tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70197908173097654202024-03-13T13:23:15.814-05:00What's Skow-ing on in 4th Grade??A blog about the 4th grade classroom of Mrs. SkowronskiMrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-76598121834300345722013-11-13T13:57:00.000-06:002013-11-13T14:10:00.970-06:00Learning About PlantsWe're in the middle of a science unit about plants, plant life cycles and photosynthesis. As part of the unit, we are attempting to grow marigolds of our own in the classroom. As of today, we are on day 7 (including the weekend) of this project. Still waiting to see our sprouts and flowers but we're confident they will actually appear and grow. Here is a photo synopsis of how this experiment got started:
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<center>Step 1:
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Step 2:
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Step 3:
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Step 4:
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Step 5:
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Step 6:
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Step 7:
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Step 8:
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Step 9:
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Stay tuned for updates to this project!
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*****UPDATE*****</center>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3ul0Qa125OOne7mxNKr_IcNK-_NWe0x3OsMB5oCrXxsb7CkBJQY24pypID4QwKFzh6hYaHu-iCtrI8vO42IZgNUqp1KdkBSqnyhR9iZ90JgsuHd3Rv1zaOkYP_DAjsqOomr0KD9Efrs/s1600/plantJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3ul0Qa125OOne7mxNKr_IcNK-_NWe0x3OsMB5oCrXxsb7CkBJQY24pypID4QwKFzh6hYaHu-iCtrI8vO42IZgNUqp1KdkBSqnyhR9iZ90JgsuHd3Rv1zaOkYP_DAjsqOomr0KD9Efrs/s320/plantJ.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-2861216769350579572013-11-08T14:22:00.000-06:002013-11-08T14:23:01.169-06:00Fall Fun at the Zoo!We took an awesome trip to Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City on October 22, 2013. It was a chilly day but we had a great time walking around and checking out all of the cool animals that reside there. Many photos were taken and compiled to create a slideshow that we shared with other classes in our school. If you would like to view the photos, please click <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2dqL3_ljaSkdHlSSXZVaWhneU0/edit?usp=sharing">HERE</a>.
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2dqL3_ljaSkdHlSSXZVaWhneU0/edit?usp=sharing"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aA5o6Z7p62OMFcV4TRE10XdHEaQSFUJODsLuLlTfxqotORxLnYYyC4835p-5wnr7PsiQFVM97x04xU85CeVBRjk0P8MndtU1tyZ6wFzK-1uflOib1rt4Y4QUbiL7rU9jVeSid8Lb1G0/s1600/4thgradezootrip10-22-13+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2aA5o6Z7p62OMFcV4TRE10XdHEaQSFUJODsLuLlTfxqotORxLnYYyC4835p-5wnr7PsiQFVM97x04xU85CeVBRjk0P8MndtU1tyZ6wFzK-1uflOib1rt4Y4QUbiL7rU9jVeSid8Lb1G0/s320/4thgradezootrip10-22-13+(4).JPG" /></a></div></a>
<br> We will begin an animal research writing project next week. Look for more info to come from that project soon! We hope you enjoy the slideshow!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-67955259108126982062013-10-18T08:58:00.001-05:002013-10-18T08:58:55.189-05:00Judges in the ClassroomWe had a special visitor to our classroom on September 27th. Judge Katherine Garza, a Magistrate with the Lake Superior Court, Juvenile Division, came to out classroom to talk about her job as a judge. This was part of the program called <a href="http://www.in.gov/judiciary/citc/">Judges in the Classroom.</a> In addition, she gave a great lesson to the class on the three branches of government and discussed the Constitution and its importance for us today. Judge Katie took the time to answer many of our questions and even shared what a typical day looks like when she is at work. We really enjoyed hearing Judge Katie speak and we thank her for taking the time to visit us!
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<center>Judge Katherine Garza discusses her job as a judge in juvenile court:</center>
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<center>Judge Katie teaches us about the three branches of government:</center>
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Thank you again to Judge Katie for coming to Harding! We hope you'll visit again!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-69344888025563404972013-10-14T17:05:00.000-05:002013-10-14T17:05:45.032-05:00Our "Human Body Man"We've just wrapped up a science unit on the Systems of the Human Body. This is a unit I have done for several years but I have been adding and revamping a few things in it the past couple of years.<br>
<br>This year, I found a cute little activity that we used as a culmination to the unit. Each student had the opportunity to put together a little paper man (think back to paper dolls!). This little man has 8 layers--the ody front, skeletal system, respiratory system, digestive system, circulatory system, nervous system, skin and body back (I wish they had included muscles and excretory). The activity is actually called a "foldable" but the cutting and putting together like an accordion would have been a little too much for my 4th graders. Instead, we colored and cut each layer out completely. Then we "layered" the layers and stapled together. Voila! It was a great way to reiterate the information we already learned and see how they all fit together. They turned out really cute! The link to the activity can be found here: <a href="http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/toys/systems.html">Human Body Systems</a>.<br><br>
Here are the photos of our project-----<br><Br>
<center>My example for the students:</center>
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<center>The "unlayered" layers:</center>
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<center>The students' final men:</center>
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Aren't they super cute?? I'll be keeping them in our unit from now on!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-68049658042717026912013-09-05T10:36:00.001-05:002013-09-05T10:39:37.427-05:00Anchor Charts--2nd EditionWe are a couple weeks into the new school year and everything is going great! Our class of 22 is busy learning routines and procedures and new 4th grade skills. Back to School Night took place this past Thursday and it was wonderful meeting many of our new families. The students were very proud to show off their new classroom to their parents and siblings. I always love overhearing their chatter as they show parents "our meeting area", "my desk and morning work binder", "our classroom library and book tubs", and "the place where we do our attendance and lunch count". They are like little experts already!
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One of the new things in our district is the new reading series--Benchmark Literacy. This is far from the traditional basal series of the past. It is always a challenge to get to know something new but I think that once it becomes familiar, it will work well with the balanced literacy framework that's already been in place the last few years. I am no longer following Daily 5 (sad face) but I do think this new program does a good job of setting up the routines and procedures in a way that is similar to Daily 5. <br><br>
As in the past, this program requires a number of anchor charts to be created and posted in the room for the students to reference throughout the year. If you've followed this blog for awhile now, you know that <a href="http://skowronskiclass.blogspot.com/2012/09/anchor-charts-for-writing.html">anchor charts have only become a part of my classroom in the last few years</a>. I would like to share some of the new charts created this past week as part of the new series.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrYuiUY9RoBCSZEFKCUBgUYSo5e4uqIcVIOL2z9QD5XacS39hrGVgij937NLlNboTEzkhYPpoLJIEOZuzTpcCPulPWar4MQGoCha7WVpfgwX1-Nk-HRZO1zUCQwa1rnClcfZmmCptC2I/s1600/bulletinboard1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrYuiUY9RoBCSZEFKCUBgUYSo5e4uqIcVIOL2z9QD5XacS39hrGVgij937NLlNboTEzkhYPpoLJIEOZuzTpcCPulPWar4MQGoCha7WVpfgwX1-Nk-HRZO1zUCQwa1rnClcfZmmCptC2I/s320/bulletinboard1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div><center><br><br><br>This is a new bulletin board that shows all the Metacognitive and Comprehension Strategies covered in the 4th grade BL curriculum. These are a lot like the CAFE lessons I used in D5. Each week, we focus on one of each. For example, this past week we had whole group lessons on Asking Questions (Metacognitive) and Identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details (Comprehension). We refer to this board almost daily!</center></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhnA9Q7FGKIhwbpg4i97iQeiNnrDk6U8eu3eXFKAAlrFtTRZ5PX5gdWcapv1PNKYEURZb1RATbgUFGTX3HFHB2VIA8bnNFvMofZPtPF4ynRxfg-U_R9gGSiSV7zmAci4k-FWhK6zsEfQ/s1600/readersworkshop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhnA9Q7FGKIhwbpg4i97iQeiNnrDk6U8eu3eXFKAAlrFtTRZ5PX5gdWcapv1PNKYEURZb1RATbgUFGTX3HFHB2VIA8bnNFvMofZPtPF4ynRxfg-U_R9gGSiSV7zmAci4k-FWhK6zsEfQ/s320/readersworkshop1.jpg" /></a></div><div><center><br><br><br><br><br>The components of Readers' Workshop.</center></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZdxliDvBFClGmr8nSubu9v6dclBRg_FrzSNwVKyUZ7MB4yVWmSq8QWo2DVf1-rCsLnSAcjv2lu9I2CiY47ucmDlq5zgbpPfbP2tdt7en6o-rL9Zzcm-Bqu2MP9JeSWeyC9NbylM92_c/s1600/readersworkshop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZdxliDvBFClGmr8nSubu9v6dclBRg_FrzSNwVKyUZ7MB4yVWmSq8QWo2DVf1-rCsLnSAcjv2lu9I2CiY47ucmDlq5zgbpPfbP2tdt7en6o-rL9Zzcm-Bqu2MP9JeSWeyC9NbylM92_c/s320/readersworkshop2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div><center><br><br><br><br><br>What Readers' Workshop Looks/Sounds Like--<br>These were things the students came up with and they are pretty spot on. These students are very familiar with the Balanced Literacy framework so they now come in knowing expectations pretty well. We will refer to these often as well.</center></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0nju5NrVhkYy9o4xo27c8vw321bCBz6BEftRXFdQvRm-6T6DCj4zFkw8y2tfAFN-u_Wek9RG46Eo_ME0pwie0uXLGpXJ08eCM4gm6bXrCkEwG78SpG6HkcqTjMT9uvZt2vqr9Ueaka4/s1600/readersworkshop3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0nju5NrVhkYy9o4xo27c8vw321bCBz6BEftRXFdQvRm-6T6DCj4zFkw8y2tfAFN-u_Wek9RG46Eo_ME0pwie0uXLGpXJ08eCM4gm6bXrCkEwG78SpG6HkcqTjMT9uvZt2vqr9Ueaka4/s320/readersworkshop3.jpg" /></a></div><div><center><br><br><br>Turn to your Partner--<br>These are the prompts and questions we have begun to practice using during our reading discussions. This takes A LOT of practice but it will pay off in dividends later on as the students start to have really rich discussions about what is read!</center></div>
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I'll close this post with a photo of my up-and-coming writing center! It includes posters I began using last year and is still a work in progress--but I'm likin' it so far!
