Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

I loved Rose Howard, the main character of Ann M. Martin's Rain Reign.  She is obsessed about homonyms as well as other things.  She named her dog Rain, a homonym.

One stormy night, Rain runs away, setting off a chain of events that changes everything.






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Quote of the Week--November 27, 2016

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cyber Monday Sale -- November 28-29

Everything in both stores is 20% off.

Click here for Artistry of Education @Teachers Pay Teachers.
Click here for Artistry of Education @Teacher's Notebook.  
Have a good week,

Editable Beginning and Ending Routines

Here are the posters I have hanging in the front of my room with my beginning of the day and end of the day routines.  I teach my students these routines at the beginning of the year, but sometimes need to refer to them throughout the year.

To download "Editable Beginning and Ending Routines" please click here.

 

Quote of the Week--November 20, 2016

"Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood."

John Green

Have a good week,

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Albie has difficulty at school with learning and making friends.  Despite well-meaning teachers, he is bullied at school.  His parents and Korean grandfather put pressure on him to succeed. He makes friends with Betsy who is bullied as well.  

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff is a book I'm considering as a read aloud this year.  Although I teach gifted students, I believe they will have empathy for Albie.



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Quote of the Week--November 13, 2016

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."

Max Lucado

Have a good week,

My Question Answer Relationship

Frequent readers know I am teaching fifth grade challenge this year.  (This is what our district calls the highly capable or gifted program.)

My students ask questions...many, many questions.  To save time, I have organized my answers into four categories:

1. The quick answer.  These are questions I have already thought about and know the answer.
2. Let me think about it. I make it clear that if you argue with me about this, the answer becomes a permanent "No."
3. Let's try something and see what happens.  Of the possible answer, this one is risky.  Something bad might happen and the students may not want me to change course.
4. Out of my jurisdiction.  Some decisions are outside of my ability to control.  We all have to live with that.

I realized this week that I attempt to give as many "yes" answers as possible.  When I am consistent with my answers, students can predict accurately what they already have permission to do.

Quote of the Week--November 6, 2016

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you'll be criticized anyway."

Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a good week,

Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

Several weeks ago I shared a vocabulary page I use as a warmup.

Another warmup I use with my fifth graders is the Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt.  I use the form shown below for a week's worth of words.  I write down words from one of our text books and have students look them up using the text features.  

To download this form from my Google Drive, please click here.

So far I have used them to review words in a lesson we have already covered in social studies. I also have used this as a preview of vocabulary in our math book.