July 21, 1999
Elementary/Middle Grade Teachers' Chat
Back-to-School Ideas
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- Welcome to the elem./middle school focus chat. Our
topic: Back-to-school ideas!
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Hello everyone! Are you ready for school to start?
Kathy/5/IA-moderator
- Tonight we plan to share ideas on how to start off a great school year!!
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- I do an activity with my students called DATA PROCESSING. The students
have to work together and it involves physical activity. It also gives
them a chance to learn about each other.
JaBow - On the first
day I like to pair up the kids and have them interview each other. Then
they must write a biography of their partner to present to the class. They
also draw a portrait of the person. These are all displayed on a bulletin
board.
Mel - Hey, what about
ideas for the fist day? I like to read Miss Nelson is Missing and use that
to discuss discipline. I can be Miss Nelson or Miss Swamp depending on
their behavior.
Mr.C - How about
starting off by doing something different? Go to Global Schoolhouse, IECC
or IEARN and start a project, or join one. Have your kids team up with
others around the world to do something.
beegee - Cooperative
activities for team building are great as well.
Patsy - I was thinking
about establishing the team spirit within my group of LD kids. I have found
, in 7th grade the best way I can help them fit into their peer group is
to help them participate with success in their integrated classes. I have
one period a day with just my "caseload" of special students so that I
can prepare them for what is coming in their other classes. I often pre-teach
what I know a teacher will be covering in one or two classes so they can
get a jump on the kids who are quicker with the answers. This makes them
look "smart" to classmates and is also good for their self esteem. Do you
see your students in a small group at all?
Jamie - Any thoughts
on character education ideas? I teach at a charter school with a moral
focus.
Laurie/AR - A teacher
friend and I found a lot of great ideas from old Mailbox magazines for
character education.
JaBow - For character
education, try posting sayings on a bulletin board, a new one each week,
discuss what they mean, have kids write about them
Jamie - JaBow, yeah
I was thinking about that. What do you think about skit representations?
Beef up their public speaking.
Ga. Teacher - Laurie
do you know what year the Mailbox books were?
JaBow - Mailbox is
a great resource...has anyone tried their website/ http://www.themailbox.com/
Laurie/AR - I have
1999 for a lot of them. Some I don't have dates on. They had a section
for Character Education. We modified them a bit.
Mel - If you subscribe
to the mailbox, they have a new on-line service called the mailbox companion.
You can download lots of repros and ideas.
Elaine - I teach
third grade. How do you start off the first day with an intro of yourself?
Reading a book? A game or activity?
Ga. Teacher - Elaine
I usually take a piece of poster board and I make a collage about myself
and then allow students to make comments or ask questions. You could also
use the paper bag introduction.
Elaine - Ga. the
collage idea about myself sounds like a neat way to start. Can you explain
the paper bag intro?
Ga. Teacher - With
the paper bag introduction you just put a couple of things in a paper bag
(you can decorate the outside) about yourself and allow kids to sort of
guess why you have these things in the bag and how they relate to you.
They love it and some of them want to bring in their own paper bag with
things in it. So I allowed them to have a show and tell on Friday and they
bring in one thing about themselves and we try and guess how their object
relates to them.
Goobers51 - Ga. teacher--I
use Shel Silverstein's "What's in the Sack" from Where
the Sidewalk Ends to intro something like that. Then they bring
one in the next day to intro themselves.
beegee - Laurie-do
fun co-op things like Mobius Strip or paper airplanes.
beegee - Ga- that's
what I do to model the Me Collage for my kids!
Mel - Elaine, I have
a bulletin board titled "All about me" that I use for spotlighting the
kids throughout the year. I start off with myself and it's an opportunity
for them to learn about me.
Kim/8/KS--moderator
- I teach 8th grade with two other teachers. We divide the day into activities
-- introductions, team building activity, locker assignments, team rules
and expectations, brief overview of each class, etc.
Mr.C - Thanks GA.
Here's another suggestion... I have a project going to help teachers collaborate
online, find them projects, lessons, work together collaboratively. Visit:
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/lincon/w99/projects/muve/present.htm
for an overview
Laurie/AR - I like
to have a Tshirt outline with their names on it waiting on their desks.
They come in and decorate their tshirts while I talk to parents. Last year
they decorated their nametags. From there we move on to rules and a tour
of the school.
