Category: Classroom
Don’t Skip the Basics!
As teachers, we may assume our students know the basics! Throughout my years as an educator, I have realized that is a dangerous thing to do.
As an interventionist now, I truly see where assumption from so many (along with whole language and so many other factors) has added to my middle schoolers’ major gaps. We are heading back to the basics…phonics. Yes, I’m talking starting with vowels and consonants and their sounds.
We love playing games to go along with spelling, sounds, homophones, prefixes, suffixes, and more. Diving into the basics is a must! We are building a “house” from the ground up- the foundation must be first!
Until next time!
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Favorite Spots in my Little Classroom
I know we all have them…favorite spots in our classrooms! Throughout my 29 years in classrooms and working from home, I’ve definitely loved some classrooms more than others. This particular year, I don’t have any windows (I know, bummer); however, I absolutely LOVE my little “intervention” room.♥️ Over the summer, it was a labor of love, trying to make the room warm and inviting for my new students. Get this: it was previously a book room, so I had my work cut out for me!
Moving from a BIG room to a small room to now be a reading and writing interventionist meant purging and getting rid of a lot. When you find transparencies from 1994, that tells you it’s time to clean out! 😂 I gave away, sold, and organized! It was truly therapeutic. I am happy with the final product. I do have some favorite spots though. Of course one if my little zebra lamp with my rules of the classroom (see picture) and my Dr. King shrine. If you know me, he ‘s my hero. Every year, I have him posted by my door to remind kids as they enter the world, treat others with respect and kindness. Stand up for what you believe! Dr. King is certainly the epitome of exhibiting all of this.
I hope you’ll share some of your favorite nooks and spots in your classrooms!
Until next time!
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Honoring Dr. King
My students have been involved in various activities to learn about Dr. King. I hope they will always remember to stand up for their strong beliefs and live by the wise words of MLK.
Students learned about Dr. King and wrote a Subject Predicate Poem. While reviewing grammar, they wrote beautiful poems that told the story of King and the brave acts and racism he endured.
Also, each student (some worked in pairs) worked to complete a square with a quote from Dr. King. While looking for quotes, my students were introduced to many of King’s poignant and wise words.
Let’s not forget an escape room. Students worked hard to solve four puzzles to break out of a digital escape room. We had a lot of “escape artists!”
Lastly, some students entered a coloring contest. We had some amazing final products.
I’m thrilled to share my love and admiration for Dr. King with my students. We can learn so many pertinent life lessons from him.
Check out these TWO products that my students love and are perfect for FEBRUARY (Black History Month):
Until next time,
Angie
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Halloween Task Cards
Fall is my favorite time of the year, and with it, comes Halloween. Yes!
One of my favorite classroom activities is using Halloween-Themed Task Cards to practice using context clues. I’ve used these cards many ways:
- I’ve placed them on the wall for partners or groups to answer the questions.
- We’ve played SCOOT- moving around the room (desk by desk).
- We’ve played “Kick Me.” This is where I tape the cards on students’ backs, and they can answer the question in any order going to one another’s backs. While students are moving around this room, of course there is spooky/fun Halloween music playing in the background. Fun times!
Be sure and watch the video for a preview of this product.
Check out this product HERE!
Happy fall harvest and happy learning! 🍁🎃👻
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Ever Read this Novel in Your Classroom?
Every year, there is one book that my students and I all look forward to reading. What book, you ask? Max: Best Friend. Hero. Marine.
We absolutely love this book! It’s suspenseful, includes mystery, has nail-biting parts, and the students truly connect with the characters. Before the book, we complete a War Dog Webquest where we learn about military working dogs. I love sharing how these “unsung heroes” have truly saved so many human lives over the years and didn’t get any credit until recent years.
Being a writing teacher, I use this novel to teach great writing skills such as using sensory language and descriptive writing to connect with your readers and to create a picture in the reader’s mind. I also use this book to teach commas by providing the students with mentor sentences and then having them create their own.
After the book, we watch the amazing movie that accompanies this book. Talk about “on the edge of your seat!” Of course, you can’t watch a movie without mouthwatering popcorn. The best, and easiest, popcorn to pop is Great Northern Popcorn. This is an all-in-one popcorn, so it includes popcorn, salt, and oil. How easy can it get? The size you get will depend on your popcorn machine’s kettle. I buy the 6 oz. Great Northern also makes these popcorn bags in a 4 oz. and an 8 oz.
I also buy these popcorn bags to totally set the ambiance of our “movie theater.” I hope you’ll give this novel a shot in your classroom. You won’t regret it, and your students will thank you! Happy reading and thanks to all the military working dogs who risk their lives every day for us. We salute you!
