Wit and Wisdom Organization

Hello teacher friend,

Is your distict using Wit and Wisdom for your ELA curriculum?

I want to share how I’ve helped my students stay organized with all the with and wisdom paperwork. First of all, I use a paper color coding system with 3-ring binders. I’ve used this with my 2nd/3rd graders for the past several years and it’s very helpful for everyone.

At the beginning of the year, I found that I need to teach them HOW to use a 3-ring binder.

Student directions on HOW to use a 3-ring binder:

1. When you open your binder, the front is on the left and the pockets go at the bottom.
2. I give students a cover to put in the clear pocket on the front. I also put a sticker on the front inside pocket to help students remember. Need covers? GRAB FREE COVERS HERE.
3. When opening or closing the rings, keep your fingers at the bottom of the rings. (I demonstrate this as well several times.)
4. When putting papers in, find the tab, move it to the left (towards the front of the binder) and put the newest paper right behind the tab. This way, newest papers are first in each section.
5. Close your rings BEFORE closing your binder and putting it away.
6. All papers should be flat and straight in the binder.

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

1-inch 3-ring binder

4 divider tabs per student

3 hole punch

Create a key for your students to let them know where to put each wit and wisdom paper in their binder. The colored tabs correlate to colored paper. Keep reading for more information!

HOW TO USE

Next decide on which colors will connect to which color tab.

Here’s my example:

• Blue tab for wit and wisdom writing
• Yellow tab for vocabulary and grammar
• Green tab for comprehension or wit and wisdom fluency (see below-I often retype the fluency passages)
• Clear or orange (or any other color) for other papers

This is a fluency passage from 3rd grade Module 3 Tea with Milk.

1. Print the writing papers including notice and wonder on BLUE paper
2. Print the vocabulary and grammer (deep dives) on YELLOW paper
3. Print any comprehension or fluency on GREEN paper

I often recreate or retype the Wit and Wisdom student pages and print on colored paper. I do this to make the task clearer or give the students more writing room.

However if you don’t have access to colored paper or just use the student book, put a dot on the corner of the paper that matches the colored tab you want the students to put it behind. You could even train students to do this!

Students learn the system quickly and they are soon helping each other. Using all these tips has helped all of us keep our sanity with the wit and wisdom paperwork.

REMEMBER IF YOU WANT 5 FREE WIT AND WISDOM COVERS-CLICK HERE.

This system has worked for the past several years with my 2nd and 3rd graders. I tweak it each year to make it better. Hit REPLY and let me know how you keep your students organized!

In case you’re wondering, we make an anchor chart for the knowledge journal. This way students can refer to it throughout the unit.

I hope this was helpful in setting up wit and wisdom in your classroom. Before you go, remember to get your FREE BINDER COVERS.

Supporting you always! 💗