As soon as school resumes after the new year, teachers everywhere will be asking their students to write New Year's Resolutions!! I know this is something that I ask my students to do each and every year. For us, the new year is the start of our second semester. It is the perfect time to encourage students to set goals for the remainder of the school year!! This year when you are asking your students to write goals and resolutions, make sure that they are writing SMART resolutions. You can have students use this FREE organizer to make sure that their resolutions are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. When given the task to write resolutions for the New Year, students tend to stick with the same generic goals: Get better grades, work harder in school, improve my behavior, and so on! Using the SMART format encourages students to come up with resolutions that they can use to hold themselves accountable. Specific Students should be sure to come up with goals or resolutions that are specific. Ask them to be specific about what they hope to accomplish, and what their goal will look like once it's achieved. Have students really reflect on what's challenging for them and where they hope to see themselves at the end of the school year. Measurable When writing their goals or resolutions, students should keep in mind how they will measure their progress. For instance, if students want to improve their grades, they will want to be specific about what grade they are shooting for. If a student is working below grade level in math, he or she may set a goal to have at least a B- in math by the end of the school year. Then this student could use progress on math assignments, quizzes, tests, and assessments to track his or her progress. Attainable As they are building their resolutions and making sure they are specific and measurable, students should remember that their goals need to be realistic and attainable. On one hand, we want to challenge students and help them to make progress. But on the other hand, we need to make sure they aren't setting themselves up for failure. Students should choose goals that are not too easy to achieve, but also not too difficult to achieve. Relevant Encourage your students to choose goals that are relevant to their own strengths and weaknesses. They should also avoid choosing a goal just because it's what a friend is choosing. They need to be sure to connect their goals to their own educational needs. Timely Students should decide how long it will take them to achieve their goals. They should also have an end time in mind: By the end of the year, by the end of the quarter, by the start of the next school year, etc. They might also want to build in some benchmarks. At my school, students use Accelerated Reader and earn points by taking tests on the books they read. All students have their own point goals, and I often encourage them to break it up into smaller chunks to make it more manageable and to help hold themselves accountable for meeting their final goal in a timely manner. All of these steps work together to help students craft resolutions that will encourage their growth in the areas of their choice. SMART goals give students a chance to set themselves up for success, and the New Year is the perfect time to get students back on track for the second half of the school year!! If you are having students write resolutions this year, please feel free to download this FREE organizer to help them organize their goals!! Click on the picture below to visit my shop and download this FREEBIE!! Once students use the organizer to write their SMART resolutions, they should publish them to make them official!! This New Year's Tab Book is the perfect place for students to reflect on the previous year, look forward to the next, and record their RESOLUTIONS!! Click on the pic to learn more!!
What's most important to you? In this reading and writing worksheet, your child will read the poem aloud, then write a prioritized list of five goals and explain why the first goal is the top priority.
How many of you are in love with Pinterest like I am? Oh my!!! I had a summer FULL of pinning; now I need a make-and-take day week , well...
This year, my school set a goal to improve in writing. I will admit, while I love doing writing activities with my class, I am definitely not an expert when it comes to teaching writing. I think that's because we don't have to take standardized writing tests in second grade, so I've never stressed about it too much. I have my kids write in their journals each day, but it's more just for leisure as it's not graded. And while we do write stories and stuff, it's just never been the biggest focal point of my instruction (perhaps because the math and reading instruction take up so much time every day!) Anyway, my principal bought each of us a "four-square writing" book at the beginning of the year, and it's been somewhat helpful, but there was still something missing and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.... Until now!! Last month, we had a training with all of the lower grade teachers, and one of our kindergarten teachers shared with us a great freebie she had found on TPT. It was exactly what was missing from my writing instruction.... Except that it was designed specifically for kindergarten, and revolved around only writing ONE sentence. I decided to make my own poster, and also a kid-friendly checklist for my students to complete as they work on their writing. ** please note, I tried to contact the original creator of the kindergarten writing posters, but she never wrote back to me, so I hope she doesn't mind me re-working the poster to suit the needs of my second graders.** Here is my version of "5 start writing"... I love that it is very simple and straightforward. I emailed the poster to my principal and he was nice enough to order them in poster size from our district print shop so that we can hang them in our classrooms. And while this was designed with second grade in mind, many teachers in our building ordered it for upper grade classrooms too, so it's very versatile and can be used across many grade levels. (There is also a kindergarten version that has the 5 steps for writing just one sentence if you want that one instead.) This week, as my class was working on their "Cat in the Hat" stories for Dr. Seuss week, they had to keep revising their rough drafts until it was perfect "5 star writing" in order to be given the cute stationary to publish their stories. Many students are still working on their 5 stars and will continue working on their stories next week, as they refine their "5 star" skills! This has been a great motivator in my classroom, and I hope it's something you can use too! What do you do for writing instruction?? {Click here to download the 5 star writing posters} {Click here to download the 5 star writing rubric}
Over the years, there’s been a lot of debate about whether or not goal setting works. However, I’m a firm believer in using goals to help me achieve the success I desire. So have some of the people I admire and whose advice I follow, such as Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield and Michael Hyatt. I’ve
Reading scales on a measuring cylinder.
