Edible igneous rocks model science experiment! This science project is perfect for preschool, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th grades...and older kids too!
Hang on, the learning is ready to start. Get ahead of the game with our 1st Grade Worksheets. These little minds are ready to mold, and you can do a great job getting them ready with English, Reading, Math and more. Print all of our...
Explore the 5 senses with a cool candy! This fun and simple to set up Pop Rocks experiment is sure to be a hit with kids.
Kindergarten is the start of a life of learning. Give them the tools they need with our free Kindergarten coloring pages and worksheets. We have a LOT for you to choose from. Numbers, letters, colors, tracing, and much more. Get them excited for the classroom...
“All About My Rock” Graphic Organizer/Research Paper This product includes a graphic organizer, parent note, detailed station directions, as well as lined writing paper for your students to copy their research to. You may choose to have your students complete the graphic organizer only and discuss/share their findings. For more advanced practice, students may transfer their research to the included writing paper and make a nice informational research book. I hope you enjoy this product. If you would like to receive updates on future products and freebies, please click “Follow” at the top of the page. Thanks so much! Other Related Product: 1. Letters Rock (5 Activities).
Download an 11-page worksheet set to supplement your Rocks and Minerals Unit Study!
Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.
Okay, so you can tell by the title of this blog post I’m a biologist and not a chemist. (Chemistry teachers, please don’t send me hate mail!) Honestly, I don’t love chemistry and I don’t love teaching it. BUT, I realize how important it is for students to understand biochemistry before I dive into a ... Read more
Help your kids learn about the differences between rocks and minerals and how they are formed with this mini-lesson for children ages 9 to 12.
Hi everyone! It's Naomi O'Brien from Read Like a Rock Star! I've noticed a lot of teachers heading back to school, and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I use to create a positive classroom culture. For years, my coworkers chalked my sweet and well behaved classes up to the "luck of the draw", but then they had to admit, it must have been something I was doing. We, the teachers, really are responsible for setting the tone in our classroom. Our children are always watching us and how we respond to situations teaches them a lot about how they should respond to us and each other. How I Create and Maintain a Positive Classroom Culture for K-2! I Tell them They Were Handpicked to be in My Class, but Shhhhhh, It's a Secret: On the first day of school, I always let my students know that I have a HUGE secret to share with them. The secret is that I asked for only the best students to be in my class. I let them know that I read information about them, talked to the principal and other teachers, and that I only allowed the best kids into my room. I tell them that this is a secret and that if the rest of the school knew, everyone would be trying to be in our class and then it would get too crowded and too crazy. I let them know they can tell their parents, but nobody else. During restorative conversations, I remind them that they are still the best, deserve to be in my class, and to never forget it. It's always really cute when we get a new student and my students are so excited to have someone new to share the secret with! I Let Them Take Over the Classroom: I give them a lot of opportunities to learn and share with each other. Sometimes it's hard to give up the reigns, but they learn to respect and listen to one another. Every now and then, I pretend to be the confused one, and have them help me learn a concept. They think it's hilarious and they come together for a good cause; to teach their teacher. I Take Time to Start Personal Conversations: Instead of walking around or sitting at my desk, I like to sit with my students and get to know them. I let them know I'm interested in who they are, not just what they can do. It's this relationship building that makes them naturally want to behave better for me. They know I care about them, and it makes them care about me too. I Give Them Plenty of Opportunities to Work Together: Team work makes the dream work! I make them discuss everything with each other, and collaborate often. Also, they are not allowed to tattle! Once they realize they need to work together without any help or conflict resolution from me, they learn to get along (slowly, but surely). I Don't Allow Tattling: I know I just mentioned that, but I wanted to bring it up again. Unless something serious happened, I ignore any and all tattles. Sometimes I say, "All you've done is let me know that you're a tattle-tale. Thank you." They learn very quickly that tattling won't get them very far and it forces them to talk to each other and work out their problems on their own. I always drive home the point that