But My Students Don't Know This Stuff!

Sometimes I'll lead my students to some activities where they are expected to answer questions that still need to be taught the content. 

How can this be valuable?

I've been doing some reading, and I've found some research proving children learn from an activity that requires guessing. In fact, these challenges are good for them, and enhance learning! The key? Making sure they get immediate feedback.

 

 

If the children are doing an activity where they have to guess at something, it gets them thinking. Once they've thought about it, they'll take a guess. If they get immediate feedback, they'll learn!  

 

It's just like watching Jeopardy! Every time I watch, I learn more facts, even when I didn't know them before I watched! Guessing helps the brain learn! (Thanks, Alex!)

 

 

This sort of activity can be repeated over and over. Each time it's repeated, they'll remember more. As they repeat the activity, there will be less guessing and more remembering! 

 

This is a perfect type of activity for students to work on while you're working with individuals or small groups.

 

 

These are perfect for your "fast finishers" or children who need a little extra challenge after their daily work is complete.
 

Plus, reading random questions counts as reading practice. They do need to be reading every day, right?

They can work alone, but working with a friend brings valuable conversation! You know, the conversations that help them think through and remember information!

 

 

Did I mention how much the children love this stuff? Seriously, they love learning new material!

 

I know what you're thinking... but I'm having enough trouble fitting in everything I have to teach already! Yes, I know, but this isn't just "another thing to do." It's something to enhance what's already happening!

 

 

But what about the standards? Yeah, I thought you might be concerned about that one. I'll tell you a little secret:

Teaching isn't all about the standards. 

Teaching is about enriching the lives of the kids.

 

Shocking, I know. Can you imagine if administrators heard me say that? Well, I'll tell you another little secret:

I'm not here to impress the administrators. 

I'm here to make a difference in the lives of children.

 

Well, I'm not really that much of a rebel, but I really do want to make a difference in the lives of the children. (And yes, the standards DO matter, but there's so much more to kids!)

Now I suppose you're wondering where to find these activities that keep kids guessing!

Well, here's a freebie to get you started:

 

July Boom Learning Trivia and General Knowledge (Boom Cards)

Here's another fun Boom Learning resource for building vocabulary!

Country, Science Tool, or Sandwich? (Boom Cards)

 

Here are a few more:

Facts About Space (Boom Cards)

Black Americans Quotes "Who Said This" (Boom Cards)

Digital Social Studies Topics Practice and Review Bundle (Boom Cards)

Digital Science Topics Practice and Review Bundle (Boom Cards)

Science Review Task Cards

Hurricanes: Reading Comprehension for Active Learners

 

Most of these activities will enhance the children's knowledge with very little work on the teacher's part. Plus, teachers can see their results easily for all those Boom Cards! 

Here are some links to articles about how guessing helps students learn.

How Mistakes Help Students Learn

How guessing the wrong answer helps you learn the right answer 

How Guessing Helps Students Learn

  

How do you challenge your students beyond what they already know?

Five Reasons for Children to Read "Out Soft"

My students read "out soft" for many reasons in the classroom.

First of all, I'll bet you've already figured out the meaning of "out soft." Although I made up the term, the students understand what it means right away. I'll introduce this idea at the very beginning of the school year, and make sure the students know that reading "out soft" means the children are able to hear their own voice as they reads, but wouldn't disturb the person sitting next to them. An adult might call this "barely audible." As you might have guessed, it's the opposite of "out loud," which requires volume and projection. You might call it whispering, but the term "out soft" is just more fun!

 

We practice. Some children, by nature, struggle with turning down the volume and turning off the projection, but they do get it.Once they get it, they are empowered!

1. Understanding directions.

 

 

This little trick has helped many little ones. Plus, it has helped me as well! Sometimes directions are hard to understand, but I've found that when reading those same directions loud enough to hear yourself, they can make a whole lot more sense! Seriously, how many times has a child come to you confused about written directions... then you ask the child to read the directions to you, and suddenly they'll say, "Oh, I get it!"  Works like a charm!

2. Reading Warm Up 

 

 

I always start reading groups with a warm up. The children are trained to arrive at the reading table, choose one of their books, and start reading "out soft." This not only prevents down time while waiting for the stragglers, but it gives me a chance to listen in and do some assessing. Sometimes I'll give them something specific to warm up with. 

 

Studies show reading words in phrases increases fluency, so I often have the children warm up with these phrases: Fry Sight Word Phrases One little hint: be sure the sight words are easy for the children so they can build the fluency when practicing them as phrases.

These sets are similar to the above, using different lists. Reading Warm Up Phrases

3. Aid Concentration 

 

As you know, many children struggle to concentrate on independent reading. They are distracted by just about anything, including their own thoughts. I find having these children read "out soft" really helps them pay attention to their reading!

