Monday Made It - 06.12.2017

Hello Friends!

I am very excited to be joining up with Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made series. I am a little behind this week but that seems to be the story of my life lately.

I don't have any physical "made its" this week. All of mine are digital. I have been working hard to make things for my 3rd grade classroom for next school year. The upside is that I put them in my store at Teachers Pay Teachers for anyone else who might need them.

So without any further delay, let me begin my showing.

I don't know about you but I found last year that I really needed to have some activities that could be versatile. You know the type of activities that could be done in groups, pairs or even individually. That is where this idea came from. Here is the first in a series that I am creating for Solve the Room. This one is addition and is with and without regrouping.

I know what you are thinking....these are just flash cards. But are they. I am providing several suggestions for use with these problems cards and they can customized to work with your theme. All you have to do is make that request. I am also providing black & white copies in the package for those that prefer to save on ink....ie..not have to use all the color ink.

My second Monday Made It is a sibling to the my first one. You guessed it, another Solve the Room. This one is the subtraction also with and without regrouping.

I am working on the multiplication at the present time and have in mind to also have elapsed time, money, geometry and fractions. Maybe I should think about doing a big bundle.

My next creation was a new logo for my TpT store. I realized this week that I have been selling on TpT since 2012 and I never created a logo for my store. Well here it is.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Just because you read to the end.....I have a little freebie for you. I am giving you this Main Idea & Detail activity that can be used with any passage or book. You can download this item from my TpT store. Enjoy.

Until next time.....Aloha!! (No I'm not in Hawaii....but that doesn't mean that I don't want to be.  :)

Whoa!!! Almost a Year!

Hello and how is everyone doing today?

I know....don't pass out because I'm actually posting again,

Switching back to 3rd grade after teaching gifted for 8 years was really a HUGE shift. I was super busy all year....first trying to keep my head above water just learning all the new things I haven't had to deal with. You know CCSS, RtI, TST....etc.etc. I also moved several hours south and was learning the ins and outs of a new school district.

But....hey....I made it. My 3rd Grade team is the best. We all worked together to encourage and assist our kiddos to show great growth during their 3rd grade year. I was so proud of my kiddos....they all passed the Mississippi GATE test!! Yay!!! They will all be in 4th grade next year.

Since school ended I have been working on some things to use in my classroom for next year. Of course when I get them finished they will go in my Teachers Pay Teachers store....Teaching at the Beach.

BTW....I decided this morning to make a logo for my store. Here it is...Tell me what you think.

 

I just love the summer time. One reason is the BEACH of course....but I also love that Tara over at Fourth Grade Frolics has her Monday Made It. I really do love going over there and seeing what everyone has made. I also love to participate. So off I go now to see what I can create so I will have something to share. 

Talk to you later!!

Dee

Using Common Core State Standards with Gifted and Advanced Learners - Part II

Using the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts with Gifted and Advanced Learners by Joyce L. VanTassel-Baska
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The main goal of this book as stated in the first lines of the introduction is to provide classroom teachers and administrators with some examples and strategies to implement the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts for advanced learners at all stages of development in K-12 schools.

The Common Core State Standards illustrate the curriculum emphases that are needed for students to develop the skills and concepts required for the 21st Century. There are currently 45 states that have adopted the CCSS and this gave cause for gifted education as a field to reflect on supporting gifted and advanced learners appropriately in all of the content areas. Some people feel that gifted education is not needed now because these new standards are already at such a high level. However, although these standards are strong, they will not be sufficient to accommodate the needs of many gifted learners. There will be students that have completed all of the CCSS standards prior to reaching the end of high and this will require educators to provide advanced content for them.

The 21st Century skills that receive major emphasis in this book are: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Problem Solving, Technology literacy, Information media literacy, and Cross-Cultural skills.

Differentiation is the key to unlock the potential of the gifted and advanced learners within the CCSS. The book lays out four major strategies for accomplishing this. We must, (1) provide pathways to accelerate the CCSS for gifted learners;(2)provide examples of differentiated tasks to address specific standards; (3) create interdisciplinary products/units to increase the learning for gifted students and to efficiently address multiple standards at once; and (4) create different assessments to demonstrate authentic learning has taken place.

The booklet has provided us with quite a few different specific standards with examples of how to differentiate for gifted and advanced learners. In order to sufficiently address the curricular needs of gifted and advanced learners, teachers will need to differentiate curriculum by posing progressively more complex issues, using texts according to each student's reading level and interest, modification of mathematical processes according to what has previously been mastered, and the pace of instruction.

The contributors to this booklet also gave a chapter devoted to resources to use when implementing the CCSS with gifted and advanced learners.

This is a book that I purchased to help integrate the CCSS into my own classroom while continuing to challenge my gifted students at a level that will help them grow and be ready for college and the workplace.

