Do you love to play BINGO with kids!? I know that my students LOVE Bingo! But what they do tend to do with regrouping in addition and regrouping in subtraction is get bored! So, why not connect BINGO with kids and regrouping in addition and subtraction! Let's take a look at why these two skills can be connected to gain academic success!
Bingo Benefits!
1. BINGO with kids turns an activity from boring to exciting! We have all seen it-with almost all games we end up playing with out class. But there is something special about BINGO! I don't know if it is the thrill of hunting the number that is called, the risk of winning, the risk of loosing, or all of it combined that makes this game GREAT!
2. It grows critical thinking skills - Yep, I didn't believe it till I did some investigation. You see, when students are playing BINGO, they are forecasting the next set of possible events. This kind of thinking builds the area of critical thinking skills. It seems just too simple to be true-but it is!
3. It also works on a number of skills under the heading of "sportsmanship". Students must learn to win, loose, and celebrate others all while playing this game. They are social and learn to talk to each other in a way that is acceptable to the category of sportsmanship.
And, when you pair that with MATH you get a win-win situation!
The Benefits to Your Math Instruction
Yes, there are benefits to your math instruction as well. One of the best ways that you benefit is through engagement. Students are motivated to win the game-and to win BINGO, you must be accurate. When we play addition with regrouping or subtraction with regrouping BINGO, I talk to my students about how inaccurate answers will cause them to instantly loose the game! If you don't have the right answer, you can't cross it off for the BINGO!
Engagement is another area that boosts your math instruction in addition with regrouping or subtraction with regrouping. When students have a purpose greater than "just practice", students will be more engaged. These BINGOs have become one of the highest engaged moments in my classroom! Imagine, students who want to practice this skill, are excited to practice, and have an end game in mind which leads to success! LOVE IT!
How Simple is It?
It's this simple!
1. Head on over to my TpT Store and check out the BINGO's I currently have available.
2. Print out how many you need. There are 25 game boards in each of these!
3. Print out the Calling Card - The great news is, you can call these numbers more than once! During our Math block, I am able to have students finish the work and we play BINGO about 3 times! How awesome is that!
I hope you have gained some ideas about the benefits of BINGO with kids, even beyond math! It is a wonderful way to add engagement and fun in your classroom while you build critical thinking skills and sportsmanship! I'd love to hear how you use BINGO in your classroom - so, drop a comment below!
Do you spend a lot of time agonizing over how to request supplies you need during your Back to School Night or Open House? Many teachers use lists to show parents what they need for the learning that goes on in their classroom. Have you ever thought to use a themed Giving Tree for this all important request list? Here are a few ideas for your classroom donations!
Easy to Use Design
These Giving Trees are totally easy to use! Inside each of the Giving Trees you will find the letters to complete your display, the 8.5' x 11" poster that communicates the fact that you need to get those supplies for your classroom, and awesome frames for you to write your supplies on. Everything you need!
Displaying Your Giving Tree
These are super easy to display too! All you need is a white board, a bulletin board, your classroom door, or a display board! I've seen them done in all of these ways! Here's how you put this together. 1. Print out all of the materials you will need. 2. Cut out the letters and other items. You may want to laminate them because you can sue them year after year! 3. Write your wish list items one at a time on each frame. 4. Display your Giving Tree in your room! 5. Get those supplies! Whoot!!
Things to Remember!
Think across your school year and subjects for your supply needs. Think about those craft projects or those STEM activities that escape you right now! Holiday parties and events are another thing to think about! Dig into your year and go from there!
It is always key to thank parents for the supplies that they send in. Simply sending a thank you note is one of the easiest ways to thank them. One great way to show everyone what supplies were donated and say thank you all at once is to make a picture collage of all the goodies and send it out to all the parents at once! It's a super fun way to show your thanks!
Themes!
There are so many themes available that you should find something that meets your needs! If you don't see one here, I could probably whip one up for your needs! Simply leave a comment or email me at classroombestdays@gmail.com to share your idea! Here are the themes available in my store now!
As you can see, using Giving Trees to request supplies you need at Back-to-School Night or Open House can be a simple and fun process. I'd love to see you try one out! Drop a comment if you have other ideas of how to ask for supplies! We'd love your suggestions! Want to discover more about how to make your classroom more student-led during the first week of school? Check out this blog post!
