Find my new blog!

Jun12

For me, reading has always been not only a quest for pleasure and enlightenment but also a word-hunting expedition, a lexical safari.
― Charles Harrington Elster

Welcome to my newly redesigned blog! There will be more about the penguins another day… but for now I’d like to talk about the words at the top. I will highlight one each day.

http://devotedtovocabularydevelopment.com/

Fishy Fish

Jun2

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.

Henry David Thoreau

Fishy Fish Here is a fun freebie!

Here is a fun end of the year activity. I provide a list of names of actual fish. Fish have the most awesome names! The kids then draw a literal picture of what the fish should look like. A dogfish, a pinecone fish, a knife fish, a jellynose fish, etc. The kids love deciding which fish to draw. The next step is to write a sentence describing how they think the fish got its name. Then the students look up the fish on the internet. They draw what the fish actually looks like. They try to find out how it actually got its name, but if they can’t find that information, they just share a fact they discovered about the fish.

Here is my list of fish:

Here’s where the kids can do their work:

My students have asked do this again and again in their free time!

Ann

Understanding Multiplication

May18

Multiplication – The art of increasing gold or silver by magic, — attributed formerly to the alchemists

Younger students need to have the magic of multiplication broken into little pieces of reality! I think the best starting point is showing that multiplication is repeated addition. If I add two 6 times, I have multiplied two by six. It actually takes saying that word “times” quite a few times before everyone catches on to the idea that we also say “times” when we multiply.

Of course, by showing I actually mean showing. Students need manipulatives in their hands. If they are edible all the better! 15 candies in one roll of Smarties. If everyone on your team has one roll, how many candies does your team have? We make arrays out of cubes, then we draw the arrays with circles or Xs. Sometimes we get fancier and do hearts or stars, but it is important to be able to draw quick arrays to see that they can be useful in problem solving when you get stuck on a problem.

Important vocabulary surrounds multiplication. I love to have them figure out the analogies such as, plus: addition :: times: multiplication and addend: factor :: sum: product. Later on, we realize addition: multiplication:: subtraction : division. Besides factor and product, there’s other important multiplication vocabulary or key words. Each and every usually mean to multiply. I tell my class to watch out for same number and equal groups, because those words change each and every to division, every time. Kids need to know the words twice, double, triple, and quadruple means to multiple. Then we have total and altogether, which they already recognize as addition words. These words provide a chance to reinforce the idea that multiplication is actually just FAST addition.

When learning our facts, we use many strategies: fact families, number lines, repeated addition, arrays, groups, sets, music, movement, discussion, breaking apart numbers.

I made this poster for my kids to discuss all the ways they know to multiply. I have attached the pdf for you.

Understanding Multiplication

I have made an Understanding Multiplication Scavenger Hunt. Here is a page from it:

It also explores multiplication as repeated addition, arrays, skip counting, and fact families.

I hope that you find some magic in multiplication in your classroom!

Ann

Preparing for Memorial Day

May11

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me. -Lee Greenwood

Memorial Day doesn’t get much coverage in schools. It is too close to summer. Some schools are already over before it arrives. Memorial Day is thought of more as a day to celebrate the beginning of summer, than to remember those braves souls who died for our country.

My dad served in WWII. He gave up dreams to become an engineer to serve his country in the European Theater. Luckily, he returned safely to marry my mother and began a large happy brood to whom he dedicated his life. At his funeral in 2009, he was fittingly honored with the flag, the bugle, the military personal. There was not a dry eye to be found as we listened to taps. My mom gave the flag to a grandson who has also served in the Army.

When I visited Pearl Harbor one year to the day later, I cried freely throughout the day as I grieved for my loss and the loss of so many. This loss is perpetuated by war and yet always we have those brave enough to serve and maintain our freedom.

My Memorial Day Scavenger Hunt presents/teaches facts about Memorial Day. It is a great activity for this less focused time of the year because the kids can be out of their seats in search of information.

I have a set of National Holiday posters. Here is the Memorial Day one.

