Fall Blog Hop - Firefly Wondering Project

Happy Sunday and Second Day of Fall,

TeachingMy3 is hosting a seasonal blog hop, and I'm wondering if my firefly project is appropriate?  Hope so!  I'll be back later in the week with some other Autumn related activities going on in my classroom. 



I had a week filled with meetings (like you, I'm sure) and spent some after-hours doing planning but it seemed to be worth it. 

We are just about finished with our launch lessons for Readers Workshop, and one of the last lessons in this module was to set expectations for book discussions.  I had made speech bubbles to go with my Packer player heads.  These are posted so students can refer to them as they develop book discussions.  Someone at my school commented that these are especially great for autistic students to refer to.

 

Here is a close up of the poster I made with a blank Vista Print board I had.  I guess we're not supposed to call them Literature Circles any more - too old school or something. 



 We also discussed questioning and wondering while reading, and I read this book about Fireflies as a mentor text.

Then, as one of their small group stations during our RTI time. which we call WIN (what I need), the third graders did this firefly project.

This project was adapted from one I saw in a Mailbox craft book.

I supplied a 2 X 7 inch piece of green for the body, 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inch pieces of yellow for the wings, and the same size of wax paper for the top layer of wings.  The students rounded the corners, and used a marker to separate the head, thorax, and abdomen.  I supplied sequins (from JoAnn Fabrics for 99 cents a bag) for the "lights" on the abddomen.  Then the students had to write wondering questions about fireflies.  Non-fiction firefly books were also placed at the station.
 

These students had studied insects in second grade so the body parts would not have been new to them.

I have a fun insect unit on sale at my TPT store here.

Tell Me Something Good Linky

Isn't there a kind of old bluesy song that starts out - "Tell me something good" - followed by a guitar rift?  Anyway - it's always time for good news, so I'm joining Rowdy in First Grade for just that.

My school district has overwhelmed us with a literal flood of new initiatives, and everyone is pretty stressed, but we've also worked to help each other out.  We have to benchmark every student twice, so for me that means doing 54 benchmarks since I have 27 third graders.  Luckily the music teacher, gym teacher, literacy coach, and G/T teacher have come in to do an extra lesson in my room so I could work on benchmarks while they are teaching. Do you have to do benchmarks, and if  so, how many, and how do you get them done while teaching everyday?

We were also asked to post about something good that's happening at home.  Hmmm....we have a book club coming up on Thursday night that is at a friend's house.  It's a fun group so I'm looking forward to kicking back, having a drink, and chatting and laughing with my girls.

Also, I wanted to share the family letter I send home about our book exchange so you might try one in your classroom, too.  You can find it here on Scribd.

September 11 Book and Video Suggestion

Hi All-

Will you be remembering the events of September 11, 2001, in your class tomorrow or this week? We always watch the Reading Rainbow video called "The Tin Forest".  It is available through Safari - we have Safari on our school district's home page.  Safari is an online warehouse for videos.  Anyway, "The Tin Forest" episode is a very touching story of students whose school was affected by the tragic events on September 11.  The students had to attend a different school for months, and after returning to their own school they create a music video to thank those in their neighborhood who helped in the aftermath.  Keep the kleenexes handy - this video gets to me everytime.

Also, when I visited the 9/11 Memorial this summer in NYC I saw a great book in the gift shop.  It is called The Little Chapel That Stood.  I did not purchase it and am now wishing I would have.  This book tells the story of the chapel across the street from the towers that remains standing after the collapse of the buildings.  The chapel became a resting spot for all of the volunteers.  They were renovating it when I was in NYC but I had been inside it before.  It is a wonderful, emotional place to visit.  After doing a search I found there are very few books available because of a variety of factors.  I found one at Barnes & Noble online and it was over $100!   But never fear, I found a copy of the book online, and you can access it here. 

There is also a teacher's guide that goes with this book that can found here.

