One of the activities I'm looking forward to doing this school year is the "Daily 5." My students last school year absolutely loved it even though I didn't start it until the 4th quarter.  I learned about it end of 2nd quarter or beginning of 3rd quarter after a workshop from an international guest.
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I hope there won't be any management issue.  It was easy for me last year because my students had learning centers before daily 5 with only few difference: freedom of choice (scheduling) and no graded worksheets.

I plan to buy one of the pocket size olympus cameras for blogging daily activity captures so I won't have to bring the bulky camera that I love.

Not quite, but I'm working on it. I haven't done anything in my classroom yet since I'm sort of working at home. I've completed some of my posters, here's a sample welcome sign with quotation I saw online three years ago, I will post this on my front door. If you own the clip art or you wrote the quotation, just send me a message and I will link you up. 




I plan to finish all personalized posters, labels and decorations before stopping by our school office and printing them there. I am trying to customize it well to avoid unnecessary cutting except for centers activities. :) I hope to print everything then laminate them when I'm done with everything, perhaps I'll reach a total of 200 letter size sheets to laminate. I could use a good music and a surround speakers when I start the lamination process.

Do you have play time in your school for 2nd graders? I know do know that playing is the best way to teach preschool, how about older kids - 2nd grade in particular? Do you have free play where kids are aloud to play with any education classroom games (not center activities). Something like sections for kids to build (using blocks or other manipulative), paint, do craft or even play dress up? I really hope to give my students this school year some time to 'play': free play but at the same time learn. I really want to include a dress up corner where students can use nursing uniforms to play 'doctor's office' for them to improve their communication skill. I noticed that most of my students are ashamed to do a 'play' during the past 2 years I thought but last year, I did a 'play' and all my students enjoyed it. What are your thoughts about this?