Memorial Day

memorial

Please help your students understand the importance of this day this year!

Ann

Teacher Appreciation Week

May5

Teacher Appreciation Week

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward

I have much appreciation for teachers; my own teachers starting with my parents and older siblings, my elementary teachers, all of the teachers that kept me focused on my goal of becoming a teacher. I am grateful for my teacher friends. These are my truest and most loyal friends. I am grateful that young and energetic new teachers are arriving to continue the work of helping kids love learning.

I appreciate all those who have visited my stores; TPT or TN. If you found a freebie you could use to help make your day or a student’s day better, I am so glad. If you purchased a product, thank you so much. I think this quote is so true of teachers;

A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others. ~Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, translated from Turkish

I want to thank all of you special teachers. My TPT store will be on sale during Teachers Pay Teachers Teacher Appreciation Sale on Tuesday and Wednesday.

My Teacher’s Notebook Store is currently on sale. This sale runs through May 8.

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/shop/devotedtovocabulary

I look forward to working with you again!

Ann

Happy Easter

Mar31

And to help you get ready for April:

April Fools Matrix

A Big Bunny of a Sale

Mar30

The Easter Bunny came by today
and left surprises along his way.
Colorful eggs are all around.
With baskets in hand we search the ground.
Hiding in places here and there
Easter eggs are everywhere.
Author Unknown

I have joined with many, many other teachers on Teachers Pay Teachers who are having an Easter Sale. You can find many of those with sales here.

So quick as a bunny, hop on over for some great savings! I hope you find some wonderful “eggs” for your basket of teaching strategies.

Happy Easter!

Ann

Happy Easter!

Mar30

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time. ~Martin Luther

Easter Word of the Day

Making a Connection

Mar7

How you do it

Make sure your handshake is firm, not a dead fish grip. However, you don’t want to crush the other person’s hand.
Make sure you don’t have food or grease on your hands. You want the person to rememberyou, not what you ate.
If your hands are sweaty, give them a quick nonchalant wipe on your pants.
When you offer your hand, look the person in the eye and smile.

from The Art of Manliness blog

http://artofmanliness.com/2008/01/28/how-to-give-an-impressive-handshake/

Our principal and counselor went to a training this summer which was to help us provide children a more powerful connection to their classroom and school. One of the simplest ideas they came away with was greeting the children at the doorway each morning with a handshake. We were asked to give it a try. Most teachers did not, they were concerned about yucky unclean hands and germs.

I, however, embraced this idea. Since the first day, I have met my children, welcomed them by name, looked them in the eye, and shook their hands. They have learned, some quickly and many with much modeling, to respond with a firm handshake, a return greeting (by name) and a look in the eye. They are now really quite expert at offering their hand and politely shaking.

Each morning I have, literally, a personal connection and a chance to be positive, inspiring, funny, sympathetic or whatever is needed. The children each have a chance to confide, share, laugh, etc. They look forward to this and if I cannot be at the door for some reason, they walk up to me ready to shake hands.

Today I am at home sick. I have the same running nose crud that has been going around my classroom. I realized that this is my third sick day this year, when typically I do not need to take any. I realized this connection yesterday morning when I said to my colleague across the hall that, perhaps, I shouldn’t shake hands this morning as I wouldn’t want to give them my germs. A light bulb went off in my head, as I realized where those germs had originated.

Do I want to stop shaking their hands? I don’t think so. We have indeed established a wonderful routine and a deeper connection. Will I want to continue this routine next year? I am not sure. But I do know this, I will be buying more hand sanitizer and walking down the hall to wash my hands more often!

Hand washing

Saint Patrick’s Day Word of the Day Card

Mar6

If you’re enough lucky to be Irish, you’re lucky enough! ~Irish Saying

Here’s a another word of the day card for March. I just checked through my blog and discovered this is the 66th free card I have posted! This has me thinking of all sorts of ideas for goals and possible giveaways. Should I do it at 100? or 75? or both?

Saint Patrick Word of the Day Card