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Showing posts with label Elementary Matters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elementary Matters. Show all posts

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!

Here in the northern hemisphere, we are enjoying the spring weather!

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.


We still have to teach. but we might as well teach while enjoying the beautiful weather and getting those kiddos outside! Here are some of my ideas!

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

This one is pretty obvious! They have to read every day.  Why not bring it outside? If you want to go all out, have them bring in towels to sit or lie on while reading. Other options: partner reading, or teacher read alouds!

I do find sometimes a little bribery motivation is necessary. "If you don't stay focused on your books, we will have to bring them back inside."

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

There are loads of engineering projects that can be done outside!  Children can use sand, grass, rocks or sticks to create all sorts of things! Here are a few ideas:

1. Create a sundial.
2. Make a tall rock tower.
3. Make a shadow creature.
4. Take tubs of water outside and maybe a few classroom materials to create "boats" that float!

This is only the beginning. If you search "Outdoor S.T.E.M." on Pinterest or google it, I'll bet you find a TON of ideas!

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

You'll need some sidewalk chalk for this. 


Have equal teams, and a list of math facts or math problems they can solve. 


One team member at a time takes the chalk, runs to the other end of the defined area, write the problem with the correct answer, and run back. (It's a good idea to have another adult at the other end to check their math!) 

When they get back, the next person gets the chalk and a new problem.


I suggest making the running area on grass or "soft top," and the writing area on the hard top.

They'll be so busy having fun and burning off steam, they won't even know they're practicing important facts!


Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

Sketching is an important science skill!


Scientists need to notice details, and look for differences!


Direct students to pick a specific spot to sketch. (One with some sort of vegetation is best!)  A week later, they can go back to the same spot. As they re-sketch, hopefully they will notice differences.

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.
3 Seasons of our class tree!
Notice the winter tree was photographed from inside the screened window!

I've had my groups choose a "class tree" in the fall, and we will often go out to sketch the tree. As the year progresses, they re-sketch, and definitely notice differences!
One little secret, I've been very good at convincing the children to choose the tree right outside our class window. That way, they can sketch from inside in the winter! (No one wants to sit in snow and sketch!)


Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

Just like reading, story writing can be brought outdoors easily! They can continue stories they were working on, make up a story about what they see, or write nature poetry. Again, reminding the children this is a privilege helps them stay focused!


If you're interested in a little outdoor Science or Social Studies with reading and writing skills thrown in, check out this: Science and Social Studies for Summer

Most of these activities are designed for the outdoors, and you definitely don't have to wait for summer!

Five Ways to Get Them Learning OUTSIDE!  There's something special about being outside, and it's a great place to practice important skills.

Looking for ways to make it until Summer?

I know most of you are getting mighty close to the end of the school year. I want to make your life a bit easier!

 
Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!


This resource is perfect for those last few days when the weather is summer-like and the students are struggling to hold it together!
 
Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!


  Science and Social Studies Activities for the Summer.

 Plus, I've bundled this new resource with 9 others for a year-round set of Science and Social Studies fun integrated into reading and writing activities!

Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!


You can find this bundled resource here. You'll notice there's a HUGE discount!
 
Plus, here's a fun sample game to help the kiddos celebrate the books they've read this year: 
 
Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!
 
 
Or, if you're interested in a fuller version of this activity see here:
Celebrate Reading and Books Board Game
Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!

Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!
 
 Here's to a happy last few weeks of school!
Looking for ways to make it until Summer? Here are some suggestions and some fantastic bargains!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them

You may not be getting much sleep, trying to fit in all those end-of-the-year expectations, but hang in there, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!

For the past 6 days, I've been sharing ideas to have a Happy Last Day of School. 


You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book
 
You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games.

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.


You can read about Step Four here: Keep Out a Handful of Whiteboards, Markers, and Erasers.


Read about Step Six here: Find One-On-One Time With Each Student.

Now, here is Step Seven!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!

That's really what it's all about, isn't it?

Push away all the thoughts of what still needs to be done such as packing, test scores, end-of-the-year meetings, end-of-the-year record keeping, and all the rest.  

Take the time to enjoy the kids. 