we have to look out for each other, not try to get each other in trouble. Instead of telling me that someone isn't working, they learn to nicely remind the friend to get back on task. This takes a few months to master, but it works out beautifully! I Teach Character Traits: I pick 6 traits that I think will help my students excel. I make sure to make time in our busy day to teach them about these traits; usually right after lunch/recess as a "cool down" activity. I chose Kindness, Ambition, Self-Confidence, Honesty, Thoughtfulness, and Respect last year. Think about the traits that are most important to you. Focus on the traits that you'd like to teach your students to possess. Find creative ways to encourage your students to take on these traits for themselves. I made badges for my students to earn to make sure they were aware of the traits and working on their own character. You can also post pictures of students that show a specific trait frequently in class, write positive notes about good or improved behavior you've noticed, practice acting the traits out in student led plays or skits, make class videos showing the traits, or read stories that exemplify characters that show good character traits. Make sure to point out the traits and have discussions about them. In order to create a positive classroom culture, you must truly be intentional about creating one. It's important to use your character trait vocabulary throughout the day too. I Teach the Art of Giving a Compliment: Compliment Plates were always a hit with my students! Give out plates, give out markers, have a good time! In the beginning of the year, with my first graders, we brainstormed nice compliments and I wrote them on the board for a writing support. They loved going around filling them out, and they loved reading what their friends had to say about them. This was always followed by "Thank you's" and "You're welcome's'" being called out across the room. Even hugs were often being given out for the kind words shared. I pick a Kid of the Day to be showered in compliments! I truly believe doing this daily is one of the most beneficial activities I have done for my students. I found that with my first graders, we had to first discuss how to give and receive a compliment. Outside of "You're my best friend", they really couldn't think of anything else to say. After a lot of discussions and practice, they were giving out compliments left and right, even when they thought I wasn't paying attention. I also had to teach them to accept the compliment with a "Thank you". Surprisingly, some of them would say something like, "No, I'm not pretty." and really had a hard time accepting nice things being said about them. We also had to discuss that simply saying, "I know I'm cute." wasn't acceptable either... I also have a Compliment Count on the board. It's quick and easy, and it gets their attention. (Side Benefit: It helps them count tally marks really well!) If ever anyone outside of our classroom gives us a compliment, they get a tally mark added to the Compliment Count. If the principal gives them a compliment, it counts for two tally marks! This promotes great behavior when they are walking in the hallways, at recess, at lunch, and at Specials. Whenever we reached 20 tally marks, they got some of my stash. I Make My Students Reflect on their Unsavory Behavior: When students act out it is important to give them consequences for their actions. I believe it is equally as important to follow up with the student through a reflection sheet. After the student has been given time to cool down, I take the time to fill this out with them, or have them fill it out themselves if they are able (only after a discussion to make sure they understand what they did wrong and what they can do differently in the future). My students so loved and responded to this that when they were sent to their seats or to a cool down area, some would ask, "Are we still going to talk about this later?" I think they appreciated being heard, forgiven, and accepted again. It's so easy to hold a grudge for the rest of the day, but we have to be the best example of forgiveness to that child and for the rest of the class to see. This is a resource that I made and used, but a quick TpT search will surely bring up a few freebies, if you don't have time to create one yourself! This is also great to make a copy of and keep data on students. It’s also a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop of what’s been going on in class. At Open House, I let my parents know that if they see one of these sheets it means their student has already had consequences, so they should just discuss their child’s plan to make better choices in the future. This helps to build a parent/teacher partnership. I Created An Outsider Looking In: Creating an outsider to notice your class is a great way to promote a positive classroom culture. In addition to our Compliment Count that I track on the board, I created an invisible fairy friend! Sylese, the kindness fairy, would stop by our classroom every once in a while leaving a note, treats, and glitter in her