Week Two Reflections

I had high hopes for blogging this week. But that didn't happen.  Life happened. Here's a recap of my week.

Monday:

We started homework this week, and even though the kids had to write it down in their agendas, I did post a picture on Class Dojo so parents could keep an eye out as well.  The last time these kids had homework was 18 months ago in third grade... they need some help with being responsible.  

I also taped up my computer cart with electrical tape so students could easily find their specific classroom laptop.  Tape went on the bottom groove where the computer slides in and also around the charging cord, I numbered it with sharpie. We also wrote our specific computer number in our agendas so they could "prove" it to others.  It's not sticking as great as I thought it would, but it's doing the job so I won't have to redo.  

Tuesday:

I'm back to using TEAMs again. I had added channels for a Class Chat, Helpful Websites, and Homework Help channels last week... but then added more...

*Workshop Activities has images of papers that I used to copy. Last year really proved the kids don't need their own copy to tackle it, so I just uploaded for the week, and will take it down on Monday and upload the new information.  I added their Math Spiral and list of spelling words for easy access.  

 *Absent Kids... I already have my first kid at home due to a cold... but since it's the same symptoms as something else, well I realized I needed a way for the kids trapped at home for weeks to keep up with in class students.  Or at least have access.  Every day that someone is absent I will now snap pictures of the math workbook and upload on a post in that specific channel. I let parents know they can look there. 

We started Workshop today! The kids had to do part of their math spiral, part of their Your Turn (Reading) workbook, and 1 spelling option per day Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Then on Friday we went over it all and they graded their own papers.  When they were busy working individually or with partners, I was calling kids over for Book Talks and Conferences.

These are the workshop resources I use:

Math Spiral

Spelling Options

Your Turn reading workbook is part of the Wonders curriculum.

Wednesday:

I moved the furniture around again during prep. So that picture above isn't exactly what it looks like anymore, but I forgot to take a new picture.  My brain is tired... Tried to make the outside edges a little more fluid since there are SO. MANY. KIDS. The big table on the right edge is now next to the paper towel holder, the back white bench is now where that table used to be... it opens the room so much better. The desks also got moved a bit.  I wanted to give kids a little more breathing room, so there is a small gap between table groups.  It's enough for the 4 kids by the gap to put their backpacks, or me to walk through. Feeling squished is not a pleasant feeling, and then being stuck inside due to air quality was feeling slightly claustrophobic.

Thursday:

Mrs. Granger (from Frindle) stopped by.  We were wrapping up our novel, and she tends to arrive right when the kids happen to need to do some dictionary drills aka the Dictionary Scavenger Hunt... Ha! I love how EVERY year there are kids that do not realize that it's me.  Throw a skirt over my capris, wear a cardigan, a gray wig, different glasses, carry around my college dictionary, and have an accent, and some are completely fooled.  Then I start preaching about the importance of the dictionary and my distaste for the word "Frindle" and it's a hoot.  

Friday:

We started Friday Fluency today. Something we learned last year with distance learning is that MANY of the kids did NOT practice reading aloud while at home.  So it'll be a weekly practice until our words per minute improve. I time them for a minute, they read aloud to themselves, hands over their ears they are able to hear only themselves speak, and then I yell "TIME" when done.  They circle the word that they got to in their workbook, then we do it again, the goal to pass by their first word.  I'm not worried about numbers at this point, I just want them to have that feeling of accomplishment.

I also found some Keto ice cream that really hit the spot now that I have to watch carbs and sugar... It was a NEED for chocolate ice cream kind of night.  It's been a doozy of a week. Here's hoping it doesn't affect my blood sugar that bad... I found it at the grocery store, and it was tasty.  

Hope you had a great week!

Weekly Breakdowns & I Know I Can Because...

Sometimes I feel like I created a monster with all the paperwork that I can generate in a week.  It's kind of funny that I'm adding more stuff by starting to blog again... Just kidding, I'm using this as my online journal to remember this crazy year.  

I started doing something like this checklist last spring when the world shut down and distance learning started.  A simple breakdown, broken down by day, so that students knew exactly what to do.  Back then we weren't meeting every day - weekly yes, but not daily. The kids were used to writing down their daily homework, but without planners this worked. Since it worked, and helped me as well to know what reminders to give the kids, I kept it going this year.  Every week I duplicate the slide in ppt and just switch out the information - then I email it home, stick it on Class Dojo, and add it to our TEAM for easy access.

I also turned our Weekly Essential Questions, I Can statements, and our I KNOW I Can Because into a digital document for this year.  In the classroom this would normally be on the whiteboard in a grid with washi tape, and kids write their responses on post it notes and stick it up there.

This year I update the word document every week, send it home to families so they know what we're working on, and go over it with my class as well. We talk about it all week long, and then on Fridays I throw a screenshot of it into the color team channels so the kids can respond and "teach" each other their strategies and how they know they know.  It only takes 5 minutes but has made a big impact.  

As they are responding, I'm looking into the color teams and thanking the kids aloud to acknowledge that I see their responses.  There are always so many more kids that start responding just to get their name recognized aloud. My big kids are still kids... 

Am I the only one that does something like this?

Hope you are having a great day!

Tuesday Tried It - Homework Check In

I had a moment this morning - wondering how all of you deal with homework check in every. single. morning...  It's a time of day that I enjoy (because the kids get a chance to see how well they did), but the routine of it all sometimes is sooo boring!  It used to be a dangerous experience in my classroom, before this year - because I almost always tripped and fell over a monster backpack.  Linking up with Holly today to share what is working!  

This is the view that greets me most mornings after the kids are settled into our morning math meeting.  They come in, get out their homework, place it out on their desks, and then head over to the carpet.  No kids in the desks for me to trip over, they are working, and so am I.

