3rd Grade Thoughts

Wrapping Up Another Great Year!

2013-05-19T10:24:00.000-06:00

Today is my last Sunday before summertime! I can't believe how quickly this year has gone and, as usual, I am so sad to see this class go. The year we have together is always such an adventure, it's like saying goodbye to family by the time May hits :(

Truth!

Since we're out on Thursday for the year, I wanted to share a wonderful activity I have done in the past and a new one I will be doing this year.

Smile File

I guest blogged about this last year, but wanted to revisit it this year as well as give you an updated cover for the 2012-2013 school year.

Each student uses the freebie sheet to make their own folder by folding it back and stapling it down the sides. They fill their name in on the line and then grab 1/4 sheets of paper (I use many different colors to make it fun), grabbing as many sheets as there are kids in class.

Depending on the age of your students (I have done this in 3rd and in 5th), you will need to allot a nice chunk of time and may need to break this down into smaller chunks, depending on their stamina. I usually do this with some nice, relaxing music in the background and encourage them to take the time they need so that each student gets a great note.

Everyone will then write a sentence or two (a compliment, a memory, why it was nice having them in class) to each person in the class and sign their name. They will then slip the paper into the student’s Smile File and repeat the process around the room.

Helpful Teacher Tips: Before we begin, I make a chart about some nice notes we could write and leave that posted for those students who may have trouble thinking of specifics for each student. I will also write my Smile Files for each student in advance and put them in the envelopes lickety-split so I can hang out near my kiddos who need a bit more support with writing.

After the students are all done, you can choose to have them read them in class, or to save them for when they get home-- it's such a special and simple way to celebrate your classroom community and end the year in a bucket filling way :)

To get this year's updated freebie, head over to Google Docs HERE and enjoy!

Flip-Flap Keepsake Books

One new activity I can't wait to try out this year is Anna's (from Simply Skilled in Second) Flip-Flap Keepsake Books:

I stocked up on several of her Flip-Flap Books during the Teacher Appreciation Sale and can't wait to try this one out (this set also comes with a First Day of Third Grade version-- woo hoo!!)! It is such a fun way to reflect on the year and the finished product looks incredible! Be sure to check my Instagram for how these come along this week :)

What are you doing to wrap up the end of the year? Can you believe it's almost done?!

Teacher Appreciation Giveaway

2013-05-09T19:53:00.000-06:00

I hope that you have felt very appreciated this week! I am teaming up with some of my friends to show some more love!

One lucky teacher will win all of these FABULOUS prizes!

Wow! I wish that I could win! :)

Enter below with the Rafflecopter! Contest ends Sunday night at Midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teacher Appreciation Sales @ TpT & TN!

2013-05-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Don't you just LOVE Teacher Appreciation Week? I especially love that it comes near the end of the year, when the to-do lists are out of control! If you're feeling the crunch and need a pick-me-up, I have good news.....

Graphic courtesy of Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Designs

In honor of this wonderful week, I am having a 20% off sale in both my Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook stores May 7th & May 8th.

Plus, both sites are offering their own bonus sale of an additional 10% off! Woo hoo!

If you're shopping at TpT, you'll need to enter code "TAD13".

There are loads of products to choose from, including some old favorites and new activities. Some of my newest products include:

This newest Word Work Center includes 36 summer-themed words and loads of activities to go along with them, including:

ABC Order
Parts of Speech Sort
Syllable Count
Dictionary Skills

There are also additional activities including Building Words and Idiom Match-Up-- all wrapped up in a summery theme to get you ready for the hot weather and summertime fun :)

I am also working on additional posters for the classroom and the most recent addition is all about Types of Sentences:

This set includes color and black & white versions of the basic and advanced terms. There is also a sorting activity and EDITABLE cards to create your own examples in addition to the ones I provided.

There are also *updated* Springtime Word Work Centers & Winter Word Work Centers that include new centers-- be sure to re-download if you have previously purchased this set, or pick it up on sale this week :)

Some of my most-favorite products are also on sale:

Have fun shopping and I hope you have a *wonderful* Teacher Appreciation Week!!

xoxo

Wordle Alternative: Tagxedo

2013-05-04T10:00:00.000-06:00

Have you all seen the word clouds that you can use for at least 10,000 different crafts, projects, and more? Most of them come from Wordle, which is a super-easy site that produces great results.

Recently, I have discovered an alternative that I {love}! Tagxedo!

This is a list of the 7 Habits of Happy Kids and the handprint is one of many you can choose. There are also different fonts, color choices, and more!

Our school's mascot is the dolphin (which they have, too!), so I am even thinking that next year I can use Tagxedo for a fun twist on our class list and use it to decorate our door.... there are tons of possibilities!

Have you ever used Tagxedo for a project or craft? I'd love to hear your ideas below!

Currently: May

2013-05-01T21:22:00.000-06:00

Last month of school! Woot woot!

I'm linking up with Farley for her fabulous Currently for this month:

It's still snowing, here's proof that Colorado weather is in-sane!! (It was 75 degrees yesterday)

Even though there's only three weeks left, I'll be honest, I have the *sweetest* class on the planet this year and I will be sad to see them go-- I get sososo attached to my kids each year, it makes me wonder if I should be a looping teacher? Only if I could teach 3rd grade curriculum over and over though ;)

In my mom life, our daughter is almost two and it's starting to really hit me.... where did those two years go? I guess they have been a flurry of diapers, naps, milestones, tantrums (oy!), and giggles, but it kinda makes me sad that it's flying by :(

Summer Bucket List includes the boring organizational stuff, *loads* of friend time!, and also updating my Word Work and Math Centers-- I have been jotting ideas down like crazy and can't wait to expand what's currently in my store, but add more themes as well :)

Be sure to head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade and share your Currently for this month :)

Today's Quote + Stephen Covey Quote Freebies

2013-04-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am a *BIG* fan of quotes- I think that is one of my most favorite Pinterest topics right after Education & Fashion. Anytime during the day when I am feeling stressed, I hop on the Quotes page and read through a few to get re-centered.... they are wonderful :)

I began noticing a few weeks back that my lovely thirdsters were starting to get early summer fever. We subsequently got over a foot of snow (blah!), but I introduced my most favorite quote to them at that time and they seemed to love it almost as much as I did. It's from Stephen Covey, of 7 Habits fame, and is just sosososo powerful:

Sigh.... isn't that just wonderful?! It has helped me redirect certain behaviors I have seen by simply asking, "Are you being a model or a critic?"

Of course, although I would love to keep this up all day, every day, I do switch it up about every week or so using some other wonderful resources.

My most favorite go-to is Shannon over at Technology Rocks.Seriously and Sweet Blessings. I *know* you have seen her amazing work all over Pinterest and beyond, and her posters are colorful, simple, powerful and free! Be sure to check out both of her blogs and her Printables page for some wonderful inspiration.

We hang these quotes below our calendar and schedule so they are easy to see and are very visible:

It's something I can then reference during Morning Meeting or any of our 7 Habits work. I have really liked this simple new addition to our room!

If you're interested in the "Today's Quote" sign, click HERE.
If you're interested in the Stephen Covey quote, click HERE.

Another fun site I've just recently found is Doodle Art Alley. They have loads of coloring quotes covering all topics! These are a great activity for early finishers during Ketchup & Pickle Time and are not too young for my thirdsters, which is a win!

Do you use quotes in your class? What are some of your favorites?

Updated Animal Research Reports + Wilderness Walk

2013-04-28T08:56:00.000-06:00

We study Colorado Animals every year and it is so much fun for kids to delve deeper into the animals we see in our area.

I posted about our Publishing Party last year, and this year we did it a bit differently. This was mostly due to the fact that we are running out of time and we have different standards to address this year as our district moves towards Common Core... never a dull moment!

I wanted to first teach kids how to organize notes into specific categories. We began by assembling our "Note Card Rings" that consisted of five note cards each a different color, hole-punched in the corner with a binder ring connecting them:

On the top of each card, we wrote the topic for that card and a guiding question. Here's how I split it up this year:

- Habitat: Where to they live?
- Diet: What do they eat?
- Description: What do they look like?
- Predators/Prey: What do they hunt? What hunts them?
- Interesting Facts

Of course, you could easily adjust and/or add to these. I liked the Predator/Prey card this year because it tied in nicely with the Science Penguin's Food Webs Unit we were studying in Science Weekly 5 and it added a bit of humor when they realized they were another classmate's predator or prey :)

As they researched, this Note Card Ring could be added to with additional cards, if needed, and was easily transportable around the classroom, computer lab, and while meeting with me.

Final Presentation

We did not do a written report this year, and I needed something engaging, easy, and informative for kids to display what they learned. I landed on File Folder Displays. Here's a quick how-to:

I had each student print out a picture of their animal and glue to one of the open tabs:

They then had the rest of that class time to add details about their habitat, diet, and/or predators and prey. I had them just use white paper and their own artistic-ness to make the details and they did beautifully :)

The next work time, we then looked through our Note Card Ring and chose two facts per card that were the most interesting. These were to be added onto their File Folder Displays in the form of a label, caption, or speech bubble from their animal or other animals that they added (predator/prey/etc.):

This was the part I *loved* the most because the kids' quotes were hilarious!! It was wonderful seeing them combine facts but add their personality into their pieces.

I should take this time to mention that (as usual), we had a rubric we had developed as a class as we went through each step of the process. I used a similar rubric to last year's, but obviously had to change a few things around. Here's this year's copy:

Wilderness Walk

At the end of all of this hard work, we had a "Wilderness Walk" where we could go around and see each other's File Folder Displays and learn all about their animal. I gave each student a sheet with the list of animals on it with directions to write one thing you learned about each animal. Because I had two students (sometimes three) working on each animal, this gave them a chance to take notes on some, but not all, of the projects so they didn't feel too overwhelmed.

On their tables, students opened up their file folders and placed their note cards near them, in case students wanted to do some additional reading ;) They then walked around collecting facts about other animals. The Wilderness Walk was a huge success!

Here's a finished example of one student's Wilderness Walk sheet:

Overall, I loved this simple way to display what they had learned and I definitely think I will be using this File Folder Display again in the future-- it was too easy and the final products were too cute to pass up!

If you are interested in any of the rubrics and the Wilderness Walk sheet I used, I have added it to my Animal Research Report packet that is a FREEBIE on TpT.

Have you ever used a File Folder Display for a project? I would love to hear your ideas-- I think there are at least a million other uses :)

Five for Friday: April 26th

2013-04-26T22:58:00.003-06:00

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching again to share highlights (and lo-lights) from my week :)

The week started off great with Earth Day!

The kids also worked super-hard to publish their Earth Day writing pieces, courtesy of The Science Penguin. They turned out so well and look awesome in our hall :)

Ugh, it started snowing again and I just was about over it.... Chipotle to the rescue!!

And then, for cursing the snow and the lack of Springtime weather, I was doomed to bed for the rest of the week with strep (boo! hiss!!) :(

Thank goodness for modern medicine! I am now slowly getting back in the action and stopped by school this afternoon after the kids had gone and was greeted by so many adorable signs and cards made my my cute thirdsters (awwww!) as well as the best sub notes ever (yahoo!!)

Sigh.... love them :)

I'm so thankful to have the weekend to get back to 100%! The pace at school is picking up and the end is super close!

