"I spy...holiday ornaments!"

The countdown to the holidays has officially begun in Room 5! I am a holiday maniac and have already started playing my Christmas station on Pandora during my preps, lunch, etc... Our school is putting on an amazing Holiday Bazaar next weekend which will include sleigh rides, pictures with Santa, "pick-your-own-tree" stations, and have many miscellaneous vendors. Our wonderful Home and School Association has asked each classroom teacher to create ornaments for the bazaar. 

I tend to feel less guilty about taking instructional time to do arts-type projects with my students when I am able to incorporate a few academic skills or learning experiences. I worked closely with our Computer teacher to help teach my students how to locate clip art, resize pictures, create text boxes, and make bulleted lists. Using all of these features, I had my students choose three holiday-themed images to use in their ornament. They picked three images, cropped them, and added them to the typed list. 

Many of the teachers stuck with a "recycled" or "Earth friendly" theme with their ornaments. I decided to use little plastic dressing containers (that would be thrown away normally) to fill with white rice. My students worked on cutting out there images to add to the container of rice. We packed each one nice and tightly before gluing on the lids. Ribbon was added to the lids so that they could be hung on a tree. I also attached the laminated lists that the students worked on in Computer class. Students had a blast shaking the ornaments to locate the items in each one. I hope that the parents truly enjoy them and keep them for a very long time!

See the pictures below to see how our "I SPY" ornaments turned out!

Permission has been granted for the usage of student photo.

Sorting Our Syllables

My class has been learning so much in our phonics program the last few weeks. We've been learning about reading and writing words with vowel digraphs, r-controlled vowels, y as a vowel, schwa, and consonant-le patterns. When attacking an unknown word, students are encouraged to break it down into syllable chunks. It's important that they understand syllables in order to identify new words. Each day, I reviewed a different syllable type (VCCV, VCV, VCCCV, and VCCCCV) with students and we practiced spelling words that fit the syllable types on dry erase boards, the Promethean board, and in the air :). On the last day of the week, my students partnered up and completed a syllable sort together. The kids worked really well together and I was able to see how much they learned throughout the review lessons during the week! I love watching their 3rd grade brains in action!!!

(Oh yeah...and it was Breast Cancer Awareness Day! :D My kiddos look smashing in pink <3)

(permission was given for use of photos by parents/guardians)

*Be sure to check back for more centers and printables regarding syllable types and centers!*

Writing Tip from Room 5

How often do you hear, "I don't know what to write about" in your classroom? I hear it more than I'd like. My district uses an amazing writing program called Being a Writer that really sets kids up for success. They create a "Writing Ideas" section in their journals that we add to frequently. Even with this support in place, I will still get a select few that draw blanks during writer's workshop.

I decided to make themed word lists which I wrote on clip art, colored, and laminated. When students get that writer's block, I let them choose an object from the bucket. They are challenged to locate at least 5 words on the picture that they think they can use to tell a story. Just scanning the word lists tends to help them get beyond that difficult moment they are experiencing in getting started.

Some of the themes I have currently include parties, Thanksgiving, autumn, time, money, desserts, general food, injuries, pets, summer, and the list goes on. I have made 25 clip art lists so far and plan to make more as the year progresses.

Back-To-School Night

We have now finished two weeks of school and Back-to-School Night just passed. I haven't always had a homeroom because I was a special educator for 6 years prior to making my move into 3rd grade. I am still ironing out the kinks in my BTS plans. My school runs two different sessions that parents may attend for approximately 30 minutes. I have posted pictures below of some of the things I have incorporated into my BTS night.
If you have not read any of my previous posts, my classroom theme is "Space" and "Reaching for the Stars" this year.

"Who's Your Shining Star?"

Self-Portrait Bulletin Board: Parents are asked to guess which drawing belongs to their child. This activity serves as a nice intro or outro to a BTS session. (***written permission was received to display pictures and work for any students included in this blog***)

I began the session by having parents fill out an anticipation guide about 3rd grade. I use these in my classroom often when introducing a new concept, vocabulary, or topic and wanted parents to try it out for themselves. I explained that by the end of the session, they would be able to go back to the guide and fill in the right column after hearing about the 3rd grade happenings.

I also had papers on each child's desk that I went through with parents explaining Common Core in parent-friendly terms (thanks to a freebie handout by Jen Jones - Hello Literacy), the importance of reading 20 minutes a night, and what reader's and writer's workshop would be like in grade 3.

A few other things I went over in my PPT included:

• facts about me
• our daily schedule
• routines and procedures
• classroom materials
• field trips
• upcoming concepts and things that will be covered in 3rd grade
• behavior system
• Remind101 - a safe and private way to text parent groups about upcoming events, reminders, and important information
  

I had a donations poster in the back of the room titled "When You Wish Upon a Star - Things That Room 5 Wishes For..." I stuck stars on the poster listing items that we use frequently in the classroom and tend to run out of often. I had interested parents take a star with them which would then get attached to the item they donated and sent back to school. We have had sandwich baggies (to house word sorts, flashcards, etc...) and index cards donated so far! :) Much thanks to those generous families!!!

