Monday, November 30, 2015

3 Levels of Government: Song Share!

Hey Y'all!

Hope you're snagging up some good buys for Cyber Monday!

In our room,  my 3rd graders and I have been learning all about government! We started by playing a game with NO rules. There was cheating, skipping spaces, rule creating, agreements made.  This was all to determine the importance of rules and laws and introduce the kids to the idea of Government.  Then, we continued with Rights and Responsibilities.


Today, we dug into the 3 different levels of government and their jobs.  We just so happened to be practicing finding the Main Idea in reading today, so we started with this article.  We talked about the main idea and supporting details all while learning the content, score!  Later on in the day, during social studies, I rocked out to "The Levels of Government" written by the one and only- moi.  Here it is...

Full disclosure: I have been sick for 4 stinkin' weeks, for serious.  I totally thought I was better but when I went back to school today and started teaching my voice said "bye, bye" AGAIN. Ugh.  That means that this is way off key - being the musical  person I am, it totally bugs me but I couldn't put it off anymore- I need it to play for my students to sing throughout the next 2 weeks :). I'll try to get a recording of my students so that it's better!




Oh, and here are the lyrics too!  I hope you'll sing this with your students! We'd love to hear that you did!

Cheers!



Font Credit: Hello Fonts & KG Fonts
Background Credit: Sonya DeHart Design
Border Credit: Graphics from the Pond

Friday, November 13, 2015

Creating Magic: Music in the Classroom Part 2!

Happy Birthday to ME! 

Ah, music. My favorite thing <3.

A few days ago, I shared some ways you could engage your students in the content through music.  Today, I want to share how you can use them for brain breaks!

We all need them.  Students.  Teachers.  Our brains can only take so much learning.  A quick 3 minute break can do the body good.  Get the blood flowing, freshen up the brain, get ready for the next thing.

In my room, we have the totally awesome..... BLUE BUTTON!

An idea I stole from Ron Clark - except his was red.

For every content area or worktime, the kids and I are working towards a celebration.  A Blue button dance party - they call it.  We are working hard the whole.entire.time.  Challenging our brains, working together, solving problems, listening, modeling school expectations, and sharing ideas.  When we do an outstanding, awesome job- we solve a tough problem, we've been working hard the whole time, someone shared a really cool, efficient strategy - "Oh yeah - y'all are so awesome you totally earn a .. BLUE BUTTON CELEBRATIOOOOOOON"

**Boing** (That's the sound of our button - they love to hit it!)

The lights go off

Someone turns on the disco ball

The music comes on

And for about 3 minutes, we just let loose.

We may dance to The Whip & Nae Nae, the Quan, I like to move it, Sugar, Uptown Funk, Shake it Off, Brave - whatever I'm in the mood to play.  Sometimes we even do this one...


Who doesn't love the continental drift? No matter how many times they've seen it, they always shout - THERE'S THE PRINCE!! (yeah yeah, you said that last time)

I have a playlist on my desktop that allows me to pick quickly so there is no time wasted with loading.

After 3 minutes, its a quick call and response to regain attention and back to work.  Kids know to turn the lights on, turn off the disco ball, and hurry back.

Now, this did not happen over  night.  It takes modeling.  It takes practices.  It takes goal setting.  But once you've done it enough, they'll have it down.  And my kids know that if they waste time and don't get back to their seats or to work  - then the next Blue Button Celebration they earn is taken away.  The don't want that to happen so they just do what's expected.

These little breaks are so fun and are just what we need to get our blood flowing and get ready for the next thing.

What are you waiting for... go grab your own blue button!

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Transforming your Classroom & Teaching to the Top


Can we just be honest with ourselves right now?  How many of us have ever, in our teaching careers, whether now or in the past, "taught to the middle?"  We looked at our spread of kids, saw the low - saw the middle- saw the high - and taught exactly what those mid kids needed because it just seemed to make the most sense.  If we go too low, we're most likely helping the fewest number of our kids, if we teach high , the low kids probably won't get it, but the middle- well we need to teach the standards that they need anyway - so that's what I'm gonna do.

The problem with teaching to the middle is (as I know you all know) - you are doing those high kids a disservice.  They're going to be bored.  They're going to start creating problems.  And there's even a possibility that they'll start falling due to inappropriate instruction or not paying attention (aka boredom).