Be sure to head over to Doodle Bugs Teaching to share your five for the week :)

A Peek at My Week: April 22-26th

2013-04-21T13:12:00.002-06:00

I'm linking up again with Deedee at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten to share my visual plans for this week!

To access the links, simply click on the image to be taken to Google Docs- things are all clickable there :) :)

My Math and Word Work Centers are two-week units, so we're wrapping them up this week in honor of Earth Day.

In honor of Earth Day, I am putting my two Earth Day products on sale! Today and tomorrow, you can get either (or both!) for 15% off in my TpT or TN Stores :)

We're also starting Economics and that's the weirdest feeling since it's always our final Social Studies unit of the year. We're out on May 23rd, so to think there's just a few weeks left until summer is crazy-cray (especially considering the recent snowstorms)!

I hope you enjoyed my visual plans for this week and if you haven't tried making your own yet, Deedee has a super-easy tutorial HERE.

Happy Earth Day!

Revising: Writing Stronger Introductions & Conclusions + Freebies

2013-04-20T12:54:00.002-06:00

I wanted to share some of the revising strategies we worked on earlier as a class to make writing pieces even stronger.

Students have used our ARMS Anchor Chart to work on the middles of their stories-- changing old, dead words to more descriptive, sensory words and taking out or moving parts that don't fit-- but now we're on to how we can make our introductions and conclusions the best they can be.

I have loved using my Story Starter Doodles for our "Hooking the Reader" Anchor Chart and the work that comes from the kids on the accompanying worksheet was enough to convince me to work on something similar for conclusions.

Click the picture to get this FREE download from my TpT Store

Here's a picture I snapped of a girl in my class hard at work:

I found a beautiful anchor chart (actually, this site has TONS of beautiful anchor charts!) that captured some of the best ways to end a piece of writing. I used most of them in my packet and included the little doodle guys doing something similar to what the strategy is.

Click the picture to get this FREE download from my TpT Store

Each of these little doodles comes in a larger size as well for you to make an anchor chart for your classroom, just like the Introduction chart HERE.

I had the kids choose three strategies from both of the pages to try out (we worked on intros one week and conclusions the next). After they had tried out three, they picked the best one to use as their intro and either removed their old sentence or revised it a bit to fit.

I will tell you, as a teacher, it was much more interesting to read their pieces after this activity-- so it doesn't just help your littles become better writers, it helps you maintain your sanity as you grade 20-30 of them ;)

If you're interested in either of these packets, they are available for FREE in my TpT Store. The introduction doodle packet can be found HERE and the *new* conclusion doodle packet can be found HERE.

Do you have any other strategies for ending a piece of writing in an interesting way?

Five for Friday: April 19th

2013-04-19T19:51:00.000-06:00

I feel I am barely keeping up this time of year, and I know it's only going to get worse. We are out on May 23rd, so the clock is ticking.....

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for five random things from my week.

First off, I think the *massive* amount of snow we got this week (yes, mid-April and over a foot!) has kept me all discombobulated. Unfortunately, there was no Snow Day in sight :(

While indoors, we went on a "Wilderness Walk" to look at our finished Colorado Animal Research Reports. They were completely adorable and the kids learned a lot (yahoo!)

I also received an amazing giveaway from Elizabeth at Fun in Room 4B. I am not kidding, I never win anything, so I was (and still am) so excited my name was chosen. I can't wait to incorporate these snazzy, autographed Jerry Pollatta books in math next year :) :) Did you notice the adorbs card? I am in love!

Today, we went to a district Professional Development and I needed way more than this Venti could provide, but it was better than nothing ;)

Last, I saw this on Venspired's Facebook page and had to share. It rings so, so true and makes me so proud and thankful to teach in my school, with my team, and have my larger teaching blogging team all over the world who inspire and support me daily :)

Happy weekend and I am sending all of my love and prayers to those in Boston after their incredibly intense and eventful week. I will continue to hold you all in my heart.

A Peek at My Week: April 15-19th

2013-04-14T21:12:00.000-06:00

I am LOVING these adorable visual plans that Deedee Wills and many others have been sharing! I think it's such a fun way to look at the big weekly picture and, let's face it, anything that gets me inspired to plan is a wonderful thing!

So, here's a peek at my week:

** To get to any of the links/products/blog posts, be sure to click the picture to go to Google Docs, where you can access all the info you need :)

Our school and our community is BIG on Earth Day, so we're jumping in feet first {and a week early!} with math and Word Work centers. I want the kids to use the 36 word cards from the Word Work Centers in their other WW activities, and I know they will also help with our Earth Day writing pieces, so the sooner the better, right?

I am linking up with Deedee and you should, too!

Have a wonderful week up ahead!

Tracking Accelerated Reader Goals in Class + Freebies

2013-04-07T09:36:00.000-06:00

We use Accelerated Reader in our class and it's a great way for kids to work toward a goal and for me to check their comprehension (surface level, at least!) of their Read to Self books.

I have tried two different systems and wanted to share both with you. They are great on their own, or you can use them together. The key is that each student has their own point goal and work to get to 100% or more of that goal. I {love} this system because my strugglers and my advanced readers have more of a level playing field to hit 100%, since their goals are tailored to their personal reading levels.

Keep reading to see how you can get this packet *free*

I know there are goods and bads to the program, but for me, it has worked out beautifully, and not just with my stellar readers. AR has also helped to motivate some of my more reluctant readers during Read to Self time if they know there is a goal they are working towards. Plus, it goes beautifully with our 7 Habits, especially Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind.

Goal Tracker #1: Class Goal Tracker

This is what we used the majority of the year and I loved it. Again, because each student had their own personal goal, they moved along the chart at a somewhat equal pace (as long as they were keeping up with quizzes).

