Classroom Management Punch Cards

Punch Cards – The first in a series of classroom management tips for elementary teachers. There is a free download as your 'celebration.'


There comes a time with every class when students become extra chatty, fail to focus, get cranky with one another, and are slow to follow directions. Their behavior is just plain sloppy. It also seems to begin during a long stretch of weeks with no holidays, which leaves you on the verge of pulling out your hair! Am I right?


Whose job is it to correct those behaviors? Yes, it is the teacher's job along with (hopefully) a strong school-home relationship. Supportive administration is a must as well. 

Yes, there are extreme cases. 

Can we say PANDEMIC? UNDIAGNOSED MEDICAL ISSUES? MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES? ALLEGED ABUSE? LACK OF FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE?

Yes, we all know there are exceptions, and I am not here to make you feel worse. 

Some parents struggle with parenting. Yes, last year’s teacher had a completely different management style. However, when your students step into our classrooms, it’s our responsibility to set clear expectations, model them, hold children to those expectations, and act accordingly when they meet them or do not meet them. It’s easy to celebrate the good choices. Not-so-good choices? Not so much.


The buck stops with you US! After all, we spend large chunks of time with them, it falls on us to meet this challenge head-on.


None of the tips (gimmicks) in this series will work if we don not have a clear picture in our minds of what students are expected to do.We MUST manage with confidence, communicate expectations, train students to perform expected behaviors, and respond accordingly when desired behaviors aren’t displayed.
 

I was that teacher during the first couple of months of my first year of teaching. The students were loud. They were wild. They didn’t do anything I asked of them. I was miserable, because I didn’t stick to my guns. AKA hold them accountable; I was afraid to cross them.


Are you looking for advice and useful strategies to help with your classroom management? If you are, great! A reminder -- If you are, it does NOT mean you are a bad or weak teacher. I believe it means you are dedicated to honing your classroom management skills. You simply need to add more tools to your teacher toolbox.


Are you ready to stick to your guns and be consistent? Even when you know parents are going to email? Even when little Belinda pitches a fit?

Yes? Keep reading!

This advice comes from a 28-year "seasoned" teacher who used to blow a whistle to get her first class's attention. That became old very quickly, so I decided I was going to change it. 


Let me tell you, I earned every cent of my paycheck that year! I realized quickly I had to have a good system to help get my third graders on track. I used my supervising teacher’s chart system and it worked wonderfully while student teaching. However, her students had been trained and knew the expectations. My students didn’t, so, I read, researched, and tried many strategies and gimmicks with my classes. Below is one strategy (gimmick) I used that worked. I call it a gimmick because it’s so simple some people question them, but they work! IF used correctly and consistently. Besides…


It’s not a gimmick if it works!

Strategy #1 – Punch Cards

Yes, I know what you're thinking: Punch cards are as old as the hills. Yes, they have been around for some time, but when used properly and with consistency, they WORK!

Back in the early days, I used index cards. It’s all I had! Luckily for you, I’ve created two cute punch cards and a celebrations (rewards) page for this tip or gimmick.


Here are a few ways to use punch cards:


1. Start with the five-punch card to have students rewarded more quickly. Discuss one or two expected behaviors. Focus only on those one or two. For example, lining up quietly and giving you their attention when you signal. 


2. Write the expectation(s) on the board so everyone knows the one or two areas of focus. If things are particularly tough, choose only one area of focus. Practice the behavior. Model, Model, Model! Practice! Practice! Practice! Punch! Punch! Punch!


3. Ask a few students to show the class how to get in line. As they do this, comment on the desired behaviors. Be sincere, not sugary sweet or condescending when you make your observations. Speak calmly. There is no reason to raise your voice unless there is exciting news or you’re reading with fantastic expression during read-aloud. For example, "I notice Tina is walking slowly. She is meeting our expectation to line up carefully." Or, "Did you notice how Tannish let Silvie get in front of him? That was kind and it shows he knows his place in line." (This applies if you have your students line up by roster number or some other consistent way.)


a. The first expectation I practice with students is an attention-getter. I use Whole Brain Teaching’s “Hands, Eyes” attention getter. I say, “Hands, eyes,” and the students repeat it and while doing so, they put their hands in their laps and their eyes on me. I might say,” I saw Jose’, Miracle, Marcy and Juan’s eyes first. Gosh, if I had felt everyone’s eyes, someone would have received a punch!”


