY materials to go along with a book.  I just make them for my own class from time to time and offer them in case an extension is needed for others as well.

Happy reading!

Don't Hug Doug Picture Book Part 2

A lot of people read my post on Don't Hug Doug and I just updated it with my newest TpT product that supports the book.  Then it dawned on me that I should probably write a new post. 

See the last post for a description of this wonderful new picture book.

From Amazon:

Doug doesn't like hugs. He thinks hugs are too squeezy, too squashy, too squooshy, too smooshy. He doesn't like hello hugs or goodbye hugs, game-winning home run hugs or dropped ice cream cone hugs, and he definitely doesn't like birthday hugs. He'd much rather give a high five--or a low five, a side five, a double five, or a spinny five. Yup, some people love hugs; other people don't. So how can you tell if someone likes hugs or not? There's only one way to find out: Ask! Because everybody gets to decide for themselves whether they want a hug or not.

Reviews:

“Don’t Hug Doug can make kids feel better about their own boundaries, and challenge them to understand the comfort of others. But really, it gives grown-ups something to consider, too.” —Boston Globe


“It’s great to see . . . boundaries [of consent and personal autonomy] talked about, and Don’t Hug Doug does it in a way that’s both reinforcing and fun to read.” —The A.V. Club


“A cheerful approach to basic consent . . . An excellent update on the golden rule: treat people how they want to be treated.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review


“A gently humorous picture book that kindly, effectively highlights the importance of asking others before initiating physical contact.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review


“Simple and effective in showing young viewers how to establish bodily autonomy . . . A great starting point for a conversation about boundaries and how to set them.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books


“A fun way to deliver the truth of different strokes for different folks.” —Booklist

Here's a prview of the packet: