3rd Grade Pad

4 Tips for Trending Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 22:02:00 +0000

Trends in education have teachers and our students in mind. There have been so many that I dare not single any of them out. What they all have in common might include these attractive qualities.

Time-Saving

Student-Centered

Differentiated

Digital

And.....it's in the Dollar Spot!

Keeping up with all of the trends in education can be a huge battle! Sadly, it has some unintended consequences. In an effort to be on-point with the trends, teachers are left scrambling! I really feel sometimes teachers are feeling pressured to try out these trends. And others are having serious FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out.

These fears are TRULY out of the LOVE of what we do. Not weakness. Not shiny object syndrome. The fear that our students may be missing a great educational opportunity is hard to walk away from. Additionally, the fear that somehow our lives might be a little bit easier is also very hard to ignore, as well!

We've hit that FRENZIED time of year and sharing some reflections over my own choices in the last year or so and sharing some questions you should consider in how to choose wisely to best match your needs

How much of my time is needed to PREPARE or MAINTAIN this new idea?

Your time is really precious! Guard it. Protect it. While reading about a certain tip or considering making an activity for your classroom, consider if the time invested will give you the return on your investment! It is really easy to get swept up on an the IDEA that is new and fresh! Consider how much time is needed to prepare something with how often it will be used. Instead of creating a Prezi from scratch for a one day lesson, you might find one pretty close to what you want already out there. However, if some discomfort up front will give you a LARGE return, go for it!

Why are you spending the money?

Raise your hand if you saw something interesting at Dollar Tree then buy 10 of them....just in case? Saw a great find at the Target Dollar Spot on Instagram and raced to your local store? Bought something at a price that was temporary and not sure if you need it? My hand is right up there with you! We've all done it! As that first year teacher or even your first year in a new grade level, there is this feeling of frenzy to get "All the Things" to be ready for it all. When these moments hit you, I think it's important to determine if you have a specific need that will bring the benefit you want or is it a "shiny object"? Is it worth considering spending this money to truly be the time-saver you think it is? Will this investment have longevity in your classroom? Let me say this one again. Will this investment provide benefit over a long period of time?

Does it match your teaching personality?

I'm going to use flexible seating as a safe example: probably one of the biggest trends I see right now that might not be a problem for your time or money if you complete a Donor's Choose project. The question you need to ask yourself is if it matches your teaching style. It is only a benefit if it is something you can manage within the way you comfortably run your room. Another big topic I see over and over in Facebook groups revolves around centers: the types of centers, the way they rotate, the number of choices, etc. With centers, you definitely will be considering time and money. You also need to consider how they match YOU! I think we all have room to grow and should always be open to trying new things... HOWEVER-we really need to also be reflective enough to say to ourselves, "You know, I really like this center idea. This is really partner centered, and I need centers that are independent. I don't need this." Girl, just walk away. It's fine.

Are you trying to be a mirror image of someone else?

It is really important to be okay with type of teacher you are! I'm not talking about teachers who have one way of doing things and completely rigid in their thinking. I personally think we all have room to grow and evolve as teachers. If you aren't evolving, you aren't being reflective and adaptive!

That said, we also need to be strong enough to say-I respect that it works for you to have you whole class actively doing centers at one time. However, I can only manage one group at a time being up and about while I teach in a small group. And that is okay!

We need to be strong enough to say, I respect that you enjoy the excitement of using Kahoot quizzes in your classroom, but I prefer using paper Exit slips. And that is okay!

We need to be strong enough to say- I respect that others love having flexible seating choices for all of your students, but I prefer have times of day to have alternative seating choices. And that is okay!

We need to be strong enough to say- I respect that other people love having partner activities during centers, but I prefer being available to monitor during my partner activities. I can walk away from this idea.....And that is okay!

I say all of this to say that when you see a trend--Be okay with NOT doing it or or making it different for your own style. No one is watching. What works for your neighbor may not work for you. One trend is no better than another. Be open to new ideas, but don't be dictated by what you perceive is the one and only way to implement them. Be open to new things. Respect new ideas.

It is OKAY to say no. Period.

Managing Guided Math Rotations

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 22:22:00 +0000

Making the switch to doing my "Core Teaching" in small groups has been one of the biggest game changers in my classroom! It definitely didn't happen overnight. It took one baby step at a time to get to where I am now, and I couldn't be more excited to share what's working in my classroom

title image here

Why I Made the Switch

Studies show that whole group instruction does not reach all of your learners. Chances are, the students who are less engaged are the ones who need engagement the most!

How I Implement My Small Groups

Whether I have 3 or 4 small groups, I have a 4 Rotation System that works for me.

These four areas are specific enough that my kids have a definite idea of the expectation. However, it is also broad enough that some of the area could be switched up from time to time and STILL be covering content in a way that I prefer.

M could stand for anything you need! Math Facts, Math Journals, Math Games, Math...whatever!

For me, M stands for Math with the Teacher. This is my small group time. This is the first step in planning my lessons. I have found over time that starting with my my "on-level" kids works best. Why? For the most part, these students are most likely to grab onto the lesson. They are also the safest group to do the practice lesson. Because they are less likely to struggle, I can gauge how parts of the lesson are going before I teach it to future groups. Additionally, if I have a student who is still struggling, I will keep them for an additional rotation to get an extra "dip" of instruction.

I will usually work with my below-level students next. I don't want to be rushed with this group. Every minute counts. I have already identified areas of my lesson that may need to be improved, or identified a change in the pace, so this lesson should be perfect! Students who may have stayed on for additional instruction are free to leave once they get it or will be combining two of their future rotations together.

I usually end with my above level kids. Depending on where we are in the scope of the skill, I may be teaching an enrichment lesson. With my second graders ,for example, we may be covering arrays to 5 groups of 5. My above level friends might be ready for higher arrays or introducing them to multiplication.

This letter is ideal to designate for the Application of the math learned. I also like for my students to apply what we've learned right after leaving my table. I call this "At Your Seat Activity", but it could be called Applying Math or Application of Skills, depending on the age level of your students. I will often use this rotation to complete Independent Practice from our math series or to complete a Math Journal activity with our target skill.

Problem with early finishers? I tackle this by permitting my students to begin the NEXT rotation once they have completed the assignment. Not finished? They can't begin the next rotation until it is COMPLETE. The A & T rotations work really well to be combined (for three rotations).

I teach in a digital 1:1 district, so I have one rotation dedicated to using technology. This is also perfect for classrooms that have limited access to technology. If you are using shared devices, using a device for QR code task cards is a great way to use technology! Parents are often very helpful in donating old smart phones to use QR codes. I love using websites like IXL, Xtra Math, Moby Max, and Scootpad. It is easy to differentiate by each rotation, too!

My favorite rotation HAS to be the opportunity to push forward interesting games, task cards, and such to reinforce old skills, practice new skills, and provide enrichment opportunities. H means Hands-On Activities in my classroom. Student have the opportunities to leave their seats and have choices of working independently or with a partner. Children need repeated opportunities to have choices with concrete experiences. I feel we pull back on concrete experiences too quickly, but they really need repeated exposure. Problem solving with peers is so beneficial, too.

Small Group Management

I use simple, "timed" PowerPoints to manage my rotations. To prepare each week or day, I use a simple planning sheet to track my overall needs for the day. It makes it pretty simple to use the sheet to fill in my PowerPoints. I really try to set up Weekly contracts for some rotations so that I only need to update my small group or independent activities each day.

If I know that I will only have 45 minutes for rotations, I simply divide up the time into even increments, and change that one little setting on the rotations.

Bam! I never have to leave my small group table.

I add the "chimes" signal for my "Clean Up". We practice this A LOT at the beginning of the year. In fact, I teach the HOW of small group clean up, rotating, etc. by teaching review skills in groups to begin with. I will teach games that will go into the centers later and permit them to play at my table. This permits me to leave the table and monitor the other groups.

Once we've got the HOW mastered, the content can get deeper without fear of interruptions or improper behaviors. If you'd like to take a peek at my Math Rotations slides, click HERE to see all the options for your own classroom. Knowing that not everyone's classroom may work as mine, does, I created some options to cater to any classroom's needs.