Our school mascot is the dolphin (odd, since we are landlocked!) and I had the kiddos write their names on a die-cut piece of construction paper at the beginning of the year (I blurred them out for this blog picture). As they hit a milestone, they move their dolphin to the next section. The different circles read:

Getting Started 0%-25%
On Your Way 26%-50%
Half Way There 51%-75%
Almost There 76%-99%
You Did It! 100%+

This bulletin board is near our classroom computers and it was easy for kids to move their dolphin & push pin after I checked their TOPS Report to see their progress.

I ran into a problem, though, since this is just one of two bulletin boards in our class and I really, really, really needed the space for other things. So, I had to come up with a new system....

Goal Tracker #2: Personal Bookmarks

These are working perfectly so far! On the back side is their name and on this side is all of the necessary info at their fingertips! Now, instead of moving their dolphin, they come to see me and I put a sticker on the star of the milestone they most recently passed. You could also have them color it in, or you could use a hole punch.

The bookmark holds their point goal as well as the levels they feel are "Just Right". I still have my class library leveled in GRL, so I have them put down letters, but you could easily use the ATOS Level numbers used by AR-- up to you!

How do I determine a student's point goal?

Our school is fortunate to also have the STAR Reading Test, that aligns perfectly with AR Goals. If your school doesn't have the STAR option with AR, no problem!

AR has a site that is *free* and requires only a student's Grade Level Equivalent Reading Level (GL). After entering that info, along with the daily reading time, they will give you ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) levels and the student's goal. Find their Goal Calculator here: http://argoals.renlearn.com/

How do you find your student's Grade Level Equivalent Reading Level? Great question, and it really depends on what leveling system you are using in your classroom-- I think there's probably 7,000 different leveling systems, right!? Eeek!

There are some very helpful correlation charts out there (HERE is one that has a lot!), and I would recommend Googling your leveling system and seeing if there is ATOS or Grade Level as an option.

You can also determine a child's GL by using a Just Right book they have been reading and plugging it into the AR Book Finder found HERE. This is the bank of all of the AR Quizzes and nearly every book on the planet is found in there :)

If you're interested in either of these goal trackers, I have them available for *FREE* by heading to my TpT Store HERE or by Google Docs HERE. This packet contains a customization option for the bookmarks-- you can type in your students' names and print them front-back on cardstock to get them started in class as soon as possible!

Please Note: *AR and Accelerated Reader are registered trademarks of Renaissance Learning, Inc.

How do you track AR Goals in your class? Do you have any helpful tips? Please share below-- I'd love to hear/see what you use :)

Five for Friday: April 5th

2013-04-05T16:47:00.001-06:00

We only had four days this week, but they were FULL! I am excited to be linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching again to share the school and non-school random happenings from this week:

1. Our Animal Research Reports are going to look a bit different this year. You can read about last year's project HERE, but I wanted something a bit more manageable this crazy time of year, so we are using file folders as the "visual representation" piece. Today was Day 1 and they are already adorbs (and, more importantly, manageable- woo hoo!)

2. I went shopping on Monday to pick up a fun button-down shirt. I wore this yesterday with a bright green sweater and it was cute and comfy. I was initially afraid I would look like grandma's tablecloth, but it turned out ok :)

Found this one at Old Navy

3. Um, did the weather not get the memo that it's supposed to start getting warmer? Today was lovely, but I am not looking forward to next week's cool down :( :(

4. I started something new for tracking Accelerated Reader (AR) Progress in class- a bookmark! I can't wait to share more about this in an upcoming post... I am hoping it will continue to motivate my kids as we finish off the year:

5. I live in a very eco-friendly community, so Earth Day is big around here :) I spent today laminating the rest of my Earth Day Fraction Fun cards and can't wait to get them started! I made several decks and they can be used for any of the three activities in my packet (on TpT or TN) and I am hoping this is just the final push some of my kids need to solidify their equivalent fraction know-how. I also re-labeled a drawer using the supplies HERE and it was easy-peasy!

Can't wait for the weekend and I hope you all had a wonderful week! Be sure to head to Doodle Bugs Teaching to see what some of your other favorite bloggers are up to :)

Labeling Plastic Drawers/Bins/Shelves the Easy Way!

2013-04-03T16:26:00.002-06:00

I am in {LOVE} with my new drawers for centers. There are 12 drawers in a set and they get great use as our Math, Word Work, and iPad Center holders.

One thing I wanted to make sure of was having easy-to-read labels that could be changed often, as our centers will change and *if you know me* I change my mind a lot when it comes to organizing my classroom :) This tip works well on any plastic or laminate surface.

My solution: Post-It Notes & Book Tape

Have you ever heard of Scotch Book Tape? It definitely costs more than cheap-o clear packing tape, but I reserve it for specials projects like this and I find it to last longer, hold up very well, and be the best permanent temporary adhesive (does that even make sense?).

Here's a link on Amazon, in case you can't find it in your office bog box store:

I also love printing on sticky notes. Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files has not only a very helpful tutorial HERE, but the PowerPoint template I used to make these lovelies.... she's awesome.

I used Super Sticky Post-Its for this project only because I loved the color (tee hee!) and my font is "My Own Topher" from Kevin & Amanda.

Here's a picture of the labeling in progress:

And, the completed look:

I simply trimmed the sticky note, stuck it to the drawer, and secured it on top with a piece of Book Tape. Now, switching these labels (or even re-positioning a crooked one!) is easy-peasy on both the drawers and my patience! The book tape is durable, transparent, and comes off easily when our centers change-- perfecto!

How do you label your drawers/shelves/bins that need changing throughout the year? Anybody else in love with Post-It Note printing?

Before I go, I wanted to let you know I have added Earth Day Fraction Fun to my TpT and TN Stores.

