Upper Elementary Teachers Chatboard

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Upper Elementary

MEMBERS

0 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Upper Elementary Teachers Chatboard

Teacher Resource Books for Sale on Ebay

by Ashley

Feb 16, 2009

I am cleaning out my closets, and have listed many teacher resource books for sale on ebay. I have Mailbox magazines, monthly idea books, and many great Scholastic teacher resource books for sale. I also have a pocket chart listed. Please check out my items if you are interested. Everything is listed for low low prices. Happy bidding!

[lin...See More

Comment

report post

Food Webs/Ecosystems

by G

Feb 16, 2009

I would like so some suggestions on the unit for ecosystems. I can't think of any creative lessons that will help engage the students. Thanks for the responses!

Comment

(3)

report post

view previous comments

Selena/4th On 2/16/09, G wrote: > I would like so some suggestions on the unit for ecosystems. > I can't think of any creative lessons that will help engage > the students. Thanks for the responses!

I found this lesson plan a couple of years ago...the students love it and it requires them to really think about ecosystems and what animals nee...See More

Feb 17, 2009

report post

maybeme google biomes - lots of great info

Feb 21, 2009

report post

Social Studies/ Science Texts

by 4th

Feb 16, 2009

Does anyone use a Social Studies or Science text that they really like? Ours seem like they are really too hard for the kids to understand without a tremendous amount of time involved. The students I have this year are fairly good readers, yet if I don't spend time reading the text with them and explaining it to death, they don't seem to get much o...See More

Comment

(8)

report post

view previous comments

4th grade teacher Hey JAM, I was wondering if you have ever been to a workshop by History Alive...we have a set of the books (I think) at my school but I'm suppose to go to a workshop on it in another week or so.

On 2/21/09, JAM wrote: > At fifth grade this is a great series for American History. > Social Studies Alive is the name for other grades. W...See More

Feb 21, 2009

report post

JAM On 2/21/09, 4th grade teacher wrote: > Hey JAM, > I was wondering if you have ever been to a workshop by > History Alive...we have a set of the books (I think) at my > school but I'm suppose to go to a workshop on it in another week > or so. >

No... let us know if they share cool stuff that surprised you though!

...See More

Feb 26, 2009

report post

Poetry Unit

by Barb/Ohio

Feb 18, 2009

I am beginning a poetry unit for the first time for third grade! Any ideas or suggestions would be welcomed! Barb/Ohio

Comment

report post

New Students

by lost

Feb 18, 2009

I just recieved two new students. One is from another state and the other is from another local school. I'm following my standards and these kids are LOST. I don't know where to begin helping them. We are into adding/subtracting fractions and the students don't know multiplication facts past threes. Where do I begin, how do I help them? They both c...See More

Comment

(5)

report post

view previous comments

Sara On 2/18/09, lost wrote: > I just recieved two new students. One is from another > state and the other is from another local school. I'm > following my standards and these kids are LOST. I don't > know where to begin helping them. We are into > adding/subtracting fractions and the students don't know > multiplication facts past thr...See More

Feb 20, 2009

report post

lost Just thought I'd send an update. I told the mother at PT conf. that I would recommend retaining him. I just didn't think he was ready to move on. This would also give us the 90 days it takes to refer him for special ed. Wouldn't you know.....he didn't come back to school. It's been 2 and half weeks and I got his drop papers today.

Mar 31, 2009

report post

math teachers (5-7) earn $200 and a copy of your lesson

by Frank Sotelo

Feb 19, 2009

Earn $200 for participating in a federally funded research study.

What you’ll do: - allow us to videotape one lesson on either ratios/proportions and/or variables/expression/equations.

Time commitment: No additional time commitment. We would film one of your regular lessons.

Compensation: $200 amazon.com gift certificat...See More

Comment

report post

Scholastic Christmas gift coupon code?

by teach4

Feb 19, 2009

Just realized that I left the real gift coupons for the book choice that I give to my students at school! I give them a 'fake' one so they don't lose the real one. I finally remembered that I wanted to place the order over vacation. Now I can't finish my order tonight, or tomorrow since we are on vacation and I don't have the code off of the corner...See More

Comment

report post

reading or grammar games

by Debbie

Feb 19, 2009

I'd like to play interactive grammar or reading games with my whole class using the computer and the proxima (big screen). I am having a hard time finding sites that can be played with a large group. Any suggestions?

Comment

(2)

report post

m Most games are designed for one or two players, but there are ways to get around this. When I introduce a new game, we do it whole group in front of the smartboard. We play the whole game at least one time to make sure students understand what to do. Sometimes for assessment and accountability, there are scores they can print, or I have them write ...See More

Feb 20, 2009

report post

Jim Cutler I have a lot of grammar and reading games on my website: [link removed]

They are based on California standards.

Punctuation paintball is fun, for grammar.

On 2/19/09, Debbie wrote: > I'd like to play interactive grammar or reading games with > my whole class using the computer and the proxima (big > screen). I am...See More

Feb 23, 2009

report post

Stephen Covey and classroom goals

by carolyn

Feb 20, 2009

Can anybody tell me the specific goals you have set in the classroom? A la Covey, "be absolutely clear about your goals"...... What am I looking for the kids to accomplish this year? Should I think in terms of "this student will advance ___ reading levels this year" or "such and such percentage of my students will earn ___ on the State Math and Rea...See More

Comment

(1)

report post

another Stephan Covey fan On 2/20/09, carolyn wrote: > Can anybody tell me the specific goals you have set in the > classroom? A la Covey, "be absolutely clear about your > goals"...... What am I looking for the kids to accomplish > this year? Should I think in terms of "this student will > advance ___ reading levels this year" or "such and such > percenta...See MoreOn 2/20/09, carolyn wrote: > Can anybody tell me the specific goals you have set in the > classroom? A la Covey, "be absolutely clear about your > goals"...... What am I looking for the kids to accomplish > this year? Should I think in terms of "this student will > advance ___ reading levels this year" or "such and such > percentage of my students will earn ___ on the State Math > and Reading Tests? What are your thoughts?

I love the simple wisdom of Stephen Covey. So many teachers come on this site and ask "What should I do" to which the only answer can be - what do you want to achieve??

What do you want to achieve? Really? The first thing I want to achieve in my classroom each year is safety - why do we assume this will simply happen? I tell the kids the first thing we're there to do each day is keep each other safe - no one comes to school to be unsafe. That covers all unsafe behaviors - we don't need to list them, the kids just need to be reminded sometimes as they're running down the hall that it isn't safe to do that... And it means Getting Along! We don't feel safe if someone's picking on us or making fun of us or excluding us. That are the two things I want from them - those are the two things that can make for a good school year and have kids wanting to come back to school the next day.

Next - can I instill in them - can they acquire confidence in themselves? Can they grow in their self-confidence? I want them to value themselves - and each other. I want them to come to better appreciate their abilites and the abilities of others.

Learning's a journey - my goal is that we have a safe journey together learning to become more confident and hopefully more compassionate people - and what we learn about math and reading and social studies is the icing on the cake but it's not the cake itself.

Begin with the end in mind- is raising reading levels really the end or is it helping them to become active learners who believe in themselves and invest themselves in being good citizens of the school community and even the world beyond?

I have very high standards for my kids in terms of how they treat each other - I expect them to meet those standards. And if they help me to create a safe school day for themselves and each other, they really do learn to become better readers too. We learn best when we feel best about ourselves.

Clearly I think too much emphasis is placed on the state tests - and that we freak the kids out about these tests because we let ourselves get all freaked about them. Does an entire school year really boil down to those tests? If it does, a robot could teach kids but a robot can't teach kids. It takes a teacher with humanity to show them what that is.

Good luck. Isn't Stephan Covey great?

Feb 20, 2009

report post