You Oughta Know About...the 4 R's

Thank you Mrs. McClain for hosting this blog hop once again! I'm always happy to participate.

This month I'd like to share an effective reading strategy I've been using for years...so long I forgot where I initially heard about it. I've had success with this strategy with first-graders up through fifth-graders. While it is good for any text, I find it especially helpful for nonfiction. It's called 4 R's. 

Read

Cover

Remember

Retell

Sounds way too simple, right? Have students read a short portion of text (independently, with a partner, all together...it doesn't matter). Next they cover the section with their hand. The third step is the most important: they silently remember what they just read about. I usually give them 5-10 seconds of remembering time, depending on the complexity of the text. Lastly, they retell the text to a partner.

To make students accountable for this strategy we play a game called "I Remember". They know they have to retell and they have to listen carefully to what their partner says because they will be sharing both if called on. To play I remember I randomly call a student. They begin with the sentence stem: "My partner remembered..., and I remembered...". This little activity not only holds them accountable for the text, but also helps them comprehend the text better by listening to the details that their classmates got that may differ from what they got out of it. And it gives me insight to their level of comprehension: are they regurgitating what they just heard? Are they referring to the text explicitly? Or are they inferring or drawing conclusions based on what they just read?

I get tons of information. Students are really comprehending the text and having in depth conversations about the text. And best of all, there are absolutely no worksheets that I have to grade!

Thank you for taking time to read my post! Now hop on over to one of these other fabulous bloggers for more great information:

An InLinkz Link-up

Week 2...and Still Surviving!

I am loving this switch to 5th grade! Through all this chaos, I'm trying to keep up on my blog (yeah right!), join in pinning parties, facilitate my school's professional development, learn a completely different curriculum, and make time for my family. Doesn't sound too difficult?

I'm happy to say that my classroom is finally just like I want it to be...ugly, useless TV removed, interactive bulletin boards up and running, and a good start on the Leader in Me program. Here's to a fabulous year!

4-square "A Great Classmate..." Loved this cooperative learning activity!

Multiplication rockets blasting off

The math conversation bubbles were a TPT find; the hard-to-see vocabulary cards are on my TPT store for kindergarten through 5th grade: CCSS Vocabulary Posters

Trying something new this year--Math Daily 3--so far the kids are loving it, but I'm having a hard time finding TIME to implement. We'll keep on trying.

No more ugly TV blocking my math board!

Schedule Signs: another product from my TPT store--I've been using this one for 4 years now!

And finally...my 7 Habits posters to go with our Leadership Jobs.

I'm Finished...Just in Time for Open House!

Woohoo!!!
Finally finished my new 5th grade room. Well, not exactly new; it's the same classroom, just a new grade level. And just in time for our Open House tonight. It was wonderful to meet all my new kiddos and their parents (I think some of the parents were more nervous than the kids). Now I can't wait for Monday! Here are the pictures; you can tell I like green. :)

My birthday banner (a few different options on my TPT store) and behavior chart.

 

Writing process with the glare from my window and job chart. 7 Habits posters will be added as we get the program up and running.

 





My door...I love this saying. It was a Pinterest find of course! And the view from my door.

 

The view from the front.

 My library...super easy book bin labels: black construction paper, silver Sharpie marker, and zebra print duct tape!My reading wall (I love the pom-poms from Michaels)

My book corner with the schedule and objectives.

Math wall...the giant, unused TV should be moved by next week.

It's hard to see, but my reading genre posters from my TPT store are above the Smartboard. I have them in 2 different color schemes. This is the turquoise and lime.

And finally, the view from my desk.  Happy new school year to all!

Time for ANOTHER Switch!

Oh my goodness! I've just been moved from 1st grade to 5th! Don't you love those last minute adjustments? To be fair, I asked my principal last spring to be moved to a different grade level. 7 years with 1st graders is enough. I want to experience all this rewarding job has to offer, and that means working with kiddos of all ages. So now, I need to turn my 1st grade classroom into something a little less cutsie.

 First grade set-up...
 

 last week...


and I haven't gotten much further. Still waiting on desks and texts to arrive...hopefully they'll be here before school starts! I'll post finished pictures as soon as I'm done :)

You Oughta Know About...Open House

I'm linking up with Mrs. McClain for her August "You Oughta Know" blog hop. This month the theme is back to school...it's that time again!

My school, like many, hosts an Open House (or Meet the Teacher) night before school begins. After working at a school that didn't offer this for the first 7 years I was there, I really appreciate its importance for helping students (and teachers) get over those first day jitters. 

5 stress-free tips for success:

1. It's okay if your classroom doesn't look perfect (gasp!!!). With too much to look at and experience, things can get pretty chaotic. Scarce bulletin boards and displays give more of a sense of serenity...the chaos can come later!

2. Have all back to school paperwork ready for parents to take home. I put mine in labeled folders at their new seat, so each family can find it easily. This eliminates that headache (for you, parents, and kids) of keeping track of all those forms the first day of school. If time isn't an issue, I ask parents to fill them out right there while their kids are exploring the classroom.

3. Have your volunteer lists ready to go (sorry no picture for this). I write each volunteer activity (holiday parties, daily helpers, field trip chaperones, etc.) on a different color construction paper with columns for names, phone numbers, and email. I tell parents they are required to volunteer on at least one paper. This does not mean they have to attend (work schedules aren't always flexible for families), but that they may be willing to supply something for the event. Every year I have at least one parent who loves to organize, so I leave a spot at the top for a parent to sign up as party coordinator. This way I don't have to worry about planning a Halloween party at the same time I'm planning report cards and parent/teacher conferences, for example.

4. Let students see their names...everywhere! Students want to feel welcome and part of a class. To help out, I put their names on their seats, folders, and on my word wall. If students come to open house that weren't on my original class list, I have them help me add their names (always have extra seats and supplies on hand).

5. Finally, what better way to get them started than with a "survival kit". I put these notes in a sandwich bag with all the goodies listed in the poem (life saver, eraser, penny, bandage, star sticker, tissue, and sticker). Parents and kids love to go home with this little goody, and it takes very little time and money to put together. I have survival kits for kindergarten through third grade. Click on the link to check them out. Survival Kits

All this said, I hope your open house is a success. Have a wonderful school year!

An InLinkz Link-up

Back To School Sale

I'm participating in TPT's back-to-school sale on August 4-5. Everything in my store is 20% off. If you use the promo code below, you can get up to an extra 8% off.

TPT

Daily 5

When I read the first edition of The Daily Five by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser I loved it, and couldn't wait to get started. Then I hit a few hiccups: I didn't have enough time to get through all 5 activities each day, my listening center kept crashing, my first graders had a hard time brainstorming reasons for the anchor charts, and the "looks like, sounds like, and feels like" sections didn't make sense for them. I'd heard so much about this program from friends, and was disappointed that I couldn't get the results they were getting. Needless to say, I was a little dubious when the 2nd edition came out, and bought it merely for the chapter on the math Daily 3...but what a surprise! Every problem I faced with my initial attempts was answered in this book. All the questions I had and troubles I experienced were faced by the authors themselves. I can't wait to try it again this year (in whatever grade I end up teaching)! I already have most of the displays and handouts, but my I-PICK chart was a little worn out, so I made one to go with my school's mascot. Enjoy this freebie...and read this book!

I-PICK Poster