Some of my thirdsters are still struggling with equivalent fractions, so these activities are here to help. Inside, you will find 16 fraction cards that will be used for all three activities: Memory, Comparing, and a Secret Message sheet. Fun, quick, targeted, and timely :) Have fun with them!

Currently: April

2013-03-31T21:04:00.001-06:00

Happy April!

Monday is the last day of our Spring Break and I am linking up with Farley for this month's Currently:

We just got back from a loooong weekend in Taos-- it was a fun little trip and the perfect place to go if you have a two year-old (check!) and a HUGE love of Mexican food (double check!). I easily put on 20 lbs. in 5 days and couldn't be happier :)

Here are a few photos:

My advice to anyone is my newest, most favorite quote ever (I'm actually writing a post about it now!). It's from Stephen Covey (of 7 Habits fame) and it rings so true for me, and also my class:

Be a light, not a judge. Be a model, not a critic.

I loved introducing this during our Springtime RACK Week right before break and plan on coming back to it again with my class, but it's also been a favorite mantra of mine since I found it a few weeks ago.

What are you up to currently? Be sure to head over to Oh' Boy 4th Grade and share!

Reading Response Menus Throughout the Year

2013-03-31T11:30:00.000-06:00

I have been using a variety of Reading Log/Response to Text formats over the years and am happy to share with you the files that have worked best for me: Response Menus!

Find them in my TpT Store or my new TN Store

These menus have helped to not only address the Common Core standards throughout the school year, but keep my kids more motivated since the menus change from month to month.

Each menu looks similar with three appetizer choices, three main course choices, and three dessert choices:

They have a monthly cupcake and baker, just for fun :)

Each fiction menu selection is offered 2-3 times throughout the year, and each nonfiction selection is offered every other month. Students choose one selection from each course and respond to the prompt for their at-home reading book(s).

These menus are offered August through June and all 36 prompts are listed on the last three pages. These response choices are also all aligned to the following 3rd Grade Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.

There are two response sheets offered, and I prefer to use the one with the simple reading log on top:

How I Use Them in Class

This response sheet is always printed on the back of the menu of the month and sent home in my students' weekly Friday Folders. They are due the following Friday, so it's always a great lesson in goal-setting and ensuring they are not rushing to do it all in one night.

We started the year by doing them in class, then I gradually released them to work on it independently. The menu options change each month, but in a way that only one new option is added each month, so there is the opportunity to stick with the familiar, if they'd like.

The back side of the page is the response sheet I prefer, and on Fridays during our Ketchup & Pickle Time, I will call students back one at a time to glace through their logs, and skim their responses. It's pretty easy to see if and where they skimped on effort, so I have no issues sending them back to add more detail, or give evidence from the text, etc. Love that Ketchup & Pickle Time!

The ever-changing variety of these menus has spruced up our reading responses as a class, not just because of the assortment, but because they also have choice within the menu courses and that is always a very important thing, especially when it comes to homework ;)

Plus, it allows me the chance to read what kids are thinking about their at-home books in a way that far exceed the traditional summary or something like that week after week. I like how this has encompassed some of the familiar elements of at-home reading work, but kicked it up a notch by changing each month.

If you're interested in learning more, be sure to check my TpT Store or my new Teachers Notebook (TN) Store and download the preview for the August Menu and Response Sheets for FREE!

Welcome Spring! Springtime Centers & Freebies

2013-03-29T09:30:00.000-06:00

We have been hard at work in our classroom, both in Math Centers and Word Work during Daily 5, with our Springtime Centers. I wanted to give you a quick overview of both below. They are currently available in my TpT Store HERE or in my new Teachers Notebook (TN) Store HERE.

Here are a few of my kids working on the Word Work Centers:

Making 2,3,4,5, and 6+ letter words

Alphabetizing spring-themed words & sorting them into nouns, verbs, and adjectives

Making words with a prefix, suffix, and both- editable cards included for you to add your own, too!

I love a few things about all of these centers. Most importantly, they are similar in several ways to my other seasonal Word Work centers (Making Words, ABC Order, and Parts of Speech Sort), but the words have completely changed, so it's easy to have kids working independently while still staying challenged.

I organize the 36 spring-themed words into answer keys for the students to use as they work on ABC Order and Parts of Speech Sort:

ABC Order- cards numbered for self-checking on the back

Parts of Speech- cards labeled A (adjective), N (noun), or V (verb)

The kids have also been loving the different Math Centers:

This packet practices area, perimeter, fractions, multi-digit addition & subtraction, adding money, and making change for $10. Lots and lots of practice! Be sure to download the preview :)

I also have them using a new version of Multiplication Roll & Cover for Spring. This is available for FREE in my TpT Store:

We have also updated our class RACK Bucket and RACK Trackers. Instead of "Random Acts of Classroom Kindness" we adjusted the name a bit to "Random Acts to Cultivate Kindness" and talked all about how one act of kindness can help grow more and more acts of kindness throughout our class, our school, and our community.

We worked on this the week before break (like our RACK Week before Winter Break) and I lovelovelove having the kids focus on being caring and compassionate instead of the craziness Spring Fever that typically rules our mood this time of year :) :)

Click the image above to download the new bucket label & RACK Tracker from Google Docs.

Happy Spring and be sure to enter my $25 Donors Choose Gift Card Giveaway HERE! Just a few days left-- good luck :)

Tech Tutorial: Make an iPhone Icon for Your Blog

2013-03-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

I am loving this new Tech Tutorial and hope you can use it for your own blog or website!

I found the information for this tutorial on BuildInternet and they have lots of other great tutorials. I wanted to add on to the end of the tutorial for how to install it into Blogger.

1. I began by sizing down my blog button to 57x57 pixels and saving it as a PNG:

Tiny!

