Color Code
🔴 Only you — cannot be skipped🟢 Can happen simultaneously🟡 Get ahead — do on prep
Day at a Glance
🌅
Morning Work
Journal at seats
🔴
Phonics
M1 L16
🔵
Math
U1 L16
🟣
Writing
Unit 2
🟢
Read Aloud
After lunch · Every day
⚡
Snap Word
a, the
📋 Prep Box
🔴 Before Students Arrive
- Journal at seats ready at every seat before first student walks in
- Sheep timer set and counting down
- Phonics Module 1 Lesson 16 slides open on smartboard
- Math manipulatives staged for hook
- Math manipulatives for the lesson hook staged and ready
🟢 Another Adult Handles
- Circulate during morning work — quiet redirects only
- Prepare math center materials
- Restock supplies and morning tubs
- Pull materials for SEL afternoon block
🟡 On Prep Today
- Log guided reading observations — who needs a pull tomorrow?
- Update I&RS documentation if applicable
- Check parent messages — respond to any unanswered
- Preview tomorrow's lesson before leaving today
🌅
Arrival · Monday · Journal at seats
9:20 · Work already at seats · Sheep timer counting down · Students begin immediately
9:20–9:40
Stand at the classroom door. Greet every student by name. Eye contact. Their name. Every student. Every day.
SAY to each student: "Good morning [name]! Journal at seats is at your seat — go ahead and get started."
⭐ SHEEP TIMER: Already counting down when students arrive. When it goes off — students should be at bumblebee spots already. Not walking there. Already there. If they are not — walk to your spot and begin without them. Students who miss it will not miss it again.
Another adult circulates — quiet check-ins — redirects off-task students without interrupting teacher greeting.
🔴
Morning Meeting + Phonics · Module 1 Lesson 16
Short a — introduce the vowel · snap words: a, the · CVC words with short a · cat-hat-bat-sat-mat · slides
~50 min
RF.K.2aRF.K.2bRF.K.3SL.K.1
Phonics Focus
Short a — introduce the vowel · snap words: a, the · CVC words with short a · cat-hat-bat-sat-matSheep timer → bumblebee spots → Monday greeting → Activity 1 → Activity 2 → sing to smartboard spots → morning message → letter sound cards → phonics lesson → brain break → math.
⭐ ORDER — ALWAYS: Sheep timer → bumblebee spots → greeting → PA Activity 1 → PA Activity 2 → sing to smartboard spots → morning message → letter sound cards → phonics lesson → brain break → math. Same every day. Students knowing what comes next IS the behavior management.
Activity 1 on bumblebee spots — phonological awareness — 2 minutes.
SAY: "I am going to say a word. Tell me only the first sound. Just the first sound — not the whole word. Ready? [Say 6-8 words — mostly words starting with today's target sound, 2 distractors.] Thumbs up if you hear the /s/ sound at the beginning. Thumbs down if you don't."
Activity 2 on bumblebee spots — blending and segmenting — 2 minutes.
SAY: "Now I say the sounds separately — you blend them into a word. Ready? [Give 4-5 CVC words in separate phonemes.] Now reverse — I say the word, you tap the sounds on your fingers and tell me how many."
Sing to smartboard spots → morning message → letter sound cards → phonics lesson.
🎵 SING: "Smartboard spots, smartboard spots, find your smartboard spot!" Song is the signal — not your voice. Never your voice.
MORNING MESSAGE: "Today is Monday. We will use our phonics slides today. Our snap word is [a, the]. Look at our schedule." [Point to every block on the posted schedule. Name each one out loud.]
Letter sound cards — 3 minutes — every card — every single day — non-negotiable. Hold up each card. Students call out the sound. No exceptions. Not even on test days. Not even on Halloween.
Phonics Lesson — Short a — introduce the vowel · snap words: a, the · CVC words with short a · cat-hat-bat-sat-mat
Alphablocks →
SAY: "Today we are working on short a — introduce the vowel. Watch me first — then you try. I will show you the whole thing before you start." [Model explicitly. Show the letter, say the sound, build a word, read the word. One complete example before students try anything.]
🧰 WAIT TIME: After asking a question — count silently to 10 before calling on anyone. 10 seconds feels endless. It is the difference between 3 students answering and 22 students thinking.
Snap Word — "a, the" — introduce and add to the snap word wall.
SAY: [Snap fingers] "Snap word! The word is A, THE. Spell it with me — A — THE. Write it on your paper in the air. Write it again. One more time. We now have these snap words: a, the. You know all of them in a snap."
Add to snap word wall. Count the words on the wall together.
Brain break — 2 minutes — before math.
Freeze like a statue — but this time freeze in a shape that shows kindness. Hold it for 5 seconds. What does kindness look like in a body?
GoNoodle →
🔵
Math · Unit 1 Lesson 16 · Count to 10 — ordering numbers · what comes before and after
Hook bumblebee spots → mini lesson smartboard spots → seat work timer → 2 rotations × 20 min
~75 min
K.CC.A.2 K.CC.A.3
Objective
Count to 10 — ordering numbers · what comes before and afterHook on bumblebee spots — 3 minutes — spark curiosity — do NOT teach yet.
SAY: "Hold up a number card — 7. 'What number comes right before 7? What number comes right after 7? I want you to think about it before anyone answers.'"
🎵 SING: "Smartboard spots, smartboard spots, find your smartboard spot!"
Mini lesson on smartboard spots — 8 minutes MAX — manipulatives — original script — no alien videos.
