Facing My Fear...

This week I did something that was up there on my top fear list - I presented at a staff meeting. Speaking to kids is easy, but adults are another ball game...

What was I sharing? The Nowboard! 

In case you don't know, the Nowboard is a little camera and magic wand that makes any flat surface (ie. a projector screen) into an interactive whiteboard.

For the past 2 years I've had it in my classroom. Last year my new principal came in for an observation, saw me use it, and from there ordered one per grade level. So it was my job to show it off. 

I use it for a bunch of stuff in class... 

Brain Pop Quizzes

Playing center games (example Internet 4 Classrooms)

Working on IXL full class

Highlighting passages on K12reader or any reading comprehension thing...

Putting up our math text (we have it online through Think Central) and doing the problems.

Using a typed paragraph and practicing rainbow edit. 

The list goes on and on...

My class 2 years ago had a technology fundraiser in the spring and we raised the money for the Nowboard. We didn't raise quite enough, so my principal at the time used some special EIA money to cover the rest. 

Do you also have a Nowboard?  

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Math Websites

I'm linking up with Jivey a day late to share my list of math websites with you.  :)  I've been on vacation, but now I'm back to reality.  Really... the laundry is sitting in a huge pile just waiting for the washer... reality hit hard the moment we unloaded the car.    
Okay,  here we go:
I've shared some of these before, and explained them in pretty much big detail on other posts, so I'll just point you in those directions.  
Think CentralThink Central goes along with our math book.  The kids use it when they forget their math book at school to be able to print out the homework, or they can walk through the lessons again, or they take specific skill (benchmark) quizzes.  They work on the quizzes when we head to the computer lab.  
IXLEach student at my school has their own account, and I can monitor exactly what areas they are practicing and how well they are doing.  This has an incentive program as well. 
Math is FunThis is a fun site that allows students to practice their facts and other skills.  I don't stress it as much as Think Central or IXL, but it's available for the kiddos to help make learning fun.  
Internet4ClassroomsI usually use Internet4Classrooms for reading practice, since we have all these other great tools for math.  It has the same idea though for math as well as for reading - many fun games to practice skills.
Hope this helps someone!  

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Figurative Language Lesson (for my Observation)

You know when you think everything will be perfect, that it will be great lesson, and then it didn't work out as planned?  Yeah, that happened today.  
The story this week is full of Figurative Language.  Maybe you have the same story, "McBroom and the Big Wind"?  It really is perfect to do a treasure hunt for the different types of figurative language.  Well this week is review week, so I thought to have a bit of fun with it today.  
My students first reviewed the different types of figurative language by watching this video from School Tube.   They loved it.  

We actually watched it twice - once before my observation really began, and then another time after it started.  The second time through they sang along with the chorus.

  I then gave them this paper (it's a freebie), and we defined the different types together - like I said, it was review - giving an example and drawing a little picture.  
I used these posters for review from Every New Beginning Blog
She has everything ready to go with definitions and examples... Perfect!
So far, so good with the lesson...  
Then part of my students left for music, and it was like a stampede exited from the classroom.  I know I am extra sensitive during an observation, and usually they tip toe out... not today though!  
The part of my class that stayed with me continued on with a treasure hunt looking for personification and similes until it was time to write a response to literature complete with Author's Purpose.  I thought that we would be able to take a concept and then search for clues in the text - giving them time to make a little list before we reconvened - but they weren't quite there yet.  
Instead it turned into a "find it on this page", and then "put your finger on the example", so I could check their understanding, before we added it to the treasure hunt binder paper that was stapled to the above page (now take a deep breath)...  We still identified like I said in my objectives, and overall it was a decent lesson, it just wasn't in the exact way that I had dreamed it would be.    
I'm sure you can relate.
Hope you had a great day!