2. I then uploaded it to Photobucket (you could use similar online photo sites or TinyPic.com) and copied the "Direct link" url:

I named the picture as BuildInternet suggested for a non-glossy icon-- not sure if it matters, but I did it just in case :)

3. In Blogger, I went to "Edit HTML" **ALWAYS Back Up before you tinker with HTML! You never know!

I found <head> and underneath, added the following code from BuildInternet under "Link to It":

<link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" href="/icons/buildinternet_iphone.png" />

I replaced the "/icons/buildinternet_iphone.png" after href= with the "Direct link" from Photobucket.

4. After I saved, I headed to my website in my iPhone, clicking the middle box on the bottom with the arrow coming out of it:

5. This screen popped up, and you could see my icon already! How exciting :) I clicked on "Add to Home Screen":

6. I did adjust my site name down to 3GT (it was a bit long as "3rd Grade Thoughts"), but you can now see it on my phone, all happy-happy next to the Eiffel Tower ;)

I hope this helped jazz up your blog a bit and be sure to check out the original tutorial on BuildInternet if you have any questions.

PS- I am switching over to Blog Lovin' since Google Reader is saying goodbye on July 1. Follow my blog with Bloglovin and you'll be able to transfer all of your current Google Reader blogs over easy-peasy!
Enjoy!

5 iPad Apps for Math Fact Practice

2013-03-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

As you know, I was fortunate to receive 4 iPads in my class, thanks to DonorsChoose.org and generous donors.

They have been wonderful! You can see how I set them up HERE with a anchor chart, passes, and color-coded system.

We have started using these in class during Math Rotations and they are available for students to use during Fact Practice. Here are some of my most favorite apps:

I know there are hundreds more out there, so please leave your own favorites in the comments below :)

Not all of these are free, but for less than a cup of coffee, I am able to get these on each iPad and have full access to their features, so they seem very, very worth it to me.

Math Board

There is a free addition-only version of this that I downloaded to preview the product, and that convinced me to buy the full-version later that day! There are LOADS of possibilities for this app, which looks just like a chalkboard and allows kids to use different color chalk to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. My kids love that feature and I love that I can adjust the place values, operations, number of problems in a session, and more. I definitely recommend getting started with the free version and I am sure you will be hooked like me!

Time Tables

This is a free app that is very simple and yet very fun. There are ads on the bottom, but I don't find they interfere with the game. This app gives multiplication fact practice from 1-12 and will keep going until you answer a problem wrong. When you do get one wrong, it displays the correct answer and you start over. I have enjoyed watching the kids try to beat their old streak and the interface is very simple and easy to use-- perfect for independent student work!

Math Garden

This is BY FAR my students' most favorite app! Once you start playing, you see why :) It not only has three levels of play (I make my students do medium or hard), but you can adjust the operations used (choose 1, 2, 3, or all 4) and several things to manage during play. Each correct answer equals one "watering can". You can choose to plant corn in the field as you go, but will need to water to keep your field growing-- this was such a great way to "time" the kids without feeling the pressure of a clock!! It requires planning ahead-- one of my students even said it was a great way to practice Habit 2 and "Having a Plan" {love!}-- and is one of the most engaging apps, even for an adult. It is not free, but well worth the money!

Times Table Lab

This is from the same developer as Math Garden and requires you to fill in a multiplication table that grows by a factor each level. It is very simple and easy to use (again, wonderful for independent practice!) and I love that it requires kids to think backwards about a multiplication problem-- instead of being given to factors, they have to think about the product and where it fits in the table.

ScootPad

I have recently started using ScootPad in class on our computers, but LOVE the iPad app even more! It is a wonderful program that uses Common Core Standards and allows you to track a students progress across each of the math standards. There's too much to explain, and I feel I have only begun scratching the surface myself, but here are two links to in-depth reviews that helped me out a lot:

What apps {paid or free} do you like to use with your students for math? Please leave your favorites in the comments-- I would love to try them out!

PS- Have you entered for the chance to win a $25 Donors Choose Gift Card? Head over HERE to find out how :)

$25 Donors Choose Gift Card Giveaway!

2013-03-23T11:59:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to be able to offer this great opportunity to you, my most favorite followers :)

I posted a bit ago about my top tips for getting started on DonorsChoose.org HERE:

They saw my post and asked me to guest blog! Be sure to check it out on their blog HERE and leave a happy comment :)

In honor of my guest blogging appearance, I am happy to be able to offer a $25 Donors Choose Gift Card for your current (or future!) project, or to donate to a project of your choosing- up to you!

I will choose a winner on Saturday, March 30th-- best of luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway button credits: Frame from Blair Turner & Fonts from KG Fonts

5 Free {and Mostly Free} Apps I Use When Teaching

2013-03-17T20:45:00.000-06:00

I have been using an iPad to teach for a while now and just love it! I have talked a bit about how I use it for Google Forms HERE, but I wanted to share some specific apps I am loving these days, and I am sure I will be adding to this list as the school year continues!

The first thing that I have is nothing super-fancy, but takes my iPad to a whole new level of usefulness with my kiddos: The Dewey Document Camera Stand.

Sidenote- I got this at a discount through a different website-- be sure to use Google to find the best price!!

I {LOVE} using this stand because it:

makes my iPad a document camera
gets my iPad off of the projector cart and keeps it safe
is easily-transportable, so I can actually move the stand to my Teacher Time groups and use it to keep my iPad hands-free and safe
small enough to fit on my projector cart

Check out this video to see some of the ideas for this simple, but useful, stand:

Another sidenote: Dewey doesn't know who I am, I just really like this product :) I am not sure if there are alternatives, but please share in the comments if you know of one!

