File Folder Game Organization

Do you guys LOOOOOVVVEEE file folder games??  I do!  They are so easy to put together!  Bright, colorful, fun, engaging! 

But once you start to collect a few sets, there are SO many pieces!  And if ONE piece doesn't make it back to its home....  it may never find its way back again!  RIGHT?!?!

This.  This is my nightmare. 

I'm going to share with you my organization system to make sure THAT disaster (that honestly, will probably happen at some point) is at least FIXABLE without going insane!  Saving your sanity!  Good life goal, right?  

To make it easy for me, I created a running spreadsheet of materials.  You can see an example here and even download it to use for yourself if you like it.  (If you have any trouble with saving it to your own account, check out this post for more clear directions.)

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The big picture of the process is this:

     - Package materials
     - Determine material categories
     - Create spreadsheet
     - Label all materials


Package Materials

I like to store my file folder games in giant manilla envelopes.  All the pieces stay inside and coordinating seat work can fit, too.  You can even glue a title to the front and directions to the back. And if you love laminating like I do, you can remove the metal clasp and LAMINATE THE ENVELOPE.  Yep.  Laminate it.  

Determine Material Categories

Ok, so now, determine the main categories for your materials.  This should be what makes sense for your class.  Example: Reading, Math, Language, Social Studies, Science.  But if you are specialized in an area, say reading, you might want to break that down - Comprehension, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary.  You get the idea.  

Create Spreadsheet

Next, create a spreadsheet with those categories as your sheet titles.  If you use the one I created, you can just double click each title to change it.  

On that spreadsheet, you will want the following information:
- Grade level
- Product title
- Label (see next direction for ideas)
- Skill 
- Anything else that will help you organize what you have

Label Materials

Part of the spreadsheet is the label.  I find it best to keep the label as concise as possible, because you will be writing it approximately 1 million times.  

For the label, the first part is a letter.  This letter corresponds to the main category.  S for Science.  SS for Social Studies.  F for Fluency.  C for Comprehension etc.  Like before, just make this make sense for you.  This system is to save YOUR sanity.  

The second part is the grade level.  This number goes before the dash.

After the dash, is just chronological numbers based on when I typed it in the system.

So, for example, a second grade game for phonics would start with Ph 2.  The FIRST game would be Ph 2-1, the second game would be Ph 2-2, then Ph 2-3, Ph 2-4, and so on.  Then I can add my third grade games, and continue on until all games are added.  Later, when I inevitably buy more games, (because, come on, you KNOW I didn't stop at the first round), I can just continue on where I left off.  My next second grade games will be Ph 2-5, Ph 2-6, etc.  

The great part about using a spreadsheet is, when you know you are getting ready to teach a certain skill, you can sort the spreadsheet alphabetically.  So, when you are getting ready to teach fractions, you can easily sort the skills alphabetically and find all of your fractions materials quickly.  

When you're ready to add more materials to your spreadsheet, you can sort the label category alphabetically.  They will be right back in order.

All. The. Labeling.

Now, the fun part. And by fun, I mean time consuming.  And by fun, I mean you can do it while binge watching This is Us.  Well, maybe not This is Us.  I mean, I can't exactly take my eyes off the screen for that show..... but Friends.  Maybe you can binge watch Friends.

Now, you label all the materials.  I mean every last laminated piece of paper.  All of it.

I label the envelope. I label the seat work.  I label every card inside.  All with the same code you used on the spreadsheet.

Phonics Game for first/second grade.

Now, when all the pieces end up in a mess, you can easily sort them back in place.

Storage

Now comes the issue of where to store all of this.  I was lucky enough to have tall bookcases with shelves all about 14 inches apart.  I bought those canvas cube storage boxes (I found mine CHEAP at Menards).  I put all materials from the same category in a cube, in order, and put them on the bookshelf.  

I hope you find this system helpful.  I hope it saves you time.  Well, it won't save you time up front, but in the long run!  When you are no longer looking through EVERY ENVELOPE to find where that one piece goes!  And it WILL save your sanity!  I'm sure of it.

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Here are some of my favorite File Folder Games and Centers.  I'd love to see what you love!  Leave a comment with your favorites!

FCRR Activities for Grades K-5 (these are FREE) 
CVC Word Cards
Context Clue Clip Cards
Multiplication Fact File
Kindergarten Common Core Language Arts Bundle
Fact and Opinion Sort
Adding Mixed Numbers Center
Basically ALL Center work from Evan-Moor

Using Contracts for Differentiated Learning

There are SOOOO many needs to be met in a classroom!  Kids come to you with such a huge range of skills and knowledge!  How do you keep track of it all and make sure that all kids are getting what they need to progress???

One method that I have used is a weekly contract.  You can download a FREE EDITABLE copy here!

When I use this method for managing the chaos, I create as many contracts as I need for the group of students. When I worked in a self-contained special education classroom, EVERYONE got their own individualized contracts.  When I co-taught in an inclusion classroom, we had 3 or 4 versions of the contract.  You can make whatever you need to fit your kids!

Depending on what our focus is for the week, I may change the categories.  Or we may get 2 contracts that week if we all get through the work.  Or I might add a 4th row and have 8 categories.  It really just depends on the needs of your class at the time!



Managing Expectations

Now the key - do NOT expect students to complete everything on the contract.  Not even close.  The key is to choose work for the contract that all covers the same skill.  Then, no matter which activity they choose, they will STILL be working on the skill.  As long as students are on task, and are doing work, they are learning.  

This takes the pressure off of students to get as much done as their peers.  This is ESPECIALLY helpful for students who are slower at processing, students with anxiety, struggling readers, etc. 

Use this editable sign for your own classroom expectations during this time.

Classroom Organization

This will vary depending the space you have available to work.  BEST case scenario, you have a shelf that you can dedicate to each type of work, and that work is out and available for students to complete.  This will save you a LOT of time in the moment of class.  No time spent passing out materials, no time laying out stacks of cards and games and work. 

On a shelf are all of the options for each work time.  You might have a math shelf with Quiz and Trade cards, a BINGO game, Task Cards, and seat work.  

You might have a bookshelf for each level of work - an on level shelf, an approaching level shelf, and a beyond level shelf.  All of the work from that week at that level is available on that shelf.  And students can complete work from any level appropriate for them!  

But the real world can be small.  And crowded.  You can have the materials you need for that work time ready to set out on tables.  Maybe the work is waiting in a tub in a cabinet.  Or under a table.  Wherever you have space!  Set it out on different work spaces when the time comes!  Then students can walk around the room and choose the materials they need, find a work space, and get started!

Rationale

I prefer contracts for differentiation because it gives students freedom!  Freedom to choose!  Freedom to complete the amount of work that they feel able to concentrate on at the time.  Freedom to be social...  or not!  

And it means freedom for the teacher, too!  You can walk around the room, observing the work of your students, observing their social skills, intervening when needed, and demonstrating a work when needed.



I hope that this contract is useful for you!  If you have any trouble downloading and editing the contract for yourself, click here for further instructions.  

See you next time!
Pam

How to edit the Weekly Contract Download

Hey gang!  Here are so directions on how to download and edit the free weekly contract!

First - click the link.  It will bring you to a page with the weekly contract.  You will not be able to edit this one.  It will say, "View Only" at the top.

Then, click on "file", "make a copy".  This will save a copy to your Google Drive.

Name it whatever you'd like and click "ok".  

Now you can edit the document for yourself!

I hope that helps!  Contact me at thedifferentiationshop@gmail.com if you need any further help!

Pam