Reading Genre Poster

I don't have much time to type tonight since it is so late, but I wanted to show you a new genre poster I created for my kids' reading workshop binders! I wanted a page where they could reference genres quickly so they could fill out their reading logs. I based these off Beth Newingham's genre posters here. I added new graphics (they match more things from my classroom) and shrunk everything to one page!

You can find this at my TpT store here! Enjoy! 

Beanbag Toss Measurement Activity

This year, our winter has seemed much more like spring! The weather has been beautiful all throughout January and February with a few cold fronts in between. Last week, the weather was so nice, I took advantage of it and brought my kids outside for a measurement activity. This is actually an activity I mention in my Lucky Lengths packet here.

I borrowed beanbags from the gym, quickly typed up a recording page, gathered up clipboards, rulers, pencils, and headed outside! The kids had to find a partner, toss the beanbag, estimate the distance it was thrown, measure the actual distance, and then find the difference between the two measurements! They rotated who tossed (I stressed the word "tossed") the beanbag, and they both had to help measure the distance. I told them their goal was to have a smaller number between their estimate and actual length each time. The kids had an absolute blast, and it led to a lot of great conversations when we got back to the classroom. I had them write about their experience and conclusions on a sheet of paper when we finished!

Here is a link to the recording page for the kids to write down their measurements.

Here are my kids completing the activity. Sorry for the blurry faces, but it's the easiest way for me to wipe out their faces for privacy! 

Yes...This Happened Today..

One of my kids tripped and fell onto the back of the dark brown bookcase today! He completely knocked over the entire bookcase and shelves full of books and baskets!! Thankfully, he was okay, all I could do was laugh, and several of my kids jumped in to help put all the books back into their appropriate basket! Whew...what a start to a Wednesday morning:) 

I Don't Think Exhausted Quite Covers It!

Two words: field trip. I know those of you who have experienced this know what I'm talking about! My kids were fantastic, I had amazing parents come along, and everything went beautifully!!! Still, I'm exhausted! We went to the Dallas World Aquarium, which is one of my all-time favorite places to go! Our third grade has been going here 6 years, and I think year was one of the best. Still, I'm exhausted! So without further delay, I'm off to bed!

Absent Folders

   I spent a long time trying to come up with an easy system when my kids were absent. I feel like I tried everything, and I STILL had a hard time getting work turned in! SO I finally got smart, and created Absent Folders! I'm sure this isn't a new concept to anyone, but it made me so happy to discover them! When a kiddo is absent, the Absent Folder (along with the Absent Work page) is place on their desk. It stays there all day long so any papers I pass out make it in there. When the student returns, they simply take out all the work in the Absent Folder and return the folder to me. 

I made these pages that are glued on top of regular file folders.

Here is a picture of the folder in use on a student's desk! 

Here is a preview of the Absent Work page. This is where all the assignments are written down, and the parent is expected to sign it! 

   All of my kids have classroom jobs, and one job is for a person to put Absent Folders on desks, and fill out the Absent Work page. If more than two kids are absent in one day, I will help that person fill out the Absent Work pages. I've placed copies of my absent work file in my TPT store here. You can get a copy of 8 different file folder covers and the Absent Work page. This is a preview below of the pages! 

here

Lucky Lengths

I wanted to create something with a St. Patrick's Day theme since March is steadily approaching (that seems almost impossible to believe!!). I decided my kids needed more practice with measuring. I kind of flew through that unit because we were running behind, and I wanted to make sure they had SOME knowledge of measurement before they were tested over it on the district's benchmark test. So I created this Lucky Lengths packet with posters, sorting activities, and measurement book to boost their measuring skills and knowledge! It's available in my TPT store here.

Happy Measuring, and hooray for President's Day off!! 

Book Buddies

   I know in my last post, I talked briefly about book buddies. This is something that is fairly new in our classroom, so we are still working out the kinks! However, in the few weeks we have been working with them, I have been pleasantly surprised at the progress my kids have made as readers, supporters, and independent thinkers!
   I never wanted to have book buddies because it has always sounded like a nightmare situation to me. Kids arguing with each other about what book to read, talking about things that don't relate to the book, yelling, interrupting those who are reading silently, and not getting anything accomplished. These were all worries I had that prevented me from sticking my toe in the book buddy pond.
  I purchased a reading workshop packet from TPT a while back that you can find here. Honestly, I printed it off and let other papers pile on top of it for the past few months. I had every intention of using it, but just got too busy...and I felt like I had already established my reading
workshop in my classroom. On a testing day a few weeks ago, I was cleaning out some things, and found this little gem again. I'm calling it a "gem" because it truly is amazing! I think it can be a little overwhelming with all the materials and ideas, but I chose to pull out just the book buddy pages.  I made copies of what I thought I would use, and chose to get started.