I'll admit, I've never had a "last day" where I didn't get choked up saying goodbye to the children. (And I've been teaching forever!) 

They are the ones that matter after all the craziness of everything else!

It's really all about the kids. 
Remember that. 
Enjoy them!

Enjoy this Reader's Theater kindness:

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater freebie about kindness!

This resource is available for free by signing up for my helpful emails HERE.
 

Which is your favorite of the Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School?

 
even Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 7: Enjoy them! This post suggests a Reader's theater resource about kindness!



Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 6: Meet with each child

Hopefully, you're getting report cards done and getting packed up with minimal stress, since that last day is coming soon.

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!

It's all crazy, I know, but the kids make it all worth it, and that last day should be all about them!


You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book
 
You can read about Step Two here: Leave Out a Few Favorite Games.

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.


Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!

I know, that's not easy when there are a whole bunch of them, and they all want attention! But there are ways to do it! 

I like to use as much routine as I can on that last day.  Although I don't do any Guided Reading groups during the last few days, I organize my day the same way.

This blog post tells how I organize my groups during Guided Reading time:
 

Although some of the options just don't work on the last day of school, I do use my literacy center cards to help organize things. You can find those as a freebie here: Literacy Center Cards Freebie.
 
Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!
 
I might set up a few stations to go with the things I've kept out for the kiddos: (The freebie doesn't have cards for all these, but you can use the blank cards.)

Independent Reading 
Whiteboards
Games
Playing Cards
Work With Teacher

At the independent reading station, they can read any picture books I've kept out, or memory books. (See Step 5.)

At the Whiteboards station, they can play hangman or dictate sentences to one another. (See Step 4.)

At the games station, they can play the games I've left out. (See Step 2.)

At the Playing Cards station, they can play Salute, or Twenty-One. (See Step 3.)

What happens at the Work with Teacher Station? This is where you can give them individualized time! I've been known to play Apples to Apples with the children and laugh a lot. It's a great way to spend our last day together!

Another option?  Have no "Work With Teacher" station, and circulate throughout the classroom meeting with the children one at a time. I always make sure I ask questions about summer plans and make sure they know I'll be thinking about them!

This is your last crack at them... make it count!

Here's a link to Step Seven:

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School Part 5: Find one-on-one time with every child. This post suggests how to organize the last day, and has a literacy center organization freebie!



Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School - Part 5: Reading

Hang in there, there's a light at the end of the tunnel!

Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!


Don't let the craziness get you down. You can always enjoy the last day!

This is the 5th step of 7 strategies to a Happy Last Day of School. 

You can read about Step One here:  Read Your Favorite Book.

You can read about Step Two here:  Leave Out a Few Favorite Games

You can read about the third strategy here: Keep Out a Few Decks of Playing Cards.

You can read about Step Four here: Keep Out a Handful of Whiteboards, Markers, and Erasers.
Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!
I've always felt that reading is the most important thing we do in school, and I make it very clear that each student do some reading each and every day. Step one was all about reading to the children, but this step is all about having the children do the reading. Here are some ideas:

1. Leave out a few of their favorite books. I know, you've packed most of them, but let them enjoy their favorites for the last time. I pack my chapter books up about a week before the end of the year, since they won't have time to finish them. But I keep out those favorites. Here's another advantage: those favorites might just be the first ones you unpack in the fall!

2. Provide an End-Of-Year Memory Book. I know, who has time for this during this crazy time of year? Well, I always make the time for this, since it's something they'll keep forever. (I hope!) A couple of weeks before the end, I'll have the children write down some words about their classmates (and teachers) and their special memories from the year. I type these up and put them into a book. Yes, it's extra work, but it sure is fun to give them those books on the last day of school!

3. Give them a little something to read and take home! My students and I developed this list a couple of years ago, and I thought it was great! You can find this resource here: Summer Vacation List... So Tablets and Screens Don't Suck Out Your Brain!

I'm sure you have more ideas for making sure they do some reading on the last day!

Here's a link to Step Six:


Seven Steps to a Happy Last Day of School-Part 5: Make sure they have something to read! This post includes a fun summer vacation list!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building

This time of year, I find the kiddos are starting to get on each others' nerves. Little things can turn into big arguments. They start having "friend troubles." They're cranky. 

