WInner & answering a question

Today I thought I would answer one of the questions that was left for me in a comment this week. 

Q: Do you still use Whole Brain Teaching?

A: YES! I really like it because the call response style keeps the kids engaged and I can use it ANYWHERE. In the library and need to get my students attention? No chimes to ring? NO problem! It also works well for Common Core because students are often asked to turn and "teach" their neighbor.

Here is a video if you've never seen what this looks like.

If you want to learn more you can visit the Whole Brain website.

 I also want to announce the winner from yesterday's contest.

April will be getting a copy of my new Kindergarten Common Core Assessment Pack.

I am happy that so many people are finding these helpful. 
If you want to pick up a copy for yourself click {here} or for 1st grade click {here.}

Alrighty, off to tutor. Let's hope they remember to show up since it is our first session since school let out.

Shift Happens & CCSS Kindergarten Pack

Many comments on my last post asked me to share anything I could about my Common Core training so I thought I might devote a few posts. Here goes...

At first, I thought that the Common Core wasn't that big a change from our California state standards. I figured, "Okay, so I lose coins and pick up a little fractions, no biggie."  BUT, what I learned is there are some MAJOR SHIFTS in the WAY we are to teach and students are to learn.

I loved this video! So what does this mean? Clearly we need to focus on teaching our students how to be good thinkers and be able to sift through information and decide what to do with it.  Isn't this opposite of how it is now? Don't students wait to be told the "right" way and then try to copy it exactly to get the correct answer? Isn't that sad? Is there only one right way? Wouldn't it be amazing to have a classroom full of students who think of their own, independent answers, feel comfortable and confident in explaining how they got there, and respect others points of view? Can you imagine how this would better our future workforce?

One of the major shifts in the Common Core standards is the emphasis on students explaining (orally and written) HOW they got their answer and providing evidence.

What will this look like?  This means less filling in bubbles, and more free-response tests or PBAs (Performance Based Assessments.)  It also means providing more opportunities for students to orally explain their thinking. This likely means more formative assessments, hence my idea to make checklists to keep myself on track. 

As requested, I made a Kindergarten version of my Common Core Assessment Pack.

Click on the pic to take you to my TpT store.

If you don't know what I am talking about you can read my original post by clicking here.

I will pick one winner tomorrow to receive a FREE copy of this pack. To be eligible, comment below on the video, this post, tell me you pinned it, your thoughts or questions,  a book recommendation now that I am done with 50 Shades?

And yes, I am working on 2nd and 3rd grade packs for those of you who asked. I think I am getting carpal tunnel from all this typing!

And the winner is..

Congrats to Elizabeth of First Grade Frolics who was the winner of my 1st grade Common Core Assessment Pack!!

If you missed my post about this yesterday, click {here}. If want to pick one up for yourself click {HERE} or on the picture below.

By popular request, I am working on sets for the other grades as well.

Reading all your comments totally helped me get through Day 9 of training today. How will I get through my last day tomorrow???

Common Core Assessment

I am dreaming Common Core. That is just wrong on so many levels. Especially since I read Fifty Shades of Grey recently. WOW, that was an eye opener. BIG mistake to read an erotic book while my husband was out of town. HUGE. I was super happy to see him when he got home. :-) Am I over-sharing? My cheeks are pink just typing this.  

Anyway, what kind of lame brain focuses on the Common Core over a Red Room fantasy??  One that has sat through 8 days of training, perhaps?

One of the shifts in the Common Core is the idea that learning will be proven through student explanation. It seems to me that many of these standards will best be assessed through observation. To keep myself organized, I made checklists for each strand (ELA) and domain (math.) 

One set has each standard listed across the top. 

The second set has the cluster headings and space to write in the activity, skill, etc. Many districts break their report card down into similar headings so I thought this would be helpful.

I plan to put one set on a clipboard for me to jot down quick formative assessments. My district uses 3=at grade level standard, 2=approaching standard, and 1=below standard but you could easily use +, ✓, − or your own system.

I plan to hole-punch another set for my grade book to record summative assessments.

I was also thinking these checklists would help me form intervention groups.  As I observe students struggling, I can quickly highlight the standard on their names and voila, small group formed!

 
     As I familiarize myself with these new standards, I thought it also might help to check off each standard as I teach it. This will ensure I hit all of them throughout the year and will illustrate which standards need more attention.

 If you think this might be helpful, click {HERE} to visit my TpT store. 

Would you like to win a FREE copy? Just leave a comment below about anything {Common Core, the kinky book, let me know that you pinned this, a question you have for me, something else you'd like to see me make,  ANYTHING just talk to me peeps} and I'll pick a winner as I sit attentively in day 9 of training tomorrow. ;-)

Anyone interested in me making one of these packs for a different grade level?

Common Core PD & some reviews

I was contacted by Educational Insights and asked to review Classroom Jeopardy.

This electronic version of the classic game is engaging for our high-tech students. My own two sons (4th & 6th grade) couldn't wait to take it home and set it up. They were able to figure out how to hook it up to our T.V. by themselves although they were only able to get two of the scoreboards to work.

The game includes remotes to buzz in and even white board paddles to write down your wager.
It came with a USB stick with sample games on it.

The questions were geared more for upper elementary so my sons had fun but I couldn't see my first graders using it. I understand that you can write your own questions and they even have a site for teachers to share the ones they have made. I so wanted to make questions around our insect unit and use it with my first graders but the end of the year was just too crazy.

My friend Jennifer did me a favor though and tested it in a classroom with her 4th graders. She said they loved it and were even asking to stay in at recess to keep playing!

This game comes in a large, sturdy case so I decided to put it in our staff room and share it.

Maybe you can get your principal or PTO to buy it as a shared resource for your site?

I also wanted to let my upper-grade readers know that my friend Jessica recently posted a TpT item that I think you will want to check out. 

 The idea is similar to my Sight Word Superstars program that I've posted about before in that it gives a systematic way to track and encourage your students to learn their facts.

The upper grade teachers at our school got together and decided that although multiplication is taught in 3rd grade it would be 4th grade where they were expected to master it. The 5th grade passed the Big Blue G (a multiplication competition in which the winning class gets- you guessed it, the coveted Big Blue G) down to 4th grade 2 years ago. The winning class now gets to redecorate the large wooden G and hang it proudly in their classroom (not sure why it is a G, I think it was just a weird thing that was lying around that became a joke.) The bragging rights are HUGE!  Jessica's class has now won 2 years in a row! So if you are looking for a way to improve multiplication mastery just click HERE to go check her ideas out.

I'd like to say I am enjoying my summer but my first week was spent in PD on Common Core ELA. :-( No sun or fun for me. Next week is the same but the focus is math. Since I seem to be promoting others today, I thought I'd share that my fellow 1st grade teachers at the PD loved Anna Brantley's Common Core Essential Questions posters. I haven't bought them yet so I don't have great pics but they look like they would be helpful and are cute so I thought I give her a shout out!

This brought up the world of TpT and blogging and my coach spoke up and outed me!  (Thanks a lot, Carmen!)  :-) I guess it is fine that people in my district know that I blog, it is just new to talk to someone about it face to face! :-) Anyway, I have lots of common core ideas floating around so I will post about some of that next time! Enjoy the sun for me!