Back to School Success Strategies Part 4: Watch their health!

It's getting closer to that time again. 

No matter where you are in your summer vacation, getting back is in your future. This series of posts is designed to make that return a bit smoother for you.

Today is Part 4 in a five part series about returning to school successfully.

Watch their health!

The last few years have been difficult. The pandemic has caused huge stress in the lives of our children (as well as us) and it's still around. Health and safety have always been the most important thing in our classroom, but now we are to be even more aware of keeping them healthy, and we can teach them how to look out for their own health.

 

As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of Boom Learning Digital Task Cards for several reasons: they're easy to use, can be used on any device, they're easy to assign through different digital platforms, and most of all, the children LOVE them! This set of Boom Cards helps the students learn about bacteria and viruses and how to fight them. Germs: Viruses and Bacteria Boom Cards

 

This resource has an informational text with 10 questions, 6 brain breaks, and 4 sketching questions. Germs: Reading Comprehension for Active Learners

Here's another Boom Learning Resource! This one helps the children understand what they can do to help fight germs and maintain healthy habits: Healthy Habits Boom Cards

Finally, here's an informational booklet the children can read, learn, and illustrate. This can be easily sent home, or read, discussed, and illustrated in class. If they can keep socially distant, it's fun for them to make posters to show what they have learned! Healthy Habits Informational Text Booklet

Be sure to read the other four parts of these Back to School Success Strategies!

 

  

 

 

 

I imagine you're thinking of more ways to watch out for their health.

I hope you'll share some of these in the comments below.

Back to School Success Strategies Part 3: Review, Review, Review!

It's getting closer to that time again. 

No matter where you are in your summer vacation, getting back is in your future. This series of posts is designed to make that return a bit smoother for you.

Today is Part 3 in a five part series about returning to school successfully.

Review, review, review!

We all know that our students have had a whole lot of time away from learning. You can call it "summer slump" or "summer slide," or numerous other things! No matter what it's called in your neck of the woods, it's time to get them back in the swing of things and bring those skills back!
 

You may remember that I'm a big fan of Boom Cards because they are easy to use in the classroom and can be used remotely by sending a link through any platform. These vocabulary Boom Cards are a fun way to review important science and social studies vocabulary. Building Vocabulary Science and Social Studies Boom Card Bundle

 

Speaking of Boom Cards, these  six multiple choice Boom Cards are perfect for reviewing important skills: Combined 2nd Grade Skills Review Boom Card Bundle

But it's important to keep it interesting. I like to let the children practice important reading skills by having them read informational text about important Science and Social Studies topics. It's a real time saver, and they absolutely love the topics! This bundle of Earth Changes gives them a lot of information, yet loads of practice with reading and comprehension skills. Earth Changes Bundle: Reading Comprehension for Active Learners.

Math fact fluency is an important part of everyday mathematics. (This system was mentioned in Part 1 - Routines.) Brain research tells us it's important to review information in order for that information to go into their long term memory. I recommend that children review frequently the "levels" they have already mastered in this system to keep the information solid. If they never go back to it, they won't remember it! Math Fact Fluency System: the Bundle

 

These Math Challenges are a fun way to review old math skills for grades 3-5! Since math continues to build on previous skills, it's important that those skills are strong. These challenges review second grade math concepts, but with an added challenge! Mystery Math Challenge Bundle

Here's a link to several "summer review" resources that can get their brains back on track: Summer Review Games and Activities

Be sure to read the other four parts of these Back to School Success Strategies!

 

  

 

 

 

I imagine you're thinking of more ways to review and strengthen important skills!

I hope you'll share some of these in the comments below.

 

Categorical Thinking

The brain automatically wants to sort ideas into patterns and categories. This helps the brain organize and remember information.

 

When we encourage children to think of categories and patterns, we can increase their ability to make logical connections, draw conclusions, and make predictions.

Categorizing helps children process information. By sorting items into categories, we are helping them develop deeper meanings and understandings.