Kim/8/KS--moderator
- My team does similar to the collage idea. We die cut puzzle pieces from
posterboard. Each student gets one piece and decorates it with drawings
and pictures from magazines. Then we put the puzzle together on a bulletin
board and label it "Our Team Fits Together."
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- I've done the puzzle idea also, Kim. How do you die cut them? What do
you use?
Kim/8/KS--moderator
- Kathy, we have a die cut in the shape of a puzzle piece. They are all
the same, but they fit together nicely.
beegee - kim- I think
our Ellison machine has a puzzle- only the primary teachers use it BUT-
now I could!! Thanks!
beegee - For older
kids you can have them write the name of a person they admire. Then you
begin with one person and another student links arms with that person and
tells how they are connected(job, period of history) until everyone in
the room is linked.
PatS - For the lst
day, I have the kids draw a picture of themselves on a 3X5 index card.
Then we pin it to a wallmap with a string attached to where they were born.
JaBow - also, try
http://www.lessonplanz.com/
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- Another idea I've used is to have the kids write postcards to the class.
The board is called "First Class Summer". I stress that the postcards don't
have to be of vacations - just how they spent their time (since some kids
don't go on vacations)
Jamie - Any ideas
for decorating the outside of the door area to welcome students and parents?
Kim/8/KS--moderator
- Jamie, I bought some of the animal "peekovers" -- I think that's the
name. Anyway, I have them peek around and over the door frame. It looks
like they are coming through the door. Then I make a giant speech bubble
(like in the cartoons) and come up with something. Our team is the AHSome
Team, so I put Welcome to the AHSome Team!) (AHSome because our school
is Abe Hubert Middle School
Jamie - I think when
you decorate your room you should have things hanging down from the ceiling.
Whatever you choose, colorful cutouts, beanie babies, maybe have the cut
ready for them when they come in to decorate and then hang.
ju - I agree with
things hanging from the ceiling, Jamie I was just trying to figure out
what to have hanging, but having the cutouts for them to decorate is a
good idea.
PatS - I have bulletin
boards that correspond to our first science and history units. I also have
a theme. Last year it was a school bus. There were bus name tags, welcome
sign, kids names on buses on the door.
Mel - How about "Reving
up for a new year" with racecars on your welcome back b. board?
Kim/8/KS--moderator
- One of my bulletin boards is an FYI bulletin board for the students.
It has the school calendar, activity calendar, schedule, lunch menu, etc.
on it. The students really use it.
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- The 5th graders will like the racing theme!
Mr.C - I have a lot
of links for poetry on my "Literacy Links" page... http://pages.ivillage.com/bc/literacy/
Laurie/CA - I read
once about a great opening week idea and used it for 4th this year. Kids
loved it. Basically, each kid takes index card and answers a series of
questions-starting with very broad, generic ones first, like what is your
favorite food? The questions become more specific, till you get to what
is something that very few people know about you, that you would not mind
sharing? each day you pick a card from the stack turned in, without disclosing
name. Ask, if pizza is one of your favorite foods, remain standing. Continue
till last question and only the student whose card it is remains standing.
They loved It!
beegee - Laurie-
a variation of that is "Find Someone Who" where you make a grid with items
and they have to get a signature from someone who matches.
Laurie/CA - I've
seen Find someone Who, but it gets a little noisy doing those kinds of
activities. This is a whole class activity and they all have to listen
while I choose a card for that day.
Therese - I gave
each child a handout with questions mostly about favorites...books, author,
color, musical group etc. We discussed it and sealed it in a decorated
cereal box. The box said "Do not open until June and it was in their sight
all year. Every once in a while they would ask about it.
Therese - Before
the kids opened the time capsule in June. They filled out the same form
again. When we opened it we compared answers as well as our handwriting!
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- I've used the same 'theme' for years ... I collect Looney Tune stuff!
MotorMouth - my door
says, "Racing Into Fifth Grade"... has racetrack with cars on it.. students
names are on the cars
Ga. Teacher - Motormouth
how about get some used tires and paint them and use them for your reading
center.
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- You could paint the tires in enticing colors and put a throw pillow inside
each one to make it more comfortable.
beegee - What about
a center that is labeled "Pit Stop"?
Goobers51 - I think
someone suggested you use flags to hang from your ceiling--good idea!
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- MM ... there are some NASCAR chapter books in a series. I bought them
for my nephew ... he really likes them.
