Q1 Metacognition

Metacognition...

Thinking About your Thinking!  

Last school year, we spend lots of time practicing metacognition with our Reading Salad.  We taught our students that reading triggers thinking and thinking supports comprehension. 

You can read more about The Reading Salad by clicking the image below!

The Reading Salad is from the book Comprehension Connections.  We have several copies in the library if you are interested in reading more. 

 It is an AMAZING BOOK!

Here is a digital copy of The Reading Salad for you to use in your classroom. 

This school year, I would like to take METACOGNITION to a new level with

 THOUGHT BUBBLES!

Students will learn to record their thinking while reading with Thought Bubbles. 

Thought Bubbles are perfect for nonfiction text because it helps students to understand that they need to think while reading ALL kinds of text, not just fiction. 

Thought Bubbles and Think Alouds work hand in hand. Read more about Think Alouds by clicking the image above!

Use poster board to create some THOUGHT Bubbles for your students to use during Buddy Reading!

Click the image to read more about Metacognition over on the Reading Resource Blog!

Click the image below to check out how to use Thought Bubbles in your classroom!

I would LOVE to come in and CO-Teach this lesson with you. 

Check out these FUN THOUGHT Bubbles from Teacher Karma! 

Happy Planning!

Q1 PEAK a BOO Challenge

Welcome to our Q1 PEAK a BOO Challenge!  We are going to be exploring some PEAK strategies with this fun PEAK a BOO Challenge board!  

Beginning on Monday, October 15th through the 31st, MGSD K-8 teachers will be exploring different PEAK strategies and posting on collaborative Padlets to win AWESOME PRIZES!

Just look over the board below and click through the links filled with PEAK strategies.  Each color is a different type of strategy!  Try out as many as you want.   

Be sure to take some pictures while your students work to post to our K-3 Padlets! 

If you are using a PURPLE General Strategy be sure to post a link to a picture or video on the PURPLE
K-3 board for credit.  (And so on for other colors.) 

Everyone that participates gets a FREE JEANS Pass! 

We will be drawing 3 additional winners on 

October 31st! 

Q1 Higher Order Thinking

Welcome to this week's Instructional Blogpost!  With just coming off our Keys to Literacy Training and our discussion about higher order thinking & questioning, I thought it was the perfect time to get some resources into your hands to bring this magic into your classrooms!

REMEMBER...metacognition is thinking about your thinking.  Strong readers do this naturally!  Others need more modeling with Think Alouds!  

I love this TedTalk all about higher order thinking! 

 It is a MUST listen!

There are no right or wrong answers with thinking...

Cult of Pedagogy brings the idea of CURATION Tasks!  This is an amazing idea that lends itself to creating tasks for your students to "THINK" their way through. 

Each task is embedded with a short written piece.  It is a perfect way to get students to write about their thinking without them even knowing!  

Be sure to check out her recommended digital resources to help support your students higher order thinking!

Bring accountable talk into your classroom with these FREE A.T. task cards from Teaching in the Heart of Florida!

I love Socratic Seminar but it isn't always easy in the elementary world. BUT...there are ways to scaffold it so that your little learners can benefit from this powerful "thinking" framework! 

Check out this video all about SS and a freebie I found to support it in the elementary classroom from The Paisley Owl!

Happy planning and thinking! 

Q1 Learning Targets

This week on the BLOG we are going to be focusing on Learning Targets!  In other words, creating specific and measurable goals for your students! 
(AKA: I can statements.)

Check out this video overview of Learning Targets from The Lettered Classroom.   

I love that in the video she reminds us to spiral back and make sure that we revisit the learning target at the end of the lesson to check and see if the target was met or if anything is "MUDDY."   

Check out this PEAK Strategy Muddy Paws and how you can use it to check back in on learning!

Make reading the Learning Targets a JOB in your classroom!  Ask a student each day to come up front and read the learning target for the lesson you are about to begin.  Take 1 minute to discuss with your students what the learning target is focused on so they understand what they are learning & why they are learning it. 

Watch a video from iWalkthrough.com all about how to unpack a Learning Target with your students. 

I love these 2 visuals from 

The Balanced Literacy Diet!

 . 

Check out these FREEbies for posting Learning Targets in the classroom!

Remember...

See some Learning Targets in action in a real classroom! Watch the teacher unpack the target and revisit it throughout the lessons. Students even self-assess their learning on the target with an exit ticket.

Happy targeting! 

Q1 Classroom Management

Hi All!  Testing time is almost over and teaching time is at hand!  Now that you have good strong data on your students,  it is time to start grouping them for guided reading and math.  With that being said, you also have to make sure that your students are ready to become a bit more independent.  