Even toddlers start to sort their toys! Sorting by color, shape or size are popular activities for the younger set. As they get older, they start to sort more items to help understand their life: numbers, letters, foods, books, and even trash. 

Once they're in school, they're learning a whole lot more categories in all the different subject areas: math (shapes, numerical systems) science (animals, plants, systems) social studies (countries, history, geography) writing (narrative, expository, persuasive)

And, of course, we all know about the Dewey Decimal system!

As we get older, categories help us keep track of our lives, both pleasure and business! Think of the categories involved in sports, TV shows and movies!

And of course, our daily budgets are in categories.

 

 So, it's pretty clear that our brains need to be able to sort our lives in to categories. Yes, this is a life skill!

How can we help children develop these skills? Well, here are a few suggestions:

1. Be a role model!  When you are organizing something, not only let them watch you, but also let them hear your reasoning. As you're picking up, talk about what you're doing...I'm going to put this paper on these shelves because this is where the writing materials go, or I'll put this book with the other informational books. 

2. Let them join in! At home, let them help you sort laundry, put dishes away or tidy up the playroom. At school, let them suggest ways to organize the books or the math materials. Get them thinking, and value their ideas. It's amazing what they can come up with!

3.  Let them practice sorting! Attribute blocks are a great way to sort by attribute, since each block has several attributes!

The image below has an affiliate link to Amazon (I get a few cents, it doesn't cost you a thing!)  

One of my favorite activities for the kids with these blocks is the "Attribute Train." It works like this:

• The first person puts down any block.
• The second person puts a block next to it that is different in only one way.
• Play continues, with players putting down blocks in a "train", with only one change per block.
• Keep playing until no more blocks can be played.

The kiddos absolutely LOVE this game, and will play it over and over, keeping them thinking!

Want another way to get them thinking about sorting and categorizing, and think about important vocabulary as well? Try some of these Boom Learning Digital Task Cards!

Country, Science Tool, or Sandwich? 

Animal, Plant, or Mineral?

Matter: Solid, Liquid, or Gas?

Canada, USA, or Both?

Which Continent?

The Best Thing We Can Do

Many students have been learning remotely for a long time.

Many people are concerned about academic loss from not being physically in school.

No matter what the children have experienced for the last several months, it has most certainly NOT been a normal school year.

What can we do?

Yes, there will be a big slide this year. Far bigger than the typical summer slide. But as teachers we know that we need to take our students from where they are, and bring them as far as we can bring them. Some students lose less than others. Some lose a lot. It happens. But we do the best we can.

There's not much we can do right now to prevent that slide, especially when we're not in the same room as the children.

But what can we do? 

 Brain research tells us that when children go for a long period of time without practicing skills, they won't remember what they've already learned. Therefore, we need to do a lot of review right now. Give them plenty of practice with the skills they have developed this year. But it's important to make it as fun as possible!

One of my favorite platforms for reviewing skills: Boom Learning! These digital task cards can be used on any device, and gives immediate feedback to the students. The teacher can see exactly what the students have been doing, and they can repeat each task over and over again for frequent review.

One of my favorite collections of Boom Learning Cards:

Combined Review Boom Learning Digital Task Cards

Here's a link to many more!

Boom Learning Digital Task Cards

Here are some more review activities that are perfect for "end of year" or "summer review."

Summer Review Resources

It's also important that children read frequently, and use their written skills often. I recommend a daily journal (with a gratitude element) and writing letters and emails to loved ones as well as friends. Board games and cooking experiences will give them math practice too!  Squeeze it in when you can, but in a fun way! 

I'm sure you already know how crazy things are, and how many people are dealing with heavy duty anxiety right now. Children are scared. Parents are frustrated. Teachers are trying to learn a whole new job without training and are trying to make it work. It's definitely not a good time to push them academically. They are experiencing history, that's enough! Their brains are overloaded. Don't push, just review! (I'll bet your instincts were saying this, too!)

This is probably the most important thing teachers and parents can do right now: let them know you care.