PatS - Last year
on lst day I had the kids make a poster of a river with mountains and clouds.
They had to write 3 things they didn't like about their lives between the
Mts., 3 things they loved about their lives on the top of the mt., 3 things
that are ok on the river and 3 dreams on the clouds.
Laurie/AR - I don't
really have a "theme" for my decorations. Our first unit is the body. I
did find a job chart that looked like a child had drawn and colored it.
So everything I bought looks like a kid colored it. They are so cute.
Cyn - I'm having
a pond in my classroom this year.
Mel - Cyn, yes!!
Get a large (refrigerator would be great) box, and cut out one side. Paint
the inside blue or even purple then hang fish like it's an aquarium. Throw
in some pillow and instant reading center!
Mel - Cyn, tell me
about your pond. I have a tree in mine for the kids to sit under and read,
a pond might fit in nicely.
Jamie - Mel- I've
heard of teachers using 6 ft. silk ficus trees. Might go nicely with the
pond.
Cyn - I'm in the
beginning stages of creating the center, but the money was received through
a grant. We are purchasing a in -ground pond which will sit in the reading
corner. I'm surrounding it with stones for support. The student will bring
in tadpoles to explore changes.
Mel - Jamie, my tree
is out of bulletin board paper, crinkled, with branches up to the ceiling
and artificial leaves hanging from the ceiling. It looks pretty good.
elaine - Cyn I bought
some large flowers from bath and body works that might look good in your
pond center you might want to try the store I bought them for $3.00 a piece
and they're beautiful!
Laurie/CA - I'm trying
to enter year with immigration unit and construction of family trees, I
will be doing something with 20th century/ moon and stars and can't find
a way to unite it all and decorate my room. Anyone have any decor ideas?
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Laurie/AR, Creative Classroom magazine has a great article on immigration
in the August 1999 issue.
Lori/4/OH - Aviation
theme- Look Who's Landed in ___ Grade
Lori/4/OH - How about
paper cut out airplanes with 3-d props
Suzanne/TX/3 - Model
airplanes and paper clouds hanging from ceiling
Lori/4/OH - How about
passports and the book "Oh the Places You'll Go"?
Suzanne/TX/3 - "Off
to a Flying Start"
elaine - I am going
to have big flowers in my room this year I got the flowers at bath and body
works. Does anyone have other ideas that I could use with these flowers?
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Just had an idea for flowers. What about stringing them together somehow
and using them to go around the door frame? WELCOME TO THE GARDEN OF LEARNING!
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- For the flowers, you could intertwine some fake ivy. A picket fence on
both sides of the door would be cute.
Cyn - Carson-Dellarosa
has a picket fence in their catalog along with the ivy.
Lori/4/OH - How about
a math center using tangrams and geometric shapes made with toothpicks
and marshmallows or clay.
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- There is a Mailbox book on centers - one for lower and one for upper
grades. I don't have it, but plan to look for it.
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- You could cut out pictures of wonderful places from magazines. Or better
yet, have the students cut out pictures that match the settings in the
books they read. They could then use the picture as part of a poster telling
about the book.
Lori/4/OH - Concentrate
on getting a comfortable routine and expectations down for students...one
thing I've learned, control is very hard to get back once you've lost it.
Therese - I always
concentrate on building relationships and laying the ground rules. The
tone you set int the first couple months will carry through the rest of
the year.
PatS - It is extremely
important to establish a good discipline plan right away. You need to establish
when they can walk, talk and sharpen pencils.
Suzanne/TX/3 - The
most important thing to remember is that the kids are tired and on their
best behavior the first few days. They will not always be this good, so
don't let your guard down and thing that they are sweet and wonderful.
You have to be strict and firm from the get-go, even when they start out
really good.
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- I agree with PatS. It is much better to be too strict in the beginning
and let up. If you are too lenient, it is difficult to regain control
Lori/4/OH - A teacher
friend of mine that has taught 28 years gave me some advice when I student
taught..."Don't smile until Thanksgiving"
Jamie - I don't know
if you have a "system" or plan yet; but I'm going to attempt the merit,demerit
system this year.
Cess - I have heard
to be harder in the beginning so they don't run you over.