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Can't wait to share more information with you soon!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-61190792635637908262013-08-20T21:05:00.001-05:002013-08-21T08:13:58.635-05:00My 2013-2014 Classroom!It is the eve of a brand new school year and I will be meeting <strike>21 </strike>22 brand new 4th graders in about 13 hours! I'm looking forward to the new year. Here is a little tour of my "Pinterest-ified" room--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljNgYkhNHxNeMS75SVOUOEIQgNzo84Nncusqgg-WkFv2ubCWEaqbv2fTwBxAdnlIgSWK80gLjs-Z42i-TC-Kxx_ephMvlBQo1JgbTyY70IM73JVhAM6Wf6LvwLU7wbHymWPrFEwcVyik/s1600/c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljNgYkhNHxNeMS75SVOUOEIQgNzo84Nncusqgg-WkFv2ubCWEaqbv2fTwBxAdnlIgSWK80gLjs-Z42i-TC-Kxx_ephMvlBQo1JgbTyY70IM73JVhAM6Wf6LvwLU7wbHymWPrFEwcVyik/s320/c1.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>The view from the door. I have what I call a "pie shaped room"--it's basically like a slice of pie!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGt_ee-1DyilMaRnASGT6DrqEO8BIA08vB8Sm1elhd9e3GWrYMgFfg_lHqWrMAGFqKyZNGRWKslRa5Ex8CZKTutgBi0gM-e2tdPzSspcsze4yH8Oquut2YjzaMMShMx7bON367DcIuwSc/s1600/c2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGt_ee-1DyilMaRnASGT6DrqEO8BIA08vB8Sm1elhd9e3GWrYMgFfg_lHqWrMAGFqKyZNGRWKslRa5Ex8CZKTutgBi0gM-e2tdPzSspcsze4yH8Oquut2YjzaMMShMx7bON367DcIuwSc/s320/c2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>My large bulletin board area and half of my library plus the student book bins.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeZ7PcO94nNXPKAbsI8swJ2ois94r-rMSMyfK4zfTDdQeoyU8glR2P3Do7xPAVwaQYuTVB_W2NGSHjG_BGnL_ekS-Yqw3nBpB92xfo771A20KBi7Md0rDTljArHmecP9TwVJ8Z2XovGc/s1600/c3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeZ7PcO94nNXPKAbsI8swJ2ois94r-rMSMyfK4zfTDdQeoyU8glR2P3Do7xPAVwaQYuTVB_W2NGSHjG_BGnL_ekS-Yqw3nBpB92xfo771A20KBi7Md0rDTljArHmecP9TwVJ8Z2XovGc/s320/c3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>My desk area.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiAmVmXIIb4ymekOkOjHiUZhHUHuyMALx7i43l9G0qfUTqG-qL_XE_YzEzpnU5rv4lhcmi9IwGS3kg_sCt2DdQ7NFPalsj4v_HhjwXZJbtw3hEdD1iqNmh5twNH8KJe6-RXTuEhXkpa8/s1600/c4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiAmVmXIIb4ymekOkOjHiUZhHUHuyMALx7i43l9G0qfUTqG-qL_XE_YzEzpnU5rv4lhcmi9IwGS3kg_sCt2DdQ7NFPalsj4v_HhjwXZJbtw3hEdD1iqNmh5twNH8KJe6-RXTuEhXkpa8/s320/c4.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Whole group meeting area and the other half of my library. My books are still arranged by Lexile range but I know the research says not to do it that way. I hope to find the time to redo this system this year.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG7BJo1fOUGU4WA_NykJR6XUcW5MqRKC-skTDVLWCnF1kUhHsvz6BE5gboYXFfQX1nJNwQRm_QCGr3LMgKPHr0DkzMPnl8mucrzZTnISTsfWSCZF1eyvGnpsnEeR6dp2QAgIq2qmjpYw/s1600/c5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjG7BJo1fOUGU4WA_NykJR6XUcW5MqRKC-skTDVLWCnF1kUhHsvz6BE5gboYXFfQX1nJNwQRm_QCGr3LMgKPHr0DkzMPnl8mucrzZTnISTsfWSCZF1eyvGnpsnEeR6dp2QAgIq2qmjpYw/s320/c5.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>I've always had my student desks in groups of 4 or 5. I really love this arrangement because we do a lot of small group and partner work and this lends itself well to that. Having fewer students this year allows me to keep an extra desk in the middle of each group for storage. I bought some clearance fabric in a cute pattern to dress it up a bit!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVvItVEq5GDMm4lGPJW9D9VUKVzfgQJT4O_vukYGOhyphenhyphenrZ9TL5jpP7kwy0fU9gBNr0_OhSVLsqVBMaJ3lK0zsVQqgDdJP6z2obRm_GsOLpfGVDbbVFnWeKyq8C1t1UklHYA5xTlUTf_TY/s1600/c7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVvItVEq5GDMm4lGPJW9D9VUKVzfgQJT4O_vukYGOhyphenhyphenrZ9TL5jpP7kwy0fU9gBNr0_OhSVLsqVBMaJ3lK0zsVQqgDdJP6z2obRm_GsOLpfGVDbbVFnWeKyq8C1t1UklHYA5xTlUTf_TY/s320/c7.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Math morning work chart (Pinterest idea came from <a href="http://mathworkshopadventures.blogspot.ca/2012/12/measurement.html">Math Workshop Adventures</a>) and writing center (my goal is to get it to look like "The Writer's Eye" featured on <a href="http://teaminguptoteach.blogspot.com/2012/08/next-stop-polka-dot-paradise.html">Teaming Up to Teach</a>).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a ref="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaDCz6DyMGPnJVEwXcSD9lTS0pMX-blydJijbMq5wrvJdxaqZ0BCwSajLZhjIznbRWDoyAI7o9ZqZuTEKVNx7I49YGc6DkcxmamtGd5dTTxZvmq7oRyMV0RQAEr7e5afeVDEbQ7j1DDQ/s1600/c8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaDCz6DyMGPnJVEwXcSD9lTS0pMX-blydJijbMq5wrvJdxaqZ0BCwSajLZhjIznbRWDoyAI7o9ZqZuTEKVNx7I49YGc6DkcxmamtGd5dTTxZvmq7oRyMV0RQAEr7e5afeVDEbQ7j1DDQ/s320/c8.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Information Wall.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMNR2_OneI/UhQS71W0rqI/AAAAAAAAAvM/hGchO7sVRks/s1600/c9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPwo7R8j4MGYuo4WkkCJHXf4ZfWc13U5eT4hVGTHjUF8xz_xT1BcT0MeDyXl2wBEg54P113O6Ejv9LomQALJC4zT_OxBXQQuwmegKsZeNyGbhzjAwXRXK6S0KnerceILKPVfg66mLpJA/s320/c9.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Close up of the behavior chart (switching to the famous color system this year after 10 years of "sticks"!), Homework Brownie points (see <a href="http://skowronskiclass.blogspot.com/2013/08/classroom-management-projects.html">here</a> for more info) and my fun magnetic board for tracking where students are.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S-9lingn4/UhQTtOfcQjI/AAAAAAAAAvg/6wrR8pqJBEM/s1600/c10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSe-hZg__Um7nuvFJwkntIOTzTyDSP5rE4vc6vy32Va5h6rCPqg7jxxM20PqTvqzbiwBlwzOlVBeVaSpXM4z0b3vgiGvyFtzhZaJaafV15SCgS05OQPmnL08IZmiCLm7jg6_Syq1Wzm0/s320/c10.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Another small group meeting area by the sink.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLz7SS1pwnnlSoAQXS-BrROqpQFvqAEN0Trx2WpqVDkbBnGtYi7u__h8v29YJe_9gPwI4ltMbHZThAAr2Gqnz40Idu2_NxTsXFEWeA4dZ-tV-BlynIuQeudIAIxWC8Pm1NwIS1G1YMT4/s1600/c11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLz7SS1pwnnlSoAQXS-BrROqpQFvqAEN0Trx2WpqVDkbBnGtYi7u__h8v29YJe_9gPwI4ltMbHZThAAr2Gqnz40Idu2_NxTsXFEWeA4dZ-tV-BlynIuQeudIAIxWC8Pm1NwIS1G1YMT4/s320/c11.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>I finally have my 10 class pictures properly hung up! Also, I renamed the 4 student computers after my 4 cats--Bella, Blu, Max and Sadie!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxxBHiDcU18ahJertfs1uQBgDWavGdRsXal5EOezXNX2Qhi_5a64YrTbZweGM8T2_ibuF7bRaqVYBNZ0pcMZJ3fZque5JBpiE8YAei2VUZ1zlzM3PCIWmjYxxJ2pZ_pbGee0O15GMxBc/s1600/c12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxxBHiDcU18ahJertfs1uQBgDWavGdRsXal5EOezXNX2Qhi_5a64YrTbZweGM8T2_ibuF7bRaqVYBNZ0pcMZJ3fZque5JBpiE8YAei2VUZ1zlzM3PCIWmjYxxJ2pZ_pbGee0O15GMxBc/s320/c12.jpg" /></a></div><div><br>Here's a close-up of the Bella computer--each one includes a picture of the cat. All my cats are black and hard to tell apart unless you're me! I think the kids will enjoy that.</div>