TBA Freebie Friday - Book Exchange and Response Journal Labels

I'm a day late but still wanted to hook up with TBA for Freebie Friday!  In my back to school letter to my students I asked them to bring in up to 3 books for a class book exchange.  I have done this in the past at the beginning of the school year, and it's always been a success.  A new twist to the book exchange this year was that I asked my third graders to put together a short commercial about one of the books they were donating.  The book commercial direction sheet can was based on suggestions from Beth Newingham on book commercials.

The students started bringing in their books on Open House night over a week ago, and we started school this past Tuesday.  In prepping for the book commercials I explained the process, and also showed a clip from the end of a Reading Rainbow episode where the kids recommend books.  The book commercials were shared on Friday.

These are the books we had received by Thursday afternoon. I also added some "well-used" books from the classroom.

I could tell the third graders were nervous as they shared the book commercials, but they really did an awesome job.  While they were sharing I listed the books on my Interwrite Board, and the students wrote down the name of their favorites on a page in their Reading Response Journals entitled "Books I Want to Read".  Afterwards they got to pick 2 books from the activity to add to their book boxes.  I did have 2 people who were not prepared (even after talking about it all week), and someone who was upset that they didn't get the book they really wanted, but overall it was a very positive reading activity. 

You can find my Reading Response Journal labels here for free, too!

Math Bulletin Board - TBA Open House Week

While blog stalking this evening I came across the Open House Week linky that is being hosted at TBA.  Today's topic is bulletin boards, and I thought it was the perfect time to share some photos from my third grade classroom.

We just started school last Tuesday, and I was detailing my boards until the day before, so just wasn't ready to show anything til now.  I really like the way my math board/area turned out.

Last school year I saw a suggestion for using flash cards as border for the math wall.  We're starting with multiplication by 5s so those were the cards I used.  I did put them in an order, and the students noticed right away. I ran out of 5s so added some by 2s for the bottom area.  I plan to change the flash cards as we study other count bys.

 

So far I've added the coin amounts in decimals to the board, and a clock to review time.  We are also writing a number in standard form, expanded form, word form, Roman Numerals, and less than and greater than amounts.  That is the chart under the clock and the orange sentences about multiplying. 

 

To the right of my math board is my poetry area.  I change the poems every week, and on Fridays we add a paper copy to our poem notebooks.  Here is another view:



Currently - September

Whoa - is it really September?  Yes - it is (sigh), but it does mean it's time for another edition of Farley's Currently.

My favorite things are very current ones!  On Friday I got an e-mail message from a parent of a student I had 3 years ago.  We ran into each other at a restaurant last week.  Anyway, he said how nice it was to see us, and thanked me for being a teacher, and said that I had made a difference in his daughter's life.  Awww...loved that.

I got my new Erin Condren planner in the mail on Friday - yay!  I immediately used the pens that came with it to fill in my plans, etc.  I feel so organized.

I had such an awesome summer - lots of great adventures.  I really need to make a photo book or something so I can relive all the fun.  Here is one picture from the trip to NYC.


My niece and I at Live with Kelly.

New Blog Design

Greetings!

You may have noticed that I have a new look for my blog!  I am so happy to have found Honey Bunch Blog Designs!

My goal was to have a new professionally-made design before school started, and the girls at Honey Bunch were awesome to work with.  I selected one of their pre-made designs, but it is a one-of-a-kind.  Erika was so patient and helpful, responding promptly to any questions and requests that I had.  I would highly recommend working with Erika and team if you are looking for a blog design.

Check out their site here.  Thanks to Erika and everyone at Honey Bunch for their help!

Therapeutic Thursday - Teacher Week

Ahhhh.......after a long hot, day in the classroom, we often need a pick-me-up!  That's the theme for today's edition of Teacher Week over at Blog Hoppin'.

The first thing I do upon returning home everyday is take my little lovebug, my dog Berkeley, for a walk. I live in a neighborhood that has lots of trees, so walking him and watching how much he enjoys the sights (and smells) of the neighborhood lightens up my mood.