Suzanne/TX/3 - Be
firm and consistent -that's the hard part, though
Goobers51 - Cess-yes--that
way you are setting your expectations and they know it
Mel - This sounds
mean, but I don't smile much the first week. I'm very firm but by the third
week the kids and I love each other, but they know not to act up. It really
works.
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Lori, I've heard that one too, but I disagree. I am strict, but I smile
and joke around with my students. I just set firm guidelines so that when
it's time to work, we work.
PatS - It's a myth
not to smile "till Christmas. You can be firm, loving and in control, all
with a smile.
delta1 - you need
to establish yourself. I call parents the first week if I think I see a
"trouble spot" Gets the word out to the rest of the gang!
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- Mr. C - I love to collaborate with teachers via the internet. Could you
explain your project again?
Mr.C - My email is:
coops@edmail.com
My project involves bringing teachers together on Virtual Environments,
to collaborate on online projects, share and find lessons, etc... whatever
they need to do.
Mr.C - http://forum.swarthmore.edu/
...excellent site for math teachers
Cess - Is it good
to start studies the first day?
Donna - I like to
spend a day or two just getting to know each other
Lori/4/OH - Cess-
get some samples of things like writing that will help you decide where
to begin....some little short activities are best.
Laurie/AR - I like
to use a few hours in the morning to get acquainted than the rest of the
day we start working. I have to get in my assessments somehow if I plan
to have a conf. with parents the first two weeks of school.
PatS - Cess, you
can do a theme day that incorporates all the disciplines. I usually start
a couple subjects right away and introduce more as the week goes on.
delta1 - I think
starting right out the first day is good. Have something fun but educational.
Shows them you are ready to rock and roll!
Patsy - What great
ideas..This is such fun! I have a WELCOME sign which I made from large
plaid letters , arranged in an arch and laminated .This welcome sign has
been on my door all year for the last 4 years. It is a small thing that
people remember when they see it at Open House or whenever they first come
in, but several parents and kids have told me it makes them feel always...well,
welcome. Also, if you can find a special job in the school in which all
your students can participate and take pride.. it builds a feeling of having
a " tradition". Last two years my class was responsible for raising and
lowering the flag each day outside our entrance to the school. Over the
year every student learned how to fold the flag properly, flag traditions
and facts, why it is flown at half staff etc. They particularly were proud
of being able to show others how to do these things. Flag Day is in the
Spring ..we celebrated like it was our special day and the principal announced
the day and gave my class a special thanks for keeping the flag flying
all year.
Laurie/AR - I will
have a student "teacher" in my room for 2 weeks in Sept. and then again
in Jan. Any advice?
Cess - Laurie: include
her on everything and still make her feel comfortable and at home. The
more you do in student teaching the less panic when beginning a new job.
There is still so much I never got to see or do.
al-IA - Has everyone
checked out the lesson plans for room decor? http://www.teachers.net/lessons/posts/1167.html
Donna - for my level,
(middle and up), I have a Room Rules sheet which basically outlines all
of my policies. The kids and parents have to sign it and it stays in the
front of their notebooks. Then there is no question about makeup tests,
homework policy, etc.
Laurie/AR - Thanks.
Does anyone have ideas for writing prompts? Something different from the
usual "What did you do over the summer."
Lori/4/OH - A book
I bought last year for prompts was great...its called 101 Questions for
Kids....real neat questions.
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- One thing I did last year to save lots of time was to use the label option
on my computer. Very easy to make name tags!
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Laurie, there are some links to some excellent sites with writing prompts
at my site, Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk, the URL is http://www.angelfire.com/ks/teachme/prompts.html
Suzanne/TX/3 - kathy,
yes - and I also make labels for my kids' folders and spirals, so much
easier than writing on them all that first day
Mel - Laurie/AR--how
about summer activities from an ant's (or other small insect) point of
view?
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Suzanne, I do the same thing. I make several sets and use them on forms
I have to fill out on the students.
