Step 1: (30 minutes)

If you are new to Every Day Counts, read the front matter (p. 5-6) in the Every Day Counts teacher’s guide and August/September (p. 16-17). This will help you get to know the EDC elements and how to set up for the start of school.

If you possess an older HMH EDC Kit in a yellow box, you may already have many of the items mentioned below. The suggested times are for teams creating new materials or replacements to display at the start of the year.

Step 2: (5 – ? minutes)

Examine your room set-up to find the best place to display Every Day Counts so that all students can see all the elements. A bulletin board is handy for pinning up the materials, but if such a board is not present or not in a good location for viewing, many teachers have been able to place the calendar and other elements on a wall, whiteboard, or chalkboard using tape or magnets. Some have even placed a science display board or sheet of foam core in the chalk tray to tape, or pin elements to using T pins. If possible, it is nice to place Every Day Counts where you can gather the children up close to view the Calendar and other elements.

The Counting Tape needs to be placed where it can be extended the greatest possible distance. It needn’t be in the same part of the room as the other elements on the board as long as everyone can see it.

Step 3: (25 min. prep) Begin 1st day of school or catch up to present Day of School

See T. Guide, p. 21-26 and click on Gr. K – EDC Photos & Question Cards at edconline.net

1. To create the Counting Tape, unroll and put up 25 feet of a blank 3-inch wide adding machine tape.

2. Collect 2 sheets in each of 10 colors of 9” x 12” construction paper and cut into 3″ squares. You will attach a different color square to the Counting Tape each of the first ten days of school and then repeat the color pattern every ten days. Use a light color like white or yellow for Days 10, 20, 30, etc. to make it stand out.

3. To create a background mat for the Clip Collection, use a 12″ x 18″ piece of construction paper and clip or pin the first giant paper clip or colored plastic link in the top left corner. When introducing this element to the class, add enough clips to match the number appearing on the Days of School Counting Tape. See Teacher’s guide, p. 25.

Step 4: (25 minutes prep) No lamination needed. Begin the 1st of September or catch it up to present day in September.
Note: If you begin school in August, use the August pieces for your first month of school. August and September reveal the same pattern of school days and weekend days.

See T. Guide, p. 18-20 and click on Gr. K – EDC Photos & Question Cards at edconline.net

1. Prepare any printed large cardstock classroom wall calendar by creating slits at the top of each space using an Exacto knife or box cutter and place a paper clip in each slit (See photo) Some teachers prefer to display a nylon classroom calendar with clear pockets. Models from Eamay and Arzog accommodate the size of EDC calendar pieces and are among the least expensive brands.

2. Pull out the three sheets of Calendar pieces for your first month of school, available both in print and as a download at payhip.com/everydatcounts. The month is printed on the side of each piece. Display the pattern pieces on the Calendar from the 1st up to the present day of the month. After the present date, place the remaining pieces face down under each paper clip (so they can be turned over one at a time on each new day of the month).

3. Make 1 copy of 1-31 Date Cards (TR 1) from the back of the T Guide.

4. Display the pieces on the Calendar from first of the month up to the present day of the month using a date card on top of each pattern piece. After the present date, place each piece face down under each paper clip (so they can be turned over one at a time on each new day of the month).

Step 5: Every Day Counts Birthday Graph

1. Make 4 cardstock copies of a Birthday Baskets and Packages (TR 4) from the back of the T. Guide. Color, label, and cut out the Basket for your first month of school. Write the names and birthdays of students with birthdays in the first month of school on the Packages. At a later time complete the twelve Birthday Baskets using a different color on the rim of each basket.

You are done!

This is everything you will need to display the Every Day Counts elements at the start of school. August/September requires the greatest preparation time. Next month you will continue to use these materials and add in a couple of new items. By November all the elements will be introduced reducing preparation time for the remaining months.

To view/download Question Starter Cards click on Gr. K – EDC Photos & Question Cards at edconline.net

The note cards you see accompanying each photo with starter questions can be printed as PDF files, cut apart, and mounted on 5×7 note cards for your easy reference during Every Day Counts discussions. During the month, please add to your cards questions of your own design or questions from your reading that you want to remember to try out.  Some questions should aim at simply having students examine the data and describe what they see. Others questions should require students to engage in higher-level thinking, requiring them to reason, analyze, make predictions, and form generalizations about concepts being explored each month.

Every Day Counts® is a registered trademark of Gillespie Kanter Group, LLC

To purchase teacher guides, calendar pieces, and other display items, visit: payhip.com/everydaycounts