During InService this year, our staff went through a breakout session over communication. I like to think that I communicate well with parents, but I know I can always do better.
Our principal introduced Remind 101 to us based on the suggestion of one of our 6th grade teachers, Sarah Williams... THANKS Sarah!
www.remind101.com
Remind 101 is a FANTASTIC and FREE web based texting service that your parents can sign up for. You simply setup names for your individual classes and then send out the simple instructions for your parents to sign up for text messages.
NO... YOU DON't give out your personal cell number. You text via the Remind 101 website. Barely any work for you or the parent!
You can then send out reminders to a whole class about tests, field trips, assignments coming due, etc.!
I will be using it in my classroom this year! Already set up and ready for Open House to provide instructions to parents.
Hope this helps make your communication process a little more effective this year. I LOVE technology!
Maas Out!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Summer is Here! I'm Still Learning. Tech Classroom Focus
I am almost a month into summer, but I feel like I'm just slowing down! ...and I LOVE it....
This summer I am ramping up on ideas for my second year in a 1:1 classroom. I have learned a TON on what to do and what NOT to do in my 1:1 ELA secondary classroom and am taking all of those lessons to heart. That being said, I want to share with you a few things I will be working on this summer to incorporate into my classroom this upcoming year.
This summer I am ramping up on ideas for my second year in a 1:1 classroom. I have learned a TON on what to do and what NOT to do in my 1:1 ELA secondary classroom and am taking all of those lessons to heart. That being said, I want to share with you a few things I will be working on this summer to incorporate into my classroom this upcoming year.
- Flipped Classroom:
I attended a district led Flipped Classroom Training in early June. I was VERY impressed with training and variety of ways I can Flip lessons. My thinking for my own classroom will be a little different from the traditional idea of Flipped because I will also be incorporating some PBLs into my curriculum. Follow this link for more info: http://www.flippedclassroom.com/
I will used Flipped Lessons for the following: 1st Week back to Introduce the Writing Cycle (used as a pre-assessement of knowledge), PBL Workshops, Writing Skills (mini-lessons), and Intervention lessons.
Note: Not all flipped lessons will be homework. Some will be in class flips. I will post more as I go along this year so you can see how I'm going to accomplish these tasks. I will post my writing cycle flipped lesson in August. I'll also share my resources. So stay tuned!
- Writing Workshop:
I'm reading Writing Workshop The Essential Guide by Ralph Fletcher this summer to really structure my writing workshop this year. I am a reflective teacher and I need to change the way I am teaching writing for a few reasons... sadly... STAAR is one of those reasons but a reality. This is a great book. I will be using some Flipped Lessons in order to accomplish this. Will share as I create them!
I would LOVE to collaborate with other Teachers on writing workshops and share resources! If you would like to join me, follow me on Twitter @MaasClassroom. I would love to start a networking group for writing there!
That's it for now! Please feel free to contact me any time. I love hearing from other teachers!
april@aprilmaas.com OR @MaasClassroom on Twitter
Maas Out!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Research PBL - End Products
Here are a few End Products from our Research PBL - Creative!
Visit the links below to view!
Creation of Facebook
Facebook PBL
9.11
Remembering 9.11
Katrina
Remembering Katrina
Dark Knight
Remembering Dark Knight
Maas Out
Visit the links below to view!
Creation of Facebook
Facebook PBL
9.11
Remembering 9.11
Katrina
Remembering Katrina
Dark Knight
Remembering Dark Knight
Maas Out
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Research PBL - 2nd Success!
7th Grade English - Research PBL
This my second PBL, and it has been a blast!
Research PBL: History + English (Creative Writing)
Time: 2 Weeks
This PBL was much faster the my first: 5 weeks vs 2 weeks. Students chose (withe some manipulation on my part) their groups of 3-4. We spent two days of inquiry with the Entry Event Document, Entry Event Video, Rubric, and Calendar to develop group and class Knows and Need to Knows. See picture below.
This my second PBL, and it has been a blast!
Research PBL: History + English (Creative Writing)
Time: 2 Weeks
This PBL was much faster the my first: 5 weeks vs 2 weeks. Students chose (withe some manipulation on my part) their groups of 3-4. We spent two days of inquiry with the Entry Event Document, Entry Event Video, Rubric, and Calendar to develop group and class Knows and Need to Knows. See picture below.
The Need to Knows guided our workshops and mini-lessons.
Students researched a historical event (some more recent) between the years 2000 - 2013 which is their life time. They created a timeline (see below) and reflected upon the lessons our society has learned from the event they chose to research.
