Cyber Monday and Tuesday Sale

This is Robyn and Amy and we are joining in on the Cyber Monday and Tuesday sale on TPT! We are putting everything in our stores on a discount of 15%!!! You can find some great things on a discount! Click here for Robyn's TPT store!
This is one of Robyn's new Christmas/Winter items!
                      

Click Here to visit Amy's TPT store!  Here are a few Christmas products Amy has just released!

  

Decorate the tree.  Each tree has the product or quotient to a multiplication.  Match the factor ornaments to each tree.

 

This product has one and two step multiplication word problems.  Students work through the problems and then use an IPAD to scan QR codes to see if their answer is correct!

 

Mistletoe Multiplication contains 20 multiplication sentence cards with a matching array card, groups of card, repeated addition card, and related division sentence card to help your students better understand multiplication strategies!

Tried it Tuesday---Blog Partner and Websites

I am linking up with 4th Grade Flipper’s- Tried It Tuesday!   This is Amy and I am going to share a few things I've tried this week.  Not only am I blogging with two very awesome educators and two women I care so much about, I am also learning from them.  This week I tried Kim's word problem wheels in one of my math stations.  My students enjoyed the hands on technique added to the problem solving skill.

 

My students have also started learning about rocks and minerals in science.  They LOVE it and honestly it is one of my least favorite things to teach (only because I don't have an abundance of knowledge in the area).  I worked with our STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) teacher this week to find a creative way to engage my students when it comes to investigating minerals.  The students were able to use mineral kits to conduct scratch test to see the mineral's streak and test the minerals hardness.  Then we introduced them to this mineralogy4kids.org  an AWESOME interactive website.

Check it out:

An excellent introduction to The Rock Cycle

 

This part of the  website allows students to explore mineral groups, mineral properties, crystals, minerals used everyday, and interact with a mineral identification quiz and mineral games.

I loved the mineral properties section and hope to be able to use it in the upcoming weeks as my students learn more about color, cleavage, and luster.

 

The mineral identification tool was our main focus.  Students were asked to take a 5-step quiz to help them determine the mineral they were given.  For the most part, the mineral identified was the mineral they were given.  The students kept asking for new minerals to see if they could correctly identify it through each step.  It was awesome to see how excited 8 and 9 year olds were over MINERALS!

Spark Student Motivation: Homework Pass

                                              
This is Amy and this is our first time linking up with "Head Over Heals for Teaching's" Spark Student Motivation Saturday.  Over the last few weeks, I've noticed a lack of drive in my classroom.  The concepts being taught are getting harder and the demand on my students has increased.  I am constantly trying to find new ways to motivate my students.  I've used candy, spell out word motivation, extra technology time, and extra credit points (dojo points) with many of my previous classes.  I have also purchased those cute little homework pass certificates sold at The Dollar Tree and used them for students going above and beyond.  I have not attempted the homework pass approach this school year, but after viewing my homework check-off sheet, I actually don't have a problem with my classes completing homework. This week after dealing with the same students participating, answering questions, and going above and beyond; I knew I needed something to "get those hands up."  During planning, I quickly made these homework passes and started passing them out to those students who were always participating during math discussions. 
                                                         
By Friday, it was amazing to see the number of students participating.  You can grab these passes FREE at my TPT store!  I would love to hear how you motivate your students!!

Made It Monday--Turkey Fact Family Game

Linking up with:
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This is Amy and we are linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It and Math Monday at A Burst of First.  I have tried my best to make learning multiplication facts fun for my students.  Next week, my students will be using Thanksgiving themed activities as they rotated through math stations to reinforce multiplication facts as well as discover how multiplication and division are related.  With this activity students get a turkey body and have to find the 4 number sentence feathers (2 multiplication and 2 division) that match with the given factors.  This activity includes includes 18 turkeys with the coordinating feathers.  It can be purchased here!

 

 

Look for new Thanksgiving and multiplication products coming soon!!!

Five For Friday

This is Amy and I'm linking up to Kacey's Five for Friday at Doodle Bug . 
1.  As most of you know, I'm expecting my second child in February.  I had the dreaded GLUCOSE test on Monday.  I'm happy to say I passed!  With my first, I did not pass so of course I was worried.
2.  Because of my doctors appointment on Monday and my school being closed Thursday and Friday, I have had a very short work week.  I feel like it was a blessing in disguise simply because I've had a nasty cold for over 2 weeks.
3.  I'm working on some really fun thanksgiving themed activities for my classroom.  I will post these on my TPT store very soon.
4.  I'm currently editing writing (not my favorite thing to do).  I actually have some talented writers in my classroom.
5.  My students have been working on Georgia Habitat Projects for two weeks.  They turned them in and presented them on Tuesday.  Can I just say they are unbelievable!!  They did an amazing job.  Out of 48 students I only had 2 not complete the project.  I'm very proud of their dedication.  Now to grade them.....

