Everything I Need to Know I Learned in First Grade

It was a rainy 4th of July here in Gracias.  We are in the middle of the rainy season.  It is very predictable.  The afternoons are scorching hot and right about 2 or 3 the sky opens up.  It has been a nice break in the heat.  It really cools things down and everything is so green right now.  I had intentions of going into town to do some shopping, but it started raining earlier than usual.  Instead I decided to get a start on all of the ideas that have been running through my head for the next school year. Many of you know I have gotten hooked on Pinterest.  I have gotten so many great ideas for things to try.  Here's a peek at some of the crafting I've been up to.

I found this idea for a giant Boggle game and adapted it by putting velcro on the letters so that I can change them out.  This will be great for earlier finishers to play in their notebook!

I saw this idea originally used for spelling homework.  I thought it might be a little much for first grade, but it is perfect as another activity for early finishers.  Students can choose any 3 activities to do in their spelling notebook that make a Tic-Tac-Toe.  If they get a "blackout" they will get a prize...

Another good idea was to write out the minutes around the clock to help with telling time.  The teacher had used circles, but my clock was a little small and I thought it looked cuter to make it a sun...

I am so tired of my students turning my Legos into guns, so I re-purposed them as a game for our literacy centers....

This isn't quite finished, but isn't this going to be a fun puzzle for my mathmaticians?

And finally my class rules....

What if everyone followed the rules of first grade?  We all know the popular poem "Everything I needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten."  Now if we could just remember it, wouldn't the world be so much nicer?