Friday Funny

From this summer's Administrative Retreat. Hope you get the point (pardon the pun).

Website of the Week!

The website of the week is worksheetworks.com

I found this site several years ago, and have shared it with as many as possible since. Great activities for all subject matter. These worksheets can be created to suit many different needs as they allow you to set some of the parameters. Then, it generates a new worksheet each time, even if you leave the parameters the same. These are then given as a PDF file with the answer key.

Great for subs, Success Time, or to reinforce a specific lesson!

Test Prep Vocabulary Activities

Click here or on the above pick for the PDF file. (Must be signed in to ACS e-mail)

This file contains multiple activities (I Have/Who Has, card games) that deal with the vocabulary students will encounter when taking tests. Though most deal with reading (summarize, predict, etc.), there are some that would relate to math or other subjects as well (classify, explain, etc.)

This would be a great activity for any class, for when you have a sub, for Success Time, or as a review.

Ratio Games

Ratio Blaster

In this game students must "blast" ratios that are alike before the space ships land. After the game is over it gives them information on how they did, and what errors they made.

Ratio Rumble (Mathsnacks.com)

In this game you must create the correct potion (based on the given ratio) before your opponent.

Reading/Writing ideas!

Here is a PDF copy of the information Eric shared in his e-mail today.

Some of the "Big Ideas"

• Teaching Constructed Response Writing (Important as we move toward Common Core)
• Organizing a classroom library
• Accessing Reader Thinking
• Making Connections in Reading
• Socializing with Teachers
• Close Reading in a technical text
• Infusing I-Pads in the classroom

Asking the Right Kind of Questions

One of the themes of Common Core instruction (Benchmark and Agile Mind) is developing students who think, rather than students who merely recite information. To do this, teachers must ask the right kind of questions. Questions that require more than a simple "yes" or "no" response. We are looking for thinking that requires reasoning or evidence. As I tell teachers, we are shifting from teachers giving instruction and then having students respond (or perhaps a better "r" word would be regurgitate), to having students discuss and then teachers respond (by building on what they know to guide them to what they do not know.)

With that in mind, the PDF link provided (click on the picture below) offers several question stems to help guide us to the types of questions that will help us ask the right questions as we seek to facilitate the thinking our students.

Thanks to Laura Swain, Instructional Coach for 3rd -5th grades for ACS for the info!

Bar Model with Rates and Ratios

Using Decomposing Numbers to Solve Problems

Click on the video to view.

This lesson could be used as a fill-in when your regular math lesson ends before class time is up. Or it can be a lesson on days that you want to supplement your Agile Mind. Or even as the start of a Success Time lesson.

A lesson like this is helpful for something as simple as students who are struggling with their multiplication facts as it builds their number sense and provides strategies for problems they have not yet committed to memory. It is also helpful for building mental math strategies for larger problems.

Friday Funny

Common Core Worksheets

From e-mail from Kelly Hodson.

Common Core Worksheets

Great resource for ELa and Math! Also added to links on right under "Teacher Websites."

App of the Week - Educareations (Free!)

This is a great app with many ways to use. (Link) Here are just a few...

• Create your own lessons, then post them to a website.
• Use this as a framework for classroom instruction.
• Record your own instruction for students to view again as needed, even at home.
• Browse great, creative, interactive lessons from other teachers to enhance you teaching or use directly with your students.
• Use for morning work.Then show a correct solution.
• Use during Success Time. A teacher can post instruction and then provide a problem. Then pause the screen while students work. Resume to share a correct solution method or multiple methods.

Once you create a video, it posts to a website that you can make private or public, and can be viewed on any computer with internet access.

 Here is an example of what teachers have posted...

Here is one that I created. (Bar model of a 5th grade problem)

Math Activity - Today's Digits

Download PDF file.

Download Word file.

Great activity for Order of Operations. Can be differentiated in many ways. (Use 3 OR 4 numbers, Use only specific operations, modify to find specific answers only, etc.) Can also be used to build number sense and specific operations skills.

AGILE MIND Videos

Here is the link, or click on the picture below.

When you click, you will need to have a user name and password. You can find that here. (Must be logged in to ACS e-mail to view).

Tips on Navigating this blog

If you are new to blogs, here are some tips to help you navigate and use this blog as a better resource.

• POSTS: Post are like articles on a particular topic. As a new post is entered, the previous ones are kept, but move down. You can click on a blog post title to have that post appear on its own. This is helpful if you want to send that particular post to someone with a link (such as in an e-mail or link on another site).

• LABELS: Posts can be given labels. This is helpful if you want to look up a blog post on a particular topic, but don't have time to search through every post. All you need to do is look for the "Labels" section on the right and click on the topic you want. Each post tagged with that label will come up on the blog.

• TABS: You will notice a set of tabs toward the top, under the welcome. These are links to things that someone who visits this blog might frequently visit. Just click on the tab to go to that site.

• INFORMATION:  You will notice a section to the right titled "Informational Sites and Stuff." You can click on this to go to other informational sites or it may pull up a document. Documents that might contain information that needs to be kept private can only be viewed if you are signed into you ACS e-mail account.

• LINKS TO WEBSITES: To the right you will also find links to various websites for teacher use. To go to the website, just click on the words given. 

My intention is that this would be a useful tool for information as well as a forum for sharing ideas. If there is some information you would like to see included on this site, please let me know and I will try and add it. If there is a website that is particularly helpful to you, please share that as well. Thanks!

Teacher Ideas - Apps and Websites

Remind 101 App - A safe and secure way to text students and parents.

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Planbookedu - An on-line planbook. (Recommended by Kendra Kelso)

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ILEAP Pick a Student App - Chooses students without bias. Like popsicle sticks on your phone.

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25 Great Ideas for (not just) Elementary Teachers

Agile Mind - Alignment with 8-Step Calendar

Download a PDF file here.