Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Field Trippin'

Last Friday we took a walking field trip to Home Depot (it's about a quarter mile away) with over 130 students.  It was AWESOME!

When we arrived they brought us on a tour of the store and talked to the kids about the lifecycle of a plant.  Our guide taught the kids a chant (see the video below) that we did as we moved from one point to the next.  It was the perfect way to keep 130 six and seven year olds engaged!

After our tour and lesson all of the students were able to re-pot a flower to give to their Mom for Mother's Day!

We spent the rest of the afternoon creating a Mother's Day gift and relaxing (field day the day before).

If you're looking for a great place to field trip with a large group try Home Depot, they were beyond generous and the kids had a blast!  Check out the Home Depot chant!




Monday, May 6, 2013

Teacher Appreciation Sale


Hey friends!  I was planning an MTSS Monday post for today, since it's been a hot minute, but I think announcing the TPT Teacher Appreciation Sale is WAY more important :).  I just finished loading up my wish list for tomorrow!

Please stop by my store this Tuesday or Wednesday to pick up any of my products for 28% off!  Click the image below to visit my TPT store!


Before I go I want to leave you with this little treat:



Last week we were getting our rainy day dance on and a sweet little guy in my class says "Hey, I made a Harlem Shake video with my family and it's on YouTube.  It's got 74 views!"  Of course I replied "Really, what's it called?"  He fired back "Harlem Shake!"  Obviously we couldn't find it but his parents came through with the link today and we got to watch it in class!

Watch this video to kick up his views, he'll be in heaven the next time he checks it out!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day

Whoa.

Two updates in two days?

Try to contain yourselves. :)

I had a lot of kids out today so we took a little extra time with our Earth Day activities.  I wasn't planning on doing much but when I realized I didn't want to start a new writing and math sequence with so many people out I figured "why not?!"

We kicked it off with this www.brainpopjr.com video:


Who loves brainpop as much as I do?  The Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle video is free this week (and may be free all the time, I'm not sure).  I have a membership, it's THE BEST $8 I spend every month.  No lie.  Go ahead and subscribe right now if you haven't already.

After the video we talked about things we could do to help take care of the Earth and read Recycle by Gail Gibbons.  I would go on about how much I love Gail Gibbons and how you need to buy all of her books but I try to limit my obscene enthusiasm to one per post.  I'll throw that one at you next time.


Finally, I threw together this little writing activity asking students to make an Earth Day promise.  Some of my favorites were "I will not litter and not make smoke."  One little guy wrote "I will ride my 4-wheeler instead of drive my Mom's car to save gas."  Um, not sure if I'm more worried about him totally not getting the whole "save gas" thing or him driving his Mom's car but I definitely like the effort!


You can download it here for free.  I know it's a little late for this year unless you're planning on doing more later this week but at least scoop it up for next year! I mean, it is free!

Check out a few of our our promises!


Sunday, April 21, 2013

Time Update!

Hey sweet friends!

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update.  I've been working on setting up a domain...I'm now JUST www.thecuriouscatfish.com!  I don't know why that's so exciting but it is!

You'll also see a new custom blog design going up over the next week or so!  Can't wait!

I've been working up a few new products but tonight I updated my Time for Fishing resources!


I first shared this unit in January.  All games, activities, and worksheets are black line masters and there are 6 colorful posters to display to help students with measures of time vocabulary.  In this pack you will find: 

-3 Fishing games
-3 "I have, Who has?" games
-3 Bingo games
-1 Make your own clock printable
-Black line masters and recording sheet for Can You Find the Time
-6 Worksheets
-6 Colorful time posters

The new activities include:
-3 Time Concentration games
-3 Time Snakes and Ladders game boards

All games, activities, and worksheets include separate sets for time to the hour, half-hour, and every 5 minutes.


As I was teaching this unit back in January I found myself wanting a few more activities for the time math centers my students were working on so I decided to add concentration and snakes and ladders to help round out the pack.

I feel like this has been my MOST successful year teaching time to the hour and half-hour.  All of my students have mastered 1.MD.3-Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.  I even tried to trip them up with mixed practice and they showed me up!  I'm so proud of them!

Check out some of their hard work!

Can You Find the Time


Time Bingo


Time for Fishing






Finally, here are a few shots of the "Clock Corner" and some of the measures of time posters from my unit.


If you've already purchased this product make sure you download the revised file to get the new games and let me know what you think!

I'd love to share a copy of Time for Fishing with the first person to comment below, follow this blog and follow my facebook fan page!  Don't forget to leave your email address!

Monday, March 18, 2013

MTSS Monday: Documentation

Happy MTSS Monday!

This is my last MTSS Monday post before spring break!  In an effort to keep your expectations low when it comes to me posting on a regular basis, I will be taking spring break off ;)

Cheryl of Primary Graffiti decided to jump on my MTSS Monday train! It's nice to see her inspired by another one of my ideas!

Maybe MTSS Monday will become a "thing" and I will be the creator.  Kind of like that time Dr. Seuss created the word 'nerd'!


MTSS is basically RTI, if you're familiar with that term, but with a different name.  We used to call it RTI but then the 'man' changed the name (probably just to confuse me) so now it's MTSS or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support....fancy.

MTSS happens everyday from 9:15-9:45 in our school.  EVERY student works on individualized activities. (Don't stop reading here...it's possible and can even become easy if you can find a way that works for you!)  Some grade levels exchange students across the whole grade level...it's a circus.  I can't deal.

My first grade team and I decided we wanted to do MTSS in our own rooms.  With our own students.  This opens up our collaboration time to share resources....see last weeks post....as opposed to catch up on our own students progress in another teachers MTSS group.

Tier 1 instruction is the general education program.  This means that ALL students are receiving core instruction with flexible grouping and differentiation.  Screening and progress monitoring are utilized to determine instructional needs and measure student progress.

