A Thousand Years Ago -- A Writing Prompt

This post is a part of my week long celebration of my thousandth post on Artistry of Education.  To celebrate I created a digital swag bag.  Each day this week, stop by for a new freebie.  I plan to have a round up post on Friday just in case you missed one.

Today is a mini-research project about life one thousand years ago.  I know in each of the United States, Native American tribes lived here and their culture is a part of the curriculum in upper elementary classrooms.  This assignment could be used as a review.

Alternately, students could research one of the other cultures that was present 1000 years ago.  I found several non-fiction books about Vikings that are age-appropriate.  Students could study the Song Dynasty in China.  Other students may want to learn about the Middle Ages in Europe.  In our district, these studies would blend well with the sixth grade social studies curriculum.

To download "A Thousand Years Ago," please click here.

See you tomorrow for another freebie.

Quote of the Week -- February 28, 2016

"Ever notice that people never say it's only a game when they're winning?" ~Ivern Ball

This week I am sharing a digital swag bag to celebrate my thousandth post.  Come back each day this week and receive a freebie related to the number 1000.  On Friday, I will have a round up, so in case you missed a day, you can still collect the whole set.

Today's freebie is a printable writing prompt: "If I had $1000, I would...."  You could assign this as strictly a creative story.  You could also have students research prices and add a math component.  You could also have students give away the $1000 and they have to explain who they would give it to and why.

 To download the page shown above, click here.

Have a good week,

Factor Pairs of 1000: Story Problems

Yesterday, Artistry of Education reached its thousandth post.  To celebrate I am offering a week of digital swag.  Each day will be an activity designed for upper elementary students with the theme of 1000.

Today I wrote a series of math story problems that require a factor pair of 1000 for the answer.  To download these problems from my Google Drive, please click here.

See you tomorrow for more digital swag.

The Thousandth Post Swag Bag

 

Today I am celebrating writing the thousandth post on Artistry of Education.  Almost five years ago, I started blogging and sharing my ideas on Teachers Pay Teachers.  I wrote my first post for this blog December 31, 2011.  I have learned a lot about teaching and writing in that time.

Thank you to my followers and frequent readers who have commented and shared.  You have encouraged me to keep teaching and sharing right back.

If you are new to Artistry of Education, welcome.  Here is my weekly schedule of posts:

On Sundays, I post a Quote of the Week that has inspired me in some way.

Mondays, my posts are pretty random.  I share teaching ideas and whatever else is on my mind.

Wednesdays, I share a book I have read and often a teaching suggestion to go with it.

Fridays are my freebie days.

For the next week I want to share some digital swag related to the number 1000.  Today's freebie is a set of games called Number Races.  Race to 1000 is played by adding two-digit numbers until one player reaches 1000.  Race to 0 is played by subtracting two-digit numbers from 1000 until the first player reaches 0.

To download Number Races click here.

Happy Friday!

The Girl Who Wouldn't Brush Her Hair by Kate Bernheimer

 You can tell from the cover what happens when the girl won't brush her hair.  This book could inspire cause and effect discussions.  I was reminded of the crazy hair art projects I have seen all over Pinterest.

To download a blank pattern to use for the art project, please click here.

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More Online Testing: English Language Learners

Right now I am administering the annual test that measures how our English Language Learners read, write, listen, and speak in English.  For the first year the test is online.

I am not a technophobe.  I use technology professionally and personally, but I know I think differently when I use paper and pen.  When a pencil breaks, you hand the student a new one.

The test has gone smoothly except for the typical glitches.  When the system crashes or there is an interruption in the internet, we have been able to start back up where we left off...most of the time.

I know the person who designed the log in system was more concerned about security than making it kid-friendly.  Every student has had to scroll through a lot of educational jargon to begin their actual test.

I am concerned about the number of questions: 93-100 for the grades I have tested.  This makes for long testing sessions: 1.5-2.5 hours for even first graders.

I am also concerned with the speaking part.  Students record their voices into the computer.  I have had some of my shy students completely shut down over this.  I don't know how their recordings are turning out.  I'm not supposed to know.

Tomorrow I will begin testing the kindergartners.  Pray for me.

Quote of the Week -- February 21, 2016

"Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity." 
~Jon Acuff

Have a good week,

Nouns and Verbs: Five Senses

Frequent readers of Artistry of Education know that I have been teaching English Language Learners for the last six weeks while their teacher has been on maternity leave.  I have been adapting some of my lessons to better match what my students need.

I created the matching activity below to go with a unit on parts of the face and senses.  Students cut out the cards and match them on the sentence frames.  Depending on their level, you can have them practice reading or writing the sentences.

