Workshop Wednesday (Reading Response: Book Reviews!)

Since I wrote my Tried It Tuesday post early, I would like to begin this post by mentioning the tragic events in Oklahoma.  The families affected by this tragedy have been in my thoughts and prayers.  I can't even imagine a natural disaster of that magnitude hitting while little ones are in my care and feel helpless.  My heart just aches.  It makes me stop and look at all the blessings in my life in these awful times.

  

I am linking up a little late this Wednesday evening with my amazing BBB, Jivey,
for her weekly Workshop Wednesday.  

The topic this week is Response to Literature.

My first thought that came to mind is a reading response that the students really LOVE!  

So, I am going to cheat a little by revisiting a post from October and focus just on this one method.  It was originally inspired by The Writer's Notebook by Aimee Buckner.

From October:  I love the idea of having the students write book reviews and share them with the class.  I have a class of 24 students and we divided October into four book review days (usually on Friday) with six students sharing each time.  The students LOVED it and asked lots of questions.  We first wrote a book review together based on Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing that the whole class read.  I modeled sharing the review without giving away the ending (SO important!).  Here is a sample of a book review a student recently shared:

Students can add books to their "Books I Want to Read" list they keep in their folders as they listen to book reviews.  The students asked many questions and were really interested in so many of the reviews!  I am putting all the book reviews in a binder by our library for students' future reference.

I downloaded these editable binder covers from A Year of Many Firsts and they can be downloaded here for free!  I love them:)

You can download my book review rubric for FREE here at my TPT!

UPDATED INFO: This is the first year I have tried book reviews and we haven't done them every month.  However, I think this is one of the most meaningful responses to literature I have tried because it is so authentic and comes from the students' own observations and feelings about a chapter book. THEY chose the book because it was a GOOD FIT for them!  In this activity, they are not reading a book I chose and answering questions that I think they need to answer (even though we do have to practice that at times too but the idea is to break it up as much as I can).  

My class loves the days that we share book reviews.  Everyone is required to read at least four chapter books a month.  This was not easy at the beginning of the year even though my group has the "highest" 24 students in the 4th grade (although many are really in the "average" range).  Now, it is a piece of cake for most of them.  Not even an assignment really. 

Interesting fact:  Our library is running an accelerated reader contest for the month of May that ends tomorrow.  

We are competing against the 5th and 6th grades.  

Guess how many points the 5th and 6th grade had yesterday?  

One was in the 200 range and one was in the 400 range.  

Guess how many points the 4th grade had? 

A whooping 1596!!  (We have 62 students!).

None of the grades in the elementary are even CLOSE to 4th for that matter and often the 2nd grade will have more points than even the upper grades.  

Coincidence?  I don't think so but maybe.  

Am I doing anything differently to promote the AR contest? 

Nope. 

Not to "toot my own horn", but as many teachers believe, I also believe that providing a library of books in the classroom, promoting getting excited about books by having book talks and book reviews, by not making reading a "chore", and by providing meaningful reading response activities, students are naturally guided into loving reading and how they respond to their reading.  

I also believe that 4th grade is really a turning point for independent reading in many ways and it could be a turn in the right direction or the wrong one. 

I try to do everything in my power to make it a transition in the right direction.

Tomorrow is my Friday!! Yippee!  FOUR day weekend:)

Hush to those of you on summer vacay!!

Tried It Tuesday (Facebook stumped!)

Time to Take on Tried It Tuesday!! How's that for alliteration? :)
I am loving all the ideas linked up each week by everyone.
Teachers are the BEST sharers (that's a word, right?) of knowledge!

What is Tried It Tuesday?  Read more about it here.

<center> <a href="http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/"><img src=" http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/04fallingstar/3AM%20Blog%20Design/3am_triedittuesday_3_zpsd7a240d4.png" width=225 height=225 border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center> Awesome linky button above designed by the talented Michelle at The 3am Teacher! My Tried It: Facebook for My Blog! I finally started a facebook page for my blog.  I'm sure my personal Facebook friends were tired of seeing all my comments on teaching pages!  Haha!!   Thanks to the inspiration of some of my BBB's (Best Blogging Buddies) at Collaboration Cuties and their post HERE, I set up my page easily!  You have to check out their post if you would like to set up a page.  They have many screenshots and step-by-step instructions. WHAT I LOVE:   1.  I love being able to share little blurbs and shout-outs or links to recent posts on my facebook page.   2.  I love reading the news feed on my facebook page to see what my bloggy buddies are up to.  It is more appealing to the eye in my opinion than reading the feed on blogger.   3.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to change from my blog fb page back to my personal fb page.  It just takes a click of the button in the top right hand corner.  There is no entering of your username or password to go back and forth! 4.  Also, bloggers will often post a question or flash freebie on facebook that you won't see anywhere else. STUMPED! It really doesn't take much for me to get stumped when it comes to HTML code, but I spent way too much time trying to get a facebook pop up appear to new visitors on my blog!  I wanted something like this:

Was I successful?  I am not entirely sure, but I don't think so! I tried the html code from many websites (at least three) but could not get it to work.

