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A Teeny Tiny Teacher

Gone Fishing

Today marked six days of school.

In the last six days, we have finally figured out where our spot is in line.  I’ve said before that I assign spots in line.  It’s that controlling nature of mine.  Assigned spots virtually eliminate “He’s cutting in line!  She cut!  They’re cutting!”  Instead, every once in awhile, I get, “He’s in my spot!  She’s in my spot!”  Either way, we’ve finally figured out WHERE our spot is, and now we don’t want to give it up.  

They have also finally stopped stampeding me when they finish their work.  For the most part.  On occasion, I still get knocked down every once in awhile, but the bruises are beginning to fade.  

Routines, routines, routines.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Oh, and inside recess.  STILL.  

Don’t get me started because I checked the weather on my phone at lunch and . . . well, it wasn’t stifling or suffocating or sizzling.  But we still didn’t go out.  This sounds like it could make an emergent reader.  

The teachers cried.  
But we still didn’t go out.  
The teachers sobbed.  
But we still didn’t go out.  
The teachers went crazy.  
But we still didn’t go out.

Due to the “we still didn’t go out”, it was obviously time to FINALLY introduce centers.

Centers = sanity!

What took me so long?  (I forgot.  Really.  I woke up and thought, CENTERS!!)

I modeled and introduced several:  Leap Pads, Writing, Math, Listening, Write the Room, etc.

But the one center that got the biggest reaction was Fishing.

And this made me think I should blog about it because apparently, none of my kids went fishing in kindergarten.  And I have kids from five different kindergarten classes.  And no one had EVER BEEN FISHING.

Now, THAT’S a good day.  They didn’t say, “We did this in kindergarten.”  Which kills me.  Growl.

But they didn’t say anything, as a matter of fact.

Instead, they clapped.

CLAPPED.

Like, spontaneously.

I’m telling you – sweetest class ever.

I took several bows.  

Blushed.

Beamed.

I may have smirked a little.  That’s right.  Uh huh.  First Grade rocks.

Anyway, the whole thing got me thinking.  Maybe not everyone knows about the fishing center.

Maybe?

I don’t know.

So here it is:

That’s just blue fabric I picked up at Walmart a million years ago.
It’s fraying on the end so I probably need to No Sew it up.

This fishing pole is from Lakeshore.  But for the longest time, I had a pole made from a wooden dowel, string, and a magnet.
At the bottom of this post, I am going to give you a link to a blogger who makes the cutest poles ever.

Students have to read the sight words!
Or add and subtract.
Or tell the letter names and sounds.
These fish are old.  I laminated construction paper.  Die-cut it.  And then I wrote on the fish with sharpie.  I have seen MUCH CUTER fish on TpT.  Obviously.  My way is just an avenue for saving on ink.  And it shows my lack of computer skills from ten years ago.  I’m much better now.  But a little lazy.  I haven’t cute-sified it up yet.  Forgive me.
This is how I store it in my classroom.
The kids just grab it and go find a spot.
Worthy of applause?  I don’t know.  But my kids thought so.
Jessica over at The Curious Catfish  has made the cutest fishing poles!  And she said she’s contemplating making more and trying to sell them on TpT.  So maybe if enough of us left her a comment . . . and followed her . . .  
Anywho, tomorrow is Back to School night.  Or, as we call it, Parent Information Night.  P.I.N.
My tummy hurts.
My head hurts.
I think I might be coming down with something . . . and it has nothing to do at all with those parents sitting in their child’s seat staring at me.  Nope.  I just think I have a bad case of the sniffles.  Poor pitiful me.

I hope I pull through.

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    Great idea & I definitely went to visit Jessica. I'm thinking that would be a great Monday Made It…or I could wait & just buy some from her 🙂 Glad the centers went well- think we're trying that tomorrow!

    Kelly
    First Grade Fairytales

  2. K is for Kinderrific says

    That really is a cute idea! And it really lends itself to customization for holidays, seasons, skills, etc. Thanks for sharing! Off to check out the fishing poles now!!

    Debbie 🙂
    K is for Kinderrific

  3. Jessica Ehlinger says

    Thank you so much for your sweet comments and for linking to my blog! I've spent the last hour creeping on your blog, I can't stop reading, this might be a problem. I think I'm about to get kicked out of bed but I can't stop, you're so funny!

    On an unrelated, less creepy stalker note, are you in Florida? You mentioned Adventure to Fitness + the unforgiving weather, I thought just maybe we were neighbors.

    Thanks again!
    The Curious Catfish

  4. Mrs. Ryan says

    Ooooooh! I love it! I'm so happy you let us in on the secret! 🙂 Thanks!

  5. Teaching Fabulous Firsties! says

    Ooooh! Dollar Tree has the magnet fishing game! Maybe I'll go snatch up a few and make some sight word fish. 🙂
    Hang in there. The kids love you so much that their parents will love you, too.
    Corinna 🙂

  6. Amy J says

    I love a class who gets excited about EVERYTHING!

  7. MissCoffey says

    Love the fishing centre! Kristin, you need to write a post detailing how on earth you keep your sweeties from stampeding you after they finish their work! This is my biggest pet peeve! Quit shoving your paper in my face! Can't you see I am very busy helping others (and trying unsuccessfully to keep my sanity!?!?). Thanks!

  10. Stephanie says

    Smart center!! You've won them over for sure! 🙂
    I assign my kids numbers too for the same reason you mentioned. Eliminates the "He's cutting" all together! They get to take turns each week being line leader though so it's all good.

    ❤ -Stephanie
    Falling Into First

  11. See Me Teach says

    i LOVE fishing and am shocked they hadn't done it in K! after a year and a half of searching for paper clips that have fallen off my fish… i read on someones blog to put a staple in the fish. genius!!
    -Alane (aconnolly1216@gmail.com)

  12. Christine Tignanelli says

    Cute idea! I'm glad your year has started off well. I still can't believe you have 30 kids! No wonder you need assigned spots in line. I assign my kids spots on the carpet. Some years I have even assigned spots in line if they have been that type of class where they can't get along.

  13. Jen R. @ The Teachers' Cauldron says

    ha! I have a dowel rod fishing pole in my room too…lol…
    we are on day 7 today – and wouldn't you know, we had TWENTY FIVE kids register today…oh my geez!!

  18. Jennifer says

    I am a first-year teacher and had the privilege of starting from scratch to get my room ready, including going through all the leftovers from the previous owners. Found a fishing pole in one of the closets with all the center toys and had not a clue as to what it goes to. Well, now I might just have a solution! Your fishing game is great! I have Pre-K but I can do letters and numbers for them. Awesome! And I hope your PIN went well (I'm a tad late catching up on my emails). We had our Parents' Night last night and I was so nervous. But most of the parents seemed harmless enough (!). Thanks for always sharing your wonderful ideas!

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