wake. She watches the class without them knowing because she's invisible. They never know when she's watching or when she's coming for a visit. You can have another teacher write the note so your students don't recognize your handwriting. This was basically another way for me to give them a compliment, make them feel proud of themselves, and strengthen our positive classroom culture. This was done once a month, or once every other month. I simply leave glitter on their desks, bring in a treat, like stickers, cookies, candy, a movie, popcorn, (really anything you’d like to reward them with) and post the note somewhere in the classroom. I would usually wait for them to find it, and act like I was just as surprised as they were. Whenever it had been a while, someone always says something like, “Guys, why do you think the fairy hasn’t been back? We need to do better!” You could use anything to keep an eye on your class that leaves notes and fun treats! I Focus on the Behavior I Like: While it can be so tempting to want to always address a disruptive child right every time at the exact moment of disruption, I've learned to ignore it and focus on the behavior I like. If I have 23 students and only 1 is acting out, I'd rather give my attention and energy to the 22 that are doing a great job. I'm sure they appreciate it too. I always let them know when they are doing something that makes me happy. Scratch-n-Stickers were always a quick and easy reward. I also made up some "Caught Ya" cards to reward this good behavior and would slip them onto their desks. They could turn these cards in to enter a weekly drawing. This was a great motivator, and usually got that one disruptive child to stop what they were doing. If not, I would pull them aside at a later time and address their behavior. Because of the way I handled those situations, even at 6 and 7 years old, the rest of my class learned to ignore those behaviors too. Some would even ask if they could help that student make good choices, which was just fine with me! When you've got students that care about themselves, each other, and you, you've got a well oiled machine that is bursting with positivity! I hope you enjoyed these ideas and are able to take some or all back into your classrooms this year. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. Grab this resource for your classroom from my TpT store! Don't forget to come back tomorrow, and for the rest of the month to check out all of the other amazing ideas offered from your friends at:
Just a cute little addition to the classic Pet Rocks activity. I have previously made pet rocks with students and packaged them up nicely in matchbox beds with this birth certificate. We then sold them at our school's Sustainability Expo. Hayley Wilson Find more products and my teaching blog at...
The past few years I’ve had the opportunity to teach a course entirely through project based learning. Our local university approached a couple of schools in our district and asked us if we were interested in teaching a cross-curricular PBL program where our grade 12 students can earn college credits. Ummmm…. heck yeah! Basically, the ... Read more
Grade 1 Science worksheet including label the plant, push and pulls, what is it made of and sorting worksheets.
Explore the 5 senses with a cool candy! This fun and simple to set up Pop Rocks experiment is sure to be a hit with kids.
We are enjoying our art room jobs this year. After thinking about the daily jobs that we do in the art room, I listed the six most frequent tasks. Last year I had a "helper table" that helped with everything that day. This year, I am giving each table a job to do each week. The color for each job stays the same for the entire week for all of my classes to make it manageable. If we are not painting, the table that would handle washing the brushes does "quality control". Otherwise, my job is quality controller. So far, the kids seem excited for all of the jobs and are taking pride in them.
The easiest way to explain what rhetoric means is with one simple sentence: it is persuasion. A more complicated definition, is that rhetoric is one person trying to change another person's opinion, whether orally or in a written work, and by using effective language. Nowadays, it may have negative connotations for seeming like it lacks facts or substance, but rhetoric is actually achieved by specifically analyzing how one phrases things, and by appealing to the audience, and as well as different aspects of humanity, such as emotion or logic. Rhetoric is made up of three main parts, Ethos, or the speaker, Pathos, or the audience, and Logos, or the Message. Combined, all three aspects make up one argument, that should be very convincing. In the next few paragraphs, I will explain in greatly detail each of the 3 points on the Rhetorical Triangle with examples from the book "Freakonomics," by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. First, on the top of the triangle is Ethos, as Aristotle originally called it when he originally named and explained what rhetoric was, or the speaker, as it is now called. This area