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I hope you've enjoyed the tour. I know I love looking at others' classrooms. Here's to a great school year!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-64117710285842547132013-08-15T12:12:00.001-05:002013-08-15T12:12:55.950-05:00Classroom Management ProjectsWith 6 days left until my new class of 4th graders walk in my classroom door, it's becoming more clear everyday that summer vacation is just about over. Sad face.<br><br> But, I do always enjoy the start of a new school year! New people, new colleagues, new kids, new families, new supplies, new ideas--everything feels fresh and new. With that attitude in mind, I've been taking some of my recent Pinterest likes and pins and making them for my classroom. I've learned a couple things in the last couple weeks--<br>1. There are so many things you can do with duct (duck--the brand name) tape! I bought 3 rolls of the fun polka dot print and I just LOVE it!<br>2. <a href="http://www.dollartree.com">The Dollar Tree</a> has been a lifesaver in helping me snag quality, but cheap, supplies to make my projects! Without further ado, here are my projects and a link to the original post where I found it:
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<b>----Revamped File Box----</b><br>
I've had these files boxes for over 10 years in my classroom with various uses over the years. Last year, I did not use them for anything so I decided to sell them at a yard sale but kept 1 for this project! I turned my old, drab, white, plastic box into a cute organizer! I found the idea at <a href="http://fifthgradefrenzies.blogspot.com/search/label/classroom%20organization">Fifth Grade Frenzies</a>. I love it!<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxd1lj29OLWb3om-ulpJAXlhGMw8E34lXGuLu3nt_KXwdTBZscTnctgDEYXU0bJ417-0L6dVVKDZtR0HSM2XNpepWTLZrYTxiTRBAfMWj9wQmb1iFGjAnfCD6DCh32R49thbCD8ZaMBZY/s1600/filebox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxd1lj29OLWb3om-ulpJAXlhGMw8E34lXGuLu3nt_KXwdTBZscTnctgDEYXU0bJ417-0L6dVVKDZtR0HSM2XNpepWTLZrYTxiTRBAfMWj9wQmb1iFGjAnfCD6DCh32R49thbCD8ZaMBZY/s320/filebox1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTQDgMJhP9wWDyfQwfKYbInlVqjGT9_lTnfNmn9hXoZPZ7RbDdS5RDYHJ0jAYW2aOclbU-eHMtCld5xqeBTtMgGbF19dpH9UoLXuupZLWv0z15FqjttkfbhIoDZt_ptoJV2Q-aYTnspo/s1600/filebox3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTQDgMJhP9wWDyfQwfKYbInlVqjGT9_lTnfNmn9hXoZPZ7RbDdS5RDYHJ0jAYW2aOclbU-eHMtCld5xqeBTtMgGbF19dpH9UoLXuupZLWv0z15FqjttkfbhIoDZt_ptoJV2Q-aYTnspo/s320/filebox3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>----Magnetic Student Boards----</b><br>
I'm really impressed with how these turned out. I wanted a quick visual to see where students are located and help take attendance and lunch count. The original idea came from <a href="http://bubblegumnotes.blogspot.com/2013/07/classroom-management-magnet-board.html">A Spoonful of Creativity</a>. Dollar store cookie sheets and clear flower vase marbles + spare magnets + adorable numbers and labels from <a href="http://acupcakefortheteacher.blogspot.com/2012/08/freebie-friday-last-day-of-giveaway.html">A Cupcake for the Teacher</a> = These beauties!<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIrI_3ZkyVb7SD9emaMKfRXk7Q75v_0AEg8g5oo4FdKlHU6SmH4wlXCJJNafH40Jls1d4Ye_dsY6e2f-goL5Fh4pOeduw7NrHmh1TCKyrzrNQb5RVe0MeTD-wfGwqnjT0srJGY1e3axM/s1600/cookiesheet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIrI_3ZkyVb7SD9emaMKfRXk7Q75v_0AEg8g5oo4FdKlHU6SmH4wlXCJJNafH40Jls1d4Ye_dsY6e2f-goL5Fh4pOeduw7NrHmh1TCKyrzrNQb5RVe0MeTD-wfGwqnjT0srJGY1e3axM/s320/cookiesheet1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvX3vFE6QVzMgH0MtD0o8SdGtAgoh6UCE_nbR7CrdV9hrJG-SKR-SKXFboW0Rc1bYtkSVKGBLsj8US3gBaiP5T9FB3cyqHkc94nzwmYy5E52Hrb7SHnyZWyGYkt_xYd7c1RNohq5czFo/s1600/cookiesheet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvX3vFE6QVzMgH0MtD0o8SdGtAgoh6UCE_nbR7CrdV9hrJG-SKR-SKXFboW0Rc1bYtkSVKGBLsj8US3gBaiP5T9FB3cyqHkc94nzwmYy5E52Hrb7SHnyZWyGYkt_xYd7c1RNohq5czFo/s320/cookiesheet2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>----Brownie Points----</b><br>
I'm using this as a whole class incentive for completed homework. I'm hoping that this idea will keep everyone motivated to get that completed homework in on time--everyday!! A brownie can be earned each day all homework assignments are completed by everyone in the class. For every dozen brownies earned, the students will earn some kind of reward. Later in the year, it will take 2 dozen brownies to earn the reward. I'm not 100% sure what the rewards will be yet--nothing extravagant--something simple and cheap but that the kids will enjoy. I'll share more ideas on that later. In the meantime, the idea came from <a href="http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/2010/11/management-monday.html">What the Teacher Wants</a>. <br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe0urMyS22U15qneE2g7TMUXiugYQh090oisAHJVkl4Se9JdR9R8-lOPDQAmC9c4Vhyphenhyphen9J1EqCaVi4cBlrqIZifuIZ5k8UkhqLkC1dAN2rDS1iwgj2A3prDtAAYpTuFDFSUmt1ZvzEnuE/s1600/browniepoints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioe0urMyS22U15qneE2g7TMUXiugYQh090oisAHJVkl4Se9JdR9R8-lOPDQAmC9c4Vhyphenhyphen9J1EqCaVi4cBlrqIZifuIZ5k8UkhqLkC1dAN2rDS1iwgj2A3prDtAAYpTuFDFSUmt1ZvzEnuE/s320/browniepoints.jpg" /></a></div><br>
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I'm looking forward to getting these into my room and finishing up all the prep work in there before the kids arrive next Wednesday. I hope to post some classroom reveal photos before that day. I'd love to hear about your classroom management tips and ideas. Also, be sure to check out my classroom Pinterest board for all the great ideas I've found!<br>
Happy New School Year!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-22782404902218754282013-07-31T13:01:00.001-05:002013-07-31T13:59:56.326-05:00Bye Bye, July?!?How is July over after today? This summer has literally flown by. I still have a few more weeks but I've been on the go everyday! I haven't done a whole lot for the upcoming school year yet but I will be getting a move on some things this coming week. I am attending the eVisionary Technology conference in Valparaiso, Indiana today and tomorrow and my head is spinning with ideas for the new year! In the meantime, can we please slow the days down just a bit??