With the iPad doubling as a document camera, I am finding now that I am using it more and more! Here are some of my favorite apps to use as a teacher with an iPad:

Board Cam

This is the main {free} app that changes your iPad into a document camera. There are some helpful add-ons that I purchased for about $1 each (freeze & zoom), but the basic app works very well! It includes different color and thickness ink to write on the iPad, a save function, and more. Definitely check it out!

Jot! Free

This is perfect as a whiteboard app! I love switching between Jot and Board Cam, since the iPad makes that so easy. I can underline and mark up a text on Board Cam, then switch to Jot to take notes, using different colors, thicknesses, etc. The app is very user-friendly and you can even share Jots with absent students or save them for review later on. Love!

Skitch

Similar to Jot, I love Skitch because it's linked to Evernote and does so much more. While the whiteboard functionality is just ok (in my opinion, especially compared to Jot), Skitch is able to draw all over screenshots, photos, maps, websites, and more. It also saves these images in Evernote, so it is very easy to access from any time from your Evernote account on your computer, phone, iPad, wherever! I tend to have Skitch, Board Cam, and Jot open at the same time and flip between the three throughout a lesson, since they all do their own unique things that are very fun for both students and teacher to see!

Google Earth

This app has made studying regions SO.MUCH.FUN! This free app has all sorts of wonderful features, but the main part is its ease of use with the iPad and the detail it gives to landforms like the Grand Canyon and mountains, like Mt. McKinley. It makes us all feel like we are flying through these fantastic places, so it's helped keep the interest high, for both students and teacher :)

BrainPOP

Who doesn't love BrainPOP? This highly-engaging app (along with BrainPOP, Jr.) help me introduce new concepts and the quiz at the end is always a hit with my whole class. There's a free movie each week, and (thankfully!), our school has a subscription, so I end up using these short videos a lot with my kids in all sorts of subjects.

What apps to you use when you're teaching with the class?

I will be back soon to share some of my favorite apps for the kids to use in both Daily 5 Word Work and Math Rotations.

10 Tips to Get You Started on DonorsChoose.org

2013-03-11T13:47:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I {heart} DonorsChoose.org.

They have been helping my classroom and students for years and they are ah-ma-zing!

For those of you who may not know about Donors Choose, view some of my posts about them HERE or watch this great intro video with some very famous faces :)

If you are intimidated or not sure where to begin, I wanted to share some very helpful resources to give you some know-how and hopefully get you started on your project sooner rather than later.

Top 10 Tips for Getting Started on DonorsChoose.org:

1. Sign-up: Get started by signing up for FREE on their Teacher Site. It's simple and you can customize your profile to link to Twitter, Facebook, and more. Plus, you can personalize your own website address to make it easy for others to find.

2. Build Your Points: It's easy to want ev-er-y-thing in the world, but start small with your first project. For my first project, I asked for 15 sets of fraction cubes. It wasn't iPads or another big-ticket item-- those come later after you have built up your points. You are given a small amount of points at the beginning that equate to a certain dollar amount for your project. As you complete steps after a project is funded, you can build these points up and then begin asking for larger, more expensive items.

3. Keep it Kid-Focused & Positive: You will need to write a title (make it catchy!) and a few paragraphs about your needs. There are examples along the way to help you, so don't worry if nothing comes to mind right away. The majority of donors are people just like you and me, but not teachers. The power behind Donors Choose is that non-teachers can have immediate impact on kids in a classroom, so be sure to tell them how much your students need the item and how they will benefit from it. I also like to include that the resources will last for many years to come (if applicable), so they know their donation will have an effect even past this year's class. Keeping it always framed in the positive (while being honest about the needs level of your class and school) will help donors feel they are part of a positive change and that's the coolest part of the Donors Choose process :)

4. Write Well: It goes without saying, but be sure you have written your paragraphs with correct spelling, grammar, and that you include everything in the short amount of space that is given. You want your donors to know the big picture as well as the specific needs of your class, and that's not always an easy task. Remember, they are probably not teachers, but they do care a lot about teachers, classrooms, and kids, so using your best writing skills is a must. Although they do provide spell check, I would also recommend having someone else read your proposal before you submit, just for an extra set of eyes :)

5. Get Permission: Before you add any pictures of kids, be sure you have their parents sign the Donors Choose permission slip. These photos will be a part of your profile and your projects, so be sure you are following all of the rules Donors Choose sets forth. The majority of my parents have NO problems signing and returning the form, and I am able to use the photos for my profile picture and projects, which helps make my profile personal and relatable :)

6. Be Aware of Due Dates: Your project will have a due date and after it is (hopefully!) funded, there will be a due date that you will need to closely abide by. It's easy to let these dates pass you by, especially in the thick of the school year, but your points will grow if you follow them. There are typically three steps to complete a "Thank You Package": photos of students using/doing the project, a thank you note from you, and student-made thank you notes. Very doable, but mark your calendars ;)

7. Use Social Media: I mentioned social media in Tip #1, but it's worth repeating on its own tip :) You can link up your projects to Facebook, Twitter, and email. I have found they are very active on Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram, so it's awesome to get "liked" or re-tweeted to build interest in your project. You can also post when your project gets funding along the way-- this is a great way to remind others about your project without it sounding like you're begging :) You can also blog about it, add their icon to the sidebar (I have it on mine with a direct link to my project page) and mention it in a post or newsletter if you write one. Getting the word out about a project is key, so be sure to tap into social media whenever you can.

8. Find Match Codes: These are a lifesaver and help your project get funded in no time!! They aren't around all of the time, but it's always worth a little bit of work on your part to search the web for some before you email potential donors. I know my donations go way up when there's a 1:1 match-- plus, it's funded in half the time! Donor Choose will typically host their own a few times a year and recently, many companies are offering them as well. You can also ask friends and family if their company does matching-- there's a helpful how-to about this HERE. Laura Candler also hosts a Sunday Fun-Day on her Facebook page where she will donate to one project each week!

