Five for Fraturday... and Free Writing Folder Labels!

It's been awhile since I joined the Five for Friday Linky Party. I'm happy to be linking up again with Doodle Bugs Teaching and so many other talented teacher authors.

It's been a busy summer and a very busy week now that it's time to begin getting ready for the school year. Here are some highlights.

I made a feeble attempt this week to join the latest teacher-author craze: video tutorials. I was making my writing folders for this year. I've been creating four-pocket folders for my writing workshop for several years and they really work well, so I thought I could share how I make them.

After multiple attempts to film myself using one hand to do a job that requires two hands, I gave up in disgust. I either need to hire a videographer or stick to using photographs.  

So here are a few photographs to show how to create the folders. I bought a class set of folders with prongs and a class set without prongs.  Putting them together provides students with four pockets that keep their resources, ideas, and writing pieces organized. 

1. Open the prongs on the first folder.

2. Turn the second folder (without prongs)
inside out. The ones I bought were already
hole-punched. If yours aren't, use a three-
hole punch to prepare the folder. Make sure
you punch your holes on the outer edge
of the folder (not on the fold) to avoid step 5.

  

3. Place the inside-out folder on the prongs
of the first folder.

4. Close the prongs.

5. If your holes were on the fold side of the
folder, you will need to secure the inner
folder using tape. Use a box cutter to
make sure the tape does not interfere
with the pocket.

6. Label folders as desired for student use. 

I'm pleased to offer you a free set of my writing folder labels. Please download them by clicking the link. You can print them on Avery labels #5163 or #8253. 

I made my annual visit to the Lakeshore Learning Store. 

I might have gone a little overboard. 

#buyallthethings

Enough said.

My district has officially adopted the Fry Words for word study progression. Once I got the news, I quickly got to work on creating activities for my second graders to practice their word wall words. 

Here's my latest product. It's available in my store.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Word-Searches-Word-Finds-for-Second-Graders-2730305

Public Domain-US

This is how I felt on Wednesday when I found out that, due to zoning issues, the mobile classroom I will be moving into this year will not arrive until October. I'll be setting up in my old classroom for now, but will have to move once it arrives. 

I have no words. 

Sigh.

I've decided to live in the moment and I'm eagerly preparing my current classroom for my new group of friends.  Here's a record of my progress over the last two days. I'll post some photos of the finished product once I'm ready for Open House next week.

It's coming along.

That's it for this week. I hope everyone's school year is off to a great start.

Until next time,