I know we've all figured out the solution to this: differentiation!  For many teachers, that might look like a 90 minute math block with 4, 20 minutes rotations, with kids grouped based on ability and teaching 4 different lessons (or 1 lesson taken to different levels taught 4 times).  It works.  We can reach all of our kids.  But here's the problem - that takes SO.MUCH.PLANNING!  If you really want to differentiate well, you need an appropriate lesson for each group, appropriate independent work that has them practice what they did in the lesson, and appropriate math stations (if that's what you do).  It's so much work, y'all.  #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat.  Furthermore- those low kids are still held to the same standards as everyone else.  Obviously there are exceptions to this but for the most part, everyone needs to know and understand the same curriculum.

So I have another solution..

Teach to the TOP!

I recently went to the Ron Clark Academy - and one thing Mr. Clark said that I've always believed but it just continuously resonates with me since I've returned is: "Life is not going to accommodate for these kids- we are doing them a disservice by accommodating for them constantly!"

And it's so true.

Now- obviously we need to accommodate and differentiate to a point and there are some exceptions. But why are we continuously giving them these accommodations that life is not going to provide them?  We need to teach them how to live in this world. And accommodating things for them is doing nothing.

Let me give you an example from my class this year.

I have 20 students.  Of my 20 students, about 7 of them consistently need support in order to feel comfortable with our lessons - with maybe 3 who are really struggling, about 5 of them usually pick it up after a lesson but need a little extra practice or guidance, and 8 of them consistently show knowledge above grade level expectations and are ready for a push (OK- I got lucky this year).

So here's the thing.  Whether I teach to my 5 in the middle or the 8 at the top, my 7 strugglers are going to need extra support anyway, right?  And if I teach to my 8 at the top, the 5 in the middle, as long as I provide the right instruction, are going to get it.  So - that's what I do - I teach to the top.

Now- you can't just walk in on Tuesday morning, know you're supposed to teach multiplying by multiples of 10, and say OK, I'll teach this because that's what my high kids need.  Just like any other lesson, you need to plan purposefully.  What do your students need to know in order to get this concept? How can you provide instruction so that they have an understanding of the concept?  How can they show me that they do, in fact, get it?  How will you provide support to the kids who don't get it?  This requires me to plan 1 and only 1 lesson - that I will think deeply about.  I will hold my students to these standards and I'll work with them to help them get it.

For me, I'm pretty lucky with an AIG specialist that provides nurturing 2x a week.  During those 2 days a week, she pulls a reading group for 30 minutes, and a math group for 30 minutes (The math is in addition to my regular math block that is sadly only 50 minutes long).  Those 2 days a week when she is pulling my 8 kids who scored high on the pre-test, I'm providing lessons to my other 12 that either reinforce what we've been learning or that the other 8 don't necessarily need.  The lessons may be  prerequisites that will help my other students feel confident with the next days lesson.  Then they are getting what they need plus a push, while my high students are also receiving that challenge they need.  I may also do something like- teach them the same concept but change the numbers they are working on for independent practice - or put kids into pairs so they can bounce ideas, strategies off of each other - or just have someone for help if needed.  I have NEVER been so happy with my math workshop before. NEVER. And I'm seeing kids grasp concepts that you wouldn't think 3rd graders in their 5th months of school would know - with a true, concrete understanding of what they are doing. And I apply this same concept across the rest of the day - but for me, Literacy is so much easier to differentiate for.  You teach a mini-lesson with texts that are at the level of your high students while making sure the content is appropriate for all kids and teaching them concepts, vocabulary, and have discussions.  It works, I'm telling you.

If you hold high expectations for kids, they'll work to reach them.  I promise.  And what if they don't? Well guess what - you were providing an enrichment based on standards so your intervention should be focusing on the standards and....VOILA- they're good with grade-level standards WITH exposure to higher-level thinking.  The more exposure to those higher-level thinking skills- the more likely they are to eventually be able to solve them on their own.  And I'm telling you - kids WILL rise to the occassion.  They are capable.  They can do it.  They will.  They will amaze themselves and they will amaze  you.