One of the must-dos on my back to school list is to get a pedicure!  It's fun to wear all the cute summer clothes I have collected at sales throughout the summer, and it won't be long before every foot in Wisconsin is covered in a big, heavy boot, so I savor the last few weeks of sandal-wearing.

 

And another thing I might do to relax is to sit on my patio in my backyard and read the newspaper.  I just love summer and fall, and I have big trees and flowers in the backyard that bring on peace of mind. Ahh......

What do you recommend for Therapeutic Thursday?

Teacher Week - Technology Tip Tuesday

I have learned so much about technology in the last two years!  Using an Interwrite Board and iPads in the classroom has really changed the way I teach, and the way the students learn.  Although I have much more to learn (and am learning a LOT from the others who have joined up on this party), I thought I could share what I know about Edmodo.  Out district has adopted Edmodo has the vehicle for blogging with our students.  I have had just a small amount of training with this site, but know my students will love it!

Sorry - it's really hard to see - I snapped a picture with my iPad and sent it to my laptop, and the pic became distorted on its journey through cyberspace.  With Edmodo, students can respond to posted questions, and I plan to post questions about literature that the students have read.  Also, teachers can post polls, quizzes, and assignments.  Students can access this site at home, and from what I understand parents can access it, too, but only to see what their child has posted.

I plan to visit this site during our last 10 minutes in the computer lab each week, and assign a "Blogger" job on our Helpers chart.  This would be in addition to the comments they can make at home.

Join in the group for Teacher Week at Blog Hoppin!

Packer Training Camp

Are you ready for some football?  Well, I am, and so are most of the people here in Wisconsin!  We just love our Green Bay Packers.  A friend and I went to a training camp practice on Sunday (I live just 30 minutes from Green Bay), but it started to rain buckets just as we sat down in the stands.  We had seen about 10 minutes of drills and then ran to the car to dry off.  We went to some nearby shops and then returned an hour later so we could see the players come back to Lambeau Field with kids on their bikes.

The Packer players have a tradition of using a kid's bike to get from Lambeau to the practice field, which is a distance of about a half a mile.  Dozens of kids line up hoping that a player will pick them and their bikes for the trek to the field.  It is adorable to watch because players might come by riding a tiny pink bike with a little girl holding their helmet.  The players often chat with the kids as they travel. 


The amazing Clay Matthews!

After practice the players have more time to stop and sign autographs.  My friend had a Sharpie in her purse and I had picked up a small megaphone at a promotional tent so we decided to see what we could get.  We got one from Dom Capers (defense coach), Graham Harrell (back-up quarterback), Derrick Sharrod (first round draft choice last year), and this hottie that we didn't know but said his mom was a teacher.

 At the practice they give out fans with the players' heads on them.  Last year I got quite a collection, and decided to use them in my clasroom to help with our behavior program.  They were a hit!

Storia App, and You Know It's School When...

You may have figured out that I love a good linky party, and today is no exception!  I am joining Jeannie at Kindergarten Lifestyle to reveal what life is like as school starts.

Yes, I was awake in the wee hours of the morning last night, and I don't even start school until August 27th.  I haven't spent much time at school, and it suddenly hit me how much I have to do.  I actually got up around 4 AM and went to the laptop to record some things that were buzzing through my mind.  Luckily I was able to get a couple of hours of sleep in after those thoughts were off my chest.

I love it when my former students drop by on Back-to-School night.  They are quick to offer a hug, and it just warms my heart.  And it's even nice to see the ones who gave you trouble, because you know they're someones else's headache now - bless their heart.

Now - I wanted to share a great App I found recently. It's called Storia, and it's put out by Scholastic.  Books are downloaded to this App, and you can set up a list of books for each child in your class to read.  I plan to use it during "Read to Self" time, and students will take turn using the iPad.  You can assign books to student's bookshelves that match their reading level.

