Five for Fraturday and Spark Motivation {Kids, Ouch, Pen Pals}

It's been awhile since I have linked up Five For Friday with Doodle Bugs Teaching.

Here are some random happenings from my week!

We have had book clubs all week in my three ELA blocks. The theme is "Animals are Characters Too". Here are the choice slips we used to make the groups. I will blog more about it in my Tried It Tuesday this week since this is the first time I have tried it since without ability grouping for ELA.

On Sunday, my oldest celebrated her 7th birthday with friends! We had a party at her dance studio and her amazing dance instructor kept the girls busy with all kinds of games! Works for me. :)

Here is the parachute game and two moms (me in the green pants) helping to play the headless horseman. I felt like I was in elementary school again! :)

Most of you know that I do kickboxing and karate. We had a karate tournament last Saturday and I did this little number to my pinky. I was sparring and looked down to see my pinky bent in two directions. The head referee straightened it, taped it, and I finished the match. I took first out of five women so it was almost worth it. :) It is fractured at the pip joint so I have to see the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday. :(

My little guy had his first tball game this week! It's more like a babysitting job! Lol. He's four and doesn't listen to directions to save his life but we are enjoying watching him grow! :)

We received our last set of pen pal letters this week from my friends Jivey and Gary!! It has been such a rewarding experience for the students. Jivey and Gary sent pen pal permission forms from parents with addresses for students who had permission to give out their home address and continue writing to their pen pals! Isn't that a great idea?

 Pen pals are a great way to motivate even the most reluctant writers. Many of you are starting summer vacation or will be soon and this is the time to set up pen pals for next year! Give it a try! I am linking up this idea with my super sweet BBB, Joanne for Spark Student Motivation. :)

Have a great weekend everyone!! 

Spark Motivation and A Peek at My Week {Frozen, Toliver}

Today is my last day of spring break and it has been a relaxing staycation! I tried limiting my computer time (you just need that sometimes!).
I'm linking up a day late for the wonderful Mrs. Laffin's Laughings weekly linky: 

We are starting Toliver's Secret this week. This will be my third year using this novel. 

You can about what I did last year more here.

Before break, we read Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?

I only teach ELA, but the math teacher will be gearing up for the NYS tests that are next week. In all my 14 years of teaching, I have always been responsible for preparing students for a state exam and we will have a celebration after the tests. Since this goes along with student motivation, I am linking this up with my BBB, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching for her weekly linky:

The ELA tests were the week before break, and the math tests are about four weeks after that. So, we decided to have two celebrations. Our celebration for the ELA tests was to watch Frozen:

We also had a couple frozen treats!

The whole 4th grade can fit in one of our 4th grade classrooms. The lights were off here but the picture shows it as being lighter than it actually was.

What do students have to do to be able to go to the celebration? They just have to work hard and show us that they're putting forth their best effort on test days! This means taking your time, going back to the text and underlining, and using TWO details for all those short response questions. I discuss this with all my classes in advance and really play up the celebration. They eat it up! I've never had a student not be able to go to the celebration but have had to give some students "warnings" during the test. It might be a little bribery, but, hey, whatever works! They deserve a special treat for surviving the test anyway! :)

Spark Student Motivation Saturday {Buddies}

It's Saturday and time to link up with my sweet friend, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching for Spark Student Motivation Saturdays!   

Each fourth grade classroom at my school voluntarily participates in a buddy program with a younger grade.  Throughout the year, we meet with our Kindergarten buddies for activities.  We used to meet once a month, but now that we have departmentalized, it will probably be only about five times that we will meet with our buddies during the year.  Our schedule is just so tight with the blocks.

Yesterday, we finally had time to meet with our Kindergarten buddies again and we worked on a chain link countdown for Christmas craft together.  Everyone has done the infamous chain link countdown, but what makes it nice is my lovely fourth graders can use a stapler safely (most of the time!) to staple the links while the Kindergartners pass them the strips in an ABC pattern (red, green, white).  Have you ever tried to glue the links?  It is messy and difficult!  When they are finished, my fourth graders can make one of their own (most of them still really want one and they can use the excuse that they worked on it with their buddy!).  Has anyone noticed that so many fourth graders still believe in Santa?  I don't really remember any of my friends still believing after 2nd grade growing up.  I think the internet and tracking Santa might have something to do with it?!?

I just love watching the students interact with their buddies!  The biggest surprises are always the  students who are potential behavior problems and how they just SHINE in this environment when they are given the opportunity to be a role model.  It is a great motivator for all students and an excellent way to teach them to be a role model for good behavior. I really see a different side of so many students come out when they are the "big kid".  