Every now and again I share a great giveaway! This one is one of those! I've paired up with 10 Teacher/Authors to #SendYoutheLove!
We are super excited to give you a chance to win a $100 gift card to TpT! With the sale starting on Wednesday, February 14th, this would be an awesome way to purchase what you need for your classroom! Join the fun by entering the Rafflecopter below!
The winner will be announced on Wednesday, February 14th! So, check back to find out who wins. *This contest is not sponsored by Blogger or TpT. Winners will receive 10 gift card codes to use on TpT!
Happy New Year everyone, even if it is a little early! Or, you may be joining me for a look at this STEM based off a duplicate product found in my store! Either way, be prepared for some FUN with STEM and Sound Energy!
In this STEM you will find the following steps: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, and Improve. I have also included a chance to Reflect on this STEM though a quote provided to inspire deeper thinking about this activity. It is important to know that while STEMS come with a variety of step models, each of these models cover the same principles within STEM. The key is that students apply the principals of creativity and engineering. Students should be developing systems and ideas based on what they see as the best form of applying their personal skills and the concept presented to them in the challenge at hand. That means you are as hands off as possible. The only thing I really did in this STEM was to manage supplies, cut the duct tape (because it is REALLY sticky), mark the results, and vacuum after the clean-up (More on how to avoid this from my lesson learned to come!) So, here we go!
First, students were able to apply their understanding of sound energy from their schema from our lessons in class and from the video suggested in the product found here. This is the ASK stage!
In the product, you will find an open note taking page and a guided notes page. With my third graders I use the guided page. I also let them watch the video once through without taking any notes. Then, I stopped it at spots so they could write down what they learned because she talks REALLY fast! You could always swap out this video with another, as the Powerpoint allows you to embed any video you choose (directions are included).
Once my students worked through the ASK stage, they moved to Imagine. This is where students had to think about the Criteria and Constraints involved in this activity. In other words, what the could and could not do. These are established to keep students within a boundary so that they are not getting off task and wasting time going down bunny trails or even socializing. In this STEM, one of the Criteria is that they must have different designs for each team member's noisemakers. This was key, as one team got off target because, during create, they decided they liked another noisemaker better. They all wanted it and headed down that bunny trail. I was able to redirect back to the criteria to get those students back on their PLAN!
Yes, that's the next step, PLAN! In Imagine, students are simply brainstorming all of the possibilities that they have. This PLANning stage allows them to square up the actual plan they have. In this case, this is where students developed a specific system to make noise and decided on what supplies they needed. I supplied them with beans, rice, cereal, duct tape (needed but STICKY), paper towel rolls, gift wrap rolls (A parent brought them in!), paper plates, jingle bells, fabric, embroidery hoops, cups, tongue depressors, staplers, regular tape, and glue. Then I opened my classroom cabinets to them with the understanding that it couldn't be anything that I needed back from them! Many of these things were already in my room. I did utilize parents for some of the things that needed to be purchased (beans, rice, cereal, jingle bells). I gave them a good amount of time to plan. They did a very good job of planning and knew what they needed when we moved onto CREATE!
CREATE is the time that they will actually BUILD their noisemaker. I provide a half hour for this step. This seems to be a fair amount of time for all groups to be able to be ready, based on the STEMS that I have completed so far. This did not include the time I used to pass out supplies. I did this pre-CREATE. I had student team members come to a table area and pick up supplies such as the rice, beans, and cereal. This is where I didn't think! Before they started CREATE, I should have laid down large pieces of bulletin board paper. We had a little bit of a mess from kids not knowing how to pour the materials. I was able to show them how to make paper funnels after I discovered that pouring didn't work so well. I would definitely suggest this for your classroom before you begin! I haven't vacuumed in years, as we have wood floors at home and I sweep! It was an experience for sure! Anyways, students went fully into CREATE mode and were able to complete this step within the half hour provided!
Now it was time to test their systems! Included in the product is a fun slide in the Powerpoint just for this! It includes a website specifically designed for detecting sound levels in the classroom with a fun graphic-Bouncy Balls! I used this and set the bouncy balls on the lowest amount available. Then I explained we would use the large bouncy balls, as these are the hardest to move! I also explained to students that they were not to make ANY noise with their voices (unless they made a horn type of noisemaker) because 1. they could be helping another team win or 2. they would be getting a false read on their noisemakers. Then I stood at the board and marked the three highest bouncy balls that each team achieved! This is how we judged the assigned group winners!
