Easy Student Organization

This little notebook is key to helping my year run smoothly. Since my classroom is jungle themed, it is a "S.A.F.A.R.I." notebook. It stands for Students and Families are Readily Informed. The student's name will go in the little box next to the lion. Here is how it works!

The first pocket is for notes from home. I like this here because students can quickly and easily check if they have a note for me. (Inside this pocket is one of the magnets I made for "Meet the Teacher").

Next is this money pouch. Again, it is easily and quickly visible as soon as the notebook is opened.

Then we have the "Do and Don't" page for the notebook.

This page communicates daily behavior for an entire 6 weeks. Our whole school shares a color system where green is great, blue is a warning, yellow is loss of privilege, and red means an office referral. In my class, students color their own squares each day before going home (unless they were not on green, in which case, I color it). 

What comes next you ask? I know it's a real page turner!

I guess the picture speaks for itself. Since it will be in a page protector, students can slide old ones out and new ones in when the time comes (we have a little lesson on how to do that).

Next

How do you make a take home folder fun? Call it "Safari Mail"! HA! Oh! Just wait until you see the inside!

The label on the left says, "Keep" and the other says, "Sign and Return"

Now we have come to the homework portion! There are all kinds of goodies behind this folder!

This label says, "Practice Cards". This pencil holder will not hold pencils, but rather sight word cards, or flashcards, or take home games. This way, nothing falls out and gets lost...which leads me to the last item in the SAFARI notebook.

The "Book Pocket"! This shnazzy 3 hole punched, velcro enclosing miracle holds books that students will take home and read and then return to school. The number of lost books in my class is very minimal now!This is one of the best investments I make. PLUS...

It holds all the things a new, later enrolled student will need.

I have always put this notebook together with my class the first week of school. We start backwards to avoid the constant opening and closing of the 3 rings. Yes, this takes time and patience, but the students end up LOVING their binder and they know how to use it. (Another helpful hint: I put the stickers inside the pouches so they last longer).