Teachers, are you trying to survive those last few weeks of school?  Do your students think that learning is 'over' because the test is done?  Are you looking for ideas to improve behavior and keep students engaged?  You've come to the right place.  Here are 4 tips for ending the year like a boss!

• Just. Keep. Teaching.—The best way to keep your students on task and out of trouble is to run your classroom like you always have.  Stick with your schedule and make sure that the lesson content is keeping your kiddos challenged.  Remember, if you’re a 4^th grade teacher, you have a room full of almost 5^th graders.  Don’t be afraid to introduce more difficult concepts.  Consider looking at next year’s standards for your subject.  When I told my students we were going to do 6^th grade science stuff so they would be ahead next year, they instantly perked up. 

•  Build Units Around Student Interests—Nothing gives students more buy-in than letting them choose what will be taught.  After our state science test we had a class discussion about what we learned in science this year and made a list of things we still wanted to learn about.  I built units around a few of those topics and my students couldn’t be happier. 

• Start Fun Friday Afternoons—Make a list of a few fun activities and post it in the room.  These can be academic or creative thinking activities.  For example, you could include a reader’s theater day, owl pellet lab, math-a-thon (online math games), gooey science lab, poetry slam, geography-a-thon (online geography games), and a Greek mythology art project.  Tell students they must earn X points as a class to earn a Fun Friday reward and give points throughout the week.  If they reach the point goal (and they will), choose an activity and enjoy!

• Teach  Essential Skills—Use these last few weeks to teach something that may have been pushed to the side earlier in the year.  For example, teach cursive, creative writing, or geography.  Oh, and math facts.  Don’t let students leave your grade without knowing their math facts!  Seriously.  You can set them up for success in the next grade if you give them time to master this before the end of the year. 

Summer is almost here.  Finish strong.  I have faith in you.  You can do it!  


--The Pensive Sloth

'Twas the Night Before Testing...Student Treat Idea

The day before the big test, I gather my students on the rug give them a pep talk.  Not a "you better do this" kind of pep talk, but an "I'm proud of you, you've worked hard, you've got this" kind of pep talk.  I don't want them stressed.  I want them confident in their abilities and relaxed.  I tell them that they have important homework tonight--to go outside and play, eat dinner, and get some rest.  At the end of our chat, I give each kiddo a treat.  This year, I placed a small plastic diamond in each of their hands and told each one to "Shine bright like a diamond."  They laughed because it's cheesy, I know, but they loved it and were so excited when they got THEIR diamond.  It was a fun, and hopefully memorable, experience letting them know that I believe in them and know they will do their best. 

NOTE:  Ring Pops work well for this, but in Texas we aren't allowed to give out candy during the school day, which is why I chose the plastic diamonds instead.  They sell the little gems at Party City as a table decoration for wedding showers.  I bought the jumbo bag that probably has 300 or so diamonds, so I'm set for the next several years!

Looking for simple ideas to help your students succeed on your state reading test?  Click HERE to read my top 11 reading test-prep tips. 

Thanks for stopping by!

--The Pensive Sloth
pensivesloth@gmail.com

Warm Up and Chill Out Test Prep Blog Hop and GIVEAWAY!

Thanks for hopping through with us!  I never say good luck to my students, instead I say, "Do what you know how to do and be your very best!"  Be sure to enter to win the $50 Starbucks Gift Card AND the Test Prep Bundle.  We hope you can use these to make your life a whole lot easier over the coming weeks.  Winners will be notified on Monday morning!  Happy Hopping!

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Making Number Lines

A great resource for making number lines. 

A great number line is hard to find. Now there is a site where you can custom make number lines to suit your needs for free.

At math-aids.com there are many options to choose from.

1) You can generate blank number lines. Your options include positive or negative numbers, and different ways to break up the number line into whole numbers or fractions.

2) You can create worksheets to add or subtract numbers on a number line.

3)You can create worksheets to locate fractions, mixed numbers, or decimals on a number line. This also includes positive or negative numbers.

http://www.math-aids.com/Number_Lines/

www.Simonesmathresources.com 

Novels...to Test or Not to Test?! A Novel Resource Round-Up LINKY

As a language arts teacher I always love encountering other upper elementary language arts teachers in other districts and states because I love hearing what takes place in other classrooms.  Questions I seem to find myself asking most frequently:

What novels do you love to teach?
How do you group kids?
Do you utilize a reading program? 

With so many tests being administered to my students on a daily basis one thing I NEVER assess my students on are the novels they are reading.  Perhaps this sounds crazy, but here is a breakdown of a typical week on my 6th grade instructional team...Pro-Ohio reading assessment, Pro-Ohio math assessment, weekly reading fluency assessment, weekly math assessment, spelling test, and maybe a science or social studies test.  EVERY WEEK!  So when we complete a novel unit as a whole class or students complete a novel independently, I seek out project-based resources for my students to complete to extend their learning.

This is my favorite sight in my classroom...

As a language arts teacher, I have spent countless hours sitting in the book store hovering over pages of different novels in hopes of finding the perfect tales to engage my students and make them enthusiastic readers.  I want them to reach the point in each novel where putting the book down is the hardest challenge they face, not worrying about the assessment at the end to check their comprehension.  To enhance their reading ambition, I created this I'm Finished...End of Novel Projects for Grades 4-6 resource in order to make completing novels even more fun for my students.

Click on the image for a sample project:

Teaching for 15 years makes a teacher wise…As teachers we are always looking for resources to make our students’ time in the classroom most meaningful and productive.  Like you, I don’t have a moment to waste with my instructional time.  Rather than TEST, complete some sort of book report, or answer MORE reader response questions, I want them to extend their thinking as well as share what they have learned and enjoy sharing about the book that has just been completed.  My hope is that another student might find the project so intriguing, they can't wait to read that book as well.
 
