Plickers!

I saw this post recently on Laura Candler's blog http://www.lauracandler.com about an interactive technology called Plickers https://plickers.com. The draw for me was that in order to use the technology you only need ONE hand-held device and the app is FREE!! I'm signed up for her FREE webinar tonight to learn more about this awesome resource! Here's the steps I followed to try it out and I so excited that it actually worked! We've done it now a few times with some simple math questions and I can't wait to add more question folders to my question queue and use Plickers again!! Here are the steps I followed to get started: 

• Go to https://plickers.com and click cards and download to download the special Plickers cards. Print the cards off on cardstock (don't laminate, so they are easier to scan) Each card has a number on it, so I wrote my kiddo's name with their class number that matched on the back of each card. 

• Create a FREE Plickers account

• Click on Classes and Add New Class to add your students. I added them according to the number they already have in my class in ABC order. 

• Click on Library to create new questions then add them to your Question Queue.

• Download the FREE Plickers app on your hand-held device from the app store (I use my teacher iPad). 

• Explain the cards to your students (Each card has special scan symbol and a choice of A, B, C or D) and you are ready to begin! 

Here's a few pics of my students interacting using Plickers: The question is projected on my Apple TV screen while I use the iPad to scan cards quickly and see results. I also love this because it is completely SILENT, but every student is PARTICIPATING!!!

To help with managing answers, I decided to have my students hold their Plickers card by their chest until I say, "Showdown!" Then students hold the cards up high for me to scan as seen in the picture below. It took a bit of practice for students to turn cards correctly, but now I can scan them with ease. Also, as soon as students see on the screen that their card has been scanned, they turn their card upside down on the floor. *On another teaching note, I started with really simple math problems like,1+1= just so students could get used to using the cards and I could teach management. 

STEM, Grinch Day, Snow Dough and Party Time!

I can't believe how quickly Christmas break has gone. I am gearing up to head back to school tomorrow and just realized I have some blogging to catch up on! This was the first Christmas for my husband and I together and we had a busy & fun time enjoying each other's family Christmas celebrations. I began taking online courses last summer to obtain my masters degree in Reading Specialist and it feels like I have spent every spare minute this break working on homework! Yikes! I just finished one of my large case study assignments and now have time to reflect and share about the few weeks before Christmas break. We had a wonderful time celebrating the Christmas season in second grade! 

This was my first time incorporating a STEM project into the days before Christmas break. I was a little nervous about the project, but it turned out to be a great learning opportunity for my kiddos! I purchased STEM Challenges for the Entire Year from Brooke Brown's Teach Outside the Box on Teachers Pay Teachers. Here's a link to her store and blog:  http://teachoutsidethebox.com/. The challenge was making Santa's parachute! I shared with students that Santa's sleigh had broken and they needed to make a parachute to help him land safely. We spent a few days studying parachutes and drawing/writing plans in partners. Then I let them create! Here's a few pics: 


We timed how long it took our parachutes to fall from the top of the doorway to the ground and I then gave partners time to re-work and alter their initial design. At the end of the parachute project each partner group shared with the class what they learned about gravity and drag in order to make a successful parachute. 

We found this note on our door the next day: 


We celebrated Grinch day with green outfits, Who hairdos and lots of grinchy fun! First Grade Wow has a FREE grinch unit that is so much fun! Grab it here: http://firstgradewow.blogspot.com/ This is always one of my favorite days of the year! 


As promised, Santa's elves brought us SNOW DOUGH to play with! Santa's delivery boxes have been updated with some free clip art and mailing labels and pretty red chevron duct tape. 



Finally it was time to party! We had some amazing parents who brought the cutest reindeer snack and elf juice! I helped the kiddos make snowman shooters with cotton balls and we had lots of fun & laughter! 

Tattle Monster

I used a cute Kleenex box and glued on a few little details like teeth, eyes and a nose.

I added a velcro side flap to get notes out! :)

As an elementary teacher there are some days when you feel like you've really made a difference...There are also some days when you stay after work to make a "Tattle Monster" while thanking the Lord that tomorrow is Friday! :) 

Insect Museum is Ready!

This year my students really need to work on writing sentences and I thought I could incorporate sentences into the insect museum somehow. Also, I was able to get some wonderful new technology in my classroom and I wanted to include it into this insect project. I decided to use the app Text2Pic to take a picture of my student flap creations and then each student was able to type a sentence about what what he or she has learned. I put all the creations together into a keynote presentation with music and it will be playing during our museum today. A student's example is above. 

This is what each student has ready on his or her desk. A lab report, Entomologist book, from Stephanie Stewart (If you haven't checked out her Teachers Pay Teachers website you definitely should! She has wonderful resources), and the insect  studied. (I'm just now noticing a P.E. shoe made it in this picture! Ha! Sorry! Teachers have no time for retakes! :))

Finally, we took some pictures for our Keynote slideshow and we are ready to roll! I can't wait for my second graders to show off what they have learned! Proud teacher moments to come! :) 

Insect Flap Creations

Every year I teach about insects and life cycles. At the end of this unit, I help my second graders catch, research and present information about insects in an "insect museum." This year I feel that I have really improved with teaching this unit. I am so excited about the additions I have made to the project. With second graders it is really important to keep research simple and focused. I decided I wanted my students to find 3 facts about his or her insect to share at the museum. Then, I had an epiphany! Insects have three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen). I decided to have my students create construction paper insect creations with flaps for each facts to share. There are pictures of a few student creations below. I think this makes their presentation so much more meaningful and fun! My students can't wait to share all their hard work today.

Spelling Charades!

I'm sharing a NEW game that my kiddos are just LOVING!! I have to admit that this is one of those teacher creations I came up with spur of the moment when all of a sudden plans changed. My students were supposed to go swimming one afternoon for P.E., but the event was rained out. This meant I had some time to fill with educational goodies! :) I made up this game I call "Spelling Charades" and my kids are begging to play it over and over! Here's how it works: I use the spelling list we are on this week. My students grab white boards and a marker. I have one student be the "actor or actress." I show the student the word to act out. The student acts it out, but instead of verbally guessing the word, my other students write the answer on their whiteboard. Once I see the correct spelling word I say, "Showdown" and they show me their boards so we can discuss the spelling. (This is also a super quiet game that students can't wait to play!) This has quickly become a staple game in our classroom! :)
Here's a few pics of our Spelling Charades:

First Day 2016!!!!

I decided to create a chalkboard sign for my kiddos to stand by for first day pics!  (This was a leftover sign from my wedding and I was so happy to put it to good use!)

Yes, my handsome hubby sent me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers! I feel so lucky to have his unwavering support! 

Yes, that this a rolling cart projector! My smart board projector pooped out right before school started, so I am anxiously awaiting new bulbs!!!