Integrating Technology (with The Friendly Teacher)

We use technology daily in my room. We have both chrome books and iPads and love both! One of my favorite ways to use technology is through book clubs.

I love having book clubs in the classroom. I love when students are reading books that they enjoy, but also reading them with their friends. What I hate about book clubs is all the copying for the different groups. So, I changed to all digital book clubs!

My students will read their pages for the week and then complete a book club sheet on their Google Drive. Each week I have students read a certain amount of pages and work on the skill that their group needs to focus on. Then, when they come to meet with me they bring their computer and book. We discuss what they read and then focus on that specific skill. Before they leave I will teach them the skill they will work on next week and give them the assignment!


The best part is all I have to do is post the different sheets on my Google Classroom. Gone are the days of copying five copies of all these different types of paper! Students are much more motivated because they love using the computers! Also, with computers you can add more color which adds engagement for kiddos!

Here is a kiddo completing the point of view assignment after reading their book club pages!

Check the digital book clubs out here!

Informal Assessments {w/ The Super Sparkly Teacher}

Reading Responses

Oh, those informal assessments... Isn't it so hard to fit in? I am constantly assessing during guided reading in order to determine where my students are and to further support them as they build comprehension skills. 

This year, my teammate came up with the idea of creating reading responses that correspond with the books our students are reading (Rigby Leveled Readers). We began writing 4-6 events from the story, which students then have to sort. After this, they have to answer a question and cite text evidence. We've started working on using the frame, "On page..." to cite picture or text evidence. We've been doing this for several weeks and I've definitely seen a major improvement in their ability to answer questions related to details in the text.

I can't believe I'd never thought to have my firsties extend their guided reading time in this manner. It's a great way for them to practice writing their responses. We often practiced this whole-class much later in the year.

Want the tabs? Click HERE to get them for FREE.

The Hot Seat

Assessing students' reading behaviors and skills are important as well. I have a "hot seat" at my guided reading table, which allows me to informally assess students' reading skills on a weekly basis. The "hot seat" is right next to me and surprisingly students REALLY want to sit there.

Everyday I ask a different student to sit there in order to me to listen in as they read a familiar text. The rest of the students are also reading a familiar text, but I'll only complete a running record on the student sitting in the hot seat. This allows me to see if they're self-correcting, using context clues, etc. Sometimes I'll see a pattern within a group, like students neglecting inflectional endings. I can then address this the next time we meet or I'll pull a strategy group.

Click HERE for this running record form.

Do you have any tips for assessing students during guided reading? We'd love to hear them!

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Making the Most of Small Group Instruction {with Core Inspiration by Laura Santos}

About 60% of our second grade day is spent in small group instruction. Although this teaching approach is highly targeted and differentiated, it is also intense to plan and deliver. Over the past few years, I have evolved from a teacher who hated small group instruction to one who fully embraces its undeniable benefits. 

The driving force behind my growth is organization and the development of unique small group instruction management routines. The tricks below have helped make the management aspect of small group instruction more...manageable. But first, here is a peek at the two small group instruction areas in my second grade classroom:

Our reading aide meets with small groups four days a week in at the reading table. During their time with her, students are currently participating in scaffolded literature circles. Each day, they read a chapter, work on their Guided Reading Journal (filled with reading response activities that give them practice with reading concepts they have mastered), and then participate in a guided literature circle discussion and activity. These are the supplies my students use at the reading table. 

I meet with small groups in our Mini Lesson Zone. I don't mind sitting on the floor and the kids love it so we sit side by side during our reading conferences, use the table if there's anything we need to write down, and refer to our mini lesson notes/posters on our easel. Anyone who's waiting for their turn to meet one on one with me reads at one of the placemats so they can quickly join me when it's time. 

My small group instruction is more like individualized instruction, therefore students are required to bring their own book bins and journals. 

Whiteboard markers, highlighters, and pencils are provided so students don't waste transition time gathering these supplies. 

Okay, now that you have an idea of where small group instruction takes place in my second grade classroom, here are the details on how I keep our small group instruction time running smoothly. I’ve set these details up as solutions to common small group instruction problems or roadblocks.

Problem: My students do not transition quickly during small group instruction.

Solution: PowerPoint Transition Slide Deck

Use PowerPoint to create visual reminders for students. Saving these reminder slides on your computer and displaying them specificlly during the instructional time they are needed reduces the need for posters and clip charts that are only used for a short time during your school day.

