Polar Bear Close Read

Friends~Do you LOVE close reads?  I sure do and so do my students.  Next week,  we will be studying the Polar Bear and I know they are going to be crazy about them!  They also love QR codes so I thought I would mix the two up.  I created a Polar Bear Close Read for our listening center.  

It was so simple to do.  I printed out my FREE Polar Bear Close Read and then mounted it to a file folder upside down.  (I wanted the tab at the bottom.)  Now my students can open the folder and read the text or scan the code to have it read to them by me!  I also added my Close Reading Boomarks.  I really like when my students use the bookmarks because they help them pick apart the text.  Because I laminated the folder, my students can use expo markers to write on the text to help them pinpoint important information.  They can also answer the comprehension questions on the back.  

Watch this quick tutorial showing how I put this close read listening center together for my students. 

One wipe and they are clean for the next student to use!

Plus, it saves tons on copies!  

You can grab a FREE copy of the file by clicking the image below!  

We will also be making life size models of polar bear paws!  Check them out! They are fascinating!
Click the image above to read more about our Polar Bear Study!

Personal Slates

Friends~So I have a HUGE and I mean HUGE collection of folders from past years.  I have been trying to figure out just what to do with them. I love saving money and paper in my classroom.  This is what I came up with.
Directions: 

1.Take one folder with prongs. 

2. Add one plastic sheet protector.  

3. Slide in a sheet of copy paper.

4. Add dry erase markers and that's it!

(I hot glued pom poms to the sides as erasers.  I never wanted to hot glue to the tops because then my students couldn't put the tops on the markers when they were working.  The sides work perfectly!)

 These babies have transformed my classroom.  My kiddos used tons of notebook paper and composition books in the past.  I was constantly drowning in PAPER!

With these slates, my students are able to respond to our classroom lessons easily and without excess paper.  

Plus: My students are crazy about them!

I have students that I have struggled to get to participate writing on their slates to answer questions during our lessons. WHAT?????????

They are portable so my kiddos take them everywhere! 

~They are so much easier than using a white board. They fit anywhere a folder does,  I can add things to the pockets to individualize them, and they work for any subject.  

~When I set up center work that requires a sheet for them to work on, I just copy it on card stock and the students slide it into their slate pouches!

Kids, Yoga, and the Brain

Friends~Yoga is an incredible exercise for both the brain and the body.  That is why I love that at my school ALL students have PE everyday and one of those days is a YOGA class.  

(We even have recess too!)

Yep! That's right! Grades K-8. 

Once a week, my students head to our yoga room, take off their shoes, and roll out their mats.  Why? because we want our students to connect their brains to their body movements! We want our students to be healthy active learners.  

Yoga is a fantastic way for children to activate both sides of their brains.  Many yoga poses encourage cross body motions that strengthen the connection between the right and left hemisphere of the brain. 
The right side controls emotions and creativity while the left side handles more logic and numbers.  When both sides of the brain are activated learning becomes easier.  

We all know that students these days are feeling the stress of testing in the classroom.  Some schools are even considering limiting or getting rid of recess!

Yoga allows them to focus on their breathing when stress enters their bodies.  The breathing encourage a release of that stress.  Students that are active and learn to understand their bodies are more confident and able to handle what life throws at them.  

I know from my own daughter, the stress level for our young teens at school can be intense. She relies on the focused breathing that she has learned in yoga to stay in control both at school and on the softball field.  My 3rd grade son loves yoga and was so excited to show you all some of the poses he has learned in school. 

Click the video to see him in action! 

As a teacher, I see the benefit in the classroom     everyday.  We use some of the yoga breathing and cross body activities during our morning meeting and at the end of the day.  My first graders are more focused and centered after their yoga class and it is great for brain breaks in the classroom.  

If you don't have yoga in your school, I encourage you to add it into your weekly routine.  This is a simple video to get you started! 

I just love this poster!  

ABCs of Yoga has some great resources!

~A Yoga pose a day keeps the stress away!