#Made4Math Mon...well, Thursday - Laminated Graph Paper

This trimester, I am teaching Algebra 2 along with Algebra 1.  We started the trimester graphing cubic and quartic polynomials.  One of the things I'm trying to work on is having the students get up out of their seats more.  So I asked myself, "How can I have them graph at the board without them wasting their time making their own grids or having their graphs look like a disaster?"  Then it hit me!: Laminated huge graph paper grids!  The students can use dry-erase markers to graph and can easily wipe their graphs away!

I printed 28 pages of grid paper and laminated them so I would have 7 graph stations:

#made4math Monday Week 11 - Absent Work Bulletin Board

I updated my "Currently in Algebra" board to be more resourceful:

I posted the bell ringers for the week 

along with folders (from Target) for absent work.

Between this and printing out guided notes, 

this helps catch absent students up pretty quickly.  

So far, it's working well.

Addition:  I updated/revised my teacher binder:

I replaced the grade book section with discipline.

This includes office referrals and homework excuse notes.

I found that with my "fluid" rosters (changing a lot due to transfers),

it was easier to just use progress book.

I replaced the front "My Weekly Planner" with the current week's lesson plan.

When I used the dry erase marker,  it got smudged by the pencil pouch in front of it.  

I look for the current week's lesson plan the most, so I moved it to the front.

When this week's over, I'll move it back and move the next week's plan forward.

#Made4Math Monday Week 7 - Country Time Pencil-Ade & Update on Classroom

I have a pencil holder, but I want another one for my student center.  So, I went looking at Target for short Pringles cans, but they didn't have any.  Then, I remembered that we have a few Country Time Lemonade Containers.  So, I transformed one of them (leaving the contents in a sandwich bag along with the measure cap) into a Country Time Pencil-Ade:

Update on the Classroom:  I finally put up the dry erase boards.  I had to wait because we did something not so smart...left them propped up against a wall overnight...they bowed, so we couldn't get them to stay flat against the chalkboard:

So, I decided to line the rest with the magnet strips and weigh them down with 30 Algebra 1 books over the weekend...SUCCESS!!!:

Also, I finished the Currently In Algebra 1 bulletin board...since we are reviewing, I posted some of the review concepts:

It's Always Sunny In Algebra...covering the brick wall:

Miscellaneous New Additions to the Classroom:

Things on my agenda for the rest of the week:

1. Organize substitute folder/binder & create emergency plans

2. Create classroom rules & procedures posters

3. Evaluate how I grade binders/notebooks based on new information (such as INB)

4. Finish the student supply table

5. Create syllabi

6. Start lesson planning

Update on Classroom Decorating

So, I spent a lot of time yesterday and the day before on my classroom.  I decided to take a break from it today but wanted to post my progress.  Some of these pictures have been posted on previous posts.

Before:

Still Works in Progress:

Spoiler alert: probably posting on this for Monday...

A quick desk make-over:

 My husband rocks!:

My mom rocks, too!  We went to Michaels and spent an hour in there...these were some of my findings (thank you @druinok and @4mulafun for direction while finding the SMASH stamp):

She let me use her CRICUT!!!

 All the letters I'm going to use, separated by bulletin board.

FINISHED! (Go Blue Devils was 

cut out by the Cricut)

Wall of Fame finally up! (previous #made4math post reference)

I lined 3 chalkboards/dry erase boards with the green & monkeys...

Go Bananas 4 Math was also cut out on the Cricut!

More to come!

Facebook Bulletin Board Update

So here are a few pictures of the improvements I made today on the FB bulletin board:

Things I'm going to continue to work on:

Banner at the top (big blue part): I will put a shout out to our school mascot

An "ad" on the right side for goofy math stuff

More posts of various sizes

Here is the "finished" board: (I use air quotes because it'll change as our content changes)

The meme in the lower left corner doesn't send the best message, but I'm going to use it to say, "I know some of you feel this way about word problems...let's discuss ways to make word problems make more sense so you DON'T feel this way anymore."...or something like that at least.