Almost Friday!! AND...only 6 days left!
My last post said we had 8 1/2 days, well, that was wishful thinking.
Our last day is ACTUALLY a full day (oops)!!!!
How can this be??!!??
Don't "they" get it - next Friday will be a total cra-cra day!!
The kids will be wild, the teachers will be wild!!
Good news, though!
I now have the "I can statements" on teachers-pay-teachers!
Click here to check out my new store and pick up a copy for your classroom next year!
Haven't read about my "I can statements" as a type of formative assessment/exit ticket? Click here to visit my previous post.
Happy Shopping!!
About Me
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Summer Break - 9 Days Away
Well technically we have 8 1/2 because our last day of school is early release! I am getting so excited! It will be a busy final 2 weeks with EOG retesting, movie day (where each grade level goes to the movie theater), field day, and awards day. Whew, that is quiet a lot for only 9 days left!
One activity that I save for an end-of-the-year filler is Extreme Dot-to-Dot.
This is a fun activity that the kids love to do! The very first time I pass it out they just about freak out with the "extreme" number of dots, but then they get busy and take it very seriously! I even make it a contest of sorts and tell them that the best final product will be displayed.
If you teach in the upper grades you should check out these books! You can find them here. I especially like the Animals and Explorers.
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
One activity that I save for an end-of-the-year filler is Extreme Dot-to-Dot.
This is a fun activity that the kids love to do! The very first time I pass it out they just about freak out with the "extreme" number of dots, but then they get busy and take it very seriously! I even make it a contest of sorts and tell them that the best final product will be displayed.
If you teach in the upper grades you should check out these books! You can find them here. I especially like the Animals and Explorers.
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Cool "new" Trick
"I was born at night, but not last night." This was one of my assistant's favorite quotes last year. I heard her say it multiple times. Well, today I am saying it - only I need to change it and say that I must HAVE been born last night. I just learned something today that made me go "well duh, why hadn't I thought of that before".
Marking through my originals with a highlighter. I know I have lost an originalor two and I know that I have accidentally given students my originals {{while keeping a student copy instead}}. But no more!!! I plan on forever giving my originals a slash of yellow highlighter. The highlighter won't show up on the copies and I will now be able to keep track of all my belongings!
I can't believe after 7 years of teaching that I am just now learning this little trick.
Marking through my originals with a highlighter. I know I have lost an original
I can't believe after 7 years of teaching that I am just now learning this little trick.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Data Boards
YEAH!!! We are finished with round 1 of state testing! The dreaded "week" is finally over! Testing makes for long days and they become even longer when the sun is hidden behind rain clouds. Luckily by the end of the week we had nice weather for afternoon, after-test outdoor recess time.
I wanted to share what my grade level has created to display and organize data. As a third grade team, we have been keeping classroom data on a data board we created out of a science fair board. On this board, we keep data for our aimsweb scores, monthly fluency checks, Inview scores (IQ), and our end of reading theme/ end of unit math test scores. This has been helpful in making decisions on RTI, parent conferences, small group (intervention) planning...
Each third grade teacher was assigned a number 1-5. We display data using our "teacher number" and use our classroom student assigned numbers to keep everything anonymous. Only we know who is who.
We are very proud of how it turned out and the growth we have seen in our kiddos this year. Next year, I hope to take it a step further and have a class board that the kids help take ownership of so that they can make personal goals based on their scores.
I would love for you to leave a comment below. What would you include on the board?
Boy am I looking forward to getting back into our regular routine this week! And No TESTing (at least this week - retakes will be the following week)!
I wanted to share what my grade level has created to display and organize data. As a third grade team, we have been keeping classroom data on a data board we created out of a science fair board. On this board, we keep data for our aimsweb scores, monthly fluency checks, Inview scores (IQ), and our end of reading theme/ end of unit math test scores. This has been helpful in making decisions on RTI, parent conferences, small group (intervention) planning...
Each third grade teacher was assigned a number 1-5. We display data using our "teacher number" and use our classroom student assigned numbers to keep everything anonymous. Only we know who is who.
We are very proud of how it turned out and the growth we have seen in our kiddos this year. Next year, I hope to take it a step further and have a class board that the kids help take ownership of so that they can make personal goals based on their scores.
I would love for you to leave a comment below. What would you include on the board?
Boy am I looking forward to getting back into our regular routine this week! And No TESTing (at least this week - retakes will be the following week)!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
One Lovely Blog Award
Yippee!
I was just award the One Lovely Blog Award by Darleen @ Third Grade Love. Check it out right over there to the right...
Thanks so much Darleen! Check out her blog and become her newest follower!
Here are the blogs I would like to recognize and award:
1.Apples and Pencil Skirts
2.Tanya @ Vegan Faith
3.Caitlin @ Ms. Preppy
4.Hilary@ Rockin Teacher Materials
5.Dana @ A Place to Share
6.Dandelions and Dragonflies
7.Katie @ Dirty Hands and Lesson Plans
8.Lory @ Lory's Page
9.Abby @ The Inspired Apple
10.Amanda @ One Extra Degree
11.Penny Pinching Teacher
12.Miss Willis @ The Go To Teacher
13.Melissa @ Teaching Fashionista
14.Rowdy in First Grade
15.Heather @ Working 4 the Classroom
There are a few simple rules to receiving this award:
1) Follow the person that gave you the award.
