Choosing to Read, Multiplication, Seeds, and Birds in a Cage!

Happy Saturday!

I'm linking up with Kacey from Doodlebugs again this week to share some random things from my week. 

1

After seven months of coaching and getting home anywhere between 6:00-11:00 p.m., I am trying to make myself leave school at 4:00. I love coaching, but having time for simple pleasure is nice too.

2

I finally have some kiddos choosing to read!

In my room, there is a standing direction that when they complete an activity or assignment they always check their work folders and then move on to "choices." 

Our choices are MobyMax, math games, read to self, fluency games, and word work activities. 

This class always chooses math games and it was driving me nuts. Don't get me wrong, math games are great! But so many of my kids this year need to be practicing their reading!

Anyway, I started a friendly AR competition between the boys and girls and now many are choosing to read and excited about earning points for their team. I still wish they were doing it for the love of reading, but I'm not going to complain! 

 3

Our Birds in a Cage artwork turned out pretty cute.

 Click here for a tutorial.

4

After studying about plants, we planted some seeds. I was a little worried because I had these seeds in the freezer, but they showed signs of sprouting in TWO days! 

The kids are thrilled!

5

And finally, the most exciting thing happening in my room is The Great Multiplication Race! 

Let's face it...a lot of second grade math is building on what they have learned in first grade, but multiplication... 

Well, that is new and exciting!

This pack came from Teacher's Gumbo although I don't currently see it in their store.

My awesome para (remember her name is Jackie :-)) came up with the idea to bind the pages and turn it into a book. We love it! The first several pages are filled with the strategies we've learned and then it goes into practicing them. I didn't really turn it into a "race," but I am allowing them to work at their own pace.

Well, that wraps up my week--at least the parts I have pictures for! ;-) 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Read All Day? What? Yes, Please!!!

This is what my classroom looked like yesterday:

Here's what was going on inside those lovely forts:

Reading, reading, and more reading!

We are working toward a goal of 100,000 Book Adventure points. Book Adventure is a free website that has teacher-created comprehension tests for students to take and earn points. It is similar to AR…not near as user friendly…but hey, it's free!

I don't give individual goals. We just work as a class toward a float party at the end of the year. I set the goal of 100,000 thinking it would be no problem since I started at the beginning of the year. 

I was getting a little nervous and the reward seemed so far away for them, so I decided to have a little celebration for making it halfway. 

We wore pajamas, built forts, and read all day (except for recess, lunch, and specials). My para and I were right there with them reading* and taking tests for our class. I also bought them all a book from Scholastic and gave them a free pizza certificate. 

*We both read Esio Trot by Roald Dahl and were disappointed…seemed to promote lying and trickery with no consequences. It was in my pile for kids to pick their free book from, but after reading it I pulled it out. Anyone else have thoughts about it? I don't think I've read that author before...

One student said, "This is the best day of my life!" 

Hee hee! I just love to hear that about a day of reading. :-)

And I'm happy to report that after our day of reading, we are up to 58,000 points! My class usually earns about 5,000 points a week.

And since I have so many K-State fans in my class, I just had to sport my KU pajamas!

No comment on how many times my husband had to take this picture before I thought it was acceptable for public viewing. Ha!

 Have a great weekend!

READ! READ! READ!

For the last few years, Crystal and I have had our little first graders in a competition against each other in reading.  At our school we do the Accelerated Reading Program (students read books on his/her level, take a test on the computer over it, and earn points).  The first graders usually don't start it until December or a little later since that is when they really start becoming more independent on their reading.  

So, we decided that the last nine weeks of school we would see which class could earn the most points.  We have told the kids that if both classes can earn 1,000 points together, then we would all have a little party at the end of the year.  Of course, Crystal and I are both competitive and we both do everything that we can to get the kiddos wanting to read and win LOL!  Crystal accuses me of cheating all the time :-) (at least she accuses me of it when we are in the lead :-)) 

Joking aside, it is a fun and friendly little competition and the kids really get into it!  They absolutely love it and are reading their books whenever they have time at school and taking them home in the evening to read them. 

At our school, in the morning the k-1 group will have days that they go to the library in the morning before school starts.  They get to watch an educational video.  The upper grades will be in the hallway reading his/her AR book.  Our kids have gotten so excited and want to read that they have asked to be able to go out in the hall and read instead of watching the video.  Of course, we let them! 

Crystal and I graph everyday where the classes are on the points.  The graph is hanging in the hallway outside our rooms.  So, the kids are always excited to get to the rooms to check to see who has the lead.  Our graph is below:

 

 

I was glad that when I took this picture, my class was in the lead HA!!  HA!!  Although, I will say that the two days before Crystal's class had the lead.  :-)  The kids are doing a great job with it and have earned a lot of points so far.  We are pretty sure that we will make the 1,000 points and will be able to celebrate together! 

 

We are really glad that the kids are having so much fun with it (along with their teachers :-)) and that they are reading a lot! 

 

Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!  Kristi