b. If everyone doesn’t to it, we repeat it until everyone knows that cue means stop, hands in lap, eyes on the teacher. I never single out students who aren't getting it. I might go stand by that student's desk and use proximity as a subtle hint. I say, “We’re going to have to do it again, because I need to know in my heart that EVERYONE can do this EVERY time they hear it.”


c. An easy way to introduce this is to gather everyone on your carpet area and have a small group show the correct way to do Hands, Eyes or lining up. After a small group shows the correct way, ask them to demonstrate the WRONG way to line up. No kidding. Include the friend you’re often reminding to walk or pay attention. He/she will love doing it the wrong way. Don’t worry. Keep reading. It gets better.


d. After the chaos calms, ask questions, such as: “Did you notice anyone walking to get in line? No? Neither did I. Did you notice anyone lining up quietly? Neither did I.” “Do you feel as though everyone met the expectation to line up (or give hands in laps and eyes on the speaker)?” Neither did I! Did it feel a like chaos as our friends were doing it the wrong way? 


e. Ask the same students to show the correct way to get in line after they have shown the wrong way. Again, comment on the desired behaviors – especially that child who struggles to get in line properly. For example, “Did you notice Matthew was so focused to meet the expectation to line up safely and quietly. Great choice! Are you proud of your choices? I am too!”


f. Finally, explain when you see friends who line up correctly – silently and calmly, you’ll be punching their great choices card. Describe the reward (I call them celebrations) students will receive once they have five punches. 

NOTE: You can predetermine celebrations or have students make suggestions. I usually have a couple of non-negotiables like a homework pass, sit at the teacher’s desk, or visit the principal, and then we agree on two or three more from class suggestions. This is a great time to discuss reasonable suggestions!


g. Once you implement punch cards, make a big deal when a student reaches their five punches. Be an eagle-eye when it comes to students who struggle with expectations. Those shy or quiet students are easy to miss! Keep a class list nearby to make sure you’re watching for everyone. When someone reaches five punches, celebrate, write a good note on the card and send it home to parents. Give the child a new card. 


h. Repeat the steps with the second expectation, but not until you are satisfied everyone is meeting YOUR expectation for the first one. Repeat the steps.


i. After a few weeks of doing this, you won’t have to spend as much time with the wrong/right way activity. The children will know the routine. And, yes, you’ll need to have refreshers on those ‘line up quietly’ or ‘no talking in the hallway’ expectations.


This “gimmick” works if you believe in yourself, are dedicated to making a difference in your students’ behavior, and want to take steps to end the behavior management tug-o-war! Besides, your hair is way too cute to yank out! 

Want the freebie? Download it here!

Stay tuned for the next in the Classroom Management Tips series -- Who Did it Better? 

Sunday Scoop 10/25/15

Hello!

I'm excited to link up with Teaching Trio for their Sunday Scoop Linky Party!

Here's my Scoop!

I just finished my lesson plans, which is a relief. It's Pumpkin Week, so the week will be filled with all things pumpkin!

As for getting to bed early, I just don't know. It seems that I get revved up about 8 PM. I find all sorts of little distractions to keep me from getting to bed by my goal of 9 PM. I'm laughing, because I only go to bed at 9 PM if I'm sick. 

Making my lunch is another thing I hate to do. I have everything I need to make a spinach salad. I WILL do this one! Otherwise, I'll only have Leftover Halloween Candy Bark that I made for my teammate's birthday. It's yummy. (Yes, I taste-tested it.) However, it won't be the healthiest or most energizing lunch. 

I hope to get to school early. I always hope to get there earlier than I do. I am simply not a morning person. I cherish my mornings to wake up, reflect, pray and get psyched up for a busy day. Laundry? Eh, ain't gonna happen tonight. My clothes are ready for tomorrow, so I'm covered on that one.

I am happy to find a great movie to watch. I've been on an old movie kick lately. I watched High Society, last night, and it was so cute! Have you ever noticed how clearly actors enunciated in old movies? I love that! No mumbling! 

I'm off to find tonight's movie. 

Have a GREAT week!

