End of the Year

The end of the year finds me wondering what we're doing here.  State testing is over, there is no normal week (field trips, music programs...I could go on).

I have always been skeptical of literature circles with fourth graders...but not this year.  I'm going to try partner reading.  Thanks to Lindsay at My Life as a Fifth Grade Teacher, she has posted some easy ways to keep track of novel reading.  THANKS!

 I have a selection of books that have partners in the school library, so TWO is the max to read a book together.  I'll report back in a week. 

Jeopardy online

I know I've mentioned teacher super tools before...but their jeopardy game is sooooo easy to complete.  I had 3 of my 5th grade girls make questions and answers from the constitution book we just finished reading and wa-laaa..I typed in the answers, questions, and point value...tomorrow's social studies lesson is complete.

I have a fifth grade blog where I keep all the websites I want the fifth graders to use.  I made a post with a link to the game!!  The students can go there any time and play.  I feel so SMART...and that's not always a true comment this time of year...17 days, but who's counting?

Parent Communication

Every Friday I send papers home with a coversheet stapled to the top.  The coversheet has reminders for events concerning our class. I tried the newsletter format, but found it took too much time.  The students are to bring the coversheet back signed.

    Link-up your parent communication with

25 days and counting

With just 25 days and counting, I think some of my students are on summer break.  I came up with a weekly checklist, to help keep them focused.  The TAI is a weekly homework assignment that lets the students be a little creative.  I use Tic-Tac-Toe (TTT) for a weekly spelling assignment, a reading (SRA) lab, and AR goals to keep them reading. 

Does anyone use checklists to keep students accountable?

Teaching Channel

Is anyone familiar with Teaching Channel ?  I watched a great 20 minute+ video on main idea...a little long but good.

Seating Arrangement

AND...how many times have you changed seating arrangements this year?  I think this last 6 weeks will find me changing every week. 

Since I use Super Teacher Tools, it's just a matter of clicking the number I want in a groups (4-5 since I use tables)

(gotta love these pictures from pintrest)

Vocabulary Building

In a effort to increase my students' vocabulary, I'm going to start using VocabAhead.  This site has cute videos for each word.  It reminds me of the vocabulary book I used a few (many) years ago that had a cartoon for each word.  This activity will be a writing must, one day a week...write the word, definition, sentence, and drawing!!  AND a high five if I hear them using it in their daily conversations.

I find my lower reading students with no reading stamina and very poor vocabulary. 

SideVibe

Any upper elementary teachers using this?? SideVibe


I need to know if it would be worth my time...ha ha, since it's so valuable!  I suppose it would make a difference if you were a 1:1 school.