Bright Ideas- Writing on the Walls!

It's time for some more Bright Ideas and I have a super fun one to share with you! 

My idea was inspired by the documentary TEACH, which aired last fall. One of the teachers was teaching Algebra to 9th grade students and piloted a program to help her students to succeed. Part of what occurred was that the room was a 360 degree classroom, where students had wipe boards all around them. Every single wall. She used this to create an AMAZING collaborative environment for her students to be able to work through problems, watch others work problems and have conversations about their strategies.

I feel in love.

Then I thought....how can I do that? I couldn't very well buy giant wipe boards! My classroom has two already (one that is somewhat covered with my Promethean board) but the rest of the room is mostly large blue cabinets....and then it hit me!

WRITE AND WIPE CONTACT PAPER!

So I wrote a Donor's Choose grant for several rolls of write and wipe contact paper and expo markers! Here are the results...

 

This was the easiest project and is going to have so many rewards! The students can get out of their seats, allows for collaboration and creates an environment that fun, save and productive!  This worked beautifully with task cards from all subjects and will make a great resource for writing reading responses, editing and so much more! I hope you enjoyed this idea and are inspired to show "the writing on the wall" in your classroom! 

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on 

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter for more great ideas.

For more bright ideas more than 100 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Reading { A little personal and a little professional}

Well, year 14 is in the books! What a wonderful whirlwind of a year! I am really enjoying teaching the older kids and can't wait to get started on my second year of fourth grade! But before I do that, I have a whole summer to do some of the things I love most...create, plan and read!

I love to read. It is my favorite past time and it's something that I don't get a chance to do when the school year begins. I try. I really do....but I am always so busy and tired that it might take me weeks to read something that would only take a couple of days during the summer. *Sigh*

During the summer, I really like to mix it up and read as much as possible and I definitely have a list of books to read! I just finished reading The Fault in Our Stars and totally fell in love with it! I am SO glad to have read this before seeing the movie (side note: I am a big fan of reading the book first when I can. There is something really amazing in the act of  creating the story in your own mind first and then comparing it to the movie. I will say, that there have been times where I have been inspired to read the book after the movie only because I wasn't even aware that it was a BOOK...but, the book always seems to win....lol).  If you are looking for a inspirational, sweet and easy read....this is your book!

I am off to the bookstore again today and am thinking about picking up Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Many have suggested it and have said that it is really good....

Here is a list of a few other reads that I have planned...strictly personal....

1. The Silver Lining Playbook by Matthew Quick
2. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
3. Fifty Shades of Grey  by EL James (Not a new read, but a really good one....)
4. Whatever might fall in my lap because I LOVE a good book recommendation!

As for professional books, this next school year is going to be focused building what was great this year! My school is taking a closer look at close reading (lol...) and we are continuing our work with guided math. Here are the books that I will be studying this summer to help build those skills...

1. Note and Notice: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers
2. Falling in Love with Close Reading by Christopher Lehman
3. Guided Math: A Framework for Mathematics Instruction by Laney Sammons
4. Building Mathematical Comprehension: Using Literacy Strategies to Make Meaning by Laney Sammons

Still looking for some more awesome books? Check out  Marie at The Hands-On Teacher, who has a great summer reading linky going on that will definitely help you find some awesome books for the summer!

So now it's your turn (and I can't wait to hear), what are you reading?

Bright Ideas Blog Hop- Awesome End of the Year Gift

I am so excited to be joining the Bright Ideas Blog Hop once again! I absolute love the hundreds of fun, easy and amazing ideas that all the contributing bloggers write about each month! 

We are gearing up for the end of the year and I always love giving my students a little gift from me. Usually I like giving them books to read over the summer but this year my team and I went another way....

I AM IN LOVE!

I am sure that some of you have heard of a Wordle. It is a very cool website that allows you to create a word cloud about any topic that you would like! It's a great instructional tool for students to develop main idea, summary, descriptive writing and so much more! 

This year, I am using Wordle to create a personalized gift for each of my students! Each Wordle can be printed in color or even as a photo and will create  a gift that will be treasured forever!

In class, the students wrote their name on a piece of notebook paper. Nothing to fancy....but just you wait! 

