Saturday Show Off

I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with tons of family fun.  
This morning we are heading to the boys' first Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.  I don't know exactly what it will entail, but I will be the one that will be running after our 2 year old.
I wanted to do a quick post to show you the things that I've added to the little store this past week.  Maybe it will help someone, maybe it won't.  

Just click any of the links above to go and check them out.  :)

Have fun and be safe!

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Technology Central!!

I think this is what an ulcer might feel like. My stress levels are out the roof and I'm considering running away. You see my husband received a promotion on his first day at a new job. That was this past Tuesday... Tuesday seems forever ago... Anyhow he was bumped up from 20 hours to 40 and became station manager... So basically a ton of responsibility.  It's a great opportunity. I just have no clue about where our almost 3 year old will be watched in the mornings / by whom / where??? So many questions and right now no answers. So 2 nights ago my stomach started rolling and I thought I has the flu... Then it came back the next morning and I wrote last minute sub plans and left school around 10 when the sub came... I'm a planner and its driving me nuts not knowing who to trust to send my baby to.
In other news...I've reached the point in the classroom that I can trust my students using all the different gadgets.  It's been a process..  
I wanted to make sure that all my students were having a chance to utilize the different things, so I repurposed my laminated calendar.  I changed up my calendar to just a regular calendar (since I don't need much room to write the different due dates/reminders) -  plus this allows me to NOT have to rewrite the calendar numbers every month.  My calendar now happens to be an extra Lego one since Santa brought one to my own boys and they didn't need the one that I had picked up from Scholastic.  

My other calendar (that has been on my wall) has turned into technology central on the side of my file cabinet.  
Students need to just write their number in the corresponding square for the different areas as they have a turn.  Technology time seems to be happening mainly during silent reading time - those 30 minutes that everyone is quiet and focused.  Students can use the MP3 players with their ear buds, they do an AR test or IXL on the computer or Kindle Fire, or they can talk into the microphones for a page and then plug their ear buds into the microphone to listen to themselves read.
I am thankful that I figured out a way that could easily tell me who is avoiding doing a turn.  Now I just have to keep modeling how to fill in the chart (picture taken on Tuesday when we had been in the computer lab).  My classroom helpers will wipe this off on Friday afternoons when we all pitch in to get ready for the next week.  
Hope this helps someone!

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Think Central Math Review

I just wanted to share how I set up Think Central review in my classroom.  We are fortunate to have IXL in addition to Think Central, though last year I mainly focused on IXL...  I did some comparing/contrasting (no Venn Diagram for me this time) the past 2 years and I noticed my scores were higher when I used Think Central than when I didn't.  I know there are many other factors between the 2 years, and I know it's not all about the test (in an ideal world), but Think Central ties into our math book and walks the kids through the steps of the lesson, while IXL gives them a ton of extra practice equations.  
So what did I do to set it up?  
I took the student scores breakdown (from the Curriculum Associates test they took in mid December), and changed it to a breakdown of their proficiency for each standard.  I know that we haven't covered the entire text so some of the standards I'm not really looking at yet.  But those standards that the kiddos should have scored proficient on?  They really have no excuse.  

I highlight all the 100% proficiencies on the main graph breakdown and then turn to the main Think Central database of benchmark skills.  

Each child gets one of these papers - just a grid of skills from 1-109 (all the 4th grade skills) and I highlight the corresponding skills they need to work on.

When we go to the computer lab the students don't have a choice as to what to work on.  I give them their grid paper and they have to work on those specific benchmark skills that I've highlighted.  They take the quiz and if they pass they get a sticker from me to place on their grid paper.  If they don't, they have to go through all the steps of the lesson again - modeling, doing the math, and the independent practice before they can try the quiz again.  
This week we headed to the lab and the kids were so excited to work on Think Central.  I only highlighted up to 7 skills to work on, so it wasn't overwhelming, and most students were able to finish them in the allowed time.  It took a while to get everyone logged in for the first time since there are a billion steps to log in (just kidding), but then they didn't want to stop.  

Now on Friday I am sending home a letter to the parents with the log in information at the bottom of the form.  The kids will also get 3-5 skills to work on at home over the next week.  I don't know if they will actually do the material at home since at home participation can be a tad iffy, but if they don't those skills will be added to their main sheets for the next time we head to the computer lab or when it's their turn to work on the computers in the classroom.  
The kiddos that didn't have that many skills to work on, well most of them still kept taking quizzes to get those star stickers (anything for a sticker you know...), but the other kids were able to choose to work on their own IXL skills or AR tests.  It was a very productive time in the lab.   
What type of program do you have to review skills before the BIG test?  