I go up and down, through the different areas of the room checking in their homework.  It's quick and easy.  A simple glance to see if they completed the assigned tasks.  If they didn't have it completed, they were supposed to write their name under a HW sign (on the whiteboard) as a sign of responsibility.  

If I have to add their name to the list, they know that I am disappointed that they didn't come clean to begin with.  The list on the board reminds me who has to serve the consequence of missing recess to finish their work.  Later on I update our Homework Club yard stick - that yard stick helps me keep track of who misses out on Friday Fun.  

After our morning math meeting, the kids head back to their desks, and we go over the homework together - it's usually math and some sort of comprehension/language.  When done, they stick the papers into my white basket, and we move onto the rest of our day.  

This is the first year that I have the kids out of their desks when I'm checking in homework, and it has made a world of difference.  Seriously - those backpacks that are pushed in the middle of the aisle when a kid is sitting in their seat - they are dangerous (but I haven't tripped - at least not during Homework Check In.)

Hope you had a good day!    

  

Revisiting Homework

Hi everyone - I'm still cruising along... do you miss me yet?  I'm sure that I'm going through withdrawal from not having internet....  and yes, all these revisits were written and scheduled back when I should have been packing for the trip.  :)

Priorities and all that... 

Anyhow, I found another post from last summer that you may remember... Homework Folder.  

Last year my students brought in their own homework folder and we stuck a sheet protector inside.  They kept these papers tucked in there basically all year long.

Their daily homework checklist

Their spelling unit list

Now last year I also mentioned the sheet from Teaching in Room 6, but it turned out to work better in their folders as a reference guide.  

What do I want to add for next year?  I've been eyeing these monthly reading log menus from 3rd Grade Thoughts

Actually my entire grade level has been eyeing them to use next year.  We are thinking that it would give the students the perfect opportunity to use the different reading skills.  :)  Just a little something...

Hope you had a great day!    

Homework Folder (Giveaway ends tomorrow)

Homework, oh homework... 

When I was a kid I loved homework.  I know that sounds weird, but I loved being able to show my family and my teacher that I could do the work by myself.  Maybe it was the teacher-in-training for me at the moment (and that part of me changed in high school and college), but I had these elementary teachers that made learning fun.  At least that's what I remember from that time of my life.  I want to be that fun teacher that students don't mind showing off to that they "get it".  With district regulations, 4th graders have to have 1 hour of homework per night.  I have broken it up into the different subjects, and I do my best to make sure the kids are capable of completing the homework by themselves before they walk out the door.

Here is more paperwork that you may be able to use.  These papers are put in sheet protectors inside their homework folder for daily reminders going back and forth, home to school.  Since the kids choose one of their own folders (from their supply list) as their homework folder, there isn't that much prep work that is involved for me.  

This document is what I use for the 1st trimester in my class every week.  

I change it up every trimester to add more writing for the week 
(2nd trimester is 2 paragraphs, 3rd trimester is 3).     

This document came from Teaching in Room 6 as part of her homework folder.

I include a unit list of spelling words in their homework folders.  

These lists come from the Open Court Resources website.  I love that website with all the study guides, power points, vocabulary pictures, etc... for every unit and story!  If you have Open Court Reading, and don't know about the website - please visit it!  There is so much information that other teachers have shared and it's all available for free.

  

I hope these papers help someone.  

Monday Made It - Response board, Mirror, Triple To Do, and More

I'm linking up again with Tara from 4th Grade Frolics to share what I've been doing this week.  I love the things that I have seen on other blogs, and this linky party is encouraging me to get things done!

I used a tri-fold display to make a response board.  Each of those globes have student numbers on them.  The intent is to have the students answer a question in one of the subjects on a post it note, and then stick it on their globe on the way out the door. 

I love the idea that was floating around on Pinterest with having a positive affirmation mirror that students can use.  I tell them all the time that they are smart - but they need to believe it.

Another thing is a triple to do list.  I used my triple frame and broke up my to do list into 3 categories.

Prep and Copy: Things I need to prepare

Plan and Grade: Things I need to write and grade

Take and Go: Errands I need to run either around school to drop stuff off, or places I need to go to get stuff

 The back colored lines came from Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files CRAFT Board Headers set.  

I've done other things this week as well, but they have been more paperwork type of things.  My husband laminated over 130 business card sized things for me to finish up my Homeworkopoly game from Ladybug Teacher Files, and he got my Ticket store prizes ready from Teaching in Room 6.  I think the actual Ticket Store organizer will hang up in my closet (my Dollar Store find), and only the options will hang up in the classroom.

On another note, am I the only one that takes over the dining room table during summer vacation?  It's the only place to spread out and be crafty around here with my 3 boys running all over.  Thanks for visiting me!  I hope this helped you in some way.  

Homeworkopoly Game

Ladybug's Teacher Files inspired me to create this for my students.  You can find her post here in addition to the game board and playing cards that she created.  I don't have a lot of wall space, so instead I put this on a tri-fold display board and covered it with clear contact paper.  I will pull this out on Friday mornings to celebrate students that have all their homework completed that week.  Then, the rest of the week it can be tucked away until it is needed again.  

How will I play the game?  Students will roll the dice and move their little marker to the correct spot.  The spot could just be a "resting" spot, or else it could be an activity or treat.  Activities are listed on the board - spelling a spelling word or answer a math question.  Treats are listed on the back of the cards - they could end up getting a chance to use a pen for the day, read an extra 10 minutes more, sit wherever they want for a lesson, etc.  Just a little something extra to enjoy the moment.  

Yay!  One project complete!  

Sincerely,