Too Fast

Where Is It Going???

     So have you ever wondered where in the world the summer goes? It is already half gone and I feel like I haven't done anything than research and homework assignments. I feel like my kids are suffering from it. Well, suffering seems too strong of a word LOL!! They are in the house, a.c., toys, video games, tv...yeah maybe not suffering, but you get it. I'm going to have to get up and get them exploring our city and area some more. I can't imagine how bored they've been waiting on me to finish my homework. Time to make the most of what we have left!

     Now, back to the Daily 5. I've been researching, pinning ideas on my Pinterest page and following a couple of groups on facebook, all to get new information. Thank goodness for the internet!! Making the world from 10 billion people, to just a click away. One of the people I've met online, tipped me off to a great resource for the D5, it's called the Daily 5 for Dummies. That has really come in handy for working on my project and getting my class ready for the fall. It's not a difficult book at all to read, but I am visual and would love to see it in action. This document is a great free resource. If you're looking for help, I would check that out online.

    I don't know when you all go back, but we go back in a few weeks. I am looking forward to it, because I am a little excited about kicking this off with the rest of my coworkers. I still need to go and buy containers for the students to hold their books, but, I'm putting it off. I am on the hunt at yard sales. Although, I must be nuts to think that I'm going to find 20-25 containers of all the same size at a yard sale. Hmm, I guess I could check thrift stores; worth a shot. Lots to shop for tomorrow. I love yard sales!! It's a teacher's paradise :)

Whoa!!

 Better Days

     Hello everyone!! I know I've been gone for a few days, but this has definitely been one of those weeks. All it takes is one phone call to make your life go into a whirlwind. Regardless of that, life does continue to happen and I have a classroom to get ready for the upcoming school year.

     This upcoming year, we will be starting the Daily 5. I've read the book and I am excited about it. I also read the Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. That is an excellent book to read if you want to boost the reading in your classroom. She gives great tips on how to do that as well as required book reading lists for the class. When I first read that she had a required amount of reading for the students, I thought okay, that's a little easy, my 4th graders can handle that without any problem. I even thought about increasing the reading challenge. However, as I read further in her book, she requires the 40 books, but they have to be a specific amount in different genres. You all may have thought about that, but I can honestly say I did not. I will be typing up the required reading sometime this week. Once I do, I'll post a sample of it on here and hoping to set up a page on TPT.

     I am hoping that between the 2 reading resources and a phenomenal reading specialist, we will work hard and boost our student's love of reading in my school. Today while yard sale shopping, YES, I absolutely LOVE to shop yard sales, I found an awesome deal. I walk in the door and lo and behold brand new carpet squares! I picked through the entire 4 stacks until I found 15 of the softest ones for my students to sit on during their free reading time. Am I crazy?? According to some of the looks that I received from people walking by. However, I know that I just secured softer seating for my students who like to stretch out on the floor to read, play a game, or just to work on assignments. They are perfect because they can move to wherever they want to sit on the floor and in some cases out in the hallway and because when reading time is up, I can put them all back on the shelf in my closet out of the way. EXCITED!! LOL, it's the little things that make me happy!

Enjoy!

Happy 4th Of July!!!

Please stay safe and enjoy!!

Multiplication

     Anyone know what day it is?? Huh, do you know, do you know? That's right, it's HUMP DAY!! LOL so have you seen the camel commercial?

     I still have a month and a half before I have to report back to school, but it always seems to fly by so quickly doesn't it? Always a book to read, new item that I want to make...something. Right now, I am still in the process of making a unit to help my students learn their multiplication facts more quickly. I've realized that the longer they take to do basic skills, the less likely they are to learn the concept of the actual skill that I am trying to teach, such as long division, equivalent fractions etc. I want to have activities in place to challenge the students that know them and the students that need to master them. I also realize that I will need to reteach and even teach the skill to some of my students next year.

     Recently, I read a children's book called 7 X 9 = Trouble by Claudia Mills. It reminded me that if we spend all of our time getting them to pass each numbered facts, then they may not put it all together. Once they pass the 6's for example, then we move on to the 7's won't they just forget about the 6's. I originally had them completing each set for an ice cream party at the end, but now I'm rethinking that. As I'm typing this, I am coming up with a new thought. Loving this blog already. I'm sure it seems a little scattered to others, but it helps me to get thoughts together when they are locked in my head. LOL that's a dangerous place to be sometimes. 

     I will definitely post more about the multiplication facts when I'm done. I'm off to work on them now since I just had a different thought!

    Have a Happy 4th of July if you're celebrating! If not then Happy Hump Day today and Happy Friday Eve tomorrow!!

Long Weekend

Whew what a weekend!! Did a lot of running around with my family. Now, I'm working on a project that I have due soon. It's all about multiplication and the importance of students learning their facts. It's always interesting to me how much we push the students to learn the facts, but we don't make sure they understand the concrete reasoning behind it. Are you guilty of that? I definitely am!! When my students came in last year, I taught the multiplication facts to them as simply having to memorize them.  I began my project thinking that it would help me pull activities together to help them memorize the facts. I realize now that I need to back up and make sure they understand the why behind it. This leads me to my ageless question...WHEN. When will I find the time to back up and make sure that students who need it will understand the concept? When will I find the time to pull them as close, if not further, to the students who already know them? I had a great first year last year, and I think that this year will be another level of learning for me. Hoping that I view each year that way! Have a great Monday tomorrow!

Which Road To Take

I've watched a few podcasts regarding the Daily 5 and I noticed that some people have cut it down to the Daily 3 especially in the older grades. I've been thinking about it and I think that I will keep it as 5. We have a short reading block, less than 2 hours, so I will modify it some. My thinking right now is that they will have to do 2 of them a day and it will be their choice of which ones, but they will have to do all 3 twice within that week. 

I'm hoping that it will look like this:

Whole group lesson

Move into choices

Return to whole group

Move into choices

Return to whole group

This will give them plenty of time to read and still have time to get their word work and righting done. I have not read CAFE yet, but I'm hoping it answers my question on when certain work gets done, because I have yet to see where grades come in. I've asked that question and have gotten the response of, "Oh it's in there." LOL but I'm a visual learner and I need to see where it's at in there. It will come I know. I've got a lot on my plate, but chewing it up, one bite at a time. 

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!

To Group Or Not To Group

I have been doing some research on the Daily 5. My school is going to start the program this coming year, so I have read the book and reached out to a few people. I LOVE the internet for making the world smaller :) 

In my research, I have come across several articles about the re-rising (LOL is that a word) of ability grouping in the class. I have been against it because I feel that students should have peer models of what good readers sound like. For the better readers, I think that it serves a good model in peer relations and social skills to have them working with students that need extra practice. The articles have me curious if I am making the right decision or do the pros outweigh the cons. Any thoughts?? Will ability grouping work with the Daily 5? Should kids have to be filed into a room because of their reading level?