Mindful Mondays: Respect

Our school has started a new way to incorporate character education into our weekly curriculum: Mindful Mondays. Last week our focus was on being respectful to peers and not just adults. First the students were presented with the word "respect" on a piece of paper. Then a few students were asked to cover the word with toothpaste. Once the entire word was covered, a few other students were asked to put the toothpaste back in the tube. As hard as they tried, they could not get it all back in. This led into a discussion about hurtful words. We discussed that it is easy to say mean, hurtful words to our friends but it is not so easy to take them back. We talked about the importance of saying your sorry when you truly mean it but that saying your sorry alone does not always undo the damage caused by the negative words.

Ordering Events by Duration

In math the students have been learning how to order events by duration. They often think that just because you do something ten times it must take longer than something that you do five times no matter what. We have been learning that you have to think about each task and how long it takes to do it just once. Then you have to think about how many times you do it. For example, it takes them less time to read their weekly poem five times than it does to read their guided reading book one time. At the conclusion of our lessons, the students illustrated three events, or tasks, from their school day and ordered them from the least time taken to the most time taken. They then wrote comparison sentences about the events' durations.

Space Facts

As a part of our space research, the students wrote and illustrated at least one fact they found independently from an informational text.

Constellations

As a part of our study of day and night, the students learned about constellations. They then created their own constellation on black paper out of silver star stickers. They then had to count how many stars were in their constellation. They then had to write at least two sentences to explain the shape of their constellation and how many stars formed the shape.

Space Research Papers

After researching space from various informational texts, the students used their Circle Maps to independently write research papers. Before beginning, we had a mini-lesson on how authors often use a "hook" or something catchy to get a reader's attention. One of the ways we discussed is that author's sometimes ask a question to actually state a fact about their topic. The students all started their papers by ask a "Did you know?" question by stating their most interesting fact. They then wrote at least four more related facts about their topic. They glued their Circle Map and final draft (we always edit writing together) on a black piece of construction paper.

Day and Night

In science the students learned about the cycle of day and night. To show what they know, they drew a picture with labels of sunrise, day, sunset, and night. They then put the pictures in order in a cycle on a piece of construction paper.

Space Research

In reading we have been learning about informational texts. As a part of those lessons, the students have been using various non-fiction sources to research space. The students were divided into groups. In their groups they chose a specific topic about space: astronauts, space shutttles, stars, the sun, or the solar system as a whole. They worked in small groups with me to research using PebbleGo. They recorded important information on a Circle Map. They then worked together to find book sources to record addtional important information.

Guided Reading Forms

Fellow teachers, I just uploaded a guided reading packet to my TpT store that I use in my class. In order to fit all my groups in, I came up with  a schedule to meet with my lower level groups four times per week and my higher level groups twice per week. I meet with each group for about fifteen minutes. The set also includes an anecdotal note recording sheet. My teammate suggested using labels to record the notes so that you could record info for several students at once. I loved that idea but needed a place to put the labels. Thus, this form was created. The third form is a quick and easy way to take running records for any text.

KidBlog: Space Art

Today in the computer lab the students began using their KidBlog.They were very excited. In reading we have been learning how to research using informational texts. Since they have been researching space in reading and learning about day and night in science, the drew a picture using Pixie 2 software of a few key facts about space. In their pictures they had to include the sun as the center with eight planets orbitting around. They also had to include stars as a part of the Milky Way Galaxy. The technology skills that we worked on were "click, hold, and drag" as well as how to resize and fill shape objects. Afte they created their pictures, they exported them (with my assistance). I then taught them how to login to their blog and upload their pictures. They were so excited and thought it was "magic!"

Making Ten Addition and Subtraction

 

Fellow teachers, I just added a Making Ten Addition and Subtraction packet to my TpT Store. The packet can be used to teach students to use a ten frame to make ten and find the corresponding fact family number sentences. There are three activities that can be used to take students from guided practice to independent practice or can be used for differentiated learning. This download also includes my Ways to Make Ten Posters which you can also purchase seperately.

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In Social Studies the students have been learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We read several books about his life and accomplishments as well as using PebbleGo as a source. The students recorded information on a Circle Map. They then chose five facts that they learned about his life and added it to a handprint graphic organizer.

Describing the Wind

To help the students understand the difference between windy, breezy, and calm, we went outside to experiment. The students first observed the flags to see what direction they were blowing. During this time, we reviewed directional words from Social Studies. We discussed that the direction the flag is moving lets us know the direction the wind is blowing. As we observed we talked about if the flags were moving slow, fast, or not at all. They they experimented with plastic bags and streamers. They discovered that it was a very windy day that day.