What they really need is spring, fresh air, flowers, warm sun, and so on. But we can't actually give them that, can we? 
 

But here's something we CAN do: 

We can shake things up!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!

I'm a huge fan of the Olympics, and I like to bring winter sports into the classroom! Plus, it's a great way to bring Team Building into the classroom!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!

1, Have fun!
2. Give the students a taste of what the Olympics are like.
3. Give the children a taste of what some countries around the world are like.
4. Review important skills we've learned.
5. Liven up the dreary days of winter.
6. Promote teamwork and positive feelings for each other.

Doesn't this sound exactly like what your students need right now?


Here's how I do it!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
Four or five students per team is plenty. I try to spread the wealth of "talents" for each group, making sure I have strong readers, mathematicians, artists, etc. on each team if possible. I prefer to establish the teams and assign their countries at the end of the day, so they leave school excited and might even ask about their countries when they get home!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
 
The first day is pretty much preparation. (I prefer to spread the academic winter sports out over a week, but you might want to squeeze it into a day or two.) The children need to make a flag for their country, and a banner for their country. They need to make sure they know the colors for their team, so they can wear those colors for the days of competition. Of course, this will take some research. They'll be looking for books in the library, and online. (Plus, they're excited about the research!)  I count these banners as the first competition. and I have guests come in and judge the posters for accuracy, neatness, and how well they represent the country.
 
Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
Some of our banners, with some of the medals each country earned!


Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
I absolutely love the rituals of the Olympics, especially the Opening Ceremonies! Did you know that Greece is always the first country in the Parade of Nations? (This is another place where a guest could come in, and the Greek flag is easy to make!) The other countries proceed in alphabetical order, except that the host country always comes last.
Since we're competing in the USA, I take the big flag off the classroom wall and carry that at the end of the parade. (I'm no fool, from the end of the line you can see all the kiddos!)
Yes, we march them all over the school! (I have a recording of the Olympic theme that gets played over and over during the parade.)
 
Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
I wish I could show you how much pride they have in their faces!
 
After the Parade of Nations, we return to the classroom, where an "honored guest" arrives with the torch. (Secretaries, librarians, and custodians are ideal for this job!) We recite the Academic Creed and the Academic Oath, (See resources below) then we all recite those important words: 
Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
You can turn most anything into a contest! Be sure to have plenty of ideas. There can be group games, like scoot, or individual games, where each country chooses a team member to represent them. I try to stick to the regular curriculum each day for part of the time, but I'll let the countries sit together and award "behavior" medals each day. There can be brainstorming activities, (How many nouns can you name in a minute?) speed activities, (math facts) a read-a-thon, physical activities, (jumping jacks?) and perhaps even a S.T.E.M. project!

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
Toward the end of each day, I have a medal ceremony for each contest completed that day. The children help me get desks and chairs in place, and we announce 3rd, then 2nd, then 1st place countries for each contest. The 3rd place winners stand on the floor to the left of the "podium," The 2nd place winners stand on chairs to the right of the podium, and the first place winners stand on the desks in the center. Then I'll play that country's national anthem while everyone cheers. (They've always been great about cheering for all the countries!)

Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!
Again, I wish you could see the pride on their faces! If you notice in the lower left, there's a guy in a blue shirt who was nervous about standing on a desk. We still celebrated him!   
 
Yes, these team building games shake up the "hum drum" of winter, encourages teamwork and friendships, gives the children the break they need, and gets the children excited about school again. 


Here are a few suggestions and resources: 
Academic Winter Team Building Games (This has many suggestions for contests, as well as the Creed and Oath as mentioned above for the Opening Ceremony)

Academic Winter Team Building Games Freebie (A free version of the one above.)


If you're looking for National Anthems, these images will bring you to Amazon.

     

Of course, books are essential! Here are some great choices from Amazon.

                                       

I hope you and your children enjoy your winter games! 
If you decide to try this, I'd love to hear how it went in the comments below!
Academic Winter Sports Team Building: Here's a chance to take the "Olympic Buzz" and bring it into the classroom for team building as well as fun academics!

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