Back To School

The beginning of school is always an exciting time!  I've always loved getting my room ready for the school year.  

This year, I didn't focus on a theme, which I normally do, but decided to focus more on options for my students.  

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

I started back last Thursday, and students come back this Thursday.  Have you started working on your room?  When does your school start?  I'd love to hear all about it!

Vocabulary Practice: Making it Meaningful

Gadzooks! I just LOVE words!  These are just a few of my favorites!  Do you have some words that you just love?  So what is all this brouhaha over teaching vocabulary you ask?  Well...vocabulary is such an important part of reading instruction!  Research says that kids need to be exposed to a word 6-12 times before they actually master the word!  Putting words into a center for kids to "work on" just isn't enough!  Having them look up words in the dictionary is not only boring, but a meaningless activity!  I'm not saying throw the dictionaries out but giving a list of words and having them copy definitions is a waste of time!  1.  Some definitions leave the students stumped and continuing to question the meaning.  2. Copying definitions isn't going to help them master a word's meaning. 3. Many words have multiple meanings, so more than likely they are going to copy the shortest definition whether it is the one that matches the meaning you are teaching...or they are going to be asking, "Which definition do I copy?"    When it comes to vocabulary practice, there needs to be more!!  

But what?!?

Are you bumfuzzled at what to do?

   Well, I have some activities that will please even your persnickety students...and it won't cause a great hullabaloo in your classroom!

This or That? Classroom Choices

C.H.O.I.C.E.S.

Everyday, there are choices to be made.   For the most part, we like to have choices. For kids, it's no different.  At my school, students get to make a lunch choice with 4 options.  Sometimes, that is even a struggle for a few!   Choices and Decision Making go hand-in-hand and should extend the mere daily lunch choice...for several reasons.