Differentiate Centers Using Simple Color Coding

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:08:00 +0000

Reinforcing skills over time is such an important element in any classroom.

The struggle: How to reinforce the skills across the classroom without reinventing the wheel each week. I've come up with a system in my centers that has made it so simple!

Part One: Setting Up a Color Coding System

Step One: One Skill in One Place

When I determine a skill to practice, I want my students to go to one place. Inside that one place, I will provide the differentiation that is needed. If my students need on-level and above level practice, I will have color-coded activities just for them. I recommend you build any center with this idea in mind. In math, I try to have five centers going to choose from. Most will be differentiated with different choices inside. Perhaps not EVERY center, but nearly every center will be differentiated. I love using these Sterlite bins for SO many reasons in my classroom! These are super sturdy, stackable, and easy to label. I buy mine at Dollar General mostly, but Target will often have a different color on the handle that I like to buy, too. If you don't have these stores, buying them in bulk is a great option with Amazon Prime.

Step Two: How to Prep Differentiation

To set up the assignments for the students, you will need to choose a consistent color scheme. The first three colors you choose may depend on some systems you already have in place.

I want to be fair in saying that I determine the level based on year-end grade level expectations. At any given point in the school year, below-level activities might be the appropriate choice...and that is okay! My students are not labeled-the activities are. My fourth color will be for everyone-my generic color. If I have an activity that is not differentiated, I code it pink. Pink is just a color that works well in my room and I always have tons of pink paper! My kids know right away that if there are pink cards or a pink bin, they don't need to find a certain color.

Step 3: Differentiate Using Existing Activities

If you have been collecting centers and task cards for any amount of time, you need just a few simple tricks to push them out to your students. I use a combination of these all the time!

I love these Target brand sandwich bags to put my task cards in. They are already blue, yellow, green and red (but they look pink!). It is so simple to just drop in what I need for each group.

No colored baggies? No problem! Use any task card holder and drop a sticky note or colored index card inside. You can even add specific directions on the card. Simply discard the directions or save them for future us.

Step Four: Prepping New Activities

With my system already in place, I may decide to use colored paper to copy the activity or task cards based on how it meets the standards I am addressing. For example, as a 2nd grade teacher, I often have children ready to do multiplication activities or 4 digit subtraction. If they come in an ink-friendly format, I would copy them on blue paper before I laminate. I've created some task cards for my student-centers and made them Low, On-Level, and High to cover certain math skills so that I can easily differentiate throughout the year.

You can take a closer look at all of the skills covered in this series by clicking HERE.

Tune into PART TWO of this blog series when I share some other ways I differentiate and set up my centers!

Using Popplet in the Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 09:30:00 +0000

I'm back again for another tech tool to share! But, let's me honest...

Well...Have I got the perfect starter tool for you!

In all honesty, I can only juggle about 3 tools at a time. Any more than that, the kids forget how to use it (time wasting). Symbaloo and Padlet are the biggies for me. Once my kids are proficient in those, I can bring in something else.

It is available in both web-based and for iPads. ANY classroom with digital access can benefit!
Ready to be convinced? Here goes!

I promise you…there is nothing SIMPLER than Popplet! Double tap anywhere and POP! You have your first popple. Tap on any of the settings below to create the popple of your choice.
See the little white circles? Simply press and drag to create an ATTACHED popple.
BAM! Instant graphic organizer!

This graphic organizing tool can easily be used across the curriculum!

This week, we located examples of text features. They took pictures using their iPads and added text to label & explain the feature. Talk about actively engaged!

One of my little buddies asked to make a popplet about our reading. Can't you see kids working in groups making different presentations for the class to EXPLAIN what they researched??

Other ideas?

Retell a story in order

Main Idea & Details

Problem/Solution

Beginning/Middle/End

In math this week, we were working on place value.
How perfect it is to start with a number:

Would this make an AMAZING center activity! No copies..no laminating. Roll three dice and GO!

Create a base 10 model and snap a picture
Write the number in expanded form
Write the number in word form

This could also be used to show different parts to create wholes, different expressions to express a number--the number of digits will depend on your needs!

For science & social studies, students can respond in so many ways to show understanding!
Learning about animal groups?
Learning about types of rocks?
Name the group-the popples will describe the attributes

This is all fun, but it is important that the students are focused on the task. I give my kids an easy rubric so that they stay on track. Since this is one of those tasks that the parents DON'T see, I add two places to check off. One is for the students--this is their promise to have double checked what is expected.

The right side is for me to do the final check. Kids on iPads can take screen shots or you could check them off personally. I like the chance to discuss and help them make improvements-clarify their thoughts. When I can, that is!

Despite the fact little buddy has HORRIBLE handwriting…yes, I WILL be using some of Melissa's tips for this guy, but…He had done an AMAZING job! Do you give your kids feedback when they do an amazing job? I like to give them hearts. Love hearing when they look over their papers and are excited when they earn a COVETED heart!

I'd sure love to hear how YOU use Popplet…or if you TRY it!

Simple Center Organization

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 02:02:00 +0000

Livening up my guided math rotations each month are NEVER a struggle during the holidays! I like to keep about 10 center choices each month and save about FIVE of them for something seasonal and out of the ordinary. Here is some fun tips for storing those seasonal choices to make some of your OLD centers NEW again!

I love using this Sterlite Photo container to organize 5-6 sets of task cards. I will switch these out monthly, but my students are familiar with the location and procedure that remains the same. The bins takes up such a small space that it is perfect if you have space limitations.

These are especially ideal if you wave centers with smaller pieces. I know that they will not be lost or fall out of a basket if I have them contained in these nifty plastic containers! This set shown is from my December Math Mini Center Bundle for 2nd Grade

I also love grabbing any seasonal gift bag and throwing in a few centers or sets of task cards. Games are somehow "cooler" in a bag! Simply adding a unique touch adds some pizzazz during my guided math rotations!

Another advantage to using gift bags is that you can decide if you want the center to be a seatwork activity of a partner activity is a selected space in the room! It is a great way to self-contain the activity.

How do you jazz up your centers? Leave a comment! I'd love to try something new!

Organizing Made Simple

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:46:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges for myself and so many teachers is creating a system...a procedure that everything that a teacher NEEDS also has a HOME. I'm quite proud of the systems I have in place for my students, yet I find myself having so much to keep track of that I get overwhelmed in my efforts to get ahead. I make a ton of copies or gather books...sometimes weeks ahead of time, but when I need it.......

....the sound of crickets

Yep, I don't consistently FIND these materials! I blush when people come to my room and remark for ORGANIZED I am. Gulp...Really?? Perhaps I'm uber hard on myself, but I was determined to rework the systems I have in place for myself this summer.

Taming the Copies

While I am guilty of being a morning copier, I prefer to get all of my copies prepped before I do the written part of my lesson plans. As I skim through the resources I own, I pull aside the "keepers" and try to do my copies in bulk. The problem arises when I need to put them SOMEWHERE when I don't really need them NOW.

My Solution

I reworked some Sterlite drawers I was using for another purpose and labeled them with the main subject categories. They are the perfect size for copies and can easily become stackable. As I make copies or find a mentor text to use, I put them in the labeled drawer. When Friday rolls around, I am ready to pull next week's supplies and have them ready and waiting for when the next week starts!

Taming the Daily Supplies

Okay, so all of my copies are ready. My mentor texts are ready. Various other supplies are out and about in the classroom. What to do with it all and have what I need for each day? I used to use these cute magazine holders that were labeled for each day of the week. They honestly do a nice job of keeping things organized, but I recommend reducing the number of TEACHER things that need to be out in the open. I took this advice from a tidbit I read in Word Nerds---everything that is out should be for the kids and this is another way to hide MY things away but still be at my fingertips.

