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