Here are a couple other pictures from last year with our buddies working on a Valentine's Day card holder and on Dr. Seuss hat day reading with our buddies.

We use this Getting to Know you activity that you can download for FREE here.  I copy the two papers in different colors.  One paper has questions for the 4th Grader to answer and I have them fill it out before meeting with the buddies.  They share their responses with their buddy when they meet.  The other paper has the same questions but the 4th grader asks their buddy for their answers.  Each student keeps the paper with answers about their buddy to take home.

If you have never tried buddies, think about joining a classroom for the rest of this year or put it on your to do list for next year.  You won't regret it and the students will thank you!

Don't forget to enter this giveaway where everyone wins at I'm Lovin Lit!  It ends tomorrow!

Spark Student Motivation {Student Self Reflection}

I have had a busy week of report cards due and first day of parent conferences.  We finished quite a few conferences yesterday afternoon (half day for students).  It was an exhausting day but I was home by 5:30 and finished ten conferences.  I have twelve more to go next week.  Since we are departmentalized, we scheduled conferences together when we could and are handling some on our own.  Our classrooms are very close to each other in a "pod" so we can always pop in each other's rooms when we don't have another conference going in.  It does get exhausting though with very little time for any breaks!

Of course, since it is Saturday, I wanted to link up a motivational strategy we use with parent teacher conferences for my BBB's linky party at Head Over Heels for Teaching.  Joanne always has the best ideas and I love reading all the link ups each week!

Prior to conferences, we have the students complete a form like this one:

A student survey like this one is an AMAZING tool to have available during parent teacher conferences!  Students rate themselves with smiley faces on many aspects of their performance.  I always remind them to be honest and they almost always are!  It is a great "ice breaker" and discussion topic with parents.  

Parents are less likely to be defensive when you discuss their child's "things to work on" when this list actually comes from their child!  The teacher isn't pointing out their flaws, their child is.  Of course, there are many strengths to be pointed out on this form too and there is space for students to write in what they view as their strengths and things they need to work on.  Having a form like this for students to reflect on their own performance in school is a natural motivator.  Sometimes, just thinking about what we need to work on and what our strengths are motivates us to improve! :)

If you would like a copy of this form, visit my facebook page and the "fans only" tab!

Have a great weekend! :)

Spark Student Motivation {Spelling Review Game}

I love this time of year!  I just got home from our teacher's annual overnight shopping trip to some outlet stores a couple hours from home.  Although we always get some great deals, my favorite part is just hanging out friends and, of course, the FOOD!!  So fun!

I am linking up quick with the amazing, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching to share how my class plays some quick spelling review games every Friday for motivation.

Yesterday, when I announced that it was time to play "Sparkle" the students cheered!  This is the typical reaction when it is time to play this quick review game.  So, I thought this would be a great idea to link up with Spark Student Motivation Saturdays!  We play two rounds of sparkle every Friday for a few weeks in a row and then every third or fourth week, we have a real "spelling bee".  The students love playing these games!  Most of you probably know what "sparkle" is but, in case you don't, this is how we play.

1.  Decide on how the order will go in the classroom or have the students line up in a straight line.  

2.  Name a spelling word.  

3.  The first student says the first letter of the word.  The second student says the second letter, and so on.

4.  When the last letter has been stated, the next student in line says "sparkle".  The student next to them is out and sits down.  Play continues with a new word each time until there is one student left standing.

5.  If a student says the wrong letter, they are out.

6.  If a student loses their place or takes too long to say the letter, they are out.

I like this game because it is SUPER quick (takes less than 5 minutes for one game in my classes of 16).  It also gives all students a chance at winning, even my students who struggle because there is quite a bit of luck involved.  Students also love to "play the teacher" during sparkle and I have this has one of the rewards for Class Dojo trade in points days!  

Spelling bees are fun too and we do those every three to four weeks.  These take longer and I only go through the class once with the current spelling words.  Then, we got to other more "challenging" words.  Our county hosts a spelling bee each spring and there are three top spellers sent from each grade.  The students really get into it and the super spellers just get a thrill from the competition!

There are only three hours left to get 20% off in my TPT store for my three math fractions centers aligned to the CCSS!

Be sure to check back at Head Over Heels for Teaching to see many more ideas for motivating students!  There are always amazing tips to learn about each week!!

