Thanksgiving Sight Word BUMP!

When I create my centers each week I always struggle to be sure they are: differentiated, integrated, engaging, meaningful and FUN. I like to create games/centers that can be easily be changed throughout the year depending on the skill practiced or weekly theme so that students are not constantly learning new centers!

For this past week’s centers, I took my students’ math data and noticed a need in mastering facts. I further analyzed what they were struggling with to figure out how I can incorporate math into my sight word center.  Their needs were varied from needing practice identifying numbers 1-5 to needing to improve on adding three addends. I also took my students LOVE of the math game BUMP and alas I created my Thanksgiving Sight Word Practice product! 

This product provides 4 different math BUMP board games. First, choose the board game that best fits the needs of your students’ mathematical abilities: Identifying numbers 1-5, Adding two addends 1-6, Doubles Facts 1-6, Adding three addends 1-6.  2-3 students play on each board game at a time!

Then, have students use their sight word ring (for added differentiation) and fill in one word above each of the boxes on the recording sheet graph. If students do not have sight word rings, you can use holiday themed words, high frequency words, vocabulary words etc.

In our class the rule ALWAYS is: roll to see who goes first. No if, ands OR buts about it. (I have found this eliminates all arguing.). After the students determine who goes first they must pick a color. You can use cute themed erasers, stickers (with the paper still on the back), or math cubes. I liked using math cubes to get students even MORE comfortable with using them.

After students determine their color, they are ready to play! They roll the die/dice (depending on the board game). Then, they determine their final number (sum). They find that number on the graph recording sheet and rewrite the corresponding word in the ABOVE box. This will make a bar graph. Instead of simply coloring in the box of the number they get, rewriting the word will help allow them to master their words! They then find that number on the board game and cover it with their eraser/sticker/counter. IF the other player is already covering that number, they get to BUMP them off! Once a player has a word get to the TOP of their recording sheet, both players STOP. Whoever has the most erasers/stickers/counters at the point on the board WINS!

Below are some hints on how to organize this center. I am BIG into color-coding because I think it is the easiest, most obvious way for students to decipher between which game/paper they should use. I constantly switch up the colors so students are not always the pink group or blue group.  

If you like this product, be sure to check it out in our store! We plan to add MANY more like this for each holiday theme!

The Ins and Outs of Go Math: Post 1 of 4

The Ins and Outs of Go Math: Post 1 of 4   

    A lot of followers have reached out to us in hopes of getting a better understanding of the Go Math Program. For Melissa and I, this is our 4th year using Go Math. Go Math is a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt CCSS Aligned program for grades K-8. This program has many, many aspects to it: both printed resources and online tools. Since so many teachers have shown an interest and appreciation in our Data Binders, additional centers or simply just reaching out for help and guidance, we figured we would write a post on how we execute this program and make it all fit!
    This post is part of a 4 series Blog Post on: Go Math. This post is about the overall structure of your Go Math block. Our next post will be on Gathering, Analyzing and Using Student Data for Go Math (with freebies included!!), lastly Organizing and Managing Center/Small Group Time and GoMath Resources: What are they all about?.
    This post is a very basic overview of scheduling! Each grade level is a little bit different and with the new GoMath updated version, each section of your book might be named a little bit differently. For this reason, we tried to keep our sectioned area names general.
             Our math block is one hour. Below is a typical schedule for each mini lesson:

5-10 Minutes: Problem of the Day

15 Minutes: Mini Lesson

10 Minutes: Independent Practice

25 Minutes: Centers/Small Group Time

Now, to get a little deeper!

    Problem of the Day: A problem of the day, in it's very nature, is designed to be quick and a review. It can easily displayed on the Smartboard as students use the Math Work Boards to complete it. Your problem of the day time should not exceed 10 minutes. Ideally students should be working on their own during this time followed by a quick whole class review of the answer.

