Engage your Independent Readers in 5 Minutes or Less

Hey! It's Kelli again from Tales of a Tenacious Teacher. Hopefully by this time of the school year, you are in your flow and routines. But even some well-oiled machines need a little extra maintenance to keep it running smoothly. What machine am I referring to in the classroom?

Independent Reading time of course!

I know my students' independent and instructional reading levels, they are in just right books, I've shaved my mini-lessons down so that students are getting a solid chunk of reading time, my small groups are up and going (for the most part), so what could go wrong...

Oh ya, their stamina.

When I am in group mode, I am depending on my students who are not meeting with me to be engaged in their reading. Sometimes they need a little extra push and support. Here are 3 ways to help students get and stay engaged in their books! And even better, they take me less than 5 minutes to do!

When I notice students are not engaged, my first step is trying to figure out why! Is it a book choice issue?  Is it distractions? So I first just watch students and take some quick notes and then pull them little nuggets into a group. Thanks to the amazing J. Serravallo's Reading Strategy Book, I could easily do a few different strategy groups based on why students weren't engaged. And the best part- each group only took about 5 minutes from start to finish! Differentiated, short, practical... what more could a teacher ask for! And no, I'm not being paid to say any of this. The book is just that good! I've used it countless times this year, with a lot of times around engagement checks for my kiddos.

Funny story behind this one. I noticed while I was working with a group one day that my group of independent workers was getting restless. I was getting agitated thinking, "We are in November... this shouldn't be happening! They need a good lecture." Put the brakes on right there! That ain't gonna motivate them.

I looked around my room for something... anything... to use. And I saw my little spikey green grass things from Michael's and an index card on my desk and BOOM! The Focused Reader of the Day award was born! You can tell it was on a whim because of my messy handwriting on a neon orange index card, but hey... it works! I simply told students at the end of reading time that I noticed a student in particular that was so focused nearly the entire time. We did a drum roll, I announced the student's name, we clapped, and that student got to have the "trophy" on their desk until the end of reading time the next day when we would pass it to someone else. On the back of the card, I started to write down the date and student who earned it as a way to document who has received it.

Needless to say, it's working like a charm.

Lastly, having students jot during their reading is a great way for them to show how engaged they are with the text. Not to mention, it gives students a break to stop reading for a moment if they are still building their stamina in a productive way. However, sometimes they don't know what to write or they get tripped up on spelling which then leads them down a path of pencil tapping and wasted reading time. That is where our language charts come into play. Throughout the unit, we add vocabulary words (word choice) and thinking stems (language of thinking) to the easel. We don't use anything fancy... just post-its. Since we build it as we come to the skills, students know exactly where to look for help.

If they want to make an inference... there are post-its for that. Cause and effect... post-its for that too. Any type of thinking can be documented and supported up here on the language chart. Just think: How do I want my students to communicate that kind of thought? BAM- you have your thinking stems.

To help with spelling some other words, we have the word choice section. We also discussed the meaning of these words.  It takes only a few seconds during a lesson to stop and write a word or sentence stem on a post-it and stick it on our easel, but students use it constantly.

What do you do to help students stay engaged during independent reading time?

4 Tips for Teaching Multiplication

If you're a 3rd grade teacher you know the importance of teaching multiplication. Here are some tips I've found helpful to teach this super important skill.

Teach Them The "Tricks"

*x2 facts are just like your addition doubles facts

If I know 4 +4 =8 I know 4 x 2 = 8

*Use your x2 to get to your x3 facts.

2x4=8  so 3x4= 8 +4=12

*Double your x2 products to find the x4 products. 

I know 6 x 2 = 12. If I double the product I find the x4 product. 12 + 12=24 so 6 x 4 = 24

*Double your x4 products to find the x8 products.

I know 4 x 6=24. If I double 24 I find the product of 8 x 6. 24 + 24=48 so 8 x 6 = 48

*Double your x3 products to find your x6 products.