What we did next was even more fun, and this is also where we got into some serious science application! I allowed kids to group randomly and we tried it again! And we got totally weird results. Weird in the fact that we were able to see how variables affect an experiment. When students were randomly grouped, meaning they were with similar equipment made by other students, our data flatlined! They were not able to create sound higher than the original groups of differently designed noise makers. More importantly, they got a hands-on experience with variables! I love that we could apply that science term and skill in this very minute! Real life application!
Next, we headed to IMPROVE! Students were able to look at all the different noisemakers and discuss and plan for even better noisemakers. Also included in this was an opportunity to reflect. IMPROVE doesn't always have to be about the STEM. It should also be about how they could be better as students-with each other and within creating and growing. Right now I'm getting a lot of "we worked good as a team" instead of those deeper reflections as a cooperative group. That is going to be one of my goals as we get more and more into learning about how we work together in STEM and how this connects to us working as a team in other areas of our classroom.
I'm totally excited to add STEM to my growing knowledge of the Student-Led Classroom. I can honestly say, I can see this being key in the development of how students lead in a classroom setting. If you'd like to learn more about Student-Led Classrooms, jump over to my general post called Just the Place to Start. Are you interested in checking out my growing STEM products? Check them out over at my store, The Best Days!
More importantly, thanks for stopping by. I'm super excited you did and would love to hear any feedback you have about STEM or this idea, in general. I'm still learning and would love ideas, suggestions, and even improvement ideas you may have!
This week is a week of appreciation for teachers everywhere! Gifts, flowers, cool drinks, and special lunches abound! But it is also the week that I look forward to all year-because of International Star Wars Day on May 4th! Here's the quick lowdown on how to have a GREAT May the 4th Be With You!
Wear an awesome Star Wars shirt! This is a must because it signals to all the Star Wars fans in the building that you know exactly what day it is! Before I hit the front door I was told, twice, May the 4th Be With You! While walking around the halls in the morning I was greeted with this same phrase over and over! Whenever and wherever I went, we were one with The Force because of my shirt (we are a uniform school).
Get some really great music going! I found this gem on YouTube! One hour of musical greatness! And, honestly, the kids really enjoyed listening to it-for real!
Get some great curriculum activities. There is no reason you can't jazz your curriculum up with real activities tied to a Star Wars theme. I made the paper on the left as their math warm-up. They still worked on their math projects for area and perimeter. The picture on the right is a Webquest I found on TpT by Mrs. Tech. It was simple and easy, but best of all, I could use it as a close read. This activity actually gave me a good idea of how to start using my Kindles in a variety of ways!
Play a great game! This is one I thought up last year and just adjusted for this year. It is a Jeopardy style game. However, the idea is based on subtracting points instead of gaining points so that the Wookie can win! They LOVED it! (Due to copyright, I cannot post this online. )
Make some great Star Wars themed treats! The first one is a tie fighter. Super simple-Chocolate Graham Crackers, a marshmallow, and some frosting. Simply put frosting on the end of the marshmallow and put the Graham Crackers on! Super simple! For the light sabers you buy rod pretzels and food coloring. There is enough frosting left to then color it. Frost the pretzel rods and enjoy! YUM!
So, as you can see, this is an easy and fun way to celebrate International Star Wars Day! Now, onto how we will appreciate you! Teacher's Appreciation was or will be celebrated over the course of these two weeks! I've joined with 9 other Teacher-Authors to celebrate YOU!
Teachers truly do light the way! So, click on the Rafflecopter and follow all 10 Teacher-Authors on their TpT store to have a chance to win a $50 TpT Gift Card! It's that easy! The contest is open from May 5th - May 7th, with the winner announced on Monday, May 8th! Thanks for all you do!