BTS Night #3 = SUCCESS!!!

New Products Added to Teachers Pay Teachers!!!

Looking for some math centers to use that can be adapted for individual or partner use? Check out my TPT store for new items.

Teaching Takes the Cake - Mary Korty TPT Store Link

I also have newly created Boggle boards for literacy centers...

Management Monday Tip

INDIVIDUAL REWARD SYSTEMS

Since I have started teaching, I've always tackled the issue of individual/group behavior systems. I have always gone back and forth with my opinion on them because I guess that I have always known that all students are unique, are individuals, and all respond differently to certain scenarios. To expect them all to react exactly the same to every challenge they would face each day was unrealistic. I have tried individual behavior charts for my more needy students, tried to manage group-based reward systems, and class-wide point systems. Each thing I've tried has always left me feeling like I was punishing the "good" students while setting an example for the students that wouldn't follow directions or listen. I also always felt that deep down, the students that were having difficulty following the rules needed something more specific to them. No amount of peer pressure, consequences, or unearned points would motivate the students that needed my guidance the most. On top of all of this, keeping track of reward systems for large groups and even individual students can be one exhausting task. Documentation, paperwork, keeping track of how students will earn points, what students actually did earn points, etc...has been enough to scare me away from tackling anything larger than one or two behavior charts for my most challenging students. Does that reward the students that always listen, follow directions, and model amazing behavior? No. It has always felt like a win-lose. Until now.

I began the year giving EVERY student a mini notepad (4 pk for $0.88) labeled with their name. I bought packs of small stickers which I cut into single stickers (again, super cheap). I purchased 3 plastic container that would hold "prize box" type items. I labeled the containers 10 points, 20 points, and 30 points. My 10 point bin was filled with pencils, erasers, pencil grips, and bookmarks. My 20 point bin was filled with items from the dollar store, supplies from Target's birthday party packs (4 items for $1-$3), and coupons for things like "Replace the Line Leader for 1 Day". My 30 point bin was filled with the items that REALLY get my students motivated...all coupons (see picture far below).

The process?

Students can earn a sticker for having positive behavior. It could range from participating appropriately, walking in the hallway quietly, helping another student, following directions, and the list goes on. Students can save up their stickers to trade them in for any of the 10, 20, or 30 point bin items. Each sticker = 1 point (how did I not mention that yet?). There is beauty to this simple plan. Knowing my students, I can give stickers based on individual successes as opposed to group-wide expectations. I can now reward my student with ADHD for tapping on his leg instead of his desk (thus being much more quiet) instead of not giving his group a point because of something he couldn't really help to begin with. I can openly continue to reward my students that always follow directions, which in turn will hopefully motivate the rest of the group. My students are also learning how to save. You'd be surprised at how many of my students passed that 10 point mark and already had their goals set at 30 points before trading in their stickers.

When they want to trade their stickers in for a reward, I simply draw a line through the correct amount of stickers using a permanent marker and initial the page. They get to start earning more stickers the following day. It is a beautiful thing. There isn't much as far as specific notation with this system, but I always jot down behavior notes in my plan book at the completion of a school day that I can refer to during conferences/calls/meetings. Students are also able to keep their notebooks closed (if they are private or shy), while others can leave them wide open on display for others to see (if they are proud). This system costs me barely any extra money and has saved me so much time, energy, and frustration!!! I HIGHLY encourage you to try it!

What is everyone else doing in regard to reward systems???

Don't Let My Organized Classroom Fool You

I've only been teaching for a little over 8 years and have collected what feels like MILLIONS of amazing resources that I can't seem to part with - like ever. Each teacher has a bit of a hoarder side. I think this is only true because we are born to utilize everything in our possession to make learning come to life. We never know who we will teach, who we will tutor, or how everything in education will change. A paper towel roll can serve more purposes than you'll ever care to know - possible time capsules, tools to throw during the measurement Olympics, a way to show students how sound carries when you yell into the tube. The possibilities are endless. Throwing something away physically pains me at times because I have thrown/recycled things in the past that I ended up wanting to use again later. Ugh. How does a teacher keep things organized/put away with very little space in a classroom? I have found a way to store many of my teacher resource books, children's books I use for mini-lessons, and center activities without them having to be an eyesore.

My classroom theme this year is "Reaching for the Stars" (SPACE). I happened to luckily still have the super cool shower curtain from my freshman year in college folded neatly in a box I had unknowingly been storing at my parent's house for the last 12 years (thanks, mom :)). I purchased a tension rod and hung my old curtain to hide the tremendous anxiety-causing pile of things I never want to get rid of. They are still easily accessible, but no longer make me look like Pig Pen.

I invite all ideas and tips! :D