I am using GRANDdaddy sized Sterlite drawers. I don't have these at home to show you, but this is what I'm using. Like the other version, I have two sets that I repurposed for the days of the week. Everything that is needed for the day of the week will be found in its own drawer. So.....when Friday rolls around and I'm prepping for the next week, all of the items I have prepped from the SUBJECT drawers get divided into days of the week, The size of the drawers make it simple to add manipulatives and over sized items that would NEVER fit in a magazine holder. I will share what these look like when I get them completed...I promise!

Freebie for YOU!

I've created a new set labels to expand my color palette in my classroom. I am labeling EVERYTHING! I needed to create a new template for the Subject drawers to fit inside of my Sterlite drawers and I've added it to my store for YOU! I love the additional soft colors. A teacher friend really wanted pastel Superheroes so I created something we BOTH can use! I'm using the plain labels and SHE is using the ones with Superheroes! Click the image below to grab this free project to get yourself a step ahead this fall! Will you be "Team Plain Label" with ME or "Team Superhero" with HER??

You can take a closer look at all the of the EDITABLE items we are using by clicking the image below.

I also have a wide array of Editable Classroom Decor that you might like to take a peek at. You can view them by clicking below.

Until next time sweet friends!

Teacher Tip to Encourage Good Choices

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:19:00 +0000

Teachers are busy, but we can't be too busy to notice our sweet friends when they make good choices!

I wanted to add a quick way to encourage my students, but I wanted to also REMEMBER who I have encouraged! Who might NEED encouraging! While walking through the aisle of Dollar Tree, I recalled a cute idea from a blog post I read in the past. I can NOT for the life of me find it---if you KNOW, please share as I'd love for you to see that post, TOO! At any rate, seeing the $1 Receipt Book, I knew what my next project would be! And I am LONG overdue for a Monday Made It!

Be sure to click here to see all of the other AMAZING ideas shared!

The Idea
Program these inexpensive booklets into a cute little note from the teacher! These receipt books are perfect because they are not only lined and ready-to-go, BUT they have a carbon to keep for your records. Send a quick note of encouragement or support for the positive things you want your kids to be doing.

The Hurdle
Cover the "money part".

The Solution
Create labels to personalize the notes AND cover the money part in one EASY step.

I decided to purchase the Avery Labels with 14 labels per sheet: Template 5162. The standard 30 to a page label wasn't long enough to cover the parts I wanted covered. On each label, I can program my name TWICE, so I get 28 notes prepped in a snap! That's one entire booklet. In fact, I will be making another trip to Dollar Tree to have my notes ready for the YEAR! Because, seriously....I know me. Life will get busy and when better to do it than now!

Quick Tip for Choosing Your Font:
wordmark.it is a great website for you to try out all of the fonts that are loaded on your computer. If you are a font junkie like me, then your Quick & Easy project could turn into something WAY too long simply trying out all of your fonts! This makes it super simple!
Simply...
Type in the phrase you want and click the choices that you think are contenders. See the ones that have a green box? Those are the ones I selected.

Then, click the option to "Filter Selected" to see a smaller sampling of those that you like. TRUST ME! This little tip ALONE will save you time on future projects!

The Fun Part
I had a great time playing with colors and effects with the fonts to make the labels super cute. I even added one of my favorite froggy graphics! My kids expect it and KNOW it is special if I add a FROG!

Once I was happy with my page and printed it, I used my handy dandy cutter to cut the center of each label. That way, I can quickly have four labels on each strip.

I think they turned out super cute! Now all I need is a classroom of students and a watchful eye to catch all of the great choices my kids make or to give a bit of encouragement when needed!

I'd love to hear if you give this one a try or if you are already doing something like this. How's it working for you?!?

Until next time!

Fun Spiral Review Game for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 17:50:00 +0000

Spring..... a time when sunny days make your students itch to get outdoors!

Get them outside with this super quick-and-easy DIY activity that packs a punch! You can hit your state standards in ELA or Math and TOTALLY put this in your lesson plans! This might even pack a punch in your Test Prep, too!

You can have this activity ready with one trip to the store, too!

Simple Steps Include:

Buy (or repurpose last year's) 24 plastic eggs
Create a 2-column table with 12 rows
Number and fill the boxes with quick to answer Math or ELA (or a mix of both) prompts.
Cut and fill your eggs
BAM! You are ready to go!

My district is having Spring Break this week, so we took advantage of the final day before break to hit the outdoors for some spiral review. My kids even helped to get the eggs scattered! With clipboard, pencil, and answer sheet in hand, we spread out in our designated area. I scooted a few kids around, tossed the remaining eggs myself, and said GO!

My sweet friends squatted in the grass, opened their own egg, and answered on the document. Then...off they went to find another egg! We easily spent 20 minutes on our Math spiral review and we weren't even finished! In all honesty, I was less concerned about completion, but I was more focused on the opportunity to revisit old standards. There were a few who needed a little reminder...but they were off again in no time!

In all, this is a guilt-free, worksheet-free review your kids will never forget!

We returned inside to quickly check answers on our document camera. I was so pleased to see my kids confidently show mastery of so many skills!

Need a shortcut? I'd love for you to have a copy of my 2nd grade review and 24 box answer document to get you started! Simply click HERE to grab this one to go straight to your Google Drive!

I'd love to read your comments about how this went with your class!

Tips for Teachers After Spring Break

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 22:56:00 +0000

Returning from Spring Break can be the BEST time to add a spark to your classroom routines! What's more...it is also the perfect time to try out some techniques and routines that you might have been a little nervous to try! Who better to try them out with than with the students you have already established a trusting environment!

These are my top tips that you should try with your students!

If you aren't already using Class Dojo with your students, after Spring Break is the perfect time to start. Focus as a classroom on the behaviors you want to see most often, add them to your Positive Behavior list, and start catching your students in the act. A two-to-three month commitment late in the school year is the perfect time to try out this interactive app.

Set a weekly goal of positive behaviors and reward your class with extra recess, Stinky Feet day, or a simple snack & short video on Friday
Choose the Random Pick option to watch a "Secret Friend" in the hallway to add to the class total. My students always clap for the Secret Friend and thank them!

Class Dojo too much of a commitment for you? No worries! One of my favorite ways to quietly recognize on-task behavior, good choices, or ANY act of "Awesomeness" are giving my kids tiny tokens while I'm teaching. Trust me, kids NOTICE when you pull out these goodies and just lay them on desks and give a silent pat on the back. Be super-generous and watch how contagious positive behavior spreads throughout your room! I use a variety of things I have collected like:

Read Tara at 4th Grade Frolic's post about using Smuddles.
Dollar Spot erasers from Target
Reward Phrases from Creative Teaching Press

Your Guided Math and Reading groups are probably pretty established by now. Add a little pizzazz to the routine and try out some Flexible Seating options for one of your rotations. Who knows? You may decide you want to do more in the fall when school starts!!

Scoop rockers make a great option to get out of desks to do some reading or independent work in a quiet location in the room. As a 3rd grade teacher, I've never had centers in a specific "place" in the room, so this leaves the extra room available perfect for some choices on the floor. I found mine at Walmart, but I have been told you can find them at Aldi's as well!
Standing Work Zone: Raise the legs of an unused table or a collection of desks in the building to create a place to plop center games and word work. Let your "standers" have a spot to work, wiggle, and lean to their heart's content during one of your rotations!

When Spring Fever hits, why fight the battle when you can channel the energy productively! If GoNoodle didn't save your sanity this winter with its Inside Recess options, then you need to head over to check out the movement activities that range from the ever-calming Maximo to the goofy Koo Koo Kanga boys! Create your own list of favorites and let your kids do the choosing. Start one of these during your transition times and just WATCH you kiddoes clean up and join in no NO TIME!

One my of kids' favorite activities to spend 5-10minutes is simply having the chance to get our markers, colored pencils, or crayons and draw. I have a collection of great ideas on my Pinterest Board that are Low (to zero) Prep and High Interest! You can see it HERE. These are perfect activities to follow up a round of standardized testing, too! Very stress relieving!

Find a You Tube Channel will calming classical music. You might like THIS one!
Guide a directed drawing, demonstrate a doodling technique, or simply give them a Squiggle that you start for them.