I tried pasting the code directly in my template (by reverting to old blogger profile after backing it up and then pasting it after /body).  I made sure to type my facebook page where I was supposed to.  Then, to see if it worked, I cleared all my cookies and "reset Safari" so blogger wouldn't recognize me when I visited my blog.  It will only show the facebook pop up to viewers who have not visited my blog before.  So, after all that...NOTHING!

I tried code from all three websites above (and there may have been more but I can't remember now!).  Some codes asked to paste the code as a gadget and HTML script in your layout.  I tried it that way too and "reset Safari" again to check on it.  NOTHING!

I finally gave up.

If you are visiting my blog for the first time, could you write a comment and verify if you saw any pop up?  I still have it pasted as an HTML gadget but I don't think it works.

I am also stumped on how to get the correct "preview" picture when I post a link to a post in my comments.  I can't find how I would select that!  Help?!?

I would LOVE it if you "liked" my facebook page before you go!  Thanks friends!!

Must Have Monday!!

The wonderful Sabra from Teaching with a Touch of Twang is hosting a new linky party called Must Have Monday!!  Isn't her linky button by Michelle at 3AM Teacher adorable?

Sabra's new linky is where you link up and find ideas from other teachers that you can't live without in your classroom or ordinary life! 

I had a little blogging break this past weekend while I was trying to get my house back in order and babying my little girl as much as possible after her surgery.  I saw this linky today and thought, "I know just what I can't live without this year!"  

This might not be something most of you haven't thought of, but it was the first "MUST HAVE" that came to my mind!  With my task cards and Daily 5 craze this year, I couldn't live without my best investment last summer...my Scotch Laminator!

Here she is in all her glory at school after being used quite a bit today.

I think I need to give her a name:)

Seriously!  I am on my 4th box of 200 laminating sheets since August!  

The box of 200 is only $20 at Sam's Club and the laminator itself was about $30.  

It is worth EVERY penny!

Check out the new items I just laminated.

QR Task Cards Fractions (Identify, Compare, Order, Equivalence) 

by Kristin Kennedy from iTeach 1:1

My own two Multiplying Fractions Centers (aligned to Common Core 4.NF.4)

Here is a pile of future laminating that I have waiting on my counter!

If you are on the fence about purchasing a personal laminator, I encourage you to take the plunge.  There is no more waiting on supplies from your school, going in on the weekends, etc.  The only downfall is I can't laminate large items, but that hasn't been on my to-do list this year anyway.  Now I can laminate any time I want from the comfort of my home!

What is one of your MUST HAVES?  Link up with Teaching with a Touch of Twang or check out the other posts!

Five for Friday Flashback (total randomness!)

I am linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching and Amanda from Teaching Maddeness to share some tidbits of my week.  I had a crazy week with ONLY two full days total in the classroom, so keep reading if you don't mind the unrelated to teaching stuff:) 

1.  Daughter's Surgery

My daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed on Thursday!  I took family sick days Thursday and Friday.  She was such a brave girl!  I was shocked by how well she did.  My husband and I were fighting back tears as she was wheeled away on that bed with the rails up:(  But, all went well except one little problem with nausea after the surgery.  She vomited 3x and they had to give her some meds in her IV which worked well.  

Today, she had a great day and has been taking in fluids like a champ!

These are some of her favorite popsicles!

 Here she is resting on the couch today:)

2.  Yummy French Toast Bake

I baked some yummy french toast bake for a staff appreciation breakfast at my daughter's school.  I used this Paula Deen recipe but accidentally cut the bread into squares instead of slices.  I'm sure it was still delicious.  How could it not be with 2 cups of cream and 8 eggs!?!

Of course, I sent some maple syrup from my uncle's farm with the dish!

3. Sad these are gone:(

Yep, I am a total sweets fanatic.  So, of course my hubbie gave me some delicious chocolate covered strawberries for Mother's Day!  They lasted quite a few days (believe it or not!) and now I wish I had more.  It was the first time he ordered from Shari's Berries and they were the best I've ever had!!!

