Calendar Time

It’s been about a year since I posted my It’s Calendar Time daily calendar activities.

Slide1

Slide8Slide26Slide40Slide62

My kiddos were SO successful with math this year – even my lowest babies.  I was absolutely astonished EVERY day when they could add/subtract in their head and could make number combos to a certain  number like it was nobody’s business! Every day they knocked my socks off!

I always get a little stressed thinking about the beginning of the year, because there is always a learning curve in Kindergarten! But, I know that I wouldn’t change a thing with Calendar Time!

I started off the year with my Calendar Wall looking like this:

IMG_4177

I had all the pieces of the calendar up and ready to go.  But, I’ve been doing my calendar on my Promethean board for 4 years.  So, I made the switch and had to do calendar on my board!

So, my Calendar wall turned into this:

IMG_4407

I kept my calendar and date up and that was it :)

The children each have their own 1/2” white binder that I purchase from Sam’s.  I slip the monthly song in the front and any chants that we are doing on the back cover.  My binders usually last about 2 years. 

Unfortunately this year was the end of that two year cycle.  I’ve been contemplating using the poly 3 prong folders for my calendar book.  I would love to hear if anyone has experience with those…are they sturdy enough to use in their laps?

IMG_1951

All of my calendar songs are available on my blog, but I’m working on a packet that will have them all available in one spot with different styles of the poem PLUS fun craftivities to do with each song!  Stay tuned!

At the very beginning of the year, there isn’t much in the binders…

[IMG_4440%255B7%255D.jpg]

We keep a pencil and some crayons in a pencil pocket.  This year I MIGHT try the ol’ duck tape baggie pencil pocket.  Any experience on how those hold up??

and then our calendar pages…

IMG_4435IMG_4436IMG_4437IMG_4439

As the year progresses the skills get more difficult.  However, if I need to spend more time on a particular skill, I can do that daily page for another month, or just a few more weeks/days into the month.  The monthly headers are programmable so you can vary the month if you need to.

IMG_1953 IMG_1954IMG_1955 IMG_1956

This is how the pages look on my IWB. I used the import PDF option on my software to import the pages and rearrange as necessary.  I link directly to the weather channel, songs, and so on to make a pretty smooth transition.  It usually takes about 20 minutes to get through the whole calendar. (Ask your school’s tech person to help you import to your IWB!)

IMG_2225

Often I will have the children come up and complete the daily page.  They LOVE being the teacher, and I LOVE being SO proud just sitting back and watching them do their thing!

This calendar pack was truly a labor of love! I spent many, many hours on it – arranging, re-arranging and trying to fit SO many skills.  This calendar goes above and beyond the kindergarten common core! I realize that patterns and coins aren’t specifically on the care, but patterns help children to develop a strong sense of number, and learning to identify and count coins is FUN! Why not give them a jump start! Since Calendar time is a guided time, the children that are ready will jump on board, and you will be able to scaffold the kids that aren’t quite ready.

If you want to check out my calendar book, just click below!

Slide1

If you’re interested in the components for your wall, you can find them in this pack:

Slide1

or, together as a bundle:

Slide1

Have you used my calendar set?  I would love to hear your results!!

32 comments:

  1. I LOVE your calendar. I used it this past year and my babies enjoyed Math so much. They were extremely successful, and I have to thank you for that!
    Alexa

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm getting the bundled pack! It looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  3. No question, this was the BEST TpT purchase ever for me!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been contemplating using calendar books this year. Do you send completed pages home each day or at the end of the month? Any tips or suggestions for getting started (besides purchasing your packet!)?

    Thanks,
    Steph
    Be A Nut with Mrs McNutt

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think I have "sold" your calendar to every Kindergarten teacher I have ever spoken to. It is AMAZING and my kids ROCKED at Math this year because we did the skills EVERY DAY in calendar. One Kindergarten friend asked when coins were introduced in our curriculum: "Don't 'they' know that we already do this??" One of the best purchases I've made!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your calendar book is AMAZING! Our district's math specialist was shocked at how well all of my kiddos did! I'm being moved to first grade next year, any thoughts on making a first grade version??:) I would buy it in a heartbeat!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I absolutely loved your calendar set!!!! As a half-day kindergarten teacher I'm always looking for a lot of bang in a short period of time which is exactly what your calendar delivers. You recently hinted there might be some upcoming additions/changes; can't wait to see what those could be (hoping the poems might be included)!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh you guys - your comments make my heart soar!!! I'm so happy that your babies had success! That's what it's all about, right?!

    @McNuttS - I send home the pages at the end of the month. It's a bit tricky in the beginning to get them to turn to the correct page, but after a while they figure it out. We usually sing a short song or chant while they are finding the right page!

    @Mrs. Glick -- I have had some requests for a first grade version. I worry about it because I don't know the curriculum as well. A friend offered to help me out with the scope and sequence so that would help! I've got Vegas in a couple of weeks, but I might be able to dive into after that!

    @eah623 - the additions are single skill pages (rather than all on one page) - I experimented with it in May and the kids did great!) The calendar songs will be separate -- but for now they are all available scattered throughout my blog for free! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have your calendar kit and I LOVE it!! I know there is LOTS that go on the wall but I put it up and use it. Here is what I do. I have my "teachers assistant" (student job) copy what I am doing on the IWB. They do it on the wall, since that is lower. It gives me something that a sub can do since our district do not allow computers or IWB to be used with a sub. The kids stay on track and later in the year all a sub has to do is say it's calendar time and the kids take over.