Enjoy the last few weeks with your precious friends!

Periscope: PD in your Pajamas

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 02:33:00 +0000

As teachers of the 21st century, we are knee deep in technology! We prepare our students, immerse them in all things technology! A teacher's workload grows daily--yet our desire to learn grows, too. The time to read (and in my case...even WRITE blog posts) and remain current can be a struggle.

Struggle no more! Periscope, to the rescue!

What is Periscope?

Periscope is a live-streaming video app for IOS and Android devices. These video segments permit viewers to watch in "real-time" and interact with the host OR you can can watch the replay. These replays remain available for 24 hours on your Periscope app.

24 hours...what's the point?? Never fear! Most active "Scopers" are saving their scopes on a website called Katch.me. Once you find a scope you really like--head over to their Katch and you can "catch up" on what you've missed!

My Top 5 Scopers
There are really so very MANY people scoping--new ones each day. We all have different tastes, so what I like is just...ME! Get out there and see who Inspires..Motivates..Feeds your teacher soul!

iteachtvnetwork

If you are a teacher--you need to start here. You will find a regular schedule of folks that you are bound to find what you need. Plus...they will share out people your SHOULD watch! That really helps find some new folks that you click with!.

Angie Olsen at Lucky Little Learners

Her spots on the network pertain to math. My first LOVE! I've been a little outside of my comfort zone this year, so I appreciate seeing her hands-on approach. She's great! Be sure to watch her weekly scopes and catch her in between!

My Literacy go-to is Brook Browne

Her literacy center ideas have totally rocked my world....and my classroom! Doing centers at a younger grade level had really been a struggle! Be sure if YOU feel like you are spinning your wheels in that area--catch the replays over at iteachtvnetworks's website! I drop everything to watch her!

Jen Jones

Need I say more??? Jen--Jones is on Periscope! I have focused so much energy to my love of math that I enjoy hearing the spark and giant nuggets of information to be gleaned from her!

Just a Primary Girl

Not all scopes HAVE to be super serious content to be enjoyable and worth your time! After following her in Instagram for some time, I had to check out Aly! Her scopes range from the opening of her Stitch Fixes & Rocksbox goodies to her finds at the Target Dollar Spot to being very REAL about parenting a child with special needs. I just MIGHT have had to make a run to Walmart to find the scoop rockers that she shared...WHILE in Walmart!

Jessica Martin @ The Whimsical Teacher

In my early days of watching Periscopes, I didn't have many folks I followed. Somehow I happened upon Jess and honestly---I thought, hmmmmm. I'm not sure what to think of this chick with the silly glasses scoping from the Walmart parking lot! On a car trip home I caught her "story"--as in her previous career, her journey---it was super long and perfect to listen to in the car. I was hooked from then on. Such a smart and savvy lady! You just never know about someone until you scratch the surface! You would NEVER get that by reading a blog post!

So...not a very FANCY blog post. Just a quick share to my readers who may not have caught the bug yet. You just never know what you'll learn friends.

I've had a ring-side seat for:

Flexible seating in action

Classroom tours

Powerpoint tutorials

Motivating talks to remain positive

Centers of all kinds

iPad apps in action

Head on over the the amazing Ashley Schroeder's link-up below, friends! She's rocking the Periscope world with so much energy! I'm such an organizational slacker that I need 1:1 help from her!

An InLinkz Link-up

Six Free & Easy Classroom Rewards

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 15:31:00 +0000

Hello friends! I'm excited to share with you my FAVORITE classroom rewards and WHY I use them!

I have many teacher friends who use a Classroom Economy quite successfully. Students earn tokens that can be redeemed for books, pencils, treats, etc. Parents are super supportive with donations, and the kids love it! I'm a pretty organized person and COULD do this, but the bookkeeping portion is not something that I wanted to add to my plate. Additionally, I seem to have students who just aren't dazzled by "stuff.

So, whether you need a system to support your Class Dojo, Homework, Facts Mastery or AR, here are SIX Free Rewards that your kids will LOVE!

It is so simple to set up a PREMIUM spot in your classroom! With the addition of Flexible Seating in so many classrooms, having a premium spot is sure to be a winner! A few years ago, my parents gave me an "old school" desk that I really love!

I used to put it outside my door as a place to store books during morning drop-off time & a place for me to place items for my helpers to grab-and-go. Now it is placed in a prime location near my teaching station! My VIP can see the Promethian board well, can advance slides for me, if needed, and can get extra "face" time with me! Be sure to check out Rachel Lamb's post on Bloghoppin' with a great collection of images to inspire you! I keep a calendar in the desk, and my kids make reservations for the date they want. Beyond tomorrow...I just can't keep up!

If your teammates are agreeable, let your kids have a chance to eat lunch with one (or two) buddies from any class! Let's face it, some of your kids' friends aren't in the same class. Offering this special treat is not only easy....but easy to schedule, too!

All you need is an extra table in your lunchroom! Or.....an extra seat in your class's designated area. Our only requirement is to check-in with the other teacher to ask permission for "Susie" to sit with them for the day.

Classrooms today seem to range from 1:1 to 1 per classroom! Whatever level of access you have, kids love even having 10 minutes of access to their favorite activities--whether it is coding, math games, or an adventure.

Letting my kids choose these coupons are a BIG hit with my boys, especially! I designate certain times of day that kids can opt to redeem their Tech Time coupons so that I'm not asked to use their privilege at a time that I don't approve. Knowing that up front makes it super simple to have this access.

Each year, I have kids who are into some sort of figurine--From Webkins to Lego Figures to Minecraft characters to the Beanie Boos. Kids love bringing their treasures to school to display on their desk.

Don't we do the same thing? Heck, yes! It's the perfect treat for some kids! Now they have their chance! I've never had an issue with kids on their special day--only when they've tried to sneak it in!

Kids love walking in class in socks for the day--whether it is a special pair for the day or the random pair they put on when then got dressed. The freedom of no shoes feels great!

This one is not completely free, but it a one-time investment that keeps going! I purchased these containers early in the year and stuffed them with special things I have on hand--a smelly marker, a smelly pencil, fresh crayons, markers (they aren't in their supply lists so this is special), colored pencils.

Getting this bag for the day is awesome! I like to pull this one out later in the year when their OWN supplies are getting worn and not so special anymore. WARNING: You might want to make a few of these--it's a popular choice in my room!

How do I manage it? I use good old COUPONS!

I choose one day a week. Period. Students go to my binder of coupons and make their choices.
I write their name in Sharpie on the back. I worried about possible theft which prompted being a bit proactive in identifying the owner. Once they use their coupon, I check off their name to be reused once more. They really get a kick in seeing who had the ticket last! It also saves me time!
I make a few sheets each, laminate them, and I am done for they year.

I use these to manage our School-wide Reading Goals Management. If you'd like to see more, click over to my POST to see it in action!

I've created a FREE SAMPLE of my top 6 coupons in an Ink-friendly format that is ready-to-go for you! Just choose your favorite colored paper and you are ready to print! Start TOMORROW!

Hope these ideas will help support WHATEVER system you have in place!

Paperless Collaboration Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 01:21:00 +0000

Planning with your teammates can be quite a challenge! Limited time during the day to meet and differing after school schedules can really complicate a team trying to plan cohesively!

Too busy for collaborating in "Real Time"?

Random emails and files arriving when you don't have TIME to manage them appropriately?

Have I got the tool for YOU!

Juggling so many forms of communication is driving me batty! We are standards-based, so we are constantly looking for ways to supplement our curriculum. Additionally, we have become a team of 5 teachers, and our PE times are now split. Our common planning time has now gone POOF! What's a busy team to do? Using Livebinders has become a time-saving and efficient way to keep our common needs in one place. You can store up to 100MB of files, websites videos for FREE…all in one simple spot.

Once you've created your account, you are ready to start!

If you are creating a place for your purchased multiple licenses for your team from TpT, you will want to create a private Livebinders. Additionally, if you are using PDFs from your school curriculum, you should make sure those documents are private, as well. However, if you are creating a spot for lots of free sites and ideas, why not describe for the WORLD to use!

