Primary Chalkboard

MVP - Most Valuable Partnership

Hi, friends! It's Blair from One Lesson at a Time, here with an easy little strategy I use to make the most of student partnerships!

I think building a strong classroom community is just about the most important thing you can invest your time in during the school year. Obviously, the ability to work well with others is not only a critical skill in the classroom, but in life. I use TONS of grouping and partnership strategies to help my students maximize their learning potential. 

I think partner work is particularly powerful because each student has an equal opportunity to contribute to the team. Everybody brings certain skills and strengths to the table, and I love seeing students working together in ways that complement one another. 

Here's my TOTALLY blog-worthy partner work display. I KNOW. Contain yourselves. It's PRETTY FANCY. 

#reallife 

I write each student's name on a piece of colored card stock and slap it on a business card magnet. (Side note: If you have not yet discovered the beauty of business card magnets, allow me to introduce you to your new best friend. They are the jam.)


I love using the business card magnets because it allows me to easily change up partnerships often. Knowing how often to change 'em up is probably a whole different blog post in and of itself, but I like to give students opportunities to work with different partners as much as possible. Again, life skills and all that. 

At the top of that BEAUTIFUL picture (again, I apologize for how stunningly amazing my half-erased, crooked lettering is - I know it must be pretty intimidating to try to recreate such a fab-o setup), you can see I have a little spot for "Today's MVP". 

In this case, MVP stands for "Most Valuable Partnership". Each day, I am on the lookout for two students who really demonstrate WHY collaborative work can be so powerful. I am looking for more than just the students who are quietly working, behaving, etc. I am looking for partners who contribute equally, listen intently, and push each other to achieve at a higher level than each individual could reach on his or her own. 

Being the MVP means....

• Speaking respectfully
• Listening critically
• Sharing work equally
• Staying on task
• Being responsible to one another
• Valuing each other's perspective

I LOVE this system for a bunch of different reasons. For one thing, it is so, so easy on my end. It's a great way to recognize and reward students in a meaningful way. It encourages teamwork and allows students to share their success with one another. And it's an easy way to recognize each student in due time. I've found that it is very motivating for ALL my students...even the ones who may not always *love* working with a partner. I've seen students who normally butt heads really making an effort to work well together because they are more tuned in to what the expectations are. 

Some years, all I did was move the MVP magnets into the "special" spot on the board. For some groups, that was all the recognition they needed. For other classes, I printed out some simple MVP awards to distribute each day. 


If you want to download the awards to use with your own students, you can grab them for free by clicking {HERE}. I've included several different versions in both color and black and white because making choices is not my strong suit. :D 

For more ideas, here's where you can find me:


Thanks so much for stopping by today! 

Blair Turner


Using Poems in the Classroom

 
Hi friends!  It's Vicky from Teaching and Much Moore ~ Can you believe it's September already?  Geesh this year is flying by!
I'm so excited to share some ideas I have with today.  Do you incorporate poems in the classroom across the curriculum?  If not consider trying it out...here are some ideas:  

When I taught first grade I used them everyday during our reading group rotations.  They would highlight sight words and respond to the poem in some way.  Here's a sample of that:


I think using poems to teach concepts is so important whenever possible.  Poems/songs/rhymes help kids to learn concepts and offer a different modality to their learning style.  I have kids that chant these multiplication poems while working on their facts.  KIDS remember songs & chants much better than they remember by you showing them something.


These poems were made because the kids at my school already learned this in 2nd grade!  I added a plane and a bed to match and now as they are working on tests or assignments I hear them chant quietly: 4 or less let it rest, 5 or more let it soar!
It makes my heart happy to know that something I taught them sticks with them and makes their life easier!


So whenever possible try and incorporate poems or songs into your teaching day.  Kids come back to me years later and still sing a song I taught them at calendar time to teach them math concepts.  We all want our students to be successful in the classroom why not try this if you haven't incorporated it yet?  
P.S. They don't care if you can't sing. LOL  ~ I can't but they still think I 'rock it'.
xo, Vicky

Morning Messages

Hello friends!! :) It's Haley here from My Silly Firsties! :) I wanted to blog a little bit about Morning Messages today. It's such a fun way to start our day, and my kiddos are already loving it! 


