Morning Work Folders

One of the most common things mentioned regarding classroom management is being prepared first thing in the morning.  Part of that is having something for your students to work on when they arrive to your room so they aren't idle.  For the first few years of my teaching career, I always had what I called Morning Work ready for my students when they came into my room.  However, sometimes I would forget to make the copy or the students would have to ask me for assistance.  Last year I came up with an idea to make my life easier.  Enter Morning Work Folders!

In the beginning of the year, I create a folder for each of my students.  Inside the the 3-prong folder I have 5 days worth of morning work for an entire quarter.  On the first day, I walk my students through the folder and we discuss what each day's work is.  I typically get this work from workbooks in which I don't use every page or my teacher resource books.  I try to touch on math or reading comprehension in a certain subject each day.

An example of my morning work from this quarter is as follows:

• Monday - Time for Kids worksheets (I always receive a little booklet with my TFK order)
• Tuesday - Real Life Comprehension sheets:  Students look over one side of the sheet and answer questions on the back (I LOVE THESE THINGS and my students enjoy seeing which one they are doing each week.)
• Wednesday - Math Minutes: Quick worksheets that give a variety of spiral practice.
• Thursday - Detective Reading Comprehension
• Friday - Grammar practice

Each day is separated in their folder by a post it tab with a specific color.  On the calendar above each day, I have the same color post it shown.  This way, students know that if it is Monday they are working in the pink post it section, Tuesday is purple and so on.  Each week as they complete the page, they move the post it note to the next sheet in the section. These folders never leave the classroom, so there is no chance of a student not having it to work on the next day. 

The Morning Work Folder enables me to get the paperwork that needs to be done first thing in the morning completed, while giving the students a routine that they are aware of and follow daily.  They are usually able to complete the work in about 15 minutes and then we take an additional 5 minutes to grade it so they get immediate feedback.  Each quarter, the students empty out their folder and I give them the new packet and they quickly insert in their post-it spacers again.

It's a quick and easy routine that has made my life so much easier!  What do you have your students do first thing in the morning?