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a></div>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-23006613893611109272013-06-10T22:11:00.002-05:002013-06-24T09:05:32.256-05:00Summer VacationWe are 4 days into summer vacation and I am already working on things for next school year! I can't help it. I like being able to work on classroom things and having the free time to be creative! I am looking to revamp how I display my standards in my classroom so I have begun making new themed cards with the CCSS I can statements listed on them. This way I can laminate them and pop 'em into a pocket chart instead of writing them out each day. I'm hoping this saves time! Also, since I haven't yet chosen a theme for next year, I have created NINE different themes. All the backgrounds came from <a href="http://www.mycutegraphics.com/">My Cute Graphics</a> (you seriously need to check out her site because her stuff is so good!). <strike>I only have 4th grade completed now but I may look into doing other grade levels</strike>****3rd AND 4th grade sets are now available! Grades K-2 and 5 will be posted in the coming weeks.**** Here are some previews of the ones I've created along with a link to purchase that set in my TpT store:
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<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2y6O2P0ebJU8YdGA102TKuAMduzxWw0eZNIHxgz3pKXoaBd-Bs1EWkwLgHi-dkzk2sYwBxHqNUOGIBV22rIuYA5grRFFlewzhKp_dEcceLANuSF0AgL8eSvTTN4opTRnhm1CWL8o5to/s1600/ICANbolddiagonalstripespreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2y6O2P0ebJU8YdGA102TKuAMduzxWw0eZNIHxgz3pKXoaBd-Bs1EWkwLgHi-dkzk2sYwBxHqNUOGIBV22rIuYA5grRFFlewzhKp_dEcceLANuSF0AgL8eSvTTN4opTRnhm1CWL8o5to/s320/ICANbolddiagonalstripespreview.jpg" /></a><br>
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Bold-Diagonal-Stripes-Theme-723572">Pretty, bold, diagonal stripes!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak5A11VAEj5IoUrrWEeCPUtnO4PG3R6saZ_fEC9YSkr6LstuZjLb5D1fKkrJTTphFbbSk3X1yIGCUyNFRPXtZhSfheXk8r5l3teTMQZDNf2Q7LBeK4VDXMcdoiADcPRWn3c9sRPVpOyo/s1600/ICANdiamondpatternpreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjak5A11VAEj5IoUrrWEeCPUtnO4PG3R6saZ_fEC9YSkr6LstuZjLb5D1fKkrJTTphFbbSk3X1yIGCUyNFRPXtZhSfheXk8r5l3teTMQZDNf2Q7LBeK4VDXMcdoiADcPRWn3c9sRPVpOyo/s320/ICANdiamondpatternpreview.jpg" /></a>
<br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Colorful-Diamond-Pattern-Theme-723577">Colorful, diamond pattern!</a><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIWw_WstFg31BtAk22r78PUQA4Of5CUgsfUuBt4IM7WLnvBM7lxGCWTQhjz1GQ54-TyOKQ6k7OFCzcjqnYFrl33MwHHunOl5G9bV8YfhM-5_Dqxgy359Rf1mvTzbYzIVwXJvyCn5jkKs/s1600/ICANpinkbrownflowerspreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIWw_WstFg31BtAk22r78PUQA4Of5CUgsfUuBt4IM7WLnvBM7lxGCWTQhjz1GQ54-TyOKQ6k7OFCzcjqnYFrl33MwHHunOl5G9bV8YfhM-5_Dqxgy359Rf1mvTzbYzIVwXJvyCn5jkKs/s320/ICANpinkbrownflowerspreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Pink-Brown-Flowers-Theme-724508">Cute litte pink and brown flowers!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA1lxyOEqSwT7vQswcW6phmeuYSdGEmDt5pM0C1hbjxSRI-nO7bJLaIIUoTzvElyEtD-gVjUj4fvchVrGrnJimLDroGcEJ9am27pK0rnAOt1jVCyo0Gjn93Xcl-LD9MSaoPiYwh7yenQ/s1600/ICANpinkbrownpolkadotspreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFA1lxyOEqSwT7vQswcW6phmeuYSdGEmDt5pM0C1hbjxSRI-nO7bJLaIIUoTzvElyEtD-gVjUj4fvchVrGrnJimLDroGcEJ9am27pK0rnAOt1jVCyo0Gjn93Xcl-LD9MSaoPiYwh7yenQ/s320/ICANpinkbrownpolkadotspreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Pink-Brown-Polka-Dot-Theme-724512">Fun pink & brown polka dots!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfYQMuEMzQyRoWMD09hipC7_wxjsDG6SyylFY_WYU0jO9ALJEMyJ0-yhBwKpkjEUMuiWTTa754WDHP0Q55SCMuOfevlJsg0fe12wh1x-N3STIiuopgx3rOLcHvtNvdSsEEyFSOSINIj8/s1600/ICANpinkowlspreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfYQMuEMzQyRoWMD09hipC7_wxjsDG6SyylFY_WYU0jO9ALJEMyJ0-yhBwKpkjEUMuiWTTa754WDHP0Q55SCMuOfevlJsg0fe12wh1x-N3STIiuopgx3rOLcHvtNvdSsEEyFSOSINIj8/s320/ICANpinkowlspreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Pink-Blue-Owls-Theme-724522">Fun pink and blue owls!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyeWEuncXZT1P2IEEMT-4Lfx4shwNbT6KG6G2a4E-NnKhujIz2koBZ2X5hzuRYbHu9odk1KTpNl1WEpG7qNSdEssZgt5t4mu1M6roiUWtGUEeCi1fKN-zo2bBU_v1XI7PYEycI8oYtoQ/s1600/ICANpinkpolkadotspreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyeWEuncXZT1P2IEEMT-4Lfx4shwNbT6KG6G2a4E-NnKhujIz2koBZ2X5hzuRYbHu9odk1KTpNl1WEpG7qNSdEssZgt5t4mu1M6roiUWtGUEeCi1fKN-zo2bBU_v1XI7PYEycI8oYtoQ/s320/ICANpinkpolkadotspreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Pink-White-Gray-Polka-Dot-Theme-724534">Pretty pink, white & gray polka dots!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wKclcGXSEPWHmq1HHAqa88uXBfTFcRL-Y_F6QRrC3Zo1urEgT79t_SQtPPgVSDjxdfmT3Kr2YL63oid8dpoOmnAnllK46aImZrsvndY7EvcRHGvyzjo9L-IGOoBt2TtS5xOL0gRpstE/s1600/ICANpinkzebraprintpreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wKclcGXSEPWHmq1HHAqa88uXBfTFcRL-Y_F6QRrC3Zo1urEgT79t_SQtPPgVSDjxdfmT3Kr2YL63oid8dpoOmnAnllK46aImZrsvndY7EvcRHGvyzjo9L-IGOoBt2TtS5xOL0gRpstE/s320/ICANpinkzebraprintpreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Black-White-Pink-Zebra-Print-Theme-724526">Funky black, white and pink zebra stripes!