Here's the reasons I came up with for doing a Morning Message! I'm sure there are tons more! I'd love to hear them!! 


Here are some ideas for what to include! :) Of course...you can do what feels right for you and your class!


And here are some examples! :) 





I hope this little post was helpful to you!! :) Be sure to check out the calendar for our upcoming posts! 


Way Back Wednesday


 Starting this week, Primary Chalkboard is going to bring you a link up for amazing posts that were written ages ago. We are recycling some of our favorite posts for you that we think you'll enjoy. 

Read through the titles to see what you'd like to read about! 

Labor Day Ideas for the Classroom


Sometimes, Labor Day gets skipped over during the month of September because of how busy curriculum starts off. If there is any freedom in your curriculum, it's a great holiday to incorporate. Reading, social studies, speaking and listening, and more! 



1. Host a Career Day
-Invite parents or other student family members to come into your classroom to chat about their jobs. One year, my grade level invited six people to come and the classes rotated through each room. The six helpers talked for about 10 minutes, then did a little activity for their career with each class. 
http://www.ehow.com/list_5890587_elementary-school-career-day-activities.html 
Here is a great article from eHow on hosting an elementary Career Day. 

http://kcschoolcounselorchic.blogspot.com/2013/02/career-day-fun_3.html   http://kcschoolcounselorchic.blogspot.com/2013/02/career-day-fun_3.html
Check out these darling decorations for Career Day from KC School Counselor Chic.



2. Teach a Community Helpers Unit
-Community Helper and Labor Day go hand in hand. This is when I have always taught my community helper units. I tried to make the unit cross-curricular, so we incorporated them in our math, in our reading centers, and into our content lessons. 

http://lifeinfirstgrade1.blogspot.com/2011/11/community-workers-sneaky-e-and-nonsense.htmlhttp://primarypunch.blogspot.com/2013/06/when-i-grow-up.html
 Check out these two activities for community helpers from Life in First Grade and Primary Punch

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Community-Helpers-317453 
 Writing, math, interactive activities, and more in this unit!



3. Back to Basics: Reading and Social Studies
-If you only have one or two days to teach Labor Day and can't afford to give up the week to do community helpers unit, teach the nonfiction meaning behind Labor Day. 
 (Source: No Time for Flash Cards)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paired-Passages-August-and-September-1970462https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Paired-Passages-August-and-September-1970462
 These two paired texts are part of my Paired Passages sets!



4. Make It Crafty
-Kids love arts and crafts! As long as you're making the craft meaningful, it'll work great in your Labor Day unit! 
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/labor-day-workers-cube-lesson-plan/
(Source: Crayola)

http://wren-daniels.blogspot.com/2012/03/preschool-crafts.html
(Source: Easy Breezy

http://terrificpreschoolyears.blogspot.com/2013/11/community-helper-of-month-police-officer.html

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/anatomy-for-children-fun-activities-186234

http://www.jampaper.com/blog/labor-day-paper-craft-i-heart-american-workers/
(Source: JAM Blog)


Thanks for reading! 
Brought to you by Jessica for Primary Chalkboard!
http://www.firstgradenest.com/at





What We're Chalking About September: A Visual Calendar

Hi all, Happy September!  What the what? September, oh my... How did that happen? 

It's Emma from Clever Classroom bringing you another, ''What We're Chalking About" post that covers what our multi-talented, cyber writers are posting about this month, via a visual calendar.

What We're Chalking About September: A Visual Calendar of blog posts from the authors at Primary Chalkboard

As you can see, our visual calendar aims to help you preview who and what is being posted.  

We have content for both primary and intermediate students, and topics that cover science, social studies, literacy, math, routines, planning and themes. 

