Guest Blogger on Minds-in-Bloom!

I am very honored to be a guest blogger on Rachel Lynette's Minds-in-Bloom today!  I wrote an article about my current favorite teacher topic....saving time in the classroom!  Hop on over to read Tips for Decorating Your Classroom, Even If You Don't Have the Time!

Struggling Reader Help

       
Do you have students every year who come to you and don't read well? Do they make you wonder if they need glasses?  I know at the second grade level, I have had quite a few!  Read the following as a suggestion as to what you can do as a teacher to take the first step. Keep in mind, there may be other reasons for children not reading well even if this little "test" is not passed.

          Every year I have several students who come to me and they struggle with reading.  They are readers who  flip words around, can’t stay on the same line of print, or just sound “choppy”.  No matter what interventions I try, they do not help!  I came up with this trick to let me know if my students actually can see what I see when they look at the page.

I get a book at their current independent level so that I know they know most of the words.  I type out a page of the text and after every 3 or 4 lines I change the size of the font.   As they continue to read down the page, not only does the letter size get smaller, each line of print gets closer together just like the print in this article is doing.  I start with a size 36 font and go down to size 14 or smaller.  It is amazing to see some readers buzz through the first part, start the choppiness on the middle part, and then cannot read the last part at all! This is the first hint that your students may not see what you see! 


The second step is to hand your student a the same words with everything printed in the size 36 font.  Can they now read everything fluently?  If yes, you will know that something is going on because they just can't read the same words when typed smaller.  It is an indication that they may need an eye exam and possibly glasses. Notice how I say may and possibly because I am NOT a doctor and there may be other reasons for what you are observing.  This is only a first step in finding a possible solution to help a struggling reader! It is something that you can share with the child's parents and they can share with their doctor.  I have had lots of children who do get glasses after this, a few who didn't, and even one whose doctor found a severe problem on both of the child's eyes. Be sure to take notes as the child reads.  Suggestions are "fluent" , "beginning to skip around here"  "slowed down/choppy here". Note whether or not punctuation was acknowledged, too.  

A fellow blogger, Amy Mezni, has some fabulous information on eye problems that you may see in your students or your own child.  Hop over to Teaching Ideas 4U to read her posts!
   

Adding Three Numbers Addition Game

You know what?  I absolutely love to play mini-golf...or goofy golf...as many call it.  I can't play a lick of the REAL game, but there is something about the mini-version that makes me smile! I grew up in a town that had a really cute one. The windmill and the curly-Q were my absolute favorites...even when they kicked my ball back a few times!  My kids and hubby play and they are so competitive...sigh.  Not me! I play just for the fun of it.

With mini-golf in mind I created a new math game! I LOVE USING MATH GAMES!  I'm pretty happy with how cute it turned out! The whole point of it is to get kids to practice adding three single-digit numbers.  You can check it out if you'd like to take a peek.

This game is SO FUN! Just click the picture!

World Culture Classroom Activities

Ending the school year with a WORLD CULTURE UNIT?  Click the picture!

Click for article!

Fractured Fairytales

           

Writing fairytales and fractured fairytales is a wonderful activity in ANY grade!  My class wrote the fractured kind and they were SO creative!   I started out the unit by reading lots of funny ones that are easily recognizable.  Here are some of my favorites!

Why do fractured fairytales in Workshop? Kids have fun comparing and contrasting them to their old favorites.  I must admit that I laugh each time I read the Cinderella one and LOVE reading it in a "snotty, snobby" voice.  I love it as much as the kids do!  And the one from the wolf's point of view is GREAT to read in a gruff, sneaky voice. YEP- this may be my all time favorite writing unit of the year!!!

The first year that I taught writing the tales I made a HUGE mistake. I REALLY DID!  I used these books and then thought that my kiddos could just write fractured fairytales on their own. What I didn't do was assign the reading of the original stories. I had a few of the originals in class, but not enough to go around.  My kids NEEDED the original story to follow along with to write their own.  So, the 2nd year I tweaked my lessons and it made the biggest difference in the world. Read on to see my tips to make this go easier in your classroom.


