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

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!

Spotlight on: Erin Beers from Mrs. Beers' Language Arts Class

Hi there!  My name is Erin Beers and I am a 6^th grade teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio.  I am thrilled to be a part of this Lesson Deli crew.  We are a group of 20 intermediate to middle school teachers who love sharing about our clever and "tried and true" teaching ideas and products for grades 4-8.  Please share our blog with your teacher friends and colleagues!   Also be sure to check in with us weekly as we have linky parties that feature amazing deals, steals, and FREEBIES.

It all started...

I graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1998 with my elementary certification in grades 1-8.  I have 15 years of experience in the classroom, all of which has been in an urban setting.  I have taught grades 5-8, but my heart is in 6^th grade language arts, which I have taught for 12 years.  I am a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent English Language Arts.  I have my Masters in Administration also from Xavier University, and I dream of being a building principal some day.  I am hyper-organized and I struggle to sit still.  Like my students, I thrive with both structure and order. 

Today...

I have been married to my husband, Geoff, for 11 years and have 3 AMAZING kids, Brennan (8), Lilah (5), and Landon (1 ½).   Here is a recent pic of my crazy crew…

I am currently on “extended maternity leave.”  It is extended because I had my third child, Landon, in March of 2013.  With three kiddos, my husband and I decided that it would be the best decision for our family if I took some time off.  I have to say, it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made stepping away from the classroom, but in retrospect, I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity.  It has given me priceless time with my children, the opportunity to refine my classroom resources, and the chance to take on tutoring, coaching, and troop leading roles.  When I told my mom that I would be taking time away from teaching she responded, “What will you do with your time?”  She laughs now when she visits and observes our non-stop household.  However, my plan is to return to the classroom when my littlest enters preschool.

Always on-the-go...

In addition to managing my nutty household, coaching soccer, and being my daughter’s Daisy Scout Leader, I love to read, write, and run.  While I am not currently teaching in a classroom setting, my teacher personality is ever present.  I am always on the look out for the perfect novels for my third grade son and for use in my classroom.  There is nothing better than finding that perfect book to get students hooked.  As a 6^th grade teacher, I found that many of my students were struggling readers and I was always in search of high-interest texts to engage them and enhance their fluency and comprehension.  On my “extended maternity leave”, I have had the opportunity to write and create some reader’s theater scripts that are the ideal resources to help my diverse readers.  Here is a shorter script that I would love for you to download and utilize…it incorporates fluency, word work, comprehension, and writing-a perfect Daily 5 resource.

I would love to hear what you think, so if you download, keep me posted on how well it worked in your intermediate to middle school classroom with some feedback.  

Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about me.  I look forward to sharing more tips and tricks, so check back soon!