Summer

Math

My fellow teachers have commented that "I LOVE to use my ANCHOR CHARTS" and they are so right! I use them as a visual and resource all the time. (yes I know my pie graph equals more than 100%....It was made prior to coffee-Whoops!)

 

 

We just finished our Chapter on Graphing Data. I enriched this "easier" chapter with additional types of graphs and a family project. (seen below)

 

I have to admit, this years "Family Project" participation has blown me through the roof. I had 14 out of 19 students turn in an optional Data Family Project! I love that the parents support enriching activities like this at home!

 

 

On Thursday we started our LAST math chapter on Geometry. I had the students work as a team to discuss the math vocabulary: faces, vertices, edge, 3-d, 2-d, and 1-d. We had so much fun making our 3-d Shapes foldable resource (not pictured) for their math journals.

 

 
If you haven't already read this, you need to! I ordered it off Amazon and it is such a hilarious book on 3-d shapes. The kids were so into it and it retaught the shapes for reinforcement. I asked questions throughout the story (found on TPT for free) that went along with "Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes"

Easter

I know I'm a week late, but I had to post these cute Easter Treats that I made (via pinterest) for my students.

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day

I Love Earth Day!

 

We get to wear our COOL Earth Day Shirts, we get to learn about Recycling, and we get to instill the importance of taking care of our planet!

 

In my class, we started with a KWL chart to see what we already know about "Recycling".

I am a HUGE fan of graphic organizers and questioning prior to teaching. Majority of the time, my students share connections (which the other students hear) and then I don't teach about things that they ALREADY KNOW. How boring!

 

For the KWL chart, they told me everything they already KNOW about recycling. Then, they wrote down 3 WONDER questions in the middle section. Last, they watched a Discovery Education video on Earth Day and wrote down things they LEARNED.

 

 

"HELP HEAL THE EARTH" Band-Aid KWL Charts.

 

Reduce Reuse Recycle Earth Day Shirt!!!!

 

 

Earth Day Science Activity

 

First, we discussed landfills and why we have them. My students were completely grossed out and asked "doesn't that pollute the water and trees around the landfill?" I was so proud of their connections but sadly they were right!

 

I gave each student a plastic cup full of "rubber tires" (cheerios) and told them that we were going to "melt them down" (crush them). We just used the end of a marker to do this part.

 

 

 

 

 

Next, I gave each student a small plastic cup full of "rocks and pebbles" (salt).

 

Then, each student put in some "concrete" (flour).

 

Last, each student put some "water" (glue) to bind it all together.

 

It was messy and fun and they loved forming their ROADS.

 

Lesson learned:

Old tires can be recycled to make roadways.

 

Field Trip

Field Trip to the Edison Winter Estate

What do you wear on Field Trip day? I wore my comfy clothes and was obviously excited about it based on my 6 am photo!

 

Field Trip ready! Vera Bradley backpack and matching lanyard ;)

 

Lanyard for myself and parent chaperone. I broke the class in half and put a list of those students names on the lanyards for easy roll call throughout the day.

 

I found these cute note pads and pencils at Target in the $1 section. I got 2/$1 on the notepads and the students are obsessed with any type of pencils so these were a huge hit! The kids watched a short video about Thomas Edison prior to getting on the bus and they were asked to write down 3 wonder questions to try and answer on the Field Trip to the Edison Winter Estate.

 

I played a movie when we got back because WOW we were exhausted. I got these cute chevron cups once again at Target.

 

Thomas Edison's Laboratory

 

Statue of Thomas Edison

 

Oh and I made tie-dyed shirts last weekend for them to wear. My kids are in the blue and red tie-dyed shirts. :) Fun day with my kiddies!!!!

Teacher Fashion

Some of my favs from these past couple weeks!!!!

Black Loft Dress, Skinny belt, and black pumps

Mustard cardigan and blouse from Target

Khaki pencil skirt and coral belt/sandals from Target

White Eyelet dress(Target), camel belt/pumps (BCBG), and Red blazer (H&M)

Floral blouse and pink cardigan with black pencil skirt (Target/JcPenny)

Friday: Purple KEDS and Heights Shirt

Peach/White dress and white cardigan (Target)

Black/Teal Maxi skirt, teal jewelry (Target)

New Makeup from Sephora ;)

I "Mustache" You a Question

Hi Ya'll! After a long week oF IEP, 504, and Final Evaluation Meetings I am GLAD it is the weekend. Here are some highlights from my week.

I introduced Chapter 10 ((Data and Graphing)) this week. The students each received a mustache and got to wear it throughout the whole activity. I just laminated some printed out mustaches and put tape on the back...super easy and they couldn't stop laughing. I of course wore one into the room and gave them a "what, do I have something on my face?" look when they burst out laughing. (Funny teachers always have fun ;)

 Back to the LESSON:
The students each thought up a survey question to ask their friends.

Some of my fav's were:

1. What is your favorite M&M color?
2. What is your favorite sport?
3. What is your favorite video game?

After they had their survey question written down, they had to list 5 choices to choose from. Then the survey began! Students put tally marks next to each choice if a peer picked it.

Hearing them say "I Mustache You a Question" every time they asked their survey question was hilarious!

Back to the LESSON:
The students then graphed their data. I had them all use a bar graph model to keep things easier for our intro lesson. They wrote the survey choices on the bottom 5 lines, then graphed up the numbered side for how many peers choice that answer.

I then printed a picture of them off my computer and they drew on their own mustaches to their picture. What a hoot! :)

IB

I teach at an International Baccalaureate school which follows a PYP program. We do a lot of inquiry and trans-disciplinary teaching. Here are some of the things I do in my room!

 

I use one of the "lines of inquiry" as a planner reflection. I write it on an index card and the students reflect on the planner to be hung on our "IB Reflection Wall."

 

 

 

 Wonder Wall! My students are ALWAYS asking questions and being little inquirers. I love it but sometimes we don't have time to answer all these questions in our day. I always say "I LOVE THAT, will you go write it on a sticky note so we can research it later?" We always do, and they really enjoy writing the answer at the bottom of their inquiry sticky note.
 

 

 

I guess even Second Graders notice the trend. Here is an inquiry after I introduced our Economics Planner last week.

 

Inferring

I have done this activity with just about every Reading Skill there is and inferring is no exception. They love to get up out of their seats, work as teams, and use markers! :)

I printed some INTERESTING pictures and taped them to chart paper. They had to work as a team to make an inference about the picture using their background knowledge and what they saw.

What you know + What you see = INFERENCE

 

 

Contraction Doctors

I am sure you have all seen this activity done before but it was my first time doing it with my kiddies. What a BLAST!

I had their "surgery stations" set up for when they returned from lunch. They put on their gloves, masks, and got name badges before they were ready for surgery.

The students had to cut apart the index card and "remove" the part that wasn't in the contraction. Then, they had to use the band aide to "repair" the contraction.

They thought it was hilarious and they learned so much from this interactive activity.

I of course called them by their "Doctor Names" the remainder of the day. It cracked us all up when I referred to them as "Dr. Ryan" or "Dr. Emily"...