1. I let each child write with a buddy.  They had to decide together on a tale that they would fracture and they had to discuss the changes first.  THIS WAS HUGE in getting the stories to go in the right direction because talking them out let them figure out mistakes before writing them down.  WOW!  THE COLLABORATION WAS WONDERFUL!  They were forced to build on their partner's ideas and find ways to make their stories funny...together!  It was almost like they were writing a play because they had to keep their stories flowing.  The best part of this  was that I paired a weaker writer with a stronger one. It really freed me up to work with less groups and I had less questions because the stronger writer led! I was so surprised at how well the weaker writer shared ideas, too.  They LOVED the collaboration and help!  Each group ended with a product that they were proud of.  I did make sure that I talked through "sharing the responsibility" before starting though.  Each member was aware of pulling their weight AND allowing the partner to have ideas. 

2.  I got the set of Scholastic Easy Readers above.  These tales were written at much the same level as my mid-writers.  They were easy to follow along and the children could read a little part...talk about how to change it for their story...write it down...then read a little more...and so on.  They were PERFECT!  My advanced writers added so much more detail, too!

3.  I got my students excited to write by creating some CUTE fairytale paper so that their published pieces looked awesome. If you show it to them beforehand they can't wait to use it.  I used the one below and they turned out really cute.  The picture at the top shows my example that I show them.  We even made little puppets of the character that the children held while reading their tales to the class. Now, buddies each wrote their own final copy so that each child had a book and puppet.  They looked great displayed all around the room and everyone had a great time reading them over and over!

What else might help a child OR fellow teacher with the fairytale unit?  Post it in the comments section!

   Grab mine on TpT if you want to save time!

Task Cards! Get your TASK CARDS!

Wow!  Everywhere that you look there are task cards on every subject and for any grade level possible. They are cute and easy to make yourself or pretty reasonable to buy.  If you haven't seen them or used them, you are missing out.  They are fantastic for your small groups and stations.

What are they? They are small cards that give the student a task to do in that subject area.  A lot of the ones out there are for very specific goals of the Common Core. The best part is that they are little treasures that you can put in your drawer and use year after year.   Here are some ideas for using them!

Center or Station Time Activity (You already knew this one! :) 

Whole Group Practice- Place one card on each desk.  Children move around the room with white boards or recording sheets. 

Partner Activities-Partners grab a container of cards and work together to solve the problems.

 Homework- many come with a recording sheet.  Give one card per child for homework review OR copy the cards to send home.



Early Finishers- Have several baskets of different cards around the room to work on while others finish their work.

Parent Helper activity- Parents who love to come in and help can be given the cards to work individuals or small groups.

 Indoor Lunch Activity

 SUB TUBS!  Perfect for easy planning!

 Gifted or Remedial Learning-Get task cards below or above your grade level to help meet the needs of your learners.

Challenge Boards- Place one card a day on a bulletin board and have children find the answer and place it in a container. 

Warm-ups- digital downloads can be pulled up on the Smart board and use as a warm-up for students OR lay the card under your doc camera!

 6 FREEBIE geometry task cards for you!!!

Challenges- keep a stack on your desk and do some brain break challenges during the day.

Bathroom Break CALM-  (some cards will work for this!)Take the stack with you to ask children the questions while they wait.

Did I leave anything off that has worked in your class?  Leave it in the comment section so that we can all enjoy :)



Persuasive Writing Prompts

March Madness

March came in like a lamb here in Central Illinois, but man it sure isn't ending that way.  I envy all of you who live by the warm sunny beaches. I keep trying to persuade my husband to move to Florida, but he isn't budging from our prairie home!  Anyway, the year is buzzing by quickly and soon it will be warm here too.  One can only dream :)

I did manage to make a few things for March.  I've included a FREEBIE sheet for you there in the middle.   Persuasive and opinion writing go hand in hand so that is where I have spent my time.   I LOVE this kind of writing!  What better way to get to know someone than hearing their opinions? (hmmmmmm, maybe I should write one for great reasons to move to Florida and give it to my hubby!)   What is the BEST prompt that you have used in your classroom?  Feel free to share in the comments section!

If you like it, you can click below the kit for more choices, a cute plan sheet, and an equally cute drafting sheet. Hanging all of the pieces up together really does highlight the writing process! 

Birdie FREEBIE writing sheet!



If you want the whole set, you can get it by clicking here!