I know 3 x 7= 21. If I double 21 I find the product for 6 x 7. 21 + 21=42 so 6 x 7 = 42.

*Nines Trick

Look at the factor being multiplied by 9 and think "What is one less?" That's your tens digit.

 Then think "What number do I add to the first number to get a sum of 9?"

Example: 9 x 6

5 is one less than 6. 5 + 4 = 9. So the answer is 54.

Teach & Discuss the Properties

I took a lot of time to teach and ensure understanding of the Commutative, Associative, and Distributive Properties. We completed a few interactive notebook pages to learn and show the meaning. 

Then we talked about them A LOT as we solved. It's really helping them explain their strategies for solving, and giving them options for those challenging facts.

Model How To Use The "Tricks" and Properties

I'm lucky enough to have access to a document camera and it has helped so much! I'm able to better model and talk through how I solve, which in turn helps them form their understanding. I model A LOT. The kids also model how they solve. Letting them lead and explain themselves helps them increase their understanding. It also helps their peers that struggle. Sometimes hearing it from someone your age makes it click!

The students are always so proud when they can correctly explain how they solved to their peers. It's a huge confidence builder and it's fun!! 

Give Kids Time to Practice

Let them practice their facts with games, apps, stations, and printables. 

A great & easy game to implement is called Salute. You need a deck of cards. Use only numbers 1-9, and I suggest starting with just 1-5 at first.  The kids are in groups of 3. The captain says "salute". The two other players put a card on their forehead without looking. The captain says the product of the 2 cards on their foreheads. By looking at the other player's card & knowing the product the players need to figure out what factor is on their forehead. 

The first person to say the correct number on their forehead gets the cards. 

For example: The captain says the product is 12 and I can see that my opponent has a 4 on his forehead. I know 4 x 3 = 12 so I have a 3 on my forehead. "Three!"

Allowing kids time to apply the skills you've taught them is so important. A lot of times we have so many standards to take care of in a year we forget about this very important step.

 This is the step that I'm working to improve right now.

Do you have any great multiplication resources that you've used & seen great success? 

Share them in the comments below! 

Developing Point of View with Mentor Texts

Hi friends! It's Debbi again from 3rd Grade Pad! I love...just LOVE entering the 2nd grading period of the school year!  We start to really delve into books and have the BEST book talks!  I generally begin a standard using our basal reader then expose my children to as many mentor texts as I can.  I certainly have my favorites, but each year I happen upon a few new ones to share my my kids.

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff is such a CUTE story!  This a a GREAT text to not only support characters with different point of views, but it lends itself nicely to Persuasive Writing!  In this story,  Alex wants to have his friend's pet iguana after he moves away.  The story unfolds as Alex & his mom exchange letters to each other.  

Creating anchor charts together is a great way to model graphic organizers--like simple T-charts.  Hmm--do you see some comparing and contrasting going on???

Doreen Cronin's "Diary of a _____" series are great fun, as well! If your school has access to Tumblebooks, any 1:1 classroom can have a class set of Diary of a Fly and Diary of a Spider.  Perfect for some quick Lit Circles or Guided Reading! 

Devin Scillian's Memoirs of a  Goldfish and Memoirs of a Hamster bring in the point of view of house pets!  There is a great video available on You tube, too!  Great resource to use for your D5 centers to Listen to Reading.

Another favorite in our classroom is Stellaluna.  Story Online also have a read aloud for your children whole group or Listen to  Reading.

Image and Link to Amazon.com

The absolute ULTIMATE point of view mentor test is Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg.  This selection is also in our basal reader.  Lucky us!  I like to read it aloud without showing them the pictures.  Only after I have read the page do I display the picture.  Pretty quickly they see that there is no forest, mountains, or brown lake.  They get so excited trying to predict what the ants are describing! There's a pretty neat free resource online that you might like to use with this.  You can find it HERE.  All of your CCSS are linked up for you, too!