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_G1v9MlpJHAPhTv8CVPKTYsMduftsXbgu8ZOXS_Fsu8OJGR-Obi_5QM3hGERlG6WMbavQ29rc34Zz0hIbqyzqtm5EjWIhRGjXjUDVppuVbDOYSR4yQfWEoBthUZX2DR_uh4Ne9Ho9ho/s1600/ICANretrocirclespreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_G1v9MlpJHAPhTv8CVPKTYsMduftsXbgu8ZOXS_Fsu8OJGR-Obi_5QM3hGERlG6WMbavQ29rc34Zz0hIbqyzqtm5EjWIhRGjXjUDVppuVbDOYSR4yQfWEoBthUZX2DR_uh4Ne9Ho9ho/s320/ICANretrocirclespreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Retro-Circles-Theme-723588">Colorful and fun retro circles!</a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKYyb41EDgFgyI09md5yF4LfQM18UfPXp62-JN0gWMsTB6zmDw0HXCIE5pkIDIAlSJ15rRx9_rPi5aAAGe2s_rUPWwYWWP5JV_y2_oTXrLaTa0-c4cVZBxnb2S0-gJ3vxQXQcOAIoqeg/s1600/ICANredswirlspreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxKYyb41EDgFgyI09md5yF4LfQM18UfPXp62-JN0gWMsTB6zmDw0HXCIE5pkIDIAlSJ15rRx9_rPi5aAAGe2s_rUPWwYWWP5JV_y2_oTXrLaTa0-c4cVZBxnb2S0-gJ3vxQXQcOAIoqeg/s320/ICANredswirlspreview.jpg" /></a><br><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/4th-Grade-Common-Core-I-Can-Statements-Red-Swirls-Theme-724540">Pretty red swirls!</a></center>
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Looking forward to sharing more about the end of the school year soon. Hard to believe it's over. Happy summer!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDyyGbd1_WNU0VOVvbWo-KBrXyRUXtfBa98-WQOWIhtY4M32qMblJgzKyyFqjnEgzi18bUqkZVlM1NEMuCn_-o38iG7LezvJ05S4jc9EicGImQo7a5oLgxJnupu_SzZgdGvgOs_k5QQs/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDyyGbd1_WNU0VOVvbWo-KBrXyRUXtfBa98-WQOWIhtY4M32qMblJgzKyyFqjnEgzi18bUqkZVlM1NEMuCn_-o38iG7LezvJ05S4jc9EicGImQo7a5oLgxJnupu_SzZgdGvgOs_k5QQs/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-41302634876849411162013-05-07T12:17:00.001-05:002013-05-07T12:17:39.252-05:00Egg-cited for Spring (break!)**This was supposed to have been posted back on 3/30 but I just noticed the draft never posted! Oops! Better late than never, I suppose.**<br><br>
March 30th--Today is the last day of school before spring break and boy, are we ready! It has been a busy couple of weeks with the close of ISTEP+ and moving straight into Acuity. The final trimester of the year is in full swing and the last progress reports go home on 4/26. As a small break from the hustle and bustle, we skipped morning work one day last week to color and cut paper eggs to display. They turned out pretty cute!<br><br>
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBcXYgQZHG-3T56qctZEDaQMpPSra7ah_0Z8PsBAF4VxqvYegiQ7yZZrwYuRos8yo9OTF8njz5pj9dFZDhsI6g43z2sxUqzFsJCTp20xT71Xjw7Zxg6MFN0c7idiwV5D6Mv-XuWole3Q/s1600/eggcited.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBcXYgQZHG-3T56qctZEDaQMpPSra7ah_0Z8PsBAF4VxqvYegiQ7yZZrwYuRos8yo9OTF8njz5pj9dFZDhsI6g43z2sxUqzFsJCTp20xT71Xjw7Zxg6MFN0c7idiwV5D6Mv-XuWole3Q/s320/eggcited.jpg" /></a></center>
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As a math activity, which will slide us into our graphing unit after break, we spent some time using jelly beans in math. They had a ball sorting, graphing and comparing the different colors of jellybeans.<br><br>
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENf_0GY7mv8RI4YkX3EPqIdc6jdMgTI3-KgTZK08jLUzZdxUhGsvHANfxmbDCmtnPLo0mkoTnRTMSUC_X5q4dUhGk-1gpYGPzwJTZxcbhPfo814VNeFY8GAZnRBj_epb9-pMmYiXXHwI/s1600/jellybeans.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENf_0GY7mv8RI4YkX3EPqIdc6jdMgTI3-KgTZK08jLUzZdxUhGsvHANfxmbDCmtnPLo0mkoTnRTMSUC_X5q4dUhGk-1gpYGPzwJTZxcbhPfo814VNeFY8GAZnRBj_epb9-pMmYiXXHwI/s320/jellybeans.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvtjiKTXvq4D0jJoY780QMtgophJeTuPkCsxeRVDUI6rglcGZ5fl_FqDDl_cfqA8Z0PNAhmyAHJi-MoS25d11c_2EsC2wOR1yjhrNmi2yY4aj4jYQ1RnJWY8-32Vn1HI3_iTKitBsIAU/s1600/jellybeans2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvtjiKTXvq4D0jJoY780QMtgophJeTuPkCsxeRVDUI6rglcGZ5fl_FqDDl_cfqA8Z0PNAhmyAHJi-MoS25d11c_2EsC2wOR1yjhrNmi2yY4aj4jYQ1RnJWY8-32Vn1HI3_iTKitBsIAU/s320/jellybeans2.jpg" /></a><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcqcnlMoVD46GukxFqAbYHRBYJmt6CAvoLBApImqGAByf3XLLQvIadWkG9FKhm-GnUXtCk-VQa77ibk9uxk1GNk5jvZCUGBFfsqauIiAFYfjaeFHOXjxLN8P3SFjKiupzDpmCKuQWn6w/s1600/jellybeans3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcqcnlMoVD46GukxFqAbYHRBYJmt6CAvoLBApImqGAByf3XLLQvIadWkG9FKhm-GnUXtCk-VQa77ibk9uxk1GNk5jvZCUGBFfsqauIiAFYfjaeFHOXjxLN8P3SFjKiupzDpmCKuQWn6w/s320/jellybeans3.jpg" /></a></center>
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Finally, some students in the class created puppet shows to retell a fable or tall tale. We invited a primary class in to view the puppet shows this afternoon and they really enjoyed them! Here is a photo:
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfRZXQQNxhFYYOVV_cDryIo8FAR0lXNLvP6DeZYUuT5zRppe4SN-pVftjZ-d5DE8tqlN16Grww445ArkT7LtiDttzidmYNCrN-dn9nz7xOxHSloQ7iH2lJDWQLvR0KTkcPt1qVnjosN4/s1600/puppets2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfRZXQQNxhFYYOVV_cDryIo8FAR0lXNLvP6DeZYUuT5zRppe4SN-pVftjZ-d5DE8tqlN16Grww445ArkT7LtiDttzidmYNCrN-dn9nz7xOxHSloQ7iH2lJDWQLvR0KTkcPt1qVnjosN4/s320/puppets2.jpg" /></a></center> <br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHywzNhFYCdniUAaog8hquIy3UU2AGExLSSz5lF7EUDDiCvzZP-b04MHnsaf8h8vQFr0MkgTGZYb1AzppGrgA567r7Ah5H2fxTVagtdmwsF6Lzo-t0BwYjAvHMmZ8xGr59nJ2HFfgohI/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHywzNhFYCdniUAaog8hquIy3UU2AGExLSSz5lF7EUDDiCvzZP-b04MHnsaf8h8vQFr0MkgTGZYb1AzppGrgA567r7Ah5H2fxTVagtdmwsF6Lzo-t0BwYjAvHMmZ8xGr59nJ2HFfgohI/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-65274024437910492062013-03-09T11:49:00.001-06:002013-03-18T07:34:35.888-05:00ISTEP is a good time!This week was ISTEP+, Indiana's standardized test. It can be a stressful time but I try to make it a little less stressful in my class.