BOLO Link Up - Intro to Economics

 

Hi all,

I'm linking up with Stephanie from Principal Principles, Ashley Reed from Just Reed and Brooke Brown from Teaching Outside the Box for this BOLO (Be on the Lookout) link up. It is all about showcasing a new product that is nearing completion. I'd love any feedback you have! That's the purpose of this link up -- to allow you to see what's in the works and provide feedback or make requests related to it. There most definitely will be a FREEBIE on my Facebook page, also!

My Introduction to Economics is geared toward second graders. First of all, can you believe second graders in Tennessee (where I teach) have to know about supply and demand, goods and services, and human, capital and natural resources? Admittedly, some of those have been on our list of state standards for a while, but not as in-depth as the revised social studies standards.

One thing I have noticed, as I create resources, FIRST, for myself and TPT, is that state standards usually have similarities in them. When I go searching for what I need, on TPT, I already have a standard in mind, so I don't have to check to see if it is referenced to my particular standard. So, if you're in the market for some economics activities that also touch on reading and math skills, check this out!

This product is going to be about 50 pages. I have included the following:

• Vocabulary Task Cards (24 cards) -- vignettes in which students must use context clues or recall information to identify one of the 24 (and growing) vocabulary words 

• Supply and Demand Task Cards (24 cards) -- vignettes requiring students to identify a correct aspect of supply and demand

• Informational Text Reading Passages Related to Supply and Demand, Resource Types and Goods and Services -- These are great for close reading!

• Games for Goods and Services, Producers and Consumers and Other Concepts

• A Fun Import/Export Game that your 2nd Graders will Love!

Here are a few Sneak Peeks!

I expect to have this finished in about a week! So, follow me on TPT, to be the first to know!

Thanks to Principal Principles, Thinking Outside the Box and Just Reed for hosting this link up!

Hashtag: Real Talk

Hi--

This morning, I made a promise to myself for this school year. It's a simple one. I am going to find JOY first. No more pushing and prodding myself to do this, do that, don't forget this. And, do you know what? It feels so good to release that pressure. I opened my Jesus Calling book of daily devotionals. August 4th had the greatest impression on me. Deep calls unto deep. The best response is a heart overflowing with gratitude. 

Gratitude. 

Our professional development days began last Monday. We had meetings and more meetings. It was necessary information that we need to be successful. Still, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, "I have to get my room ready." Then, it dawned on me. I recently posted advice for new teachers. One piece of advice was, "No one is going to know what you didn't get done in your room." 

Thursday was a work day for us. No meetings. My room was a wreck. I had been cleaning out old things that I never use. There were storage boxes and stacks of stuff everywhere. (Side note: When I moved into this room, in a brand new school, I had 70 boxes of things. SEVENTY! My principal said, "Leave some room for the children, Susan." That was great advice that took me six years to follow.)

I worked like a mad woman to get my room ready. It wasn't perfect. I could see all the things I meant to do, but didn't have time to do. The children arrived. Their parents arrived. A few grandparents arrived. My room had as many adults as children! It was wonderful and nerve wracking! On my 23rd first day of school, I was as nervous as my first. One mother said, "I love your room." I explained that it was bare because we would add children's work as they created it. She said, "No, I like it." She saw beauty where I saw imperfection. Those comments were just what I needed to hear. Everything was okay.

That was then. Before my reawakening. 

Gratitude:

I have a great job that I was called to do. 
I am entrusted with the care of beautiful, curious, precious children every day. 
I have loving, patient coworkers.
I choose to find JOY in every part of every day.

So, my room isn't perfect. I'm not perfect. Yet, I'm grateful that I get to live each day trying to be better than the day before.

Keep your eyes on Me as you practice walking in this garment of salvation. --August 9

Some of My Favorite Periscopers

Wow. Ohmigosh!

I haven't been enamoured with an app like this in a long time. (Would you laugh if I said it might have been Angry Birds?) Anyway...

Have you experienced Periscope? 

A few weeks ago, I kept seeing teachers talking about Periscope on Instagram. I have learned that Periscope is a live streaming video app that Twitter recently acquired.  At first, I rolled my eyes, because I thought, 'oh, it's just another thing that is being hyped but turns out to be a disappointment.' I was wrong. For the past week or two (or three), I have been watching teachers all over the country share ideas and, to use phrase of theirs, "hash-tag, real talk." #realtalk 

One caution/tip: The videos are presented live, but are archived for 24-hours after the initial broadcast. Luckily, many of my favorites have begun saving their broadcasts to post on their blogs. So, if you're really into a person's broadcasts, you might want to check often to see if they have a new one.

