Welcome to Week 8! Testing is just about done and we are moving into the last week or so of school! I know it is crazy!!!!! BUT...I wanted to give you some ideas that might just make Back to School a little easier. I have been searching the web for resources and ideas to help you do some pre-prep for next year. I start with 5 things to do Over the Summer to Make Next Year AMAZING from The Applicious Teacher! I love that she has a listing of educational books to read over the break. Be sure to check it out:)
Here is a teacher hack video!
From The Not So Wimpy Teacher, you can start prepping open house materials. I always printed all of my open house information and any posters I needed before I left for the summer.
Check out the freebies over at Simply Kinder! Printing decodable readers ahead of time would be a great way to get a jump start on the beginning of the year guided reading lessons.
Watch this video on Must-Haves for the Classroom!
How about creating some Google Doc Digital Lessons Plans????? Check out this video and then spend some time this summer creating your own template in Google Slides!
Welcome to Quater 4 Week 7! This week is a BRAGpost, not a BLOGpost! I have to take some time and BRAG about one of my past mentees, Mrs. Kelsey Christian. When I met Kelsey, I was in my 14th year in education. I was teaching 2nd grade in Cabarrus County. She was fresh out of college and I was her first ever teammate! We were assigned to teach 2nd grade together. Our classrooms were joined by an office and 2 doors-she kept her door shut because I was too loud and told her when her posters were crooked!
(Kelsey is on the left-my daughter is on the right.)
Honestly, we could not have been more different. She was a young, tall, hip 20-year-old and I was an older, shorter, not so hip mother of 2 at the time. But we totally clicked! Who knows why but we really brought the best teacher out in each other. I was able to mentor her through the ropes of lesson planning, behavior, dealing with parents and all the stuff teachers deal with daily. She helped me be more of a risk taker and to look at kiddos in a different light. You see, she has a special way of noticing the very best in the ALL children. She can work with children that have some of the most difficult challenges & make them successful. After 8 years in Cabarrus County, (2 with Kelsey) I decided I needed a change and moved to a brain-based charter school. I convinced Kelsey to move with me & we got to dive into the world of brain-based learning together. Being at new charter school, we didn't have much to start with, so teachers poured a ton of money into their classrooms. One of my favorite purchases was a giant blue brain decal for my wall. Even though that year was the last year we taught together, it was a year that really cemented our belief on how executive function must not be overlooked in the classroom.
I am so happy I get to brag on Kelsey today! She took the idea of the big blue brain and grew it in her classroom. She did what good teachers do. She made it her own & brought it to her students. Kelsey was featured on EduChalkboard talking about the big blue brain and how she uses it as a concept map for social intelligence, academics & behavior in her classroom. Please read and comment to Kelsey! She is an amazing teacher that touches the lives of children in her community with purpose and love!
You never know when a friend will come into your life and become family! Kelsey has become more than a friend to me-she is like a sister! Learn from each other~That is what great teachers do!
Welcome to Week 6! This is the perfect time of year to get your kiddos into science! This video below really got me thinking about inquiry-based science.
Scientists are really just kids that never grew up!
What is Inquiry-Based Learning?
Can it work in Elementary School?
Amanda Baldwin says...YES!
As a mother and a teacher, I know I am guilty of squashing that inquisitive mind in exchange for order and efficiency during everyday life. But I also know, that if I let that inquisitive mind go and wonder~great things can be discovered!
Bringing Science back into our classrooms is essential to reading comprehension. Science builds background knowledge on concepts of life, such as physics, biology, & chemistry. Students that have been exposed to those topics early on have the prior knowledge to comprehend more complex informational texts.
Below are some science resources to add to your end of the year lesson planning.
Science Journal Pages from Little Bins to Little Hands:
Implementing Science into Close Reading from Teaching to Inspire:
Weather Experiments from The Second Grade Nest:
Electric Art from The Schroeder Page:
Ice Cream Float Science from The Schroeder Page
(If you are interested in this file let me know:)
Ten Tips for Teaching Science from The Science Penguin:
Knowledge Building Circles in Your Classroom from Madly Learning:
(I LOVE this idea for science!)
EcoSystems from Tarheels State Teacher:
Accountable Talk Book Marks:
Pets in the Classroom from Teaching Elementary and Beyond:
Speaking of Pets in the classroom...
Bun Bun is up for adoption!
This sweet bunny comes FREE with this awesome Bunny Mansion!
Please let Miss Marissa in the office know if you are interested in giving Bun Bun a new home.
Dr. Rogers has okayed Bun Bun's new home at Park View!
Welcome to Week 5! This week I would like to share some review games with you. I know we are in the midst of MClass testing and EOG prep so I hope that these review activities will help you support your kiddos before, during and after the testing season. Can we make it stick by changing up the how we review?
I love the idea of switching up how we normally teach a topic with an engaging review. Simply putting the material in a game or technology format can make all the difference. Or just head outside and write the answers in sidewalk chalk. Students will make connections to the material through a relaxed and enjoyable activity. Plus, adding in a bit of competition can push students that are normally not interested in the review. Chalk Review: Simply writing the letters in sidewalk chalk outside and saying words beginning or ending with that sound for students to hunt and find is an easy review. It also gets your students some much-needed exercise and fresh air!
The Game of ATTACK: The game Attack would work perfectly with any season. No prep or materials needed. Works with any subject. Read about it at Math in the Middle.
Twister Review: Or try out my Twister Review file. My students always looked forward to this review activity. All you need is to create large colored circles on construction paper. Add review questions on the back and place them in a large space. Students can spin a spinner on the smartboard or use a real Twister Spinner.
Click the image to download a copy!
Reviewing with Spoons: This game is a spin-off of the old game of spoons. Grab some plastic spoons and create some matching cards. It would work well for math to represent numbers, fractions, & word problems strategies. I love it for ELA with context clues, definitions, and vocabulary.
It is soooo easy to set up & it is just like a game of Jeopardy.
I sure hope one of these review links will give you some fresh ideas for reviewing skills in your classroom. Changing things up once in a while can support student engagement and help students retain information better. Plus, it can be just plain fun!
Welcome to Week 4! With all the talk of reviewing and testing, I wanted to take a break and think about something that you could use after the testing season is over. That is Virtual Reality! What is Virtual Reality?
We are so excited that MGSD purchased 4 sets of virtual reality goggles that can be signed out in sets of 10. These sets can bring tons of virtual reality field trips to life for your students.
To check out a set, please email Mrs. Schroeder or Mrs. Harkey with dates and times.
That means when testing season is over, you can take your students on a virtual trip of a lifetime!
Check out this LIST of Google Expeditions created by MGSD! When planning your expedition think carefully about your science and social studies standards.
Use Command F to search for a specific topic. Scroll through the green highlighted expeditions and choose one that will fit your needs.
VR is a perfect opportunity to bring those concepts to life!