Writers Write is a resource for writers. If you want a daily reminder to help you finish NaNoWriMo, use this calendar.
Studies show that people who write down their plans are 33% more likely to meet them. But it can be difficult when someone asks you the question, “Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?&…
This lesson will focus on writing COMPLETE SENTENCES using subjects and predicates. Writing in complete sentences is the first basic writing lesson every student should learn. Sentence structure is important to help students write in journals, responses to reading, paragraphs, essays, book reports and so much more. It will
My brain is overflowing with ideas that I want to share with my teachers after attending the Summer Writing Institute at Teacher's Co...
I used to do a grammar club at lunchtimes. I've had a few requests from chln to bring it back! This is year 5 :)
If you want to save time on your Geography planning, then this thorough pack will provide you with all the resources you need to teach Year 2 HASS with ease. Closely aligned to the new Australian Curriculum 9.0, these lessons will guide your students through each knowledge and understanding and unpack the skills required for each elaboration - saving you so much time! Unlike some resource packs sold online, these packs cover every single ACARA Knowledge and Understanding elaboration, so there are no empty spaces in your curriculum coverage! Click here and SAVE 30% by buying ALL the HASS Year 2 Resources in 1 Bundle! Click here and SAVE 30% by buying ALL the HASS Foundation to Year 3 Resources in 1 Bundle! See why teachers love this pack: "It was great having student-friendly maps of each state that were labelled with the main cities and other locations. A fantastic resource for Geography (HASS)!" "Fantastic resource! I have used it for my students that have English as an additional language and found it really helpful for them as it is simple for them to read." "Another great resource and worth the money. We finished our HASS unit early which leaves space for "fun" in Term 2 with it!" "Fantastic collection of activities that tie in well to many facets of the geography syllabus." This easy-to-use, best-selling packet includes: 10 Lesson Plans PowerPoints to match lessons (7 in total) Assessment pieces Editable marking guide Vocabulary cards for your word wall Numerous hands-on Activities Worksheets and Homework Ideas Lessons 1. Where do we live? 2. What are Australia’s geographic divisions? 3. Where do we go in our local community? 4. Where does our produce come from? 5. How are places connected? 6. What are First Nations Australians' connections with Country and Place? 7. What tribal land is our school on? 8. How can we recognise the traditional owners of our land? 9. Assessment Part A 10. Assessment Part B ********************************************************************* THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM 9. Geography (AC9HS2K03) how places can be spatially represented in geographical divisions from local to regional to state/territory, and how people and places are interconnected across those scales (AC9HS2K04) the interconnections of Australian First Nations Peoples to a local Country/Place ********************************************************************* ☀☀☀☀ STAY CONNECTED ☀☀☀☀ Click here to Follow Me to find out when new products are added ******************************************************************** Customer Tips: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: • Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase, you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. ☺ Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches: • Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. Voila! You will now receive email updates about this store. ☺ ***************************************************************
I'm sorry I've been so M.I.A. lately. A big reason for that (besides soaking up some quality time with my girls) is the summer course I've been taking. I'm taking part 2 of my writing specialist right now (I took part 1 in the spring session). It's been a lot of work (so glad I decided against taking 2 courses this summer), but it's been good work. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on HOW I teach writing (which I LOVE), and I'm so excited to bring some of these ideas into the classroom in the Fall. A large focus of my course has been on differentiating instruction in the writing classroom. One of the ways I already do this is through the creation of personal writing goals for the students. I really started my focus on this at the beginning of last year. During my first writing conference with my students (after our first diagnostic), the student and I decide on a personal writing goal based on their needs (example: organization, word choice, sentence structure, etc.). During subsequent conferences, the student and I evaluate if they have met the goal, and move on to a new goal if they were successful. Around January I decided I needed a more visual way of displaying their writing goals - hence the writing goal clip chart. The one I was using last year was a good fit ... but it wasn't a perfect fit, so I knew I wanted to work on it over the summer. So, my Personal Writing Goals Clip Chart was born. I will use it in the classroom to help students track their personal goals. They will use a clothespin to do this (do you see my beautiful washi tape clothespins - I made them in true multi-tasking style while watching my daughters' soccer practice). I will write the students' names on the clips in sharpie (but I know some of you prefer to use numbers). After our first writing conference they will have their first goal, and place their pin on the matching goal strip - because these are personal goals, students will