9. Be PATIENT! This is by far my worst trait, so I won't ever judge, but patience is KEY with any Donors Choose project. They stay live on the site for many months, and that's for a reason. Sometimes you'll get a wave of funding, then go weeks with nothing. Other times a company will come in and fund nearly all of it, or even complete it for you. There's no rhyme or reason, other than getting the word out and hoping it works, so don't fret if it has been a while and you haven't heard much. Keep you eyes peeled for a Match Code (see Tip #8) and promote on social media (Tip #7) and let it run its course :)

10. Repeat and Encourage Others: Once your project is funded and you've hit your due dates, it's time to celebrate! Donors Choose is addicting and it's also a great resource to pass along to other teacher friends who may be looking for special items for their class they could never afford otherwise. Once you go through your first project, you will realize how easy and positive it is, so don't hold off any longer! Head over to their Teacher Site and get started!!

What are your tips and suggestions for using DonorsChoose.org in your classroom? Leave them below along with any questions you may have :) Good luck to those of you who are just starting, as well!!

Blogiversary Winner & Magnetic Numbers Roll 'Em

2013-03-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for helping me celebrate my one-year blogiversary! I loved reading all of the motivational and inspirational quotes all week, especially in between two long nights of parent-teacher conferences :)

The winner is Kim B. Yay!! Check your email and congrats :)

I wanted to share with you a choice we use when it comes to our Math Centers Bingo during Math Rotations.

Have you ever seen the magnetic numbers at the Dollar Tree? Love these guys:

I did buy two sets for one center, but at $1 a piece, it was WAY better than many of the other options out there!

I also bought a small baking tray from Walmart (9"x13" was the smallest I could find, and the price is definitely right!):

Then, I incorporated a die and voila, Magnetic Letters Roll 'Em was ready!

The premise is simple: Students will roll a die and whatever number pops up, they will follow the directions using the magnetic numbers to help.

Skills include adding, subtracting, comparing, rounding, and more with multi-digit numbers.

Click the picture to see this in my TpT Store.

Three sheets are included that practice the same skill, but use different place values. The "easier" sheet practices numbers from the tens to hundreds, the "medium" sheet practices numbers in the hundreds to ten-thousands (shown in picture above), and the "hard" sheet practice numbers from thousands to hundred-thousands.

Similar to my other activities, I laminate both the directions sheet and the answer sheet and store them, along with the baggie of numbers and die, in a large plastic envelope I blogged about HERE.

These sheets are now available in my TpT Store and I hope you can use them in your own centers or even for fast finishers :)

Thanks again for your continued support and stay warm on this snowy weekend!

Setting Up iPads in Our Classroom

2013-03-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

I am in LOVE with Donor's Choose and have been able to receive some ah-ma-zing things for our classroom through their wonderful grants! Through several projects, they have provided me with a meeting area rug, an easel and stool, fraction manipulatives, and... the best one of all.... 4 iPads!

These gems arrived recently and I have been dying to get them into the kids' hands, but with a TON of discussion first. I really do have a sweet and lovely bunch of kids, so I wasn't worried about intentional harm, but more about the forgetfulness, leaving them around to accidentally get stepped on, and those awful things.

I started by organizing each iPad into its own drawer. I got these side-by-side drawers from Joann's for WAY cheaper than full price:

I used the same round stickers that I use for my computer organization to help keep these iPads unified:

The photo didn't turn out great, but I put a sticker on the charger (that's plugged in behind the drawer) so that kids can charge the iPad after each use. I also asked for Otterbox cases since those babies are tough! (As in, I broke pretty much every nail trying to get them on, kind of tough!). I use cleap-o headphones and those stay with the iPads. For now, I don't have them organized nice and neatly, but I will definitely be doing that soon! The color of the drawer matches the color sticker on the iPad case and the iPad charger, as well as the iPad pass they will receive when they will use them in class.

I talked with kids all about how fortunate we were to have these iPads and then I had them come up with some rules and responsibilities that we need to have as a class to keep them nice all year long. Here are just a few of their ideas:

They were all super-creative and, truthfully, encompassed WAY more ideas than I would have thought of on my own, so I am very glad we started with this step. I had them leave them on their tables and then walk around to read everyone else's and we compiled a step-by-step guide to hang in the room on large chart paper:

I demonstrated what it means when all of the apps are "shaking" and how you can accidentally delete one-- I wanted to stress the importance of telling me if they make a mistake of any kind so I can try to fix it as soon as possible.

I put the few apps we will be using on the first screen (Spelling City, ScootPad, AR, Brain Pop, etc.-- I'll share more in a later post) and everything else on the second screen. The second screen has all of Apple's default apps in a folder I named "Do Not Open" and there's also a "Settings" folder with the App Store and Settings so I can find it easily.

Today, I began by pulling small groups of four kids to the drawers where I walked them through the steps of getting out, using, and putting away an iPad and then they did one activity on Spelling City, which is the main app they will be using during Word Work time, for now. (More on how much I am loving Spelling City in a later post, too!)

I will eventually let them use an iPad pass when it's their time to use them during Daily 5 and, eventually, Math Centers. You can download a free copy of 5 colors (blue, orange, yellow, red, and green) HERE on Google Docs:

This is such a fun time for my kids (and me!) and I'm so thankful to both Donor's Choose and all of the amazing and wonderful Donors who helped make this possible!!

Do you use iPads in class? What are some of your favorite apps for Word Work or Math?

PS- Help celebrate my 1 Year Blogiversary by entering my giveaway HERE-- you could will any 3 products from my store, a $20 Gift Card to Starbucks and a $20 Gift Card to TpT! Woo hoo!!