Summer Goal: Improve my Knowledge and Practice of Differentiation

Materials

Learner Profile Resources

IB Learner Profile Guide

Advance Organizers

RAFT Assignments

Sample KUD's

See My Reading Journal for Responses to these texts

End of the School Year Activities

Here are some ideas I gleaned from various sources to fill time at the end of the school year.

Summer find someone who...

Summer Bucket List Activity

Adapted from this activity on Teachers Pay Teachers:

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Ronee on Pinterest

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Ronee on Pinterest

Source: teacherspayteachers.com via Ronee on Pinterest

Home - School Behavior Chart

Next year I am going to try something new for behavior.  This year I would call parents when there was some kind of big behavior problem at school, and when particular students had a really great day/week, but I didn't have a consistent home-school behavior communication plan.  So, here it is, my behavior plan for next year (only for students who need it, of course):

Behavior Rubric

I've now used this rubric for two years and I'd swear by it.  I use it once a month.  I have the students self-assess their behavior in one color, then I also assess their behavior in another color.  I have them take it home and have their parents sign it.  Sometimes on the back I have the students write an area they would like to improve in and a goal for that area.

Behavior Rubric by Ronee Treadwell

"Tomorrow's Alphabet" Activity

I used the book "Tomorrow's Alphabet" by George Shannon to teach inference.  I describe inference as using clues the author leaves and prior knowledge to solve the mystery of the book.  I also use the metaphor of putting a puzzle together: when you put a puzzle together you don't know exactly what the next piece will look like but you have enough clues to figure it out.

I read Tomorrow's Alphabet aloud, covering up the second page for each set.  (If you haven't read the book it goes something like this: "V is for paper-" (page 1) "tomorrow's... Valentine." (page 2).  I then have students predict what they think will be on the next page, stating what clues or information makes them think this.

After finishing the book I have the students choose a letter (or assign them a letter) and make their own "Tomorrow's Alphabet."  I used this at the end of the year so I focus on graduating, moving on, etc. in my examples.  I.e. "A is for child - tomorrow's adult."

"Tomorrow's Alphabet" Activity

Cute Classroom Labels

Part 1: Library, Social Studies, Science, Art

Classroom Labels

Classroom Library Label

Classroom Library Label Library Checkout

Powerful Article

This article, by Ron Berger, is one of those well-needed bits of inspiration.  He postulates that excellence is a culture and a climate, not a quality of children.  He paints a picture of his classroom as we all dream ours to be, one of empowering and impressive student effort with a culture of respect.  He also describes a case-study, detailing one newcomer's change from obstinate and full of school hatred to open and willing to work his hardest (though sometimes still difficult).  I love these examples of teachers doing the true work of a teacher.  Take the time to read it, it's worth it.

Fostering an Ethic of Excellence

Attention First Year Teachers!

I have recently finished The First-Year Teacher's Survival Guide by Julia G. Thompson and I feel indebted to this book.  From rubrics to delivering effective instruction to mistakes to avoid, this book covers it all.  Sure, some things were a bit redundant from my teacher education program, but out of the 420ish pages I found most of the information relevant and helpful.  Check it out.

Great booklet for first year teachers: The First Days: Survival Skills for the First Year Teacher

Really Good Stuff

For those who don't already know about it, reallygoodstuff.com really does have just that: really good stuff for teachers.

How is it that we don't know about these things!

Studyjams.com!  Sing-along songs, videos, lessons, and more by scholastic for math and science by subject.  GOLD MINE!

Try it, it will change your world!

Cartooning!

Ok, so it sounds silly, doubt it all you want, but please try it.  I had my doubts, too.  As I said before one of the books I am currently reading is called Make it Visual in the Classroom.  This book has really changed the way I think about thinking and learning.  It has also supplied me with the most valuable tool I've found yet--cartooning as an anticipatory set and as a teaching tool.  It's so simple.  It feels awkward at first, but my co-teachers and I were blown away by the attentiveness it supplies.  I had the rapt attention of an entire class of nearly 60 students.  You could've heard a pin drop.  All it takes: a clean sheet of white printer paper divided into eight sections, select a story in your life that illustrates and creates background and meaning for the lesson you are about to teach.  (I.e. I told a story about a time when someone broke into my car and I got angry for a lesson on anger management, and a story about going to the zoo and noticing that things come in groups--legs on animals--for a lesson on multiplication).  It takes just a few minutes and gives meaningful background to the lesson, creating a framework for students to begin thinking about the topic.  The illustrations should be simple and quick, they just need to show the idea.  Even better, the kids can learn this process.  I've also begun to use it with students that have a hard time visualizing themselves behaving appropriately (below).

Must Read Series

For teachers new and experienced, the Strategies for Teaching Series by the Northeast Foundation for Children is the single most valuable piece of professional development literature I've read thus far (and I'm an avid reader).

