Classroom Sign Out Sheet for Bathroom and Bathroom Passes Freebie

We have been having some issues in the bathroom at our school lately - students playing in there, making messes, and even breaking stalls!  Good Grief!  Our Vice Principal asked us to keep some classroom sign-out sheets for the bathroom so we might be able to figure out who is and who isn't causing trouble while out and about.  I looked on-line but couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so I made my own. 

I made bathroom passes (one girl and one boy) for the students to keep on their desk and a few that are smaller that could be used to hang on a lanyard for them to take with them.  I really hate the idea of them carrying a pass to the bathroom with all of those germies in there and then bringing them back - YUCK!

They put the pass on their desk when they leave the room (only one boy and one girl is allowed out at one time), and then sign out on the classroom sign out sheet for the bathroom. 

As you can see from the picture below, they were quite excited to use our new system.  I ALWAYS let my students use the bathroom when they ask unless it becomes a major problem because I had one student have an accident when I refused to let him go because it was almost recess and he had just gone 5 minutes before.  I really don't want to deal with that again!

And... being the teacher that I am, and the fact that we are working on elapsed time, I also made up a sheet that allows the students to calculate their time in the bathroom.  I will introduce that to my students next week.  Any excuse to get in some extra practice!

By the end of the week the newness had worn off, and we were back to our regularly scheduled bathroom breaks.  And now, if some naughtiness does happen outside of the classroom at a certain time, I can refer back to the bathroom sign in sheet to see exactly who was roaming the hallways at that time.


In addition to appeasing our VP, I can see some extra benefits to these sign-out sheets:

1. If I notice that a student ALWAYS goes to the bathroom at a certain time of day, it might make me wonder if they are avoiding a certain class activity?  

2. What if a student starts to frequently use the bathroom out of the blue?  This will give me some documentation to show the parents in case their might be a medical issue.



If you would like to give these bathroom passes and restroom sign-out sheets a try, you can download the freebie at my Teachers Pay Teachers store using the link below:

Bathroom Sign-Out Sheet & Passes Freebie

While you are there, be sure to click on the green star to follow my store to be eligible to win a $100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card each month!  

Measuring Mania

A while back, Bill Nye came to the University I attended and gave a presentation.  One of the things that he said was that we don't measure enough in schools.  I would definitely have to agree.  When I taught 7th grade math, one of the projects we did when we learned about statistical measurement (mean, median, and mode) we did a project called, "Is Mrs. Malloy shorter than the average 7th grader?"  (The answer by the way is yes - I am only 4'11).  It was always a comment, so I turned it into a math project.  Anyway, when we started the measurement process, I was always amazed by how few of them could use a meter stick.

So, determined that my third graders will not have the same challenges, we began a little measurement this week.

We measured some common household items (post-its, dice, a sponge, and a small wooden block).

We measured the length, width, and height (using centimeters like scientists of course).  We also measured the mass in grams using a balance scale and some gram cubes.

We even recorded our data in our science notebooks.

Lots of mathematical discussion!

 

We were even able to discuss fractions and decimals as some students noticed their measurements had a half centimeter involved.  We talked about how just like in AR, .5 or five tenths is equal to 1/2. 

I just found this Bill Nye video with an introduction to the metric system that I will share with them today.

How do you practice measurement in the classroom?

Five For Friday November 21, 2014

 

Time again to link up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for Five for Friday!

In math we are hard at work on elapsed time.  We have been practicing telling time with a partner.

 

Having flash card relays... boys against girls seems to be the favorite!

 

We also practiced elapsed time with a partner this week. One partner made up a a problem. The second partner solved it, and the first partner checked it.  

We have also been reviewing multiplication with this fun Thanksgiving themed game from A Plus Kids.

The game works very similarly to Uno, except the students also practice their math facts.  I love that it focuses on unknown factors for an additional challenge! The kids love that they are playing a game instead of "working".  I love when you can sneak in learning when they beg to do it!

 

 

We will also being using the Christmas You-Know version in a few weeks.

In reading we have been reading a variety of versions of the story Stone Soup.

We have been working on written responses and comparing and contrasting the different versions.

We are really getting good at using details from the text!

Next week we will celebrate our hard work by cooking our own version of Stone Soup.  One of my students from last year visited and asked if we were going to be making it again this year.  When I told him we were, he asked if he could stop by after school for left overs.

During our writing time, we have been hard at work on writing Fairy Tale Adaptations.

We have been learning the difference between a telling sentence and a showing sentence.

They are getting to be such good writers!  I can't wait to see their published pieces!

 

If you haven't entered already, be sure to enter to win a Base Ten Place Value Frame here.

Head on over to Doodle Bugs Teaching to share your week in review. Not sure how to link up?  Read my blog post here for some tips and pointers.  Have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Teaching Freebies!

Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  If you are still unsure what things to do with your kiddos, you might want to try one of these freebies:

 

You can help your students to brush up on their ELA skills with these Point of View and Editing Skills Center Activities from Fifth in the Middle.

It’s a Feast of Facts with this funfive-in-a-row freebie from Primarily Speaking by Aimee Salazar 

 

This free download is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving festivities (especially during that short week that leads up to Turkey Day). The words are all Thanksgiving related. The best part is, your students will create their own Bingo boards!
  

I know my students will LOVE making these pop-up books  from Teaching Ideas for Those Who Love Teaching as we learn about The First Thanksgiving!

 

Your students will love this FREE Thanksgiving Challenge from Rachel Lynette. They will be practicing several different skill areas - math, research, grammar, and more to complete it. Do in class or send home for the long weekend.

My We Are Thankful Craftivity is a  fun way to get kids to write about all of the things they are thankful for this Thanksgiving season.

Includes:

Graphic Organizers for all parts of the writing process including:
-Brainstorming
- Topic Sentences
- Drafting
- Final Copy

Craft template to make pilgrim's hat.

Looking for a quick and easy way to review factors? These adorable factor turkeys are a festive way to help your students practice finding the factors of a number.


After you grab your freebies don't forget to enter my contest to win a  Base Ten Place Value Frame.