This month, we are also featuring a few flash back posts, which we have aptly named, "Way Back Wednesday".
What We're Chalking About September: A Visual Calendar of blog posts from the authors at Primary Chalkboard

If you would like to receive notifications from us this month, click here to follow our blog. 


Here's what we have planned for you this month. 


1  Jessica from Second Grade Nest - Labor Day

2  Way Back Wednesday

3  Haley from My Silly Firsties - Morning Messages

4  Vicky from Teaching and Munch Moore - Poems in Primary Classrooms

5  Matt from Digital Divide and Conquer - MVP Partner Management

6  Autumn from The Primary Techie - Remembering 9/11

7  Karen from Mrs. Jone's Class - Interactive Notebooks

8  Nicole from Mrs. Rios Teaches - Back to School Night

9  Way Back Wednesday

10  Valerie from All Students can Shine - Primary Ideas

11  Naomi from Read Like a Rockstar - Class Newsletters

12  Sarah from Sarah's First Grade Snippets - Parent Involvement 

13  Anna from Simply Skilled in 2nd - Constitution Day

14  Emma from Clever Classroom - Social Skills and Classroom Expectations

15  Terry from Terry's Teaching Tidbits - Senses

16   Way Back Wednesday   

17  Katie from Teacher to the Core - Bats on the Brain

18  Laura from Peace Love and First Grade - Easy Ideas for Fundraising

19  Jennifer from Teaching to Inspire - 3-5 Ideas

20  Meg from The Teacher Studio - Accountable Talk

21  Ariane from The Science Penguin - The 5E Model Engage

22  Alyssha from Teaching and Tapas - Primary Ideas

23  Way Back Wednesday

24  Latoya from Flying into First Grade - Math Talks

25  Lisa from Growing Firsties - Student Goal Setting

26  Corinna from Surfin' Through Second - Math Games

27  Cyndie from Chalk One up for the Teacher - What's for Lunch?

28  Heather from 2 Brainy Apples - Social Studies

29  John from An Educators Life - Positive Culture

30 October's What We're Chalking About: October - Visual Calendar

What We're Chalking About September: A Visual Calendar of blog posts from the authors at Primary Chalkboard

To remember this post, you might like to pin it.  That way, you can come back to see the posts throughout the month. 

On the last day of each month, we will post this visual calendar for you to see what we have planned. 

If you have any suggestions that you would like us to write about, please comment below. 


Click here to see our posts from July

Click here to see our posts from August



Thanks so much for dropping by. 



Engaging Strategies for Integrating Reading in Social Studies

Hi everyone! I am so excited today is my blogging day at Primary Chalkboard! I am Heather from 2 Brainy Apples, and I am so excited to be teaching middle grades social studies this year! There is a LOT of content in our 6th grade SS curriculum. Lots of facts, lots of geography, lots of everything! And being an ex-elementary teacher, I believe that integration of reading into social studies is a non-negotiable. But reading passage after passage can get downright BORING. Even if the content is interesting, my students are sitting through 7 55-minute classes a day. If they are with me first thing in the morning, they may not mind sitting and reading....but, if they are with me at the end of the day, this is the last thing they want to do. And I totally understand how they feel. How do we feel after an all day professional development or meeting where we sit most of the time? I am ready for a nap! Or I am so focused on how much my bum hurts, I don't pay much attention. Knowing that reading is necessary, I decided to mix things up a little bit for my kiddos to keep them engaged and attentive to what they are reading, as well as having them look forward to reading about social studies content.

Engaging Reading Strategies for Social Studies- 2 Brainy Apples Primary Chalkboard
Photo courtesy of umjanedoan CC license

I like to write my own passages for the social studies content I have to teach. It allows me to make sure I include everything my students should know, I can leave out unneeded info, and I can add in fun facts that they may not have to learn, but it sure does make reading it a whole lot more fun! Even though I write the passages, I do get that my students may not be as excited about reading them as I would like. We do a lot of close reading, too, and this can be exhausting on their minds! I am on the team that doesn't believe in making my students close read everything I put in front of them. OVERLOAD. Some days my students might close read a paragraph. Other days they may close read half of the passage. Some days they will close read all of the passage. The goal is to get students to close read all on their OWN, without me having to tell them to do it. Easing them into, not forcing it will help them see how much close reading does help them understand the text, which will result in students choosing to close read the entire text without prompting be me. Lofty goal? Yes. Totally realistic? Absolutely! Has this happened in the past? Yep! 

