Math project- multiplication city!

So, we began studying multiplication and I wanted my students to have a hands on, creative project instead of simple writing repeatedly the multiplication tables.  This is what we did!  They were able to make building with rows and columns of windows, and write the multiplication sentence.I even had they make a fact family and word problems (multiplication AND division underneath!)  they loved it, and they love showing it off in our hallway.

proyecto de ciencias- el ciclo de agua

En ciencias hemos estudiado vocabulario nuevo para prepararnos para estudiar el ciclo del agua:  precipitacion, evaporacion, condensacion.  Aunque los significados son cortos, los estudiantes recuerdan esto porque es simple.  Tambien pensamos juntos en cuando hemos visto la palabra en la vida real, pensamos en una accion con nuestro cuerpo que hacemos cuando decimos la palabra y el significado.  Aqui tengo la foto de nuestra corona del ciclo del agua.  Despues que terminaron su corona, los estudiantes escribieron sobre como usa el ciclo del agua cada palabra del vocabulario en otra hoja.  Les encantaron llevar la corona todo el dia!

para precipitacion puse una nieve (se puede usar una gota de agua si quieren), y para evaporacion use el sol para que los estudiantes entiendan que es la caliente del sol que hace que el agua se evapore.

Classroom Set-up! (tablemats and material bins)

Another constant problem I had last year...what to keep on the tables!!??  Here is what I did.  I went to the dollar store and bought a desk organizer with just enough compartments to hold the necessary tools that my students use all the time (pencils, markers, crayons, erasers).  The colored numbers you see underneath the organizers are simple foam rectangles (which  I will laminate to keep them new!).  Those numbers are for the students sitting in that respective desk.  Now when you need each table or group of students to have a certain book, scissors, rulers, or homework needs to be passed out...you can call a number and that same student from each group comes up to get the materials!  Easy management!  Also, there is an "A" or "B" on each of the numbers.  When they talk or work with partners, tell them partner "A" goes first (or "B").  Makes it a quick start instead of them wondering how to begin!

Classroom Set-up! (covering up ugly walls!)

In my new classroom, I have one of those accordion walls.  It was dirty, grimey, ugly and distracting!  Go to your local dollar store, get 4-5 cheap tablecloths and cover it up!  Here is what I did with an Easter yellowish color tablecloth ( wish I did purple or blue!)  I simply used thumb tacks on the wall to hold them up!  Easy put up, easy take down, nicer looking class :-)

Classroom Set-up! (Word Walls! )

As a bilingual teacher, finding space for BOTH English and Spanish word walls was a struggle last year.  Now that I have some experience and ideas about an INTERACTIVE word wall that students will actually use....this is what I came up with.  Using envelopes (because I couldn't find pockets from the library)  I di-cut the alphabet and glued onto the envelopes.  I then laminated it all! Cut them up, cut the slits, and taped to a laminated cabinet.  This way, the students can place new words we learn into the envelopes, and take them out when they need to remember how to spell or read that word.  Here is the prep and the final!

Classroom Set-up! ( Behavior chart and Jobs chart)

I am moving up a grade, and hence moving classrooms!  I got to start from scratch this year!  No extra from 20 years ago in my cabinets, no old posters from other teachers...a clean slate for my things!!  Here is a picture of the behavior chart and jobs chart in my new room!  Both of these charts will have the students names printed on the pockets in vis-a-vis for easy erase at the end of the year (THIS IS ALL LAMINATED) 

I will cut strips of color to place in the pockets for behavior (gold=amazing day, green=good day, orange=let's improve, red=not your best day).  Students will be asked to change which color is showing based on their behaviors.

For the jobs chart, each students' name will be on the pocket again.  I made sticks with jobs on them (also with a clipart drawing on top to help them remember what to do with that job!).  Each week, we will rotate the sticks (jobs) to the right.  Helps them take responsibility and allows them input for the classroom!

The first "summer"...?