Need a collection of graphic organizers?  Here's another great link for you!  

Click the image to take you there!

Story and characters are labeled for you in a familiar organizer each time!  I plan to put these in a Reading Center, along with the books for my students to read during Read to Self.  I can't wait to see how they grasp the concept and OWN it over time!

You can find organizers for:

• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
• Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
• The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume (Boy! Did my kids have opinions about THAT one! Amazing point of views from a brother and sister.)
• The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill
• Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
• Rotten Ritchie and the Ultimate Dare by Patricia Polacco
• The Sneeches, The Cat and the Hat, Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss

I hope this collection of mentor texts will get you MORE than inspire to dig into and love exploring Point of View in your classroom!

4 Tips for Teaching Math Vocabulary

Now, more than ever, a student's success in math is very closely tied to their mathematical vocabulary. Having a good working math vocabulary will help students to understand directions, find key words in word problems and increase their overall scores on high stakes testing. All of that is great... but I teach math vocabulary primarily because it makes my students feel more like mathematicians. It raises their overall confidence and motivation! Teaching math vocabulary is more than just telling students what a word means and having them write the definition in a journal. Here are some tips for creating a vocabulary rich math classroom that is engaging and meaninful.

1. Constant Use with Meaning or Synonym

The simplest way to teach math vocabulary is to constantly use the new words in conjunction with words that they already know. For example, I will ask my students, "What is the product or the answer?" Or, "Write an equation or number sentence that can be used to solve." I talk like this ALL the time when teaching my math lessons. It is easy to get in the habit of talking down to your students and avoiding the math vocabulary. I am trying to teach some tough math concepts and so I don't want to have confusing directions. But, we have to use these words as much as possible. Their success in math depends heavily on their ability to understand and use math vocabulary. Students are hearing the words over and over, but are given context to understand. It is not long before they sound just like you! 

(Please ignore my 2nd chin! When an eight year old is the photographer- they rarely get the best angle!)

2. Pair Share

Students need to be given specific times to orally practice their math vocabulary. I use pair shares and teach-okay (a Whole Brain Teaching strategy) to get my kids talking ALL the time. When I introduce a brand new math vocabulary word, I will ask students to teach the meaning right back to their partner. Throughout our math lessons, I ask my students to teach their problem solving strategy to their partner. I reward and compliment students who use our math vocabulary. The bigger deal I make out of it, the more vocabulary I will hear during our next strategy share. 

3. Math Vocabulary Wall

It is important to dedicate some space in your classroom for displaying current math vocabulary words. The definitions MUST be in simple student-friendly language. I think that they are even more effective if they have a picture that helps your visual learners to understand the definition. I keep my words down low so that my students can reach them. They are encouraged to use them during centers. I display the words that correlate with our current unit, but keep the others where they are accessible for spiral review activities throughout the year. I think that this helps to keep students focused on the most current vocabulary while still providing access to previously learned words. 

You can read more about my vocabulary display and cards by clicking HERE.

4. Provide Opportunities to Write About Math

I love to hear students using math vocabulary with their partner, but I also want to provide opportunities for students to use the new words in their writing. I think that it helps to cement their learning and provides opportunities for me to assess their understanding. During math centers, my students are given math journal prompts that ask them to explain their thinking. This is an excellent time to show off their new mathematical vocabulary! I encourage them to do this by asking them to color code various components of their answer. The math vocabulary is underlined in yellow. If they don't have anything to underline, they know they need to go back and revise. 

I am really proud of how much thought goes in to their responses. This little gal might struggle with her spelling, but she is correctly using some awesome vocabulary words to explain her strategy! 

This math journal question is part of my Multiplication Centers, but I also have a Third Grade Math Journal that has prompts for every standard! They pair perfectly with my Prove It With Color cards.