That is when you must rely on your classroom management and the procedures you have put in place.  I am not going to lie, classroom management is one of my FAVORITE things!  I am kinda a junky on Pinterest for anything involving Classroom MGT!  

I have compiled some of my favorite tips and tricks for you to read through and make your own!
First,  let's start with this post from Cult of Pedagogy!  I LOVE this blog and it is filled with awesome resources for your classroom.  

4 simple keys to getting your management off on the right foot.  If I had to pick a favorite, I would totally go with Key 2-Teach Your Plan!  So often we know what we want them to do but our student's interpretation can be a bit different.  So, it is so important to model, model, model!

Also, check out these positive classroom management tricks from Proud to be Primary!

Don't pass this post by, lots of great freebies!

And...we all want to save our sanity right?  Teach 4 the Heart has some great ideas to add to your own management style.  

A secret student is a great idea for rewarding good behavior!  I love that the students don't know who you are watching.  

I hope you find something to add to your management toolkit.  Having a well-managed classroom makes life easier for everyone! Happy teachers & happy students!  

Q1 Week 2

Welcome to Week 2!  This week, I want us to look at the Tools 4 NC Teachers site.  I am really excited about all of the FREE resources that are available!

Each grade level is linked at the top of the page.  Once the grade level is clicked, you will be directed to a new page that is filled with resources for each of our instructional framework clusters.  

Within the resource page, you will find an introduction to the framework and a link to each cluster per grade level.  Choose a cluster and click.  That is when the fun begins!  You will find lesson ideas, instructional & assessment tasks, and additional resources like number talks.  (The assessment tasks would be perfect for collecting data for our PLC meetings.) 

Below is an example for 2nd grade.  

Knowing that your new curriculum guides were planned around these clusters makes choosing activities from this site a no-brainer!  The lessons would be perfect to add into your Patriot Block for your struggling students or just to the next grade level to extend thinking for your high flyers. 

Each cluster has a parent letter that would be a great addition to your weekly newsletter or website!   HERE is a 2nd-grade example. Each letter is editable and has visual examples for parents.  

There is also a great post about the Launch, Explore, Discuss framework and how it can support learning in your classroom.  It is a simple way to introduce new material, give students time to practice the material and follow up with a discussion.  

Check it out by clicking the image below! 

The best part is, I found this post under the additional resources under grade 2 cluster 1:) 

Jumping to something different!  TumbleMath!  You may have seen some emails going around about a FREE trial for Tumblemath!  

I am going to let you in on a little secret!  I spent the summer writing lessons for TumbleMath!  I would love for you to take advantage of this awesome resource.  Again, perfect for Patriot Time or to push out through Google Classroom & Choice Boards.  

CHALLENGE TIME!

I challenge you to find a book that I wrote a lesson for and leave it in the comments below.  The first 3 people to correctly identify a book and lesson I worked on, will win a PRIZE!
Check your email from Susie for the username and password!

Q1 Week 2

Welcome to Week 2!  This week I would like to spend some time looking at some PEAK strategies. Many of us spent time this summer with Spence Rogers focusing on Performance Excellence for ALL Kids.  

I know many of you are working to begin your assessments and many of the strategies that Spence shared can help with keeping your kids focused and engaged!  

Launch Buttons are a tool to reduce students starting to act on directions before you finish giving them. 

Music is a great LAUNCH Button but it is also great for conversations and discussion times.  During PEAK, music was played to signal when to start and when to stop discussions.  Here are a few playlists to add to your music library!

List 1

List 2

List 3

List 4

List 5

Drum Beats

Deflected Directions I LOVE this idea!!!  The idea is simple, get your students on board with helping each other follow directions. 

Here are some EXAMPLES:

*Check with an elbow buddy and make sure they are on page 86.

*Make sure everyone at your table has a pencil and a highlighter. 

Chapter 7 in your BIG PEAK book is all about Classroom Leadership.  This is a wonderful idea to add to your morning meetings.  

The book suggests adding affirmations and inspirational quotes to your walls and changing them often.  Introduce these quotes during your morning meeting on Monday and refer back to them all week. Reward students with DOJO points for modeling the quote's message.  Check out these FREE quotes from One Teacher's Adventure to get you started!

Try out these EXPERT cards!  This would be an awesome way for students to show responsibility by becoming an expert on certain things in the classroom. Then they can help others when they have questions! Page 155 in your BIG PEAK book. Click the image to read all about Expert Cards!

If you are needing some reminders about strategies from PEAK.  Check out this PEAK shopping cart.  Just like in the grocery store...explore the shelves and enjoy!

One last PEAK strategy for when you are introducing new content.  FRAYER Cards! 
 Click to download directions to get you started!

Happy Planning!