Getting Into QR Codes

I have been incredibly curious about QR codes lately.  They're novel and appeal to students.  They make boring activities more interesting.  They make activities self-checking.  What's not to love?

I'm still working on learning how to make my own.  I'll post more about it when I figure feel comfortable with it.  In the meantime, here a post that really helped me by Kate Peila. 

Click here to read the full post.

Here is an excellent video with ideas from Tabitha Carro (AKA: Flapjack Educational Resources).  The title is "How to Scan QR Codes", but there's a wealth of ideas of how to use them. 

So here are some other great Pinterest-inspired ideas.

Alice Keeler gives ideas on using QR codes to create educational posters and time lines. 

Click here to see her full post.

Don't have room to post things all over the hallways or classroom walls?  Why not post index cards with students' names on them and a QR code that will take the viewer to their creation when scanned?

How about you?  Any great tips or resources for QR codes?  I'd love to hear them!

Author Study/Genre of the Month: Bruce Coville

In the past couple of years, I have started to do a "genre of the month" during reading class.  This is loosely based off of The Book Whisperer.  By the way, it is a fantastic and quick read that you won't regret buying.  I highly recommend it!

November's author is Bruce Coville.  The genre of the month is Science Fiction/Supernatural, and Coville is great at writing both.

As with the other months, I put out a bunch of his books to be displayed for the entire month and I choose one to read aloud.  For Coville, I like to read aloud Aliens Ate My Homework.  In 4th grade, it's hard to find Science Fiction that isn't FAR above that reading level.  Coville does this genre proud and adds in some humor for good measure, which is always a plus.

He also writes the "My Teacher" series.  The first book is below:

I also have websites available for students to research Bruce Coville  and find more books that they want to add to their "To Read" lists.  Harper Collins Publishers has this website called the Author Tracker and Reading Rockets has many more authors on this site.

 

Do you have a genre of the month or an author study?  I'd love to hear what you do with yours!

Introducing Multiplication with a Hundreds Chart

After reviewing our basic multiplication and division facts, we are extending the journey with patterns of multiplication.  The next goal we have is to familiarize students with factors and multiples so they can understand the patterns of multiplication.

Some great anchor chart examples:

If you want to try factor trees:

Then I found several activities that used hundreds charts.  I'm using laminated hundreds charts for these activities.  You can find free copies any number of places.  Click here for a nice one on TpT.

Here is my favorite finds:

Mary Bauer's "Factors and Multiples".  Click here to check it out.

Do you have any great activities for teaching factors and multiples?

Vocabulary Test Template

This year, I've made an extra effort to make my vocabulary instruction rich and meaningful.  I've started having students preview new chapters/units in their Science and Virginia Studies textbooks for all the bold, italic, and highlighted words (see the example below).

 

Students list any "cloudy" (heard it before, but not sure what it means) and "don't know" (never seen or heard of it) words on their whiteboards.  I then write the words on sentence strips and put them on our vocabulary word wall.

 

Over the course of the unit or chapter, we complete vocabulary/word study activities with these words.  After the unit test is complete and all words have been thoroughly practiced, I give a vocabulary test.  Below is a template that I use and just change the words in the word bank. 

 

 

 

The template includes the following activities:

Fill-in-the-blank

Write the definition in your own words

Give an example/non-example

Use the word in a sentence

 

I left the words and definitions in the template for your reference.  You will just need to change them.

 

You can pick up a free copy by clicking here.

 

 

Spelling City for Differentiation?

This year, our school is both Title I and a focus school.  So that means that we need to keep flawless records of differentiation methods that cover all the state standards and meet the needs of all students in math and reading.  Then I came across an email reminder that Spelling City links state standards to their activities, making it easier to find differentiation activities. 

I played around with the free activities they offer and found several that link up nicely with Virginia's Language Arts standards.  You can access the activities that match your state's standards by clicking here.  Below is an example of what the screen will look like.  The blue words take you to the activities when you click on them.

I have played around with Spelling City before, but not for a couple of years, and I've never purchased the premium membership.  I've also never put in spelling or vocabulary lists.  I'm wondering if it's worth the extra money.

Have you used Spelling City before?  If so, have you purchased the membership or just used the free services?  Do you think the paid membership is worth it? 

I'm looking for new ways to use this site for differentiation.  I'd love some advice!

Compare and Contrast Genres Organizer

I mentioned in an earlier post that I like to start my year talking about genres, particularly realistic fiction.  Andrew Clements is my personal choice for an author that makes realistic fiction fun.  Frindle is quite possibly my favorite book of his, but it's such a tough choice!

After talking about genres and reading a bit of Frindle, we're ready to start applying our knowledge to our nightly reading choices.  I assign this organizer on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

I fill out this part of the organizer as an example and we discuss as a class and during small reading groups with our various reading choices.

The next part is what they complete on their own at home on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

You can pick up a free copy by clicking here.

Do you have any graphic organizers you like to use for genre study?

Author Study/Genre of the Month: Sharon Draper

In the past couple of years, I have started to do a "genre of the month" during reading class.  This is loosely based off of The Book Whisperer.  By the way, it is a fantastic and quick read that you won't regret buying.  I highly recommend it!

October's author is Sharon Draper.  I met this author at a children's book conference a few years ago.  She is funny and she's a former teacher, so she knows how to write high-interest books!

As with the other months, I put out a bunch of his books to be displayed for the entire month and I choose one to read aloud.  For Sharon Draper, I like to read aloud any of her "Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs" series books.  I think it was later renamed "The Clubhouse Mysteries" series.  This series is about a group of friends that solve mysteries together.  Since October is sort of a mysterious month, this genre seems perfect!  All the books are good for reading aloud, but The Buried Bones Mystery is a pretty good start.

 

 

Draper also has a "Sassy" series that may appeal more to female students.  The first book is below.

 

 

 

I also have websites available for students to research Sharon Draper  and find more books that they want to add to their "To Read" lists.  Harper Collins Publishers has this website called the Author Tracker and Reading Rockets has many more authors on this site.

 

Do you have a genre of the month or an author study?  I'd love to hear what you do with yours!