The kiddos went around the room and used adjectives to describe each of their friends in class. It really helps for the students to have a list of character traits. It gave my kiddos lots of ideas and made the variety of words used made for great wordles! 

Now that you have a list of words for each student, the fun really begins! 

All you have to do is go to Wordle.net and select  "create a wordle".

The text box will appear and you can begin typing there. The more often you write/repeat a word, the bigger the word will appear on the word cloud. Because this is going to be a gift for my sweet kiddos, I typed there name several times so that they appear larger.

 

Next click "go" right below the text box.

This will create a word cloud! Now you can definitely play with it and continue to click to get different versions of your word cloud until you find one that you want. 

Using a screen shot of the Wordle allowed me to print in color and also to use my local drug store to print as a picture!

Here is one last tip for using Wordle:

*Copy and paste your text for each student into a word document. This way you have the text, just in case you have to create a new Wordle for that student. The information you type is not saved so this could really be a life saver! 

*Don't forget to add the grade level, school names and even your name to remind students of their awesome school year! 

*I do not share my Worldes on the site. Many of the Wordles I have created for this project have private information, so I chose to not share.

Hope you enjoy making these sweet and unique gifts for your kiddos! Thanks for visiting the Bright Ideas Blog Hop! 

Booking Across the USA...Texas!

Howdy from the Great State of Texas! 

I am so excited to be participating for a second year with  Books Across the USA! It is so much fun to learn about the 50 states and I LOVED the amount of amazing activities that I was able to use with my students!

This year, I was able to read a great little book that would follows the travels of Charlie all through our region of the United States. It was full of awesome facts about each of the states and vivid, colorful  pictures that truly engaged the students. The best part...as a former primary teacher, the information was written well for the little ones! Not only is it informative for the little ones, but it as additional facts that really helped my older students learn interesting facts about each state! It is a wonderfully written book and I can't wait to finish purchasing the rest of the series!

As a fourth grade teacher in Texas, my entire year in social studies is dedicated to Texas history. Texas is an extremely unique state that has a very rich and detailed story and it has lead to some amazing discussions and debates in my classroom. I started the year by creating a graphic organizer for the state of Texas so the students could draw on their prior knowledge.

The kiddos take these graphics and write anything and everything that they might know about Texas! The best part is that as you go through the lessons, student's can add to their graphic organizer! It's a simple yet very effect tool in my classroom and a great way to introduce the state of Texas for your kiddos! 

Looking for another Texas activity? Check out my Books Across the USA post from last year! 

You will love it! 

Bright Ideas Blog Hop...Lowering Test Anxiety!

It's spring and for most of us that means we are about to move into what could be one of the most stressful times of the year. State testing season is upon us and more than anything, it is important to keep your classroom environment a positive one. Kiddos want to do there best but with some grades facing 3, maybe even 4 tests in a one month period, stress and anxiety levels can definitely hit an all time high!

This is my first year in a STAAR testing grade and it has been intense! I love teaching fourth grade and all that comes with it but won't deny the stress that comes with want my students to perform to their full potential. I know that if I am feeling it....they are too. 

Here are a few tips that I have picked up along the way this year that have helped lower testing anxiety: 

It All Begins with YOU!

Yes...you. What you feel they feel. It comes out even when you are really trying not to let anyone see it. Take care of yourself and find ways to relax. Use the data that you have collected to drive your instruction and to make the most efficient use of your time. Plan your lesson carefully and with precision so that you can guide your students learning. BREATHE.....and remember...your kids need you to be their role model. They need you to show them how to take the anxious energy that comes with state testing and channel it to meet and challenge even our own wildest expectations. 

 Make test prep FUN! 

We are having an absolute blast practicing all the skills that they have learned through fun themed weeks, games and competition! Camp Write Along was our week for review and test prep for the 2 day writing STAAR and I could literally see the stress melt away as they worked through the fun camp activities of the week. The focus was no longer "the test" but more about celebrating all the amazing things that we have learned this year to become amazing writers. 

Next week, we will be having Beach Retreat which will be our time to lounge and relax as we comb over all the awesome skills that they have mastered in math and reading. I CAN'T WAIT...and neither can the kids!