Suzanne/TX/3 - On
the first day of school I always read a book called The
Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf, Michael Letzig (Illustrator)
, then we talk about how to get along and support each other; then we go
into the rules - it is about a box of crayons that is ugly to each other
- I'm better than blue, etc. Then a kid buys the box and uses them all
to draw a picture and they start complimenting each other, very good book
Suzanne/TX/3 - we
always practice lining up; going to the restroom; meeting on the rug; turning
in papers; anything I expect to have as a routine
Kim/KS/8--moderator
- Well, my district is completely assessment driven, so we have to fill
out a portfolio card for each student. The card lists all of the benchmarks
for the students and we mark their scores. (Kind of like a year long report
card.) I also use the labels on the conference sheets for Accelerated Reader
and a modified version of Writier's Workshop (it's not the "textbook" version.)
kjc - suzanne, do
you go over the rules for that particular activity and then practice it?
old friend - I like
to do a mixer with my third graders. I have a list of things like, "lives
in an apartment" "has a cat" "knows how to swim" etc. They go around and
ask each other the questions and get signatures. They really enjoy it.
Suzanne/TX/3 - kjc,
yes, paractice, practice, practice, model, model, model, compliment the
ones doing well
lobster - On my first
day of school I pair up my fourth graders with a list of questions like
hobbies, favorite foods, pets, etc. and then they introduce their pair
to the class.
elaine - I give them
Welcome Bags - I got the idea from the chatboard it was an idea with
a cottonball eraser and other things they all symbolize something. The
eraser was to explain to the kids that everyone makes mistakes but that
its okay
Donna - Jamie, at
the high school algebra level, questions weren't the problem . The kids
had 35 each night for homework, and they were tough. I had to do them also
just to keep up. No winging it! and they liked to use the names of greek
philosophers for the characters in the word problems, no mary and john.
Lori/4/OH - Anyone
stressed about state proficiency tests....it seems to be a running theme
here.
Mel - I think I will
suppliment the Saxon Math Program. I'm not much on "canned" programs. I
like to do lots of creative things. Besides, no program is perfect.
lobster - Katie,
I am not a new teacher but I have come a very unusual route...a music teacher,
then, a gifted ed teacher, now a fourth grade teacher. What grade do you
teach in Clinton? I live down the road from you in Higganum!
Donna - Actually,
the problem with Saxon is that it is based on a cyclical method of teaching.
The night you teach a new topic, there is only one problem on it, but 34
problems that spiral back over the last 5 subjects. The next night, there
will be one problem for the new topic and 3 for the previous one. The number
of problems for a topic increases the further away you get from the topic.
The opposite of every other program.
milymo - Proficiency
is a running theme here too!
uni/in - Suzanne
I hope it is ok for primary - the upper grades Silver Burdett is awful
uni/in - Donna I
like the books that are cyclical I think it keeps them from learning it
just for the test but for a lifetime
Mel - Donna, I think
reviewing of skills is important, but geez, that many review problems?
Seems like they won't grasp the new skill before it becomes a review skill!
Jamie - Mel, I'm
with you. And I like to devote Wednesdays totally to problem solving and
hands on. However, the school I'm at has an extremely high level of parental
involvement. And they want to see the paperwork.
Donna - uni, I agree
about the spiral effect, but when the concept is new, I really like to
stress the practice so that they can become comfortable with it.
Mel - Jamie, invite
the parents to come for the hands on day. They could help. Send paperwork
home at night for reinforcement. Stand your ground girl! Most parents come
around if you explain that there are different learning styles but I know
what you mean about some of them! All parents should have to take a teaching
methods class!
Donna - Mel, Jamie,
I agree. I did supplement the current work with extra problems, but I also
taught a new concept each day. I had to be finished in time for the uniform
district-wide final exam. Then I still had 1 and a half weeks for .. whatever
lobster - Good luck
to you Katie. First years are very special. You will never forget your
first class.
Katie - I agree with
Mel Jamie, parents would probably love to come in and help
uni/in - Jamie do
keep up the hands-on and inviting parents is a good idea. Using manipulatives
and "real-life" problems was the only complaint I got from parents - they
wanted to see oodles of problems
Mel - First year
teachers---take pictures!!!!
Suzanne/TX/3 - jamie,
i play math games once a week with my kids, then they take them home and
teach their parents how to play - parents don't question the value of hands-on
much after they see the relevance
Suzanne/TX/3 - uni
- pull out the Piaget - show them how it is so important to go from the
concrete to the abstract
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- I need to take off also. Feel free to continue chatting here. Thanks
for all the great ideas shared this evening!!
Donna - katie, don't
know much about little ones. But there are books of card games in the teacher
supply stores.
lobster - Goodnight
everyone. Good luck, Katie. Thank you moderators for all the great ideas.
Kathy/5/IA-Moderator
- Good night Kim! THANKS!!!
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