Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Inspiring Video!!

Have you checked out TeacherTube Videos?  It's a very cool website that has videos for teachers!!  Really cool.  I came across this video and it has really inspired me to use technology more in my classroom.  The video is about 7 minutes long, and well worth the time.  


It has got me thinking about ways to use technology more in first grade.  These kids at 6 and 7 have ipods, cell phones, computers at home, TONS of video games and more.  They are so engaged when doing these things, maybe there is a way for me to engage students more during the parts of school that they are not so interested in.  For example, it seems that I always have a few little guys who don't like to write.  What could I do for them?

  1. Comic Life software
  2. Google Docs
  3. Animoto photo captions
  4. Interactive whiteboards
  5. Online buddy class that we write instant messages to about our day
  6. Kidspiration software 
  7. Kidpix software
  8. Microsoft Word!!
  9. Drawing Pad app for ipad
  10. Zaner-Bloser Handwriting-Manuscript for ipad
  11. This is my story (and I'm sticking to it) app
Any other ideas?!  I'd love to hear your ideas for using technology with young students to keep engagement levels high!
 

 

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Parent Tip Sheets- Freebie!


Hi Everyone!  Sorry it has been a week since my last post.  I live in Virginia and we had a bad storm last Friday night and didn’t have power for 4 ½ days!!!  Luckily my parents had power so I packed up the 2 kids and the 2 dogs and off we went.  With this 100 degree heat, it was a real blessing to have somewhere to go.

On a completely different note, I wanted to share some tips that I give to my parents for helping their kids at home.  The first is for parents who are having a hard time getting their kids to focus on homework or finishing schoolwork. 


Click Parent tips for kids with focus issues to see it as a google doc.
Click here to go to my TPT store and download it for free!

Next is something we send home at Back to School Night for parents who aren’t sure how to help their child with their reading homework.

Sorry that I couldn't get this one as a google doc, here it is for free at my TPT store!


Hope you can use these!
Melissa

Friday, June 29, 2012

Clipboards and Craft Sticks

Jazzing up clipboards is all over the teaching blogs and mine definitely needed some updating!!  I got the idea to use scrapbooking paper and mod podge from Dana at Fun in 1st Grade.


 
So here is the before shot:


 
They look pretty ratty from all the marker, pencil and crayon marks on them.  I picked out some cute scrapbooking paper that I had in the back of my bedroom closet and then measured and cut the paper, rounding the corners and cutting a notch at the top.


Using the first one as a template, I cut the rest of the paper and then spray glued it to the clipboard.  (**Take note!!  Do not do these things while using spray glue:  pet dog, wipe nose or go potty.  Take it from me!)


Carefully apply the paper to the clipboard, trying to smooth out the bumps.  Then use Mod Podge to seal and protect the paper and the clipboard.  I used 2 thin coats, waiting about 15 minutes in between coats to let it dry.
 
And voila!!  Here are the finished clipboards!!  I made two of each kind.  I’ll use these to make partners, choose volunteers to demo a game or for choosing kids to leave the carpet and get started on their work.  So for example, I’ll say, “If you have the ladybug clipboards, you’re partners today.”  Or, if you have the watermelon clipboards, come up and show us your work.”

Another way that I make it fair when calling on kids is to have craft sticks with their initials on them.

I use these for reminding myself who has had a turn to answer questions, had a turn to share, or also for making partners and choosing kids to go to their desk and start working.  Happy Crafting!

Melissa


 


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Organizing Math Materials



I'm reading Math Work Stations by Debbie Diller and totally loving it!

In Chapter 2- Organizing and Managing Math Materials, she suggests taking out all your math stuff and make it easier to find.  Think of the acronym S.P.A.C.E. created by Julie Morgenstern.

  1. Sorting your stuff- take EVERYTHING out.  I thought that I had all my math materials organized, but I kept finding more things in all corners of my classroom!  Take them out of their container and put them in piles according to your math units. (I wish I had a picture of my classroom to show you this step.  Imagine all the furniture pushed to one side of the room and then EVERY BIT OF FLOOR SPACE covered with papers, books, manipulatives and empty containers.  Ugh)
  2. Purging- very hard to do.  I filled two of the big custodian trash cans and took several trips to empty my recycling bin.  However, I felt really good about what I had done. (BTW- this whole process took 8 hours!)   (ha ha!  No, I didn't throw away any students!)
  3. Assign a Home- once I had everything sorted and trimmed down, I could look at the piles and see what size and type of container I'd need to hold it all.  I was really tempted to go out and buy all new, matching containers, but I listened to Debbie Diller and just used what I had.  I had tons of empty containers from when I started sorting.  At this point, I realized that the cupboard where I had been keeping them was not the best one.  I needed to move cupboards, which meant taking everything that was currently in that cupboard and moving it!!  Gah!
  4. Containerize!  Finally, a step that I liked.  I started with my biggest pile- Measurement- and worked my way through the 12 piles until they were all in labeled containers.
  5. Equalize- this step is ongoing, evaluate as the school year goes on what is working and what isn't.





It was a lot of work, but soooo worth it!!  Now when I go to set up my math work stations, everything will be together! 

I saw this on Pinterest from Molly at Lessons with Laughter and loved it!!  


No more dice flying around the room!!


Melissa