I recently posted a new product that I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  I use these in my own room and it makes things SOOOOO much easier.  

I've never had a formal name for them, so I just came up with 'Mini Material Posters.'  

Basically, you use them to SHOW your students what materials they need for an activity.  Being an EFL teacher, I do a lot (more like a ton) of repeating myself.   These little cards make it less frustrating when we're transitioning.

I put the cards up... they get out the materials.  Done.  

For example, if we're doing a craft then I might post scissors, glue, crayons, pencil, and construction paper.  

They see what they need to get out and I don't waste time repeating myself eight million times.  

You get two full sets of cards (large and small), blanks to make your own, and three different titles if you need them.  All of the graphics were designed by me and they are 300dpi, so they print beautifully.  I put a lot of love and time into these.  They're simple, bright, and my lifesavers.

You can hang them with clips, put them in a pocket chart, or stick a little magnet on the back of each.  I usually just use them during whole group activities, but you could incorporate them into centers or even use them as supply vocab cards.  :)  

See on TPT
I may or may not be giving a set of these away over on Facebook (Aug.9).  Join in to win!

I've also added a lot more classrooms to the 'Room Setup' page recently!  You'll have to check them out if you're still needing some inspiration.  There are some cool rooms and I just love looking at all the different ones.  Check Out the New Rooms.


Oh.  One more thing.  Have you seen Cara's schedule card set?  Wowza.  They're free, beautiful, and she's added everything under the sun.  If you download them, be sure to leave her some love and feedback.  I know she's spent hours upon hours creating these and making them perfect.  She had a TON of requests to add cards and she was generous enough to keep them free.  

Get Cara's Schedule Cards.

Ok!  That's all from me today!  Remember to check out the Facebook page to try and win a set of my mini material posters!  It's a 'First one to guess...' type giveaway, so hurry!

This post is about one of my absolute favorite reading + writing activities.  I know it's been done before in a ton of different ways and has been given various titles, but I just call it 'Mixed Up Sentences.'  Here's the low down:

9.  Let your students get to work!  You can have them do it individually, in pairs, or in small groups!  Sometimes I even split it up and have two centers with five sentences each... especially if they're rigorous sentences.  They just do five, put away their recording sheet, then get it back out when it's time to do the rest.   

They piece together all of the sentences, color their little circles, and write!  

HINT:  If this activity is not for an assessment, then I like to check their sentences before they write.  They simply raise their hand when they've pieced a sentence (or all) together and I let them know if it's correct or not.  Saves time and frustration on their part.

Hopefully all those little instructions make sense!  Once you do it one time, you be able to whip it up again quickly.  This activity can be used for virtually any topic, any level, and I like to weave in some science and social studies topics when I can.  It's another way to integrate content.  

Here are some more adaptation ideas:

• I usually do this as a center with only one set of sentences, but you could do it whole class if you wanted to.  Type the same sentence onto a page (multiple times), copy onto colored paper, then cut.  Might be a bit crazy with pieces getting mixed up, but it works if you're kiddos are super organized.  Maybe they could use little trays to keep their pieces in?
• Since I have a small class sizes (10 EFL/ESL students in each class), I do this as a whole group activity by having them sit in a large circle and giving them 2 minutes with each sentence.  They piece it together, raise their hand, I check, they write, then we rotate when everyone is done!  Works like a charm.  
• Sentences can be hints to a special activity or something else.  If you're studying bears, then you could have sentences that stated facts about bears!  Roar.
• Use the font version (above), cut out the words, mix them around on a piece of copy paper, glue down, copy, and send home for homework!  Students could bring it back all cut apart and pieced back together.  

There are many ways to adapt this activity.  Got any more fun ideas or ways to adapt it?!  

Here's a little freebie for ya'll!  It's the recording sheets I use when I do this activity.  There are different types depending on the level you teach and how many sentences you want to use.  Dotted lines for younger kids and plain for older.  I most often use the 10 line portrait version (the one in the photos).  My fave.  See on TPT.

So, what do you think?  Have you done this before or is it something you think you can use?  I really do love it and my kids do too!

Enjoy!