Blog Action Day: Human Rights, For Every Child

Apparently today was Blog Action Day, where thousands of different bloggers from all over the world post about the same theme.  I felt inspired to write a post about this year’s theme, which is human rights.  After all, I'm guessing it's a topic that teachers care about, even if this post ends up with a slightly less "teachery" flavor to it than my usual posts.

I learned about this day from one of my favorite webcomic artists over at Zen Pencils.  If you've never heard of it, have a look.  Gavin Than illustrates inspirational quotes in narrative format.  There's an awesome cartoon here about teaching (What Teachers Make), and one here about reading.  Well, on October 16 (technically yesterday, since he's in New Zealand and the 16th has already passed for him) he posted this comic about human rights.  And I thought, "That's just like the book I use with my class!"

You see at my school, we are all expected to create classroom rules with the children at the beginning of the year.  We also teach about the Constitution on September 17, as required by federal law.  It's a natural progression to lead from classroom rules in our fourth grade classroom into the idea of a document that outlines the law of the land, but I like to take it one step further.  I also teach about the Bill of Rights because I feel it's even more uplifting than the Constitution alone.  So in order to lead into the Bill of Rights, every year after we create classroom rules, I also talk to my students about their rights in our classroom (getting up for a tissue without raising their hand, having time each day to talk to me about problems or questions, and so on).  And to get them thinking about the difference between a right and those things they'd like to do but are really privileges I always read For Every Child.

As I said, it reminds me a lot of the comic.  Both are written by UNICEF, so there is a lot of overlap between the rights of children and human rights in general.  Some other rights have to do with the right to a name, an adult to care for them, and protection from harm.  Each double page spread is illustrated by a different artist, making every page feel like a nice surprise as you're reading.  It's one of those books that has very few words, and will spark a lot of discussion.

I recommend it for a read aloud because one of the illustrations might not be suitable for every young audience (I put a sticker over the part of an image I thought was questionable).  Plus although there are very few words, they are so poignant that some of the rights would be confusing or lost on children who just breeze through it (for example, "Every one of us shall have a name and a land of our own").  The ideas in the book need to be digested slowly, questioned, and discussed with an adult.  However it's a great way to illustrate for children how lucky they are to be growing up in a democratic society that honors and protects children's rights.  During my Classroom Rules and Rights mini-unit (available for purchase) this book is a great bridge between what students need to do and what they are owed.

Do you have a favorite read aloud that you use to empower your students?

Surprise Sale and a Giveaway!

Have you heard?  Teachers Pay Teachers is throwing a flash sale!  This was not planned; it's to celebrate hitting 100,000 likes on their Facebook page.

To help them celebrate, I'm having a sale of my own from now until 10/14.  I'm matching their 10% with an additional 15% off my entire store.  Check it out, stock up, and have a great Columbus Day weekend!

 

And not only is there a sale going on; one of my blogging buddies is hosting a giveaway!

If you haven't seen Heather LeBlanc's blog or TPT store, it's called 2 Brainy Apples and she has lots of great literacy resources for upper elementary.  I especially love her posts about Close Reads because I've been researching and starting to implement this system in my own class this year.

 
So if you want an opportunity to win a bunch of great products, including my Fraction of a Set Task Cards go check out her blog!  Good luck.  :)

Constitution Day Anchor Chart: Branches of Government

I just wanted to quickly share an anchor chart I made and used with my class on Constitution Day, September 17.  

It was a big hit, and I hope it helps your class next year!

















 

New Classroom Organizational Tricks: What is Working After 1 Month

September tends to be all about getting to know my new fourth graders and establishing routines.  Now that it's already October, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on all those new, "It seemed like a good idea at the time" tricks that I was excited to pilot at the beginning of the year.  Happily most of them are working out well!

1.  The Parking Lot:  I was thinking of incorporating a Blurt Chart/Parking Lot combo here.  However, my class this year does NOT have a blurting problem!  I feel like there is only one student in my class this year who is having trouble staying quiet, (not so much blurting out as talking to other kids at inappropriate times) and because he also has trouble fitting in, having a public chart like this would make matters worse for him instead of better.  Instead I use it as a collection of "that reminds me" anecdotes or "I know you're teaching me how to multiply right now but I was just wondering..." type questions.  Then, at the end of the day if we have a spare minute or two I can read them off.