I remember just about two months ago how excited I was that my first year of teaching was wrapping up, I would finally be able to relax and focus on myself...or so I thought.  I signed up to teach a SUPER fun, camping themed summer camp at my school.  It was GREAT.  I got to work with students older than the second graders I was used to, which will help me next year in my transition to third grade!  Summer camp was completely different from the normal school year...no classroom visits, no endless paperwork, and no deadlines that I had to stick to.  I was really able to base my teaching off of the learning needs of the students in my class.  If only I could ALWAYS teach that way!  Anyways, summer camp was great.  It only lasted three weeks and then it was really, for real, actually, my summer "vacation".  I say "vacation" because honestly, I feel like I have still been worried and/or working towards next year the WHOLE time.  I did go home to Minnesota and visit my family for a week, but found myself still talking about my work (thankfully they put up with listening to it!).  After that, I had full days of training for new curriculum, updates, refreshers, support sessions, and whatever else the district could find to help up improve our teaching techniques.  Some of the trainings, I felt, were definitely needed.  They provided me with fresh, new, exciting strategies to reach and engage my kiddos...but then, there are those trainings where you leave and wonder "what did I get from that?"

Now, it is August, and school is right around the corner.  This week starts the beginning of setting up my classroom for a new, exciting learning year to come.  I find myself searching for things to set up in my room, that the kids will enjoy and that they will feel welcomed and comfortable to continue on their learning path.  I'm NOT ready to go back, but at the same time, I am ready to keep learning with new students.  To my new students- I can not wait to meet you, learn from you, grow with you, and have a blast this upcoming school year!

To all my fellow teachers- remember why you do it.  YOU will be great.

Math project- Name Fractions

This project, once again, is to use fractions and find equivalent fractions.  Students drew and decorated their names and found the fraction of consonants and vowels.  If there was an equivalent fraction, they needed to write it down.  If there was not, they needed to MAKE an equivalent fraction.  It was good practice to see them reversing the process and trying to make a new fraction that was equal to the smaller one they had (for example:  2/5 of my first name is vowels.  An equivalent fraction would be 4/10.)

This is my name as an example!

Math Project- Fraction Kites

This is a kite I did to practice equivalent fractions with third graders going into fourth grade.  They needed to count the fractions of each color shaded (for example:  My kite has 4/16 yellow squares.  That is equal to 1/4)  They were supposed to write their fractions on the tail of their kite.  It was difficult for them to find an equivalent fraction if they did not color the same color next to one another, but drawing it out on the tail helped them visualize it more.  Great practice also with writing and naming fractions!  Kept them super focused!

A First Year to Remember...

So far, on my blog, I have posted some pictures of anchor charts and projects I have done with my students in my FIRST year of teaching (YAY!).  Although these are glimpses into the work I do with my class and what we study, I think a reflection of how my first year went and what I learned would be beneficial.  This is especially for other first year teachers as they begin their journey into being a professional educator, or as they wind down from the craziness of a first year.  Either way, here it goes!

My first thought is...HOW DID I MAKE IT?  HOW?  I mean, when I got into teaching I assumed I'd get all this time one -on-one with my students and get to know all about them and talk to their parents all of time. What a reality check.  The first month or so of my year was strictly testing the reading and math levels of my students along with setting up expectations.  And... paperwork. PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK.  My mom is a teacher, and I don't know how I missed all of the paperwork she had to do!  IT IS CRAZY.  Although the excessive amount of paperwork drove me crazy and stressed me out, I definitely understand the necessity of documenting what you do with students...especially if it will help other teachers help and teach those students.  So as hectic as those deadlines can be, DO IT and prove it, it will help everyone in the long run!

So beyond the whiplash from paperwork my first month, we can't my student who decided to use the restroom on a tree at recess instead of running up the hill to the bathrooms. Yup, he peed outside. In front of everyone!  Then tried to hide behind a small, skinny tree (which I could see him the whole time) and THEN tried to tell me it wasn't him. The tree was all wet, and then he had to confess.  His confession went like this, "My stomach hurt."  That was all, no apology, no tears, nothing.  His stomach hurt.  OK.  I was horrified and thought, "What kind of teacher am I that a student pees outside!"  but thankfully, all of the administration and staff just laughed, as they knew the student and, honestly, were not that surprised.

