My Journey into CLR

I am taking a journey into CLR or Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning.

CLR is
"The validation and affirmation of the home (indigenous) culture and home language for the purposes of building and bridging the student to success in the culture of academia and mainstream society."
 -Hollie, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning:  Classroom Practices for Student Success (2011), p. 23

CLR means going to where the students are culturally and linguistically for the purpose of bringing them where they need to be academically.

CLR benefits underserved students.

An underserved student is any student who is not successful academically, socially, and/or behaviorally in school because the school as an institution is not being responsive to that student.

And yes, this book now tops my summer reading list!

My journey into CLR is a move from traditional teaching and learning to a culturally responsive method of teaching and learning.  A move from teacher centered to student centered instruction.  A move from high affective filter to creating a classroom environment that encourages a lower affective filter where our classroom community is accepting and respectful of diversity.

You can make the move too.  Dive in NOW!

1.  Use attention getting signals that are culturally responsive - infuse language, rhythm, youth culture


2.  Use responding / discussing protocols
     Click here for ideas and descriptions

3.  Use movement activities

Make a commitment to your underserved students!  Make a change today!

This is just the tip of the CLR iceberg!  Find TONS more information at culturallyresponsive.org

Teacher Training Bootcamp

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope this day finds you happy, healthy, and enjoying time with your family.

If you will recall from my previous posts {here} and {here}, I offered help in providing tips of how to infuse technology into the classroom. I have had several people respond to my offer and it really means a lot to me to help in this way. I know from experience technology is not going to revolutionize education, but when technologies are being used by the extraordinary talents of teachers, great things can happen. This is why I am so passionate about getting the word out. Technology does make a difference!

Many of you were interested in learning more about Google Apps for Education (GAFE). This is why I started a new project, with some extraordinary teachers, called Teacher Training Bootcamp. The first edition of the blog series is to share what we are learning as we go through the process of becoming Google Certified. So far we have shared about Gmail, Calendar, and Google Drive. Our next topic will be Google Sites. 

Our first tip was using Gmail. There are a lot of ways to use this remarkable tool besides sending email. For example, have you ever heard of Google Voice? Did you know you can chat or have Google Hangouts with colleagues and students as part of your Gmail account? You can also learn about using Google tasks and other tips to keep you organized and on top of your game. Click {here} to learn more.

How do you stay on top of your busy, hectic schedule? Google calendar makes it super easy to stay connected. Did you know it's possible to create multiple calendars to share with other people including parents and students? Some even use the calendar to create lesson plans. Click here to check out all of the posts about how Google calendar can help you.

Our latest posts have been all about Google Drive. To be honest, we should have dedicated Google Drive to three or four posts. I had a lot of people ask me how to use Drive for primary students. So my post was all about how to create quizzes for young students using images and page breaks. Other topics discussed were creating forms, sharing folders, embedding forms in your Google site, and much more. Click {here} to read all about how Google Drive can help you.

The great thing about this blog series is you can join in on the fun too! Feel free to link up with us if you have written or would like to write about the topics below. Here is the schedule:

Our next series will be about iPad apps in the classroom. What other topics would you like to learn more to will help you turn an ordinary day of teaching into an extraordinary one?

Easy-Prep Writing Centers!

One of the things I love most about first grade is witnessing the HUGE growth in writing throughout the year. By the end of first grade, most of my students love writing and can write several pages on a topic.

We do writer’s workshop in our district,  but I also love to include lots of different creative writing activities during center time.  My favorites are the ones I can reuse over and over again, with minimal prep.

Here, I’ll give you my top 10 easy writing centers- easy to prep, easy to change from week to week, free or inexpensive, and best of all, kids love ‘em because they are FUN!

1. Stamp a story- I think I've bought just about every stamp set from Oriental Trading Co. to make this fun center. I just switch out the set each week to go with our theme. Kids stamp, draw around the stamps, then they can write a story or describe their picture. I have a TON of themed sets. Some favorite themes are birthday, outer space, and of course, dinosaurs are always a hit!

2. Sticker story center! Just change the stickers to vary the theme! I get stickers from the dollar store and let kids pick up to 4 stickers to use in their picture, then draw the remaining scene and write a story. Check out the great freebie (click pic to get it) by Sarah Paul I found on TpT . 

3. Magazine Center- A Picture is worth 1,000 words! If you have old magazines, simply look through and rip out pages that you think may spark a writing idea! Funny ones are great (can you imagine the story for the cat picture below??), but so are ones that kids can relate to and write about a past experience. If you don’t have old magazines, ask parents- I always get a ton sent in when I do. TIP: go through the magazines to ‘censor’ (rip out pages) before putting them out- kids love to giggle and make fun of underwear ads J.