8 Ways to Make Learning FUN!

I’m the first to admit that technology is AMAZING! There’s nothing like conducting research on the Internet or searching for a book on the computer. It sure beats having to spend hours researching in the public library or searching the card catalogs.

At the same time, I realize that every day I step foot into my classroom I’m asked to compete with Technology’s quick pace and 3D animations. Our students are used to instant gratification, immediate answers, fast moving games and action packed videos. 

So how do we compete with that?

We do the BEST that we can and we look to each other for support. That's why today I'm sharing with you 8 strategies that have proven to be successful in MOTIVATING and ENGAGING my third graders!

This is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that your student’s are actively participating. Simply hand them an Expo marker and a tissue and have them practice their spelling words, solve math problems, write complete sentences, ... anything you want right on their desks. (Don't worry, it comes right off with a tissue or a wipee. FYI-black markers work best.) While students are working, walk around and spot check. I use this ALL the time and my kids ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

You can even leave motivating messages on their desks for them to find in the morning.

 Third graders love to use blocks, counters, cubes, Legos, etc... So whip out those manipulatives or play dough and let students have FUN while they learn. Just remember to set clear expectations and rules from the beginning.

I have found that manips. not only encourage student participation, but are a great asset when introducing new math concepts. They are also a must for those visual and tactile learners. I always like to introduce new math concepts using manipulatives first.

If I want my students immediate attention, all I have to do is head on over to my glue sponges because they know that it means it’s time for an interactive notebook activity. It’s amazing how quickly students learn to cut, fold, and glue the pages of their notebooks. 

Not only do INB help them develop fine motor skills, but it is also a fun way for students to record information, demonstrate what they’ve learned, and it can also be a great assessment tool. In my classroom, we use interactive notebooks in ALL subject areas and my students never seem to get tired of them. (The pictures included are of my Text Features, Intro. to Science, and Government Interactive Notebooks)

Pattern Puzzle Freebie

Allow your students to work with a partner or in small groups. Encourage them to solve problems together through discussion, trial, and error. The more they work together, the better they will become at listening to each other, and solving problems on their own rather than depending on you.

Collaboration is also great for those students that have difficulties getting started or completing tasks. I have found that when having my students complete difficult tasks or assignments, they are more inclined to try to figure things out on their own when they have a partner versus working independently.

Students L-O-V-E to conduct experiments and although they do take some prep work in advance, they are well worth it. Science experiments are a great way for students to practice their problem solving skills. It encourages them to think critically and involves reading, writing, and sometimes even math skills. If you’re looking for some great science experiments, check out Steve Spangler’s Science website here.

Post-it Notes are like little colorful squares of magic. I say this because anytime I take out Post-its for an activity, my students quickly sit up straight in attention waiting to find out how they’re going to get to use the notes today. My kids ABSOLUTELY LOVE them! I can’t say enough about them... I have them in all colors, shapes, and sizes and use them in so many ways. I’ve even been known to run them through my printer using a template so that I can print on them.

Take out a bottle of paint and BAM you’ll have your students attention just like that! I know this because just a few weeks ago it happened to me. It was the first time that this year's students saw me take out paint. The sparkle in their little brown eyes was enough to validate what I already knew... Kids love to use paint and art supplies.

I know that many teachers don’t like it because they think things are going to get messy. Well I’m here to tell you that that’s not necessarily the case. Sometimes all you need is a small blob of color on a plate to get your students attention. 

I’ve done big projects such as my Solar System Craftivity where students use feathers and marbles to paint and projects such as my Landforms 3D Craftivity where students used little paint but plenty of other materials such as yarn, glitter, and paper bags. Just give it a try and see how it goes... 

Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping Task Cards

 Lastly, make learning fun by finding the time to play games. My kiddos love playing Scoot with task cards. They also love simple games such as Multiplication War or Around the World. If you search on Pinterest you can find a bunch of ideas on games to play in the classroom. The key is to find games that motivate your students and that make learning fun!