deals with credibility. For one' argument to be able to convince others, the speaker themselves must appear like they know what they are talking about. If the speaker doesn't seem believable or knowledgeable in the subject, than their argument loses all of its credibility, and the rhetoric will be weak. In "Freakonomics," the authors obtain their credibility or logos by discussing their experience with economics. Most of the book however, is composed of accounts and studies of others, and their credibility is obtained by discussing their education and credentials, such as being students of Economics, or even professors, as well as at one point a Criminologist. Next is Pathos, or the Audience. This aspect deals with emotion. To convince others of an argument, one must appeal to their emotions, and convince them of the issues or values that are at sake. These emotional appeals must also be tuned specifically towards the audience the speaker is trying to reach. If the author appeals to values for a different demographic than the target audience, than the argument isn't going to succeed. In "Freakonomics," pathos is rarely used. The author depend only on logic, facts, and data to explain their points. In fact, throughout the book, they even show how pathos and emotions made false arguments seem believable, despite the overwhelming facts, such as when pointing out how crime rates went down. While many of the arguements listed relied on people's emotions, such as better and more police, as well as the economy, the facts provided showed that there was a correlation between the legalization of abortion and the sinking of crime rates. The book then points out how no one wants to achknowlage this, because of their emotions clouding their judgement. What "Freakonomics" relied on was the last aspect of the rhetorical triangle, Logos, or the message. For this part of an argument, one's points must make sense. There must also be facts, data, or other forms of information that support it. If the rhetoric is not logical, it will not be believable. Just like in the book, how facts prove their arguments right, and the others wrong, such as with the abortion and crime rates, or with baby names linked to income and future success. Further Reading: http://www.mrgunnar.net/ap.cfm?subpage=347030 http://humanities.byu.edu/rhetoric/Encompassing%20Terms/Content%20and%20Form.htm https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/resource_rhet.html
Elementary music lesson. "Macaroni" singing game that emphasizes pitch-matching, sol-mi melody, and steady beat bordun.
Cause and Effect Cut and Paste Sort Are you looking for a quick assessment, review or activity for cause and effect? This low prep, cut and paste sort is what you just need! Contents: - Poster - 4 cut and paste sorts (2 worksheets to find the cause, 2 worksheets to find the effect) - Answer Key Hope you enjoy them! Rock, Paper Scissors
What can be yummier than chocolate chip cookies? Well, they are a cool metamorphic rock experiment too!
I'm not sure there exists a more fun and easy science experiment for young kids than a homemade volcano. All you really need for a volcano science activity is baking soda, vinegar, an empty container and maybe some food coloring and your kids will be begging for more. My kids LOVE homemade volcanoes and we've made our fair share over the last few years. This time I decided it would be interesting if we could make the project a little more educational by creating a cutaway view of an erupting volcano. Does your child know the difference between lava and
Use the story of the repentace rock to teach your family about the power of repentance. The lesson and activity is perfect for Famiy Home Evening.
Use this fun & free printable chart to track your homeschool year! Awesome interactive & visual way to record your homeschool days.
What does it mean to have asthma? How do healthy lungs function compared to sick lungs? These are the questions my 8-year-old wanted to investigate today. This STEM Respiratory System Investigation was a great discovery of what can stop our lungs from working properly. We compared lungs with asthma to healthy lungs and talked about some other lung infections and how they can affect our bodies.
Rocks and minerals worksheet (can be used an assessment) based off of Grade 1 science curriculum. FREE! ...
Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.
We are in Unit 4-7 of Layers of Learning and today's science lesson was on plate tectonics. We do science once a week, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday . . .
Celebrate your students with these 6 easy & positive ways to build students up! Your students will feel special with these simple ideas!
This is one of my most viewed videos only because some people can’t get over that a teacher is wearing a tank top 😬 and others are like hey, that’s a great lesson 😂! Either way, I’m excited to get...
According to Merriam-Websters Dictionary, a ticket is a file or piece of paper that presents its holder with the proper to wait for an occasion, tour by way of transport, or input a lottery or contest.
