Friday, March 24, 2017

Test Prep Fun and Games Round Up

If you're like me, you wonder how hard to push that day before state testing. Do we cool off and give them an encouraging speech? Do we push til the last minute and make great use of our time? I never know. I've been at schools that I SWEAR quizzed kids literally as they walked out the door til dismissal. I've also worked at schools that blew off the day before testing and instead watched a movie. For me, the answer feels like it should be somewhere inbetween.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Building Stamina



If I was asked to pick the hardest part of teaching learners with disabilities, I know exactly what I'd say. It's this thing that trumps all skills. It's this thing that can take a kid that is SO close to success and blow them out of the water.

It's called stamina.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Syllable Types- How to teach kids to read!


Confession time.

When I first started teaching, I had the worst time teaching reading and writing. NOTHING prepared me for the complex, way over my head, systems of reading. It seemed like there were so many parts and each part held all the other parts up.

It was hard, but as the years have gone on I have picked up some tools for my toolbox along the way. I first got word of syllable types a few summers ago in an hour long training at a three day conference. This past summer I went through some extensive dyslexia training and came back to it. It rocked my world.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Behavior Pumpkin Punch Cards FREEBIE


I have made a broad pumpkin punch card that can be used for behavior, turning in homework, or whatever task needs a little extra motivation in your classroom. Use a hole punch to clip the jack-o-lanterns as they earn the reward.

Rounding Numbers- plus a Halloween pack!


Moving through place value and came across some awesome resources I wanted to share!

First of all, I'd like to start with one of my own. I've made this HUGE Halloween themed rounding pack.



 
The set includes 9 pages of cards, 12 2 & 3 digit cards, 12 4 & 5 digit cards, and 12 decimal number cards in 3 attractive chevron prints. Click either pic to download :)

The next resource is a FREE spider game for rounding. Cute AND has an answer doc, but only contains 2 digit numbers. Click the pic to download :)


This anchor chart shows a few methods for teaching rounding. I was interested in learning more about the CUBA method, and found out more info HERE.
CUBA rounding method Circle the number to be rounded. Baby (0-4) keep the same Bully (5-9) Round up Add zeros to the right of rounded number
And ending this post with a little rounding humor ;)
Hopefully I’m not the only one who gets a little bit of joy out of pegging a round number while filling up the gas tank.  I’ve been a numbers guy my whole life, though…have a great Friday and weekend!

Enjoy!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Hats Off to Capitalization! File Folder Game

In true teacher form, I can't take off an entire summer without getting a little teaching stuff in!

This game is one of my favorites and I've made a set just for ya'll. Hats Off to Capitalization! is a game where students practice identifying words that should be capitalized. This set has 6 pages of baseballs with words on them. Three of the pages have words that should be capitalized. Laminate and ask one of your sweet students to cut the baseballs out. The words that should be capitalized should be put on the baseball cap mat. Students sort the baseballs.

Kit includes:
- Attractive cover page
- Explanation
- Baseball cap mat
- 18 baseballs with words that should be capitalized, including names, places, and calendar items.
- 18 baseballs with words that should NOT be capitalized, including names, places, and calendar items.

Click the pic to grab this awesome deal!

Enjoy!