Our Word of the Month for June:
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Synonyms in Spanish and Tagalog!
I also printed up and passed out grade K-2 versions with simpler definitions and less synonyms.
Showing posts with label Common Core Standards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Common Core Standards. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Perseverance
Dear Principal,
Our Word of the Month for June:
I also printed up and passed out grade K-2 versions with simpler definitions and less synonyms.
Our Word of the Month for June:
I also printed up and passed out grade K-2 versions with simpler definitions and less synonyms.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Experimenting In Class
Dear Resume,
Inspired by comments on Twitter from the CUE Conference keynote by Dan Meyer about "perplexing" students as a way to help develop questioning and learning skills, I tried my hardest not to give them any answers yesterday. I was subbing in 3rd grade (the teacher gave me permission to deviate from her plans) and as we started the math lesson on likely, unlikely, certain, and impossible I skipped over the "we do" guided step. Did the vocabulary, discussed examples whole class involving the rainforests, then their weekend plans (certain most of them will watch movies and play video games all weekend; very unlikely any will read a book or get much exercise. But not impossible!) then I had them work with partners on problem #13 (1-12 were way too easy) while I worked with Special Ed and English Learners. (btw, how could we not have a very new/low ELA surrounded by students that speak his home language instead of in back row by behavior issue student?) Then the students shared solutions and explained how they worked through the problem, and asked their own questions about the problem and each others' answers.
I also snuck a little 4th grade standard in on them. Sat in on a 4/5 PD during my break last week and read through a new CCSS Language Arts unit sent down from the district about rewriting narratives from a different point of view. I grabbed Stuart Little and found where Stuart shot an arrow through Snowbell's ear to protect his little bird friend. We discussed why Stuart did it and how he felt (citing text evidence, of course) then listed what they thought Snowbell might have thought and felt about the situation. After recess was a Health lesson about resolving conflict so they wrote about a conflict, personal or made up, then rewrote it from the other person's point of view.
See what I did there? Common Core Standards, real world connections, student led inquiry, evidence driven answers, connections across content... get this man a classroom!
Inspired by comments on Twitter from the CUE Conference keynote by Dan Meyer about "perplexing" students as a way to help develop questioning and learning skills, I tried my hardest not to give them any answers yesterday. I was subbing in 3rd grade (the teacher gave me permission to deviate from her plans) and as we started the math lesson on likely, unlikely, certain, and impossible I skipped over the "we do" guided step. Did the vocabulary, discussed examples whole class involving the rainforests, then their weekend plans (certain most of them will watch movies and play video games all weekend; very unlikely any will read a book or get much exercise. But not impossible!) then I had them work with partners on problem #13 (1-12 were way too easy) while I worked with Special Ed and English Learners. (btw, how could we not have a very new/low ELA surrounded by students that speak his home language instead of in back row by behavior issue student?) Then the students shared solutions and explained how they worked through the problem, and asked their own questions about the problem and each others' answers.
I also snuck a little 4th grade standard in on them. Sat in on a 4/5 PD during my break last week and read through a new CCSS Language Arts unit sent down from the district about rewriting narratives from a different point of view. I grabbed Stuart Little and found where Stuart shot an arrow through Snowbell's ear to protect his little bird friend. We discussed why Stuart did it and how he felt (citing text evidence, of course) then listed what they thought Snowbell might have thought and felt about the situation. After recess was a Health lesson about resolving conflict so they wrote about a conflict, personal or made up, then rewrote it from the other person's point of view.
See what I did there? Common Core Standards, real world connections, student led inquiry, evidence driven answers, connections across content... get this man a classroom!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Professional Development
Dear Resume,
I know the phrase "Professional Development" can refer to specific training teachers must attend, or research done to prepare lessons, assessment, etc.. But isn't it also what I do in my non-teacher time, the museums I visit, books I read, even walks I take? Most of what a teacher does and is in his/her life probably makes it into the classroom, I would think.