Livebinders will start you with THREE blank tabs to get you started. You just need to rename them to your liking. Need more…and you WILL… click on the "+Tab" button at the top.

Now that you have a Livebinder for all of our team's math, create Tabs like Fractions, Multiplication, etc.

Inside the Tab I created for Fractions, I added a SUB TABs. I wanted to add the URL for a cute anchor chart on Pinterest. So, I clicked Website then dropped in the URL. Done! If I had a file that I created, I would click Upload and attach the file!

We have a Livebinders that contains the PDFs of our weekly tests from our curriculum. I spent ONE evening adding them to the binder for the YEAR, and we all benefit. Pulling up from the URL allows you to print or save to your own computer from that screen.

I love that I can scroll up and down inside the tab to read the contents. I can click very quickly between all the tabs to view what I need!. No more sending & receiving files from my teammates that get buried in all of the other items I need.

Hope you love it!

Start your New Year off right and collaborate SMART!

Differentiating Reading Goals in the Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 15:39:00 +0000

As teachers, we all want to promote lifelong reading. That's a given. How we DO that as teachers, grade levels, and schools tends to vary.

Disclaimer: I think that these may have merit and are well intentioned. I've tried them. However, they just don't work for me! I'm kind of an "everybody is a winner" kind of teacher. I'm super empathetic. As a mother of both a "gifted" student, and one who received services for learning disabilities---I often view my classroom practices through their eyes. My teaching peers use many of these. No judging--it's just not for me.

My problem with this? You reach the total--then you're done. My box-checkers will opt for the quick reads to make sure they are done. What about your high flyers that are reading more complex books? That reader either opts for quicker reads just to meet the criterial or makes the choice to read what they like and NOT make the goal. My less confident readers might see this random number as intimidating and be even MORE frustrated. I'll be honest here. I've always quietly NOT participated in this with my class. I just want my kids to read.

Kids will have a sudden SURGE of reading at the END just to get some junky prizes. Umm, I'm not a fan of that either! The A.R. cart would start popping up in the hallway, and my kids start making mad dashes to the classroom library or trying to remember books they've read to take tests. Silly friends-- they've already run the reports. Then they are bummed.

This is a pretty efficient system of record keeping. I've done it. Kids can see their progress. But….. they can also see everyone ELSE'S progress. I just don't think this is good for ANYONE. I have high flyers who are a bit embarrassed by the attention. Then there are some that use it for bragging rights, too. Then there are your kids who are trudging along and start to feel they'll never catch up. Why bother? Thinking to themselves….If I just stop, I can just tell people I don't care. Deep down though….they feel defeated.

The last several years we tried promoting reading different genres. 3 books or 300 pages (Grades 3-5) and you earned a Brag Tag of that genre. "X" number of Brag Tags and you got to attend the Hot Chocolate Party before Winter Break or the Snow Cone Party at the end of the year. Instead of AR tests, you wrote a summary in a journal and had book talks with our Reading Coach. More promising system in that it promoted writing and not necessarily AR tests, but yet again, readers stopped reading/writing once they knew they weren't going to make the goal. Boys especially hated the writing part and weren't dazzled enough by the Brag Tags. Once more, you had kids making mad dashes to write something in their journals. I had sneaky misses & misters that would copy the book jacket. Maybe they just didn't have the writing skills yet? Idk….

This year, our school has gone back to AR points. However, our coach set the AR goals based on their reading level. Somehow it is calculated that reading 20 minutes a day at a certain level will equal a certain number of points. I'm not a huge fan of AR. However, this is being done school-wide, so I need to find a way to be okay with it in a way that benefits my students' needs.

I really like this particular meme….and ones that are similar.

It is not FAIR to set the same goals for all students. If the goal is to promote reading, then as teachers, we need to promote reading--not a random number that seems reasonable to us. No matter what type of reader we have in our classroom, it is our job to take them where they are and move them forward. Recognizing these differences is the first step in promoting success in the classroom. If your friends don't see themselves attaining or achieving the goal you set for them--they won't even try and see themselves as being less. We don't want that!

It is equitable to give students attainable goals. If I must have reading goals mandated, I don't want a "One Size Fits All" approach. I've shared with my kids that reading is a lot like training for any sport or hobby they enjoy. You can't show up on game day or become skillful at their hobby and have NEVER practiced or stumbled along the way! Daily reading will get you ready for ANYTHING!

Having a purpose is the beginning of having meaningful conferences and discussions about what a child is reading. These conferences and talks are my favorite part of teaching reading. This is how I partner my kids to go to the library together for recommendations. too.

Personal truth? I would RATHER help my students set their OWN goals. That is what I've done in the past. If YOU are in the position to choose--do it! However, conferencing 1:1 is a way to support your students progress rather than just saying, "Here's your goal--go!"

Much like the clip charts for behavior, I created a clip chart for my students to track their progress towards THEIR individual goal. No one knows but the students what the goal is….but they are ALL capable of attaining it! I might have 10 friends at the 25% level at the time of this photo, but the level they are reading and the points earned for accuracy on AR are very different.

Unlike the end-of-term method for rewards, ongoing monitoring of a goal needs to be taking place. Every Monday afternoon, I run the AR reports for the grading period. I send these home in my friends weekly folders so that the parents can see what they are reading and how they performed. This also gives me the opportunity to conference with my kids about their accuracy, if they are sticking with a book or abandoning them quickly, if they need book suggestions, how they feel about their progress, etc. I also run the report that tells me the percentage of their goal attained. We talk together about that, too.

After I have conferenced with my students Tuesday morning, it is time for the big announcements. Time to move up the the chart! Each time they move up the chart, they earn a Brag Tag for their percentage. We wear them on Tuesdays. I do other types of Brag Tags--not just reading--but this is one aspect added to our day.

I know that I could cut them all out and put them in some cool container. This girl ain't got time for that! I just cut what I need Monday afternoon, write their name in Sharpie on the back, and I'm ready to go on Tuesday. The rest are safe and sound until next week.

As I stated before, I'm not a big fan of waiting until a "Big Moment" to recognize progress. Yes, in the real world, you do have to cross this finish line in any race. But I don't want my kids to be box-checkers when it comes to reading.

There is no "Prize Box" in my classroom. I am not one for giving my kids to get tangible prizes. I might give out "Smarties" or "Nerds" from time to time What I PREFER is for my kids to earn privileges. So, each time they move up the chart--they get to "Pick a Privilege." A coupon that they can redeem to me---thus, they pick an "ACTION", not a thing, as recognition as they move toward their goal. No waiting until the end, no disappointment for not getting the BIG prize---this coupon happens WITH the Brag Tag. You can earn the same privilege each time or vary it. Each rung on the chart is an equal accomplishment to be celebrated. Everyone has their own currency, so I polled my kids at the beginning of the year, and we decided what they wanted to earn. Stinky feet, VIP seating, lunch buddy, tech time, reading in "The Pit" (a cool spot at our school), and furry desk friend.

But what about those kids who get to the 100% mark, and there are weeks left in the term?

I added an area that once they achieve 125% of their goal, they move "Off the Chart". Each time they earn an additional 25% of their goal, they earn another Privilege Coupon. This keeps my readers reading--no matter where they are. It keeps the discussions going in our conferences. It minimizes the "box-checking'" AND…..my lower level readers can be in the same company as my higher readers.

In the end……I just want them reading. Building fluency. Building vocabulary.

Sure, there is some pesky bookkeeping with this. I have a few simple pages in a binder that keeps it simple to manage for me. Paper is my MONSTER, so I don't want too many forms!

I keep records of their yearly total (we have school-wide recognition for yearly points). So I want that information at hand so that I can let them to know when they are getting close when we conference.

Create a "Go-To" spot to keep your records. A binder works best for me, but my teacher friends love to keep checklist on a clipboard. Whatever works for you!

This system creates the perfect balance for me. If you need to step up your organization and motivate your readers in a new way, I've added my resources into my store.

Click the image to see it in my store! Happy teaching and #HappyClassrooms!