    Mini Lesson: The first 1-2 pages of each lesson typically completes the mini lesson. Start with the first page: Listen and Draw, Unlock the Problem, Investigate. It all depends on your grade level. Based off of YOUR kids' needs determine whether this will be done in their books or will it be more effective to be completed as a whole class. Ahead of time determine manipulatives needed so you are prepared.Your Mini Lesson is the time when students need to be MOST engaged, so use what you know about your students to help them grasp this concept: hands on learning, coloring, manipulatives, smartboard tools etc. Then move your students along to the Share and Show. At this point you are slowly beginning to transition students to independently completing these problems. Guide students through the Share and Show and encourage "math talk" among small groups or partners they sit near. Walk around and listen to informally assess their understanding of the concept, vocabulary etc and address any misconceptions before moving on to independent practice. Review the share and show as a whole class.

Independent Practice: This is where you will be able to gather the most information from your students and determine individual understanding.  During independent practice, look for trends and patterns among your students. This time is crucial. We suggest not pulling small groups during this time. Truly use it to collect data: Who is completely lost? Who needs just a quick reinforcement? Who got it right away?

Centers: After students are mostly finished with their independent practice, call ALL students to the your meeting area even if they did not finish. Have students leave their books on their desks opened so that I can mark it, referred to or easily access it during small group time. Quickly recap your center choices  and send your kids off. Take the first 5 minutes to be sure everyone is where they should be and mark student work.

    Once centers are (fingers crossed) running "smoothly" (is there ever such a thing?!), begin to call your students back to meet with you in a small group. Our suggestion is to start with the students who are teetering on needing support and being able to independently apply the concept. Quickly review the independent practice with them and do 1-2 additional problems with them to get a better understanding of their mastery level. This extra 5 minutes is often all those students need to be able to better understand the skill they just learned. From there, call back your most struggling students.  This time is when you provide them intense intervention on the skills they are lacking in order to master the skill taught. Sometimes this may look like more practice on the lessons, however sometimes this may be working on prerequisite skills they are lacking. Ideally, you want to spend the most time with them.

    Go Math is a phenomenal program that has truly shown to be effective in our school district. Sometimes we find ourselves looking at a lesson objective/strategy and saying: Seriously?! But there is a true method behind Go Math's scope and sequence. Seeing the progression of student understanding over the past 4 years has been very encouraging.

    This program can be quite overwhelming as many of you have expressed. Our suggestion is: start slow and simple. You cannot master this program in a chapter or even a year. There are a plethora of wonderful resources, but trying to apply and learn them all right from the start is TOO MUCH. Start with getting yourself comfortable with your Go Math Block flow. Each 1-2 chapters, attempt to learn something new: Itools, Soar to Success, Online Assessments, Mega Math. You HAVE to go at a pace comfortable for you or you will quickly begin to drown. Slow and steady wins the race. 4 years later and Melissa and I are both still learning things about this program that we never have used or knew about before! Be kind to yourself!

If you teach first grade be sure to check out our TPT Store and look at our Go Math Centers with differentiation for each lesson!  As per request, we are currently working on creating and posting Kindergarten centers!

Work It Wednesday

Happy Work It Wednesday!  This weeks workout will take just ten minutes, so no excuse not to do it :) 

Very often the workouts that I'll be posting can be scaled to fit your fitness level.  Don't be afraid to modify the workout if they feel too easy, or too hard! The most important thing is that you never, ever quit!  Quitting is never accepted.  If you quit once, you might quit again, and then it will become a habit.  It's okay to fail, but never to quit.  Don't quit on yourself, and your health!  You'll be surprised by what you are capable of, and all that you can accomplish when you don't even allow quitting to be an option!

Today's workout includes two very functional and effective movements--burpees and air squats.  Last post, I put up a video of how to do a proper squat, so if you don't remember, scroll down and remind yourself! Below is a video of how to do a proper burpee:

 

Once you have practiced the movements, and feel comfortable, set a timer for ten minutes, and jump right in to this week's Work It Wednesday:

EMOM 10 min:

5 air squats

3 burpees

EMOMs are a very popular work out in crossfit.  EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute.  So, every minute on the minute, you'll do 5 air squats and 3 burpees.  Whatever time you have left until the next minute is your rest period. 