Students then had an option to write a song, rap. poem, or short story to depict the events and explain the lessons learned from their research.
Workshops:
1. Research - Librarian
2. Works Cited - Teacher led with resource handout
2. Creating Professional Videos - Mr. Deeken (professional experience as photographer)
Students had to really learn to work together, rely on each other, and delegate work because of the short time frame! They have really come together so far and have some creative product rough drafts.
Presentations are tomorrow. Will post more then!
Maas Out
Saturday, April 6, 2013
No, David! - Inference
Reviewing Inference: Day 2 (review pic of Day 1)
Cassie and I used the children's book No, David! by David Shannon to begin our STAAR Reading review. We started with this for multiple reasons: kids just took STAAR Writing this week (tired), Inferencing is a HUGE part of the STAAR Reading test, inferencing with a children's book and pictures is a nice ease into the skill.
As I mentioned in my last post, Cassie found this lesson on a kinder teacher's website:
First Grade Parade
This kids LOVED it!
First, we reviewed the Inference Anchor Chart we created the day before.
Then, we did an interactive read aloud of the book. I read while the pages of the book were projected so the kids could see the pictures well. You could take your own pictures or do a search on youtube. There are a few options.
I had a chart posted on the board that mirrored the Inference formula (connection to math) we discussed the day before:
Cassie and I used the children's book No, David! by David Shannon to begin our STAAR Reading review. We started with this for multiple reasons: kids just took STAAR Writing this week (tired), Inferencing is a HUGE part of the STAAR Reading test, inferencing with a children's book and pictures is a nice ease into the skill.
As I mentioned in my last post, Cassie found this lesson on a kinder teacher's website:
First Grade Parade
This kids LOVED it!
First, we reviewed the Inference Anchor Chart we created the day before.
Then, we did an interactive read aloud of the book. I read while the pages of the book were projected so the kids could see the pictures well. You could take your own pictures or do a search on youtube. There are a few options.
I had a chart posted on the board that mirrored the Inference formula (connection to math) we discussed the day before:
TE + BK = Logical Inference
I put this chart together based on a couple of different anchor charts I found on Pinterest.
We then went back through each page and charted the text using text evidence and background knowledge to reach a logical inference. Each student had their own copy of the No, David inference chart to fill out as we discussed and reviewed. They were allowed to discuss with their group and then we took turns as groups came up to the board to chart their inference on our class chart.
What I found what that kids have a hard time understanding what background knowledge really is! Wow! So on Monday, we will be reviewing making connections: T-T, T-S, T-W and the 4 specific types of Inferences. That way we will be able to further clear up what using background knowledge really means before we move on. I learned I sometimes take for granted what they should already know.
Success!
Maas Out!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Inferencing! The big buzz word, skill, focus,... new ideas
Inferencing... a HUGE part of our ELA curriculum. So... jumping into our two week review before STAAR Reading, my teaching partner and I have come up with a few good ideas...actually...stolen ideas from great resources! Taking a page from Harry Wong's book... STEAL, STEAL, STEAL!
So, I went to Pinterest and found some great Inferencing Anchor Charts and squished a few together to come up with the following:
Stole the Making Connections Unit idea from our 6th grade ELA team (thanks Sara!) and the folder idea from our 7th grade history teacher (thanks Sharon!)! : )
More will be added to the interior of the folder as we move through the next two weeks: examples, foldables glued in, venn diagrams, charting of text, etc. More pics to come as I finish my teacher model.
Day 2 we will use the book No, David by David Shannon to do an introduction review to inferencing with pictures as we chart the following for each page as a class:
1. What I see/read (Text Evidence) + 2. What I Know (BK) = Logical Inference
My teaching partner, Cassie, got the book idea from a kinder teacher website!
http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/2012/01/inferencing-with-no-david-and-silent-e.html
The chart idea I got from Pinterest and just tweaked it a bit.
That's it for now! More to come and will certainly share.... already have another idea for next week that I'm stealing from another 6th grade teacher, Chad, at our sister middle school! Thanks Chad! Sharing IS Caring! : )
Maas Out!
So, I went to Pinterest and found some great Inferencing Anchor Charts and squished a few together to come up with the following:
Will work on reviewing what it means in general one day, and students will begin their Making Connections folder with this anchor chart on the front:
More will be added to the interior of the folder as we move through the next two weeks: examples, foldables glued in, venn diagrams, charting of text, etc. More pics to come as I finish my teacher model.