4. Sub Plans Galore

So, I was out Thursday and Friday with my daughter.  Well, Tuesday I had IST (Instructional Support Team) meetings all afternoon and Monday I had a doctor appointment in the afternoon!  The doctor appt. was scheduled months ago so I just went with it.  Maybe it is better to be out all at once! Haha!!  One awesome part about this was that I had the SAME sub all the time I was out and she is an amazing, retired teacher!  She lives right around the corner from me and even dropped off papers yesterday all graded so I could record them in my book!  Amazing...

5. ABC's Calendar Countdown!

We started the ABC's calendar countdown for the last 26 days of school on Monday!  Yay!!  I LOVE this idea from the amazing Amanda and Stacia at Collaboration Cuties!  Check out their blog post for an editable copy to use for next year (unless you wanted to start a little late because I can't imagine many schools have 26 days or more left of school!).  

 Have a great weekend everyone!!  Three of my students are in a county wide spelling bee tomorrow!  I can't wait to see them and am keeping my fingers crossed:)

Workshop Wednesday (math manipulatives)

I am linking up today with Ideas by Jivey.  She is an amazing blogger and always takes the time to make her bloggy buddies feel loved.  She is going through a tough personal situation right now.  Her friend could use everyone's thoughts and prayers at this time.  Prayer can be so powerful and I know Jivey would appreciate all the prayers you can send her friend's way! 

This week the topic is math manipulatives for Jivey's awesome linky party, Workshop Wednesday.

  

Some of you may already know this, but my favorite subject is math!  I love it.  

The most frequently used math manipulatives are stored in my room whereas the others are in my storage closet right outside my classroom.  

You don't want to see a picture of the storage closet.  

It is scary.  

I have BIG plans this summer to reorganize!

 Maybe I will show some pictures then if I am feeling brave:)

Here are pictures of my most used math manipulatives...

This is the inside of the tangrams bin.  Each set of tangrams are housed in a separate baggy to keep the sets organized.  We use tangram pieces for teaching symmetry, area (there is a relationship between the size of the pieces), geometry, congruent vs. similar, and other concepts that I can't recall at the moment.

The green basket holds chips used for games at centers or whole class games.

I keep my dice in a tub on top of my center materials cart.  The yellow dice are made of foam and I LOVE them.  You cannot hear them being rolled!

 Finally, I use the SMART board resources for so many manipulatives now.  The students love to use the SMART board during math lessons.  The only downfall is there is only one SMART board and each student doesn't get their own.  

For example, there are programs where students can manipulate items on the SMART board to demonstrate the concept as you would with manipulatives at your desk.

So, there are some ways to I store and use manipulatives in math!  I need to catch up on some major blog reading tonight!!  Tomorrow morning we have to be at the hospital bright and early at 7:00 a.m. for my daughter's tonsillectomy (adenoids out too)!  Please keep her in your prayers.  I know it is a routine procedure but Mommy is a little nervous:)

Tried It Tuesday (PowerPoint: Making Products the Easy Way!)

It's Tuesday and you know what that means! Another Tried It Tuesday!!
I am loving all the ideas linked up each week by everyone.
No idea is too small.
You know the sayings, "I learn something new each day" or "Why didn't I think of that?"
This linky has me thinking saying the above MANY times each week.
Like, literally, until I think my head may explode!
Thank goodness for Pinterest!

What is Tried It Tuesday?  Read more about it here.

<center> <a href="http://fourthgradeflipper.blogspot.com/"><img src=" http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/04fallingstar/3AM%20Blog%20Design/3am_triedittuesday_3_zpsd7a240d4.png" width=225 height=225 border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></center> Awesome linky button above designed by the talented Michelle at The 3am Teacher! My Tried It: PowerPoint If I had to name ONE change I made in the last year that made the most difference (with the exception of starting a blog), it would be using PowerPoint to create products and resources for my class!  Disclaimer: I have only been using PowerPoint to create resources for about 8 months.  I am by no means an expert but keep reading if you could use a few BASIC tips:))

WOW!!  I can't even imagine my life before using PowerPoint for creating basically all my worksheets and resources!  I always used PowerPoint for, well, creating PowerPoints.  Which wasn't very often.   I was a Microsoft Word fanatic.   I knew all the tricks to manipulate pictures in Word except that it still didn't work that well!   My worksheets were pretty plain with a little graphic here or there.  Nothing too exciting.   When I started exploring the blogging world, I kept reading about teachers using Power Point to create products and thought I should give it a try. I'm so glad I did!!! I know that many of my readers already know about the miracles of powerpoint, but I thought there has to be some readers out there stuck in Microsoft Word Land like I was:) What is so great about powerpoint? 1.  Ease of Inserting and Manipulating Clip Art I use only png images when I can (jpeg often leaves the white space around the image).  It is super easy to insert pictures in powerpoint AND you don't need to worry about moving the image "to the back".  If you want a different image to appear on top, I just copy, cut, and repaste the image!   The images appear in the order you place them in the document. Also, there are these handy lines that line up images as you move them.  It is genius, I tell ya!

2.  Save your Power Point as Pictures When you save your power point as pictures, you can insert each slide easily into a new document as a picture for preview files on all your teacher's products!  How easy is that?

Once you save as images, you can insert the images into a new document to create a preview display.  

(Note: The screenshots below are taken on my Mac by pressing the shift+command+4 key at the same time.  Drag the little ball to surround your image and release.  The image is saved as a screenshot on your desktop automatically).

Add a border to each image to separate the pages by formatting the "object".  

This makes each page on the preview stand out as its own page.

 

One problem I have with PowerPoint is you cannot change the page orientation within the document (it would stay all horizontal or all vertical pages).  However I found THIS POST by Erica Bohrer's First Grade that describes how to merge PDF files with different page orientations!  

I haven't tried that yet but have it bookmarked for the future!

Here are the finished preview pages of two new centers on multiplying fractions by whole numbers!

Remember I said yesterday in my Monday Made It post that I would like to give away two of these sets?  I would like to try a "Pin It to Win It" (another first for me!).  Just leave me a comment with your pin URL of my new product and I will choose two winners by random number generator later tonight! Make sure I have access to your email:)

The WINNERS are:

Check your emails Ursula and I'm Lovin Lit!

What Tried Its have you tried lately?

May Monday Made-It and Winners:)

Yay for Monday Made-It with the absolutely amazing Tara at 4th Grade Frolics!

There are many items that can fit the "Made It" theme this month!

I always blog about some recent finds on TPT that I downloaded, printed, cut out, and laminated.  That totally counts, right?  These were a couple weeks ago.  I don't have my teacher appreciation sales items all printed and laminated yet!

This is Cell Phone multiplication by Brain at Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings!  

It is a great way for my intervention students to review multiplication facts in a flash with "cool" cellphone graphics:)

 Here are students working together to make their own version of the game.  

They decided to race each other to see who could finish first!

 A pair of students tallying their scores to see who had the most correct in the time limit:

I also downloaded, printed, and laminated this FREE Island Conquer Area & Perimeter math center.  It is a great way to review perimeter and area by Laura Candler.

(sorry, I couldn't get the pic to rotate)

Next, I worked on a home CAMP project for many hours!  We are so excited to have our first season this year at a site with the used camper we purchased last fall:)  The site came with a large deck (YAY!) but it wasn't in the best condition.  I could barely stand it!  

Can you see the chicken wire stapled around the rail?

BEFORE:

AFTER!  We MADE IT much more beautiful so that we can really enjoy spending time 

being lazy relaxing here.  That is me rolling at the end:)  We still have to finish part of the rail.

Picnic table BEFORE:

 Picnic table made beautiful! (Behr semi-transparent stain in sable color)

UPDATE!  After reading Jessica's post from Joy in the Journey, I remembered my little scrapbooking retreat from April!  I haven't scrapped in many months and it was a great overnight getaway!

Here is the little room at a local Christian camp for my roomie and I:

It was a cold weekend and even snowed!  That was fine with me because I was nice and room scrapping all day:)

 Here are a few of the pages I made!
I work much slower than my friends.  They always make fun of me!

ugh...iPhoto and Blogger don't always see eye to eye!

It has been months since I have added anything to TPT.  I FINALLY finished some math fraction centers that I have been working on for what seems like forever!  These two math centers are a fun way for students to practice multiplying fractions by whole numbers.  This was an important skill for 4th grade math this year aligned to the CCSS!

Don't you just love the cute monster graphics and backgrounds by Scrappin Doodles?

The adorable letters are a recent purchase from Little Red Schoolhouse!

Since it has been so long since I have posted a new product, I would like to give away TWO sets!!  Check back at Tried It Tuesday tomorrow for details!

Oh, and I finally made a facebook page for Fourth Grade Flipper!  

Wow...I hope I can keep up with all of this:)

Now, for the winners of my 500 Follower Giveaway!!  

There are FOUR winners, each winning an amazing array of prizes.  

The winners are:

Rafflecopter #1

Rafflecopter #2

Rafflecopter #3

Rafflecopter #4

Yay!! Congratulations to the winners!  You should be getting many emails soon:)

Thank you again to everyone who helped out with this giveaway!  You guys are amazing.