4. Reading with a partner.

 

Reading with a peer is a wonderful strategy that should be used frequently in the classroom. Think about it, 50% of the children are all practicing their reading skills, while the other 50% are listening and guiding the readers. It's a win-win! Plus, the children love it! But when all the children are interacting at once, they'll need to be reading "out soft!"

 

5. It helps the memory.

 

When children hear themselves, it helps the memory. This works with word reading (see #2) as well as important science facts, and even math facts! When I use these practice cards with my students, I encourage lots of repetition, but I also encourage the children to say the entire fact "out soft." Fact Fluency Practice Cards

 

 

This same system is available on Boom Learning:  Boom Learning Fact Fluency System Bundle

How else can children learn by reading "out soft?"

What Are You Doing This Summer?

Congratulations on making it through this school year!

 

 

I don't know about you, but it usually takes me about a week of being a total slug before I'm ready to think about what's next. 

 

Then it's time to get going. What is next?

 

If you're working with children this summer, it's best to build community with some teamwork games! Check out this blog post: Working at Summer Camp? Or Summer School? How to Get Started!

 

If you're working with children this summer, it's GOT to be fun! Whether you're teaching summer school, tutoring, or working summer camp or day care, you've got to do something to get those kiddos to "buy in!" For most, themes are the way to go! The image below brings you to a blog post with many ideas for bringing a camping theme to your program. See Camping Week!

 

Another fun theme that has plenty of ways for summer learning fun, take a "trip" to the beach! Seashore Week!

 

 

Whether or not it's an Olympic year, you can have your own Olympics. Boy, do the kiddos love this one! Academic Summer Games: A Celebration of Learning!

 

 Looking for a little something to get you started? This post shares 6 different freebies that will get you going for summer learning fun! A Few Summer Dollar Deals!

No matter what your plans are this summer, there's no doubt that pampering yourself is in order!  Here are 5 things you'll want to think about doing this summer: 5 Summer "Must Dos" for Teachers

No matter what you're doing this summer, I hope that it is spectacular!

 

 

How Can I Prepare for the Last Weeks of School?

What do we really need to do during those last few weeks of school?

Hopefully, by this point in the year, you are done with testing, and pretty much finished with all the "have tos."  Even if you're not quite done teaching everything, I hope you have some time for some end-of-the-year fun!

 

Here are some things you can put into your plans for the last few weeks of school:

 

1. Deepen Learned Skills

 

 

Brain research tells us that we need to review skills in order to maintain them and to deepen them. That means fun activities and games to practice those important skills you've built all year! 

 

This bundle has several fun options for reviewing and deepening skills!

 

2. Prepare for summer habits

 

We want our students to continue some important habits they've developed through the school year. This is a great time to introduce some fun games!

 

Here are the links to a few posts that tell about classroom games that can be played at home:

 

Ten Easy Learning Games

Ten Reasons My Students Play Lots of Games 

 

Plus, here's one to encourage them to enjoy reading! (This is one you can work on all year!)

Relax and Read

3. Make the Last Days Special

 

 

It's time for using those skills they've worked on all year for some fun projects!

It's a perfect time of year for putting on a play or performance of some sort. These activities build important reading skills as well as building community and teamwork.  Here's a post with more information on Dramatics in the Classroom. 

I absolutely LOVE Boom Learning Digital Task Cards! These are easy to assign, and the students love them! Check out this bundle: Science and Social Studies Vocabulary Building Bundle

These are a great way to develop vocabulary for Science and Social Studies. They use brain-researched strategies such as Retrieval Practice, which is explained here:

Here are a few more resources that follow this strategy that are perfect for end-of-the-year review!

Fun and Engaging Digital Science Topics Practice and Review cards Deck #1

Fun and Engaging Digital Science Topics Practice and Review cards Deck #2

Fun and Engaging Digital Social Studies Topics Practice and Review cards Deck #1

Fun and Engaging Digital Social Studies Topics Practice and Review cards Deck #2

4. Share Memories

This is a great time of year to sit back and enjoy the special memories the group has made this year. 

 

It's easy to make a memory book, or a slide show with photos from the year. I've always had the children write down their favorite memories from the year a few weeks before the end of the school year. This gives me time to type things up into a nice book. I've also found parents are quite helpful in donating photos from school events.

These are special memories for them (and you) to cherish forever. I still have memory books from many years past, and I love remembering my former students!

5. Enjoy them

My favorite thing to do at the end of the school year is to take the time to enjoy these special children. I know, it's not easy! Between end-of-year testing, packing up the classroom, and report cards, there's little time left. But these kids are totally worth it, aren't they?  Here's a blog post that suggests some fun ways to enjoy the students. Take time to Enjoy them!
 

Enjoy these last few weeks with your students!