have different starting points on the chart. Do you see that little pocket at the bottom? That's my favourite part for student accountability. Inside that pocket (just half a manila envelope with the title card glued on top) are the student reflection sheets. When a student believes he or she has mastered the goal, they will fill in a goal reflection sheet proving that they have met the goal and explaining the strategies he or she used, and this reflection sheet will be stapled to their writing piece. If the student was successful (determined in a student/teacher conference) we will discuss what goal to move on to. Another great part - this visual will quickly help me see what students to pull for a quick guided writing lesson. All students on the same goal strip can come together for a focused minilesson - discussing their goal in reference to the assignment they are working on. The writing goal strips can also be used to build a set of success criteria for writing for the whole class. You could start with one or two goal strips, adding a new strip to the chart each time a new goal is taught through a lesson, ending with the full chart by the end of the year. The strips are held together with binder clips / book rings (LOVE the metallic rings I found at Staples), but in the past I have used ribbon to hold the strips together. The binder clips make it easier to change the goal strips. There are 2 sets of goals included in each resource - one has the common core standard written on each strip, and the other set does not have the standard listed (which I will use in my class). I have sets for all grade levels - K-8. You can preview any of them by clicking on the links: Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Update: As per request, I have also created sets of matching reading goal clip charts. Again, you can preview them by clicking on any of the links below: Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Happy Thursday!!
I wanted to make a fun, hands-on printable that helped practice penmanship and other skills. The last thing we need is BORING handwriting practice! I
Hey friends! Well I have to say that writing the past couple weeks was so wonderful! I will be completely honest and say that some weeks our writing time is good and some weeks it’s GREAT! The past couple of weeks the kids were “on” and really had a passion for what they were writing about. When […]
Directions Please from 5 year goal plan template, image source: pinterest.com
In this blog post, read about my best teaching strategies to teach writing narrative endings. Grab all the freebies to help you teach.
Download this set of free goal setting worksheets today. There are three different free goal planning printables included in this set.
children identify which letters should be capital - ESL worksheets
Resources and ideas for teachers and caregivers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.
Hands-on learning experiences are vital to any successful Math program, particularly Measurement and Geometry, but can sometimes be quite time consuming to prepare. Including this Australian curriculum aligned Math Centre Folder in your program will eliminate that worry for you as well as engage your students interest in understanding 2D shapes.
Introducing our set of Area & Perimeter Maths Programs for year 6 students where they establish the formula for the area of a rectangle and use it to solve practical problems. This digital downloadable resource aligns with the Australian Curriculum and consists of two engaging modules, spanning across 10 lessons, designed to be taught over the course of a year. Crafted with interactive and cooperative learning strategies, these programs aim to captivate and educate young minds effectively. Aligned with both version 9 and version 8.4 of the Australian Curriculum, our version 9 programs come equipped with a grading guide (A-E) specifically designed to correspond with the end-of-module assessments. Additionally, editable PowerPoints accompany each lesson, providing dynamic visual aids to support your instructional journey. Customisable learning intentions and success criteria further empower educators to ensure clear and focused lesson objectives. Each lesson planner is thoughtfully structured with five to six concise steps, fostering simplicity and clarity in your teaching approach. While some lessons include worksheets, not every session relies on them. Instead, our programs encourage educators to leverage their expertise, ensuring explicit instruction and maximizing teaching opportunities. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Included are: 2 x Maths Programs (8 pages) Resources (20+ pages) Editable Grading Guide (Version 9 only) Editable PowerPoints (Version 9 only) Editable planners (Version 9 only) Editable Learning Intentions and Success Criteria (Version 9 only) ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Want a whole semesters of maths programs? Check out the bundle here. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Australian Curriculum Outcomes Covered: Version 9: Measurement Establish the formula for the area of a rectangle and use it to solve practical problems (AC9M6M02) Version 8.4: Measurement and Geometry: Connect decimal representations to the metric system (ACMMG135) Solve problems involving the comparison of lengths and areas using appropriate units (ACMMG137) ___________________________________________________________________________________________ This maths program aligns with my Term Planners. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ → Other than where stated, this product is not editable → This file is zipped. Once downloaded, right-click the file and select ‘extract all’ to open.
A blog about autism resources and support from a special ed teacher with first-hand experience.
