Now I can Breathe...

I can breathe again! We wrapped up testing this week and I finished and passed my dossier! I am SUPER excited to be done with that craziness. My class is all hyped up for Spring Break which is STILL one week away!

In the mean time, I've been searching out new websites and trying new things in my classroom now that the testing crunch is over. A couple new websites I've found have provided me some inspiration.

I went to a CCSS Math training two weeks ago and learned some great tips. One of the great resources they shared was illustrativemathematics.com. This website was created by one of the author's of the Common Core Standards, so it has great examples of the rigor required by the CCSS.

This example shows an example for 3.G.2, a geometry standard. The examples have higher order thinking and a commentary for teachers. These problems can also allow for more than one answer and require talk between students. I think this website is great for finding examples of tasks required of students to be successful with the CCSS.

Not all standards have an example yet, but the site seems to be expanding! I will check back often for more examples!

If you are on Spring Break, enjoy it! Happy Easter to everyone!

Plans for the week...

It's Monday night and I'm planning for my week. One of the standards I need to address is 3.RI.3. This standard has taken me awhile to wrap my mind around, and I'm still trying to figure out how to teach it the best. One of the resources I came across was from Read, Write, Think. If you haven't checked out their website, you absolutely should! It has some great lesson plans. I got there from Read Tennessee, which is another great resource. They have lesson and ideas for every common core standard! It is great! The one I will be using next week is for writing cause and effect essays. I will pretty much be using the lesson from the website.

I know this is hard to see, but click here to see the whole lesson. It gives you graphic organizers for the students, and great graphic organizer tools that can be used on the web. I plan to project the graphic organizer on the SMART board as I read a book about natural disasters, probably this one:

We will fill out the graphic organizer together, and then the students will create one with a partner on a different natural disaster book. I have several books in my class library, as well as there is a couple articles in the Time for Kids supplement we got with Treasures. After that, they will create an essay using the Essay Map program that is also available. We will do this during computer time later in the week.

I would love to hear if any of you have other ideas for teaching this standard, especially the scientific processes part!

Top 8 Tech Sites for Test Prep~ Math Magician

It's been awhile, but I am back at sharing some of the resources I use for my students on the computer.

#4- Math Magician

Math Magician is an interesting way to practice boring math facts! I have my students start with addition and go on through subtraction and multiplication. Level One gives 50 facts in 2 and a half minutes, and Level Two is 100 problems in 5 minutes. The format is pretty simple and easy to use.

 This site used to allow you to chose which fact to practice, such as multiplying by 2, but as far as I can see this is no longer an option. Another downfall of this program is if your computer runs really slow the timer seems to take longer than the set amount of time.

Overall, this is an interesting and engaging way to practice math facts! Anyone else use this program or have another way to practice facts on the computer?

Classroom Management-Class Dojo

In addition to bucket filling, another behavior system I use in my classroom is Class Dojo. Class Dojo is an interactive way to give points for good behavior. I keep this projected all day, and will sometimes allow students to award themselves points using the SMART board.

In this screen shot you see my class "monsters." When I see good behavior I award points to that student. When you click on a student, a window appears and you are able to award the point for the positive behavior the student is demonstrating.

 You are able to change the wording of the awards and the icons. So you will see I have bucket filling as one of my positive awards.

You can also give points on the go, which I do using the iphone app. My students are the best line walkers when I'm happily awarding points for their good behavior.

The app interface is pretty similar. You just chose the students to award points to and click the behavior they demonstrated. The web based version will update at the same time, so I can be in the back of the room and the point will come up on the screen.


I also will take away points for off task behavior. At the end of the week the students have Fun Friday {I got the idea here from Teeny Tiny Teacher}. The student who has the most points gets to chose their Fun Friday activity first.

The students are able to log in to class dojo and change their monster as well. Teacher reports are available to show parents and students. Class Dojo is free to use and my kiddos love it so much!

SMART Board Resources Blog Hop

I'm joining with Margaret at Kinder Journey for her first time hosting a blog hop.

I've started a technology series focusing on test prep that I'm still working on that you can find {here}. For the blog hop, the resource I would like to share is The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives. I found this thanks to my wonderful colleague.

 

This site is broken down into the subject like algebra and geometry and by grade level.

For third graders, I usually start with the virtual manipulative page that shows addition and subtraction using base ten. I usually keep going to the next problem until it gets to double or triple digit. The problems get progressively harder as you go along.

For each problem you use the SMART board (or mouse) you move the cube down to make ten. When you make ten you can circle the ten cubes and it will turn into a rod (or click and draw a square around the cubes).  Make sure you go around ALL of the cubes to make ten or it won't work.

Now that it is turned into a rod, you can move it to the tens column and it will show the answer.

This site has nearly every kind of manipulative you can think of, as well as ways you've never thought of to teach a particular topic!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

P.S. Am I breaking bloggy rules by posting twice in a day if I didn't post yesterday? :)

Top 8 Tech. Sites for Test Prep~ NWEA MAP Reading

I'm continuing my series on sites I use for test prep. You can check out what I've done so far by clicking on the Technology tab up top!

#3 NWEA MAP Reading

Top 8 Technology Sites for Test Prep~ NWEA MAP Math

I continue my series Top 8 Tech Sites for Test Prep. You can read about the #1 Tech Site for Test Prep~Arcademics.

2. NWEA MAP Math

Do you use NWEA at your school? My school district does, and one thing I really love about the test is good data about each student. My school and principal really push improvement on this test so one of the resources I use often is this site.

Top 8 Tech Sites for Test Prep~ Arcademics

I'm going to do a little round up of the top websites I use in the computer lab. I gear my computer lab time towards fun ways to build academic skills. My students are completely engaged during this time and we have a great time practicing what we know! Some sites are more fun than others, but they are all engaging and most importantly, each site is building skills, not wasting time! One of the most important features of every site I chose is that they have built in differentiation for the diverse learners in my room, I don't want anyone not challenged or struggling too much.


And now for the Top 8 Tech Sites for Test Prep...

#1

Arcademics is math and reading practice site with an emphasis in quick recall. Teachers can select the games their students are able to play. There are multiplication, addition, verbs, sight words, and a variety of other topic games. My students absolutely love this site! Once they received their logins they were meeting each other at night on their home computers to race each other at Multiplication Grand Prix.