For students who are not making adequate progress, teachers combine their core instruction with additional interventions depending on the needs of the individual students.  This additional support is considered Tier 2.  In this tier you will see targeted, supplemental interventions aligned with the core curriculum.  Tier 2 supports can be provided by the teacher or school support faculty (a reading or math coach) 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  These interventions should be delivered through a small group format.  Progress monitoring data is used to adjust instruction and intervention.

There will be a small percentage of students who still may show learning difficulties with Tier 2 intervention.  These students will need more intensive interventions.  Tier 3 interventions are designed for students who do not respond to Tier 1 or 2 interventions.  This is the highest level of support and is much more individualized.  Students will meet one-on-one or in very small groups (2-3 people) 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes.

At our school they almost always need 6-8 weeks of intervention data to move from Tier 2 to Tier 3 and beyond that to testing.  Tier 2 documentation should show assessment results bi-weekly.  Tier 3 assessments should happen weekly.

In a couple of my previous posts I shared with you how I structure and organize MTSS in my classroom so I won't do that again here.  I know this is starting to get a little long.  I will share with you how I'm monitoring my students progress and keeping track of the extra practice and enrichment activities I provide my Tier 1 students.

















I posted an early version of these in my first MTSS Monday post.  Since then I've fine-tuned each tier and added some very basic graphs that could be used to graph either Tier 2 or Tier 3 progress.  I print the Tier 3 progress monitoring page and graphing page back to back.  You will need a Tier 3 page for each Tier 3 student but you will be able to use it for the whole course of your intervention.  You can download these Progress Monitoring sheets for FREE from my TpT Store!

Monday, March 11, 2013

MTSS Monday: Collaboration

I've tried to plan out this post on collaboration for MTSS Monday all day and I really can't get past the title.  Vanilla Ice distracts me every time....


You're welcome....for that :)

Now let me see if I can get past Vanilla to talk to you about how I collaborate....and listen.

I work on a grade level with 6 other fabulous women.  We decided to "beef" up our MTSS materials.  Since it's not like we were provided with any teaching materials...or given money to purchase materials...or really even given a clear idea of what MTSS should look like.  It's like being in a boat without a paddle.  Is anyone else out there paddle-less?!?

In an attempt to "beef" up our resources we have decided to pick a skill or strategy and find 1 resource (game or activity) we could use to teach it and then share it at a grade level meeting.  Last week we met for the first time and everyone printed each other copies of their activity and then shared and explained them at the meeting.  It was amazing to walk away with 7 new games!  I've already laminated, cut out, and added several to my MTSS buckets!

Click here to get this game from The First Grade Sweet Life!
Click here to check this out on Have Fun Teaching!
We also shared links to products on TPT that we really like.  I just love this comprehension packet.  I printed the story and graphic organizer back to back and laminated them.  My students can read them and complete the organizer using a dry erase marker.  I also use them during guided reading!
Click here to purchase this game from Read Like a Rock Star!
For our next few meetings we are compiling activities for synonyms, antonyms, and homophones.  Here's a sneak peek at the homophone resources I'm planning on sharing!

Click here to get my homophone fishing game!
Click here to get homophone match up from The First Grade Sweet Life!
Click here to download Homophone Memory!
Click here to get this homophone cut and paste worksheet!
How do you collaborate with your grade level and co-workers?

Do you have any great synonym, antonym, or homophone activities I could share with my grade-level?  If you do, leave the link in the comments so I can check them out!

I hope you can use some of these resources during your MTSS/RTI time!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

He Who Must Not Be Named....

"Today you are You,
that is truer than true.
There is no one alive
who is Youer than You."
-Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! 

I'm probably not allowed to say that but I don't really give a rats....WHAT!?!

It's absolutely pathetic that teachers are afraid to share the wonderful things that they do with their classes to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday because they are afraid of cease and desist letters and lawsuits.  Despite my disdain for the bullies who are trying to turn Dr. Seuss into Voldemort I am going to share a few things I LOVE about Seuss with you!


So many of Seuss's books contain incredible lessons, messages, and commentary on the world we live in.  For example, as I was reading I Had Trouble in getting to Solla Sollew with my class earlier this week the central message resonated with me even as an adult.

"But I've bought a big bat.
I'm all ready, you see.
Now my troubles are going
To have troubles with me!"
-Dr. Seuss I Had Trouble in getting to Solla Sollew

The story is about a little creature who runs into trouble and decides to run away from his troubles.  On his journey to Solla Sollew he runs into more troubles and upon his arrival he learns he can't get into Solla Sollew (thanks to a Key-Slapping Slippard) and he's faced with a decision.  He can continue his search for a trouble-free life in Boola Boo Ball or he can return home and face his problems.  

Of course, I emphasized that you don't need a bat to face your problems but there are two main points that are wonderful to pull out with young students!  Is it possible to have a problem free life?  When you have a problem should you run away from it or be brave and face it?


I just adore Who Was Dr. Seuss? by Janet Pascal.  I got this little chapter book from a Scholastic Book Fair Warehouse sale last year and just finished reading it with my class.  When we finished a chapter in the biography we read a book that was referenced in that chapter.  It was really interesting and exciting to read the story with background information from the biography!  

For example, we learned in the biography that after Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat using 225 different words, his friend and publisher Bennett Cerf bet him $50 that he couldn't write a book using only 50 different words.  Dr. Seuss won the bet and $50 when he completed Green Eggs and Ham!  A few of my students wanted to know what 50 words he used so this week I created a recording page and they dug into their research.  I forgot to take pictures but I will post two of the "research projects" my students participated in this week. 


If you are interested in using either one of these recording pages with your class please download them HERE for free!