Now that I have confessed my obsession great find, here is a list of a few my favorite discoveries:

For Inspiration and Motivation - Rachel Lynette (@rachellynette)

I find Rachel Lynette to be a breath of fresh air! She has a lovely way of giving information and suggestions, always bringing the focus back to students' needs. If you don't check out anyone else, please look for her videos. I think you will leave feeling uplifted. 

For Fun Chats and Advice for Teacher Author-Bloggers - Sheila Jane (@sheilajteaching)

Where to begin? Sheila Jane is wacky! From gobbling hearts that viewers give as feedback, to hiccuping during broadcasts, she still manages to inform. She gives advice about branding and marketing for teacher author-bloggers. She has her own website for teachers, and its theme is teacher happiness and wellness.  She does a great job of engaging the viewers because she is bubbly and authentic. 

Bow Tie Guy & Wife (@bowtieguywife)

This fourth grade teacher is hilarious! Teachers need to laugh, right? Not only is he funny, he is passionate about literacy integration in science and social studies especially for upper grade boys. You won't regret giving him a look. He is on-point with his strategies and book selections for encouraging students to read. His enthusiasm is infectious. It's also cute how his wife manages the camera and fields questions during broadcasts. They make a great team!

A Couple of Tips about Periscope

1. The more people you follow (just like Twitter; you can merge the two accounts), the more little whistle sounds you'll get when they begin a new broadcast. You'll also get the whistle sound when people you follow invite you to watch another person's broadcast. This is so cute and fun in the beginning. I would grab my phone to look to see what was happening. After a few days of this, I turned off notifications in the app. It can be annoying.

2. There are other great presentations, some of whom I will feature later.  I do find that some of the broadcasts tend to run on, and on, and on...zzzzz . Some people are loud and tend to get screechy when they get excited. I cannot take much of the screechy. 

Some people will shamelessly ask for hearts for feedback. Apparently, the hearts are a big deal in some circles. Some broadcasters will surprise you with a freebie, and make a great presentation even better! You'll see another side of people you may follow on Instagram or other social media sites. As you would with any social media site, trust your instincts, and you'll be fine.

One last note -- In settings, you might want to turn off the location part of the app. It is very specific, and can drill down to your street! 

Thanks for visiting!  Who are some of your favorite Periscopers? Leave a comment!

Five Tips for New Teachers

Hi!

I mentioned on Instagram that I was working on a PD presentation (with my AP and two other teachers) for our mentoring program for new teachers. The photo I had on Instagram showed a few of the top ten suggestions for new teachers, and she wanted to see more.

I have taken those ten and revised them to reflect what I think is important. 

Here are my Five Important Reminders for New Teachers:

1. Be prepared. For the first day, and couple of weeks afterwards, make a list of everything you have to do. It doesn't have to be fancy. Type it in Word. Scribble it on the back of an envelope. Just do it. When you accomplish something on the list, highlight it to show yourself that it has been completed. It will feel great to highlight items on the list!

I have been making a list for my first day, and first week for over 20 years; lists help me to stay on track, but more importantly, they become my rock when the seas get rough. If the kids get rowdy, or an activity flops or doesn't last as long as you thought, you can go to your list of extra activities that you have planned and prepared. Over planning can be your best friend in the first few days of school. Always have two or three extra activities ready in case technology fails, or some other catastrophe happens. :-)

Here is my current, messy To Do list. Notice I've highlighted some things! I am about to highlight "Blog Post" as finished!

2. Share your expectations. A lot! No matter what your classroom management program is, start as soon as you can pointing out desired behaviors. I used to say, "I like how so-and-so is whispering and making eye contact with other-so-and-so." However, I don't say that anymore. I don't want children to want my approval, I want them to feel confident they are making great choices without my help. Instead, I might say, "I notice that so-and-so and other-so-and-so are whispering and making eye contact. They must feel great about being respectful to other friends in the room."

