The Lost Tooth Club (freebie)

I had planned on sharing this at the beginning of the school year, but other posts took over.  Since lots of teachers are teaching about dental health these days, I figure why not now?  

When someone loses a tooth in my room, they get to sign a laminated tooth that's on our calendar wall, which is a really big deal.  At the end of each month, we transfer that month's tooth data to a graph, erase the names on the tooth, and start all over.  Here's a copy of the Lost Tooth Club graph for anyone who just might be interested.

Saturday Sayings: Talk With, Not At (Guests Too)

(Click above for previous Saturday Sayings)

I have a confession.  I don't think I'm great at this.  I do make sure my kids to talk to their neighbors throughout the day.  Yet I'm afraid there's too much talking at each other than with.  I know this is something that's within a first grader's ability, but it's up to me to create the atmosphere where it can happen.  As someone who has been communicating for 41 years, I sometimes forget that the little people I teach have only been around for 6 or 7.  Most of them won't learn this skill on accident.  The give and take of communication and ability to build upon one another's ideas must be taught, so it's certainly not their fault.  Regie Routman is right when she said, "When my teaching breaks down, it's almost always because my demonstrations have not been sufficient."  It's my lack of modeling and intentionality that keeps them from communicating well.  I'm actually in the midst of teaching this skill now and making a note in my plans to teach it much earlier in the year.  (Duh.)  I know the thinking and learning that will result from talking with each other, rather than at, will be much richer and deeper.  Better start learning how to do this now.

Guess what?  I've got guests today that I'm very excited to share with you all.  They've got their own Saturday Sayings this morning.  Ready to be inspired?  Head on over and see what Laurie, Rachel, and Kiira have to say.  I'm so looking forward to their thoughts!

Laurie

Rachel

Kiira

Mailing Our Opinions

Today was mail day in my classroom.  Each writer got to choose one of their persuasive letters to revise, edit, publish, put in an envelope, and send off.  

• Our principal received some letters about problems kids noticed around the school.  We've got Noticing Notebooks to keep track of issues in our school and world beyond.  Look here if you'd like to know more.  By the way, he's planning on writing back.  Can't wait to see what he says. 

• Lots of parents and a few siblings got letters about wishes, wants, and problems.  Sorry Matthew, but I've got a feeling your parents won't be too keen on the pet snake idea.

• Destiny wrote a letter to one of my boys about a problem he was causing for her at recess, and she was so polite about it.  Talk about conflict resolution.

• A local radio station will be getting a letter from David asking them to play Weird Al songs.  How does a six-year old know about Weird Al?

• I was even the recipient of some letters.  Apparently the noise in our classroom gives Libby a headache, which makes me laugh since our noise level is always very reasonable.  I also discovered that Jordyn wants longer books in her book basket.  This was an interesting one, so I had to share.

FYI: Writing Workshop isn't silent in my room, but Matty's point is well-taken!  :)  

One of the things I'm loving about persuasive writing is teaching little people that their writing can be used as a powerful tool to change their world.  What a gift that is to them.

I'll be looking forward throughout the next week to hear about the letters they get back from their readers!

I'm Thinking of a Number Task (freebie)

I love a great math task that's open ended, engaging, and easy to use.  This one came from a math class I'm taking through my district.  It's called "I'm Thinking of a Number."  I've included pictures of what I wrote on the board, as well as pictures of what kids did.  Two heads are better than one, so they worked in pairs.  Here goes...

I'm thinking of a number.  My number is between 20 and 40.

Is it 22?

My number is greater than 22.

Is it 33?

My number is less than 33.

Is it 27?

My number is greater than 27.

Is it 31?

My number equals 31.

Thus ensues hooping and hollering!

Needless to say, the kids loved this game.  I loved it too.  It gave them a change to practice number sense, place value, greater/less than, symbols, cooperation, etc., and it gave me a chance to see who needs more practice with these skills.  (Nope, 6 doesn't come between 20 and 40.)  

Click on the pictures below for your own copies.  A single sheet allows for numbers to 100, because they can use more than two cards to create a number.  Obviously the first sheet is more concrete, the second abstract.  If you teach larger numbers, add some hundreds to the mix and you're good to go as well. 

Changing the World One Persuasive Letter at a Time

Thank you Common Core for stretching my writers and me.  We're all thoroughly enjoying this idea of persuasive writing.  Thanks to some advice from Lucy Calkins and Sarah Picard Taylor, who wrote the book below, it's going very well so far.