Hi everyone! It's Naomi O'Brien from Read Like a Rock Star! I've noticed a lot of teachers heading back to school, and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I use to create a positive classroom culture. For years, my coworkers chalked my sweet and well behaved classes up to the "luck of the draw", but then they had to admit, it must have been something I was doing. We, the teachers, really are responsible for setting the tone in our classroom. Our children are always watching us and how we respond to situations teaches them a lot about how they should respond to us and each other. How I Create and Maintain a Positive Classroom Culture for K-2! I Tell them They Were Handpicked to be in My Class, but Shhhhhh, It's a Secret: On the first day of school, I always let my students know that I have a HUGE secret to share with them. The secret is that I asked for only the best students to be in my class. I let them know that I read information about them, talked to the principal and other teachers, and that I only allowed the best kids into my room. I tell them that this is a secret and that if the rest of the school knew, everyone would be trying to be in our class and then it would get too crowded and too crazy. I let them know they can tell their parents, but nobody else. During restorative conversations, I remind them that they are still the best, deserve to be in my class, and to never forget it. It's always really cute when we get a new student and my students are so excited to have someone new to share the secret with! I Let Them Take Over the Classroom: I give them a lot of opportunities to learn and share with each other. Sometimes it's hard to give up the reigns, but they learn to respect and listen to one another. Every now and then, I pretend to be the confused one, and have them help me learn a concept. They think it's hilarious and they come together for a good cause; to teach their teacher. I Take Time to Start Personal Conversations: Instead of walking around or sitting at my desk, I like to sit with my students and get to know them. I let them know I'm interested in who they are, not just what they can do. It's this relationship building that makes them naturally want to behave better for me. They know I care about them, and it makes them care about me too. I Give Them Plenty of Opportunities to Work Together: Team work makes the dream work! I make them discuss everything with each other, and collaborate often. Also, they are not allowed to tattle! Once they realize they need to work together without any help or conflict resolution from me, they learn to get along (slowly, but surely). I Don't Allow Tattling: I know I just mentioned that, but I wanted to bring it up again. Unless something serious happened, I ignore any and all tattles. Sometimes I say, "All you've done is let me know that you're a tattle-tale. Thank you." They learn very quickly that tattling won't get them very far and it forces them to talk to each other and work out their problems on their own. I always drive home the point that we have to look out for each other, not try to get each other in trouble. Instead of telling me that someone isn't working, they learn to nicely remind the friend to get back on task. This takes a few months to master, but it works out beautifully! I Teach Character Traits: I pick 6 traits that I think will help my students excel. I make sure to make time in our busy day to teach them about these traits; usually right after lunch/recess as a "cool down" activity. I chose Kindness, Ambition, Self-Confidence, Honesty, Thoughtfulness, and Respect last year. Think about the traits that are most important to you. Focus on the traits that you'd like to teach your students to possess. Find creative ways to encourage your students to take on these traits for themselves. I made badges for my students to earn to make sure they were aware of the traits and working on their own character. You can also post pictures of students that show a specific trait frequently in class, write positive notes about good or improved behavior you've noticed, practice acting the traits out in student led plays or skits, make class videos showing the traits, or read stories that exemplify characters that show good character traits. Make sure to point out the traits and have discussions about them. In order to create a positive classroom culture, you must truly be intentional about creating one. It's important to use your character trait vocabulary throughout the day too. I Teach the Art of Giving a Compliment: Compliment Plates were always a hit with my students! Give out plates, give out markers, have a good time! In the beginning of the year, with my first graders, we brainstormed nice compliments and I wrote them on the board for a writing support. They loved going around filling them out, and they loved reading what their friends had to say about them. This was always followed by "Thank you's" and "You're welcome's'" being called out across the room. Even hugs were often being given out for the kind words shared. I pick a Kid of the Day to be showered in compliments! I truly believe doing this daily is one of the most beneficial activities I have done for my students. I found that with my first graders, we had to first discuss how to give and receive a compliment. Outside of "You're my best friend", they really couldn't think of anything else to say. After a lot of discussions and practice, they were giving out compliments left and right, even when they thought I wasn't paying attention. I also had to teach them to accept the compliment with a "Thank you". Surprisingly, some of them would say something like, "No, I'm not pretty." and really had a hard