I am looking forward to digging much deeper and finding out just how challenging these standards can be made for those students that are highly gifted or advanced.


Here is an example of one of the standards with differentiation for gifted learners. This is for:

Grade 3 CCSS RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.


Typical Learners: Students will ask and answer student-and teacher created questions regarding the plot of Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall, explicitly referring to the text to form the basis of their answers.


Advanced Learners: Advanced students will ask and answer student and teacher created questions regarding what the p lot of Patricia MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall says about courage and the life of women in the 19th century, using textual references. They will create a multimedia project that characterizes Sarah as a person of courage.


In my part I post, I stated that many times I feel that I haven't challenged my students as much as I should. After reading this book, I am certain that I have fallen far from the mark on most occasions. However, I will pick myself up and dust myself off and read and study more about CCSS to make sure that my future lessons/units are more in line with where they need to be to challenge my students adequately.


Looks like I know what I will be doing this summer.


If you have any comments, suggestions....please leave a comment. I need feedback on this. I need to know what others are doing....and is it working or not?


Toodles for now!!

 Dee

100 Follower Giveaway

WOW!!! I am so excited! I started this blog on July 22, 2012. A few days ago I realized that I had almost reached 100 followers. Now in my book that is a significant milestone for my blogging. So...I decided I need to have a celebration...a giveaway.

I reached out to some fellow teacher bloggers and asked for help and boy did they respond. I have collected 21 different educational items ranging in K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. So...I have decided to break this giveaway up into groups based on grade levels.

Every photo on this post is linked to the individual item. Please click on photos and check out the teacher stores.

This first giveaway is for grade levels K-2. Just look what is waiting for the winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now take a look at all the super prizes that have been donated from all my wonderful teacher blogger friends for the 3rd - 5th Grade giveaway.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the prizes in the Grades 6-8 category.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oh yeah....there is one more prize that can be won. I am going to give one lucky person  $25 to spend on TpT.

   a Rafflecopter giveaway

I really do appreciate all of my followers and my teacher blogger friends. I can't wait to see who wins these prizes!!

  Dee

Art is always a hit with the kiddos....

Just a short post to show some of what we have been doing in the gifted classroom the past two weeks. My students are always in the mood for a little art...especially if it involves some paint or oil pastels to go along with it.

I took advantage of Groundhog Day and the groundhog to lead into the lesson on elements of art: light, shade, and shadow.

The students used flashlights to have their silhouette drawn. The the students began to draw all kinds of things that represent themselves....all things they like to do, eat, go, or just plain like.

The art work is not finished but here are a few photos of some of their work in progress.


All of the photos are of some of my 2nd graders.

 

 

 

Can you tell just how much fun these kiddos were having? They were totally engrossed in what they were doing and these pieces of art are turning out to be some fabulous works.

Be sure to check back to see how wonderful these pieces of art turn out.

 Dee

TpT Super Sunday Sale is Over.....But....

What did you buy during this fabulous sale? Come on! Tell us all about those fabulous items that you just couldn't leave in your wishlist because there were such GREAT prices on everything!

I know I can't be the only one that spent money yesterday!

Oh...I see! You want to know what I bought. OK...Well I bought a whole lot of clip art to use in the great big long list of new products for my store that I have. So, what kind of clip art did I purchase? I bought monsters, math symbols, reading, bookworms, and a whole bunch of others. I just can't seem to list them all right now!

Be on the look out for more new items from me in the very near future.

Here are my three newest items that I have in my store at TpT. This first one was created due to a need by the Kindergarten and first grade teachers in one of my schools.

 

Now these next ones were simply created for my students use and they have enjoyed them tremendously. The writing prompts are written in such a way that students must use their imaginations. I have gotten some really GREAT pieces of work because of these prompts. This pack contains 32 writing prompt cards and 5 different publishing pages for students to use when publishing their work.

 

This last item is something that I've been working on for a couple weeks off and on. I had a vague idea of how I wanted it to look. It just took some time to see it come around to where I wanted it to be. This item contains task cards for three different literacy centers. They can also be used for early finishers or exit work. The pack includes 16 task cards for each of the three activities (Sentence Doctor, Solve the Analogy, & Fact or Opinion). Also included are answer documents and keys for each of the activities.

 

I have extended my sale on TpT for one more day. You can still get 20% off on all of my products through February 5, 2013. Drop on by and check them out and take some home with you. You will be glad you did and so will your students!

Dee

Monday Made It - Monthly Edition

OK...I know that Monday has passed....however, I was determined to go ahead and get my Monday Made Its posted and linked over to Tara at 4th Grade Frolics. I just love hopping around looking at all the goodies everyone has made for their classrooms.....don't you?