2) Link back to the person that gave you the award.
3) Pass the award on to 15 new bloggers.
These are only a few of my favorite blogs! There are so many! Please take a minute and check out all of these talented ladies! Thanks to them, I continue to grow and learn as a teacher!
Thanks again, Darleen! I am doing a "secret silent" cheer right now! (more about what that is at a later date if you're wondering)
I was just award the One Lovely Blog Award by Darleen @ Third Grade Love. Check it out right over there to the right...
Thanks so much Darleen! Check out her blog and become her newest follower!
Here are the blogs I would like to recognize and award:
1.Apples and Pencil Skirts
2.Tanya @ Vegan Faith
3.Caitlin @ Ms. Preppy
4.Hilary@ Rockin Teacher Materials
5.Dana @ A Place to Share
6.Dandelions and Dragonflies
7.Katie @ Dirty Hands and Lesson Plans
8.Lory @ Lory's Page
9.Abby @ The Inspired Apple
10.Amanda @ One Extra Degree
11.Penny Pinching Teacher
12.Miss Willis @ The Go To Teacher
13.Melissa @ Teaching Fashionista
14.Rowdy in First Grade
15.Heather @ Working 4 the Classroom
There are a few simple rules to receiving this award:
1) Follow the person that gave you the award.
2) Link back to the person that gave you the award.
3) Pass the award on to 15 new bloggers.
These are only a few of my favorite blogs! There are so many! Please take a minute and check out all of these talented ladies! Thanks to them, I continue to grow and learn as a teacher!
Thanks again, Darleen! I am doing a "secret silent" cheer right now! (more about what that is at a later date if you're wondering)
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Cruisin' Clipboards
Cruisin' Clipboards are wonderful tools for formative assessment. I keep mine located on my desk in an easy to access spot. As my students are working, I grab my clipboard and document student progress on a skill as I casually observe their work. This is also the place I stick my post-it note exit tickets (see previous post). I sort the exit tickets by those that master the skill and those that need extra assistance.
One way to organize your clipboard is to have a class list sectioned off into mini-boxes. I write the date and/or skill that I am formatively assessing and highlight or circle the students that I notice need extra help with that particular skill. A third grade teammate of mine uses different colors of copy paper for her class lists. One color represents math skills, the other reading.
During the last minutes of the day, I have a blocked off intervention time. This is when those students that need reteaching are pulled together in a small group.
The teacher assistant in my room last year made my clipboard for me, but there are cute tutorials on Pinterest if you want to create a jazzed up cruisin' clipboard. Click here to go to a webpage that gives step-by-step directions on how to decorate clipboards like the ones pictured.
front of clipboard
back of clipboard
One way to organize your clipboard is to have a class list sectioned off into mini-boxes. I write the date and/or skill that I am formatively assessing and highlight or circle the students that I notice need extra help with that particular skill. A third grade teammate of mine uses different colors of copy paper for her class lists. One color represents math skills, the other reading.
During the last minutes of the day, I have a blocked off intervention time. This is when those students that need reteaching are pulled together in a small group.
The teacher assistant in my room last year made my clipboard for me, but there are cute tutorials on Pinterest if you want to create a jazzed up cruisin' clipboard. Click here to go to a webpage that gives step-by-step directions on how to decorate clipboards like the ones pictured.
front of clipboard
back of clipboard
Friday, May 11, 2012
Author's Purpose
Well, testing begins next week - yikes!! So... this week while reviewing, I pulled out this beauty to review why authors write.
I love this visual of PIE (( Persuade, Inform, and Entertain)). I made my PIE using my daughter's markers and a piece of white poster board. It was a bit tough because the markers are so small, but I love the colors.
Once we went over it thoroughly, my students created their very own PIEs to help them remember author's purpose before the BIG test next week. I came across this pin though on Pinterest AFTER we made our individual PIEs in class and wanted to share (because it is so much cuter than what my students created).
(Click here for the site)
I will definitely use this one next year. My students had a small plate that we divided into thirds and then they colored it to look like a pie and labeled the sections.
Here is an anchor chart I found on Pinterest - the students can even create their own author's purpose tree map by cutting out pictures of books out of book orders. (I always have a few extra Scholastic Book Orders - now I will have a way to use them!)
I love this visual of PIE (( Persuade, Inform, and Entertain)). I made my PIE using my daughter's markers and a piece of white poster board. It was a bit tough because the markers are so small, but I love the colors.
Once we went over it thoroughly, my students created their very own PIEs to help them remember author's purpose before the BIG test next week. I came across this pin though on Pinterest AFTER we made our individual PIEs in class and wanted to share (because it is so much cuter than what my students created).
I will definitely use this one next year. My students had a small plate that we divided into thirds and then they colored it to look like a pie and labeled the sections.
Here is an anchor chart I found on Pinterest - the students can even create their own author's purpose tree map by cutting out pictures of books out of book orders. (I always have a few extra Scholastic Book Orders - now I will have a way to use them!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)