My New Favorite Tool

I've been Reading Apricot Inc.'s Make it Visual in the Classroom (recommended to me by my principal), and it inspired me to start using a picture dictionary for practically everything.  I made the tool my own and since I've used it for small math groups, my reading groups, social studies, literature circles, and practically everything else.  The most amazing thing--the students use them!  They refer back when they need a wow word or need to remember how to spell something.  Plus they love adding words to their picture dictionary.  Add as many or as few pages, make it a book or just use the word sheet, double sided or single... I'm loving it.  Steal it, love it, make it your own.

Favorite Teacher Pages

As a first year teacher I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from other teachers, and blogs and class websites are a great way to do that!  Here are some of my favorites!

First Grader... At Last! by Sarah Cooley

Teacher of the Fricken Year! by Rosie Kaplan

Mrs. Shannon's First Grade Class

Mrs. Dunning's Fairytale

Mrs. McBride's First Grade Class

Planet Esme

Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits (kudos for the alliteration :)

And my very favorite:

The Learning Pad

Attention, Please!

I've found that ways of getting the students attention is one of the most important tools a teacher can have.  That being said, here is the list of ways to get attention that I have compiled (remember to explicitly teach the expectations for each technique):

• Use a rain stick, music, bell, chimes, whistle (at recess) etc. (Can be especially effective if specific to the activity, unit or routine--i.e. an instrument from a particular culture)
• Clap a pattern and have students repeat the pattern or designated response
• Sing a song (establish the expectation that the students will sing with you and join you wherever you are in the room).
• Play music (Establish the routine that your will play music for a certain amount of time and this is the amount of time students have to clean up or get ready to begin workshop, when music stops students need to stop, look, and listen).
• Excuse students by telling them the “magic word” and then whispering words that start with the same letter, rhyme, or have some other common theme and finally the magic word releases them (with this transition students will get excited, be sure to establish the expectation that there is no running).
• Give students group or table names and use the sign language sign to release their group.  Wait until all groups are quiet and their eyes are up before signaling.
• Raise your hand and have students raise theirs when their mouths are quiet and their minds are ready (stop, look, listen)
• Flick the lights on and off. NOTE: This may induce seizures, be cautious of the use of this signal.
• Say: One, Two, Three, Eyes on me
• Say: Give me five (Explain what the five mean, and post a poster:

               1.    Eyes on me

          2.    Hands and feet still

          3.    Mouth quiet

          4.    Ears listening

          5.    Ready for instructions

• Above, Pause, Whisper: (Get the students attention with a sound—chime, or other sound louder than their voices, stand still and wait for “pregnant pause,” then whisper instructions.
• Choral response: Sing or chant a phrase, i.e. "Who lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea," students chorally respond, i.e. "Spongebob Square Pants!" ("Peanut, Peanut Butter," "and Jelly").
• Say: "If you can hear my voice..." i.e. "put your finger on your nose."  Add new instructions but keep saying them in an increasingly quiet voice.

Always wait until students are quiet and giving you their attention.  Never raise your voice above theirs, they will only talk louder.  Talk quietly and enthusiastically.

StoryCorps: Sharing real stories in a way children can relate

Loving this new website, StoryCorps, they have started an initiative to animate the stories of survivors and their families from 9/11 as well as other stories, using their own voices.  The series is up for an Emmy, and for good reason.  The stories are touching, the animation is great, and the voices are real.  A great resource for educators K-College for a social studies curriculum, or for simply sharing quality audiovisual material in the classroom.  My favorite story so far is John and Joe, brothers who both died in the 9/11 attacks.

Educational Games

Heads Up 7-Up

Crossing the River or 64 Squares (Requires 64 Sheets of paper, 4th grade up)

This game is a real challenge for adults and kids alike and is a team building game.  Lay 64 sheets of paper on the ground, 8 x 8.  Make up a story about why they have to cross this bridge, river, lava pit, etc. and why they cannot step on certain pages.  (For instance, they need to cross a rushing river and there are rocks to step on but there are also turtles and alligators that look like rocks).  Make a map with a path across.  The rule is if a student steps on a bad piece they must go to the end of the line, everyone needs to watch to get across.  The group wins when the whole class is across.

Ra-di-o (3^rd grade up)

Students stand in a circle and take turns saying the syllables of the word radio.  With the syllable ra they either put their left or right hand above their head, the person to the side of the raised hand says the next syllable, di and puts either his left or right hand under his chin and points.  The person on the side he points to says o and points to anyone in the circle, and it continues.  The people who mess up move to the outside and become hecklers, who are trying to distract the people inside the circle without touching or blocking them.

Mirror Image (2^nd grade up)

Pair students and have them try and imitate the other’s movements as if a mirror.

Human Knot (3^rd grade up, primary with supervision)

Standing in a circle, group members reach across and shake hands - use hand connecting to a different person.

The group then tries to unravel the "human knot" by unthreading their bodies without letting go of each other people's hands.

