Thanksgiving GIVE AWAY!!!

I am a firm believer in trying to reach the students where they are at and not just teaching to the whole of the class.  I have blogged about my intervention time, which I like to call W.I.N. Time (What I Need), and have shared about some of the resources I have created.  On Thanksgiving, I will be choosing at random 1 person who has liked my Facebook page to be the recipient of all of my W.I.N. Time resources that I have created up to this point.  It would include the following:

WIN Time Pamphlet, explaining what I do
WIN Time/Assessment Binder
Place Value WIN time lessons
Adding/Mental Math WIN time lessons
Money WIN time lessons

Elapsed Time WIN

That is a total of  $20 in freebies!    So spread the word!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!  :)

W.I.N. Time (Intervention) Lesson Plans

Yesterday I blogged about a concept called W.I.N. time.  Basically it is a time built into the schedule for interventions and challenging your higher students.  I do a new concepts for students every two weeks.  I try to have groups no larger than 6.  I get people into my classroom to help lead groups and I have some students working independently.  I always try to follow this model as I am planning the intervention lessons:

Day 1 - Teach or Reteach a concept already taught
Day 2 - Model for students how to do it
Day 3 - Practice Together
Day 4 - Practice Together
Day 5 - Independent Practice
Day 6 - Independent Practice
Day 7 - Review and Assess

I have given a very detailed description of what W.I.N. Time is and how to do it in a pamphlet I posted on TPT.  You can access that here.

In my TPT store I also have several W.I.N. Time (intervention) lesson plans already laid out, with many more to come.

 

You can find my Intervention lesson plans here.  For this week only, I will be giving  my W.I.N. Time/Assessment Binder away for free!  Tell your friends!

I feel like we can't just continue to teach to the whole.  It is difficult to differentiate for every student, but this is one way to be collecting data and responding to that data with purposeful intervention.  This is something that had been lacking in my classroom and I am seeing some great results because of the intentional effort being put into seeing where every student is at and trying to help them move forward from there.

Make it a great day!

Rachel 

How to...Intervention - The W.I.N. Time concept

A few years ago, my school started getting into PLC's and looking at data pretty heavily.  The goal was to use the data to help improve the data.  How do you do that?  I know Johnny is low and Jenny is high, but what do I do with that?  I came across a concept that can be very powerful in getting the results we want.  One thing that we all have to remember is that styles and preferences as teachers come into play.  You have to do what comes naturally to you.  I will briefly outline what I do and if you want more information, check out my free download on teachers pay teachers that goes more in depth.

Here are the basic steps:

1. Collect Data (I usually look at spelling, reading, and math)

2.  Establish an Intervention team (could be partner teachers, special ed teachers, paras, parents, etc. - 3 or 4 is ideal)

3.  Plan a common intervention time where all of the team can be available to work with students.

4.  Look at the data as a team.

5.  Find common areas of need among students, placing students in intervention groups.  Some of your higher level students can be working independently in their area of need or on something more challenging.

6.  Decide who is going to plan, prepare and teach which interventions and preparing for your independent students.

7.  Plan for 7-8 days of intervention on that topic.  Every two weeks, re-evaluate where the students are at.  You may teach the same concept the following 2 weeks, but to some different students and some of the same students.

8.  Throughout the year, plan common assessments.  As you look at the data from those assessments, you can see common areas where students struggled or maybe one class did better than another.  Don't be offended, find out how they taught that concept.  This is one way where you can hone your skills as a teacher as well.  I am all about becoming better at what I do.  I try not to let my pride get in the way.  I always try to remember why I do this, for the students.

Here is what I call it - W.I.N. time.  It stands for What I Need.  That covers everyone.  Even if they are not identified in your assessments as needing an intervention in anything, you can still give them things that will challenge their thinking.  Projects or taking a concept to the next level.  Think outside the box.  :)

To learn more about W.I.N. time, check out my TPT store for the free download with information on what, how, who, etc.  There is also a download for organizing all your information - your data, assessments, etc.

Christmas Noun Review

I like to use the month of December to review the parts of speech we have learned up to this point.  I am all about trying to engage students in learning and motivate them to do their work.  There is so much that can be done during the month of December to engage and motivate.  In this resource, students use Christmas songs and books in order to review and practice nouns.  You can also take this time to practice fluency while singing.  Incorporating music into your lessons can be a big motivator in itself.  ;)

Here is a sample of what I have created.

Click here to download your own copy.

Hope you enjoy!

Rachel

How the Grinch Stole Christmas Writing and Story Elements Unit

Do you love teaching in the month of December?  People may think I am crazy, I know it is a chaotic month with the anticipation of what's to come, parties, programs, etc.  But if we can corral that energy into something with educational value, maybe we can get even more learning done, more than we may some other months.

Here is one thing I do during the month of December that I think the students have a blast with.  We begin by reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  We do this right after Thanksgiving to give us time to get the project finished before Christmas.

I then lay out the project we will be working on for the month of December.  I create 2 folders that look like the photo below.  These have been used for a couple of years, so I may need to get new ones together this year.  :)

Inside is a letter from me, to the parents, explaining what is to happen, a writing checklist, and several copies of 4 different writing projects they can choose from.

Each night, 2 students bring home the folder and a Grinch doll.  I purchased them for $5 at Kohl's.  They are to choose a writing project to complete that night and their parent is to go over it, making sure that all parts of the writing checklist have been covered.  They color it and return it the next day.  I usually only send the folders home, Monday-Thursday.  I think if I send it home over a weekend there is a higher chance it won't come back.

Once all students have returned with a finished product, I make colored copies of each, enough for each student.  We then take construction paper and compile them into a book each student gets to keep.  You can use a binder machine, or punch holes and use yarn.  I don't have a picture of previous projects, but I will get one this year to show.  

Along with the writing, I also do a story elements unit, culminating with a reader's theater play.  I like to do the play as well as have them learn the song, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", because I think it is great fluency practice.

You can find my story elements unit, along with all resources needed for the Grinch Writing project, by clicking here.

I hope that your month of December is filled with fun and learning!

Rachel

Planning and curriculum mapping

I am so pumped to be able to share what I'm doing in my class.  I had another blog, but for different reasons, I needed to create a new one.  I will post the link to my old blog so you can check out what I have posted in the past.

I am currently on maternity leave, which is almost over...sigh.  :(  Planning and curriculum mapping is something I am trying to get my head wrapped around so I can hit the ground running when I return in December (which I have some great ideas and will post on later).

Planning is such a difficult thing sometimes, until you get into a groove that works for you.  Having had 2 of my kids while teaching, I know that how I lay something out, may not jive with the organizational style of someone else. I have been working hard over the last couple of years to perfect my planning organization.  I've read some great blogs, with some great ideas.  Ultimately, it needs to fit your style.  I will post pictures of what I do and maybe that will help you in your journey toward organization and planning.

First I start with a binder for each month.  

In each binder, the first thing I put in is my outline for the whole year.  

That way it is always accessible each month.  Click here for a copy of what I have come up with.

The next thing I do is make a monthly plan.  Which really is all four weeks laid out.  It may change as the month goes on, but it is a starting place to guide me.

You can find a sample of it here.

I have worked at getting rid of all files.  I am trying to keep one original copy of each thing I do, or make note where it is digitally.  So for the month of December, I no longer have any files.  Everything I might need for that month is now in my binder.  My goal is to continue each month down sizing my files and having everything available in these binders.  I challenge you to do the same!

Happy Planning!!

Rachel