    Growth was amazing! It was the little things too. We use mClass to assess math skills and my "missing" number skills scores were so amazing! I believe that it is because of the number work during calendar time. Thank you SO much for putting this together!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would also be interested in a first grade version (if you plan on making one). Your kindergarten version looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Best purchase by far!!!! I could not imagine our daily classroom routine without this calendar. My heart was full with joy watching my kinders grow in their math skills. I did have all components on my whiteboard (magnets), and my kids loved when a new component was added. At the beg. of the year I used paper 3 prong folders but quickly switched to plastic folders due to wear and tear. I also used ziplock baggies/ duct tape but the wear and tear of them as well as the frustration of putting them in the prongs every month led me to just having them bring a pencil with them to calendar time. This year I am going with the binders and pencil pouches. I had many visitors (teachers and administrators) come in to my room this year to watch how amazing this calendar is. I am happy to report that all kindergarten classes at my school have purchased this product this summer and are excited to see the benefits. Of course I had to add a small song transition before each component which my kids love! Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I loved the calendar product! I am also amazed at how fluent my students were with math skills. They were confident and I LOVED that!!

    Great Resource!
    Sarah
    shetrick@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Kathleen - I am hoping to make this calendar system work this school year - I played around with it last year.

    You asked about poly folders - well, I used poly folders (they were the 3-ring kind) as journal folders and quickly went back to regular binders, the poly covers wouldn't stay open and were in our way.

    Enjoy your summer!
    Patsi K in MN
    abc123kindergarten.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I used your packet last year, and I loved it!!My principal even commented on how smooth my calendar time was, and how engaged ALL of my students were during calendar! :)I threw it up on my IWB last year as well, and I somehow missed the calendar wall components, but I will be picking those up soon!Thanks for this wonderful product! I like you, was amazed by my kid's math every day! It made all the difference!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love your calendar pack! I am so excited for your upcoming song and craft product! :) My kiddos and I use your songs every month and they LOVE them.

    ~Jessica
    Fun in PreK-1

    ReplyDelete
  16. I used your calendar pack with my kids this past school year and they LOVED it! I started the year using the poly 3-ring pocket folders and switched them out half way through the year to 1/2 inch binders and the kids liked them much better! I'm planning on using binders from the start of this next year! Thanks for this great resource:)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Honestly the best thing I've ever purchased for My K'a. I have told so many people about this set. I even found at the end of the year that the core activities for our math program were extremely easy for my kiddos. The kids would say " this is too easy!" Thank you for such a great resource!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I LOVED using your calendar this year. I didn't put it in a binder, just simply copied a packet for the month. My kiddos loved them! They were so independent by the end of the year. They reminded me that it was calendar time. I can't wait to use it again this year! Awesome resource!
    Gluesticks & Crayons

    ReplyDelete
  19. You forgot to mention that kiddos in North Dakota even learn about negative numbers when tracking the winter temps! I was so impressed with that

    ReplyDelete
  20. You forgot to mention that kiddos in North Dakota even learn about negative numbers when tracking the winter temps! I was so impressed with that

    ReplyDelete
  21. I LOVE this calendar set!!! I used it with my kinders all year on the IWB as well. It is amazing how much better their number sense is this year. I can't wait for the first grade teachers to be amazed. I used binders in the past, but was thinking about printing the pages and having them bound into a book for each month...The only downside there will be now pouch for easy supply access. Another teacher in my school did this last year though and said it worked great. Then at the end of the month she could just send the whole little book home.

    After following wonderful bloggers like you for years, I just started blogging myself. I'd love it if you'd check out my new blog :)

    http://mrsplemonskindergarten.blogspot.com/

    Thanks again for all of your amazing creations!
    Jess

    ReplyDelete
  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello, Kathleen! I purchased your calendar packet and it was FANTASTIC! I feel like my kids knew SO much more because of it! I want to incorporate your songs into calendar time, but I am unfortunately struggling with downloading February, March, and May. :( Would it be possible for you to email me a copy of those months? I would GREATLY appreciate it! Again, thank you for all your hard work!!!

    mkailhofer@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hello Kathleen! I purchased the bundled pack and thought that it was really great. However, I was curious as to how long you spend on calendar? My calendar time got quite long this year and I needed to eliminate things by the end of the year.

    Thanks!
    ~Kay

    www.sweetkindergartenkiddos.blogspot.com

    p.s. I am really excited to hear that you will be creating a pack with your monthly poems. They're wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Do you use another use a premade calendar on your IWB and add the pages in that the students fill out?

    ReplyDelete
  26. This post is really incredible, one of the most helpful I have ever read,indeed.free twitter followers

    ReplyDelete
  27. Where can I find all of your months of the year songs?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Where can I find the corresponding IWB calendar? I want to download your calendar goodies but want to make sure that I am displaying the same on my promethean board.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Where can I find the corresponding IWB calendar? I want to download your calendar goodies but want to make sure that I am displaying the same on my promethean board.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I've been eyeing this for a while... and you go and post this AMAZING display of how powerful it can be! LOL!! Looks incredible!
    Karen :o)
    Mrs. Stamp's Kindergarten

    ReplyDelete
  31. WOW! I am thinking maybe I should start this - do you think it would work ok if I waited and started in October? or mid of Sept. Not sure how to do all of it - will check out your TpT.
    Thanks for the tips!
    Anything to help my students have a better understanding in Math.

    ReplyDelete
  32. You calendar looks wonderful! I am going to purchase your pkg!
    I wondered if you were also making your digital version available as I do calendar on our smart board

    ReplyDelete