Small Group Instruction

My favorite part of the day is small group instruction.  While I am working with a group of students, other students are busy at their literacy work stations.  (more on that in another post)
-Deb

Lap Book

Here is our lapbook on Pilgrims.  

Common Core Notebooks

With the new teacher evaluation system, I have found that keeping Common Core Notebooks not only give students and parents a snapshot at their learning throughout the year, but can also be used as evidence for teacher evaluations.  Now that's what I call getting a 'big bag for your buck'!  You can find these common core notebooks a thttp://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Yvonne-Dixon .  Her blog is called 'sassyinsecond'...be sure to check it out for fabulous ideas.  She also has the Common Core Notebook on other grade levels.  Enjoy!
 -Deb

Tickets to Leave!

Tickets to leave are by far one of the best formative assessments I use.  At the beginning of the class, students are given the objective of the lesson and the guiding question.  At the end of instruction, students simply respond to the guiding question using the ticket to leave.  The responses give me an accurate picture of how well the concept was learned.  Based on these assessments I can adjust my instruction accordingly.  Many times, the guiding question will be the same throughout the week...I love how their responses will become more in depth as the week progresses because of their learning.

Reading Logs

During independent reading time, I check to make sure students have recorded their reading for the day and have a short conference about what they are reading.  Viewing the reading logs also allows me to see the genre a student is working on and to make sure they have a variety of stories.  At first, these reading logs are located in their 'book bags', then are put into their reading binders.  At the end of the year they have an account of everything they have read.

Displaying Student Work

By far one of the best ways I have found to display work!  I laminated black construction paper as the backdrop and used paper clips to fasten their work.  Adding the stars with students' names added a little 'punch'.  Got this idea on pinterest somewhere.  

Folktale Anchor Chart

As we read our various folktales, we charted them to compare them.  Later we wrote a compare and contrast paragraph.  Because this chart is laminated, dry erase markers can be used and the chart can be used over and over.  Love it!

ARMS and CUPS

When we revise, we use a blue pen, and a red pen to edit. Students refer to the anchor chart "ARMS" and "CUPS" to remind them.  There are many versions of the anchor chart on Pinterest.  Check them out!

Mystery Word

By far one of the most popular practice center is the "Mystery Word" center.  Students use letters to create 3, 4, 5 etc. words by filling in the worksheet.  Then students must use ALL of the letters to form the mystery word.  Words are always related to our content area and/or specific vocabulary.  For example, some words were: American Revolution, revolutionary, Folktale, character, Native American,  
perseverance etc.  This idea comes from Yvonne Dixon of "Sassy in Second" blog.  Be sure to check it out!

STAR students

Each week students write academic goals that

are measurable or observable.  At first students

are given several goals to choose from.  Next, as a
class we brainstorm some possible goals. 
When students understood the concept of 
'academic' goals and that they need to be 
observable and measurable, they 

write their independent goals.  All goals were
written in their journals.  

Some goals that students have set are:

* Use a capital letter at the beginning of every
 sentence

* Use punctuation at the end of every sentence

* Read with a pencil

* Complete all of my homework

* Practice my reading every day for 15 minutes

* Increase my words per minute to ______

* Raise my hand and answer in complete sentences

* And many more depending on their particular needs

At the end of the week, students reflect on

their goals and write a short paragraph on

whether they have reached their goal.  In 
their writing they must explain how  they

reached their goal, or  why they did not

achieve their goal and what changes they

must make to achieve it.  Students then
discuss their successes.

If they have made their goal, they receive a gold star 

(sticker) on their achievement award.  The goal is

to acquire as many gold stars as possible.  
The students felt so good when they achieved their
goal and really looked forward to setting
a new one each week!!!

Become a.....

Student

Taking

Academic

Responsibility

Energy and Windmills

Students create windmills and make predictions on how many
 marbles can be lifted according to the number of
windmill blades.

Before students began they wrote their hypothesis and drew out a scientific diagram.
Then student's started with one blade and recorded how many marbles could be lifted. (0)  Next, the added a second blade and repeated the experiment.  In the end students were able to lift 10 or more marbles with six blades.

"How To" Poems

Lots of fun creating these "How To" Poems.  After our unit of study on the American Revolution, instead of doing biographies, student's each selected a famous American of the American Revolution and went to town on learning about that person.  They took notes on what they would, or  would not do, if they were that person.  As you can see if you want to become, Deborah Sampson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, etc,...just read the poems and they will tell you how to act and what not to do.  Great wrap up to a motivated unit!

             

                

Literacy Centers...

 "Practice with Purpose" is a wonderful book on how to implement literacy stations.  This book is full of practical and adaptable ideas for various centers.

Here is a sample of the cards I created for our stations.  They are placed in the literacy baskets.  We do lots of modeling before we release them into stations on their own.  All activities in the centers are strategies we've worked on in whole group.  These centers are an opportunity to practice and apply skills previously taught in class.  Our class motto is: "Practice makes Permanent"

Debbie Diller has many published books on Small Group Instruction and Literacy Work Stations.  Be sure to check them out as well as her website!