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Resolutions and Campus Book Rentals

Hi Everyone!  I need you to keep me accountable with my resolutions this next year.  I know I wrote about some different school areas yesterday, but these ones are more my personal ones.  A while ago I had my 3,2,1 goals for the week going on and I kind of got busy... so I dropped them... and then I forgot about them... basically, long story short -  I need goals to stay focused on what really matters. 
Here are my resolutions for this next year.  I'm not going to say anything Earth changing because well, if it was Earth changing I wouldn't be able to conquer them, and then I would just be depressed by the end of 2013.
Here we go:
Goal #1 - Take care of myself.  I want to deal with my stress in positive ways.  I want to take time for myself, believe in myself, be less stressed out, and be happy.  I have a good life and I deserve to take care of me.  Yes, that means making good choices with food and exercise.  Yes, that means that I need more sleep.  Yes, that means that I will watch girl movies, read my books, and perhaps get a massage every once in a long while.  
Goal #2 - Be more present with my family.  I am always present physically but I need to work on being more mentally here.  My boys have gotten into the whole Legos, Star Wars, Cub Scouts, Ninjas, etc... (BOY STUFF) that I don't understand.  Daddy is the person they want to play with because he "gets" it, I'm the person they want when they are sleepy or hungry or hurt.  I want to try to figure out my boys so I can have fun too with them. 
Goal #3 - Save money.  I tend to like to shop.  I'm pretty good when I don't need anything, but I can't pass up a deal if someone in my family or extended family wants something.  I think to myself a lot, "That would be perfect for ____."  Then I have to get it, and save it for that perfect occasion.  I need to save money this year! 
This brings me to my next reason for posting today.  I was contacted by this great website that wants to help college students save money on their textbooks.  I bet we can all think of at least one college student in our lives that could use this information - perhaps, you are the college student!

Campus Book Rentals was one of the first companies to want to save college students money by renting textbooks.  There is a video on their website that explains it all very clearly.  There is also an opportunity for those of us out of college - we can sign up to rent our old textbooks!  Did you save yours like I did?  That would definitely help me organize my garage (and would make my husband happy)!  
Anyhow, click on the link above to head to their website to check them out.  They really are a good company to work with.  Fun fact - This company has partnered with Operation Smile and is donating over 1,000 life saving cleft lip surgeries to children in need.  See, super nice people!
I hope you all have a good day!   

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3,2,1 and Collaboration Cuties Giveaway

Guess who I met last night?  Collaboration Cuties is having a meet and greet over at their brand new blog with this amazing TPT giveaway.  All you have to do is comment and tell them what product from their store you would like that is $5 or below.  I personally chose the Reading Genres Mini Book, but they have a ton to choose from.    Now onto my goals...it is Sunday you know...3 goals...
Last week I didn't get around to wrapping gifts like I had hoped.  I need to get going on that, though I guess there is still time.
Personal goal:  Get better!  I feel like I just got better from the last cold and as of Friday I was back to coughing up a storm.  I'm pretty disappointed with my immune system.  It has been known to handle a lot, and this year it's letting me down.  Maybe I should sleep more... 
Home goal:  Organize as I go through the week, so come Friday afternoon when vacation starts the house doesn't look like a tornado visited.
School goal:  Make it through this week.  5 days left of school... 5 days... 5 days and have huge things each day to tackle... Here's my to do list.
*Monday is finishing up our Tradition books so I can bind them.  Yes, I know I said I was going to stick them into sheet protectors, but that was before I found out that there was a binding machine in the back of our library and the spirals/supplies are FREE for teachers (it's a little known secret).
*Tuesday is celebrating the Rock Cycle.  I bring in Oreos for Sedimentary rock, Magic Shell for Igneous Rock, and pancake batter with mini chocolate chips (and griddle) for Metamorphic Rock.  I'll take pictures and share later.  *Wednesday is an art party with our Reading Buddies.  My big kids are helping her little kids create cute little wooden snowmen.  We also need to create our parent gifts and wrap up our Traditions books. They are going to decorate their own tile for their parents - since it was such a hit on Friday night.  
*Thursday is Owl Pellet Dissection Day in the morning.  I know, I know... we finished Food Chain and Webs a long time ago, but at that time I had convinced myself that we were never going to raise the money we needed... but they did.  So I invited parents to come in and dissect with us.  My little darlings will also be taking their story test first thing that morning... my gift to them.  :)  In the afternoon, I'm heading to my toddler's IEP... wish us luck!
*Friday - oh Friday!  I can't wait until Friday!!  Friday we have a lot going on.  We are having donuts and hot chocolate first thing in the morning, and then grade level centers from recess to lunch. My plan is to do Christmas Boggle during the rotations since they loved it at Halloween (and it gives me time to prep last minute stuff before vacation).  After lunch it gets a little messy with making Sugar Cube Missions (my version of a Gingerbread House), and then having our White Elephant Book Exchange.  The kids are bringing in a wrapped book to add to the pile, and then we will start picking and switching... it's always fun!  Sometime in there I need to exchange gifts with my kiddos - I hope they like the book, hot chocolate, and the ornament bookmark... 
Then add to the week having to do a story, spelling test, finish up Factors, finish up our Mission Books, assign a mission for their reports, writing about finding Santa playing video games, have a lock down drill, passing out gifts to my coworkers and parent helpers... My week will be well rounded. 
2 things I'm looking forward to...
*I'm on the Sunshine Team (we plan fun things for the staff) - and tomorrow is our Dessert and Yumminess time.  The staff signed up for stuff to bring in and we get to have those snacks at our staff meeting.  I signed up to bring an appetizer - making my crockpot Chili Sauce and Grape Jelly Meatballs.
*I'm also looking forward to playing Secret Santa this coming week.  I get to surprise my person each day with little trinkets in their mailbox.  Today though I have to go shopping to get it all prepped... that organization thing you know...
1 thing I want to try...I found this picture on Pinterest and I love my sweet potatoes.  I'm always wanting to find new ways to eat them and these look delicious!  The picture will take you to the Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide in case you want the recipe too.
Okay people... I can't say it enough... 5 days... 5 days... I think I can, I think I can...
Have a great day!