I like it!  I just need to change the top headings; the kids on the left do NOT appreciate being on a poster that says "Off Task!"  I told them I didn't really think about it as separate; it's just split so the doors can open, but they make a fair point.  Any ideas on what to put at the top (other than stretching out the lettering for Parking Lot)?

2.  The Mailbox:  This is working VERY well!  I used to have bins on my desk, and when I had notices to hand out I'd stick them on top.  I don't like to hand out notices until the moment they go into folders, and I don't like taking time out of instruction more than once per day to dig out folders and put papers away.  So now that each student has a folder, when kids are working independently, myself or a child who has finished early can put papers into the file folders, which are distributed at the end of the day by group.

Papers addressed to each child go into their own folder, and notices that are for everyone can be placed 4 at a time into the "group hanging folder" to be distributed at the group.  It is working well!  The kids love the "You've Got Mail" flag that I simply taped to a ruler (and flip upside down when there is no mail).

3.  The Student Work Hallway Display:  I'll be honest, this is not a new idea, it's just a good one. 

I ask the kids their favorite color on the first day of school, hang contruction paper with 2 paper clips out in the hall, and I have a quick, attractive way to hang and replace student work. 

No more peeling tape off the back of projects when I want to give them back. 

And the color give the papers a nice backdrop.






4.  A neat desk looks like this!  This one is for my kiddos.  I saw a great idea on Pinterest (from Angela Watson from The Cornerstone) about a diagram of the inside of a neat student's desk.  I thought since models are a great way to teach, and organization is a skill kids need to learn, this would be perfect!  I created this to post on our classroom blog.  I WISH I could project the image, but instead I use checklists for individual students who need the extra help. 

5.  The To Do List, file folder style: 

I saw the "Print, Copy, Prep" Sticky Note in a file folder idea on Pinterest and knew I had to try it.  I actually changed up the categories a bit so that they work better for the way I think.  For example, I don't usually list what I need to copy; I just put them in a specific letter tray on my desk.  Also, I like having my tasks separated by where they need to be done.

Therefore my categories are:
*Create on computer (since I don't have a computer at my desk at school)
*Copy/laminate (since the machines are both in the same room)
*Prep at school
*Shop: for anything I need to go out and purchase
*Office/consult (for when I need to speak to a colleague ASAP)
*Common planning (for when I have ideas to share or questions to ask during our scheduled meeting times)

I love that I can put those important papers from the office into one folder to deal with in time, and I can even throw the folder into my bag in the evening if I need to.  It's keeping my desk neat for maybe the first time!  And if you're wondering about the folder, it was very reasonably priced at Target over the summer.

Do you have any organizational tips to share?

Figure Me Out Beginning of the Year Math

With Open House coming up this week, I thought I'd tell you a little about the work I chose to display.

One assignment I gave the kids at the very beginning of the year was to incorporate numbers into a page about their own lives.  Although I've seen this sort of assignment called "Math About Me" elsewhere, I added another layer to the page of birth dates, shoe sizes and number of pets. 

I challenged my fourth graders to create an equation for each number on their page.  I started out VERY simple: 200+1=201, my room number.  I told students "If you remember how to do expanded form, you can."  Of course, this was the simplest sort, but it gave them confidence on that second day of school!

 On the other hand, on my example I included a couple of fraction questions (one simple that many kids were able to figure out, and one that none of them were able to figure out).  There were 3 out of the 8 equations in my sample that I thought would be too hard for them at this point in the year, because I got to promise them, "By the end of the year you'll all be able to figure these out."  I made it a mystery and they were all begging to let them see the answers, haha. 

I required an addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equation, and they were in fact all able to do it!  I told them I would allow them to use between 2 and 4 numbers per equation.  This way I laid the gauntlet down for problems more interesting than 5+5=10, but not the super annoying 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1=10, haha.  

These equations were each written on small sticky notes that fit right over the answers.  The result:  anyone walking through the hall can see the topic (My age) the equation (8-3+5) and try to solve it before peeking at the answer.  I think parents would enjoy looking for their child's work (the self portrait in the center is a hint that didn't take up too much time from the actual math learning). 