Of course, our preparation for ISTEP+ begins on Day 1 of school but I found a GREAT idea on TpT for doing some test prepping in a new way. We tried it a few times in recent weeks and the kids blew me away! The discussions I overheard and the answer defenses I observed were exciting to see! I highly recommend giving <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Buddy-Test-Prep-Activity">Laura Candler's Buddy Test Prep</a> activity a try. It definitely took some conversations to a deeper level and I was really impressed and encouraged!<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6qwTG_M9w9Qg_VAGbTus-CIfbK9t02v3li3tMuPzdm7uqFjxNBWTfuhoKkwvFzBrRCRkg1IDnFBMRjkaDm8eKuCDVtYkDzWLbOGRAs8KA9zk90XcNZ01PXAakcVCwTfmrG9WXsMOrsw/s1600/buddytestprep1.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6qwTG_M9w9Qg_VAGbTus-CIfbK9t02v3li3tMuPzdm7uqFjxNBWTfuhoKkwvFzBrRCRkg1IDnFBMRjkaDm8eKuCDVtYkDzWLbOGRAs8KA9zk90XcNZ01PXAakcVCwTfmrG9WXsMOrsw/s320/buddytestprep1.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_KHkLtaeYjRXHI_KWer-5Y-Cw7rPFxi6TsNv7aZzhMbmaZ_kvh6J4sT5c8vZy6woyUMKrEctyev5w4ZrdVdp5xedfPsuvsoDzuZQ-E13eaVwIgm_mUu1MJQzqr22QHRnSZhf73oBw90/s1600/buddytestprep2.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_KHkLtaeYjRXHI_KWer-5Y-Cw7rPFxi6TsNv7aZzhMbmaZ_kvh6J4sT5c8vZy6woyUMKrEctyev5w4ZrdVdp5xedfPsuvsoDzuZQ-E13eaVwIgm_mUu1MJQzqr22QHRnSZhf73oBw90/s320/buddytestprep2.png" /></a>
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/skowronski777/mrs-skowronskis-classroom-ideas/">Pinterest</a> ABOUNDS with ideas for test treats. Last year, I went with the "smart cookie" idea.<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zHXkazNhAP-vC2eJ4dyMAdPjUFhj1LC3o2DeVIoGFnimMhx1gGH_AWrsXSfFMkkoF8fPnMysYUVnwOyOo76QzD1PXGE9qoxKsNDuSqO98mcs0d-htf7bfu_Zgf657ILAjBcrzMR0uqc/s1600/istepcookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zHXkazNhAP-vC2eJ4dyMAdPjUFhj1LC3o2DeVIoGFnimMhx1gGH_AWrsXSfFMkkoF8fPnMysYUVnwOyOo76QzD1PXGE9qoxKsNDuSqO98mcs0d-htf7bfu_Zgf657ILAjBcrzMR0uqc/s320/istepcookies.JPG" /></a></div>This year, since we tested for 3 days, I opted for a small treat each day. <br><br>
Day 1: Andes mints<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRtkkV-CLgFijVFIOf3Hd6orGPG5SkYh5QvPeld469gucvQeJS4u4lBHJSUTHOUEO0Iu_x4PfHlHvyKzC_pogtV4YvDN_BUHN82X2WsER5IAgMgke7RN7jIbJNNtKPcaxJhdtsGTkeGQ/s1600/istepmint1.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRtkkV-CLgFijVFIOf3Hd6orGPG5SkYh5QvPeld469gucvQeJS4u4lBHJSUTHOUEO0Iu_x4PfHlHvyKzC_pogtV4YvDN_BUHN82X2WsER5IAgMgke7RN7jIbJNNtKPcaxJhdtsGTkeGQ/s320/istepmint1.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ83tnPstsgYnogLqb3BGo5TMvdZ7a6vQIG2Kz4aI_V3hl1PgWTtKlocISGi2NBvKPbJPFegXa9trm5EVyGpyBkM0e-sWbJjuTCmJo9Ut7lt-j9iQ9DUgnEJgxlr9DKEL9oV3uNvkFqmc/s1600/istepmint.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ83tnPstsgYnogLqb3BGo5TMvdZ7a6vQIG2Kz4aI_V3hl1PgWTtKlocISGi2NBvKPbJPFegXa9trm5EVyGpyBkM0e-sWbJjuTCmJo9Ut7lt-j9iQ9DUgnEJgxlr9DKEL9oV3uNvkFqmc/s320/istepmint.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>
Day 2: Smarties candy<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_x3efgkShVwyfWNg7Mdi7-XESkLpnJOwKeAd9u5x2FDQGiHojrMVB9F-Z0BVhyGPdafzYuFlxHWxOONF1QkToyKHTdgtUmb8P44papErrYyaAtdTnJ6G8w2f7VfdbSXeXsf1U_Xso3Ds/s1600/istepsmarties.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_x3efgkShVwyfWNg7Mdi7-XESkLpnJOwKeAd9u5x2FDQGiHojrMVB9F-Z0BVhyGPdafzYuFlxHWxOONF1QkToyKHTdgtUmb8P44papErrYyaAtdTnJ6G8w2f7VfdbSXeXsf1U_Xso3Ds/s320/istepsmarties.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>
Day 3: Fruit Roll Ups--Last day!!<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjs3Yo-y_ynHIyqm5-nDAeFX8YpWy_2IQ5Xp7sMjxXCFMcxsptb96ieIuezZH5kbtzkArjXj2rgJXgoCOlcU2wKM0RLtM6JXGtckvPYvv0LbIIlYhyphenhyphenGf_DU7kweHMspsLDhUfAPWHP7I/s1600/isteproll.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjs3Yo-y_ynHIyqm5-nDAeFX8YpWy_2IQ5Xp7sMjxXCFMcxsptb96ieIuezZH5kbtzkArjXj2rgJXgoCOlcU2wKM0RLtM6JXGtckvPYvv0LbIIlYhyphenhyphenGf_DU7kweHMspsLDhUfAPWHP7I/s320/isteproll.JPG" /></a></div><br><br>
Yay! It's over and we survived... well, until Part 2 in April. In the meantime, here is a cute little video to get the kids excited about ISTEP, put together by another Hammond school, <a href="http://www.hammond.k12.in.us/lincolnes/">Lincoln</a>. Enjoy!<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ofyiQ5xjqUc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-72580406447250529792013-03-09T11:17:00.001-06:002013-03-09T12:09:30.807-06:00Purdue's "R-Dub" ClubSince 2005, my class has been a participant in the <a href="http://www.purduecal.edu/">Purdue University Calumet</a>'s "R-Dub" Club (Reading and Writing...as in "dub-ya"! Get it??). We are one of three classes in the entire district to participate and the only class to have participated since the first year! Every spring, athletes from the men and women's basketball teams visit our classroom once a month to introduce a new chapter book. They read a few chapters out loud together and then discuss what was read. Finally, the students have the opportunity to interview the athletes to learn more about them. The students make notes from the interview in their writing journals. After the visit, we spend a couple days in writer's workshop, putting together articles about the athletes. We make the articles into a book and present it to them at the next visit. In January, the featured book was <i>The Mouse and the Motorcycle</i>. In February, it was <i>Frindle</i>. The last two books in March and April will be <i>Stone Fox</i> and <i>Dear Mr. Henshaw</i>. As participants in the program, the students and their families also get to be guests at a home basketball game in the late winter. Here are some photos from a recent visit:<br>
<br>Athletes from the <a href="http://www.purduecalsports.com/wbasketball/">women's basketball team</a> read from the new chapter book as the students follow along in their copies.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAKO30gsYFU5bXl1_XZgHDLTbifAopVY6SlHjVvLAA7mKgmy9s8WDV8kQq74M9O54I-SRPW634qzj4tzRkNCJAJ-x2fqO8zc-CsNxgNiUsapgBqJLfhNKOSV1BgLA1sBnSDYWtmh3QHE/s1600/rdubclub3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAKO30gsYFU5bXl1_XZgHDLTbifAopVY6SlHjVvLAA7mKgmy9s8WDV8kQq74M9O54I-SRPW634qzj4tzRkNCJAJ-x2fqO8zc-CsNxgNiUsapgBqJLfhNKOSV1BgLA1sBnSDYWtmh3QHE/s320/rdubclub3.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Bkyg14MXK7W0O1sWVU_xZdPw2BdViTdDgnWG0r3g66gp7_FOONA9al3Nux76gE-ZcBAdPBC-eRZvSkokL7WpB0c5FOiwRh-Ped52OSC3M2Uh2ap0NyHiu8z7SD6mU-OHZpXOMhpKYuw/s1600/rdubclub2.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Bkyg14MXK7W0O1sWVU_xZdPw2BdViTdDgnWG0r3g66gp7_FOONA9al3Nux76gE-ZcBAdPBC-eRZvSkokL7WpB0c5FOiwRh-Ped52OSC3M2Uh2ap0NyHiu8z7SD6mU-OHZpXOMhpKYuw/s320/rdubclub2.JPG" /></a></div><br>
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The first book we created and presented to the team in February.<br><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LWS4h-IUatI1ULTIolbT-ydEjJFKxw9IEmbOerFqezKBXz_gnVBd2ViYH4ZsIvqLk8cNgGNj1kxwGYJJ8i12pwuem5bD2G_9l03eNadhDCwivY_MFuPpQz6qLMOdrhrUHUTe3rzSLTU/s1600/rdubclub1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LWS4h-IUatI1ULTIolbT-ydEjJFKxw9IEmbOerFqezKBXz_gnVBd2ViYH4ZsIvqLk8cNgGNj1kxwGYJJ8i12pwuem5bD2G_9l03eNadhDCwivY_MFuPpQz6qLMOdrhrUHUTe3rzSLTU/s320/rdubclub1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Our next visit on March 22nd and we can't wait! We enjoy being a part of this program every year and look forward to many more years in this partnership!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-43457482935834221232013-03-09T10:12:00.000-06:002013-03-09T10:12:00.569-06:00Catching up...I'm playing Saturday morning catch up--lots to share about what we've been up to the past month. Life has gotten in the way and I haven't been able to post recently. So expect several posts from me today!<br> <br> First up? Valentine's Day! We did a few things that week to celebrate the holiday. To start, I found a cute idea from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-February-Activities-from-Teaching-Resources">Laura Candler on TpT</a> for a cinquain writing activity. The students interviewed each other following her format and created very sweet Valentine's for that person. They turned out pretty cute! <br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65JkVylCvJBiwMGF1wyw3VyuNSdFBmj33wNL2kgxB1TEFKtG9BylfnCG78O36xm1cRYUWtZGMWPunUKWZ8xI3CB7cC4zyBpbuNm8Cozni_pQ-P9f0tSl9l58KLEkwUZij35u5cu9731Y/s1600/vdayhearts.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65JkVylCvJBiwMGF1wyw3VyuNSdFBmj33wNL2kgxB1TEFKtG9BylfnCG78O36xm1cRYUWtZGMWPunUKWZ8xI3CB7cC4zyBpbuNm8Cozni_pQ-P9f0tSl9l58KLEkwUZij35u5cu9731Y/s320/vdayhearts.jpg" /></a></div>