time accepting nice things being said about them. We also had to discuss that simply saying, "I know I'm cute." wasn't acceptable either... I also have a Compliment Count on the board. It's quick and easy, and it gets their attention. (Side Benefit: It helps them count tally marks really well!) If ever anyone outside of our classroom gives us a compliment, they get a tally mark added to the Compliment Count. If the principal gives them a compliment, it counts for two tally marks! This promotes great behavior when they are walking in the hallways, at recess, at lunch, and at Specials. Whenever we reached 20 tally marks, they got some of my stash. I Make My Students Reflect on their Unsavory Behavior: When students act out it is important to give them consequences for their actions. I believe it is equally as important to follow up with the student through a reflection sheet. After the student has been given time to cool down, I take the time to fill this out with them, or have them fill it out themselves if they are able (only after a discussion to make sure they understand what they did wrong and what they can do differently in the future). My students so loved and responded to this that when they were sent to their seats or to a cool down area, some would ask, "Are we still going to talk about this later?" I think they appreciated being heard, forgiven, and accepted again. It's so easy to hold a grudge for the rest of the day, but we have to be the best example of forgiveness to that child and for the rest of the class to see. This is a resource that I made and used, but a quick TpT search will surely bring up a few freebies, if you don't have time to create one yourself! This is also great to make a copy of and keep data on students. It’s also a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop of what’s been going on in class. At Open House, I let my parents know that if they see one of these sheets it means their student has already had consequences, so they should just discuss their child’s plan to make better choices in the future. This helps to build a parent/teacher partnership. I Created An Outsider Looking In: Creating an outsider to notice your class is a great way to promote a positive classroom culture. In addition to our Compliment Count that I track on the board, I created an invisible fairy friend! Sylese, the kindness fairy, would stop by our classroom every once in a while leaving a note, treats, and glitter in her wake. She watches the class without them knowing because she's invisible. They never know when she's watching or when she's coming for a visit. You can have another teacher write the note so your students don't recognize your handwriting. This was basically another way for me to give them a compliment, make them feel proud of themselves, and strengthen our positive classroom culture. This was done once a month, or once every other month. I simply leave glitter on their desks, bring in a treat, like stickers, cookies, candy, a movie, popcorn, (really anything you’d like to reward them with) and post the note somewhere in the classroom. I would usually wait for them to find it, and act like I was just as surprised as they were. Whenever it had been a while, someone always says something like, “Guys, why do you think the fairy hasn’t been back? We need to do better!” You could use anything to keep an eye on your class that leaves notes and fun treats! I Focus on the Behavior I Like: While it can be so tempting to want to always address a disruptive child right every time at the exact moment of disruption, I've learned to ignore it and focus on the behavior I like. If I have 23 students and only 1 is acting out, I'd rather give my attention and energy to the 22 that are doing a great job. I'm sure they appreciate it too. I always let them know when they are doing something that makes me happy. Scratch-n-Stickers were always a quick and easy reward. I also made up some "Caught Ya" cards to reward this good behavior and would slip them onto their desks. They could turn these cards in to enter a weekly drawing. This was a great motivator, and usually got that one disruptive child to stop what they were doing. If not, I would pull them aside at a later time and address their behavior. Because of the way I handled those situations, even at 6 and 7 years old, the rest of my class learned to ignore those behaviors too. Some would even ask if they could help that student make good choices, which was just fine with me! When you've got students that care about themselves, each other, and you, you've got a well oiled machine that is bursting with positivity! I hope you enjoyed these ideas and are able to take some or all back into your classrooms this year. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. Grab this resource for your classroom from my TpT store! Don't forget to come back tomorrow, and for the rest of the month to check out all of the other amazing ideas offered from your friends at:
Most classrooms I've taught in have at least one or two early finishers that grasp the lesson quickly, speed through the independent work, and then do one of two things; ask you for something else to do or start to cause trouble. No matter what I was teaching, when a student finished early, I always gave them the same option of what to do while they waited for their classmates to finish: "Go read any book you'd like! Aaaand you can go read in the reading center on the pillows! Yay!" I cringe when I think about that now. Even if it was a math lesson, I still only offered for them to go read a book. Extension menus changed the way I teach and the way those students were learning. Just because they got things quickly, didn't mean that I should have easily dismissed them to go do something else. I know now that they should continue working on the same concept or skill that was introduced, just on a deeper level. They deserve to be challenged and allowed to be creative with the content they so easily mastered. Coming up with extension menus prior to my lessons were a game changer! They're now just a part of my planning. I began to come up with between 3 and 9 different options for my early finishers to choose from. They were free to choose any one they'd like. If two or three students finished early, and one of the menu options seemed like it could be a great group project, I definitely allowed that if they suggested it. Here's a sample extension menu I made for students that finished early work during a story elements lessons with a fiction story. The two 1st grade students that quickly and easily grasped the concepts of identifying the characters, setting, problem, solution, and events in the story, were given these choices to choose from. They were so excited to be working on something that challenged them in a fun way. They were still doing work that involved elements of the story we just read, but they were able to work on a deeper level to show a higher level of comprehension. Some menus I create are more specific depending on the lesson, some are more general (like the one above) and can be used more than once, which is a great time saver. Here is a list of questions I like to keep in mind when making my extension menus to challenge my early finishers in literacy and math. Thinking about your lessons, and planing these menus in advance could be really helpful in your classroom. Making sure my students knew where to find the extension menus and to continue working when they finished early is something that I felt helped with classroom management. My kids were excited to choose their own activities to work on! They weren't goofing off and getting themselves or others in trouble. These menus even motivated some sluggish workers to pick up the pace because they wanted the chance to move on to the extension menus. These menus maximized the learning potential for my students, and helped me to be a better teacher. Have you used extension menus in your classroom? I always love learning from other teachers about how these work in their classrooms! Have fun teaching! - Naomi
This was one of the first books in the series of Superflex books from Social Thinking® and Michelle Garcia Winner. Out of all of the Superflex books, I like it the best.
Your student-scientists will have a blast seeing weathering, erosion, and deposition first-hand with this cookie lab. This lab includes notes for setup for the teacher, as well as the lab sheets for students to complete as they investigate.
Though it is hard to utter, school is looming around the corner. I shudder when I think of all that I still have left to do, but smile when I think of all that I have already accomplished. With the great change in how we will be teaching, I have had some sleepless nights wondering just how to approach this so that the students get the absolute best experience and education. Now, never fear. I know that I have the skills to teach the concepts, it is just the "what do I want to teach first" battle that is raging. However, I am confident that I shall have it all worked out in the next two weeks before school starts. Today, while I was working in my room, I started planning out the first few days. I was looking through my plan book and found a great activity that I had made several years ago. I wanted to use it again this year, but it was very outdated with topics being from the early 2000's. (That makes me feel SO OLD to type that!). So, I took a few minutes and whipped out a new one, and in celebration of school starting again, thought that I would share it with you. Just click HERE to get your free copy! :) It's not much, but it is fun. I have my students do this the first day of class. It gets them out of the their seats and moving around meeting classmates. I teach in a rural school where the same students are together for all 13 years of the their schooling and as 6th graders, they still enjoy doing this activity. I hope you will enjoy using it too. Okay, so below is a panoramic view of my classroom thus far. You will notice a few of my children are in the picture as well my baby daughters playpen and toys. Obviously THOSE items and children won't be in my room on the first day, but as a busy daddy, it is a reality of summer work in my classroom. As you can see, there is still a lot to do, but a lot is looking great. I hope you noticed my huge library. I am proud to say that I own all that your eyes see in those bookcases, and I currently have over 5,000 titles for my students to choose from. They range in level from Guided Reading Level B to High School. I will tell more about those when I do a full classroom tour. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! Later...
Transdisciplinary Skills What do we want students to be able to do? Transdisciplinary Themes Who we are. Where we are in place and time. How we express ourselves. How the world works. How we organize ourselves. Sharing the planet. Five Essential Elements concepts knowledge skills attitudes action Learner Profile Freebies Inquirer Knowledgeable Thinker Communicator Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-taker Balanced Reflective Beginning of the Year Learner Profile activity (Click image to download the Google Doc) Schema Journal for Learner Profile reflections. We are using it for the 1st unit of the year. This is an 11 page PDF document. (Click image to download) Journal page sample: Choose Act Reflect Poster