Developing Point of View with Mentor Texts

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 02:58:00 +0000

One of my absolute FAVORITE reading strategies to teach is Point of View. Students really begin to think deeper about literature! Understanding character is the building block to so many other skills.

I love...just LOVE entering the 2nd grading period of the school year! We start to really delve into books and have the BEST book talks! I generally begin a standard using our basal reader then expose my children to as many mentor texts as I can. I certainly have my favorites, but each year I happen upon a few new ones to share my my kids.

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff is such a CUTE story! This a a GREAT text to not only support characters with different point of views, but it lends itself nicely to Persuasive Writing! In this story, Alex wants to have his friend's pet iguana after he moves away. The story unfolds as Alex & his mom exchange letters to each other.

Creating anchor charts together is a great way to model graphic organizers--like simple T-charts. Hmm--do you see some comparing and contrasting going on???

Doreen Cronin's "Diary of a _____" series are great fun, as well! If your school has access to Tumblebooks, any 1:1 classroom can have a class set of Diary of a Fly and Diary of a Spider. Perfect for some quick Lit Circles or Guided Reading!

Devin Scillian's Memoirs of a Goldfish and Memoirs of a Hamster bring in the point of view of house pets! There is a great video available on You tube, too! Great resource to use for your D5 centers to Listen to Reading.

Another favorite in our classroom is Stellaluna. Story Online also have a read aloud for your children whole group or Listen to Reading.

Image and Link to Amazon.com

The absolute ULTIMATE point of view mentor test is Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. This selection is also in our basal reader. Lucky us! I like to read it aloud without showing them the pictures. Only after I have read the page do I display the picture. Pretty quickly they see that there is no forest, mountains, or brown lake. They get so excited trying to predict what the ants are describing! There's a pretty neat free resource online that you might like to use with this. You can find it HERE. All of your CCSS are linked up for you, too!

Need a collection of graphic organizers? Here's another great link for you!

http://coachlottes.weebly.com/uploads/9/9/1/3/9913501/pov_organizers.pdf

Story and characters are labeled for you in a familiar organizer each time! I plan to put these in a Reading Center, along with the books for my students to read during Read to Self. I can't wait to see how they grasp the concept and OWN it over time!

You can find organizers for:

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume (Boy! Did my kids have opinions about THAT one! Amazing point of views from a brother and sister.)
The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Rotten Ritchie and the Ultimate Dare by Patricia Polacco
The Sneeches, The Cat and the Hat, Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss

I hope this collection of mentor texts will get you MORE than inspire to dig into and love exploring Point of View in your classroom!

All I Want for Black Friday is….

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Hi sweet friends! I'm only a day and a half into my Thanksgiving Break, and I am LOVING this time to get refreshed! AND…..get all of my lists GOING! I've got

Grocery lists (Low Country Boil for our alternative Thanksgiving dinner this year) and…
My online shopping lists are going by the DAY! I'm al title addicted to Jane.com right now.
My Back-to-School lists to squeeze in all of the academics before Benchmark Testing & have some fun along the way!

So, I was super excited to join in the FABULOUS ladies at The Primary Pack a super fun linky!

Here goes!

I've got some BIGGIES on my list this year!

I'm really hoping to gift MYSELF with a new laptop! I've worked SUPER hard this year to help with the extras for my TWO kids in college! I've been using my school-issued Mac Air…which is a DREAM, but teachers do not have Admin rights! It is so frustrating! AND….I might have filled it up by linking up my Google Drive to it. Just maybe…..
I'm also hoping that my sweet hubs will catch the hints I've been dropping about some Hunter Boots for this winter. I may live in Alabama, but honey…it gets cold and just stays WET! Our parking lot always seems to have several inches of water. I've already had to change my shoes and wear slippers in my classroom TWICE and it's only November. Dear daughter says they're kind of heavy' heavy but…Hey! won't that my my steps on my Fitbit WORTH more?? I just love how cozy and SASSY they look!

Do you think he'll take the hints???? Any helpful advice?

The TOP two products on my list are these two beauties!

I've joined a new team this year, and they really love doing a huge unit on Tall Tales! Can not WAIT! I already have Rachel Lamb's awesome unit, but I think this set will complement that one perfectly! Hope King is super talented!
My class this year is just WAY too pokey with the cutting and pasting in our math INBs this year. We just finished up the addition set of this No-Cut series by Teach Clubhouse, and it was just perfect! Now…I'm hoping to snag a sale! I'm pretty certain some CLIP ART will wind up in my final purchases, too. Oy! The addiction!

Click the image to find this in my store!

Now is the perfect time to prep for those three final weeks of the school year before Winter Break! I think you'd love this set I used in my classroom last year! You can read about how I put it together last year HERE. My kids went bananas over the little gift bags! How sweet is THAT! I loved setting them out and having purposeful centers that reviewed some key skills. We were hitting fractions pretty hard when I snapped this picture---the Freezing Fractions and Fraction Frenzy task cards are part of other task card sets.

If you use Reading Street and haven't stumbled upon these, I'm about to make your life a bit easier!

Click the image to see all of my Reading Street Interactive Notebooks & Focus Wall Posters

I absolutely love INBs, and the set I created to use in my classroom has been SO well received my by sweet TpT friends! I completed 3rd grade last year and am creating 4th grade THIS year!

They come in a paper saving format with two per page! Definitely a plus for me! Makes it so much easier to use my pretty paper, too!

So many of my pages are versatile enough that you can use them with ANY reading passage--not just the basal reader pages! I just love the structure of having a routine that includes three elements each and every week:

Comprehension Skill
Vocabulary Skill
Selection Vocabulary

My Focus Walls for 3rd grade Reading Street provide a "One & Done" set up that allows you to switch out each week in a snap!

Hope you have a WONDERFUL holiday sweet friends!

Classroom Tip for Managing Centers

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 02:42:00 +0000

Hi friends! So excited to join in The Elementary Entourage’s Annual Tricks & Treats Blog Hop!

Wanna see my trick from LAST year? Be sure to click HERE! I shared how I use Symbaloo in my 1:1 Digital classroom.

My tip is super quick and can be used for ANY center that uses an answer sheet.

I love using centers that are completely open-ended, but I also like for my kidlets to be accountable at times.

Problem: One little Goober will forget that he started a center….take ANOTHER sheet…then, right in the middle of my small group lesson, little Susie can’t do the center because there are no more sheets.

Happens.ALL.The.Time.

My solution is pretty simple. All you need is:

· Seasonal stamp or sticker
· Sharpie

Create a set of answer sheets for every child in your classroom. Then, put a cute little stamp or sticker in the corner. You can change it seasonally or to help you differentiate your kidlets!

Once they are stamped, I number the pages. This corresponds for the number system I use for all of my kids. We line up in order, I use a number system to file their weekly papers.

Yes....keep going until you have enough for every child to complete the center ONCE.

This cute center in not mine! This one dates way back and was a free download. I did a little searching and the author happens to be a fellow blogger. Be sure to check out Confessions of a Teaching Junkie to see more of her recent stuff!

Then, you will simply fill your folder, envelope or wherever you store your answer sheets with your center. Now...all you kids need to do is...

Choose THEIR number
Work on their center

Not finished? No problem! Have them return their paper to their spot for NEXT time! This is super quick to prep--you can even let your sweet friends get these prepped for you!

Now that I’ve tricked you….how about a TREAT!!!

I’ve put together a little Sample to use in your centers this October. Super easy to use for a small group lesson, center, or RTI for the standard!

I’ve also put all of my Halloween Task Cards on sale until Monday, October 19th^rd. Once midnight hits..POOF!..it’ll be regular price! Click the image below to see my FREE sample and these items that are all 20% off for this short time!

Now...hop one over to see more great Tricks & Treats!

An InLinkz Link-up

Weekly Communication Using Padlet

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:49:00 +0000

Hi friends! The last few years, our administration has required weekly communication in the form of some sort of newsletter. As a 3^rd grade teacher, I really struggled with this at first—we really felt this was a great time for the line of communication to shift to the student being more in charge. However, in the digital age, it is time to evolve with the needs of our parents. I’ve tried several things over the last few years.