SAY: "Show number cards 1-10 in a mixed up line on the board. 'These numbers are all mixed up. Who can tell me what's wrong? What should 6 come after? What should 4 come before? Let's fix it together — tell me where each number belongs.' Students call out the correct order. Then: 'Now I take one away.' [remove a card] 'What number is missing? How do you know?'"
🧰 8 MINUTE RULE: Hard cap on whole-group instruction. If more time is needed — take it at the teacher table during small groups. Extending whole group = more off-task behavior, not more learning.
Numberblocks →
Brain break (2 min) → seat work with visible timer (8 min) → groups.
SAY: "Timer starts now — 8 minutes. Finish your page. When you are done — flip it face down, both hands flat on the table. That tells me you are finished without a word."
⭐ TIMER CONSEQUENCE: Timer goes off. Student not finished. Quiet private conversation: "What happened? Were you focused?" Consistent every time. That is what makes it real.
2 rotations × 20 minutes — 4 groups of approximately 5-6 students.
Teacher table: Students bring seat work. Work through problems with manipulatives — linking cubes, counters, barrel of monkeys. "Show me with the cubes first — then write the answer."
Adult 2 table: Same worksheet, same manipulatives, same quality of instruction.
Math shelf: Independent game for current unit. Students already know the routine.
SuccessMaker: Log in. Headphones on. Independent.
🧰 NON-NEGOTIABLE: Math must finish before paraprofessional lunch — approximately 11:45. Cut seat work if needed. Math does not bleed into writing or shared reading time.
🧰 ASKING FOR HELP: "I don't understand how to ____." That is the only acceptable form. "I don't get it" gets redirected every single time.
🟣
Writing · Unit 2 · Labeling — what is a label? Writers add labels to their drawings so readers understand what they see
Mini lesson 5 min → independent practice 15 min
~20 min
W.K.1W.K.2L.K.1L.K.2
Objective
Labeling — what is a label? Writers add labels to their drawings so readers understand what they seeModel the writing skill on chart paper — then students practice in writing folders.
SAY: "Writers — eyes on me. Watch me do this first." [Think aloud as you write. Narrate every decision: 'I am going to draw first, then add my label, I need to think about what sound I hear first in this word...'] "Did you see what I did? Open your writing folder. Try it. I will come around to talk to you about your writing. You have 15 minutes."
Conference with 3 students minimum. One question: "Tell me about your writing." One suggestion. Move on.
🍽️
Lunch
12:33 · Dismiss by ticket color · Hot lava line · Same every day
12:33–1:30
Dismiss by ticket color — same order — same words — every day.
SAY: "Red tickets — stand up, push in your chair, line up. Blue tickets — up, push in, line up. White tickets — up, push in, line up. Lunchboxes — up, push in, line up."
Hot lava line to cafeteria. Walk alongside the line — not in front.
🟢
Teacher's Read Aloud · After Lunch · Every Day · Non-Negotiable
1:30 · Bathroom train first → bumblebee spots → read · Joy only · No questions · No comprehension check
~10 min
Bathroom train immediately when students return. Every student goes before the book.
⭐ BATHROOM TRAIN: Line up. First person in, comes out, taps next person. No talking. No saving spots. Everyone goes. No interruptions during the read aloud.
Bumblebee spots. Read. No questions. No discussion. Just read.
SAY: "Sit on your spots. Get comfortable. I am going to read to you. All you have to do is listen."
Read the whole book. When it is over — take a breath. Move to guided reading. The book does not need discussion to have impact.
September read aloud suggestions:
Chrysanthemum → David Goes to School →
📖
Guided Reading / Centers / Flex Block
1:40–2:05 · Pull whoever needs it most · Centers run simultaneously
~25 min
Pull the students who need the most support based on today's phonics lesson.
AT THE TABLE: "When you get to a word you don't know — stop. Look at the first letter. What sound? Look at the picture. Try the word. Don't skip it."
🧰: You do not need to pull every group every day. Pull who needs you. 8 focused minutes at this table beats 25 minutes of whole-group review every time.
Centers run simultaneously — another adult supervises.
Library corner · Writing center · Math shelf · When I'm Done chart for early finishers.
Library corner · Writing center · Math shelf · When I'm Done chart for early finishers.
🩷
SEL · Kindness L2
3:20–3:30 · Back from specials · 10 minutes maximum
~10 min
Kindness L2 — what does kindness look like at school?
Quick and engaging. 10 minutes maximum. SEL GROW lesson on Fridays only — other days are CONNECT activities.
🧰: This 10-minute block adds up to hours of vocabulary and knowledge building across the year. Protect it every single day.
🍎
Shutdown → Specials → Dismissal
2:05 snack + pack up · 2:25 specials · 3:30 dismiss by ticket · Use the list · Never guess
3:30
Snack → pack up → specials → afternoon block → dismiss by ticket.
SAY for pack up: "Pack up time. Open your zipper. Folder in. Close your zipper. Backpack on. Push your chair in. Line up at the door — hot lava line."
⭐ DISMISSAL IS NON-NEGOTIABLE: If any student's dismissal is unclear — flag it before 3:25. Call the office. Hold the student. Never guess. Never send a student out the wrong door.
📱
Class Dojo — Send Tonight
📱 Copy + Paste Tonight
"Hello families! Today we introduced our first vowel — short A! Ask your child to make the short A sound and find words that have it: cat, hat, bat, sat. We also introduced our first TWO snap words: 'a' and 'the' — see if they can write them for you. In writing we started our labeling unit — tonight ask them to draw something and add a label to it! 🔤"