Homework Choice Board

There are so many things to stress about in the beginning of the school year and sometimes homework takes a back burner.  Homework is a integral piece to the home school connection and can be a great tool to grab parents attention and help them develop an after-school routine for their child. 

I created a homework choice board to help take one more task off your plate and make the beginning of the school year a little easier.

 

This is one month worth of homework tailored for a first grade student with a focus on common core skills. It is in a choice-board format to ensure differentiation and has spelling words with activities included also. This is a wonderful packet that can be used during the first month of school or beyond.

Please visit my store to download a copy.  It will serve as a beginning of the year review for 1st and 2nd graders and a rigorous challenge for current and aspiring Kindergarteners.

Click on the link to reach my TPT store!  

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Elementary-Parade

Problem Based Training

I was first introduced to problem based math lessons when I was in school. They are the best way to go when you want children to construct their own knowledge and become critical thinkers.
I loved the training I attended this evening that focused on this method. The presenter gave us a great lesson plan format for a problem based focus.

1. Before questions
2. During questions
3. After questions

Cute template is soon to come but until then take a look at this cool problem that will get 4th graders thinking critically about comparing fractions!!!

News Paper Summary Rubric

During a recent professional development session at my school it was impressed upon me that I should began to utilize rubrics more often in my classroom.  At first I was like oh no more work.  I thought I am sure that it is better for the students but it will take me forever to create a rubric.  I was wrong!!!

Once you decide what a level 4 will look like for the project your baseline is set and the other requirements will just be modified from the that level 4.  I took a stab at creating a rubric for a news article summary.  If the students meet a level 3 or above for this assignment they will be showing proficiency with common core standards 4.W.2, 4.W.1, 4.W.9, and 4.RI.2

As a child doing weekly newspaper article summaries is one of the assignments that I remember.  If I remember it now at the ripe old age of 18 :)  then it must have been a fruitful activity that my class might also enjoy.

Use the link below to have your students do this assignment as well!


News Article Summary Rubric