Hunger Games

For those of you who (like me) are sad about not having a Hunger Games book to kick-off the school year, now that the trilogy is complete, here are some activities to hold you over until the movie debut.

First, if you haven't seen the Hunger Games movie mini-trailer from MTV Video Music Awards, then run, don't walk, (well really just click) to see the brief but suspenseful footage.

Then, skip over to Scholastic's UK Hunger Games page to play some choose-your-own-adventure style games.

The text-based games are exciting, and will keep students reading longer than they realize while building interest in the book series.  The site also has cool trailers for each of Collins' three books.

Scholastic's U.S. site also offers several downloads related to the series, including a Catching Fire bookmark

and recordings of Suzanne Collins reading excerpts from The Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

If all that's not enough, iTunes is offering a free download of Rue's mockingjay call.  Be forewarned, the four-note whistle may leave you wanting more.

Your Organized Classroom: Free Printables

Organized classrooms are happy places.  As you are setting up systems for the beginning of this school year, don't reinvent the wheel.  Save time by making use of fantastic printable organizers you can download and use right away.

Get this away-from-the-classroom chart and several matching organizers from The First Grade Parade.

Then check out this transportation list (to manage what is quite possibly the most important organization issue of the first week of school: getting everyone safely back home each day), as well as student information forms and a volunteer questionnaire.

Get a large set of these book basket tags from Beth Newingham's site.

Visit the classroom organization page at Kelly's Kindergarten to get a huge set of labels for organizing the collections a classroom requires.

Visit Second Grade Shenanigans to get four colorful cover pages for an organized teacher's binders.

Also check out the music-themed number printables, which could be used to create a number line (1-50) or label students' desks and cubbies.

Visit Simple as That to get printable reading log covers and filler pages, as well as

this matching Dr. Seuss bookmark.