Post your classroom rules in a location where students can see them and you can refer to them as needed. Remind! Praise! Redirect! Rules and routines are always up there with your content, but at the beginning of the year, rules secretly trump content. 

Decide which kind of disciplinarian you will be. You're going to have to discipline kids, so you might as well think about it. Are you going to be a yeller? A whisperer? Somewhere in between? 

I am a soft-spoken person by nature. Therefore, I speak softly with my students. I have had many coworkers and visitors to my classroom observe that I never raise my voice at my students. They are in awe of how I manage my students with a soft voice. It hasn't always been that way. 

When, in my first teaching job in inner-city Memphis, I had to blow a whistle to get my 26 third graders quiet, I decided that I had had enough. I decided that *I* was going to be the leader of the group and that I would not be yelling. I loved those students, because they taught me more than I ever taught them. My heart will always be with them.

So, I don't yell at my children or raise my voice in anger (in excitement or passion about a topic -- you bet!).  I tell my students that I don't like it when someone yells at me, and I'm not going to do it to them. I rule with a soft voice, and an iron will. When I ask someone to do something, I expect it to be done when I ask. If it is or isn't, I pass along an appropriate consequence. 

"Oh! I appreciate you respecting your classmates and me by putting away the game. I know you really wanted to keep playing." 

OR 

"You've had three reminders to put away the game. Let's have a talk at recess."

It's very hard to rule with an iron will. By iron will, I mean that I expect directions to be followed quickly and the first time I ask. I don't like conflict, and I don't want to call out a child who is not following the directions. However, if I can't keep order, then I might as well go home. Order, for me, is speaking with a soft voice, using the best manners, and making sure that my students know that I expect the same of them.

Here's an example. After I model how to play a math game, and after we have made a chart of the expected behaviors -- have fun learning math, whisper, share and take turns, etc.-- there is always a sweet child who keeps getting loud. I will say, sort of as an aside, "Whoever said, 'Seven!' needs to whisper or go sit down." I don't have to say the child's name. I don't even look at the child. It gets the point across. As the days and weeks pass, I'll say, "If you just said, 'Good one!' please go to your seat. We whisper during math game time. 

Questions to consider:

• What do you expect of your students?
• Do you expect your students to follow directions the first time, like every school rules poster in the world says?
• Or, are you going to let things slide until you're completely frustrated and then dole out a consequence? 
• Are you somewhere in the middle? 
• What is your classroom management system going to be?

I am asking these questions, because you will be exposed to situations like this on the first day of school. My advice is to decide if you're a 'follow the rules the first time' kind of person, or if you're a 'let it slide' person. Whatever the choice, try speaking softly. It will freak out your students, and you will feel like a magician when you do it! :-)

3. Perfection Sucks!  I say that not from ever having reached perfection, but from chasing it for too many years. You're going to want your room to be perfect. You'll want the perfect first day outfit. 

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope and all the other ways that we have perfection stuck in our face, on a daily basis, will show you all the perfect classrooms. Remember, there is one of you. You're seeing dozens of different ideas; dozens of teachers with varying amounts of experience. There is no way you can implement all of them or try to be any of them. Be yourself. 

And, guess what? No one is going to know that you didn't have time to put those cute posters on the back wall. No one is going to know that in the final minutes before the children came in, you were stuffing extra papers, files and boxes in the back cabinet. No one is going to know that you really wanted to make super-cute, first day gifts, but there wasn't room in the budget for it. I know these things. I have lived them.

The point is to focus on the important things -- not the decor, but the occupants of the room. Make sure your room is clean and neat. Put up a cute bulletin board and post the children's names on your door or in the hallway. Do your cute stuff, but don't let the wonderful (and perfection-seeking) social media sites tell you that you aren't perfect or good enough. 

#perserverenotperfection

As for what you wear, make sure it's comfortable, doesn't reveal too much up-top or down-below, and you'll be fine. 

4. Develop a System for how your students will line up, put away papers, and get out materials. I use a class roster number system, and it works well for me. Every child has a roster number. This number is his for everything in the classroom -- cubby, line position, classwork folders, and textbooks. One note: When we come back from winter break, I let the children line up in reverse order. All those W names finally get to be at the front of the line. The kiddos love it!