Another idea for magazine pictures:  I taped small pictures to index cards, then wrote some reference words on the back of each. Kids can use them to write a story OR, you can number 6 pictures, place them in a folder, and have kids write a sentence about each of the pictures! Template included in my freebie.

4. Theme writing center- I like to get kids thinking about our current themes, so I have a theme writing center, which usually has a prompt for kids to write about. Check out this week’s center, Earth Day People, courtesy of Kelly Everoski from Happily Ever After Education. I just love how these came out and the kids LOVED making them!  Click on the picture to see her awesome pack.

5. Word wall story- OK, I must admit, I’m a word wall addict. I love providing theme word walls for writing inspiration, as well as spelling reference. I have word walls for just about every theme imaginable. Here is a FREE one by 2 Super Teachers on TpT that we used for our writing center this week (click pic to get it). Check the bottom of this post for one of my own word wall freebies!

6. Starfall journal- Did I mention I love word walls? Well, I just LOVE these little journals by starfall.com (If you don’t know this website, you must get to know it! Lots of emergent reading and writing activities.). The journals include writing prompts and mini word walls with nouns, verbs and adjectives students can use to help them. They’re not free, but so worth the small price. I also buy the blank journals to make scrapbooks.

7. A day in the life of . . .  This is your typical “If I were a . . ." writing prompt. Kids love to pretend, so this center is perfect for little minds with BIG imaginations! I like to include craftivities here- for example, after kids write “If I were the Easter Bunny. . .” I would have them create a bunny holding their paper, or “If I were a leprechaun. .  .” they would make a leprechaun holding their paper.

8. Letter-writing center- I don’t have pictures of this center, as I just got back from maternity leave and didn’t get a chance to set it up this year, but this is another popular center with kids. After discussing different purposes for letter-writing, I place letter stationary and envelopes at this center, and a mailbox (made from a shoebox) for kids to ‘mail’ their letters from. They can write to the principal to ask for longer recess time, to the cafeteria workers with lunch requests, or to their friends in other classrooms. Pick some ‘postal workers’ to deliver the letters and this center will be a HIT! I included a template for you also!

9. Greeting card – Who doesn’t love to brighten someone’s day with a nice card? This center is great because kids will enjoy making these cards for different people, so  they’ll keep writing (I have a small collection on my file cabinet already- make sure you make lots of copies!) YUP, you’ll be getting this template for free! =)

10. Riddle center- Riddles are a great way to assess student learning. I use riddles after many topics and have kids match the riddle to the answers. A great center (that can incorporate any other subject) is to have books that go with your theme in a basket, add some index cards and ask kids to write a “Who Am I?” riddle on one side, and the answer on the other side. Then, you can share them with the class as a culminating review of your theme!

OK, so I know this post was long, but hopefully you got some good center ideas for your last couple of months of the school year. And here's a freebie, made exclusively for you! It has some of the templates found in this blog post.

Here’s another freebie from my store. . . with a word wall :), and my newest writing centers pack (not free, but on sale right now :D)!

 Do you have any more ideas for 'easy-to-prep and reuse' writing centers? 

I'd love to hear them!

It's Planting Season!

I just love this time of the year when everything is blooming and summer is right around the corner.  In kindergarten, we've been learning all about the life cycles of plants and insects.  We've always planted using soil and clear cups.  This year we decided to be a little bit more creative!  So, we made very hairy caterpillars.  Here are the materials we used:

• Planting soil
• knee high nylons (10 pack from Target)
• girls hair rubber bands - 2 per child
• 1 package of grass seed
• googly eyes & tooth picks
• pom poms 
• pipe cleaners
• funnel made from a cup - cut the bottom part off

First, we mixed the soil and grass seed in a big bucket.  Then, we had kids scoop the soil into their nylons making them pretty fat.

Then, one of the kindergarten teachers helped tie the rubber bands around the body.  We made 3 parts, so we needed 2 rubber bands per child.  We tied the caterpillars and trimmed any extra nylon hanging off.

 

Next, we placed all of the caterpillars in the bucket and soaked them in water for about 30 minutes.  

 

After about 30 minutes we took them out and place them in plastic bags overnight.  The next morning, we pulled them out and put the antennae and eyes in.  This was a little messy because they were still wet.  But, we were really excited to get them finished and placed in the front of the school for everyone to see!   I actually hot glued all the pom poms onto the antennae.  It was a lot of work, but well worth it!  I also hot glued all of the googly eyes onto tooth picks so they could just stick in the body.  We tied the antennae around the neck and carefully place in the garden.

 

 

And of course I had to make cute signs for our caterpillar garden, which you can find {here} if you are interested in doing this project with your kiddos!   