Spark Student Motivation {Figurative Language}

I am all bundled up this Saturday afternoon and the furnace has been running.  We are sure feeling the change of seasons here in New York.  Thursday was a white knuckled drive to work with the roads completely covered with wet, slushy snow.  My van did not have snow tires yet and I had to "creep" all the way.  My three year old said, "It's bumpy, Mommy."  That is because the van was not stopping and I had to pump the brakes and everything was shaking!  The snow tires went on Friday. :)

On Wednesday, I wrote about the introduction to poetry in my classroom and today I added some pictures to that post from my students' journals.  They wrote down their "thoughts about poetry".
While I was taking pictures of that page in a few journals, I also snapped some pictures of an activity we did this week to begin figurative language.

I am linking up with the amazing, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching to share this strategy for motivating students when learning figurative language.

This year I purchased several interactive reading and language notebook resources on TpT, including this Interactive Reading Literature Notebook for the Common Core by I'm Lovin' Lit.

This resource is jam packed with 160 pages of tools for teaching literary elements!!  I absolutely LOVE the pages for the lessons on figurative language.  The lesson incorporates song lyrics for each type of figurative language.  Music is such a wonderful motivator!  Here are a couple pics of the  journal page for simile using song lyrics to "Mean" by Taylor Swift.

It was so neat to have my students zero right in on those lyrics and pick out the similes.  We highlighted the similes in the lyrics and then wrote what two things the simile is comparing in the margin.  These directions are stated clearly in this product download and there are pictures included for teachers too!

We listened to this verse of the song a couple times (the whole song once as well) and the students just loved it!  I can't wait for next week when we discuss other types of figurative language and use more pages from this interactive journal.  I know the students will be so excited each time they get new set of lyrics.  

I have some more ideas to share with you about activities I have tried for the first time this year using interactive journals.  Check back on Tuesday to see some more ideas I have tried with interactive journals! :)  It's a work in progress but I plan on sharing what I have learned about interactive journals in blog posts throughout the year.  

Have a great weekend everyone!  Stay warm!! :)

Spark Student Motivation {Fifty Nifty}

I am linking up with my BBB, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching with the motivational strategy that has had my students singing the past couple weeks!!

Did you learn the "Fifty Nifty United States" song when you were in elementary school?

Thanks to my 5th grade music teacher, I STILL remember the song like it was yesterday and can tell you the names of all fifty states in alphabetical order within about 20 seconds!

Here is a youtube version just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about. :)

We have used this song as a "fun extra" in 4th grade for years and the students always love it!!  My team mate taught it the last two years in "Topics of Study" which was extra science and social studies time for students who were not enrolled in Academic Intervention Services for math and ELA (I taught AIS for math).  This year we are departmentalized and my team mate is teaching all the science and social studies.  She had the students practice the song in class a few times and sent them home with a copy of the lyrics.  That was it!  Overall, they are really motivated to practice the song on their own.  Every day, she has students who have the song memorized perform it for the class to earn their star on the wall in the hallway.  She made this cute display!

The past couple weeks the students have been SO excited about this song and learning the names of all fifty states!!  When I pick them up from lunch, the first thing they want to tell me is if they earned a star on the wall.  

When we stop at the restroom as a class after lunch, the students who are waiting to go in the restroom sing the song (quietly) with me.  They LOVE it!! 

I bet they won't forget that song anytime soon either.  The best part is that when I mention the name of a state that they don't know much about in class, they AT LEAST know that it is a STATE!!  There are so many students who come to 4th grade and can't tell you the name of the state they live in!  Now they can!  I love how music is an awesome motivator and even some of the students who struggle the most with our core subjects, have had their name added to the wall.  It's amazing!

In honor of TPT reaching 100K Facebook Fans, they are having a 10% off sale today thru October 14th!  Wow!  I also am offering an additional 15% off all items in my store thru October 14th. :)

Thank you to Shuna from Pocket Full of Kinders for the cute graphic!

Spark Student Motivation: Reading Letter freebie

I am linking up with my super sweet friend, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching with a quick student motivation tip.  I have been all out of sorts this week because my six year old missed school all week.  She was diagnosed with pneumonia on Thursday and has had a high fever since Sunday.  It has been a stressful week with my husband and I taking turns staying home and sub plans are always more difficult than just being at work.  

I was working on a letter to send home to parents today regarding my students recent STAR assessment which coordinates with Accelerated Reader program and I thought this would be great to linkup with Joanne.  Our school uses the STAR assessment for benchmark scores in ELA and math.  I am using the STAR assessment to set individual goals for AR points per quarter for each student.  You can read more about my motivational strategies for promoting independent reading in my classroom here and here.  I believe that a key component of promoting a successful reading program is frequent accountability and communication with parents regarding classroom expectations.  The letter I will be sending home on Monday describes my plans for using the STAR assessment to make an individualized goal for each student and then includes space at the bottom for me to write the AR point goal for the quarter, students' points earned to date, and the percentage of the goal reached to date.

