Easiest and Engaging Science Vocabulary Review

When you teach a grade level with a state science test, and you never have enough time to teach science, what do you do?

A few years ago, I printed the massively long list of terms that might be on the state science test. Okay, not massively long, but definitely more words than I had time to teach my kiddos. Plus, most of them were already taught - in NY, our state science test is focused on science from first through fourth grade (soon to be first through fifth grade). So, my kids knew a lot of these words. How did I decide to jump start the review?

Art.

Yup. I am the teacher who rarely pulls out the coloring supplies, honestly. And my kiddos do not complain. We work hard and we play hard. So, during our guided reading block for one week in May, before our state science test, I made one of the May Do activities (things kids can do after their finish their Must Do activities), to pick a word from the list of science vocabulary and make a poster. The poster must include the word, a picture showing the word, the definition in their own words, and a sentence that they create. And kids can make as many as they would like. If the posters were correct, legible, and neat, I would hang them in the hallway for all to admire....and learn from.

Can you believe that this was a tremendously popular early finisher activity? And recess activity? And activity kids took home to continue working on? Seriously, give a kid some poster paper and miracles can happen. Anyway, I don't think I've ever had a kid fail the NYS Science test (I mean, it's really easy, honestly....) and the review activities can be a serious blast! 

Check out some of our examples below!

Looking to Kick Your Classroom Management Up a Notch? BRAG TAGS!

I have always focused on the positive side of classroom management - EARN EARN EARN - No taking things away from kiddos, especially if they have already earned it! I also have always tried to give specific feedback, whether it is constructive or just plain old supportive. This is where Brag Tags come in.

I have a dog chain for each student. I print an array of Brag Tags, most of them freebies on TPT, that way I always have them handy. I see a lot of teachers organize them. I did not. I had a big old bin of them to grab from. Nothing fancy. But they were all pre-cut and hole punched each summer so they were ready for the school year.

When kids do amazing things. Or show improvement. Or follow directions. Whatever. I give them a Brag Tag. The front of the Brag Tag is related to the thing they did (ie: 100% on a test, helped a friend, etc.) and the bag is a personalized message from their teacher, explaining why I appreciate them and what they did. 

Now, depending on the class, I might leave the Brag Tag on the student desk and have them add it to their necklace when they have free time. Or I might add it to the necklaces myself and the kids will check them.

The necklaces don't go home. They stay in the room. But kids can wear them every day and just hang them back up at the end of the day. They can take them home at the end of the school year.

This is pretty close to free classroom management. The dog tags and chains were a few bucks on Amazon, but the Brag Tags were freebies I prepped for the year. It's motivating. The feedback to kids is useful. And best of all? The bulletin board does not need to change!!! WIN - WIN - WIN!

Class Shirts - Perfect for Field Trips, School Activities, and More!

Check out Whitney Daniels Designs NOW!

I have used that company for my class shirt designing needs for...forever! (Ten years +)

We start by having every child use a fine tip Sharpie tow rite their name and draw a picture of themselves, neck up. (Great for talking about details that make you unique, like glasses, curly hair, dimples, etc.) We also vote on a color shirt as a class. One year I made it a surprise.

Typically, I send the order form from the website to the families, and most families spend the $7-8 on a shirt for their child. Some buy for themselves, too! If anyone does not send the money back in for whatever reason, I pay for that child. I also buy 1-2 extra shirts every year in case a new student moves into our class or someone loses their shirt. (We order these mid-way through the year because it takes time for the order to come in. Also, most of our field trips and special days are near the end of the school year and we want to wear them for those days - it's fun and it helps me to easily spot all of my students because we are dressed alike!

This is definitely a keepsake that I love. A tradition that I would hope that my children's teachers do as well because it's so special!

Easy Spring Craft Alert!

If you're looking for a fun way to occupy those kiddos, look no further!

I happen to have an extensive craft supply closet. Like, too much. So, I am always looking for ways to get rid of stuff. And not throw it away but actually use it.

We used some craft paper, cut it in the shape of a rabbit head, cut a hole out for our little faces, colored the pink part of the ears, and had a BALL gluing white cotton balls all over it!

All in all, it was about 20 minutes of craft, 20 minutes of running around as a rabbit. 

That's not bad, in my book!

Make Your Own Slime: The Easiest Recipe Ever!

I have always been afraid of slime.

As a teacher. As a parent. As a person.

Sure, it looks like a lot of fun, but using borax? It just didn't sound great. 

And the mess? Um, no, thank you.

Anyway, my little one wanted to use the Elmer's glitter glue I had laying around in our craft bin, so I googled some ways to use it and the easiest slime recipe ever came up. I thought, why not?

Here it is:

6 ounces Elmer's glitter glue

1/2 tablespoon baking soda

1 1/2 tablespoons contact lens solution

(You may need to add more contact lens solution if your slime turns out a bit sticky, like we did. We just added a little more and stirred until it was not...well...ooey and gooey and messy.)

Click here for thorough directions and experiment activity pages!

This is right after mixing the ingredients. The moment when I was panicking because it was a huge mess. A few minutes later, as we mixed and kneaded and it was not becoming the mess-free slime I wanted, I brought my kiddo in the bathroom to wash her hands and hopefully forget this slime mess.

When we came back from the bathroom, with clean hands, the slime had been sitting for a few minutes and seemed less, goopy? So, I added a bit more contact lens solution and we got back in there mixing. It worked! It got to the point where we could play with it and just peel it off our fingers without a goopy mess!

The look of success!

And pretending to eat slime even though I asked her not to.

So, good luck, if you try it! It really is easy!

Click here for thorough directions and experiment activity pages!

Just Another Way to Use My Favorite Toy Ever

Magnetic tiles are my favorite toy EVER. Hands down. BEST. TOY. EVER.

We have a vast collection at home. At school, I have encouraged teachers to order them to use in Brain Bins, soft start morning tubs, recess tubs, and STEM challenges. The kids love them, no matter their age. They are so incredibly versatile.

(And you do not need to buy name brand. You can, of course, but most magnetic tiles work together, no matter the brand, and pretty similarly. We have a hodge podge of different brands and no one knows the difference.)

Anyway, a fun idea is to build on the windows or glass doors. Building up on a surface that is not magnetic is a challenge. But then results? The light shines through and creates beautiful colors on the floor! VOILA! Magic. And a science connection for kids who are ready. :)

SUM BLOX - Make math hands on again!

Have you heard of Sum Blox?

We got them for Christmas last year and they make me want to go right back into the classroom. (I am currently an instructional coach and reading interventionist in my building.)

Currently, I use them with my three-year old. They are BEAUTIFUL wooden blocks that are shaped like numbers. The bigger the number, the bigger the block, which makes the concept of 5 being greater than 2 a lot easier for small kiddos to understand. That's a basic way to use Sum Blox, and that's where we are right now with the three-year old, but there are plenty of other ways to increase the rigor!

Primary:

- Adding or subtracting becomes visual! the 2 block and the 3 block will match up with the 5 block! Create some number bonds to connect it to math in school.

Intermediate:

- Multiplication and division are suddenly interactive! Stack up four 2 blocks and match it up with an 8 block! Deconstruct numbers!

The Sum Blox also come with challenge cards! These are STEM cards that any age can work on, such as stacking the numbers from 1-10, and then reversing the order!

Anyway, if you are looking for HIGH QUALITY blocks that will last forever and engage your kiddos in math, check out Sum Blox!

Click here to check out the Sum Blox website!