· Weekly emailed letters

· Weekly homework stapled in a homework book

· Printed newsletters in weekly signed papers

All are viable forms of communication, but I always wondered if my parents received it! Add the most recent glitch—our email server blocking all emails from Hotmail---I knew I needed a new solution.

Enter, one of my favorite Web 2.0 tools..PADLET! I’ve blogged once before about how I use it with my students in my 1:1 digital classroom. You can read about that HERE if you are interested or need more info on how to set one up.

Padlet has several features for sharing. I’m sharing with you how to embed the Padlet on your classroom website—creating once. The result?? Each time you add a newsletter, homework assignment (whatever you want to share), you will NEVER … wait for it…have to update your website AGAIN! Here’s how it works in a few simple steps.

I promise you…this is easy! You do not need to be techy. Seriously..copy and paste. PROMISE!

Design your Padlet

I really suggest using the “grid” layout. Each time you add a padlet to the page, the most recent will automatically rise to the top. This format also keeps them neatly arranged without any effort

Once inside, copy the text inside the Embed section.

Then ...

Then...

There it is! By clicking on "preview", you can see how it would look on your website.

It is ready for your parents to scroll up and down, select the newsletter to view, and even print.

On my school-hosted website, which is where I actually have this for my parents, it works a tad different. I’m still going to find where to place the HTML…and just save it. Mine looks like this--perhaps your school site is similar.

On our school site, it isn't quite a pretty as my blog, but it works for our parents to access all of the school information in one spot.

Hmm....I really need to update my picture! Hahaha!

Last but not least…from now on, all you need to do is add your newsletter, parent letter, or homework to the Padlet. It automatically updates on your website for you!

I promised you one and DONE! All I do now is send out a quick message on Remind to let parents know it’s there.

Now, there are no worries of the email getting lost in someone's inbox, papers being lost from school to home, and now provide easy access to all newsletters at any time.

There are so many possibilities doing it this way! I hope you’ll give it a shot, friends!

Oh SNAP...It's almost October Linky

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Hello sweet friends! Welcome to a GREAT linky to prep for the coming month!

My friends at Teacher Deals & Dollar Steals are coming together to share some $1 items to make your planning super easy, fresh, and the perfect addition to this time of year.

I’ve got a few fun things to share with you that certainly HINT the spooooky side of October without being TOO much on the Halloween side!

Fact Family Flash Cards

I love adding super simple things to my centers that lend itself to MANY things! These flash cards are the PERFECT addition for me!

I love that I can put these cards in my center and switch out the tasks! Like:

1. Draw a model using the related facts

2. Write 4 number sentences using the related facts.

3. Write a number story in your journal using the facts

4. With a partner, cover a corner and quiz your buddy.

I really like having both Addition/Subtraction and Multiplication/Division fact cards on hand, too. I always have kidlets that are ready to roll in Multiplication/Division while others are struggling with 3-digit addition & subtraction because they DON’T KNOW THEIR FACTS! Gotta be ready to meet everyone’s needs.

Gotta have it? Click the images to take you to my store!

Monster QR Code Task Cards

I’ve created two sets of task cards. These babies are self-checking using QR codes! Each set has clusters of tasks in sets of EIGHT inside the 24 card set. This way—your kiddies will complete 8 cards & check once. Perfect for small group, center work, or use all 24 for whole group Scoot!

In my Place Value set, you get:
1. Rounding (#1-8) QR code on card #8
2. 3&4-digit addition (#9-16) QR code on card #16
3. 3&4-digit subtraction (#17-24) QR code on card #24

image

In my Multiplication set, you get:

1. 2-digit by 1-digit multiplication (#1-8)
2. 3-digit by 1-digit multiplication (#9-16)
3. 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication (#17-24)

You will also get 2 different answer documents!

1. One is a 24 box answer document designed for completing the entire set of cards.

2. The other is an 8 box answer document. Assign only 8 cards in a center to differentiate needs of your kidlets. Kids will fill in the number of the assigned cards—no need to make 3 different sheets when you differentiate, too! Teacher friendly!

Gotta have it? click the images to head over to my store!

Be sure to head over and see ALL of the great finds for today!

Click the button below to take you there!

B2S in a Flash: Curriculum Must Haves

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 14:05:00 +0000

Welcome back!

This is the week you have been waiting for! I am a BELIEVER in TpT! I trust what teachers create for themselves and always find JUST what I need when I NEED it! It also gave me the courage to BE a TpT developer. It makes be puddly, but I love the teacher I have become by take ownership of my classroom rather than depending on what the "box" curriculum gives me. Choice is the KEY!

This week's linky is all about sharing those TpT products! Perfect for finding what we can use in our classrooms in the coming school year. I don't know about you....but I get a little overwhelmed with all the choices sometimes! So, this week's linky is to help ALL of us share...

what we CREATED and USE
what we USE each year
what we PLAN to use

See all of my Reading Street INBs here

Last summer, I decided that I needed INBs for reading that were more tailor-made to my weekly "box" curriculum. It loops over & over in some reading skills--so, buying the TpT ones only helped me once. I also needed mine to be "paper-friendly". Knowing what I needed-I began creating for ME.

I knew I'd put it in my store, but I figured that since it was for "Reading Street"--not many people would need it. BUT--I knew after I started that it was going to be GREAT! Boy...was I ever wrong! My Reading Street friends found me! I think they love it as much as I do because I've created structure in three key areas.

Photos from my new 4th Grade Edition

Each week there is a flap for the skill of the week. I usually teach whole group in the beginning of the year...transition to small group...then they can use the pages independently and we MEET about them.

The Vocabulary strategy of the week gets its own flap also. Some of these skillsloop over and over during the year & my kids want a fresh looking flap to interact with. I REALLY don't want to hear--"We did this one already!" Ami I RIGHT??? #urgetoscream

The weekly Selection Vocabulary flaps take up a full page of paper, but I love this routine!! I change it up quite often. ALWAYS definition on the outside, but the inside changes. Might me

a meaningful sentence
illustration
synonym/antonym
Example/Non-example

It really is up to YOU and what your kidlets NEED!

I got a TON of emails asking about 4th GRADE...so, I started that series this summer. I have Unit 1 ready now...and I will build the collection, much like last year. Is it bad to say that I think its turning out better than my first? Just shows how you grow, right?

CLEARLY....I am an INB fan! We are using Standards-Based Report Cards for the second year. I've been a fan of this series of INBs--but I loved them even MORE last year. My administrators really liked that my INB activities weren't just "fluff". They were meaningful! It is so important that they aren't busy work but are teaching tools!

I really LOVE using task cards and switching them out, as needed. I've made a TON of them. And bought a ton, too! But I really wanted something for Spelling that I didn't have to manage quite so much. My sweet friend Amber at Peppy Zesty Teacherista has this in her store...and I will be snatching it up on Monday! I am hoping to transition to differentiated spelling lists, but I want to establish a routine FIRST!

My friends and I over at ITeach Third had the honor to add a giveaway this week! I hope you will all enter! Be sure to check out all of the posts to build up an AMAZING WISH LIST and simplify your school year with an Oh-So-Tight Budget!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget about the site-wide sale at TpT that starts Monday!! My store will be 20% off and TpT adds an extra 10% with their special code!

Click here to head over to my store

See you next week friends!

Are you a teacher blogger??? You've got ALL WEEK to link up! I'm always looking for great products!

An InLinkz Link-up

B2S in a Flash: Teacher Faves

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Hello y’all!

It’s that time of year again! I’m super excited to be joining in a fun linky with some of my favorite Blogging Buddies! I hope you will enjoy checking out all of the posts each week! And if you’re a blogger….you’ve got all week to link up!

There will be a lot of fun to look forward to, so make sure you are following me on Bloglovin’ so you won’t miss out when we go live!!

This week is all about…..

So…..here I go!!

These are my latest and GREATEST find! I heard about these pens through a FB group for EC Planners. Lo & Behold...they are just perfect for my grading!