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I also remembered finding a cool idea for making Valentine mailboxes on Pinterest and I thought I pinned it but cannot find it. The only idea I actually used from it was having students use empty cereal boxes for them. We then tore pieces of construction paper to create a mosaic look to the boxes. The students took them home, decorated and returned them on party day.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP4sWRK3bZM8wICKy19NBM12tI9mgBZbowVMzh3QdfmZlJVHh_g52r9iFHpZcl_9UYFIot2lh9VtdTpg5lgOr9eOPjdQkwp3VTdyTscIrBTcs07rvb0XP7KQEX9BEaT71qY0vh0aHucY/s1600/vdayboxes.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkP4sWRK3bZM8wICKy19NBM12tI9mgBZbowVMzh3QdfmZlJVHh_g52r9iFHpZcl_9UYFIot2lh9VtdTpg5lgOr9eOPjdQkwp3VTdyTscIrBTcs07rvb0XP7KQEX9BEaT71qY0vh0aHucY/s320/vdayboxes.JPG" /></a></div><br>Lastly, I was excited to share my Valentine's for the students with them. I borrowed an adorable idea from <a href="http://theteacherwife.blogspot.com/2013/02/sweet-notes.html">The Teacher Wife</a> as part of it. I found the cute V-Day pencils and gift bags at the dollar store and filled a couple little other goodies from Oriental Trading (bought during a free shipping weekend!). They turned out really cute!<br>
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It was a week of love in C107!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s1600/skowronskisignature.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6MAXqtHaxxITp3o_CDS62hKjaK7LWCR3MmB2OIwCkyP6Yaoo9yzorNcVO0ZopFJSPufxVAmzCZOZTFE_5X5Eb73XdfO87Hm1e8hS73FE_MarhlfWHT79uVHDH5-RvYvc2PnXZXkJME8/s320/skowronskisignature.png" /></a>Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-73984234196864297252013-02-11T14:07:00.000-06:002013-02-11T14:12:27.496-06:00100 Days Smarter!We celebrated the 100th day of school on January 31st. This is always one of my favorite days of the school year. We make a whole day of it completing 100s day activities intertwined with our regular schedule. This year, I included a couple new things that I found on TpT. Every student made a crown to wear proclaiming, "I am 100 days smarter!" Here is a photo of everyone in their crowns:
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See how happy it made them?? I snagged this from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/100th-Day-of-School-FREEBIE">It's Always Sunny in SPED </a>on TpT. I even made one myself:
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Another cool thing I found was this activity called, "What can I do in 100 seconds?" created by <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/100th-Day-of-School-100-Seconds">Lauren Lunceford</a> on TpT. The kids ABSOLUTELY loved this! I have the funniest video of them hopping up and down. Here is a photo of some of them fervently counting how many times they can write their names in 100 seconds:
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Be prepared for a little whining from the kids with 8+ letters in their names!
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One more thing I always do is the "100 of something"--kids bring in 100 of something and we share our collections. Everyone gets a little certificate for participating. Then the students vote on their favorite 100 collections. The winner brought in 100 crayons but I think his creative display of them won everyone over:
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All in all, it was another successful celebration of the 100th day of school. It certainly feels like an achievement and makes us feel that much closer to summer vacation!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-43103939516144762562013-02-07T15:10:00.002-06:002013-02-07T15:10:46.413-06:00Our pets.......How have I forgotten to mention our classroom pets up until now??? They've been the underwater classmates since October--our 5 goldfish! We are "fish-sitting" for a friend of Harding until spring. They are some pretty cute goldfish and they really like to eat! Allow me to introduce:
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Fish keeper has been added to our list of class jobs and has become the most sought after job at that. They are fun to watch and we loving having them!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-82001181680014911642013-02-07T10:51:00.001-06:002013-02-07T11:20:24.150-06:00Book Clubs, Part 2Our first round of book clubs lasted a little over 2 weeks. We continued our station schedule as usual. The only difference was that we took a break from traditional guided reading and Read to Partner. During guided reading time, I met with the small groups to hear about the book club meetings, listen to some of their reading (trying to snag a few informal RRRs) and answer any questions they had and make sure everyone was keeping up with the "packet" (more on this in a minute). They also had a chance to share some opinions and thoughts about the book. I really made an effort to let the group members lead the discussions and decide what they felt they needed during that time. This was the part that made everyone nervous at first. Our GR lessons are pretty routine driven so this was a new experience. They got the hang of it eventually.
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During Read to Partner time, they would meet with their groups to read a chapter or two of the book together and then they could work on the packets. What is the packet? The packet was a series of reponse sheets that the students used to keep track of how much and what they were reading. I have a subscription to <a href="http://www.edhelper.com">edhelper.com </a>(which I LOVE!) and they have so many reading reponse packets for many different chapter books. They had them for two of the books we were using which was very helpful! It helped guide everyone and keep them on a schedule to finish the book in the allotted 2 week time. I also used these packets for reading grades along the way. Here is the packet for Matilda:
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There were not pre-made packets for <i>Drita</i> and <i>Goosebumps</i> so I turned to TpT, of course! I found a fantasic <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Literature-Circles-Weekly-Response-Packet">response packet for literature circles </a>from <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jessica-Osika">Jessica Osika </a>for {FREE}!! And they worked like a charm for these two groups:
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And here are my kiddos working in their book clubs. They did great!
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I'm proud to say our first trek with book clubs was a success! We've since completed a second round of books clubs that began after Christmas break. New books, new groups, new packets, but BETTER discussions! It's safe to say that this will become a permanent part of my literacy block.
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-46745733567509520052013-02-01T08:22:00.002-06:002013-02-01T08:22:38.913-06:00A Foray into Book ClubsWe have been doing some form of balanced literacy for my entire 10 years at Harding. When I first arrived in 2003, we were a Four Blocks/Big Blocks school. Some years later, we moved to the F&P framework of balanced literacy--big on differentiated instruction and flexible reading groups. I then got a copy of The Daily 5. This changed my classroom completely. Up until a few years ago, I thought "stations" were a primary thing (much like the <a href="http://skowronskiclass.blogspot.com/search/label/anchor%20charts">anchor charts </a>I mentioned before). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br>Including independent literacy stations has given me the opportunity to work more closely with my students! Does that sound odd? Well, think about it. When students are able to work independently in literacy stations, I am able to conduct small group, daily, guided reading lessons. I really get to know my students as readers--what are they able to do really well as a reader and where do they still need help?