Elementary teachers know how much they are missed, and how reaching out to the little ones will make their day. Search for ways to make personal contact with each child. Email, call, drive by, or if your district allows, video conference. 

We know those personal connections are what really makes teaching work, and what makes online learning so tough.

But it's also what makes teaching worth it. 

Want to know something that might make you feel a little better? When this is all over, they'll be older. When they're older and emotionally ready to learn, they pick things up quickly. They'll be ok. They'll be more than ok!

Want more information? Here's an informational brochure for parents: Parent Communication Brochure: Social Distancing Edition

Do You Ever End Up Smarter After Watching Jeopardy?

Have you ever watched Jeopardy? 

I do love watching, even though I rarely know any of the answers. (Unless they have a musical theatre category, then I usually get them all!)

 

Who Wants to be a Millionaire is another fun trivia show to watch. Once in a while, I'll know an answer, but I could never get past the first level without Google!

My students have always loved these Brain Quest sets for the same reason. Sometimes they know the answer, but even if they don't, they enjoy them, and learn from them! (Each link is an Amazon affiliate.)

• Brain Quest 2nd Grade Q & A Cards
• Brain Quest Workbook Grade 2
• Summer Brain Quest: Between Grades 2 & 3

What do these all have in common?  After you've watched the shows, or read the Brain Quest sets, you end up knowing more than before! 

This is pretty much the reasoning behind a study strategy known as Retrieval Practice. Retrieval practice includes "practice tests" as a method of seeing what a student can remember, or retrieve from his memory. This strategy helps them know what they still need to study. Check out this link if you want to know more about this strategy: Learn How to Study Using Retrieval Practice. Here's another link about Retrieval Practice and other valued learning strategies. Four Research-Based Strategies Every Teacher Should Be Learning

Remembering what was questioned on game shows or trivia cards isn't quite the same as studying what was already taught, but seriously: if you try to think of an answer, then hear the answer, you are more likely to remember it, aren't you?

Since there is so much knowledge out there that the children just absorb when they're exposed to it, why not expose them to more knowledge?

I've created some Boom Learning digital task cards that are perfect for learning from trying to figure out an answer!  Here are a couple:

 

Canada, USA, or Both? is perfect for July, since Canada Day and Independence Day (USA) are celebrated at the beginning of the month. If you don't teach summer school, That's ok. Learning about these 2 North American countries any time of year is fun!

Landforms Boom Bundle is a great supplement to any work on Geography. I like to expose the children to this before I actually start working on landforms.  Since the children can use the Boom Learning Digital Task Cards over and over, they love to challenge themselves to get more correct each time! They become familiar with the vocabulary as well as the different geographic features of each landform as they practice. Plus, the teacher can easily go into the records to see how well they are getting to know their landforms!

 

Calendar General Knowledge Facts: Boom Learning I have one of these for each month of the year, based on fun calendar days and trivia. These aren't easy, and have questions about plenty of things the children haven't learned, but with each time through the Boom Learning decks, they'll know more and more!

July Calendar Trivia: Boom Learning This is your chance to try out these monthly trivia Boom Learning decks: the July deck is free! (And you don't have to wait until July to try it! Children love to do their birthday month, and the months of their friends' birthdays, too.) Or, honestly, they love any month, since children enjoy learning this way!

Here are a few more sets of Boom cards that are "self-learning:"

Science Review Boom Cards

Which Homophone? Boom Cards

Christopher Columbus Common Sense Boom Cards

Plurals, Possessives and Contractions BoomCards

Social Studies Review Boom Cards

Building Science and Social Studies Vocabulary: Boom Card Bundle 

 

Plus, here's a "Dollar Deal" vocabulary builder:

Vocabulary Builder: Weather, Plant, or Dessert? Boom Cards

Not familiar with Boom Learning digital task cards?  Here's more information:

 Boom Learning Digital Task Cards are Fun and Easy to Use

Twelve Reasons to Use Boom Learning Digital Task Cards

What are your ideas for fun ways to help them keep learning?