Organizing for Common Core

As the school year approaches more and more schools are switching over to Common Core.  I myself am quite excited to be working with the Common Core Standards.  I rather work with the Common Core versus the 1,000,899,000 standards attached to the NGSSS...ya' know what I mean? 


This will be my 2nd year implementing the Common Core but my first year implementing it in a Kindergarten classroom.  As I have been gathering materials and buying more and more items on TPT, I knew I had to get my act together and start organizing my materials.  

This was my first step...

On the left hand side you have my Mathematics Common Core Organization Chart.  This chart I think will be my lifesaver when I begin to plan.  I listed each standard on the left and activities I have in my possession to meet the standards on the right.  If I haven't printed out the activities I simply put the pathway that it can be found on my computer's hard drive.  Now onto the photograph on the right.  

The photograph on the right are labels and if you keep reading you will understand why I did this.  

I scored these amazing Small Group Instruction Learning Mats from Mailbox Magazine during a Buy 1 Get 3 Free Sale Event.  Yes, BUY 1 GET 3 FREE! This is a teacher's dream...FREEBIES.   Call me cheap but I just love me some Freebies.  I picked up the Learning Mats for Math and Literacy.  

My next plan was to cut and organize these puppies.  I took their idea of organizing them into a binder. I then decided I wanted to be able to have all my CCS's written for me so I can just grab and plan.  I went through each activity within the book and aligned them to a standard.  I then took Avery Labels and wrote the standard name and description along with the activity.  I printed the labels and adhered them to the front of a 3-ring binder.  I then made a label for the spine of the binder that simply has the standard name written on it.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out and think that this will make my planning and preparation efficient during the school year.  

This organizational idea is something you can use with all your activities.  Simply type your standard onto labels and place them on your binders, in your plan book, or wherever you have it so you know what standards are attached to the activities that you plan on implementing.

How are you organizing for the school year?