Scoot! Review Game (2nd Grade)

We played "Scoot!" today to review place value and I have to say, it made for an excellent review game!  Students created and wrote a problem on their whiteboard before they "scooted" around the room.  The game is similar to "Musical Chairs."  When the music stopped, students sat at the closest desk and solved the problem on their recording sheet.

The whole review game only took about 10 minutes and students got lots of practice- 20 problems!  They also had the opportunity to create and solve their own problem.  This was fun because they tried to create challenging problems in an effort to trick their classmates! The recording sheet consisted of 20 blank boxes, which is great because it can be used for any subject.  I loved this review game and will definitely use it again!

Silly Sentences (2nd Grade)

We had so much fun practicing our Grammar skills and creating Silly Sentences!  Each student got an index card with a subject or predicate and had to find a partner that made the sentence complete.  Then, they worked together to write the complete sentence, underline the subject and box the predicate.  The fun part came when they illustrated their Silly Sentence!

Students worked in pairs, all over the classroom.  I loved hearing the conversations and ideas as they discussed how to add details to their pictures!  My favorite Silly Sentence was, "The green alien built a snowman!"

Do Unto OTTERS (2nd Grade)

Today, we learned about Respect and practiced the Golden Rule!  We have doing a lot of Read-Alouds with fun activities to teach students about the classroom routines and my expectations.  Today, we read the cutest story, "Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners." We brainstormed how we wanted others to treat us and did an Otter Directed Draw.  Students captioned their picture using the sentence frame, "I would like otters to ____."

Always remember, treat OTTERS the way you want to be treated!

NGSS Science Unit

I have to tell you about a wonderful new Teachers Pay Teachers store!  My sister, Miss Alison is an amazing teacher, in her 7th year of teaching Kindergarten.  Her teaching philosophy is all about providing students with hands-on exploration and meaningful learning experiences.  I loved working in her classroom because she is so passionate about teaching and really instills the love of learning and curiosity in her students.

She created engaging activities aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards!  The units can be used alone or along with the Mystery Science curriculum.  I've used two bundles in my classroom but she has a few; Plants and Animals,  Forces and Motion, and Living and Nonliving (freebie!).

I love these units!  They include daily lessons which made planning super easy.  There are also lists of suggested books and videos, so if you wanted supplemental activities (those who have the luxury of lots of Science time!), you don't have to waste time looking for other resources.

One of my favorite things about these units are the vocabulary cards!  First off, the clipart is adorable and consistent throughout the unit, so knowledge is easily transferred from instruction to independent work.  Second, the posters are simple, perfect for the little Kinder minds!  I hate when posters and anchor charts have too much information, it can be so overwhelming.  These posters are great for instruction and for students to refer to after the lesson.

I have worked with the Kindergarten classes at Alison's school and actually seen this unit used in the classrooms.  Students loved the Science block and I loved seeing students so engaged and using academic language.  Lessons are easily prepped, activities are engaging, and the units cover all the standards.  What more could a teacher ask for?!


Check out her new TPT store by clicking here!  Be sure to follow her and check back often because she is adding more science units!  Did I mention they're all aligned with NGSS?!  

Jumpstart Kindergarten

We're having lots of fun in our Jumpstart Kindergarten class!  Students are introduced to letters and numbers and each day we do an art project.  Students also practice handwriting, learn phonics skills, and explore early mathematical concepts.  Each morning we practice handwriting by tracing our name and alphabet letters.  It's wonderful to see the progress students make in such a short time!

One of the most important things students learn in this summer course, is the rules and structure of a classroom environment.  Students build social skills and learn behavior expectations.  Many students have never been in a structured classroom and the Jumpstart Kindergarten course is a great way for students to have some exposure so they are ready for Kindergarten success!

We learned the letter A on the first day and did tear-art to make an apple.  I love doing these daily art projects because students are able to practice their fine motor skills and listening to directions.  Students also learn to use scissors and glue sticks (their future Kindergarten teachers will thank me!).

SEA Round 3

I'm thrilled to be a part of IPSF's Summer Enrichment Academy again!  The SEA is such an amazing program, especially for the incoming Kindergarteners who are new to the school setting.  I'll be teaching the "Jumpstart Kindergarten" classes in both sessions.

I seem to always find opportunities in Kindergarten!  I would love to work with other grades but I'm thankful that this busy summer (and this past school year) is with content and grade-level skills that I am so familiar with.  I've loved teaching Kindergarten and have truly learned so much!

Zones of Regulation

Have you heard of the Zones of Regulation curriculum?!  It was developed to teach students to regulate their actions.  Students learn to manage their emotions by categorizing their feelings into the four zones and improving their ability to solve conflicts.  It was suggested in our Student Shadowing Professional Development, as a way for teachers to check in with students' emotions.

Teachers explained the observed pattern of students 'falling through the cracks' and not getting the support needed because they are not students with major behavior issues.  These students meet grade-level expectations and are not referred to intervention programs, but are not interacting with other students or communicating their struggles.  The Zones of Regulation tools can be used throughout the day.  Students learn to become conscious of their emotions and teachers learn about their students' feelings.  It's a win-win!  

This is one way to use the curriculum, students place their stick in the appropriate zone.  Students identify their zone when they come into the classroom each morning and can change zones as their feelings change.  It's a great way for students to feel validated and teachers to check in and connect with students.  For example, a student may not come in and discuss their stressful morning without being prompted.  But when they identify their zone, the teacher can quickly check the zones and follow up with those students; "I noticed that you started the day in the blue zone, how's your day going?"  Teachers can easily identify and support students who may be overshadowed by students with behavior issues. 

At my school site, there is a break area for students to take a break and get themselves back to the green zone.  Students are becoming aware of their emotions and learning to solve problems independently!

I loved learning about the different zones and can't wait to implement this in my classroom!

Magnetic Board

I absolutely love this magnetic board I saw in a TK classroom!  I had to take pictures, it's so genius!  The teacher had lots of different manipulatives and had everything organized so well.  There were 2 magnet areas for students to build and explore.  A picture on the right reminded students how to clean up the area.

 

 Students could build words, unifix cubes, or interlocking gears.

All the bins were labeled with pictures to help students put all the pieces away properly!

The pipes were my favorite!  All the pieces had magnets on the back of them.  Students used the pipes and connecting pieces to build a tunnel, then they dropped a marble to travel through.  Students were working together to build little marble mazes, so fun watching them collaborate and problem-solve!







Talk about STEAM learning!  I would love to have an exploration area like this in my classroom!