I got 10 books for free at the beginning, and I think you can order books to add with the points you earn through student book orders.



After the students have read, a report is available to the teacher about how many minutes the child read, and if they used the included dictionary.

Some of the books even include read and respond activities that the students complete.  This was from one of my free books - it's a lot like the book called Apple Fractions, but it's also interactive.
I think my students will love this App!

Back to School Jitters Linky Party

Hello All -

Jessica at A Turn to Learn is having a Back to School Jitters Linky Party and I have joined in with my feelings about the upcoming school year.  We do not start until August 27, and the students come on September 4th, but school has surely been on my mind as the days creep closer.

As I have mentioned before on my blog, I wrote a grant for an iPad, and took a class this summer on apps that can used in the classroom.  I think the iPad will be a complete hit with my third graders!

In my previous post I wrote about planning for our new reading curriculum.  It's been a source of anxiety for many in my district.  I'm sure it will all come together but it doesn't stop the worrying.

During the recent reading training, we also found out that the third graders are expected to be blogging about books.  I am psyched for this!  Again, I know my students will love it.

I attended the Mickelson/ExxonMobil Teachers Academy this summer, and met many awesome educators.  We have a Facebook group, and are constantly messaging each other.  I hope to have time to continue those connections.

Check out Jessica's blog and join in her linky!

Planning Time and BTS Joke Activity

Jessica at Mrs. Standford's Class is having a combination Linky and Giveaway party! 

This linky about planning is very timely for me.  Last week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday teachers in my district had training to do planning for our new Communication Arts Curriculum.  Our district purchased an online system for storing lessons, and this system is tied the Common Core standards.  While this may be a good idea in theory, it has proven to be upsetting overwhelming because we are having to write every single lesson for every grade level for the entire year.  Here is what part of a sample page looks like:

Really inviting, huh? (NOT)  We have so many questions.  At this point we can not print any of the lessons that we have created, so we're wondering if we'll be running back and forth to our computers to remind ourselves what we're doing throughout the lessons.  Oh - and did I mention that after three days we are planned until the end of September, and have zilch in place for the 8 months after that.  We have no reading series, but are using the workshop model.  Luckily I have some experience under my belt and have a few reading tricks up my sleeve to fall back on.

We also have a revised math curriculum this year, and I am piloting a new science unit for the three third grade classes.  My life as I know it will be over come September 4.

On a lighter note, last year when I sent my welcome back to school letter I asked the students to come with a joke to share.  They copied and illustrated a favorite joke, and read it to the class on the afternoon of the first day.  Then, we used our computer lab time to type up the jokes, added the illustrations, and put them together to create a class book.  It was a favorite read throughout the year!
You can find a copy of the letter and joke template on Scribd here.

Monday Made It - Literature Circles Chart

It's time for Monday Made It again with Tara over at Fourth Grade Frolics.  The item I put together over the weekend is a chart I plan to post in my classroom for students to refer to as they work in Literature Circle groups.  The talking points were ones that my second and third graders from last school year had suggested.  I had written them down, and finally got around to posting them on a chart that I had gotten from VistaPrint.

Also, I was at Walgreens today picking up some "old school pictures" in the photo department, and thought I'd stop by the school supply aisle.  And what do I find on sale but the small spiral notebooks I use for what I call "Math Pads".  They were six for a dollar.  Awesome! 

Cute, nosy dog just had to be in the picture!

When I begin Math everyday the students grab their math pads, and we do a review of skills through items posted on my calendar wall.  I used to have a calendar "helper" who would update things on the board, and the rest of the class was, for the most part, not listening or paying attention.  So for the last few years, I've had everyone review skills in math pads as the calendar helper updated things on the board.  It's worked like a charm, and their math scores have improved, too!

My math wall from last year - sorry, a bit blurry.

I plan to put  name labels on the notepads, and will show the completed project when I finish them!