Everyone LOVES a little competition!

Rather than wasting away time running of worksheets for the kiddos to do, turn that review from boring to fabulous by playing games to engage the students! I have purchased and ABSOLUTELY love the templates that I have bought for games such as Family Feud, Jeopardy, Are You Smarter Than Your Teacher and so many other quiz shows! Talk about student engagement and instant fun!

Brain Breaks 

We all need them....yes....even you! Taking a moment to stretch, move, sing or dance is almost like a reset for any lesson you may be teaching. When I see my students starting to look as though they are reaching the maximum potential....we stop. We do something to get us moving and change our train of thought and then we are ready to hit the ground running once again. Read your kids. They will let you know when they are ready and it will greatly improve stress and anxiety in those last few days of test prep!

Show a Lot of LOVE!

This is when our kids really need us to step it up and show them just how much we love them! Affirmations of a job well done make a huge difference. Celebrate the successes....both BIG and SMALL! Make it a team effort where your class is a network of friends that will encourage and support each other. Start a class tradition (like a lucky charm or a special cheer) to foster an environment of support for your students. Bring in your administrators, parents and staff to show your students that they are AMAZING and that everyone around them truly believes they will work to their fullest potential and show there very best work.

               

I wish you all the very best and hope that each of you have a wonderfully "stress free" testing season! 

If you enjoyed this bright idea, please consider joining me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter for more fun and ideas!

For more bright ideas from 150 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you. Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Camp Write Along Day 1

You could feel the excitement in the hall as all my little campers waited to get in the classroom today! It was our first day of Camp Write Along and we had an ABSOLUTE blast! Camp Write Along is a week long themed week used to practice essential skills for editing, revising and writing before the STAAR test next week.

The STAAR test is the standardized test in Texas and fourth graders take a test in reading, writing and math.

The writing exam consists of approximately 28 editing and revising multiple choice questions and 2 written compositions. The students are expected to write an expository and a personal narrative composition. The writing test is given in two days. On each day, the students take an editing/revising test and write one composition...all in a four hour time frame.

Today began with our class roll call and weather forecast for our day. We went over camp rules and expectations and set up camp. Each student brought a sleeping bag and a flashlight. They rolled out their sleeping bags and settled in for the morning's first activity....trash can trail mix!

The students donated snack items to our trail mix and we poured everything in to a large (double bagged) plastic bag. Asked the students to talk about what they thought would make great writing. With just a few snacks, we knew that our trail mix - just like our writing- needed a little more variety to be really good! As we added more snacks, we discussed elements that would really bring our writing to the next level, like the use of similes, metaphors, idioms, onomatopoeia and adjectives. When all the ingredients were added, I took the bag and shook all the yumminess into one fabulous trail mix for the kiddos to share through out the week.

Once snack was made, it was time to get our camp colors! Every student received a navy blue bandanna to represent our camp. There are 4 teachers in my grade so we all have a different color and the kiddos loved wearing them to show their camp pride. As the week goes on, the students will receive pins as rewards for improvement in different writing skills. These pins will be giving at our end of the day camp ceremony to celebrate all our learning for the day!

Whew! That's a ton in such a short time...and I haven't even mentioned the lessons...

Along with a gallery walk and activotes flipchart activities to practice editing and revising (I will tell you more about these as the week goes on), we did a great motivational lesson to Everyone Needs a Rock. It's a wonderful little book about the importance choosing just the right rock as a keepsake.

With all the testing, we wanted to provided the kiddos with something that would serve as a good luck charm and worry stone all in one. Once I read the story about how to select the perfect rock, the room was silent as each student chose their very special keepsake. It was really very sweet! The rock will have a special place in our classroom the day of the test as a quiet reminder of all the fun days that we will have during Camp Write Along.

I have so much more to share! 

There are so many fun filled days ahead and I can't wait to blog all about them!  

1000 TpT Followers....ready to celebrate?

I can't believe that my little store has 1000 followers! 

Thank you so much for your support...it means the world to me!

As a thank you, I am having a giveaway for a $25 gift card for Teachers Pay Teachers!

Enter to win and share with your friends! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway