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Upper Elementary Teachers Chatboard

biography book report project

by cathietch

Jan 24, 2009

I would like for my third graders to do a biography book report project about a famous American. Does anyone have an outline, directions, requirements, and rubrics for one that you have assigned to students before? I will appreciate any suggestions that you may have. Thanks you very much.

language boards

by gail

Jan 24, 2009

I need suggestions for language posters that are guranteed to win awards

file organization

by 5th grade teach

Jan 24, 2009

I'm just curious how everyone organizes their files. I have mine in a file folders, but I have seen some people who organize stuff in binders. Does one have more pros or cons than the other? Just wondering....

view previous comments

Daniella I started out using file folders in file cabinets. Then I switched to binders. I'm back to file cabinets. They both have their advantages.

I color code my file folders. I'm a language teacher, so I have 1 color for sentence structure, another for mechanics, usage, etc.

One teacher I know uses pocket folders. She puts the origina...See More

Jan 27, 2009

Stacy I really am enjoying these responses. I have always used folders, but I have so much stuff that it's kind of out of hand! I am not always as good as I should be about putting things back in the correct folder, so I've been wondering about binders as well. Thank you all for your input!

Jan 28, 2009

by Janet

Jan 24, 2009

I am looking for a solution to my reading log problem. I want my students to read each night for pleasure. Some read all the time. Some need the reading log. Some will stop at 20 minutes if that is the requirement. I want them to enjoy this reading, but I want to make sure they DO it. Some parents like them. Some don't. I don't want it to be tediou...See More

LS On 1/24/09, Janet wrote: > I am looking for a solution to my reading log problem. I > want my students to read each night for pleasure. Some > read all the time. Some need the reading log. Some will > stop at 20 minutes if that is the requirement. I want > them to enjoy this reading, but I want to make sure they > DO it. Some pare...See MoreOn 1/24/09, Janet wrote: > I am looking for a solution to my reading log problem. I > want my students to read each night for pleasure. Some > read all the time. Some need the reading log. Some will > stop at 20 minutes if that is the requirement. I want > them to enjoy this reading, but I want to make sure they > DO it. Some parents like them. Some don't. I don't want > it to be tedious, I just want to encourage everyone to > read. Has anyone else had this dilemma?

EVERY TEACHER HAS THIS PROBLEM! So, I don't try to fight it I put the onus on the children and their parents. I show them the graph about the difference in the performance of students who read 60 min. a day vs. a few minutes a day.(try googling for info or if you can get a copy of Fountas & Pennell's Guiding Readers and Writers 3-5 one such graph is on page43.) I teach fourth grade, so I tell parents that an appropriate homework schedule is appr.40 min. a night. 10 min. per grade level So their child will have 20 min. of reading nightly and 20 min. of a math review or writing assignment,etc. (reading is a constant the others vary) Since this is my big homework assignment-READING, I want updates-reading repsonses and the title in their planner. If they are not doing it, it is reported as no homework. And I love the parents who want to tell me they would like to see more homework. What they really mean is that they would like to see more worksheets. My reply, " Sorry, I'm not running off worksheets for your child, I want your child reading and establishing the habit of reading." It is hard but you also have to put yourself in their shoes. If you want the reading to be done don't send reading comprehension worksheets, spelling worksheets, math, etc. and requiring them to read nightly. P.S. This is the real world and I'm a voracious reader but even I don't read nightly so tell them 5 nights and give them the opportunity to make up softball game night on the week-ends. Do you give them a chance to share their reading with their classmates? If you do it consistently they will want to have something to share with their peers.

Jan 25, 2009

Janet Thanks! That's some good advice!

On 1/25/09, LS wrote: > On 1/24/09, Janet wrote: >> I am looking for a solution to my reading log problem. I >> want my students to read each night for pleasure. Some >> read all the time. Some need the reading log. Some will >> stop at 20 minutes if that is the requirement. I wan...See MoreThanks! That's some good advice!

On 1/25/09, LS wrote: > On 1/24/09, Janet wrote: >> I am looking for a solution to my reading log problem. I >> want my students to read each night for pleasure. Some >> read all the time. Some need the reading log. Some will >> stop at 20 minutes if that is the requirement. I want >> them to enjoy this reading, but I want to make sure they >> DO it. Some parents like them. Some don't. I don't want >> it to be tedious, I just want to encourage everyone to >> read. Has anyone else had this dilemma? > > > EVERY TEACHER HAS THIS PROBLEM! So, I don't try to fight it > I put the onus on the children and their parents. I show > them the graph about the difference in the performance of > students who read 60 min. a day vs. a few minutes a day.(try > googling for info or if you can get a copy of Fountas & > Pennell's Guiding Readers and Writers 3-5 one such graph is > on page43.) I teach fourth grade, so I tell parents that an > appropriate homework schedule is appr.40 min. a night. 10 > min. per grade level So their child will have 20 min. of > reading nightly and 20 min. of a math review or writing > assignment,etc. (reading is a constant the others vary) > Since this is my big homework assignment-READING, I want > updates-reading repsonses and the title in their planner. If > they are not doing it, it is reported as no homework. And I > love the parents who want to tell me they would like to see > more homework. What they really mean is that they would like > to see more worksheets. My reply, " Sorry, I'm not running > off worksheets for your child, I want your child reading and > establishing the habit of reading." > It is hard but you also have to put yourself in their shoes. > If you want the reading to be done don't send reading > comprehension worksheets, spelling worksheets, math, etc. and > requiring them to read nightly. P.S. This is the real world > and I'm a voracious reader but even I don't read nightly so > tell them 5 nights and give them the opportunity to make up > softball game night on the week-ends. > Do you give them a chance to share their reading with > their classmates? If you do it consistently they will want > to have something to share with their peers.

Jan 25, 2009

Please help! :)

by Anna

Jan 25, 2009

Hello! I teach 5th grade and am running into a problem this year that I have never faced before. Hopefully, some of you wonderful teachers out there can offer some advice!

I have been working for months now, teaching my students how to write an essay. For the most part, I am very happy with everyone's progress. On the other hand, I have se...See More

CMR First I would praise the kids for their creativity and style of writing (I struggle with my kids not sounding like robots during creative writing pieces), but explain again what you're looking. The next step, which is very vital, is to actually model writing an essay yourself. Go through all the steps and either write it at that moment on the overh...See More

Jan 26, 2009

What are the best forms of assessment in your school?

by Cindy

Jan 25, 2009

Our principal is now trying to evaluate the best forms of assessment (K-8). We are a very diverse low income school, trying to find the best forms of assessment to REALLY meet the needs of our population. What do you use that works?

Cindy

paulaj On 1/25/09, Cindy wrote: > Our principal is now trying to evaluate the best forms of > assessment (K-8). > We are a very diverse low income school, trying to find > the best forms of assessment to REALLY meet the needs of > our population. > What do you use that works? > > Cindy

We use a CORE phonics placement test....See More

Feb 9, 2009

Time Spent on Work

by Di

Jan 25, 2009

Just wondering - how much time do you spend working on school related activities? I try to spend as much time as possible (planning, grading, organizing) but run out of things to do...feel like I must be doing something wrong.

How much time does a good teacher spend on the job?

-Thanks in Advance...

Cullen I think it depends on a lot of things... how much experience you have, how much your school provides...

I've posted before about how much time I spend... it's a lot... and people tend to criticize that and say that they would never do the same. But it depends on what your school gives you. If you've got a great curriculum, teaching is pro...See More

Jan 27, 2009

paulaj How much time does a good teacher spend on the job? > > -Thanks in Advance...

I fill my 8 hours, usually workign through lunch, and sometimes take work home. But normally, after 17 years teaching, I use ONLY the 8 hours.

However, some teachers here, spend an extra 2 hours or more most nights. They do some awesome things, but...See More

Jan 28, 2009

movie for fourth grade

by pat K

Jan 26, 2009

I'm looking for a good movie for a class of 19 4th graders. Any ideas out there? Can't be less than G. I have experience in first and second grade movies, but don't think they would fly with fourth graders.

