Too much to tell: Strictly Photo Update

Reading and Writing Progress and Goals

USD 500 is closed today so I'm making the most of it! I'm caught up on all my grading and making some plans for the rest of this year and the next!

I'm going to share some of the great things I got to hear and see in my professional development meeting!

Reading

Sometimes students struggle choosing books. They will either choose something too easy or too hard. In addition to the Goldilocks rule (Too hard, too easy, just right), I think I'd like to use the IPICK method next year.

Courtesy of Ms. Peterson, 1st grade, we got to see a video of an IPICK rap for the kids to remember all of the pieces to choosing a good book.  Enjoy!

Another teacher also showed up the 5 finger method for choosing a book.  It means that when a student looks through the first page of the book, if there are 5 words they don't know then the book is too hard.

She also had her students help make anchor charts for her classroom. (3rd grade, Ms. Labar)

I think that's a great idea if I teach upper grades again someday!

Word work:  I still have some students that are struggling with vowel sounds and patterns so I created a new word work station for those students to practice matching and recognizing similar vowel sounds. There are four words with the same vowel sound and they have to match them together. There are also words on the back for an added challenge. I think they'll really like getting to manipulate these puzzle pieces. :)

Writing

The teacher leaders provided us with a format to help students work on opinion writing which is a part of the core standards.  I haven't had a chance to scan the original, but if you contact me I can get that scanned and email it to you.

I had the students write an opinion paragraph about a book in their leveled book bag (each student has 4 books at their F&P level that are swapped out each week).

We are really working on the structure of sentences and paragraphs so for this first attempt at opinion writing, several papers were selected to be published in the hall.  There were very proud! We will certainly be using this format again.

MAP testing

I am so proud of our class! We have only done the reading MAP test so far, but with three students still left to test, we have managed to exceed the district improvement goal (stating 55% of the class must reach growth goal).  So far we are at 76% and as I am beginning to wrap up Fountas and Pinnel testing, I am confident my class will meet or exceed the district goal to have 70% of students at level M by the end of the year.

Classroom Library

While I do already have my books in my library sorted by genre, I want to have at least part of my library sorted by F&P level.  So I have started to collect cereal boxes for my containers! I will need to paint or cover the boxes and label them. This is my summer goal and I've posted it on my blog so I can be held accountable! Look for a finished product to be posted over the summer.

Thankful Updates!

Thankfully I'm finally finding some time to blog! I even had time to decorate my door! I'm feeling so grateful for the teachers who have helped me; at Welborn and other schools! 

Like the door decorations were things that a retired teacher from Onaga gave my mom to give to me! I've also had a chance to work together with teachers to collaborate ideas for teaching and behavior.

Word Work

I created this "game" for a new word work station to practice compound words that "anyone" :) could make! I just wrote on both sides of popsicle sticks (writing to one side or the other depending if it was to be the first or last part of the compound word) and students will have the chance to pull sticks to make words and will write their created words onto a notecard to turn in (for that accountable piece).

Math Anchor Charts

I am working very hard to continue to use anchor charts this year and I've seen a real difference in the class. Even if I take down or move the chart, the students will still look there like they can read the words somehow!

I already had my money identification anchor charts posted (though I may need to review/ refresh those soon!), I made some recently for word problems and strategies for solving. We also reviewed even/odd numbers this week so I made a mini anchor chart for that!

My plan is to try to develop more anchor charts for reading. We already use songs for learning digraphs, vowel sounds and compound words, but perhaps I should post the songs or some rules. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Behavior

I am very happy to announce that our school has taken on a school-wide behavior initiative called "Welborn Bucks." I was able to be a part of the committee that got the program started and so far I've had a lot of success with it-- I've even used it as a replacement for some of the other strategies I've been using (it was time to adjust anyway!). The school has a system set up that if students earn 100 Welborn Bucks they can buy a "dress down pass." I also love that any teacher can give the dollars to any student in the school.

They can earn Welborn Bucks for following the guidelines: I am peaceful. I am a learner.

So I am giving bucks out during class and giving them for successful formative and summative tests/quizzes. The students love their bucks-- and I'm loving them too! I can't copy them fast enough!

Ideas, not yet creations

Since I am off to Ireland on Friday and working on packing for our move to our new house, this post is more of a list of things that I hope to make as soon as I get back from my trip or maybe just before I go (some of them will be easier to make than others).

Reading Groups

First here is a blog with some wonderful ideas for word work using a modified daily 5 (she does the daily 3 for 5th grade). I'm interested in using the daily 5 in my classroom next year. I'm not sure how to modify it for 4th grade yet, but this daily 3 blog may led to more ideas. I was particularly interested in the word work post.

I haven't heard of all of these options, but I will do more reading to find out!  That is the first project I plan to accomplish right before or right after my trip!

Grammar

Now this is something that I would think I can handle making before we go. One area that I really want to hit a lot harder next year is grammar. I plan on changing the sticks to match spelling words for students as well as high-frequency words-- as the end of the year I am hoping to even add adverbs and proper nouns! 

Math

I am planning on creating these early in the year next year because my kiddos certainly needed a refresher before they were ready to move on to the big money problems.  I think this could be great for many age groups (maybe not 5th and 6th), but a good review and practice.

I will probably need to adapt quite a bit of these activities to be school/age appropriate (some are religious). The original source is from here. 

I hope this gets some of your idea gears turning! Hopefully I will be feverishly working-- it's just hard to get going knowing that I will be leaving for Ireland in 3 days! I'll post when I get home; perhaps even with some pictures from Ireland :)