This is where I keep all the copies the kids need for book buddies. I put them in these magnetic pockets so they would have access to them at all times, and stay organized! I bought these magnetic pockets from lakeshore.

   I made the decision to put the kids with a buddy they would enjoy reading with. I want them to love this experience and not dread the words "book buddy." They are going to be spending a lot of time with this person, so I wanted it to be enjoyable. All that to say, my kiddos are paired with someone I think they will like, and someone who is close to their reading ability. This is not a time to stick higher kids with lower kids. Again, I want them to enjoy this time and really challenge each other in their reading. I looked through their DRA scores and paired them up as closely as I could.

This is a snapshot of our classroom library! I have a double copy of some books, but most of the books the kids are having to share! 

  Each group HAD to agree on the book they chose. If one person didn't want to read the book, they had to choose another book. Their first meeting consisted of them choosing a book, previewing it, making predictions, and choosing a page to read to before they met again. Some of them were able to begin reading the book together the same day. I spent a lot of that first week making sure they were getting along with their buddy, staying on task, and completing their work correctly. They meet with their book buddy during the reading workshop rotation I discussed in the last post. Again, I have been SO happy with how it is going, and I can see the kids are really enjoying it, too! I hope to show more posts about our book buddy adventures soon!

Reading Workshop Rotation

*** Update: You can now buy my rotation board here! I hope you enjoy it!

  

Last week, I decided to begin a rotation schedule with my reading workshop. My kids were dying for a change, and to be honest...so was I. Our regular reading workshop consists of the kids reading independently for 45 minutes while I pulled them individually throughout that time. I have to admit that I am TERRIBLE at pulling small groups. I've always enjoyed working with them one-on-one, but I'm seeing that I need to meet with them in groups. First of all, it will help me reach more of them throughout the week, it will give them support in each other, and it gives all of us more accountability!

I know a lot of people use the Daily 5, and I guess this is just my own version of that. I like the rotation because it ensures that I will see every student at least once every single day. So here is how it works: 

This is the rotation board. I got the idea from Clutter-Free Classroom's Math Workshop rotation board. I purchased this last summer, and LOVE it! It is so easy to follow, and the kids can see where they are supposed to be at any time. You can find a link to that board here. Anyways, with that as an inspiration, I created this reading workshop board with the acronym R.E.A.D. Students are divided into 4 groups that rotate to different stations for 15-20 minutes. 

 R=response, E=engage, A-at my seat D=discuss with my teacher

RESPOND. At this station, students are responding to books they read during their independent reading time. I created 8 different reading response pages for the kids to choose from. They must complete 5 worksheets per week, but if they choose to do more they will get extra credit for those pages.  You can find the pages I use here in my TPT store. 

 

ENGAGE. Students are working at the computer. They are listening to books on tumblebooks.com and starfall. This is also a time when they can take an AR test.                                                

AT MY SEAT. The kids are working with their book buddy. I chose not to have this as an independent reading time, because I know some of my kiddos would have a REALLY hard time staying on task if everyone else in the room was talking or on the computer.  This is a time they meet with their book buddy to discuss their book, or read together.

DISCUSS WITH MY TEACHER. I'm hoping this is an obvious station:) I'm meeting with the group. They come to me immediately after they have finished a reading response page, so I'm able to go over that with them. I'm also able to check in on them and the progress they are making as book buddies. I'm hoping to start reinforcing specific skills during this time beginning next week!

Probability and Graphing with Candy Hearts

Every year, I teach probability with a Skittles activity. This year, I decided to change it up and use Valentine Conversation Hearts. The kids have so much fun using actual candy with an activity, they hardly pay attention to the fact they are learning anything! This activity starts a lot of conversation about probability, and I can always reference back to it because the kids remember doing it! Here is a preview page (sorry it's blurry, I'm still trying to figure out how to convert it to the blog!) and a link to where you can purchase the activity pages in my TPT store!

Animal Research

     Every year, third grade goes to the Aquarium for one of our field trips. Beyond the stress of the field trip itself, sometimes I walk away wondering if they truly got new and meaningful information from the experience. To solve this problem, I started giving them a small research project to work on the week before the trip. I wanted them to research an animal, look up facts about it, and present the information they found either in the classroom or at the Aquarium. The kids LOVE choosing an animal, and they love using the computer even more! It's a simple way for them to begin the process of researching.
     I usually just thrown something together last minute each year, but this year I decided to take my time and create a few pages I could use over and over again! Below is a copy of the cover page...sorry if it is blurry, I'm still trying to figure out how to upload files!!