Thanks

by Tanya =^..^=

Jan 26, 2009

Hello All,

How do you use a smartboard with your class? What lessons/activities have you used it for? I am a primary teacher but I am giving a workshop for all of our staff and am just looking for some ideas on how the older grades (4 to 8) use the smartboard.

Thanks for your help and ideas!

Tanya

view previous comments

Adrienne lease continue to post. I am going to collect all the ideas and present them to my principal.

On 1/27/09, m wrote: > I use the smartboard for many of the things other posters have > listed. > I also like to use it as one of my centers for language arts > and math. Sometimes they are educational games, other times > they are ...See Morelease continue to post. I am going to collect all the ideas and present them to my principal.

On 1/27/09, m wrote: > I use the smartboard for many of the things other posters have > listed. > I also like to use it as one of my centers for language arts > and math. Sometimes they are educational games, other times > they are writing the students edit. One thing the students > really enjoy is when we do word problems and each center group > shows how they would solve it, writing at the very bottom of > the board. Then they cover it with the window shade, the next > group solves it their way and covers it. None of the groups > are allowed to uncover the other answers until we all groups > have completed it. Afterwords, we compare the problems and the > problem solving strategies the students used. > Also, I use websites with information or powerpoints that come > with the texts, and it's great because I can take notes right > on the screen (we are working on the gradual release method of > note-taking). I use the screen capture feature all the time to > capture the notes that we took so that I can pass them out to > any students who were absent. It saves the time of them having > to copy them, and the get the exact same info their classmates > got. It also saves me the time of having to reteach it, > because the student can also go back and go through the whole > presentation with a buddy (usually I pick a buddy that could > use a second glance at the material - kill two birds with one > stone). > Additionally I take care of a lot of my busy work with the > smartboard. Students mark that they are present at the > beginning of the day, make their lunch selection, move their > mark as they progress through the stages of writer's workshop, > and other daily "housekeeping" tasks. > We also use the senteo clickers at least several times a week. > Sometimes for our end of unit multiple choice tests, other > times for what I call the "show what you now know" assessments > we do at the end of daily lessons. Usually this is a mixture > of multiple choice, true false, or numerical answers. (I have > the clickers where you can input numbers, so I can have the > kids math solve problems). The best part - I don't have to do > the grading - the program does it for you and you have > immediate feedback on individuals and the whole class. > Sometimes I do clicker questions in the middle of class to > determine who is ready for independent practice, and who I > need to pull into a small group to give further instruction to. > I'm sure there are many other ways I use the smartboard, and I > love it because it makes my life easier, if used properly can > help increase student test scores, and keeps my class of > kinesthetic and visual learners very engaged. Also, students > know if they act up in class, they loose their smartboard > privileges for the day, but I can't remember the last time I > had to take anyone's privileges away!!! > > > On 1/26/09, Tanya =^..^= wrote: >> Hello All, >> >> How do you use a smartboard with your class? What >> lessons/activities have you used it for? I am a primary >> teacher but I am giving a workshop for all of our staff >> and am just looking for some ideas on how the older grades >> (4 to 8) use the smartboard. >> >> Thanks for your help and ideas! >> >> Tanya

Jan 27, 2009

JenZ My website is quite useful to SMART users. I am currently working extremely hard to make each subject area page smart board friendly. You will see that once you visit each portion of my page. I'm working on the math page right now. Any cells inside the tables that are filled with color work perfectly with a smart board. I have a BIG presentation to...See More

Jan 27, 2009

Any 3rd grade teachers out there?

by Mc-C

Jan 27, 2009

I have an opportunity to move to 3rd next year, and I'm looking for websites that share info about daily schedules and anything else helpful to someone new to the grade. Thanks!

view previous comments

3rd Grade Teacher On 1/29/09, Barb/Ohio wrote: > Here is a website to get you started. Everything and > anything you wanted to know about third grade! > Barb/Ohio > > [link removed]

Barb, your website is amazing!!! I'm in awe of how great it is!!! :) I have a couple of questions for you.

1. Your mystery groups, how do you have them g...See More

Jan 30, 2009

Barb/Ohio The website I included was not mine!! It belongs to Beth Newingham who teaches in Michigan. It is awe inspiring isn't it!!

Barb/Ohio

Feb 1, 2009

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