Since everyone's level of fitness is different, rule of thumb is to make the "work" period around 30 seconds.  So, if you can complete the 5 air squats and 3 burpees in 15 seconds, try upping the number of reps.  Or, if you have dumbells, try weighted squats to make it more challenging.

Good luck and remember, don't quit!!! Believe in yourself and know that you can make it through the workout! You'll be so proud when that timer goes off!

Teacher Small Group Supply Bin!

As we all know, classrooms throughout the past 10 years.. even past 3 years have changed dramatically. More often than not, we found ourselves in small groups or 1-1 conferences. We are on the floor, in/on a student’s desk, leaning against a windowsill or gathering students at our horseshoe table meeting with as many students to conference, teach, guide and instruct.

            One of the most difficult aspects of the teaching profession is the need to ALWAYS be prepared.  In an effort to attain this need, in addition to meet with as many students as humanly possible during the school day, I decided to create this Teacher Small Group Supply Bin for the upcoming school year!

            I took just a few short minutes to think about everything you may need when meeting with small groups and put them together in my bin. The thing is, when meeting with a small group or a student 1-1, each moment is precious and valuable. The two minutes it took you to stop your lesson, walk away to fill out a nurse’s pass or sharpen a pencil, your students’ attention, enthusiasm, understanding, all of it may very well have vanished.  Also, I chose a bin with a handle to make it very easy to travel WITH me. No matter where I end up, this bin is light and incredibly easy to tote around.

            When setting up YOUR teacher bin, start with the TEACHING ESSENTIALS. Think about those things you use in almost every small group. For me it was: post-its, highlighters, markers (smelly ones are a bonus), paperclips, a pair of scissors and pens.   These items are a MUST for my overall direct instruction aspect.

Then I started to think about some of the FUN GO-TOs used often to gain attention and enthusiasm: creepy fingers (as pointers), silly glasses (their purpose is endless), stickers (an on the spot reward for good behavior or hard work) and a dice because you NEVER know when your lesson will turn into a game or when turn taking is needed. (In my classroom for consistency reasons, no matter WHAT, we roll the dice to see who goes first. It eliminates whining, arguing and those three words I loathe hearing: It’s not fair!)

Lastly, I thought about all of the TIME WASTERS. May I go to the bathroom? My stomach hurts. I can’t find my pencil.  My pencil broke, now I must take 3 laps around the classroom before I find one.  NO WAY! I want to eliminate all of these distractions to maximize our time together, so I put in: nurses passes,  a pencil sharpener (hand held incase you are far from the electric one.. if you are so lucky to have kept it alive and well),  erasers and pencils!

And that is it! VOILA! You have your very own Teacher Small Group Supply Bin! Be sure to download this FREEbie with 12 different label options for your supply bin!  

                 Happy Small Group Teaching!

All Things Entertainment

It’s Apple of Their Eye’s favorite member, Courtney,  here to report on all things Entertainment ! Since I was able to walk/talk (sneak an episode of The Real World: Miami in while my parents weren’t looking,) I’ve been pretty certain that I should have my own reality show.

But, alas, no networks have sniffed me out quite yet. So for now I’ll have to settle for these next few paragraphs being my outlet.

These posts are merely meant to keep you posted on the ups and downs of my celebrity fascination – whether it be music, television, or cinema. Oh and of course, if I am staying true to myself, there will be some booze thrown in the mix. Each blog will give you suggestions of new shows and movies to watch, cocktails to try, and tunes to jam out to.

So sit back, pour yourself some Pinot, and enjoy :-)

Netflix Binge Worthy

It’s early in the blogging game so I am keeping it simple and obvious with my choices. Here are my top 3 choices you MUST watch in a class binge-watch session. These shows, in my oh-so humble opinion, are the kind that make all of those tragic Instagram-Netflix references true.