Anyway, did a bunch of PD last week. Staff Development on CCSS, looking at Standards, rewording them and connecting them to current lessons. After a few minutes trading ideas on writing and speaking lessons with the Middle School P.E. teacher I hopped around to various groups (middle school ELA, 3rd, 5th) and listened/added my 2 cents.
Then it was on to BTSA for a Rick Morris session on engaging students; his focus is managing students and class time, I agree his "gift" is for solving problems. This has always been one of my strong points as well, being able to get to the root of an issue and fix it, quickly and simply. I think a lot of his management techniques fit well with Common Core, reducing classroom procedure and behavior stress/time wasted and allowing students more time for creating and producing work.
Next up was some CCSS online research, mainly New York's EngageNY site for great videos of teachers and students meeting standards and AchievetheCore.org for lesson plan ideas. Part of me still doesn't understand the uproar or hesitation regarding the Standards. "Good teaching" is what I call it.
Finally, I watched this video. Several times. I think students need to be able to write a Tweet, a Blog, a video script, AND an essay.
I know the phrase "Professional Development" can refer to specific training teachers must attend, or research done to prepare lessons, assessment, etc.. But isn't it also what I do in my non-teacher time, the museums I visit, books I read, even walks I take? Most of what a teacher does and is in his/her life probably makes it into the classroom, I would think.
Anyway, did a bunch of PD last week. Staff Development on CCSS, looking at Standards, rewording them and connecting them to current lessons. After a few minutes trading ideas on writing and speaking lessons with the Middle School P.E. teacher I hopped around to various groups (middle school ELA, 3rd, 5th) and listened/added my 2 cents.
Then it was on to BTSA for a Rick Morris session on engaging students; his focus is managing students and class time, I agree his "gift" is for solving problems. This has always been one of my strong points as well, being able to get to the root of an issue and fix it, quickly and simply. I think a lot of his management techniques fit well with Common Core, reducing classroom procedure and behavior stress/time wasted and allowing students more time for creating and producing work.
Next up was some CCSS online research, mainly New York's EngageNY site for great videos of teachers and students meeting standards and AchievetheCore.org for lesson plan ideas. Part of me still doesn't understand the uproar or hesitation regarding the Standards. "Good teaching" is what I call it.
Finally, I watched this video. Several times. I think students need to be able to write a Tweet, a Blog, a video script, AND an essay.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Saturday School
Dear Resume,
Taught like it was the 80s today, the 1880s -- had a one room schoolhouse full of 1st through 4th graders. They were supposed to bring a book and work to do, but the few that did were done in about 10 minutes... so I read The BFG, they partner wrote predictions, I/they read lots of Seuss, we made foldable books, they wrote sticker stories, they gave mini presentations on what they were experts on (Science, wall ball, dinosaurs, etc.), I read more BFG, we collected trash from the play area, then they brainstormed and did some art. Whew!
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Taught like it was the 80s today, the 1880s -- had a one room schoolhouse full of 1st through 4th graders. They were supposed to bring a book and work to do, but the few that did were done in about 10 minutes... so I read The BFG, they partner wrote predictions, I/they read lots of Seuss, we made foldable books, they wrote sticker stories, they gave mini presentations on what they were experts on (Science, wall ball, dinosaurs, etc.), I read more BFG, we collected trash from the play area, then they brainstormed and did some art. Whew!
Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.
Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion and reasons.
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Captive Classroom
Dear Resume,
Each morning I have duty at the food court where all K-5 wait for the bell to ring. They have to be there; I choose to be there, partly to help keep an eye on things and get the morning started smoothly and partly to pretend I'm a one room school teacher from days gone by. Some days I send them on a run, grade by grade, sometimes I start an art project/exhibit (see Football Art and Your Future) and we have a wonderful Clean Up Crew of 2nd grade volunteers (those middle schoolers before us sure make a mess!). The latest is a lesson in alliteration to name the recess basketball tournament teams, i.e. Dunking Donuts or Wonderful Wildcats. I keep it very casual, don't want to spook them with the idea they're learning something before the bell rings, but I've caught some groups talking about alliteration in store/company names, some making nonsense rhymes all with same letter, and others actually coming up with team names (but c'mon, Bouncing Butter?!?).