So why don't you try it if you don't already do it? Just start with 1 unit.  Do a pre-test, see where your kids are at, and plan instruction based on the highest score - you'll be amazed at the growth you'll see in your students.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Stop saying they can't do it

"It's just too difficult... they can't do it... the vocabulary is too advanced... they're too young... they've never used that before..."

I hear this sooo many times and I'm begging you, pleading with you...


stop!





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Kids are so incredibly capable of so many things that people say they "can't" do.  If you provide kids with the right instruction, the right guidance, the right amount of time, the WILL get it, they WILL do it, and they WILL impress you!  Maybe they can't do it right at this moment... but there will be that day when all that instruction and guidance pays off and they've got it! They may not get it all at the same time- but I promise you, they will.

Using a computer...

Remembering their address...

Adding 3-digit numbers...

Talking in front of a group...

Writing a sentence...

Typing in a password...

Every single child can be successful, if we just help them get there, but if we just keep creating excuses for them, they'll continue to not do those things you say they can't.

So please, if you are creating excuses for your children, your students - stop saying they can't and replace it with "They WILL..." because you'll be surprised what kids can really do!


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Creating Magic: Music in the Classroom


Raise your hand if you hate music....anybody? nobody? Yeah, that's what I figured.  Music speaks to the soul.  Music is therapy.  It's a way for humans to relieve stress, to let go, to be silly,  Besides all that,  music is also a way to get your students engaged in the classroom! Incorporating music throughout the day can be a great way to teach content or even take a quick brain break! Today I'm going to share how you can engage your students in the content with music.  Another day I'll share how you can use them as brain breaks!

Engaging the Content:

I enjoy writing my own songs because it makes the song mine and I get to share it with you guys- but some people just don't like that. And with the amount of no time we have (Get what I did there?) - when do you even have time to write them? I love borrowing songs!  Are you also not into writing your own songs? That's OK! There's tons out there. I use so many that I've just found. You can search google, Youtube, blogs.. seriously - I bet you'll find one that will fit your needs.  Most recently we've been singing Ron Clark's Bone Song.  The kids love to "Put your hands on your hips and shake 'em!"   Between our 2 classes, a few others include Skip Counting to a Tune, Multiplication Funk, Text Features Rap , and I found myself some Text Features.(All credit to the awesome song writers!)





Justin's class has been singing the one below!

(Their disco ball seems so much better than mine! I'm jealous)

I've got this one on my list - we've been learning all about the difference parts of speech and they will LOVE this one.


Can I just tell you how quickly my kids have picked up on their multiplication facts thanks to this song? I mean seriously!! We sing this almost daily. It's awesomesauce.



And who doesn't like a little funk? Factor and product? Equal Groups? They got it!




I recently found this one that is so cute and would be perfect for providing text evidence!! Can't wait to introduce this one to my kids.


Do my students memorize every single one of these songs? No, not really. I print out the lyrics to the songs and they keep them in a folder.  I wish I had them keep a "Song Folder" but I didn't think about it.  Next year, definitely!  When we sing, they quickly whip out the song and read along as they sing (Fluency practice - score!) After a small handful of times, a lot of the songs they really do begin to commit to memory and they'll be able to use them for a long time!

So, go ahead- try it! Build some music into your lessons. Your intros.  Your closings.  However it may fit best and see how engaged your students will be!





Sunday, November 8, 2015

Creating Magic: Campfire Story Share!



There are so many easy ways to get kids excited in your classroom every day.  This one was so fun and simple!  Early on in the year I realized that my class is very into scary stories! So- the week of Halloween I gave them a task:

You have 5 days to draft and publish a creative story that you will share at our Campfire Story Share on Friday! We'll get flashlights, a campfire, and lanterns to share our stories! You must follow the writing process and you must be finished before share time on Friday.

I didn't want to limit to any type of story - although most of them ended up writing something "scary."  The deal was, anyone who wasn't finished would not be able to participate - this may sound harsh but it totally got their little hineys writing and not wasting time!

Every single kid got to share their story that Friday! It was a full moon in our room.  We gathered around the campfire, got our lanterns,, our flashlights... I turned on some "Sounds of the Woods" and we shared! The kids were so engaged and had so much fun! 





Just a side note: The campfire is one of those fake fire lights with the fan. I bought if off of Amazon.  It was definitely a solid purchase because I'll use it often! It actually triples as a cauldron and a torch.