If you call it meeting time, calendar time or circle time it doesn't matter, we are teachers recognize the importance of the learning that takes place at this time in the day. It is jam packed with math, literacy and real world learning experiences.
This is what my meeting time looked like: *Review the question of the day *Read morning message *Review days of the week (today is, yesterday was, tomorrow will be) *Calendar (month, date, year as well as pattern on the calendar pieces) *Weather graph *Days in school (180 chart, 180 number line on adding machine tape [this is a great visual of how longggg you've been in school]) *Review days schedule *Story time *Songs *Introduce learning stations
One thing I always felt was that the students needed a more hands on approach to meeting time. They get to participate, but wouldn't it be even better if they had their own calendar, weather chart, and days in school chart? I think so! My students kept their writing journals in three ring binders... so why not add the calendar and weather chart to their journals to divide the journal into months? You could copy the calendar and weather graph back to back on colored paper and use it as the divider? They would then have it for when they write the date on their journal page too. You can also copy the weather graph for your meeting area so the students can see it every day. Each month hang the used graphs for the student to see so they can compare the weather month by month and see the changes in the seasons.
I would copy the 180 chart and put it in the front of the journal too. If you have a poster maker, you can copy this chart as a poster and laminate it. I always did this and then used sharpies to write on it. If you then clean it as the end of the year with rubbing alcohol you can use it for a few years before you'll need a new one.
Another great teaching tool is the word wall. It is the place to have all those key words which you expect your students to know how to spell and use in their writing. So, why not put a word wall right in their journal? As the year goes on each child would then have the words you expect them to spell correctly in their journals, in their journal.
Since I taught kindergarten the journal changed through the year as the children's writing improved. I provided three styles of journal pages for your students. The first only has a space for the date. The second has just straight lines and the third has dotted lines.
Check out my Meeting Time meets Journal Time kit on Teachers Pay Teachers if you want the blank calendar, 2 versions of the weather graph, 180 chart, word wall pages, and the three journal pages.
And, here are 3 posters that you can print out with the weather words.
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