We recently learned that writers can use persuasive letters to look outside of themselves to help change the problems that affect others.  A few days ago we took a suggestion from Sarah and took a walk around our school in search of problems that needed addressing.  Sarah suggests having the kids jot down their thoughts in Tiny Topics Notebooks, an idea from the Authors as Mentors Unit of Study from Lucy Calkins.  (Read about my notebooks here.)  My Tiny Topics Notebooks are slightly fancy and I would hate to lose them between now and Authors as Mentors, so I came up with something simple and easy for our persuasive letter writing unit.  Meet their Noticing Notebook Necklaces.

We took them outside and noticed all kinds of things that could use our attention.

We even visited Mrs. Morrill in the office and asked her about some of the things that aren't working for her and the office in hopes that we could write some persuasive letters on her behalf.  We jotted down a few great ideas.

The kids will also be taking their Noticing Notebook Necklaces home each day so they can live like writers who are always on the lookout for ways their homes, neighborhoods, and community can be better.  Here's the letter I sent home to parents so they would know how to support this endeavor.  Click on the picture if you'd like a copy.

Watch out!  Our young writers are looking to change the world!

Love Notes

Amy Rider from Literacy and Laughter is having a linky of love  this month, so I'll be sharing some of my loves in this post.  If you'd like to share some of yours, visit her blog and join up.

“Lovely List”

Name: Tammy 

Grade you teach: first

State: Idaho

Birthday: August 27th 

Favorite colors: blue

Lucky Number: Do I have one?

Favorite subject to teach: literacy

Go-to snack: Fortunately, I don't have a go-to snack because if I did, it would probably be cookie dough or cake mix.

TV Show: Survivor, Biggest Loser, American Idol, Project Runway, Bachelor (shameful I know)
Last movie you watched: Lincoln (I cried at the end.  As if I didn't know what was going to happen.  My word.)
Music you are loving right now: Cornerstone by Hillsongs
Always shopping at: Winco...I haven't been out much lately. 
Word of the day: impressed

What are you favorite hobbies or what do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I really enjoy reading, although this laptop (and blog) of mine have gotten in the way a bit which I really hate to admit.  I do need to do something about that.  Also in my free time, I'm often at the gym or asleep.  Sleeping can be a free time activity, right?  

What are your favorite vacation destinations?
I've been to Europe eight times.  Italy is right there at the top of my favorites list.  When I think about my happy place, I envision myself walking the streets and alleys of Florence or climbing to the top of the Duomo.  Sigh.

(There's the top of the Duomo.)

What's the best advice you've been given?
I'm preparing to help teach Dave Ramsey's FPU with my cousin at church, so my mind is wrapped up in financial things right now.  I'm going to share my best financial advice.  Do a monthly budget, give every dollar a name, and spend every dollar on paper first.  It will feel like you got a raise.

What's the most rewarding part of teaching?
The most rewarding part is also the most challenging part.  I love watching the growth that happens in first grade.   They show up as kindergarteners and leave as second graders.  It's a complete transformation in nine months.

What are you known for?
I'm known for my font.  If ever I'm in a class with other teachers and there are charts to be made, I'm always the scribe.  (I actually don't mind.  I'd rather write than explain the chart to everyone anyway.)  

What are two random facts about you? (make that 3)
1)  I was a valedictorian in high school and was voted to give the benediction.  (We had those back then.)  I chose to sing it.  I believe my parents still have it on tape, but I can still remember it.

2)  I don't eat in my car.  It's a rule.  Water is okay though.

3)  I made a Christmas CD with my cousin Laurie.  Many of our family members got to add their voices as well.  (I had to add this random fact, because there are picture below from one of our recording sessions.)

Who are the loves of your life?

God (no picture provided)

my parents - we went on a Mediterranean cruise together

my best friend Paige - on Mt. Rainier

my brother Tim on the right

(I love my Uncle Burt, cousin Kevin, and nephew Kyle too)

my brother Marc

loveable cousins, aunt, and niece

Thanks for reading about some of my loves.  Link up if you'd like to share some of yours too.

Saturday Sayings: Impressed (Plus Guests)

We've all got them.  They don't feel so very impressive, and honestly, sometimes it's not easy to find ways to be impressed.  Yet I like and need the challenge of this quote.  I should always be on the lookout.  Maybe the something I spot seems so very insignificant to me, but in their mind feels quite the opposite.  "Check this out guys.  Look how _______ came to the living room without dilly-dallying.  She's ready to be a thinker.  I'm so impressed!"  I think it requires a purposeful and intentional mindset each morning to be impressed by all 23 of them, which admittedly I don't always remind myself to have.  Here's my goal:  Today and every day I'm looking for ways to be impressed even by those who don't feel very impressive.  Amen.

Speaking of being impressive, I'm happy to let you know that two wonderful bloggers are joining me today with their own Saturday Sayings.  I'm confident that Chrissy and Tammy are going to leave you with inspiring thoughts this morning.

Chrissy

Tammy