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Now that our school has been doing this for several years, students are coming into my 4th grade class as better readers overall. Therefore, I thought it time to add a new dimension to the fold. This year, I have been taking a 4 part workshop through a local literacy initiative that focuses in Book Clubs and Inquiry Circles. It has given me new ideas for my literacy block! During the month of December, we began our first true try with book clubs--I gave up complete control and let students form their own groups. I think the students were more nervous about it than me! <br><br>After presenting about 7 different book ideas to the class, the students gave me their top 2 choices. We ended up with these 4 our as our first book club books. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4102NiyeDJljzB9BQc53shHQZ10P2fCI71JMVgWhvgXqbrUwsjmWVvhajZ5KtStSKN4Colr3ch8-64QBstRF6A9-VlX_Bb0gFLEmoUfVJm304Yns1wGCfQ8rIg1F803quKAuoD3bOh2o/s1600/bookclub5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4102NiyeDJljzB9BQc53shHQZ10P2fCI71JMVgWhvgXqbrUwsjmWVvhajZ5KtStSKN4Colr3ch8-64QBstRF6A9-VlX_Bb0gFLEmoUfVJm304Yns1wGCfQ8rIg1F803quKAuoD3bOh2o/s320/bookclub5.jpg" /></a></div>Quite a range but worked perfect for the varying reading levels in the class. I was impressed that many of them knew enough about themselves as readers to choose the book most close to their level (F&P GR level or SRI Lexile--we use both and they know both).
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I will post more about this experience in a "to be continued" post.
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-79580143509119437462012-12-30T12:20:00.001-06:002012-12-30T12:20:39.780-06:004th Grade Common Core!!I have recovered from Christmas and have been working on several school projects over vacation. I am really excited to share my latest addition to the TpT website. I have been looking to make math assessments for each of the common core standards to use with my 4th graders. I wanted them to be simple and sweet--a quick way to assess student mastery of each standard. I am proud to share that they are finally completed and available on my <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Math-Assessment-for-4th-Grade">TpT site</a>.
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While this was made to assess the 4th grade standards, it could also be useful in 3rd grade for enrichment or 5th grade for remediation. I will be working on the other grade levels over the next few weeks. When you visit <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Common-Core-Math-Assessment-for-4th-Grade">my TpT store</a>, there is a downloadable preview. Go Common Core!
<br>...And, Happy New Year!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-60550676546542191422012-12-14T11:09:00.000-06:002012-12-14T13:09:50.841-06:00Geome-TREE!!We finally squeezed in a fun Christmas activity with math. To practice identifying 2D and 3D shapes and evaluating data, we completed <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geome-tree-Mathtivity">Laura Davis' Mathtivity called Geome-TREE</a> found on TpT. The students constructed a Christmas tree decorated with different ornaments with shapes and figures in them. We cut, colored, glittered and hung. They are too cute. The activity is geared towards primary students so I created our own data sheet more adaptable to 4th grade. Now they are hanging in our pod and I look forward to doing this activity with my students each year!
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Oh, and if you're wondering why our trees are black....read my previous blog post! = )
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P.S. 5 more school days until Christmas Break!!!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-60179605647051928942012-12-04T08:13:00.000-06:002012-12-04T08:13:14.290-06:00The Christmas Season......is upon us! To get into the festive mood, I'm sharing a photo of our classroom Christmas tree....it's black! Happy Holidays to all!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-15838933945876814712012-11-28T10:29:00.000-06:002012-11-28T10:30:34.122-06:00Class Writing JournalsThese are our class writing journals.
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We do writer's workshop each day that is separate from our Daily 5 stations. Work on Writing is still an occasional weekly station. These class journals are great for that station. You can download the sheets for <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Whole-Class-Journal-Covers">FREE from my TpT store</a>. The students add entries and we read some aloud. They are a simple and fun addition to any writing classroom!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-47730740567186102442012-11-09T09:44:00.001-06:002012-12-04T08:08:27.985-06:00Part 2: How can you grow a potato plant without a seed? Several weeks have passed since I posted about our <a href="http://skowronskiclass.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-can-you-grow-potato-plant-without.html">science guided inquiry activity involving potatoes</a>. Thankfully, the experiment is over and the classroom smells better. Yes, beware of 2 week old potatoes fermenting in the classroom! Stinky aroma aside, we learned some interesting things after completing the experiment. On our Day 7 observation, there wasn't a whole lot to report. A few of the potatoes had begun sprouting tiny buds in a few places on the skin. The students made and recorded their observations. We shared some of our inferences about the water traveling through the inside and skin of the potato and helping new buds to form. The students also recorded predictions about what they might see on Day 14.
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Day 14 is when we finally observed some real changes. Here are a few photos of our 2 week old potatoes--
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The students recorded their observations.
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Aside from the buds, we noticed the smell. We actually noticed the smell a few days earlier. They smell like they are rotting. We talked about the exposure of the inside of the potato to the water and the air. We discussed why the buds continued to grow and theorized about what we might see if we let these go another week. In fact, a couple students volunteered to take the potatoes home but I suspect they went into the garbage when parents saw/smelled them.
The students learned a lot about making obsrvations, conducting a study, recording information, and making inferences and predictions. Good work all around!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-4550787307765091902012-10-29T07:25:00.001-05:002012-11-28T10:31:12.248-06:00Graphing Chips at the Fall PartyWe had a short, 3 day week last week that ended with celebrating our fall party on Wednesday afternoon just before Fall Break! For the party, the students voted on having a chip party. Several students brought in different kinds of chips for everyone to sample. At the end of the party, each student voted on their favorite type of chip. I created this graph on SMART Notebook to share with the students today--
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As you can see, Flaming Hot Cheetoh's was the unanimous winner in our "official" taste testing poll, with 9 students choosing it as their favorite. We'll review and discuss the results at the start of math today. I'm sure the results will stir up some interesting conversation and possible debates!
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Thank you to all the parents who sent treats and goodies for our fall party! We enjoyed them all! Happy fall!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-963286222331188392012-10-19T09:44:00.001-05:002012-10-19T10:34:48.434-05:00How can you grow a potato plant without a seed?This is the exact question we are attempting to answer right now in C107! We have set up our potatoes (cut about 1/4 off and soaking in plain water for a couple weeks) and have begun to observe, infer and predict about the growth we expect.
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Each student is keeping track of their information on one of these recording sheets.
We will check back in a few days and again at the 2 week mark. We are anxiously awaiting the results! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br><br><br>In the mean time, it makes a pretty cool display in the classroom! If you're a teacher who'd like to try this experiment with your kiddos, you can download the <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Potato-Growth-Guided-Inquiry-Lab-Sheet">lab sheet for FREE in my TpT store</a>!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7019790817309765420.post-21801884751368145782012-09-25T08:58:00.001-05:002012-09-25T18:54:44.783-05:00Anchor Charts for WritingIf you would've asked me my thoughts about using anchor charts in the classroom a few years ago, I would've said something along the lines of them being more appropriate in a primary room--not so much 4th or 5th grade. I've come to learn that anchor charts are just as necssary in intermediate classrooms--and may even be more beneficial--than in a primary room! Anchor charts are very big in my school and the students here have learned to look for them in their classrooms over the years. My students in the past couple years really rely on these charts and I am always pleased to see a student referring to one when they are working independently. As usual, Pinterest has an adbundance of anchor chart ideas and I have chosen some of those ideas to use in my classroom. Here are a few of our favorites for writing (along with a link to show you where the inspiration came from in the first place!):
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These are two of the first charts we do together during our Launching Writer's Workshop unit. Plus, they are just fun charts to have hanging up in a classroom. My students were impressed with my drawings. The inspiration for both charts can be found at
<a href="http://messyjofu.blogspot.com/2011/09/writing-marathon.html"><i>Life is Better Messy Anyway</i>.</a>
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As we began the writing process for our first piece, we read the book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/1591983002/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books">Little Monster Becomes an Author</a>, and then created the following chart to help us through the process. I made color copies of the pages to add to the chart. It's quickly become my favorite writing chart and we will use it ALL the time! The original post about it can be found <a href="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/178877416419831124_l6wnG5AW.jpg">here</a>.
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When I got to the revising and editing minilessons, we made the final chart below. The inspiration came from <a href="http://hedwigsnest.blogspot.com/p/my-anchor-charts.html"><i>Confessions of a 4th Grade Teacher</i></a>. I've been teaching for just about 10 years and NEVER heard of these acronyms--they are genius!
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I think it's safe to say that using anchor charts has changed my classroom!
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Mrs. Skowronskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06840470969507300974noreply@blogger.com5