1.       American Horror Story

a.     As someone who has a constant fear that any and all things living are about to capture me and sell me into  sex-slavery at any given moment…I must admit my doors are locked and my 911 speed dial is on while watching this show. However, the characters are well-developed, the story lines compelling, and lead actor Evan Peters makes everything seem a little less scary ;-) Each season is a different theme with completely new characters, which  makes enticing people to start watching with you a little easier. Happy Hauntings.

                                                                          i.      Favorite Season: One

                                                                        ii.      Least Favorite Season: Three
2.      LOST

a.     I mean really. Life does not get much better than Jack, Kate, and Sawyer stranded on a magical island. I must admit, every time I am on a plane, I look around and think, “Who will be the John Locke of the survivors?” … “Who will help me find the white polar bear that will inevitably come to our camp and taunt us mangled survivors?” The show is an “oldie” but a goodie….And binge watching it makes it even better. I will admit there are some odd story lines and a few loopy episodes that sneak their way in to the series, but overall it is hands down one of my favorites of all time.

                                                                          i.      Favorite Characters: Jack, Charlie, Ben

                                                                        ii.      Least Favorite Character: Sayid, Claire
3.       Walking Dead

a.     Is it weird that this has become my “Background Show”? The show I put on to relax me as I write emails, IEPs, and this very blog? Que everyone’s complaints….  “I don’t like anything to do with zombies” … “End-Of-The-World dramas aren’t for me”…To which I quickly reply….There is so much more to this show than zombies! It becomes about the relationships and survival status/strategies of the characters. Plus, I am now ridiculously confident that I will dominate in a Zombie apocalypse. So confident in fact, that mid typing this blog, I sent a text to my roommates stating we should all be watching this together…(And I quote)…”So that we’re ready”. So at this point my love for the show is purely educational.

                                                                          i.      Favorite Characters: Glen, Shane, Daryl

                                                                        ii.      Least Favorite Characters: Carl, Andrea

Courtney’s Cocktail Concoction

Summertime is here at last! Sunshine, Flip Flops, and Cocktails. Doesn’t get much better than that trifecta. My first choice is something refreshing, easy, and perfect for a day soaking in the Vitamin B. The beverage of the blog is called Backyard Lemonade. The most important part of this mix is the ingredients. The proportions are totally up to you and your taste buds…Or how happy you want your guests feeling.

            Ingredients for Backyard Lemonade:

                        Iced Tea

                        Lemonade

                        Raspberry Liquor

                        Vodka

Corner of Cinema (We’re working with a 5 *  rating….because we are THAT official)

Ted 2 (**)  To be honest, I sat through the first Ted contemplating my life. Wondering if it was worth the criminal charges to run up and slash the screen or pull the fire alarm to end my misery. Needless to say, my expectations going into the sequel were quite low. But, out of rainy day boredom and the promise of multiple 20 oz. Bud Lights, I begrudgingly agreed to go. Gotta say…worth a watch! Let’s not get hasty though. I am not encouraging you to spend the 10 dollars to see it in theaters.  I am simply standing behind your hesitant pointer finger that’s not sure whether to rent it on OnDemand for 4.99 (Standard View of course. The extra dollar for High-Def may make it on the cusp of not worth it). It got lengthy but was only 75% offensive, pretty funny, and (most importantly) better than the first.

Jurassic World (****) Loved it! …Literally walked out of the theater with jazz hands and a corny smile. It was entertaining, exciting, and Chris Pratt can do NO wrong. However, I saw the movie with some life-long, die-hard Jurassic fans who didn’t share the same feelings. There were definite plot holes that “should’ve/could’ve” been solved somewhere between the 1994 and 2015 gap, which is where some of their hostility was rooted. But overall I thought it was a fun watch that paid a nice homage to the original. It  made me leave wishing there was a park with real life dinosaurs…A park that left me stranded fighting for my life with their amazingly hot and studly employee…So, a job well done Spielberg.

Jam of the Day

My inkling is to share the song BEFORE sharing the artist, to avoid stereotypes, but that’s just not in the cards for this post. So I’ll fess up and admit the song is from Demi Lovato. I typically do not rock out to her songs but I am telling you this one is a classic! Turn it up and enjoy. You. Are. Welcome.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29GWMT0GB6s

Just tell me it's not the end of the line….