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IXL in my Classroom

I love using IXL in my classroom. 

	Last week	School year
Problems attempted	504	12,452
Skills practiced	22	164
Time spent	2 hr 34 min	113 hr 52 min

If you've never heard of it before, it's a math skills website that reviews everything the kids learn throughout the year.  There is a built in motivation factor, since the kids want to earn prizes on their own game board.The above snapshot is from the weekly "report card" that I get delivered to my inbox.  Below the little snapshot in the weekly email shows how many minutes and problems each student worked throughout the week.  The weeks that my class gets to visit the computer lab the numbers are a lot higher.
There are so many teacher reports on the site as well.  I can see the specific skills, measure the progress of an individual child, etc.  There is so much information available!

This was taken from the IXL website - you can see how the game boards are set up.

 

On the website there is a way to see the specific skills for each standard.  I don't mind if the kids work ahead, but I don't want them to get frustrated with it.  I ask that they complete the skills after we have learned the information.  
On my class webpage, I have a page dedicated to the specific standards and skills per chapter.  The text below has been cut/pasted from my class site.
----------------------------------------------------------- 

IXL Skills to Work On - By Chapter  
Please work on AFTER we learn the material

*We will head to the library 2x a month.  On most occasions, students will be able to use the computers in the 
library to take AR tests, and work on the skills mentioned below.  These are review of the skills that we have already learned in class.  This is in addition to any moments they might be able to use the classroom computers.  
*The easiest place for your child to work on these skills is at home where they have access to a computer and they can really focus without distractions.  
*If you would like your child to go ahead, please know that it may be difficult for them to grasp the concepts.  If your child has already completed the below skills, they can go back and work on 3rd grade skills to review what they learned last year.  They should not be going back to any other grade.
*I will only update their end of month chart to show what they have accomplished in the 4th grade skills.  


Chapter           Standard         Description          Skill 

Chapter 1         N.S. 1.1           Place Value         A.3
                        N.S. 1.2           Comparing         A.9


Chapter 2         N.S. 1.3           Rounding           A.6
                        N.S.  1.4          Rounding +       B.9
                                               Rounding -        C.7
                        N.S. 2.1           Estimate +         B.8
                                               Estimate -          C.6

--------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, we're up to Chapter 9, but I thought you might get the point with just a couple of chapters shown.  As I update the class website with the chapters, I also send my class families an email with the same skill numbers.  I want to make sure that I am doing everything possible to let the families know what their children should be working on.  

The students have a chart that we update together after each chapter to show what ones they are able to do, and as they complete it they get a signature or color it in as long when they master the skill.

At the beginning of the year it was easy to just give them a bookmark with the specific skills to work on when we went to the computer lab.  Now that we have so many different skills as options, we bring our charts with us.

At the end of the month I update their parent information sheets.  I update how many problems completed, skills practiced, time spent, and medals earned on their sheets (along with their AR update).  It shows the kids how much they were able to accomplish in a month's span.

Other than just the normal student review sessions during computer time, my class also uses it as they finish up their math classwork, and we complete the skills full class using whiteboards to review.  I want them to feel successful so they want to practice the skills by themselves.  The problems get increasingly more difficult as the "smart score" increases.  The goal is over 80% to pass the skill, and 100% for mastery.

Do you use IXL?  

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