| With all the papers and ideas we have in the | | | | resources you have that go along with each story into |
| classroom, finding a place to store them all can be | | | | the folders. Trade books, enrichment lessons, spelling, |
| overwhelming! The key to organizing files is to find a | | | | and/or vocabulary cards are also placed in the |
| system that works for you and stick to it. Train your | | | | corresponding files. If you have a resource that could |
| parent volunteers, student teachers, and classroom | | | | be placed in more than one spot (for example, trade |
| helpers how to manage it, and you'll never lose papers | | | | books about nouns or figurative language), make |
| again. | | | | copies of the cover or lessons to place in those |
| A good system that seems to work for me is to start | | | | multiple locations. |
| with a stack of plain file folders and plain white 1"x3" | | | | After completing all reading materials files, begin to |
| mailing labels. Then, I grab my reading series teacher | | | | create folders for each chapter in math, science, social |
| editions and begin making a label on the computer | | | | studies, handwriting, writing, etc. In this way, each year |
| template for each story in the series. When that is | | | | as you plan your week, you can pull the file and |
| complete, print the labels and affix to the file folders. | | | | review quickly what additional resource or enrichment |
| Drop the labeled folders into your hanging files in | | | | materials you have on hand and in your hand. It's all in |
| chronological order in your filing cabinet. | | | | the system! |
| The next step is to start placing any lessons or | | | | |