This week, I made a few students cry. Pretty typical for fourth grade. They tend to be quite sensitive at this age, but also bounce back quickly. So, a few kiddos crying in one week doesn't have a tremendous impact on me anymore. Five minutes later they're giving me hand drawn pictures and telling me about their favorite video game.
So, one of my little girlies was out sick one day this week. The next day, she returned. About 15 minutes into the school day, she asks to go to the nurse to get her temperature checked. (Sidenote: her guardian sent in a note saying that she was FINE.)
"No, you can go to the nurse in one hour, if you are still feeling sick. Work on your math center folder."
I walk away. I look back to see this lady with a tissue against her ear, coughing into the air rudely and loudly, and a whole table of girls just staring at her. Their math work open and untouched in front of them. Obviously this sick show is way more interesting.
"Fine. If you're going to put on a show, go to the nurse. But you better hope you have a temperature for causing this scene in our classroom. Your choice. Stay in class and do your work quietly, or go to the nurse and go home."
I walk away. I turn just in time to see her sitting in a pile of coats, sobbing. (Yes, fourth graders struggle to hang coats and SOMETIMES there is a pile of coats on our floor.)
Planned ignoring. Planned ignoring. Planned ignoring.
Five minutes later, she is working on her math center folder at the back table.
...I knew she wasn't sick.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
What does this mean?
Commissioner King Daily News Article
One of my teacher friends sent this article to me today. Kinda interesting. NYSUT want King out? Withdrawing its support of the Common Core? Hmmmm.
It's a quickie. Enjoy!
One of my teacher friends sent this article to me today. Kinda interesting. NYSUT want King out? Withdrawing its support of the Common Core? Hmmmm.
It's a quickie. Enjoy!
Friday, January 24, 2014
Quick Write Responses - Formative Assessment at its EASIEST!
So, I've been looking for more formative assessment to use with my read aloud novels. I saw another teacher on pinterest used something called "Quick Writes," so I developed my own. I typed up some sentence starters to use in response to readings. I shrank them down and laminated them to keep on desks. When we finish a chapter, I have the students use Post Its to write a one sentence response to the text, using a sentence starter from our Quick Writes.
The coolest part is that I don't need them to write their names. I give each child a number on the first day of school and EVERYTHING gets labeled with that number. So, on the back of one of the bookshelves in the classroom, I have all of their numbers written. Kiddos finish their Quick Write and stick their Post It on the bookshelf, covering their number. I can easily see who has finished, and who might need to reread the chapter. I use these during math as well. I'll give the kids a quick question, like an exit ticket for those familiar with the CCLS modules, and it is awesome formative assessment.
Voila!
Here are the Quick Writes I use in my fourth grade classroom.
The coolest part is that I don't need them to write their names. I give each child a number on the first day of school and EVERYTHING gets labeled with that number. So, on the back of one of the bookshelves in the classroom, I have all of their numbers written. Kiddos finish their Quick Write and stick their Post It on the bookshelf, covering their number. I can easily see who has finished, and who might need to reread the chapter. I use these during math as well. I'll give the kids a quick question, like an exit ticket for those familiar with the CCLS modules, and it is awesome formative assessment.
Voila!
Here are the Quick Writes I use in my fourth grade classroom.
Quick
Write Response:
I
predict…
I
infer…
I
wonder…
I
question…
The
characters…
I
would change…
I
noticed…
I
visualized…
I
like/dislike…
The
author…
The
author’s purpose is…
A
meaningful connection…
The
setting…
I
didn’t understand when…
As
I’ve read, a change I noticed is…
Monday, January 20, 2014
Remind101.com
Remind101 is totally sweet. The website explains the specifics on how to use it, but in teacher terms, here it is. I went online and registered (fo free). I printed out this flyer and handed it out to the parents in my class. All they had to do was text a code to this number. I then went on the website, logged in, and could see which parents signed up for text alerts (they could opt for email alerts, too.)
Next, I would write my text via the website, and send it out. It would be a mass text that could not be responded to. Also, I could plan out texts, like write them and schedule them for a future date/time.
Cool, right? Yea, I thought so.
Next, I would write my text via the website, and send it out. It would be a mass text that could not be responded to. Also, I could plan out texts, like write them and schedule them for a future date/time.
Cool, right? Yea, I thought so.
This one time...
This one time, I went to school with my dog and no other teachers were there. Totally empty building. So, I let the dog off the leash so she could run around a bit. We were having a fine time until she wanders into the auditorium. She went into a closet. I figured it didn't matter...she was trapped, right? Only she didn't come out, so I had to go in. I come to find a door inside the closet, which led to some creepy basementy type hallway...and as I walked down the hallway, the ceiling. got. shorter.
No joke. And the whole hallway got darker.
I must have discovered a secret passageway of sort, but all I could think about was getting my dog and getting out of there. I was so scared that my little puppers had found a secret way out of the school and was long gone, I forgot to be frightened of the horror movie hallway I was currently wandering down.
Eventually, I think my frantic calls made their way to my pup's ears and she realized that I was losing it. She came back to me. Filthy. Before I had to resort to crawling through the, well, crawl space.
Moral of the story? Dog stay on a leash while at school. No exceptions. Except in my classroom with the door closed. Okay, one exception.