I have one boy line leader and one girl leader each day. I call these my stars. They are my runners for the day.  I post their names and roster numbers on the board, and I use a little magnet to mark the person who is the girl star and boy star. If someone has a birthday, they get to be the leader (and then we go back to the list the next day). I tried multiple jobs, but it was more than I wanted to handle. I know some of my colleagues do it, and it works well. 

Remember: #perserverenotperfection

Here are a few questions to think about:

• Where will students keep their binders, folders, and markers/crayons?
• If you have extra supplies, where do you plan to keep them? 
• How will you collect supplies on the first day of school? Put out baskets? Zippy Bags? Ask a parent volunteer to come in and help?
• What is your process for packing up go to home in the afternoons?
• How do you know which students are riding the bus, car riders, or other?
• Have you created a folder for student information? Do you have this in a handy location for fire drills?
• Do you have a recess bag or (GO bag for field trips or assemblies) that contains a class roster, wipes, Band-Aids, and tissues?
• How will you signal to students that it's time to come in from recess? (Get a whistle and put it with your school keys.)
• What are your expectations for walking in the hallways -- total silence, whispering, anything goes? 
• If you have a snack time, what are your expectations for it? Does your school have snack guidelines? Do you have students with food allergies? 
• How do students clean up after snack? (**This one is important**)
• What will you do if you get a new student two or six months into the school year? (TIP: Make Extra Student packets that contain everything the new student will need -- desk nameplate, clipboard, white board, numbered folder, etc. It is a pain to do this, but it is so worth it when you can reach for a packet instead of searching for all of these individual things!)

5. Take it all in.  Get yourself a notebook or journal. Write down the funny things your children say. Write down their names, because 20 years later, you may not remember that child's name, and you'll want to remember it. Stick the notes from your students and parents. Make it a keepsake book of your teaching experiences. 

I meant for this to be a quick post, but I think it's my longest. Ever! I hope you have found some useful tips and questions as you begin your career as a teacher!

I wish you the best of luck in your first year of teaching! If you have questions, please email me at msezzelltpt@gmail.com.

P. S. In case you're wondering, the planning page is from One Stop Teacher Shop. 

Wishing for Sunny Weather!

The cold front has hit, and it's brutal. I know my friends in the northern states might find it funny that 38 degrees (wind chill of 30) is hard to handle. Yikes! It's not usually this cold in November, here in Tennessee.

How cold is it where you are? If you're near a sunny beach, I'm jealous! I'll just have to go back to my beach photos for some warmth. This one is from Belize.

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Food Chain FLASH FREEBIE

I hope this finds you doing well! How is your school year going? We completed day 30 of school on Friday! Thirty days of twenty-two second graders who are energetic, hilarious, and just about as sweet as possible. My student teacher is winding her days; she has four remaining. So, this week, she'll be taking full days of teaching. I'm nervous and excited for her. I've already starting making a mental list of things I'm going to do while I'm in the back of the room supervising from afar. 

Have I mentioned that I love teaching math and science? I do! I love teaching math, because it always intimidated me in high school and college. (Speaking of college, How 'bout those Mississippi State Bulldogs defeating LSU last night?!?) Anyway... My love for science originated in my childhood. We had cows, cats, dogs, and even goats on our small farm in Alabama. I loved all things critter. 

Things haven't changed. I've been so excited to begin teaching life cycles. The children have been bringing in insects, spiders (sadly, one squished spider and one 6-legged one) to observe and discuss. We've had snails and "rollie-pollie" bugs (isopods), and even a grasshopper and cricket. It's been great fun letting the children become experts on the assorted critters that visited our classroom for the day. 

There's a green caterpillar in there!

We have caterpillars that are now tucked into their chrysalids. Before the caterpillars began their next step to becoming Painted Ladies, the children sanitized (before and after) and brought out their caterpillars to be measured and observed with hand lenses.

Students wrote observations in their learning logs.

I expect to see butterflies tomorrow. What a surge of excitement that will bring! We'll have a butterfly release day later in the week, most likely. We invite parents to join us for a picnic lunch on the school grounds. Generous parents bring bags of orange slices to entice butterflies to sit a spell while kiddos hold the slices. Talk about a photo op!

