Merry Christmas!

Shew!  It's finally Christmas break.  If you're like me, I still have so many last minute gifts to buy.  What could make your holiday shopping just a little easier?  How about a Target Gift Card!

If you happen to be someone who was done Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, then maybe it's time to reward yourself.  After all, Post-Christmas shopping is the best, right?

Here's how to enter:
1.  Click on over to For a Love of Teaching's TpT Store.
2.  Record the letter you see at the top of her store.
3.  Click through and keep track of all of the letters.
4.  Return here to choose the correct word below!

Sounds like an easy way to win a hundred bucks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Four Steps to Get Your Students Writing about Math

This past school year year, I put a strong emphasis helping my students be able to describe the processes and concepts behind each of our mathematical skills.  *Sigh* And I'm not going to lie, this has been HARD!  This upcoming school year, I hope to use what I have learned to strengthen this process even more.  To help you do the same, I've created a list of steps for helping you get your students writing about math!

STEP 1: Create Great Questions or Prompts

As I plan for each unit, I develop a prompt to support the daily skill that we are working on.  Now, I'm pretty proud of these prompts and I love how a well written prompt can allow me to see exactly what each student knows or understands about a given skill.  Many of my prompts begin with the same sentence stems, such as "In your own words, explain how...", "How are ___ and ___ similar?", "Explain how knowing ___ can help you do ___.", or "Create a list of real life examples of using ___ skill."

After I spend hours creating these prompts I just tossed them to my students with little instruction on how I wanted to see them answered.  I know....my mistake.  :(

The above response was from one of my top math students and is slightly embarrassing.  THAT is what he thought was a good response to my absolutely fabulous prompt?!?!?  I can't even tell what the prompt was because his response was so short and sweet.  PLUS, he used the wrong THERE!  UGH!  Week after week, I would write, "More detail!" or sometimes I would even say, "More detail, please!!!"  And I didn't get anything more from him and many others in my class.  I even said please.... :/

STEP 2: Create a Criteria for Written Responses
So I decided that they were truly giving me all that they could.  And that although they could verbally tell me these beautiful answers in class, they simply weren't able to form a jaw dropping response independently in writing.  So I started doing a little searching; trying to find a product on TpT or an idea on Pinterest that would help my students become better 'math writers'.  I was sadly disappointed when I couldn't find anything.  So I had to put on my big girl panties and begin researching in a different way.  Ya know.....the kind of boring stuff that they make you do in college.  Gag!  But I actually found several really good research articles that had great criteria and ideas for incorporating writing into mathematics understanding.

STEP 3: Guided Practice!
What I developed from this research was something EXTREMELY simple but give my students a criteria in which to follow when writing their responses.  When I introduced this to the class, we wrote three responses together over the course of three days.  We used this time to make sure that they were using the checklist to help develop responses that are "up to Mrs. Wilp's standards".  I modeled what I expected and shared great responses from my students on the board.

STEP 4: Provide a LOT of Feedback
You'll be glad to know that "Mr. I'm-Gonna-Write-There-Both-The-Same-And-Think-That's-Ok" is improving in his Math Journal responses.  After introducing the criteria for the Math Journals, this is one of his entires from October.  You can tell that he restated the question or prompt, used key math vocabulary, illustrated his thinking, and made sure that his response actually answered the prompt.  The only thing that he may be lacking in my "Don't Forget to:" checklist is the fifth star: USE YOUR BEST HANDWRITING!!!  After developing a criteria for written mathematical responses, I had a great way of assessing and providing feedback to my students.  It was easy to say, "Great job, Amanda!  You did ___, ___, and ___.  Now, let's work on ___."  Then, I was able to closely monitor their work on that particular need.

BONUS STEP: Take it Digital
Later in the school year, I began using KidBlog to do our daily Math Journals.  If you have access to computers or iPads daily, I would highly recommend taking these prompts digital.  My kids seemed to not only enjoy typing their responses more but they also provided a better quality response.  Meanwhile, we were preparing for technologically enhanced testing by typing responses versus writing them!  You can check out a more detailed blog post {here}.

If you are interested in any of my math journals, click the image below to check them out.