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Marzano's Thought Clouds

A while back I won a giveaway from Tonya's Treats for Teachers - and I was able to choose a product from her store.  I chose her Thinking Clouds by Marzano.  I laminated them right away, but since then they have just been sitting in a basket that I randomly choose bubbles out of when we discuss the stories.  It was hard for me to remember what the different colors meant.  It wasn't until Tuesday that I figured out a place to sort them and hang them up (since every inch of my walls are covered).  
I just wanted to share my classroom pictures.
 I placed them in plastic red cups on the edge of my whiteboard.  Right now they just have a pushpin stuck inside to hold the cup to the wall.  I think I need to change them to strong pushpins since I've already knocked one cup from the wall - but overall, if I'm the only one touching them they should be fine.

I used plain white labels and wrote the type of skill the prompts are, and then color coded the cups.  

I think they will be much more efficient for me to use this way (just like Tonya had them) rather than all together.  Hope you have a great day!

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Twitter and a Super Hero Freebie

I signed up for Twitter and I don't know what I'm doing.  I'm just putting it out there for fair warning.  Do you have any tips or tricks to share?  If you want to follow me, please go for it.  Maybe then I won't feel so alone over there. :)
I added the widget to the side bar under the Pinterest and Facebook badge.  The name ilovemyclassroom was too long for a username, so I'm classroomlove instead.  Feeling kind of overwhelmed at the moment.  Am I just supposed to view it as Facebook meets Pinterest and had an offspring?    
Anyhow - other news... I wanted to make up Super Hero Math Awards that match up with my other products.  Here is a freebie for you.  Colored copies for when I have ink to spare, and black and white for when I don't.  They will almost always have black and white in my classroom... but I'm viewing it as that my kiddos can color it in themselves.  

I hope you have a fabulous day!

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Vistaprint Revisited

The other day I mentioned Vistaprint and then heard through the grapevine about Diane's Vistaprint linky.  I just wanted to share the things I have created over the past couple of years.  I mainly do their freebies and just pay shipping.  I'm cheap.
I send out postcards in August with my class website information on the back.  It helps my students know where to look for FAQ about my class, my supply list, and what to expect.
Library Check Out cards - these are business card size.
This is on a small car magnet and I stick it on my whiteboard with the specific things we are learning underneath.
Just basic address labels - I have similar ones that go on my books.
Plain stickers since I love my apples - same thing - it's address labels.
Blank invitations that I used as thank you notes.
More business cards that I turned into encouragement notes.  
Homework Pass - It's a business card.
Special Birthday Homework Passes
Another small car door magnet - I stick this up during tests.
I stick this on the outside of my metal door to hopefully keep visitors from opening the door during tests (it causes so many distractions).
More thank you notes for my parent volunteers - these were invitations.
More thank you notes - these were either postcards or invitations.
More encouragement notes - this time with a little note from me already printed on them.
I've also made stamps and personalized pens from Vistaprint.  They are a great company to work with.
Hope these give you some ideas!
This linky is making me want to go shopping... going to go log on and see what deals I can get. :)

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Super Hero Addition and Multiplication

When I was little I didn't enjoy math at all.  I was a reader through and through... a book a day keeps the doctor away... (I wish)

  For the first couple of years of teaching I had to fake it until I made it... meaning I had to fake enjoying math - I didn't want to pass on my dislike for the subject to my kiddos.  Then something changed and math became fun - I think it's the challenge every year of trying to make it interesting and easy to understand for the new batch of kids.  

I will still choose a book to read anyday compared to sitting down with a Sudoku book though.

Because every child should feel like they can accomplish anything they set their minds to... I introduce Super Hero Math!  

Yes, I made up addition sheets.  Yes, I remember that I teach 4th grade.  No, you probably haven't met my class... but sometimes after working with multiplication every day the entire school year, my kids forget their basic addition facts.

Of course I wanted to make up multiplication ones as well.

Both board sets are set up with the same idea.  10 sheets that include grids to fill in their math facts.  Some of the grids are empty, some have numbers filled in to work on patterns and placement, and some have the main grid numbers mixed up.  I'm printing them off and laminating them to put into my math center rotations.  The blank ones I'm printing off a set for assessment purposes.  

I also made up matching flash cards.  I like things to match.  :)

If you are interested in any of them, just click the links above to go check them out.  The previews for them all contain a freebie!  

Now - I don't know if you have noticed, but I have a habit of giving away everything I create on Facebook.  I upload something to TPT and I want to show it off (and help someone else out).  I think it's my need to please and a self confidence booster.  That if someone responds and wants something I made that means I did something right.  The end of this little story is actually a question.  Have you "liked" me on Facebook?    

Happy Sunday! 

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