Hello blogger friends!
I have been super busy the last week so I have not had a chance to really blog. Lately my nights have been filled with making SmartBoard lessons, read alouds, math lessons and lots of paper work. What little free time I have has been filled with my new obsession, Pinterest! If you are not familiar with Pinterest, it is a virtual cork board for all of your favorite things. You can create your own board(s) (for example, school, dinner, fall, fashions etc.) It is wonderful. I have found so many wonderful activities there.
Visit my boards and have fun with your pins! http://pinterest.com/kds0425/
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Songs, Songs and More Songs
Yesterday my babies shared their "I gotta Value" song with another 4th grade class. As that class was leaving my room one student pulled me aside and said, "can you create a song to Katy Perry's California Girl?". Being the crazy teacher I am I agreed to the challenge. Fast forward to this evening as I was walking my dogs through the "hurricane" (its funny how they just NEED to go outside during a rain storm?!!?) I was thinking about the need to begin reading test strategies. Then all of a sudden "California Girls" popped into my head. I immediately took the pups inside and set out to work on my latest creation. Hope you enjoy!
Comprehension Dreams
I gotta passage
And I have to comprehend it
Words, bold terms and pictures
There must be something I can do here
Teacher says listen
First you have to underline (underline)
The title
It is first
Predict what this passage is all about (about)
You can read the passage
Use a thinking map
To see it in your head
Once you read the passage
You’ll mark the key words
Oooooh oh ooooooh
Reading Passage
Your unforgettable
Fourth grade fresh
We got it going on
Reading til
Were done
We’ll get those 3’s
Ooooooh oh oooooh
What do I do?
We have marked our key words
We find
Evidence
In the reading passage (ooooh oh)
You can travel the passage
But nothing comes close
Until you support
You’ll be finding the answers
Oooooh oh oooooh
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Happy Weekend! Who knew a four day work week could be so exhausting. I have to share an activity my babies did today involving Facebook. Who knew that our beloved social networking site could be useful for reading! I was searching blogs Thursday, go figure, and came across one that sparked my interest. This particular blog discussed using Facebook to teach character sketches. I began to think of how I could use this to conclude talking about making text-to-self connections. After some thought, I finally had it!
Yesterday, I read my students Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. We have already read aloud and made connections with Chrysanthemum (Lilly's) sister so this was a wonderful extension. Afterwards we made Lilly's Facebook profile. TOO Cute! We discussed what would Lilly want on her information section, listed friends (from the text of course) and even listed her likes. Then we decided on her wall post. One of which was "I am a diva". I then had our class "comment" on Lilly's wall post. For example "my sister thinks she is all that too". They had a blast. It was a wonderful way to end a week full of learning. I will post pictures next week.
Here is the template I used for this activity:
Yesterday, I read my students Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. We have already read aloud and made connections with Chrysanthemum (Lilly's) sister so this was a wonderful extension. Afterwards we made Lilly's Facebook profile. TOO Cute! We discussed what would Lilly want on her information section, listed friends (from the text of course) and even listed her likes. Then we decided on her wall post. One of which was "I am a diva". I then had our class "comment" on Lilly's wall post. For example "my sister thinks she is all that too". They had a blast. It was a wonderful way to end a week full of learning. I will post pictures next week.
Here is the template I used for this activity:
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Rounding Sparks!
For those of you who know me, this will not come as a surprise. I LOVE to sing and it has been my mission since I began teaching to be able to use songs with my instruction. Now, I have used raps and such in the past to teach different concepts but they have been pretty basic and not really songs the students could make a connection to. Well, this summer I began writing a place value song to the tune of I gotta feeling. My kids learned it last week and LOVE it. They request to sing it, well maybe I encourage this a little :) One even told me he sang the song while getting ready for school this morning. As I began to plan our grade level math lessons for next week I new it was time for a NEW song. We are beginning to teach rounding next Thursday so I have created a rounding song to Katy Perry's Firework.
Enjoy!
Rounding Sparks!
(Sing to the tune of Katy Perry’s Firework)
First you have to read, the question given
It says you have to round, but where do you begin?
Does it say to round, round the nearest what?
Or does it say, round to the 10s?