I am in the process of expanding the Imagery 2.0 product in my Teachers Pay Teachers and Teacher's Notebook stores.  

Here is the link to Imagery 2.0 in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Here is the link to Imagery 2.0 in my Teacher's Notebook store.

Happy Friday!

How Martha Saved Her Parents from Green Beans by David LaRochelle

Martha hates green beans--especially when they come to life and kidnap her parents.  There is only one way to save her parents from these evil green creatures.  Is Martha up to the challenge?

 Click here to download a free printable story board to retell the story.



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Using Google Translate and Images with ELLs

For the last five weeks, I have been covering a maternity leave for an ELL teacher.  As a former general education teacher, I know that teachers need resources to help include their students in their lessons.  Here are a couple of strategies that have worked for me.

I use Google Translate for single words and short phrases.  It doesn't work well for whole sentences and paragraphs.  (Just for fun, go to You Tube and look up Google Translate Sings.  My favorite is "I'll Make a Man out of You" from Mulan.  You will get an idea of Google Translate's limitations.)

A fifth grader who recently moved from El Salvador uses Google Translate with me to communicate what she wants.  We have tried unsuccessfully to translate her writing this way.

When I developed lessons for Martin Luther King, Jr., for example I used the book Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport and translated words like love, peace, and freedom into my students' native languages.  I read the book aloud to my students and we discussed the concepts Martin Luther King, Jr. represented.  I used the section "translations of" much like I would use a thesaurus to make sure I was getting the word closest to the definition of the original word.

I also use Google Images to illustrate concrete words.  I look up the topics we will be learning and tab the images I want to use ahead of time.  If I do need to look up a word on the spot, I turn the computer screen away from the students to avoid having them view inappropriate images.

One year, I had a student move directly from another country.  I would find pictures of the lunch choices each day to help him with that part of the routine. By making images a part of ordering lunch, I helped him practice getting what he needed in English. 

I know that you probably have other ways you assist new to English students.  I would love to read your suggestions in the comments.

Quote of the Week -- February 14, 2016

"If you're nice to people, people are nice back.  It's not a complicated formula." ~Simon Sinek

Have a good week,

Compare, Add, and Subtract Fractions

Here is an activity that I use with students who have learned how to work with fractions, but need practice.  I allow them to use any strategy they need to in order to compare, add, and subtract two fractions.

Students receive the half sheet shown above and find equivalent fractions with like denominators.  Next, they show which fraction is greater, then add, and then subtract the two fractions.  The finished paper would look something like the figure shown below.

To download four "Compare, Add, and Subtract Fractions" activities, please click here.  I have included an answer key to save you time.

To purchase my expanded version of "Compare, Add, and Subtract Fractions," please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or my Teacher's Notebook store.


Happy Friday!

Maddi's Fridge by Lois Brandt

Sophia and Maddi are best friends.  One day Sophia discovers something about Maddi, and Maddi wants her to keep it secret.  Should she?

This book has a couple of themes that may be explored with elementary school students.  I would share this book as a part of getting ready for a food drive.  (We do one each year at my school.)

The other themes is that some secrets should be reported to an adult.  This topic often comes up at some point each year.

I created a printable to explore safe secrets and secrets that should be reported to an adult.  You can download "Safe Secrets" shown above.





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Who Are "They" Anyway?

I have noticed a mysterious group of people who are constantly putting obstacles in my path.  I want to be this creative passionate teacher, but "they" are sucking the joy right out of teaching and learning.

"They" keep coming up with new rules for me to follow.  "They" won't let me get a class pet.  "They" made me take the futon home.  "They" want me to read the script from the adopted curriculum and stick to the pacing calendar.  "They" would prefer I don't schedule any field trips.

I have discovered if I keep asking who "they" are and begin holding individual decision-makers responsible for their decisions, some of those obstacles disappear.  

It's time to put accountability in the right place.

Quote of the Week -- February 7, 2016

"We are what we believe we are." ~C.S. Lewis

Have a good week,

 

Create a Bar Graph

  A couple of weeks ago, I shared a graphing activity about favorite lunches.  This week I am sharing a blank set of forms where students can create their own question, survey their classmates, and create a bar graph to display their information.

To download the forms pictured above, click here.



For a birthday graph activity, click here.

Happy Friday!

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey and Colin Jack

Students can imagine how having a dinosaur around could be useful.  I created a printable that goes with this book.  I left off the word dinosaur, because students could imagine other creatures, real and imaginary, and how they would be useful.

To download the printable shown above, please click here.




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