So after that, about a week later, one of my students got sick towards the end of the school day.  I sent him to the nurse, but she did not want to call mom because he would be leaving on the bus in 20 min or so anyways.  WHAT A MISTAKE!  I wanted to call mom, but the nurse insisted on just sending him home.  Well, guess how that went?  As soon as he sat down on that hot, steamy, sweaty bus.  PUKE. ALL OVER.  Once again, I was horrified.  And once again, others understood.  My thought during this one was, "Thank goodness I'm not the only one who this has happened to!"  LESSON LEARNED- always call mom.

The rest of my year, honestly, is a big blur.  There were many, many, many other messy events and issues that I dealt with...but I get them all jumbled up!  I would love to rant about the swear words, fighting, blaming, bullying, whining, crying, and excuses used by my students through out the WHOLE year...BUT that is part of teaching.  I think that the most important thing I learned in my first year as a teacher was to not only help these students grow intellectually, but I also have the responsibility to help them grow socially and sometimes morally.  For example, HONESTY.  Sometimes, these little ones lie their buns off.  Even when everyone knows the truth, they STILL lie.  Trying to show them that honesty is the best policy is SO hard.  So my lesson for this one is...LEAD BY EXAMPLE.  STAY TRUE TO YOUR WORDS.  and show them that they DO matter. 

ALSO, just to interject another crucial lesson to be learned as an educator...BE FLEXIBLE.  do not count on ANYTHING.  schedules change by the minute, people cancel, meetings pop-up.  Deal with it, and let it go.  Life WILL be easier.

Overall, my first year was amazing.  It was a roller coaster of emotions, but I will never ever forget my first year.  Those students helped me grow SO much as a teacher, and I would have never learned the lessons I did with out them.  They do not realize the gift of learning that they blessed me with.  I can't wait to see what I learn next year!

Cheers!
(OH, and HAPPY HAPPY SUMMER BREAK!)

Math Anchor chart- Nifty Nine Trick for SIMPLE addition

I made this anchor chart because my students (who are in the third grade now) STILL have trouble and use their FINGERS to compute basic math problems with 9s in the ones digit.  Since it drives me nuts, I decided to throw up an anchor chart and go over it for a couple of weeks 5 min/day to see if they learn the trick!  Good luck!

Math: Financial Literacy- Piggy Bank Project

As we concluded our studies of financial literacy in math (the importance of making, saving, and spending money appropriately), we celebrated by making our very own piggy banks so we could start saving!  This project was EASY and took about 40 minutes for my kids to get everything done the way they wanted to.  This was great for the end of the year, since we have such crazy schedules and sometimes need longer projects to keep our kiddos occupied.  Only hint, make the slit in the bottle BEFORE they start gluing all of the paper on.  Enjoy!

Anchor Charts- Clasificando animales

Usamos este poster para ayudarnos aprender sobre los diferentes clasificaciones de los animales.  Mis estudiantes pensaron que mi abeja era tan preciosa!

Classroom decorations- border

So, last week  I was in the zone for getting classroom supplies.  Instead of going to Teacher Heaven (which does have everything you could ever want for your classroom, it is not necessarily cheap), I decided to stop by a Goodwill and see what they had laying around.  I found these borders, 24 ft in each package, for only .79 EACH.  I was SO excited!  Don't forget to LAMINATE your border so you can reuse for the rest of your teaching career!

They also has lamps that I would love for my classroom, to give it a calmer feeling and setting for the students.  Maybe even pillows for my classroom library!  Man, the things you can find!

Anchor Charts- Math Figures

In math we are beginning our figures unit.  To make things a little more interesting, I turned the shapes into race cars!  The number on the shape represents how many sides it has.  Also, I labeled at least one vertex and side so the students will see the vocabulary.  Naming the shapes also for vocabulary will be helpful.  Hope this one works well!  Enjoy!