But it is my friends. But it is.

(Inside joke if you actually listened to my musical pick)

Until next time….

XOXO

AppleOfTheirEye

Work it Wednesday

Welcome to Work It Wednesday!!!  Each week I will post a workout that you can do at home, during lunch at work, or in the gym! We are excited to also join fellow blogger, Queen of the First Grade Jungle, for week 4 on this road to a healthy and fit lifestyle!

As a full time School Counselor, and avid fitness enthusiast, balancing working out and the demands of daily life can be a real challenge.  Working out has become something that I have made a priority in my life, and has turned into something I truly loving doing each and every day!  I hope to share my passion and love for fitness through my Work It Wednesday posts. 

All Work It Wednesday posts will include functional movements, meaning real world movements that lead to increased fitness, and less injury in the long run.  My experience with functional fitness began with experimenting with Crossfit workouts at my home gym, and I  then went on to get my Crossfit Level 1 Certification a few  months later.  One of the best things about these workouts is no matter what level of fitness you are, you can do the workouts! 

This weeks workout can be done in the gym with weights, or in the comfort of your home with just body weight- either way, it will definitely get you sweating!  See how many rounds of the three movements you are able to complete in the allotted time!

In the video below, you'll learn about proper squat technique.  Having proper technique really helps to get the most out of the movements.  Practice your squat form before starting the workout!

         AOTE Work It Wednesday Workout:

               AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 15 min:
                                                     10 squats
                                                      8 lunges
                                                    6 push ups

Set a timer for 15 minutes, press start and don't stop moving until time is up!  Keep track of how many rounds you are able to get through of the three movements ( 10 squats, 8 lunges, and 6 pushups = 1 round), and challenge yourself to beat that number of rounds next time you do the workout!!

Teacher Tip Tuesday!

Hello all!

For the next few weeks of summer my fellow members of Apple of Their Eye are really trying to get this blog thing going and will be posting some tips and hopefully insightful things for you!

Today I am going to share a new tip that I discovered that helped me in making QR codes with stories.  Now I may be behind the times here and think that I am sharing something new when really it has been known to many so bare with me!  

While I was trying to create QR codes with the Safeshare website which I normally use, I kept getting an error message that it was unable to get the link to use to create the safeshare link. Then determined to find something else that will allow students to scan the codes without the commercials and ads appearing I began to research.  I came across a website that discussed using TubeChop.  Tubechop although only seems to work with YouTube links did the job! You just simply have to copy the YouTube link and you can even cut the video to how long or short your want it...and voila! You have your video or story being read without commercials or advertisements! I made a screen capture seen below for an example of easy to do instructions. I hope you can find this tip useful and hope I am not a technology dinosaur here!

 

Everyday Life Tip!

 Cass and I (Melissa) happen to be pregnant together so 1/2 of our team will be first time moms soon! We are so excited! Boy has the summer been nice to kind of kick back and catch up on life and take some time to put into TpT .  Cass is very into fitness and will be sharing some of her fitness tips throughout her pregnancy and other everyday fitness routines. During this pregnancy for some reason I am soooo over water right now. I can't seem to stomach it.  What has really helped is flavoring my water with fruit. Goes down a lot easier.. but another thing is the water has to be FREEZING cold for me to drink it. So I came across this wonderful tip on Pinterest and it has saved me this pregnancy in getting down water! See the recipe here.  It is fulfilling my love for cold flavored water all in one shot. It is purely genius! You simply pick the fruit you want and slice it. I usually do lemons and cucumber, but you can seriously do anything! Fill a muffin tin or even mini muffin tin with water and place the fruit desired in each section, freeze, and then you have frozen fruit flavored ice cubes! And did I mention the benefits of fruit infused water? There are a ton! Check them out here! I hope you found this tip useful! You can also click the pictures below to get the link for the recipe. Enjoy!