Building sturdy 3D shapes in Geometry

I spent years using straws with bendy pipe cleaners at the corners to make 3D shapes during my geometry unit because that is what the book said to do. I hated them!  They fell apart and were just really difficult for my kids' little fingers to work with.  Then I had an idea! GUMDROPS and toothpicks!  They are sturdy and we refer to the candy as VERTICES because we learn about points. It's so easy to count how many vertices there are!  I've never looked back.  The kids LOVE them.  They can build and rebuild using the same ones.  They can carry them around the room to show their friends!  They can leave them up for a week in a shape museum. Of course their favorite thing about them is that they can eat them! (Notice how there are no red ones! :)

You can also use the GUMDROPS for 2d shapes.  That shows the kiddos how to build sides. You can teach about a vertex, side, and face! .



Click!

Mastering Addition Facts in 2nd Grade

 Better Way to Practice Math Facts!  FREEBIE WITH RECORDING SHEET!





READ BELOW FOR A GREAT WAY FOR KIDS TO PRACTICE THEIR ADDITION FACTS!

CLICK FOR FREEBIE CARDS AND RECORDING SHEET

Over the years I watched kids struggle to learn the basic math facts.  I started out giving timed tests and   I noticed what slowed them down was saying the number sentence in their head (or whispering it)..."four plus three equals" and then writing the answer.  To speed  up they just needed to see the numbers without the + and =...like looking at numbered dice!   So with that thought in mind, I made number squares from 0-10 and gave each child two sets(one for home).  Most 2nd graders come in with +0 and +1's mastered, so we went over those rules and then most started on +2's(or higher).

Here is how it works: We start on Monday.  Children write their +2's on a whiteboard or paper so that I know they are practicing the correct answers. Then they get 6 minutes of practice. 

The children put the 2 card out on their desks.  It never moves.  They hold the deck of the other cards face up in their hand and begin to lay them one by one next to the two while they add mentally and say the answer.  They keep rotating through the deck until I call time. I tell them that I want them to be so fast at it that they are bored because that means it is in their long term memory. By Friday, most have the +2's mastered. While they move to partner activities, I call them one by one to test them.  It only takes about  30 seconds per child! They bring their cards and show me how fast they can go. They are really excited to use the cards since it is the same method in which they have practiced. The best part is, each child can go at their own pace (no timer to make them nervous!)  I can tell who is hesitating to figure it out in their head and who is just a little slower with recall  It is my call, those who I feel have mastered the facts move to the next number the following Monday. Those who don't remain on the same number the next week. I do offer small Punky Doodles when they pass a motivation.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  You could use stickers or nothing at all :).

THREE OTHER PERKS OF THIS METHOD
-no test anxiety because they aren't racing against a clock or their classmates
-no typing into computer games, no running off timed tests
-you will KNOW each week where your students are in the math fact COMMOM CORE expectation
 and so will their parents

One more thing I did that helped my students was to get rid of dotted dice. I "forced" them to do math facts on each game that they play by using the kind with numbers instead.  My favorites are the quiet foam dice. Yay! Quiet!!!!

I have also been working on a beginning facts math game for a small group of 4-6 players. This is a take on an old card game I used to play.  I've also been drawing again...I enjoyed drawing the snakes! 

Click
Math games have long been known to help children learn and retain basic math skills.  I remember playing Hi Ho Cherry-O as a little kid and counting out those 4-5-3 cherries and putting them in the bucket or back on the tree. I played it over and over again with my mom and sisters!  Through that simple little game I learned math facts....and there wasn't a flashcard or computer game to be seen!  In my classroom I am continually looking for quick 15-20 min. math games for partners and small groups.  My kids have time for games every day!  If you are skipping this...or saving it only for fun Fridays...well, you are missing out on important opportunities for kids to practice and for math to be F-U-N! Don't feel guilty if the principal walks in and your students are playing games.  They are learning!!!

I also have some EDITABLE (Yay!) Math Task Cards that are for Spring.  It is always hard to match a game to students every year.  We all know how each class is different!...so Editable Cards make it easy for me to switch things up.  These cards are a mix of what my students learn throughout the year in the Common Core. 

Click

Writing Templates for 2nd Grade

OH MY all of those nooks and crannies in the hall and classroom to fill with beautiful new wall hangings each month.  Sometimes it is overwhelming because every other teacher in the building is putting up cute things around you....oh the competition...friendly as it may be....can keep us up at night! Right?  Honestly though, who has much time for the cute right now with all the new standards and "stuff" being thrown our way. 