Fourth of July Favorite Foods

Hello, it's Shelly Rees of Appletastic: Blossoming in Fifth Grade! I'd like to take a little break from teaching for a bit and talk about one of my favorite subjects: FOOD. Who doesn't love a good cookout on the Fourth of July? Fireworks, parades, red, white, & blue, get-togethers, picnics, barbecues..... see how that list moves toward food? Ahhhh!!! The smell of the backyard barbecue, hamburgers sizzling, fresh strawberries and blueberries, homemade lemonade, and chocolate cake with delicious, drizzled frosting. Mmmmmm.  Is your mouth watering yet?

Join us for a link-up of our favorite Fourth of July recipes! I am sharing 2 recipes that have been summertime favorites for many years.

Texas Sheet Cake

Bring to a boil:

2 sticks butter

1 c. water

Pour over mixture of:

2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 t. salt
1/2 c. baking cocoa

Add: 2 beaten eggs

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 t. baking soda

1 t. vanilla

Bake in a sheet pan @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Icing: 

1 stick butter

1/4 c. baking cocoa

1/4 c. milk

1/2 bag of powdered sugar

Melt butter and cocoa. Beat in milk and powdered sugar. Ice cake while warm.

The Best Chicken Marinade

Ingredients:

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. white vinegar

1/4 t. pepper

5 t. salt

1 1/2 t. poultry seasoning

1 egg

Mix well. Soak chicken in the marinade for several hours or overnight before grilling.

We'd love for you to share one or two of your favorite Fourth of July recipes! Simply write a simple blog post, where you share the recipe, and link it up below!  Keep it short and simple--this is a no-stress link-up. We can't wait to try out some new summertime recipes!

An InLinkz Link-up

Vacations {Road Trip Freebies}

 Hello, it is Jennifer from Teaching to Inspire in 5th. Summer is the time of vacations for many. Some go on "staycations" to local attractions, some go on road trips, and some even fly to their destinations. Last year, my family and I went to Disney World in Florida. Before leaving, I did some math because I really didn't want to drive all that way with two kids. My husband insisting on driving, saying it was cheaper. Being a teacher, I needed some math to prove that he was right. I mean, 10 hours is a long time to sit in a car, and I wanted to make sure it was really worth it!

So, I gathered my information....

Then I used my information to do some calculations:

And, my husband was right. It was much cheaper to drive, than fly.

While I was writing this post, I thought this would be a great idea to implement into the classroom. So I made a few planning sheets for your students to complete the same task with their own locations and information.  Click on any of the below images to grab your copy from Google Docs.

I completes my information as examples into the planning pages.

And then here are the planning pages for your students to use.

 

Have you planned a trip recently? Did you choose to fly or drive?

Also, let me know if you plan to use the freebie in your classroom, and how you plan to use it?

Memorable Vacations

Do you have a favorite vacation memory? You may not have traveled far away but the experience will always stay with you. As a child, we always traveled to the beach. I remember getting sunburned and sand all over me! 

Several years ago, my daughter Mary Ann and I went on a girls' trip to Italy with my sister-in-law and her daughter. We felt comfortable traveling that far because Linda was fluent in Italian and has traveled to Italy and Sicily almost every year.

Our trip was so special and memorable because we not only had an opportunity to experience the historic sites of Italy and Sicily, we were able to stay with family who lived outside of Palermo. My husband is Sicilian and his grandparents immigrated when they were very young to New Orleans and then to the Houston area. Linda has connected with family over many years and they love having visitors from the US.

We visited places that are popular touristy sites but also small towns that are more popular for locals. We were also blessed to have a cousin from Houston who owned a vacation home in Sicily. We met Jerry in Sicily and stayed a few days with him.

By staying with our Italian family, we were totally immersed in the culture. Mary Ann had an opportunity to meet her relatives and learn more about her family heritage. We even walked through the ruins of my husband's grandfather's birthplace that had been destroyed by an earthquake. A distant cousin showed us the remains of his home, the opera house and other places of interest. 

Europeans' main meal is at noon. The families are always prepared for lots of relatives and friends showing up for an amazing meal. The food is so fresh and everything is purchased daily. I loved the simplicity of their lives, no clutter! The Lampasoni home is four stories high!