In addition to studying life cycles, heredity, and habitats, the children have been engrossed with the concept of food chains. So, I put together a food chain mini-research project, with the culminating 'craftivity' being a visual food chain. If you're interested in this mini-research project, you may download it FREE until Monday night, September 22!

But, wait... There's more!

We also have pekin duck eggs in the incubator. Pekin ducks, AKA the AFLAC duck, are so adorably cute and filled with personality. We had success in hatching them, last year, and we're optimistic that we'll have luck this year. We have eight pekin eggs, which were placed in the incubator on 9/15. They should hatch in about 28 days. In about a week, we'll also get Buff Orpington chicken eggs to place in the incubator. 

Source
NOTE: The ducklings that we hatch will NOT be consumed. They will go to a farm to live out their ducky lives.


Source

NOTE: The chicks will go to my brother's farm, where they will be kept as egg layers.

I'll keep you updated on how our menagerie does in the coming weeks!

Happy Sunday Night!

And We're Off!

I know. I know. I've been slacking! Well, in terms of posting to my blog, I have been a total slacker. But... I'm back!

I went back to school, for inservice, on August 1. I met my sweet second graders on August 8. So, I've been a little busy getting back into the swing of all things school. Below are some before shots of my classroom. I'll post current shots soon. 

Piles and stacks!  

Bless the cleaning crew's heart! They put down my desks.

I didn't keep them this way. :)

I can say that our school opening has been hectic, but after eleven school days, my class is building stamina for rules and routines. I also have a student teacher, so an extra pair of hands and eyes has been a great help!

As you know, the first days of school are spent building routines while trying to administer assessments. I've completed 18 of 21 DRA's!  DSA (Developmental Spelling Assessment) is completed, my groups are all set, so spelling groups will begin next week. 

We have been using Developmental Spelling (Word Journeys, Words Their Way) since our school opened. Each year, the children are better and better with spelling and word study. What do you use for spelling and word study? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's time to wrap up lesson plans. I promise I'll do a better job of keeping things updated.

Bears, Dirt, and Museum Displays

As Junie B. Jones would say, "Wowie-wow-wow!" School is hopping these days!

Here are some things that have kept me procrastinating from writing a post:

Field Trip #1 -- Disney Nature's Bears Movie

It's very cute! Our kiddos loved it! Amber, Scout, and Sky were cute, funny and educational. If you get a chance to see it, do! We're not playing Amber and Scout Quiet Bear at dismissal. It's just one of those gimmicks that gets the children interested in being quiet. 

Field Trip #2 -- Tennessee State Museum

We're wrapping up the year with a study of Tennessee's History and Culture. So, off to the Tennessee State Museum we go for field trip number 2. The children had four different docents who introduced them to the early cultures of Tennessee, outstanding Tennesseans who shaped our state's history, and all about how cultures survived. 

After learning new details about our state, we began working in our Tennessee Culture and History Books. This is from my Tennessee Culture and History Booklet and Vest Kit. The booklet will be our daily record of learning. We'll brainstorm, research and record our findings in our booklets. The vest will serve as a performance task to wrap up the unit. The kiddos are eager to make their vests, and I am, too!

There were a couple of murals, while historically accurate, were a bit racy for second graders.  There were giggles and pointing. One of of my sweet angels pointed it out as inappropriate. I did my best to explain that it was the artist's rendering, and that it reflects the way the Native Americans lived at that time. (There were a few adults giggling, too!) If you're a Tennessee teacher, consider yourself forewarned. :) Do go if you have a chance. Admission is free, and the docents are great. The content was a bit challenging for some of our students, but it was an enjoyable and educational trip. 

Tennessee State Museum

Great American Soil Project

We're wrapping up our soils study. The children have been excited to receive snail mail, and some of them are packages with maps and other information about the location of the soil. The children have been recording the soil properties and location in their soil booklets. I'll post a picture later. It seems I don't have one on my phone. 

Earth Day

We also took some time to celebrate Earth Day with my FREEBIE Earth Day Craftivity kit. Grab a copy for next year!

We have 12 and 1/2 days of school remaining. I'm eager to have some time off, but I really love my class. I will definitely miss them. I suggested to them that I hold them all back, but they balked at that idea. They did promise that they'd come visit me every morning. 

Wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying a peaceful weekend!