  

Dear Journal......

About 3 years ago I started including journaling in my classroom.  I used it just during math and it was a HUGE success.  Last year, I had my students keep a math journal and a science/social studies journal.  I found it to be a great tool to assess my students on a daily basis (depending on the lesson) and to build writing skills.  This year I have continued journaling with my students.  Each student has a math journal and a science journal.   This is how it works:
When I write my lesson plans I include a journal entry for most lessons as the "summarizing" activity.  I then cut and paste these into one document, copy them, and cut them into strips.  This makes it VERY easy for students to manage and complete.  No copying from the board (that takes too much time)!

 I use math journals to introduce the vocabulary when beginning a new math unit.  Students fill in the blanks as I discuss the vocabulary they will be learning and using within the new unit. 

                                               

Journal entries include a summary question from the daily lesson and a daily word problem.  Students are asked to complete the journal entry as a ticket out the door on many occassions.  This is a great way for me to monitor areas of weakness as well as areas of strength. 

                 

                                       

I have also used journal entries as part of my small group "station" rotation.  On ocassion we do not get to the journal entry during class.  I have included these "skipped" journals as part of small group stations.  I typically use 4 stations to review and reinforce previous taught skills while I work with students to introduce new skills, challenge higher achieving students, or provide intervention to struggling students.  I place journal entry strips in envelopes.  Students then know how many journal entries they must complete during that station rotation.  I typically put 2 or 3 strips, which is plenty to keep students busy.

 

During science, I use journals in a similar way.  Journal strips are not used during science simply because the entries typically consist of vocabulary or each student's understanding of a particular section of the unit.  Students record vocabulary from the unit.  They are given a word list and asked to find the word and definition in their science book.  Then students draw a picture of the word to help them better understand the meaning.

 

T-charts are another strategy used at the end of a science lesson.  Currently we are studying the different regions of Georgia and the plants and animals associated with each region.  This can be very overwhelming to students.  After a class discussion, research, and exploration of the region, I have students complete a t-chart listing the plants, animals, and characteristics of the discussed region.  I use the t-chart method throughout many of my science lessons and lab experiments.

 

Word webs are another strategy used by students in science journals.  As we discussed animal characteristics and classifications, I had students create word webs for each animal group.  These word webs were great references to use as we explored the different animal habitats throughout Georgia's regions.

For the most part, students enjoy journaling.  It gives them the satisfaction of knowing they have learned what has been taught, allows them to be creative, and helps students share ideas with the class.  I am always looking for fun and creative activities to add to journals.  Please comment with how you have used journals in your classroom!

Competition in the Classroom

It's Amy and I'm sharing a little bit about how I motivate my students.  As we all know, multiplication is an essential skill necessary for math from third grade forward.  It's is my job to present multiplication to students using a variety of strategies such as arrays, number lines, groups of, and skip counting.  I am a firm believer that multiplication is a skill that should be DRILLED!!  Yes, all of these strategies are excellent to help students understand the concept of multiplication, but they MUST know the facts.
I teach two math segments each day.  My students take home a multiplication log and are asked to log multiplication practice minutes.  I check the log each Monday.  We graph the results for each class on a bar graph displayed on the inside of the classroom door.  The student in each class who practices the most minutes is rewarded with a certificate (not pictured).  The certificates are displayed for a week on the door.  The next week the certificate is given to the student and the new multiplication leader's certificate is displayed.  As you can see from the graph below, these students mean business.  They are neck and neck with minutes practiced.  It's awesome on Monday when the students are eager to find out how many minutes practiced they are adding to the graph. 

The students are also given multiplication practice pass-off sheets every few days.  At the end of each math lesson, when time allows, I give the students a quick one-minute drill.  The drill is based on each student's pace.  I keep a log as students pass of any set of facts.  The log is not pictured due to privacy.  Once a student passes off a set of facts their name is added to the "I CAN" posters.  Each class is represented using a different color.  As the students master facts from 0-12, they enter the "Home run Club" and are given a nice certificate and prize.  The first class to get all members in the Home run Club earns a pizza party.

Each class looks for their "class color!"  It's really cool to hear, "Look there is more blue!" or "Oh no!  They are catching up to us!"

 I keep the pass-off quizzes in this file box.  It takes me a matter of minutes to call students names out to come get their practice quiz.  They really get excited about these drills.

I use competition within the classroom in many different ways.  This is just one way to share.  I've challenged class for class, student for student, gender for gender, and table for table.  Students are more motivated to learn and become very competitive when a challenge is presented.  I am very cautious to only display the necessary information and not to criticize or point out any student "pulling" down class averages or in this case practicing fewer minutes than others.  What are some of your motivational techniques?