Day 2 we will use the book No, David by David Shannon to do an introduction review to inferencing with pictures as we chart the following for each page as a class:
1. What I see/read (Text Evidence) + 2. What I Know (BK) = Logical Inference
My teaching partner, Cassie, got the book idea from a kinder teacher website!
http://thefirstgradeparade.blogspot.com/2012/01/inferencing-with-no-david-and-silent-e.html
The chart idea I got from Pinterest and just tweaked it a bit.
That's it for now! More to come and will certainly share.... already have another idea for next week that I'm stealing from another 6th grade teacher, Chad, at our sister middle school! Thanks Chad! Sharing IS Caring! : )
Maas Out!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Stations in Secondary a Must! - Revising and Editing Review
For at least a year, I have wanted to implement elementary stations / centers into my 7th grade classroom. My sister teaches 2nd grade, and I saw the value of all that she did. I just couldn't seem to put it together or wrap my head around how I could make it work with 5 classes (137 students) with so many varying levels and styles of learning.
I finally decided to take the leap for a portion of my STAAR Writing Review unit. I hate test review. I truly do despise it. The kids are bored, I'm bored and it never ends well. This year, my principal challenged the teachers to stay creative through our STAAR review. The dreaded testing review. My teaching partner and I decided we would stop talking about stations and centers and actually give it a shot. The kids have already learned the content, so we couldn't really do much damage... : )
We created 8 different stations to work on writing, revising, and editing in different ways.
1. Freewrite Station - various prompts and a writer's journal
2. Revise Your Own Work Station - writer's journal and some score 4 examples
3. Sentence Organization - hands on manipulatives to create a paragraph
4. Revising Multiple Choice - Kamico as the source and Edmodo for delivery meithod
5. Editing Multiple Choice - Kamico as the source and Edmodo for delivery meithod
6. Sentence Editing - Similar to DOL... not MC
7. Dead Words Station - Said is Dead and other boring words...provided some replacement word lists
8. Revising Mulitple Choice Onlinne Game - already made online...just provided a QR code to students to scan
Any of these would work in a 1:1, BYOD, or use of a computer lab for the day environment.
10-15 minutes per station. Provided a Passport Document to each student to provide evidence from each station. (image attached) Students work in groups of 3-4. Travel when music is played. May work through stations in any order.
After the first day today... I am confident in saying it was a WILD SUCCESS! It was a completely student led classroom today and 99% were completely engaged. I even told my principal is was my best day teaching.
The stations weren't as pretty or fancy as my elementary teaching sister would have created, but still pretty darn good for a non-creative secondary type!
At the end of the day, I wished I had done this all year at various points. Now that my feet are wet, I know it can be done in a secondary classroom with great success. I challenge you to give it a try!
Maas Out!
I finally decided to take the leap for a portion of my STAAR Writing Review unit. I hate test review. I truly do despise it. The kids are bored, I'm bored and it never ends well. This year, my principal challenged the teachers to stay creative through our STAAR review. The dreaded testing review. My teaching partner and I decided we would stop talking about stations and centers and actually give it a shot. The kids have already learned the content, so we couldn't really do much damage... : )
We created 8 different stations to work on writing, revising, and editing in different ways.
1. Freewrite Station - various prompts and a writer's journal
2. Revise Your Own Work Station - writer's journal and some score 4 examples
3. Sentence Organization - hands on manipulatives to create a paragraph
4. Revising Multiple Choice - Kamico as the source and Edmodo for delivery meithod
5. Editing Multiple Choice - Kamico as the source and Edmodo for delivery meithod
6. Sentence Editing - Similar to DOL... not MC
7. Dead Words Station - Said is Dead and other boring words...provided some replacement word lists
8. Revising Mulitple Choice Onlinne Game - already made online...just provided a QR code to students to scan
Any of these would work in a 1:1, BYOD, or use of a computer lab for the day environment.
10-15 minutes per station. Provided a Passport Document to each student to provide evidence from each station. (image attached) Students work in groups of 3-4. Travel when music is played. May work through stations in any order.
After the first day today... I am confident in saying it was a WILD SUCCESS! It was a completely student led classroom today and 99% were completely engaged. I even told my principal is was my best day teaching.
The stations weren't as pretty or fancy as my elementary teaching sister would have created, but still pretty darn good for a non-creative secondary type!
At the end of the day, I wished I had done this all year at various points. Now that my feet are wet, I know it can be done in a secondary classroom with great success. I challenge you to give it a try!
Maas Out!
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