Who has tried DoInk? It is the bomb dot com. All you need is the app (for $3.99) and a green screen! One of our awesome teachers at our school, Kelsey Svrcina, set up a green screen using a green sheet! SUPER easy! Then, you have your kids get in front of the screen and start recording. Kelsey had her students read writing pieces in front of the green screen! It was too cute.
Since we are nearing the end of the year and my kids have proven they are rockstar readers, I decided to have them do fun project that would show off their reading skills! We did some Readers Theater projects from Jessica Tobin's TPT site and they were AWESOME! We spent about 4 days practicing (some of my kids even memorized their lines), made props from construction paper, and started performing! They made some awesome videos and the best part was after filming, a lot of kids said they could do better and wanted to film again. I played my part on the sidelines and did a whole lotta nothing--just watching and listening! Watching them collaborate and support each other was so rewarding. Check out some of our awesome projects, here! And also some pictures below :)
Memorial Day
I tried a new Memorial Day craft this year and it turned out super cute! You just need some patriotic paint, cotton balls, and construction paper! They love any projects that involve paint--so we made some American Flags to display on our lockers!
Wooo happy Monday everybody! I finally got to debut my Fry Day shirt and then celebrate Fry Day--so I've been in a fry coma until just now :)
Anyway, the end of the year countdown has begun! Can you believe it?! We only have 22 days left of school! May and June are so crazy busy and I love it--lots of extra recess time outside in the sun, too. I just got back from New York--I was there to attend my sisters college graduation! She graduated with an engineering degree--she got the brains in the family :) Happy to be back in the mitten though and ready to see my kiddos!
Tech Tip of the Week
MATH TALKS! Are you doing them in your classroom? If not, you need to be! They are a fun way to activate your students math brains at the start of class and a fantastic way for your students to develop strong number sense. Math talks can be short or long--totally up to you and your students. We usually spend about 15 minutes on our math talks each day. Some days they last even longer! I have had some math talks that have lasted the entire math class. So many teachable moments! A couple of my favorites are Look quick! and the Magic Ten Wand. I wanted to share a quick resource that one of our ELL teachers and former first grade teachers (Amy Gregory) shared with me last year. It is a virtual rekenrek that you can project on your screen. We like to play a game where I move some beads over to one side, and they have to guess how many are on the other side (the other side is covered). Once your students have mastered one row of beads, add another! It has a ton of features to make your math talks different each time. Give it a try with your class!
Spanish Market
We are lucky enough to live in a district where we can walk to any building in the district within five minutes. It provides awesome opportunities for us to collaborate building to building. Earlier this year, Rosana Tocco's high schoolers and my first graders worked together to put on a Cardboard Challenge Carnival. SO, when we heard that her students were putting on an authentic Spanish Market, we knew we had to show up to support them! I was so impressed with the entire project--students dressed up to represent their Hispanic culture, sold Hispanic goods and foods and played Hispanic music--allowing for an authentic Spanish Market ambiance. It was an awesome experience for my first graders AND me. I have never been to a Spanish Market, but if I do one day I imagine it will be something like this one! Awesome job to Rosana and her wonderful students. Check out some pictures below.
Roller Coaster Challenge
Looking for something F.U.N. to do with your students now that the year is coming to a close? Well my class would like to challenge YOU.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing mommies in the world! I am so blessed to have an incredible mom who inspired me to be a teacher. She has been a high school math teacher for 30 years and is still kicking butt! As a teacher, I get to interact with moms each day. I work with super moms and get to teach students who have super moms. As a 24 year old who is responsible for nobody but herself I have to say...I have NO idea how you moms do it! SO, take today to relax and make your kids and husbands treat you like the queens you are!
Tech Tip of the Week
Let's talk about the power of the OSMO! Who has had a chance to play with this?! It is AMAZING. For real...if you have children of your own start saving up to buy one for their next birthday or holiday gift. All you need is an iPad and an OSMO kit.
A few co-workers and I were talking about how awesome it would be to have these in our classroom. SO, our fantastic principal surprised us by ordering some for our school. I knew my students would love it when I found myself bringing it home from school and playing it myself...it is a ton of fun! There is a math kit, words kit and tangram kit. The mirror attachment allows the table to be your "playing field" and provides a hands-on learning experience.
Just...watch below:
Cool, right?! I use this a center during our literature block, math block and for free choice Friday. I have 21 students and one OSMO...just one. Yes...it would be awesome to have 21 OSMO's in my room! However, I don't need more than one. In fact, I only want one. BUT WHY?! My students work together in groups of four or five and the conversations that spark are conversations that every teacher dreams of! They go in order and each student has their own turn when they are the only ones that get to be touching the tiles. That rule requires them to use their words to help, be supportive and learn from each other when it is not their turn to touch the tiles. The conversations I hear are music to my ears! "OH! This word needs the 'ch' sound. Do you know what letters make that sound? Ok good grab the tiles...grab the tiles!!!" Then they all celebrate and cheer because they solved the puzzle. It is adorable. Find a way to get an OSMO in your classroom--ask your principal or do a Donor's Choose. Get on it!!!! Check out my kiddos using the OSMO below.
What does everyone do to celebrate Mother's Day in their classrooms?! I am always looking for news ideas to make our moms feel special but my absolutely favorite craft is our handprint flower pots. It's super easy and super cute! Plus, my kids love any opportunity to put their hands in paint! We also send home decorated tea cups with a bag of tea :)
5 more weeks of school left! Ah! I am not ready to let my kiddos go but I am so excited for them to be successful in second grade. As the year comes to a close, I will be trying to do crazy fun projects in my room. I will be posting all of our fun as quickly as I can! Keep in mind you can always follow me on Instagram or Twitter for what's happening in our room daily :)
Have a wonderful week everybody! I am going to my sixth Pure Barre class in a week today--I'm a I am loving it so far. A fantastic work out--I recommend everybody gives it a try! Physical and mental health are so important--so take a break from your classroom and sweat!
I also started taking a hand lettering class just for fun--here's my latest masterpiece! I need a lot more practice... :)