Anchor Charts- Folktales

This is an anchor chart I made for when we studied Folktales in ELA.  The kids were glued to it because of the Spiderman and Superman logos I included (ALTHOUGH I need to brush up on my spiderman and superman drawings...yikes!)  .  Just goes to show, you can make them tune into ANYTHING!

Math work- Area

This is a piece of work that I completely adored!  It is supposed to be Mike "Wizowski" (?)  from Monsters Inc.!  What creative thinkers!
And they STILL had to use their math skills to find the area of little Mike!  Awesome job!

Anchor Chart- Multiplication

Even though I am in a DL second grade room, we teach math in English.  This anchor chart, I found, helped my ELLs because of the various ways and different representations of multiplication.    They also thought it was cool that I did not just draw circles with dots inside, on the top I drew backpacks with books inside and also diamonds with sparkles inside.  Make it a little more interesting, and they get sucked in!  If I could make it again, I would definitely put on some SpongeBob or LEGO themed illustrations, they love that stuff!

Anchor Charts- Measurement

When making easy anchor charts like this, all I do is prepare the lay out.  During direct instruction, the students help me brainstorm and write words that they know about measurement.  This also shows me how much background knowledge my students have.  They LOVE this anchor chart and always love to share that they have piggy banks at home.  During the group work and independent projects, I always see them checking out the measurement bank of words to support their learning.  GREAT!

Centers- área de un robot

In math we study in English, but we have centers to support the students in Spanish.  This is a math center that I made after we studied area.  The students love it because they get to create their own masterpiece of a robot, color it any color they would like, and then it also reinforces how to find area because they have to count the square units.  I also ask them to write in complete sentences the area in square units after they finish everything.  Don´t forget to LAMINATE!  That way you do NOT have to keep copying extra papers, and it is an easy clean up!  Enjoy!

Anchor Chart- Palabras que terminan con S vs Z

A veces los estudiantes tienen dificultad en escribir palabras que terminan con -s versus -z.  He hecho este chart para ayudarles en mirar la diferencia entre los dos sonidos y cómo usar las dos letras.  También les di una hoja para guardar en su carpeta de escritura para que puedan tener más apoyo durante el tiempo de escritura.  Les gusto mucho este chart porque las letras parecen como amigas. ¡Qué divertido!

Student work - Parts of plants and What plants need to live

We studied the part of plants and also what plants need to survive.  At the end of the unit, I split my students up into groups and each group was assigned a part of a plant or something a plant needs to survive.  They had to make a poster, label and write in full sentences about the why that part of the plant is important, its job, and how it works.  After everyone finished, they got to create their plant masterpiece and place it in the hallway for the entire school to see!  They were SO proud!  And made me a proud teacher!

The beautiful Blue Bonnets of Texas!

This is a picture of the beautiful Texas blue bonnets in the courtyard of my elementary school.  What a sight!

Anchor Chart - Narracion personal

Este es un chart que uso con mis estudiantes para ayudarles en escribir una narración personal.  Siempre me dicen que están terminados pero sus historias solamente tienen tres o cuatro oraciones.  Por eso tengo este chart puesto por todo el año para recordarles que hay muchos detalles que se pueden incluir en sus historias.  Durante escritura, veo que están mirando este chart y sus historias ya tienen mucho más detalles.

This is an anchor chart I use for writing with my students.  I keep it up all year because students need this constant reminder of how many details, dialogue, emotions, etc... they need to include in their stories.  The best part is...THEY USE IT! and their stories are becoming so much more detailed.

Anchor chart- como observar

This is an anchor chart I made for my students to kick off our science studies.  You can tell them to "observe", but they really don't know what that means.  This shows them and tells them all of the different details they can observe during science experiments.  (CAUTION:  make sure you tell them that we can NOT always taste what we are observing. It can be dangerous!)

Anchor chart- English sound long i

Love, love, love anchor charts for my classroom!  The students love seeing creative new posters, it grabs their attention, and gets the point across.  This is one anchor charts I made for the long /i/ sound.  It helps my ELLs see a picture representing the word so they connect the word with the sounds.  I always see them referring back to this one, it encourages them to write accurately!