Group count-off (2^nd grade up)

Count as a group to the number of students in the group without speaking anything besides the number.  Rules:

•       No gestures or speaking besides the next number.

•       Adjacent people cannot say the next number.

•       Everyone must participate.

•       Group must count in consecutive order.

•       If two people talk at the same time the group starts over.

Hot and Cold (2^nd grade and below)

One volunteer is 'It' and leaves the room or play area.

The other students decide on an item for It to locate - a rock, a marker, a book.

When he or shee returns, everyone says "hotter" or "colder" as he gets closer or farther from the item until he locates it.

See who can find his or her item fastest.

Group Juggling (requires one or more balls)

Coseeki

One player leaves the group and stands where she/he cannot see the group. The group chooses a leader who does a movement, such as tapping his toe, which the others follow. The leader changes the movement regularly and the others follow the leader’s movement. The hidden player returns, stands in the middle of the circle, watches the movements and tries to guess who the leader is. The player in the middle has three chances to identify the leader. After the leader has been identified or the player in the middle has had three guesses, another leader and guesser are chosen to continue the game.

Silent Line Up (3^rd grade up)

Ask students to line up by birthday without speaking. (Could do name alphabetically as a warm-up)

Category Snap (3^rd grade up)

Everyone sits in a circle.  Start a clap/pat/snap pattern that ends with a right hand finger snap then a left hand finger snap.  Select a category.  The first person says the category on their right hand then their selection on their left.  The next person says the previous selection on their right then their selection on their left.

This Is a What? (Requires an object to pass)

Another game that seems simpler than it is. Have everyone sit in a circle. Pick up an object and tell the person next to you, “This is a marble.” He asks, “A what?” “A marble,” you answer. “A what?” he asks again. “A marble,” you say. “Oh, a marble,” he says. The pattern is now established. He then takes the marble and turns to the next person and starts the pattern. As the marble goes around, you start on the next object and the next object. Eventually there will be a lot of these conversations going on at once. The goal is to see how many objects you can pass around the circle.

Simon Says (K-1 teacher is the leader, 2^nd up choose a student leader)

Around the World (Requires flash cards or a list of questions)

The Big Wind Blows

To set up the game, arrange several chairs facing inward into a medium sized circle. There should be one chair for each player, minus one. One person starts as the “Big Wind” in the center of the circle, with everyone else seated.  The Big Wind raises both arms and spins around, while saying the following: “The Big Wind blows _____”.  The blank must be filled with a true statement about himself or herself, such as “The Big Wind blows everyone who has been to Canada” or any other true fact.  At this point, any of the players who share this characteristic (including the person who is currently the Big Wind) must stand up and quickly find a new seat. For each statement, no player is allowed to sit in the same seat or a seat directly adjacent to his or her previous seat. One person will be left without a seat. This person becomes the new “Big Wind” for the next round.

This game is especially interesting when players use unique, unexpected, or funny statements.  For example, a player can say embarrassing statements such as, “Big Wind blows those who have gone without a shower for three days.” Have fun and remember the objective of the group game: to get to know each other better.

Silent Speedball (3^rd up, requires a ball or “silent ball” with 2^nd down)

Teacher is the only referee regarding bad passes and missed catches.

•       Talking or making sounds is an out.
     Missed catch or bad pass is an out.  A “good” throw is within arm’s length of the intended catcher and does not include “fast balls” (model good throws for students)
     Students that are out must remain quiet at their desks and not interfere with the game in any way Instructions:
     No one can talk or make a sound; that is the object of the game
     Students may stand by their desks or position students in any arrangement to facilitate tossing the ball to each other around the classroom
     Make a good throw to a classmate; explain that students can not throw back to the person who threw to them.
     If student misses the ball or makes a bad pass, student is out and must sit at his/her desk until the next round.
     Play until all students are seated; last two are the champs!

Freeze Game

Practice giving the direction “freeze,” ringing the bell, or other noisemaker by having students mill about the room and “freeze” safely on the appropriate signal.


More Games


Resources


Denton, P. The First Six Weeks of School.  (2000). The Northwest Foundation for Children.

New love: Buying books for dirt cheap!

My new favorite site on the web: Goodwillbooks.com.  Search by author or title and find books for your classroom for sometimes only pennies!  Even better deal than Amazon.com's used prices, though these are pretty amazing, too.  Amazon is great if you can get more than one book from the same seller or get free super saver shipping to reduce shipping costs.

Getting your name out there!

I love the new commercials from Vistaprint, they are so right.  If you want to make a great first impression, the business card makes a big difference!  I know I've judged companies based on their business cards before (for my wedding, for instance).  I've handed out tons of business cards for substituting, we will see if it makes a difference!

I chose to use a Wordle.net "word cloud" on the back, hoping maybe someone would recognize the technology reference. 

This design was made by my husband, a graphic designer and screen printing wiz.  If you are interested in a custom business card design contact Black Box Industries.