I use this slide deck during Daily 5 and have a similar deck for Math Workshop. It is my absolute favorite classroom management tool. The deck is filled with slides that are connected by a series of timed transitions and sounds effects that signal when it is time for a brain break or for a new round of Daily 5 to begin. At the start of Daily 5, I simply click play and the slide deck keeps track of time, makes peaceful noises that signal when it’s time to transition (so much better than having to say it...the less we talk...the better), gives a visual countdown, and shows who should be working in the small group areas.  I’m not going to lie, creating this originally took me more time than I’d like to admit...but now that the templates are created, it takes less than five minutes to change small groups based on assessment results.

Problem: I work on different activities during small group instruction time each day and my students forget what they are supposed to bring to the small group area.

Solution: Visual Reminder Posters

Post a sign that informs students which activity they will work on each day, the supplies they need for that activity, and what they should do while they are waiting for their instruction to begin. Once again...save your voice for the important stuff...the less you have to use it for silly verbal reminders, the less likely you are to sound like the teacher from the Peanuts cartoon.

I hang these signs on the whiteboard behind me near our mini lesson zone because each time my students meet with me, they need different supplies.

• Their own Word Pocket (for Words Their Way instruction on Monday)
• Their personalized book collection (for reading conferences on Tuesday, Wednesday) 
• Their personal Word Collector’s Notebook (for collecting words in context and their weekly mini assessment on Thursday, Friday). 

In honor of this blog post, I created a sign for the reading table where my aide hosts her small group instruction. This sign is simply a reminder that students should work in their Guided Reading Journal while they wait for other students to finish their reading in preparation for their group reading response activity. She uses guided reading books and literature circle books so students don’t need to bring anything with them when they visit her.

Problem: My system of using bins to store supplies for reading groups isn’t working.

Solution: Get smart with your classroom furniture. 

Find furniture that reduces classroom clutter and keeps you organized. This 5 Bin Storage Tower from The Container Store is an easy way to keep supplies together for your reading groups without having to deal with overflowing bins that create visual noise in your classroom. Each day, you can gather the supplies for the small groups you will be instructing and tuck everything out of sight once small group time is over.

In my classroom, this tower is used solely by my reading aide. To keep our storage tower optimally organized, I added a group label to each bin and have each group’s literature circle books and Guided Reading Journals inside. I keep student work out of folders because it removes an extra step when I need to quickly assess student work. If work is tucked inside a folder, I tend to forget about it…#teachertruth.

I would love to hear from you about any additional roadblocks you may be facing during your small group instruction time. Please also share your unique solutions to the roadblocks mentioned above. Can’t wait to hear from you!

Making the Most of Small Group Instruction {with Mrs. Decatur's Little Gators}

 

Hey y'all...I have to say small group is my FAVORITE time of the day! I absolutely love being able to work with just a few of my kiddos and really get some valuable conversations going. I'm going to give you a run down of how I manage and run my small group area & schedule! I have my small group table right next to my desk to minimize how often I have to get up between groups if I need to check on something!

 

 

Student Set Up

 

Each (all five) kid has a pencil basket with supplies that I swap out as needed. It most often has an expo & eraser, letter tiles,  a seasonal pointer, & some sort of counters. I only teach ELAR/SS but I use the counters to count sounds/syllables/words and to play word work games!

 

 

This is my cup of seasonal pointers... really important but I LOVE THEM so I wanted to share! We are currently using the sparkly shamrocks! :)

 

 

My Supply Shelf Area

 

TOP:

This is my shelf where I keep my most used supplies, I wish it was cuter but it is FUNCTIONAL! On the top shelf I keep markers, pointers, and word work items.

 

 

MIDDLE:

 The middle shelf has a magazine holder for each group's books for the week, lesson plans, and any word work items I selected for this group. This helps me with preparing for a group to work with an aide too! I just send the box out with the group & done! The HUGE black binder is where I store individual student files by #. The white tub is extra word work games for the month/season.

 

 

BOTTOM:

Extra books from the literacy library in the white tub, my teacher binder, intervention binder, & other teacher items not related to small group.

 

 

  My Guided Reading Binder

 

This is my weekly schedule. Each group has a column for me to write what day I am meeting with them & what book we will be working with that day. It just helps me to be able to glance at it. 

 

 

Small Group Documentation forms. I use these forms to record who is there for each session, what book/level we are reading, points I want to make, questions I want to ask, and what skills or HFW we worked on for word work. To read more about these forms click here.