Each morning I have duty at the food court where all K-5 wait for the bell to ring. They have to be there; I choose to be there, partly to help keep an eye on things and get the morning started smoothly and partly to pretend I'm a one room school teacher from days gone by. Some days I send them on a run, grade by grade, sometimes I start an art project/exhibit (see Football Art and Your Future) and we have a wonderful Clean Up Crew of 2nd grade volunteers (those middle schoolers before us sure make a mess!). The latest is a lesson in alliteration to name the recess basketball tournament teams, i.e. Dunking Donuts or Wonderful Wildcats. I keep it very casual, don't want to spook them with the idea they're learning something before the bell rings, but I've caught some groups talking about alliteration in store/company names, some making nonsense rhymes all with same letter, and others actually coming up with team names (but c'mon, Bouncing Butter?!?).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Brainstorm Lesson
Dear Resume,
The concept for this mini-lesson was the Doodle 4 Google competition and the clever art of Javier Perez, who uses everyday objects in drawings. Each table group blindly chose an object (cork, battery, rubber band, hair clip, bottle cap, q-tip, Lego) and quickly discussed what other uses for the object they could come up with -- creativity counts! Set the timer for 1 minute then they traded for another object. Their goal was to listen to group member's ideas and build upon those ideas, working together to list as many uses as possible in the short time.
At the end of the day we went back to the brainstorm activity, this time each student chose an item and made a drawing around it (a straw became a periscope, a shell a pirate's eye patch, etc). I showed their art under the docucam and they traded for other items. Many thanks to Mr. Perez for his inspiration, the students loved his art!
Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the students' work. Some were very creative!
Teachers usually leave a long list of things to do and a note saying "You won't finish it all, that's ok!" but I always manage to finish it all... do I teach too fast? Actually I think I rarely have student or time management issues, so we get quickly into the lessons. I always have a book I can read to them (Roald Dahl, The Wayside School) or a quick project such as this brainstorm one.
Common Core Standards:
The concept for this mini-lesson was the Doodle 4 Google competition and the clever art of Javier Perez, who uses everyday objects in drawings. Each table group blindly chose an object (cork, battery, rubber band, hair clip, bottle cap, q-tip, Lego) and quickly discussed what other uses for the object they could come up with -- creativity counts! Set the timer for 1 minute then they traded for another object. Their goal was to listen to group member's ideas and build upon those ideas, working together to list as many uses as possible in the short time.
At the end of the day we went back to the brainstorm activity, this time each student chose an item and made a drawing around it (a straw became a periscope, a shell a pirate's eye patch, etc). I showed their art under the docucam and they traded for other items. Many thanks to Mr. Perez for his inspiration, the students loved his art!
Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the students' work. Some were very creative!
Teachers usually leave a long list of things to do and a note saying "You won't finish it all, that's ok!" but I always manage to finish it all... do I teach too fast? Actually I think I rarely have student or time management issues, so we get quickly into the lessons. I always have a book I can read to them (Roald Dahl, The Wayside School) or a quick project such as this brainstorm one.
Common Core Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Instructional Learning Team
Dear Resume,
While not an official member of the team (not an official member of the teaching staff either, but that can't stop me!), sat in on first ILT meeting. I want to know about and get involved with the behind the scenes aspect of education also. It's also good to work with the Vice Principal, I'm sure.
First order of business? This Common Core stuff, and what should the school and teachers being doing to get ready? Seems like there are waaaaayyy more questions than answers at this point.
While not an official member of the team (not an official member of the teaching staff either, but that can't stop me!), sat in on first ILT meeting. I want to know about and get involved with the behind the scenes aspect of education also. It's also good to work with the Vice Principal, I'm sure.
First order of business? This Common Core stuff, and what should the school and teachers being doing to get ready? Seems like there are waaaaayyy more questions than answers at this point.
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