National Donut Day

National Donut Day was Friday, June 7th and I knew I wanted to celebrate with my students. I decided to take the awards I usually give on the last day of school, redesign them. 

Then we had an awards ceremony that morning. After I gave out the awards, the students at donuts and worked on the following activities. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Doughnut-Word-Search-Activity-Puzzle-4607608

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Donut-Activities-for-the-Beginning-and-End-of-the-Year-3797949

The students had a blast, this is something I definitely want to do next year!

Hallway Display

Classroom Door

Table Decor from Hobby Lobby

Photo Friday 2*3*17

My third graders are moving towards the end of our multiplication unit. I wanted to share a snapshot of our multiplication is taught in my district. As per our state standards, students learn multiplication facts in third grade. We spend a couple weeks engaging in conceptual activities and talk about what multiplication really means.
Our district suggests we teach multiplication in this sequence with the following strategies: *Zero Property of Multiplication *Identity Property of Multiplication *2's Facts- double the other factor *10's Facts- add 0 to the other factor *5's Facts- count by 5's *9's Facts- find a pattern in the products *11's Facts- find a pattern in the products *4's Facts- double, double the other factor *8's Facts- double, double, double the other factor *3's Facts- think two's facts, add one more set  *6's Facts- think three's facts, double that product *7's Facts- think sixes' facts, add one more set
I teach multiplication facts on a three day rotation.

Day 1- on day one I create an anchor chart with the strategy and examples on how to use it, students then complete the corresponding page from Multiplication Activities as independent practice. 
Day 2- on day two students partner up and play a multiplication dice game. These games can be found in the Math Folder at the Teaching Oasis. 
Day 3- on day three students take a quiz on the facts, the quiz also assesses students using the inverse operation and correlating their knowledge of multiplication to division. These quizzes can also be found in the Math Folder at the Teaching Oasis. 

Students who score 79% and below receive their quiz back with the above note. Students may retake the quiz when they're ready. Students who score 80% and above, earn a Multiplication Master SMART (Brag) Tag for the fact.

For extra practice opportunities, I created a booklet with the following two products. Some days I allot 15 or 20 minutes for them to work in the booklet, other days they work in it when they have time.

Multiplication Search

Spin and Multiply   What are your favorite resources to teach multiplication?

Photo Friday 1*27*17

I ran across an idea on Pinterest about writing strategy rings. This summer I decided that I'd implement them this school year. Every time my students take a writing prompt through the entire writing process, I conference with them. We do this at least twice a quarter. 
I have students bring me their completed writing and they read it aloud to me. As they're reading I'm grading it using my district's holistic writing rubric (it focuses on the 6 Traits). When they finish I decide what trait I want the students to focus on and I write a note card with that strategy (see photo above with white card including Voice and Sentence Fluency Strategies). I add that strategy to a metal ring. 
Students frequently refer to their Writing Strategy rings during writing workshop. The next time we conference they bring their ring and after they finish reading their writing we talk about their specific strategies. I might ask "Can you show me where you used voice in your writing?" If they've used the strategy, I write the date on the back of the card, if not, we discuss it and hopefully they'll use it next time. 

In addition to the writing strategies I add to the ring, I found a set of Mini Writing Charts for FREE from Teaching to Inspire! These can be added to their rings as well.
I use No More I'm Done by Jennifer Jacobson to get my 6 Trait Lessons and ideas for writing strategies.

Photo Friday 1*13*17

I've been assigning Top Secret Snow Day Missions for 3 years now. The first year I did, we missed school for ten snow days, last year we missed school for six snow days. This year, we've already missed several days this week to snow. Good thing I sent my snow packets home last Friday!

I use to send home all the copies the students would need to complete each mission, but last year I decided to put them on my classroom website for parents to print themselves. There's always one activity that's mandatory and this year it was completing the Ready Freddy Super Secret Valentine Comprehension Packet.

I purchased this from Stories by Storie. I think she use to be a member of the Second Grade Teachers Club I was apart of years ago. I love her book companions, they're perfect for my 3rd graders. 

I also found the book on Scholastic Reading Club for $1 each. I purchased one for each of my students to include with their packet as well. They get to keep the book for their personal collections.

Do you send home any activities for your students to complete during inclement weather days? 

Photo Friday 1*6*17

I first saw this idea on Facebook. Learning in Wonderland had shared the photo below and I fell in love!  

Katie Mense from Little Kinder Warriors created the inserts for these mugs. I found the file in her TpT store for $5. I'm purchasing my mugs from Hobby Lobby (mainly because I have gift cards to this store). They are $.87 a piece. That would make them $10.44 for a dozen. Many people were purchasing theirs from Oriental Trading, but I saw they were $16.99 a dozen. As you can see in the top picture, the one from Hobby Lobby worked just fine. I simply threw the inserts that came with it away and printed off one from the file, cut it out and viola... a super cute gift! 

They'd make a great Christmas gift with a packet of hot cocoa, I missed that window. Even thought about Valentine's Day, with the cocoa and a card that says "You make my heart melt...". But I think my students would also appreciate them as End of the Year gifts. What do you think?