Look what is written on the glasses. They serve coke at every meal! (a little homemade wine, too!)

I noticed this beautiful basket of tomatoes that the relatives use for their pasta dishes.

Mary Ann had taken some photography courses in school, so she took some amazing photos.

Our trip focused on FOOD, FAMILY and CULTURE. 

Do you have a vacation memory? We would love for you to share in the comments.

Field Day Activities!

Am I alone in my hatred for Field Day?  My kids love it.  They look forward to it all year.  But oh how exhausting it is!  I love being outside but I am not seriously the "athletic" type.  My mom literally laughed out loud when she stopped by my house and I was making plans for field day.  (Thanks for the confidence boost, right?!)  But seriously, she's right.  It just isn't my thing.  Despite that, we had a blast anyway.  :)

My vote for the best Field Day activity was the Cheeto Shower Cap game!  Each group partnered up into groups of two.  I found these cheap (and totally girly) shower caps at Walmart for $1 and included three designs.  I would pop one on their head, slap on a little shaving cream, and hand their partner a handful of Cheetos Puffs!  When I said go, they would have to try and catch five Cheetos on their cap.  The student throwing Cheetos is not allowed to move, however I did allow the student with the shower cap to jump forward and stretch to the left or right to catch them.  It was HILARIOUS!  After one team was able to catch five Cheetos, they would switch roles.

My teaching partner and I *may* have loved spray painting the day before field day.  We spray painted a life size checker board in the grass.  We bought cheap plastic plates from Walmart that were $1 for a pack of four.  The kids LOVED this!  We also loved it because we didn't need a parent or teacher at this station to supervise or explain the rules.  The majority of our kids knew what to do.  It was a really fun twist on a classic game.

Speaking of spray painting classic games, we also played Twister!  The kids loved it and we were quite impressed with some of their skills.  :)

{Picture & Field Day Idea from Oswego County}

We found this idea online and couldn't resist doing relay races with our kids!  They had a blast rolling the ball back and forth using only their head.  We did have one eye injury but don't ask me how that occurred!  :)  We also used this station to have other relay races.  

{Photo & Idea Credit to 7onastring}

I wish I had gotten a picture of my kids doing this but my hands were covered in Cheeto residue and shaving cream!  We had buckets filled with water and students had to transfer their water to an empty bucket at the opposite end using a styrofoam cup with three holes poked in it.  They loved it and we didn't end up with completely drenched kids!

{Photo & Idea Credit from Williams-Sonoma Taste}

We also felt that Field Day wouldn't be complete without an egg toss and egg in a spoon races.  I seriously bought the toughest eggs on the planet!  My kids were throwing them like baseballs and they weren't cracking.  They still had a blast and made it their mission to find a way to bust them!

{Photo & Idea Credit from Happy Home Fairy}

Minute to Win it games are ALWAYS a fun way to get kids doing interesting things!  Happy Home Fairy has some simple, yet fun ways that would make excellent Field Day Stations.  My kids always love Minute to Win it! :)

What do you do for Field Day? 

5 Ways to Use Sidewalk Chalk for Learning

When the sun is shining, the grass is green, and summer is on the horizon, it can be hard to keep students' attention in the classroom.  Why not take your classroom OUTSIDE?  One great way to keep the learning alive outside is to use sidewalk chalk!  My name is Shelly Rees, author of Appletastic: Blossoming in Fifth Grade, and I am happy to share some ways that you and your students can use sidewalk chalk for learning!  Students LOVE using sidewalk chalk, so head on outside and try one of these ideas:

1. Vocabulary Word Practice

Write a group of vocabulary words on the sidewalk.  Call out a definition and have students stand by the word to which it belongs.  You could also give each student an area and a piece of chalk, read a definition, and have them write the word!

2. Math Problem Practice

Have students write specific types of math problems with their chalk.  Then, blow a whistle and have them move to another problem and solve it. Blow the whistle again, and students move to a solved problem and check it with the inverse operation.  Repeat the process.  Students love the fast pace of this activity and it's wonderful practice!