I would love for you to comment, link up a blog post, or link any free or paid resource that you utilize in your classroom to reinforce a love of reading in your classroom...

An InLinkz Link-up

Activities for Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With Upper Elementary Students

I took this photo over the Christmas break during a road trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  When I saw it, I just had to stop because I knew we would be learning about MLK Jr. in January.  I love sharing school-related photos taken during road trips.  I took lots of pictures of sedimentary rock layers, too.  But that's for a different post!  --The Pensive Sloth

Monday, January 19th will be Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Many 4th, 5th, and 6th graders can tell you a little bit about MLK, but as upper elementary teachers we want them to go deeper than that.  Here's what a few of the Lesson Deli teachers are doing in the classroom to commemorate this civil rights hero. 

• The Pensive Sloth--I think it is important that students know how far we have come in our country, and that a large part of that is due to the efforts of civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We do a variety of things in the classroom during the week of January 19th. 
• I like to start by asking students if it is ever OK to disobey a law before we begin discussing topics like civil disobedience and nonviolent protest.  This is a great discussion starter! 
• We then make a foldable to tell about life before and during the Civil War of the 1860s, from the 1860s to 1960s, after the 1960s, PLUS I have students tell about what life is like today! 

• For lengthier topics, like the Little Rock Nine and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, students work in partners to prepare a short report to present to the class.  As reports are presented, students summarize each topic on a portable Civil Rights Movement folding word wall.  

• Finally, I like to end by having students write about what Dr. King would think now.  What would he be proud of?  What would he think needs work? 

• TheRoomMom, has her students write simile poems about MLK Jr. after learning about him.  First, using a group of words related to MLK, students order the words from most important to least important based on their opinions.  Students then choose the 3 words they value as most important and write a simile using each word.  The similes can be combined into a poem and published on a paint strip for fun!  You can find the free resources for this activity HERE. 

• Caitlin also plans to try something new this year--a choral reading with parts of the "I Have a Dream" speech.  What a powerful, simple idea!  Make several copies of the speech and do a dramatic reading in class.  Then, show the speech on YouTube.   

• JB Creations says, "I like to embrace Dr. King's belief and dream to include everyone! On MLK day, I hand out 3 different scripts for a reader's theater on the life and time of this great leader. The scripts are leveled with a modified, regular, and enriched version to ensure everyone has a chance to participate at his/her own reading level. Students will learn about Martin Luther King Jr's childhood & the beginning of his dreams, his work, dedication, & accomplishments as a civil rights activist, and his lasting influence on people today!"  You can find the scripts JB uses on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

• Erin Beers also uses reader's theater to help students learn about MLK Jr.  Students use the script to complete a variety of activities including context clue word work, journal writing, and figurative language practice.  You can find the resource here.  She offers lots of opportunities to address CCSS while studying MLK Jr. 

Time to teach!

--The Pensive Sloth

Jumpstart January Blog Hop and $50 Target Gift Card Giveaway!

Thanks for "hopping" around with us!  We wish you the best on your learning-packed return to the classroom.  Be sure to enter this AMAZING giveaway and earn yourself some post-Christmas shopping fun!  

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Here are all of those amazing $1 deals!  Snag them up below!

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Happy January!  From us gals at Lesson Deli!

Classroom Party GAME Fun! Unwrap a Party Ball!

What fun did you have with your students this week?  I am a Pinterest fanatic!  I find that any type of inspiration, event, recipe, paint color, birthday idea, house design, bathroom remodel, etc...can be found on this wonderland of a site.  It didn't fail me this week as I was looking for a really fun game to share at my son, Brennan's, holiday classroom party.

I had pinned this a while back, but was waiting to implement it in my classroom or in one of my own kiddo's.  This past weekend, I purchased all of the goodies and put it together.  Because I was shopping with an almost two-year old and five-year old, I was just throwing the materials in my basket.  You can likely save lots of money if you plan ahead and grab the goodies when they are on sale.  Just a tip, Walgreens does not have the cheapest candy or office supplies!

Here is what I used:
4-bags of treats (I chose Laffy Taffy, Smarties, Nerds and candy canes because they are nut-free)
1-bag of bouncy balls
1-bag of holiday erasers
1-box of Saran Wrap
2-rolls of mailing tape (it is sturdy)
-invisible tape to hold treats in place
1-Ring Pop for the center

I started with the Ring Pop and then just kept layering on the Saran Wrap and goodies.  My son claimed that I made it too hard with so much tape, but those kiddos had a blast tearing and pulling.  I stopped when it was about the size of a soccer ball. It took me about 30-minutes from start to finish!

How To Play:

1. Put the kids in a circle on the floor.
2. I used 3-dice as I wanted it to be pretty fast-paced so I kept their attention for the 10-minute game time.
3. I gave the ball to the person with the closest birthday to Christmas.
4. Then the person to their right had the dice.
5. The person with the ball got to tear at it until the dice roller rolled a double.  As soon as a double was rolled, it was passed to the roller.  
6. The dice kept moving and the ball kept passing.
7. I had them roll in a little plastic container so the dice stayed contained.
8. With three dice the chance of rolling doubles was higher, so the game moved quickly keeping everyone's interest.
9. Students got to keep the candy they pulled out and eat at a later time.

Let the fun begin!

Fun was definitely had by all and I would totally do this again!  High-interest and fast-paced.  Perfect for keeping enthusiastic kiddos' attention.

I would love to hear about fun party games in your classroom!  Keep me posted!