Persuasive Writing Kit for a cute craft to hang for Wrtier's Workshop.  Get it here!

 But, I think it is important to highlight writing across all content areas.  I love having my students write in science or math.   Right now I am working on templates for the writing units that my district uses. I always jazz them up by putting construction paper behind them (bright, pastel, whatever.)  That paper just somehow gives it the cohesive look from far away.  It draws people over to take a look at the writing. THEN they can see that the writing is all different.  I enjoy letting students pick their topics within the mode.  WE DO A TON of WRITING in my class and I must say it is my favorite, although hardest subject to teach.  I feel like I get to know a student better when they write!  What do you do to enjoy Writer's Workshop as a teacher? 


I'm a FREEBIE.  Click to get me!

I'm a FREEBIE- full page bat with Hook, Main Idea, and Fact cards!

FREE VALENTINE'S DAY EDITABLE CARDS FOR STUDENTS

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Valentine's Day at school! Way back in the day I won a Valentine bag decorating contest in class and was so excited because I won a glitter covered award.  Since that day, I see red come every February!!! Think about it....  kids are not worried about costumes, gifts, or travel plans.  They are totally focused on making out those little cards FOR their friends.  They are giving! 

I'm a FREEBIE!  EDIT THE CARDS TO YOUR LIKING! STUDENTS WILL LOVE SEEING THEIR NAMES!

The joy they have on their faces when they deliver them is unmatched!  My inner seven year old comes out as I deliver mine to their little decorated boxes.   Joy! Joy! Joy!  So today, as the February snow falls and classrooms are turning red, pink, and purple.  I give a fun FREEBIE to you.  This is an EDITABLE CARD that you can download and enter your own message and names!  SO MUCH MORE PERSONAL than store bought!   Click on the FREE EDITABLE words below the picture to print out your own!  It is a Power Point, so make sure you can download that on your computer.



I've also been working on a Kindergarten Valentine Book full of math and games for the little ones.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/NO-PREP-Kindergarten-Valentine-Theme-Activities-1675772

Activities for practicing spelling too!

GROUNDHOG'S DAY SHADOW EXPERIMENTS!

Now for today's share. February is just around the corner and it has always been my favorite winter month.  There are so many fun little holidays that it seems like every week is too short to get them all in.

Let's start with Groundhog's Day.  Who doesn't love a cute little furry animal with a long name? Punxsutawny Phil!   There are all kinds of  neat things that you can do with shadows!  Just copy and paste and you have your lessons!





LESSON PLAN FREEBIE!  CLICK HERE (it is on the 2nd page)https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B83Q4ghIo8HXRjIyWFVxRlpNMGs/view?usp=sharing

        If you are writing on Groundhog's day and need a template.  Here is a simple cute one. His tummy could even hold the deductions from the experiments above! .




Click on me!

Letting Go of Old Curriculum

I remember three years ago while wading through the new Common Core and all of the changes my district was making with curriculum thinking, "But where am I in all of this?".  We got rid of the basal and I, along with many teachers, went into panic mode.  All the new "workshop" approaches with authentic learning sounded great in theory, but they were hard to implement in the quick time frame expected.  I mean COME ON...I had worked hard creating fun activities to go along with the basal stories!  I had file cabinets holding a year's worth of learning.  How could I just toss all of that and do new things?   I admit, I was overwhelmed and really sad about leaving what I had known...and did well.  But, change we did and I learned to embrace the workshop time. Change is hard, but hang in there if you are going through it.  Search for pieces that you can put your own stamp on.  For me, it was Writer's Workshop.  I LOVE TEACHING WRITING NOW!  I'm always looking for a cute craft or something we can do to highlight the writing.  The pieces may all be about different topics, but if I hang them up on something cute it is that piece of me that I'm looking for.  I know....I know.... kids are supposed to decide their final product for TRUE workshop and we do most of the time, but I need something that pleases me too.  The kids LOVE making crafts and are excited with the displays.  See that craft behind my picture in the corner?  That was for writing that we did about a book character. The shovel has a picture of the character on it.  That was my May craft and it looked wonderful for heading us to summer vacation.