I love the bright colors
I love that I don't have to write "oops!" when I grade something wrong by accident!
I love that I don't have mistakes in my grade book! Even more, we have to do our Report Cards by hand, now that we've switched to Standards-Based Reporting, I don't have to white-out mistakes there either!! (Prayers for technology to catch up, please!)

If you think you NEED these, too....you can get them HERE at Staples! I've seen smaller sets at Target, too.

I take a cup of coffee "To-Go" every day.

Every.single.day.

In fact, we had to buy a 14-cup coffee maker because with the 12....somebody was getting half a cup..to-go. The hubs & I love our morning coffee! I love my Starbucks mug because it stays warm all morning.
By the way, my To-Go cup has CoffeeMate Peppermint Mocha creamer.

My lunchbox goes out the door every day, too. I gave up on school food after my first year back to teaching in public schools. Being 40 & all those calories...doesn't mix! I inherited my lunch tote when my daughter went off to college, and I love it! It fits my short Tervis and my lunch!

Finally, lesson planning so just SO simple with Planbook.com. It is super cheap...can't beat $12! You can extend lessons, copy lessons, add your state/common core standards...all in a snap. You just set up your schedule for the year and you are set! Even if you have to tweak your times during the year, it is really easy to adjust.

That's it for me! These are my favorites that make me smile when it comes to my second home...SCHOOL!! Be sure to check out my buddies' favorites, too!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mentor Texts for Compare & Contrast

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 12:18:00 +0000

As students mature, learning to compare and contrast different stories is an amazing way to demonstrate deep understanding of a story. With second grade CCSS, students compared similar stories--like fractured fairy tales. Third graders are expected to apply this skill with two different stories altogether! Head over to I Teach Third to see how I used biographies by David Adler to teach compare & contrast! I've also give a few other suggested books to make your planning super easy!

Hope you love these amazing stories! I know you will love the rich vocabulary, and your kids will love learning about these amazing people!

Reading Workshop: Unit 6 Nonfiction Reading Clubs

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 13:03:00 +0000

Hello friends! Today I’m joining in with a great book study of ...

A group of us have gotten together to take turns sharing our thoughts and reflections—each taking on a different chapter. You will definitely want to head back to read the first post from Amber at Sunny Side of Second Grade. At the end, there’s a link to the next chapter, then a link to the next, and so on.

Unit 4 took on the task of teaching students about reading nonfiction books, while this chapter takes it to the next level: Nonfiction Reading Clubs

Reading Clubs versus Shared Reading Clubs

While you might assume that Reading Clubs & Shared Reading are the same—not so! Within the context of this book, Nonfiction Reading Clubs are groups of students gathering together while reading similar books. For those of you that have read The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller, I know your heart it singing! It's all about the discussions! I love how the author refers to Kathy Collins book, Reading for Real. Book clubs are compared to musicians who gather together for jam sessions. Each person shares something they are working on, friends give feedback—perhaps helping perfect or improve. It is a supportive network of people with like interests. Reading clubs afford the opportunity for children with like interests—to read together, share their thoughts and questions, and help each other become experts on the topic.

It is important to keep in mind that your students should continue with their regular independent reading--whatever genre. They may be REALLY into a series of fiction, and they should not abandon those interests!! Unlike shared reading clubs where readers may take on tasks and pace together, this reading club encourages reading within the topic and sharing.

Getting Started:

You will likely already have some baskets in your classroom library clustered by some kind of topic. In prepping for this unit, you will want to look carefully at the books you have. You may want to add more topics--perhaps even subtopics of existing topics. Most importantly, I appreciated that the authors suggest varying the levels. If the topic is new to the reader, they may want to begin at a lower level to build back ground and read at a level that isn't frustrating. They can build up throughout the unit. Meanwhile, you club members who have background in the area will want to read more challenging texts. Having a variety will meet the needs of all of your readers throughout the unit as the progress and become more skillful.

Implementing this unit will comprise of three parts.

The focus this month will ask the students to switch their mindset to nonfiction & monitor for meaning and learn from the author. Teachers will likely pull out/create anchor charts reviewing comprehension skills: such as, finding main idea, using text features, locating facts efficiently,, and determine meaning of key terms.

The best part of this transition is the support students will receive from their clubs. In the club environment, students will talk about new learning. Since monitoring for meaning is a component of this focus, the club is the perfect environment to talk about concepts or ideas they are having trouble with. Students might refer to a page they can reread together to clarify meaning in a supportive way.

Later in the month, it will be important for students to turn the main ideas and vocabulary they have collected into creating new thoughts and questions about the topic. The teacher might model from a nonfiction book how the process of inferring comes about. Students will be encouraged to react to what they have read. Once they have mulled over and reacted, ideas can form to create new ideas based on what they have read.
It is also important for students to become flexible in their thinking. Students often begin a topic with a clear understanding of what they know, but they need encouragement to be open to new ideas and revise their thinking. In book talks, students would be encouraged to share using statements such as, "I used to think____, but now I know that___".

As the month begins to wane, students have likely read several books on their topics. They are equipped at this point to make comparisons of what they have read and move on to contrasting the information. Once more, the teacher can read a nonfiction book and model the Think Aloud. Clubs will likely create t-charts to track the two facts the correlate or differentiate. Tracking this information creates an environment of accountable talking in the group.
The opportunity arises at this point for students to pursue answering a question based on their reading. Students will likely reread sections in order to answer the question. Working together, they might create a table or chart to present to another group. This collaborative effort is an ideal way to further demonstrate the speaking and listening standards & becoming the expert they hoped to become!

I love how this book is moving along! It subtly supports the Common Core State Standards in a spiral way--not in isolation. Students learn to apply the tools in a meaningful way. Nonfiction can be tough for kids! I can't wait to implement book clubs in nonfiction in this manner! No "class sets" needed. Just kids reading and time to share!

Next Monday on July 13th, you'll want to head over to Mrs. Burke's Special Kids to read Unit 7!! I know Sebrina will have some GREAT insights!

Back to School Print & Go Booklets!

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 19:46:00 +0000

Hi friends!

It may barely be July but I have #B2S15 on the brain! I leave for the TPT Conference on Wednesday (AAAH! did I REALLY just say that?!), return on Sunday....then I have to get MOVED from one room to another. I figure...that's going to eat up what's left of my summer! So I just REALLY need to get some things ready for that first week back.

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of celebrating the "3rd Day of Third" idea...rather than just the first day! So, I've put together this precious booklet that I know my kids are gonna enjoy. I need it to be easy to assemble and enough to keep them busy writing and getting to use those crayons & markers!

Now you know...I've got you ALL covered by creating cover sheets for ALL grade levels!

All you need to do is select the single sheets you want.

You might select a range of pages, too.

Once you've gathered all of your master pages in the order you want--set them to print in stacks on your school printer. For each stack, you'll want to staple at the top like you see below.

Then you can assemble your booklets in a SNAP!

You've got one booklet for a boy and one for a girl in about a minute!

Now, all you have to do is pass them out! These would be a perfect momento for the day or to save for Open House night! I love having a few items on the desk for parents to see when they come. Then, they just take them home!

You can click HERE to take you right to my store!

I am so very excited about this! I hope you love it, too!

Open House Prep

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 12:46:00 +0000

Hi friends! I'm blogging over at Teacher Deals & Dollar Steals today!

Want to see what I"m offering for:

July 3, 2015

July 4, 2015

July 5, 2015

Head on over and click HERE to see all the details!!

You can also head over to my store to see the preview by clicking HERE!

See you over there! Don't forget to check the last few days of DEALS & STEALS so you can get the $3 minimum purchase! That's what I do!!

July Favorite Things

noreply@blogger.com (3rd Grade Pad) — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 13:52:00 +0000

Linking up today!!

Click HERE to see the rest of the link up!!

I really wanted to use this month’s linky to be the ALWAYS version of “me”. I am a creature of habit. If I really like something…I don’t get bored with it. My Favorite Things this month reflect that

Are you like this about some things? I’d love to know what YOUR “Always” things are!