I am SUPER excited to be teaming up with The Pinning Librarian's Beth to be celebrating our 1,000 follower giveaway called Make Your Own Holiday Giveaway! March 26th is Make Your Own Holiday Day! We want to celebrate YOU on that day! First, I'm giving away a FREEBIE at my TpT store! It is called Make Your Own Holiday Writing Project! This super fun writing prompt can be used to explore ideas students have about their very own holiday! It is FREE for a limited time, so grab it quickly! So, what about the GIVEAWAY! Our giveaway will be going on from March 23rd-March 25th! Your day to celebrate will be on March 26th! We will be announcing our FOUR winners on that day! You could win one of the following prizes: $300 Amazon Gift Card $100 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card $60 Barnes and Nobel Gift Card $50 LuLaRoe Emily Goodyear VIP Gift Card How AWESOME is that! All you have to do is enter the Rafflecopter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway
I'd like to send out special thanks to all the Teacher Author's that helped to make this contest possible:
Woot! I'm done! The torture of this year's Teacher Observation Cycle is FINISHED for me! Well, um, at least the formal one! I've got one more walk-through to go, but the tough stuff is finished! So, let's take a moment to reflect on the stages one goes through while enjoying the fine process of exposing our every moment of teaching to what feels like the WHOLE WORLD! So, I'm joining up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for 5 For Friday!! Here are the 5 Stages of the Teacher Observation System
Get-er-Done!
You know the feeling. They put out the email, you rush to reply and sign-up! This stage is kinda like child birth! You can't remember what it is like the second time around. You have forgotten labor and delivery. Well, you know you forget the pain of this thing too! You think about how it won't be that bad! You think about how it will be better this time: less time on paperwork, less time to stress, it will totally be fine! AND, this is a whole different "baby". You will get to experience something that will be "totally different"! Who are we kidding! We are totally tricking ourselves into the whole "labor and delivery will be fine the second time around" trick! Yep-the Get-er-Done stage!
Mind Changer
This begins to happen as you complete the paper work. Will my lesson work-you know, the one I spent the last 50 million hours thinking about! Should I even do that subject??? Maybe I should reschedule??? It happens EVERY SINGLE TIME! You could be 24 hours out of the administration walking in your door and you will still be thinking about ditching everything you just wrote and do something totally different! Mind Changer!
The Mad Dash
This is what happens in the last 24 hours before your observation. In most cases, this includes your pre-observation. The first of many tortures to come! You sit in the room with your administrators feeling like a piece of meat at the supermarket! Did I wrap what I just said with the right plastic wrap! Does this have too much fat? Is this lesson a prime cut or a cheap piece of beef?! Am I rotting away without anyone purchasing me! Yep! You feel like that rotten piece of meat when you leave. But, it doesn't stop there! You head back to your classroom and start gathering EVERY. LITTLE. THING. you need for this crazy display of your talents. Chart paper is flying! Every colored marker is placed in just the right spot. The copy machine is spitting out endless pages for students to use just in case they finish the activity in five seconds and you don't have a single thing to do because the administration will be in there for what feels like an eternity. About 3 hours AFTER you should go home, you finally do. Only to then write out EVERY. LITTLE. DETAIL. of that lesson so that you remember what to do, how to do it, and how to say it! Only to discover you also did this while sleeping-so you've had none! And now to only discover they are here...and it's time....and, well....it happens!
Desperately Waiting
Now you have to wait... and wait...and wait! For what seems like an eternity, you start to go back to Stage 2. You start to question every part of the lesson. Should I have done something different? Should I go in and beg for forgiveness and ask them to ditch the whole thing and do it again! Can we PLEASE JUST MEET THIS SECOND AND CAN YOU JUST GET IT OVER WITH NOW! You see the administrator in the hall and just hope, for once, they will give you just a hint of how you did! All the while, that pit in your stomach is screaming, "RUN NOW! As fast as you can-RUN!" To finally arrive at the day of...
RELIEF!
Of course, relief doesn't arrive till you have to sit through hearing Domain 1, Domain 3, Domain 2 and Domain 4's information. You are just wait waiTING, WAITING for the ball to drop, the ship to sink moment. "It's coming next, I know it is" is the constant thought in your head as they go over each area like they have all the time in the world! All the while you are just thinking, "Tell me I'm great first!! Then tell me my scores and all the gory details!" When you finally walk out that door, relief overwhelms you and you are numb. I've started to call this Observation-Hangover! But, gradually, it all lifts and you discover that all is right with the world, you can smile again, and you really are a great teacher! And that's the whole point isn't it. We need to remember we are GREAT teachers. One moment, 45 minutes or so, of time is not who you are. As we see these changes in our system, we must fight for who we are and that our quality is still quality, our passion is still passion, and our students still come first! We can do this thing and still deliver quality instruction every day! Let me know how you manage your thoughts and feelings for the Observation System! We can all use some great tips!