Do you use a Math About Me activity with your students at the beginning of the year?  Do you think having them come up with equations would work (and if so what age do you teach?)  

Update:  If you like this activity, Figure Me Out is now available for purchase in my TPT store, Amber Thomas's Classroom Favorites!  

The worksheet, a student checklist that you can use as a grading rubric, 2 pages of instructions, and even 10 pages that you can edit (to include your own shoe size, birthday and so on) and use as a sample poster are included in the product. 

Daily Math Tasks Rotation Chart

This year I'm going to try out a rotation chart I designed and made.  I'm really proud of it, but time will tell how well it works!

Last year my fourth graders had a hard time with doing their Every Day Counts tasks consistently.  I tried putting cards on their desks to let them know it was their turn to complete a task, but they'd tell me they:

1.  Lost the card

2.  Forgot

3.  Didn't know they were supposed to do it because they thought someone else put it on their desk

Mmhmm.  So I to post them.  The trouble is, I dreaded the idea of moving every kids' clothespin every single day after school.  I know this works for some teachers; I just wasn't feeling it.  No, I wanted something that I could just slide and everyone's name would move down.  Hence the Daily Math Tasks Rotation Chart was born!  Here's how I did it:

1.  To create this chart, I started with standard 8 1/2 by 11 aqua paper, but turned it to landscape. 

2.  I stuck the title at the top, of course.

3.  Then, all still in landscape, I created a table with 2 columns.  On the right I typed up the tasks I wanted.  I'm not sure if you can see that I left between a quarter of an inch of space between each row.  Then on the left I typed up the kid's names (I changed half of them for this post for student privacy) with the same amount of space. I left some blank spaces for when (not if, it's always when) I get new students.  I made an extra column of blank rows for tasks so that I can add tasks as the year progresses.  I also made a second column of kids' names (not shown) because I'm guessing I'll need them in order to "loop" the names.  Otherwise if I move the strip down, when the kid on top is doing the second task, there will be no one above him to do the multiples task!

4.  I cut out each column separately.  The tasks got glued to the right and then I laminated it.  I laminated the kids' names separately.

5.  Next I cut the slits.  I used a ruler and a box cutter to make sure I was following the guidelines on the task list.  I was careful to leave those vertical borders while still making the slits wide enough for the names strip to fit through.   

I'm really happy with the look and construction of this chart. There are just 2 things that I need to think about:

1.  What happens when a kid is absent?  My plan will be to take the first name that appears below the blue, write them on a post it, and stick it over the absentee kids' name.  Or I could have an early finisher volunteer to do it (Update:  One of my students suggested that I create another job called "Substitute" and that person fills in if anyone is out that day.  Apparently another teacher in the building uses that job for her job chart.  Love it!  Thanks Mrs. L...I'm guessing that was all you, haha). 

2.  Is it going to be possible to loop the names back behind the chart while it's hanging up?  That was actually my plan all along, but now I'm wondering how it will lay flat.  Oops.  I might need to reconsider that plan and just hang a poster under the chart to hide the names.  That would probably be the most sensible solution and let me focus on other things!  (Update:  I having it hanging in a corner so that the names section has space and it's even closer to the calendar itself.  Like it was meant to be!)

I think it's got some potential for this year.  Plus it looks nice with the rest of my Every Day Counts wall!  I did update this wall (it was one of my Summer Projects).  Some of my other upgrades include:

1. I'm hoping the Depositor is easier to see but still reach now that it's above the calendar.
2. The containers for money lay flat and coordinate so nicely with my colors!
3. Fractions labels are typed and ready (but hard to see when laminated, grrr).
4. There is a spot and organization system in place for the monthly geometry words!  That polka dot poster board (made from wrapping paper mounted on poster board and laminated) will house all the words as we generate and discuss our list.  At the end of the month the September poster will be hung above the closets for the remainder of the year. 
5. The only thing I have left to add (now that we're halfway through September) is I realized we sort of need to create a "pattern" section as well.  After the kids noticed alternating colors for September we don't really need to talk about it every. single. day.  Maybe once the pattern is posted they'll get the idea that they don't need to bring it up every time, haha. 

Any thoughts?  Has anyone tried a rotation poster that they can link in the comments below?