Movement Reading
One way I bring novelty into reading is by taking the passage my students need to read and cutting apart the paragraph. Then I hang each paragraph in a different place in our hallway for them to find.
They are still reading the passage, completing the activities that go along with it, but they are moving about the hallway. There's something about just being up and moving, reading one paragraph at a time that really engages them! I do this with passages that have paragraphs that don't need to be read in chronological order. Otherwise it would be very difficult for the students to glean the meaning from the text. One passage I did this with was the passage I wrote about air pollution in the United Kingdom (one of our standards addresses environmental issues). I wrote the passage with 4 headings: overview of air pollution, sources of air pollution, effects of air pollution, what the UK is trying to do to solve the issue of air pollution. There ended up being 3 paragraphs about the effects, 2 paragraphs about the solutions, 1 paragraph about the sources, 1 paragraph about what air pollution is, and a conclusion paragraph. Students did not need to read the paragraphs in order to be able to complete the activity pages I gave to them because it was not a chronological text structure. Students were free to wander the hallway looking for each paragraph that would help them complete the activity pages. I gave students activity pages because I wanted them to be accountable for what they were reading. One activity page was about how smog is formed, one activity page was about the solutions the UK is implementing, and they had to create a foldable with the sources and effects of air pollution. My students were totally engaged the entire 55 minutes because they were able to move at their own pace. They read in chunks, moved, read some more, completed an activity page, moved again, etc. The movement really helped my kiddos I teach at the very end of the day keep from being bored and kept them focused.

Jigsaw Reading
Another strategy I use is the jigsaw method to integrate reading. The next passage I had my students read was about the acid rain issue in Germany. Instead of having my students read the entire passage, I broke them into 8 learning groups because I had 8 paragraphs (each group had about 3-4 students).
Again, because the paragraphs did not need to be read in chronological order, I did not have to worry about students reading a paragraph out of order. If the text structure was chronological, I would have had my students read more than just 1 paragraph of the text in their learning groups to prevent confusion. The headings of the passage were similar to the air pollution passage: what is acid rain, sources of acid rain, effects of acid rain, and solutions Germany is implementing to decrease acid rain. Each learning group had the same paragraph to close read. After they read their paragraph, they then discussed the ideas presented and took notes to ensure they were experts on their information. Once they were comfortable with the information they read, I reassigned them into expert groups. I took one student from each learning group to make 3 or 4 8-person groups, depending on how many students I had in my class for that particular period. Yes, these groups were larger than the first grouping, and sometimes having a large group can be a problem because each student's voice won't be heard. However, since only 1 student (or at the most 2) in each group was an expert on his/her particular paragraph, this wasn't an issue. Students also had 2 activity pages and a foldable they needed to complete while these discussions were taking place, so they knew they needed to be attentive and participate. Each student took time to share his/her information, answering questions the other students may have had about the particular aspect presented. I loved this! I was able to walk around and listen to the conversations taking place, making notes on which students understood the reading and which ones did not. Students having to answer questions to clarify to their classmates is such a powerful learning tool! And the best part? I did not have to teach my students anything about acid rain because they did it themselves. And I guarantee they were more engaged and interested in the topic than if I had led the discussion after they had read every paragraph by themselves. 

I know I am going to be using these 2 strategies a lot more often in my social studies classroom because they kept my students engaged, and they told me that they enjoyed the activities because they weren't sitting at their desks doing it. Sometimes it's the little things in life! Have you tried these strategies in your classroom? I would love to hear about your experiences! 'Till next time!

Heather


2 Brainy Apples blog
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