We also did some close reading activities with the kids.  We read each passage and found the important information and illustrated in our reading journals.  They did a great job!  You can find both passages {here}.

Buzz on over to my {TPT} store for more great learning activities.  Happy spring! 

ABC Countdown...to the end of the year!

This past week in the suburbs of Chicago we have had a 70 degree day and a 43 degree day!  We are barely celebrating Spring and I am going to share with you how I count down to the end of the school year.  I was going to wait until next month, but for some it may be too late to plan as you need 26 days!

As we start the last quarter, I am sure all of us experience our students becoming less focused and even less motivated at the end of the year.  Though I feel strongly about keeping a routine until the last days of school, adding a little fun sure does help with the end of the year blues!  For the last few years, I have implemented the 'End of the Year~ABC Countdown.'  This has added some fun to our last days together.

Look at your school calendar and count back 26 'school days.'   Label each day with a letter from A to Z!  Then, check out my 'idea list' and decide (or have your class decide) which activity you will 'celebrate' each day.  I always try to choose a balance of activities.   Some activities do include students to participate and bring/wear something from home.  Choose activities that fit your classroom and busy end of the year schedule.

Click below to get your free ABC Countdown idea list as well as two 'mini' posters to post in your classroom.  I print the 'mini' poster on cardstock and laminate it.  I use a dry erase marker to write our ABC Day on it.  The kids LOVE our ABC Countdown and so do I!  Here's to counting down...

Celebrate Earth Day Everyday In Your Classroom

With Earth Day fast approaching many classrooms are dusting off their Lorax books and recycling resources to pay tribute to a very important cause- sustaining our planet for a better future. Whilst a day in the spotlight raises global awareness across the planet, is one day enough to celebrate this cause? Rather than making Earth Day a celebration one day a year, there are many small things your classroom can do to celebrate Earth Day every day of the year and make our planet a better, cleaner, sustainable place.

I have created some real life Earth Day posters with practical and easy to apply suggestions that you and your students can follow to celebrate Earth Day everyday.

REUSE in the classroom

1) Plastic Bottles: Why use and waste another plastic bottle when you can simple wash, rinse and reuse your plastic water battles? Fact: Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting http://greenupgrader.com/3258/plastic-bottle-facts-make-you-think-before-you-drink/

Reuse cleaning cloths: Paper towels and tissues create an enormous quantity of waste for the environment. By simply reusing cleaning towels, your classroom can reduce paper waste. Fact: To make one ton of paper towels, 17 trees are cut down and 20,000 gallons of water are consumed. https://www.peopletowels.com/aboutpt/WageWarOnWaste

3) Reuse your lunch bags: If your students use lunch bags encourage them to reuse them and treat them as important objects, not a readily disposable material. A paper bag that is treated with care can withstand dozens of reuses.

Fact: RecycleWorks.org estimates that an individual using a disposable lunch generates 4-8 ounces of garbage each day, which can add up to as much as 100 pounds of trash per year.

RECYCLE in the classroom

1) Recycle paper and cardboard: There is potential use for every scrap of paper, whether it be for an art project, class projects or simply for free coloring time. Encourage your students to collect and store their scrap paper and how to use it again and again. Pieces that cannot be reused can then be recycled. https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-recycling

Fact: If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we could save about 25 million trees each year.

2) Plastic Bottles: Recycle all plastic bottles in your classroom, such as milk containers, juice packages, and drink bottles.

Fact: Americans throw away 25,000,000 plastic bottles every hour. https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-recycling

3) Aluminum Cans: Aluminum cans are very easy to recycle.

Fact: Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to listen to a full album on your iPod. Recycling 100 cans could light your bedroom for two whole weeks.

https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-recycling

REDUCE in the classroom:

1) Energy: The classroom is full of machines, lights and other fun things that can be put to sleep when not in use. Simple flicks of switches all make a difference in supporting an environmentally friendly classroom. Fact: Turning off the lights in one classroom for one hour keeps over two pounds of pollutants out of the environment. (National Energy Foundation)

2) Water: Remember to turn off all taps when not in use, and to only turn the tap on the run for the shortest amount of time possible. Encourage students to use the water fountains sparingly. I like to use the 1-2-3 rule, where students count to three in their heads while they have a drink of water. Fact: The average household's leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry. http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/fixleak.html

3) Waste: Reducing your classroom waste, will reduce your impact on the environment. Fact: In 2009, Americans produced enough trash to circle the Earth 24 times. https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-recycling

Free Resource

If you would like a hard copy of these posters for your Earth Day lessons they are available for FREE via my Facebook page. Just click the picture below and search for the Earth Day tab on Facebook (as seen in the picture):