3. Character Mapping

Have you and your students read a good story or novel lately?  Take them outside and allow students to trace each other on the sidewalk.  Then, have them write a main character's name above the outline.  Next, students write various adjectives to describe the character.  This not only helps students to better identify with their character, but it also helps students develop their vocabulary and use of synonyms.

4. Spelling Word Scramble

Move outside for spelling word practice.  There are several ways you can approach this. Give each student their own space, call out a word, and have them write the word. You can also allow students to scramble a spelling word, move to the next word and solve the scramble, then repeat! 

5.  Create a Timeline

Studying a particular sequence of events in history, a novel study, or science?  Why not have students work in small groups to create a timeline of those events?  It's fun, engaging, and academic! My students recently created timelines of the major events of the Revolutionary War. It was a nice break from our normal classroom routine, and it provided great reinforcement of what we had been learning.  Win!

Sidewalk chalk isn't just for artwork anymore!  Grab a container of those colored chalk sticks, take your students outside, and get to work! Enjoy!

End of the Year Activities

It's May but school isn't over yet! I'm Sandy Cangelosi of Sweet Integrations. Testing is over and your students are so ready for the end of the year. I have some fun ideas to keep your students engaged and learning until the last day of school.

1. Internet Scavenger Hunt - Using Fact Monster, try some of these pre-made online scavenger hunts. After your students complete their grade-level hunt, they can create their own. This is a great way to learn interesting facts about countries, states, people, science, sports and more. They can use Word and create Hyperlinks to the location of the information. Students can trade scavenger hunts.

2. Math - Johnnie's Math Page has problems using higher level thinking skills. Students love these online strategy games. They don't even realize they are doing math! I also love Mastermind and Sudoku. These are so much fun to play at the end of the year.

3. Board Games - Choose a day at the end of the year for students to bring their favorite board games. Even though my girls are grown, we still enjoy playing Clue, Scrabble and Sorry. My granddaughter pulls the games out every time she comes over to visit.

4. Nature Scavenger Hunts - Give the student teams a list of items in nature that they need to find outside. You can even give the student teams a digital camera so they can take photos of their findings. I've even asked students to find letters in nature. They are given letters of the alphabet and they try to find the shapes.

5. Alpha Autobios - Using each letter of the alphabet, students write a word that describes something about themselves. Ex. A is for Arkansas - This is where my brother lives; C is for chihuahua - I have a chihuahua named Lola.

6. Categories - Play Categories on the computers. Use topics like fruits, vegetables, sports, states, 3 letter words, 4 letter words, etc. Give the students a specific time to type as many words as they can. The winner of the round can win a piece of candy or treat.

7. Musical Stories - Give each child a story starter on the computer or on a handout. Ex. My Plans for the Summer or My Favorite Vacation. Students will begin typing at their computer or desk. After a certain amount of time, students will change places and begin adding to the next person's story. After several rounds, send students back to their original story so they can write an ending to their story. Read these out load. Students will have a blast reading the stories. (Make sure to give instructions about language, violence, etc. I always tell my students, "No blood and guts allowed!")

8. Project Based Learning - The end of the year is the perfect time to implement Project Based Learning. While enjoying this fun unit, students are still learning life skills, math, technology and writing.

Our students visit Amy's Ice Cream which is in our neighborhood. Amy's started in Austin and has become an Austin icon.

9. Fantasy Vacation - Some students will not have the opportunity to go on a vacation, so why don't you give them an opportunity to plan a Fantasy Vacation! Give your students a budget to plan a vacation to a country or state. Students will plan air travel, hotel costs, site-seeing (cultural experiences), and research these places of interest.

Or, have your students plan a StayCation. My friend Amanda of Primary Gal has this fun unit in which students plan a budget for four days of activities (day trips) close to home. You can also check out her blog post about end of the year projects.

10. End of the Year Collage - Use the app PicCollage to create a collage of events, favorites activities, friends, subjects, etc. Teachers, if you have extra digital pictures of class events, add them to the camera rolls. Students can add text, online pictures, photos, video and stickers. Choose your own layout for your Photo Yearbook.

Encourage your students to continue learning throughout the summer. I've provided some elementary websites that are fun and great for review. Just click on the image below to download. And, enjoy free computer awards for the end of the year.

Click on the image to download your free product.

Click on the image for your free awards.