The Great American Soil Project

It's the time of year when I start to regret not doing some things, and I feel the pressure to squeeze in as many fun and meaningful learning activities as possible. With less than 40 days of school left, I am in full fun-and-meaningful-activity mode. Those year-end assessments are days away.They can wait. Right? We still have time for as many hands-on, exciting learning activities as I can squeeze into our remaining days!

We're just beginning our study of soils, rocks, and renewable and non-renewable resources. First up: Soils! The children brought a sample of soil from their yard, and we've been examining the soil's properties. We'll soon be making a Mud Ball Museum, which is always messy fun. The children don't know this, but earthworms will be arriving this week. We're making compost bags. They are going to burst with excitement when I unveil the earthworms. (My class loves critters!)

The exciting part of this study is that we're starting The Great American Soil Project. We'll be writing letters to friends and family members to request a soil sample from their area. We'll be mailing friendly letters to these friends and family members who live across America. The excitement level is going to skyrocket when the children's soil packages begin arriving. I've been doing this project with my classes for ten years, and I get just as excited as they do!

We just finished a fun measurement project. The children partnered up and traced one another on butcher paper. Then, we measured legs, arms, and all sorts of combinations to use addition and subtraction with 100 to measure lengths. Several district math coaches visited our school to observe math lessons in our school. The children worked with a partner to solve story problems related to this standard, and the they were terrific in giving academic feedback, using varying strategies to solve the problem and explaining their thinking. 

I think this one has an Egyptian flair!

Such a dapper kid with his necktie!

I will leave you with a joke that was from a book that one of my students shared this week. He wrote an entire book of jokes. 

Knock! Knock!
Who's there?
Tank.
Tank who?
You're welcome!

Cracks me up every time!


How is your week going? 

Field Trips and A Nest for Celeste

Hi!

Here's the quick list:

1. Spring Break -- Quiet, relaxing, over
2. Days Left -- 39 student days, 41 teacher days
3. Things Left to Do -- Innumerable!
4. Field Trips Next Month -- Two, and they're five days apart!
5. Our Current Read Aloud -- A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole

My friends in Alabama are enjoying their spring break this week. Mine was last week. Luckily, the weather was tolerable on some days and beautiful on others. I remember last year's weather was cold and rainy. No complaints about the weather. I didn't do much, but that was my plan. I needed peace and quiet and no time constraints. Nailed it!

I cannot believe that we have 39 days left. When I mentioned this to my students, they actually said, "Awww," with a tone of sadness. That made me sigh, and it warmed my heart. I adore this class, as I have said before, but the idea of a seemingly endless summer is beginning to tease me. 

About those innumerable things that remain to be done...

Report cards went home today. The next time I'll do report cards will be the final time for this class. Yikes! There are class lists for our team to set up, a volunteer breakfast, talent show, yearbook signing day, field day, a classroom visit by our area math coaches, and those two field trips. No matter how prepared I think I am, I just can't shake that panicky feeling that creeps up at some point in the last weeks of school. You'd think that after 21 school endings, I'd have the jitters under control. Not true. 

I'm excited about our field trips. The first is to see Bears by Disneynature. I think the children will soak up every detail. As field trips go, it's an easy one. We'll get on a bus, get off at the theater, get back on the bus, and be back at school around lunchtime. We'll wrap up our morning with lunch in the classroom, which is always a hit with the children. 

Photo Credit: Bears by Disneynature

The second trip is to the Tennessee State Museum. This trip correlates with our social studies standards for the fourth quarter. We'll be learning about the cultures and history of Tennessee and how our state has changed over time. I've been working on study materials and activities for this unit. It's growing on a daily basis! I hope to get it finished this weekend. 

A student gifted A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole to our classroom library. I've been reading it aloud to the class. Celeste is sweet, but lonely, timid mouse who encounters several different frights and makes some interesting friends. One friend is Joseph, the assistant to John James Audubon. Audubon has come to Oakley Plantation to research and paint birds and foliage in the area. 

Cole has included many pencil drawings in the text, which adds to the charm of the book. My kiddos really like it. I'm not crazy about it, but I can't put my finger on why, yet. We're halfway through it, so maybe I'll be swayed in a more definite direction when we finish it. 

What are YOU doing? How was your spring break? Have you started your countdown?