Well, how do you round? Let’s do it know
Start with circling; the place value given is a simple thing
Underline number right tells you what to do
Causes there’s a rounding spark !
You gotta ignite the steps and work it right
Just own the problem and round it right
Place Value, I will circle you
Underline tells me what to do
5 plus, circle goes up, up, up
1-4, circle stays the same
By: Kristin Justice
Enjoy!
Rounding Sparks!
(Sing to the tune of Katy Perry’s Firework)
First you have to read, the question given
It says you have to round, but where do you begin?
Does it say to round, round the nearest what?
Or does it say, round to the 10s?
Well, how do you round? Let’s do it know
Start with circling; the place value given is a simple thing
Underline number right tells you what to do
Causes there’s a rounding spark !
You gotta ignite the steps and work it right
Just own the problem and round it right
Place Value, I will circle you
Underline tells me what to do
5 plus, circle goes up, up, up
1-4, circle stays the same
By: Kristin Justice
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Bandaids
Hello blogger buddies!!! I hope you are enjoying your LONG weekend. I know I am. Mr. Husband and I took a much needed nap this afternoon. We spent the weekend in Charlotte cheering on our beloved pirates :) needless to say that after church we were exhausted!
This past week we only had 3 days of school. Oh my word, my babies and I had a blast learning and working hard to make up for lost time. We are beginning guided math groups on Tuesday so this past Friday I took some time to explain why we need groups and how they help everyone in the classroom. I found the following idea on a blog, however I cannot find it now to give credit to whoever came up with this AWESOME idea!
First, I called all of my kids over to the carpet. I asked them to each think about what may be hurting right now. For example, head ache, wrist, foot etc. I then asked for volunteers to share what was hurting and one by one they told their classmates and I what their pain was. After they told me where their pain was I would place a band aid on the top of their hand. Now, you have to picture this--the first child told me his ankle hurt. I said, okay let me put a band aid on you to make it feel better. After I put it on the top of his hand, he looked at me like I was nuts and so did the rest of the class. This went on for about 10 or so students. Pains ranged from knee scrapes to neck pains. All received the same treatment. Then after the band aids were distributed and applied to their "pain" we reflected. I asked the class, did Mrs. J fix your pain? The collective response was "NO". I agree, then tied it into why we have guided groups. I explained to the class that there would be times when each of them needed to have extra help with a certain topic and that it was my job to apply the band aid to their hurt. If I taught everyone the same way, it would be like applying a band aid where they didn't need it.
Like I said, I found this wonderful lesson on a blog and cannot find it. I really enjoyed showing my students a visual representation of why we need small group instruction. My babies seemed to really make the connection (which just so happened to be our focus of reading for the week too).
Happy Weekend friends!
Mrs. J
This past week we only had 3 days of school. Oh my word, my babies and I had a blast learning and working hard to make up for lost time. We are beginning guided math groups on Tuesday so this past Friday I took some time to explain why we need groups and how they help everyone in the classroom. I found the following idea on a blog, however I cannot find it now to give credit to whoever came up with this AWESOME idea!
First, I called all of my kids over to the carpet. I asked them to each think about what may be hurting right now. For example, head ache, wrist, foot etc. I then asked for volunteers to share what was hurting and one by one they told their classmates and I what their pain was. After they told me where their pain was I would place a band aid on the top of their hand. Now, you have to picture this--the first child told me his ankle hurt. I said, okay let me put a band aid on you to make it feel better. After I put it on the top of his hand, he looked at me like I was nuts and so did the rest of the class. This went on for about 10 or so students. Pains ranged from knee scrapes to neck pains. All received the same treatment. Then after the band aids were distributed and applied to their "pain" we reflected. I asked the class, did Mrs. J fix your pain? The collective response was "NO". I agree, then tied it into why we have guided groups. I explained to the class that there would be times when each of them needed to have extra help with a certain topic and that it was my job to apply the band aid to their hurt. If I taught everyone the same way, it would be like applying a band aid where they didn't need it.
Like I said, I found this wonderful lesson on a blog and cannot find it. I really enjoyed showing my students a visual representation of why we need small group instruction. My babies seemed to really make the connection (which just so happened to be our focus of reading for the week too).
Happy Weekend friends!
Mrs. J
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