So snap some photos of your "Made Its" and link up with Tara at 4th Grade Frolics. OK...so on to what I've made in the past month. I have to be honest here....I really think I made more things...but I didn't take my photos as I finished them and probably forget some...but oh well....here are the ones I remember. BTW....please forgive the crummy photos...My lights in my classroom are on the blink AGAIN!!!

The first item up for show is my Reading Olympics board...this is where some of  my students projects will be posted. I do have some that were too large for the board and they are also hanging around my room. I got the idea of this project from Stephanie at Teaching in Room 6. I changed up some of the activities that she had for the levels that she had provided and then created activities for the remaining Silver and Gold levels. My students just began doing this in September...so the board has a way to go before it is full. But, here it is......

 

The next item up for show is my calendar. I am so proud of this little critter....ok..it isn't really a critter...nor is it little. But, I am loving it and so are my kiddos!! You see for many years, I have only used a little perpetual calendar....no room for birthdays or anything. So we are just way too excited about this calendar! I purchased the labels from Bridget at Little Lovely Leaders. You can find the calendar set in her TpT store HERE.

 

 I got a wild hair this past month and decided my tables looked crappy and I wasn't going to put up with it anymore. I know you have all seen the "How to make chalkboard paint" floating around Pinterest. Well...there were so many of them....I don't really know who to give credit for this...so I am going to just say....I got the idea from Pinterest!

 

Now my tables don't look crappy any more!! I am so doing the happy dance....as are my kiddos...they are loving being able to write on the tables....and not getting in trouble for it!

This next item...I believe I got the idea from someone who in the past did a Monday Made It....I just can't remember who it was and I can't find my piece of paper that I wrote it on....Oh the horrors of getting old!! Anyway....I digress. You all know all the "READ" letters that are cutified (ok...I know this probably isn't a word...but it is now) up going all around Pinterest and blogs everywhere....well this is sort of that except the person I copied used Glitter foam.....and now so have I. I have 10 inch glitter foam letters that spell "READ" I am so pumped!!! Just take a look!!

YES....they are on top of one of my chalkboard tables at the present...because my short self can't reach where I want them. I will be getting the ladder from the custodian next week.

My last item....I basically only printed and laminated....but I still consider that making it....I had to cut them out and everything.....Right? I got these from Rachel Lynette....and they were FREE!! Now who doesn't like FREE?? You can get them in her TpT store HERE. 

 

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my Monday Made It - monthly edition. Come on over to Tara's blog at 4th Grade Frolics and link up with your Monday Made It.

Dee

Monday Made It - September 2012

Happy Labor Day!!!!

I am so happy that Tara over at 4th Grade Frolics has decided to continue the Monday Made It as a monthly event. I just love roaming around blogland and seeing what all the other teachers out there are making and doing in their classrooms. Don't you?

Because I love this so much, I am linking up this month for the Monday Made It.  My first item for this week is something that I have been seeing all over teacher blogs and Pinterest for weeks...but for some reason, this week when Nicole over at Rowdy in Room 300 posted her Monday Made It and I saw hers....well I just had to have some for myself! You can find Nicole's post HERE. Here is the inspiration photo from Nicole.

 

Here is my own READ letters for my classroom (well at least one of the classrooms that I have).

 

They are not as large as I would have liked....but I don't have a Michael's or a Hobby Lobby within 100 miles of me....so I had to depend on Wal Mart and I was a very LUCKY girl to have gotten all of the letters needed. Don't laugh...all of you know what I'm talking about. You just can't depend on old Mr. Wal Mart and Dollar Tree doesn't have them!

Now on to my next creation....which obviously I didn't come up with. I saw these Jumbo Paperclip Bookmarks last week when MissT from Journey of a Substitute Teacher posted her Monday Made It. I knew when I saw them, I had to make some! They are just too adorable. Here is the original photo from Miss T.

 

I have only made three so far, because I can find my ribbon stash...so when I find the ribbon, I will finish off the other 5 jumbo paperclips that came in the package! Here are mine.

 

I feel the need to add, that after looking at Miss T's photo again, I will be going back and redoing the ribbon and using longer pieces....I just think it looks better!

Now for my third and final (finished) item for this Monday Made It.  First let me say this....as you can all attest, this is not my idea. I know I've seen this all over Pinterest and on other teacher blogs. I even downloaded the a freebie off someone's blog to do this. But for the life of me, I cannot find any indication as to who the download came from nor can I find where I first saw the idea. So....if it is yours or you know whose it is....please let me know so I can amend this post and give them credit.

My Whole Class Journals (thanks to someone's hard work for the topic sheets.).

 

That does it for my Monday Made It. Now I can start hopping around and seeing what else I NEED to add to my crafty list for my classroom. I hope everyone has a fabulous week!

Happy Blogging & TEACHING!!!

Dee