No joke. And the whole hallway got darker.
I must have discovered a secret passageway of sort, but all I could think about was getting my dog and getting out of there. I was so scared that my little puppers had found a secret way out of the school and was long gone, I forgot to be frightened of the horror movie hallway I was currently wandering down.
Eventually, I think my frantic calls made their way to my pup's ears and she realized that I was losing it. She came back to me. Filthy. Before I had to resort to crawling through the, well, crawl space.
Moral of the story? Dog stay on a leash while at school. No exceptions. Except in my classroom with the door closed. Okay, one exception.
Into school I go...
Yes, it is a day off. A lovely, wonderful three day weekend. But I'm going into school. Crazy, right?
We have a big problem in our elementary school. Two copiers. GAJILLIONS of teachers who always need to use them and, without fail, one is ALWAYS busted. Seriously. Sometimes BOTH!!!!
So, I have tried my best to avoid using the copiers during the school day, unless it is an emergency. I will come in early or pop in over a long weekend and do my bulk copying, and then happily avoid the copiers for a few weeks. (Oh, and "pop in" is not right. I live 45 minutes away from my school, so it is actually quite the trip. No popping involved. But worth it to not run into a student when I am walking my dog in my pink polka dotted pajamas on the weekend, right?)
And here we are. A day off, grade 4 math module 5 out, and me dragging my sweet little dog to school to keep me company while I sequester myself away in the copy room for a few hours. Well, the adorable dog gets a Kong filled with frozen peanut butter, which she loves, so don't feel too bad for her! Plus, my classroom has tons of dog beds that I use as pillows for the kiddos to get comfy while working, my my pupperoni snuggles up.
I hope everyone else enjoys their day off!
We have a big problem in our elementary school. Two copiers. GAJILLIONS of teachers who always need to use them and, without fail, one is ALWAYS busted. Seriously. Sometimes BOTH!!!!
So, I have tried my best to avoid using the copiers during the school day, unless it is an emergency. I will come in early or pop in over a long weekend and do my bulk copying, and then happily avoid the copiers for a few weeks. (Oh, and "pop in" is not right. I live 45 minutes away from my school, so it is actually quite the trip. No popping involved. But worth it to not run into a student when I am walking my dog in my pink polka dotted pajamas on the weekend, right?)
And here we are. A day off, grade 4 math module 5 out, and me dragging my sweet little dog to school to keep me company while I sequester myself away in the copy room for a few hours. Well, the adorable dog gets a Kong filled with frozen peanut butter, which she loves, so don't feel too bad for her! Plus, my classroom has tons of dog beds that I use as pillows for the kiddos to get comfy while working, my my pupperoni snuggles up.
I hope everyone else enjoys their day off!
Toliver's Secret
I'm really into any cross curricular units I can get my hands on. Since I teach fourth grade, the American Revolution is a biggie in Social Studies. The kiddos are always totally into the lessons and love learning more than the textbook covers. (which, by the way, I tend to avoid. I can create better lessons than that 30 year old textbook!)
Anyway, a few weeks into our American Revolution unit, I begin a new read aloud, Toliver's Secret. It is the story of Ellen Toliver, who goes undercover as a boy on a secret mission to deliver General George Washington a message, which is hidden inside a loaf of bread. It's a short read, but totally captivating and AMAZING. The kiddos get hooked and walk away with a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to the American Revolution.
So, I have a sweet student packet with chapter questions and culminating activities on my Teachers Pay Teachers page. Check it out.
Anyway, a few weeks into our American Revolution unit, I begin a new read aloud, Toliver's Secret. It is the story of Ellen Toliver, who goes undercover as a boy on a secret mission to deliver General George Washington a message, which is hidden inside a loaf of bread. It's a short read, but totally captivating and AMAZING. The kiddos get hooked and walk away with a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to the American Revolution.
So, I have a sweet student packet with chapter questions and culminating activities on my Teachers Pay Teachers page. Check it out.
By the way, here are a few ideas for teaching the American Revolution:- I teach an event leading up to the American Revolution each day. You know, the whole Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act, Stamp Act, etc. After we learn the details of that event, the kiddos write a letter to King George III from the perspective of a colonist. The rule is that they must cite the event and explain it in the letter. The fun part is the whole voice element. We brainstorm "angry" words and the kiddos get really into it. Plus, not a whole lot of fourth graders totally looooove writing, but they definitely like this kind of writing!
- When we learn about the Boston Tea Party, we create invitations! I actually pre-make them, and have the kiddos fill in the information like a real party invite. We also have a real tea party, kinda tying in Math. We taste some different teas and create a line plot of our favorites.
- The King's M&Ms is a pretty famous lesson. A lot of fourth grade teachers know about it. I've used it and it is pretty darn memorable. I use sticky name tags and label one King, two Parliament, and the rest Colonist. Everyone gets a cup of M&Ms. I have the King pick silly taxes out of a hat, like, "Pay two M&Ms if you're wearing sneakers." Obviously, the "colonists" get upset because they are paying silly taxes, and the parliament and King are getting their M&Ms! We have a great discussion tying this in with the American Revolution.
- Another fourth grade teacher I worked with would have a "Tax Day," in which she gave out fake money and taxed kiddos all day long for very silly things, like borrowing a pencil or going to the bathroom.
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