Bats Part 2

I am so proud of how hard my students have been working!  They have fully embraced our nonfiction introduction unit with bats.  Check out what we have been up to:

Do you like bats? Interviews:

I loved listening to my students as they interviewed each other.  These are the learning moments where I feel my students are truly invested!

What is an adjective?

 Their acrostic poems turned out perfect!

My students SHOCKED me during our first lesson on reading for specific information.  It was one of those lessons where I felt like I didn't scaffold it enough, but some how every student knew what to do, and how to succeed.  I can only hope that this happens when we revisit the same lesson this coming week.

Friday Art:

I am always amazed at how my students bring out their personality in a simple cut and paste project.

 What are you working on with your kiddos?

Don't forget to "Like" Searching for Teacher Balance on Facebook!

Main Idea and Details Craftivity

I don't know about you, but teaching, and knowing that students fully understand, main idea and details is difficult.  This year, I decided to take a step back and determine how I could reach multiple learning styles...enter...Main Idea Craftivity!

As a whole group we discussed and charted the difference between main ideas and details.  I read several excerpts from nonfiction bat books and had students pair-share as to whether examples I read were main ideas or details.  After visual and oral practice it was on to the craftivity.

 The visual representation and the kinesthetic construction allowed students to thoughtfully differentiate between a main idea and a detail.

I have continued to use this same format with the recording sheet that is included in the pack.  I am so impressed with the fabulous work my students continue to produce.

You can click on any of the pictures to head over to my TPT store and grab this product.  

How do you teach main idea and details?

Facebook!!

Searching for Teacher Balance is now part of the Facebook community!

Be sure to like it and follow the feed.  I plan on posting a Fan Freebie and other goodies this week.

Do you have any tips for creating pieces on a Facebook community page?  

Math Monday

This year, I have stepped away from my traditional whole group math lessons and started focusing on small group math instruction.  I still teach whole group, but that time is to introduce math concepts and skills, while the small groups really allow me to meet needs (just list reading groups).
After our math meeting, introduction to our week or day, we do a whole group activity and then break into math centers.  Math Centers are categorized by each of the CCSS math strands.  Check out our Math Center labels and checklist.

Each week's centers focus on each of the strands.  This week my kiddos are working on the following centers:

Making 10s

10 Frame Pumpkin Math (the template and cards can be found in my TPT store)

Pattern Block Numbers

Find-Graph-Tally

Candy Corn Numbers

While my kiddos are working on centers, I am reinforcing tallies, group counting (counting by 5s), units, and telling time to the hour, this week.

Be sure to swing on over to A Burst of First, to see what other teachers are up to.

Transitions

I don't care how long I have been teaching, transitions are the most difficult part of the day.  I want my kiddos to have down time to rejuvenate their minds, but I also want them to stay on task.
I typically use music during transitions or a repeat after me.  My kiddos have come to enjoy Disney songs and cartoon theme songs as they move from one place and activity to the next.  However, there are times when I feel that I need to keep my kiddos focused on the specific learning taking place.  This is when I use my repeat after me.  These chants and phrases range from repeating directions, to vocabulary, ABCs, Zoo Phonics, counting, and PBIS reminders.  This technique is limitless, yet there are times when noise and voices are the last things we need.  It is at these times I quickly get my iPad and open up The Quiet Game.  This app is a digital version of an oldie.

Just like The Quiet Game we played as children, this app challenges the silence of those playing.  My kiddos love trying to set new records, and I love how quickly they transition from quiet to their necessary task.

What techniques/strategies do you use to transition your kiddos?

Kicking Off Our Bat Unit

This week officially kicked off our Bat Unit!  We are already having a blast!  I started our learning with Cara Carroll's fabulous bar graph activity...Do you think bats are cute or creepy?

My kiddos did an awesome job graphing and tallying.  The best part is that tallies are part of our SMART goal right now. Once we determined our general feelings about bats, we started BRAINSTORMING!

I am so proud of the question words that my students were using.  We will continue to add to our I Wonder... wing as the unit goes on, while also adding I Learned... answers to the other wing.
This week, in guided reading groups, we worked on finding small words in larger words.  As an extra activity, we will also be working on building words.  I figured that NOCTURNAL was the best word to start with.

Click on the image above to grab your copy of this activity.

What are you working on right now?

Primary {P}inspiration

There is no fooling it...I LOVE PINTEREST!!!  It is a wonderland of super teaching ideas.  So when one of my BESTEST blogger buddies suggested a collaborative pin board I couldn't say yes fast enough.

Swing over to Elizabeth's blog, Seconds at the Beach to become a part of this project.

Be sure to follow this Pinterest Board for {P}inspiring primary ideas!

ClassDojo

Last fall, I was granted the use of an iPad for district research.  I was very excited for the learning that was about to take place with its use, but overwhelmed at them same time.  I decided to search on Pinterest for app recommendations.  Pinterest never fails, which is how I learned about ClassDojo.

ClassDojo is an interactive behavior tracking system.  It allows you to track and monitor student's individual behaviors as well as the whole class.

Once you add your class or classes to the site you are good to go.  I have found that starting each day's attendance on the website and then tracking through the app allows for the greatest usability.  I love the ability to apply my custom points to one, several, or all students.  An even better function is the random button.  This function helps you to switch up your participants and tracking (think of it as pulling sticks).

ClassDojo not only allows you to review the behaviors collected, but you can also share the data with parents and students.

Do you use ClassDojo?

DonorsChoose

*****UPDATE***** My project was FULLY funded my Chevron!!!!!!!

I did it!  I finally posted a project with DonorsChoose.org.

It sounds crazy, but my dear firsties do not have working computers to use in our classroom.  Once a week, they get time in the computer lab, yet the games and activities they are playing are not differentiated to their individual learning.  I am requesting 5 iPad Minis with cases and headphones to differentiate math, literacy, and language practice for each of my kiddos.

I'm asking for donations of any size to help my kids. For the next week, any donation you make to my project will be doubled (up to $100). If you know anyone who is passionate about education, please pass this along. Your donation will brighten my students' school year, and you'll get photos and thank yous from our class.


Here is the link to my project:

iPad Minis for Oregon First Graders

To have your donation matched dollar for dollar, enter the match code INSPIRE on the payment screen. This awesome match offer lasts through October 12, 2013.

I appreciate any help with this project! 

Have you ever had a project fulfilled through DonorsChoose.org?

Currently - October

I am loving the crisp fall air, but am definitely not ready for the wet Oregon weather.  Now that we are a month into the school year, I am amazed at how well my kiddos are making connections and taking off with their learning.

Currently, I am...

What are you currently up to?

Don't forget to swing over the Farley's blog, Oh' Boy 4th Grade to see what everyone is Currently up to.