Ordering Temperatures

The students felt of there different unseen objects to see which one was the hottest and which one was the coldest. One object was an ice pack, one was hand warmers, and the other was a crumpled paper towel. They recorded their findings and then discussed with a partner which was hottest, coldest, etc. Then as a class, we recorded objects in our homes that are hot, objects that are cold, and objects that are room temperature. They then drew three objects in order from hottest to coldest.

Comparing Fairy Tales

A few weeks back, we read various fairy tales to discuss recurring phrases and their meanings. We also worked on identifying story elements. Two books that we read were Cinderella and Prince Cinders. After reading and creating Story Maps for both stories, the students created Double Bubble Maps to record how the stories are the similar and how they are different. They then recorded one thing that was similar on a foldable. On the same fodlable, they wrote two things that were different, yet related to the thing that was similar. For example, both main characters got married. But, Cinderella married a prince and Prince Cinders married a princess. Or, they both lost something. But, Cinderella lost a glass slipper and Prince Cinders lost his trousers.

BME: The Princess and the Pea

After reading ThePrincess and the Pea, the students retold the story on a Flow Map using the Promethean Board. Then, individually, they wrote what happened at the beginning, middle, and end in their own words on strips of construction paper. After completing the retell, they glued the strips of paper on a larger piece of construction paper and added brown bed posts to recreate the Princess' bed with the stacks of mattresses. They then added on pea (a green hole punch) to the bottom of the mattresses.

BME: Jack and the Beanstalk

The students wrote to the beginning, middle, and end of Jack and the Beanstalk on a three-flap foldable. I often use this same type of foldable in guided reading and Daily 5 time to have the students work on their retelling skills.

BME: The Emperor's New Clothes

After reading The Emperor's New Clothes, the students wrote what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story on a Flow Map on the Promethean Board. Then using the class Flow Map for support, they retold the story in their own words on a three flap foldable.

What Time Is It?

Students were divided into small groups and given a specific time on the hour or half hour in digital time. They then had to draw that time on a small analog clock. They then glued those clocks onto a construction paper band to create a  watch. The students then chose a partner from another group. In those groups, they practiced asking one another "Do you know what time it is?" and the other student would respond by reading the time on their watch. Both students would check the time on the watches to make sure it was accurate. They continued this process with several new partners. It was a fun and engaging way to have them practice time!

Snowflake Desciptive Writing

The students used a Tree Map with questions on it to help them describe what a snowflake looks like, feels like, and what you can do with it. They used the Tree Map to help them write at least three descriptive sentences about a snowflake.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose

In science we have been learning how to reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose. In our class we have a basket full of paper scraps that the students can use during Daily 5 for writing practice. On this day, the students worked to tear some of the colored construction paper up in small pieces to create picture frames. As they worked, we discussed where paper come froms, what would happen if we continually wasted it, and how we could reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose the paper.

Clock Book

The students brainstormed various activities that we do at school and the approximate time (to the half hour) that we do them at. We recorded the times on a Circle Map. They then worked in small groups to show one of those times on an analog clock. They then had to write a sentence about what time a specific activity is done using its digital time. They also drew a corresponding picture. The pages are being bound in a book to use as review and during math tubbing.

Rachel's Challenge

Our school, in an effort to reduce bullying, participates in Rachel's Challenge. If you are unfamiliar with Rachel's Challenge, I encourage you to check out their website. The students recently visited the library to watch an informational video about Rachel's Challenge and to learn about the importance of being kind. At this time they also signed a banner to show that they accept the challenge to be kind and not to bully. Each time a student was caught being kind, a paper chain link was added to our class chain. All grade levels brought the chains to our Pride Rally to show how many acts of kindness had been witnessed so far.

The Snowman

The students read and watched the video of The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. They then created their own snowman art. The students were very creative and they turned out so great! Using our writing program, Write From the Beginning, the students used a Circle Map and Tree Map to help them write sentences to describe their snowman (or woman)!

David: Character Traits

Before Christmas break we read David's Christmas and discussed David's behavior. It was a good way to remind the students that although the break was coming up soon, they still needed to behave. The students then used a character trait template to answer questions about David such as what he looks like, how he behaved, what they would do if they were David, etc. They then colored the template to loo like David.

If I Lived in a Snowglobe...

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest a while back. The students brainstormed what they would do if they lived in a snowglobe. They then wrote at least one sentence about it and then illustrated it on a construction paper snowglobe.

Place Value Race

To help review place value concepts, we have been having short place value relay races. The class is divided into three groups and they sit in rows. I write three larger two-digit numbers on the board and the students compete to see who can describe the number in picture form (sticks and dots), standard notation, and expanded form. If they need help, they can ask their teammates. The team who finishes first correctly gets three points, second place gets two points, and third place gets one point.

I'm Here!

I have not posted in a while so I have quite a  bit of catching up to do. New posts will be coming soon!