School and the City

We finished testing last week. Whew! Now we relax AKA anxiously await the results. *fingers crossed* I already told you some of the things we did to prepare for testing, specifically 4 ways to reduce testing anxiety , but here are some things I did throughout the testing week to keep kids calm and positive.  Say Goodbye to Worries: One day, we read Wilma Jean the Worry Machine, which is a Julia Cook book about a young girl who suffers from anxiety. Throughout the book, she learns that worrying isn't helpful and what she can do to deal with it. You can find it on Amazon here (affiliate link) or watch on YouTube here .  After reading, we talked about all of the testing "What Ifs" that students may be wondering. Like Wilma Jean, we discussed worries that we CAN control versus worries that we CANNOT control. Lastly, I encouraged students to write down their worries on a sticky note. I told them no one would see what they wrote - not even me....

Spring has sprung, and  a new season means new text features passages! First, let me tell you about how I teach text features in my classroom.  I love cutting up an old book, magazine, or Scholastic news to make an anchor chart. It's a great way to teach text features in context and make the concept a little less abstract.  Hand motions! Lots of hand motions. Whole brain teaching strategies help vocabulary stick.  See the full video here .  Revisit constantly. Every time you see a text feature, point it out, and discuss how it can help you with comprehension.  Three words: text features passages!  Learn more: I love using text features passages as practice and assessment. I originally created these products for my own classroom. I needed a way to assess my students’ understanding of text features other than by observation, and I wanted the assessment to tie in to our science and social studies curriculum...

I'm so excited, because April is HERE! It's my favorite month because... 1. spring break (duh) 2. my birthday 💁🏼 3. NATIONAL POETRY MONTH! I love using  poetry books  to teach my students poetry. I recently updated my poetry books to meet the needs of my third grade classroom: Use this book as a tool to teach your students poetry! Types of poems included: acrostic bio shape 5 senses haiku personification cinquain diamante (synonym and antonym) This product includes an example, a scaffolded prompt (You Try It!), and a blank space (Write Your Own) for EACH type of poem.  You can print 8.5 x 11 size books, or choose the format suitable for the mini books found in the Target Dollar Spot - sooo cute!  You can purchase the poetry book  here . Use it year after year for fun with your students! *                  *     ...

It's almost that time! *sigh* I've learned a lot about standardized testing throughout the years - unfortunately. Here are 4 of my favorite ways to help reduce my students' testing anxiety: 1. Put a Positive Spin On It Your language is important and will absolutely impact your students' attitude towards the test and therefore their performance. Start saying things like, "This is your opportunity to show how much you've learned this year," and "Your parents and I cannot wait to see how much you have grown!" Do you test in your classroom? Me too. That means I have to use butcher paper to cover up basically everything in my room, which is U-G-L-Y. One idea to make it better: Write inspirational quotes on top of that butcher paper. 2. Read All The Books There are many books about testing, but it's also a great time to talk about reducing anxiety and having strong work ethic. Here are some of my favorites: Testing: Testi...

So I heard you love Ivan as much as I do... ! We finished reading last week, but my students weren’t ready to let go yet! I love completing these activities after I finish reading The One and Only Ivan to my class. I don’t tell them that it is based on a true story until after we finish the novel. The surprise makes the content even more captivating and engaging! Ivan was actually adopted by Zoo Atlanta - where we live! - which makes my kids go crazy with excitement! We spent 3 days using these resources. Day one was for researching, day two was spent comparing and contrasting, and on the last day, students chose a newspaper prompt and wrote their articles. Of course, it’s totally up to you how you wish to use these resources. I like to give my students plenty of time to research on their own using QR codes linked to kid-appropriate news articles and videos.  . You may want to copy the “Field Notes” or "Observations" pages double-sided depending on how much time ...

I was shocked to find out that most of my students had never read A Bad Case of Stripes ! It’s usually a back to school book for me, but pulling it out in February to help us talk about empathy and compassion was perfect!  I tied it in to our reading skill - comparing perspectives - and then we had a class meeting to reflect on what makes each of us unique and why that’s so important.  To take it a step further, students wrote about something that makes them unique. I snapped some quick pics and printed them on computer paper for students to color over. It looks great in the hallway!  Want this writing template? Simply join my email list (no spam - I promise!) and I'll send the freebie your way immediately!  Send it please! Powered By ConvertKit Pin me!

We recently finished one of my favorite units: pollution and conservation. Over the years I've gathered ideas and resources that I thought you may be able to use to freshen up your own science unit! 1. READ Integrate your new topics into your literacy block. There are SO MANY wonderful options out there - both fiction and nonfiction - that you can use to teach reading skills while also building background knowledge for your students. I used some Scholastic Reading Club points and my public library to stock up on texts related to our unit. Favorite fiction: The Wump World Favorite nonfiction(ish): The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle Based on a true story: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind You can find all of the above and the rest of my favorites linked on my Amazon list   under "Conservation Books." 2. EXPERIMENT A coworker suggested this idea and I am going to use it EVERY YEAR from now on. For one day only, I hid the trash cans in my room. Eac...