 I added this handout to my facebook page as a FAN FREEBIE.  The text is completely EDITABLE but the background is not due to copyright.  I noticed that the text doesn't line up quite right when I view it in Dropbox, but after it is downloaded, it lines up on my computer.  If the text doesn't line up for you, it is editable anyway.  

Maybe this template will spark an idea for a way to track your students' reading even if your school doesn't use AR.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

Student Motivation Saturday Snapshots!!!

Happy Saturday!!  I am loving that I have had the chance to get some work done today.  I set the alarm for 5:00 (since there was NO way I could have been productive Friday night) and I worked on some schoolwork and updating TpT products until the kids were up at 6:30.  Then, the hubbie took my daughter with son in tow to gymnastics so I could go to karate class!  It has been pouring rain all day, so that has been perfect for a "work" day! :)

I am linking up with my BBB, Joanne, at Head Over Heels for Teaching with a quick student motivation strategy and with Run! Mrs. Nelson's Got the Camera to share some shots of my week!

Remember our team Homework Stars board?  It has been working great to keep track of students who owe work but we have a pretty tough group of kiddos in respect to getting their work done.  I have been giving barely any homework.  Except for reading 15 minutes a night, the students have had five homework assignments in 12 days of school.  Well, it is still the beginning of school and I am hopeful that the students will start to catch on quickly!  

Anyway, I stayed after school with my first student on Wednesday for my after school help "club".  By the second week of school, I always find one or two students that I know it is next to impossible to get any work done at home.  My heart just aches for them.  I talk to them about staying after school with me for help and in my six years in 4th grade, so far I have not had one student who said they didn't want to stay.  They actually seem relieved when I ask them to stay.  They look forward to it (really!).  

I think the key is that I only have my one to four neediest students stay after.  They get a lot of attention from me and for working hard, we always have a special snack. :)  This is so different from when I taught 6th grade.  We had after school help 2x a week and any student who owed work had to stay after.  That usually meant there were 15-20 students in one room and the teacher ran around for that hour helping as many students as possible.  Not fun!  

Now, in 4th grade I sit at a table with my little peeps and we get a lot of work done and, of course, they get my undivided attention.  When I walked out to the late bus with my student on Thursday he turned to look at me and said in the sweetest voice, "Thank you Mrs. Snyder."  It just made me melt because this was the one student that I was most worried about behavior wise this year.  We all know that there is something about students being motivated to please their teachers (even the tough students) when they know their teachers will go the extra mile and show they care.  We can do this in many ways and staying after school is a great example!  If your district allows you to stay after and help students, it is a wonderful way to build relationships and motivate those tough students!  

Next, here are some snapshots from the week:

 Students started decorating the covers of their writing journals.  I send my handout home with decorations for bringing in items and also give class time to look for magazines pictures.  Their journal cover is supposed to be a representation of themselves.  

You can download my editable "Decorate Your Writing Journal" handout here for free.

We took notes on "restating the question".  This is an important skill and we start with easy sentences.  We are reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and this week explored some vocabulary from the first few chapters.  The students glued this worksheet with definitions in their journals and drew an illustration of the word as well as used it in a sentence (encouraging the use of context clues when writing sentences!).

You MAY just recognize this sentence glued in the journal above!  For this second full week of school, we started using Mentor Sentences by Ideas by Jivey!!  I am already in LOVE!  I can tell that this way of teaching grammar is going to be the best change I have made yet in my ELA instruction.  We are using the back of our writing journal for mentor sentences and students started this table of contents in their journals.  Check back on Thursday to read more about how I am implementing this amazing product in my classroom!

We started our Read to Someone training this week and the students are doing great during Read to Self.  Right now, everything is done together as a whole class until we really get it mastered. :)

What's this?  I found these laying on my desk Thursday morning...yep! THREE more iPads (in addition to my lonely one last year!).  Of course, I am thrilled!! My class sizes are small this year (15-16) and I have four sets of desks set up.  Since I have four iPads, I can easily use them for group work in addition to the independent work at work on writing or word work stations.  Now, I just need to actually take the time to play with them and download the apps I need!

My three year old got this new backpack this week that I ordered from ebay.  He is starting "preschool" at his daycare with another three year old three times a week.  We wanted to make it "official" and searched high and low in the stores for a backpack that he would like.  Of course, we couldn't find one with a firetruck!  So, we ordered this one on ebay and it even has his name embroidered (hard to see in the picture).  Anyway, he wore this backpack for TWO days straight!  He wore it all day outside playing, at lunchtime, and at naptime.  So cute!!

Have a great weekend everyone!