 

I store blank forms in a folder in the back of my binder for easy access. I keep both extra guided reading schedules & running records here.

 

 

 

Once a running record is complete it needs to go into the HUGE black binder. Since I don't want to waste small group time filing, I have a "To File" folder in my guided reading binder right behind the "Blanks" folder. The graph sheet has each student's name (covered by divider) and their file number in the huge black binder. I jot the date down I took a record on that child in the graph & record the number in the top corner of the running record so its easy to file later.

 

I use this table top easel to teach word work lessons & small group reading lessons.

 

 

I use this VERY well loved book's routine for introducing new sight words. I have used it for four years now & I just can't say enough good things about the book for all aspects of guided reading! IF you are struggling with {Making the Most of Small Group Instruction} I highly recommend purchasing this! Click here to check it out on Amazon.

 

 

The students use the letter tiles to build sight words, mix & fix them, and swipe spell them! I run my guided groups based off Jan Richardson's recommendations with modifications I have made to the routines to fit my kiddos!

 

 

This mess is all my teacher stuff that I stick between my easel! My fancy hand sanitizer, strategy sticks, pencils/pens, prompting/questioning cards, stickers and other fun stuff!

 

 I hope this was helpful for you! Happy Teaching! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making the Most of your Small Group Instruction {with PeppyZestyTeacherista}

Hey, Friends!
First off I know you're reading this thinking, 'who on EARTH has time for so many small groups'? I agree that is IS tough to manage small groups effectively every week. We do what we can and if we can't meet with everyone so many times a week, we're human, it's not like we're not working hard to try.

Before I even begin with how I run my small groups, I want to chat about the logistics of what everyone else is doing. 

If I am going to be effective with the group that I am working with, I need to be able to actually work with them with minimal distractions. This means creating a self-sufficient classroom environment. 

While I am with a group, the kids have a series of tasks that they have to get done by the end of the week. They must do everything on the left hand column and if they have time they can do the extras on the right. OR they can mix and match the left and right columns but must know that everything on the left column must be completed.

If you would like this template for FREE

{CLICK HERE}

Let's say that time gets away from me and I don't have time to gather my centers together (it happens we can't do all million tasks let's be real). If I have a series of tasks that the kids started but haven't completed, I type it up on a Powerpoint and the kids just complete down the line. 

To snag this Powerpoint
{CLICK HERE}

If you would like to get my entire reading bundle: 

Click {HERE} or the image below!

I hope this was a PeppyZesty idea for you! 

Making the Most of Small Group Instruction {With The Friendly Teacher}

Hello Elementary Entourage friends!! I am so excited to be blogging on this collaborative blog! My name is Hannah Friend and I blog over at The FriendlyTeacher. I teach 3rd grade in Ohio and I can’t wait to share with you each month!

I am so excited our topic is small group reading this month! Why?! Because it is AMAZING! Small group reading instruction is one of my favorite parts of the day! It is fun, you get to read with kiddos, and talk with them about their reading.

My life saver when it comes to reading groups is my “Reading Tool Box”! It makes my planning easier, it helps me naturally teach, and the students love when it is out!

The reading tool box is a box that goes around the room with me and is full of FUN supplies that you can use while reading. The best part is you can take it anywhere in the classroom, you can just grab things quickly, and it is all in one place! I will share with you what is in my box, but you truly can put ANYTHING that works for you in your box!

Post-it notes are a MUST! We love to write what we are thinking, meanings of words, or main idea and detail for each chapter!

Dry erase strips from Target make for great word chunking!

We use magnifying glasses for “close” reading! They love when I hand them the magnify glass and say dig in! I love to do this when they miss a question or miss a topic that I really do not want them to miss! The magnifying glass is the superhero that makes 100% sure they don’t miss it!

Scented markers make for engaging highlighters during close reading!

We use Hope Kings reading comprehension strategies every day! All you do is print them off and put them on popsicle sticks and they make for great reminders on what strategies to use while reading!

Question cubes make for a great way to end your reading groups and make your kiddos think about their reading! If you want to make it even more fun allow them to throw the cubes around the room and go find their question. They LOVE it!

We use the sunglass for visualization! When I want them to visualize I hand them the glass and read them the passage. They LOVE it! (I told them to spell visualizing in their best 3rd grade spelling, so let's just not talk about her teaches them phonics LOL!) 

That is all I have for your today! I hope you go out and make an amazing reading tool box, my friends! It is LIFE CHANGING! 

An InLinkz Link-up