Back to School: a week or two into summer, and I’m always already starting to think about the next school year. As a classroom teacher, I always tried to reevaluate the things that worked well, and the things I needed to improve each year: like my word wall and take home books. Today, I’m going to share two great products that are perfect for elementary classrooms!
The Problem With The Word Wall
I’d like to thank Steps to Literacy for sponsoring this post. I received compensation for this post, but all opinions, ideas, and thoughts are mine. I only share about resources, products, and companies that I use and believe, in, and believe will be beneficial to you as well!
So, word walls… I can sum this one up in four words… are you ready? Kids don’t use them.
Yep, I said it! Let’s keep it real. While the idea of a word wall is a good one, in practice, I just have not found them to be a very effective tool for my students. Even if my words are huge, even if we practice using it together, even if they help me make it, a typical word wall just doesn’t do the trick. Why? I think there are a few reasons.
First, the kids just forget about them. If you don’t remember a tool is there, you’re not going to use it.
Second, They’re hard to read. Word walls tend to have too many words, not enough, and are often just plain difficult to navigate.
And third, copying from a word wall is often tricky. Looking up and back to your paper over and over is hard for students!
Desktop Word Walls: An Easy, Practical Solution
I was thrilled when I found these Desktop Word Walls from Steps to Literacy because they solve all of the problems with a typical word wall that we put on our classroom walls. If you’re still required to put up a word wall, you can definitely still do that, but these are a perfect compliment, and students can actually use these!
First, students won’t lose them since they’re attached to their desks.
Second, they’re organized so neatly that they’re incredibly easy to read.
And third, they’re right in front of students which makes copying a breeze! You can put one on each students’ desk. I would also recommend adding one to any writing areas or center areas as an easy, quick reference.
I absolutely love that they come in 4 different levels, so you can pick the set that is just right for your class. You can also easily differentiate if you have students who would benefit from a step up or down in level. They also include a number line and other helpful information. The emergent set includes left and right prompts which I absolutely love because that’s always a struggle for primary students.
As an intervention teacher, I’m so excited to use all 4 levels with my students this year. I plan to laminate them since I’ll frequently be moving them around as I meet with different levels. They are made out of sturdy, coated cardstock, so they’ll hold up pretty well on their own. These are such a fantastic solution to the word wall problem, and I think you’ll absolutely love them!
The Take Home Book Bag Problem
I’m not a fan of homework. Not at all (but that’s another post). However, I AM a fan of reading. I’ve always wanted my students to read at home, but books are not always readily available for my students. Since reading for pleasure is so important, I’ve always opted to sent home books for my students to read.
The major problem (besides books not always returning, but I never let that bother me because that’s just a risk you take) was book bags. Just sending home books on their own was pretty much guaranteeing I wasn’t going to see those books again. I’ve tried plastic bags and small totes, and a few other options as well. No matter what I tried, they were ruined by the end of the year- often times months before the end of the year. I found it frustrating to say the least. I’ve always hoped to find book bags that would last for more than one year. Thankfully, Steps to Literacy understands teachers’ needs and has delivered!
Book Bags That Hold Up
These Pack-N-Read Book Bags are so incredibly well made. They’re what teacher dreams are made of! These are made of nylon, and repel water! The book bags can also fit a nice number of picture books, and the perfect take home book bags for your students! These are sturdy and washable, and they come with a one year endurance guarantee. They come in a variety of colors, 3 different sizes, and include a velcro enclosure and a removeable name tag, so if you use them for more than 1 year, you can just change the name on the bag.
I also love that they can hang on the back of a chair. The elastic band is very stretchy and strong. This would be perfect for take home book bags, but they would also be perfect for storing listening centers! (Read how I organize my listening centers here.)
As we head into the back to school season, I look forward to sharing more find and tips with you to make teaching a breeze!
Want to see more of my favorite resources from Steps to Literacy? Check out the posts below.
Listening Libraries Diverse Chapter Books Rich Mentor Texts NGSS Science Book Collections White Board Tips Tactile Letters Christmas Crafts Small Group Organization STEM Tools Brain Breaks Calm Down Kit Ideas
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