Cooperative Learning #3 & Science Mentor Text

Summer is in full swing! I am loving the flexibility of time to get my hair cut, catching up with friends, going to a couple workshops, getting a facial... I am feeling refreshed!

 

 

For my Thursday's Cooperative Learning, I wanted to discuss how I use RallyRobin in my classroom. Sometimes, I group my students in pairs or in small groups of 4-5 students. I am also joining Collaboration Cutie's Science Mentor Text! :0) When integrating science into my reading curriculum, I love using Pebble books. These books have great photos and simple text great for my little ones. Not only are they high interest books, but they are also good for those older students who need simpler text for reading. I got mine through Scholastic Books. Click below to check Lions out at Amazon.

 

 





 

 

Before reading one of these books to my kinderkids, I have them get their materials (whiteboards, pencils, & tree maps) and meet me to sit in groups of 4. I put a grouping mat on the floor, and my students pick a number to sit by. Some groups may have 3 or 5 students. Either #4 is missing from a group or I have two #4's in a group. Here is a picture of a small group of 4...

 

The whiteboards are flipped over and used as a writing surface for their graphic organizers. My wonderful kindergarten assistant made the grouping mats for my team and I to use with our students.

Before reading the book, I ask my students to brainstorm words that they think will be in this book. In each group, starting with the number 2's, they keep going around and around sharing their predictions until time is called. That is a RallyRobin structure. We continue the discussion with what we know about lions, starting with the number 4's. Then I begin reading the story, stopping at various points. I help them make connections to the book by asking if they saw a lion before. Starting with a specific # they share within their group. Sometimes, I call on a particular # in each group to stand up and share something from their group. The tree map comes into play while I read the story to my students. The above picture is not the lion tree map, but I did use this one from Kim Adsit. (My kinderkids loved this project! We also made the lion king of ing.) I would ask my students to tell what lions are starting with a specific #. Then I would call upon some children to share something that their group shared. After that, I gave time for students to write their responses on their tree maps. They helped each other and wrote down the different ideas. After reading the book and completing the tree map, they went to their seats to complete their art project.

 

This lion project came from KinderGals website. Links are in above paragraph.

 

 RallyRobin is a simple cooperative learning group structure easily adapted into any curriculum. I love how it gets each student talking. Kagan has posters, technology, and clipart about their structures for sale at their website. Last winter, I bought the Powerpoint Pals to make my own cooperative learning structures posters. I show them on my IWB. Click on the picture to visit Kagan Online.

 

 

 I also use Kagan's Timer Tools to help with timing. In the lion tree map activity, I did not. Instead, I had my students show me they were done by putting their hands on their heads. This gave me an opportunity to check and monitor my students. To draw interest, I used a student selector tool to pick students to share information. This helped made them accountable for the information they were sharing with their groups. I liked it also for the ones who had a difficult time brainstorming ideas, because they got information from their groups already. Kagan also has Student Selector tools. Instead, I use two free ones that I got from Mimio Connect and Smartboard Exchange. If you have an interactive whiteboard, these are great resources to use. It is free to use. If you do not have an IWB, you may be able to use, I did before I wrote my grant for the Mimio. :0) I used my big screen tv to display the information and used the keyboard/mouse. Not the same, but it works too!

 

I did not use the grouping mats at my tables last year. Instead, I have my students name on a ring. Each student had the opportunity to be the team leader for one day, and then would start all over again. I called on my team leaders to get group supplies or help when needed. With a new classroom, and new furniture, I plan to use these mats at the tables. I will print one for each group, trim off the credits, laminate, and put on my students' tables.

 

Click here to get it for your classroom.

Click above button to visit Collaboration Cuties and their Science Mentor Text Linky.
There are lots of great ideas and freebies being shared there every Sunday!

 

Join me in sharing how you use cooperative learning in your classroom! Link up your thoughts of how you use cooperative learning structures in your classroom or comment with your thoughts or questions. I will be in a 2-day workshop, Got Mimio? Advanced next week... so next Thursday I will be there. I am hoping to have something special for you! 

An InLinkz Link-up

 

 

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Bears in Space

This coming week, my kinderkids and I will be delving into a space unit with Frank Asch bear stories along with a selection of non-fiction books. I just posted my Bears in Space unit on TPT. I meant for it to be a little unit, but it ended up being over 100 pages!

I included some freebies with the preview download at TPT. Click on the below picture to go there and download the preview freebies.

 

 

In addition, I created a Mimio ink file for my interactive whiteboard to use with this unit. It does not have the exact graphics as my TPT unit due to graphic copyright rules. However, I think it will still be fun and beneficial for my kinderkids! Click below to check it out on Google Docs. If you have a Smartboard or Flipboard, I am wondering if you can open other files. I know with Mimio, I can open notebook and flipbook files. However, I noticed sometimes the swf files do not transfer and some of the other fancy stuff doesn't transfer either. This particular file is not fancy... pretty simple!

 

 

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Random Picture Takes

It has been busy around here. I wanted to share lots, but it seems I just cannot keep up with photo ops and getting on my blog. I really admire those who can juggle a classroom and a blog! I am currently working on a nocturnal unit, but it has been a slow process, especially with my new MimioTeach, Reading Endorsement class, report cards, Halloween, Teach-In, upcoming holidays, lesson plans, meetings, etc. So, I thought I would share a few random picture takes of what's been happening in my classroom: MimioTeach, Scarecrows, Farms, and S'mores!

I got the scarecrow pattern blocks template free from The Virtual Vine's website. CLICK HERE and scroll down her scarecrow page and look for links to Tricia's scarecrow or scarecrow with pumpkin links.

I am off to go and enjoy a birthday dinner with family and friends. Have a wonderful weekend!

 

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Mimio Monday: Starfall ABC

At the beginning of the school year, I like to start up my computer center on the first days of school. In order to do that, I use Starfall, since it is easy enough for my kinderkids to use. At my TPT store, I have a Starfall ABC book for free there. My students use this book to keep track of the letters they learn about on Starfall. Click on the picture to go to my TPT store to get it for free.

Before my students can do this book independently, I need to model the steps. I can do this through an interactive whiteboard program. I use Mimio software. Click on the Starfall ABCs cover to get it for free at google docs.

 The first lesson I show my students is how to get to Starfall.com. I usually make it the home page for the beginning of the school year. Then we review what our job is. We do the first letter together. It may be one that I let the students choose or review a letter we have just learned about the day before.

 After interacting with the Starfall program with one letter, then we look in our Starfall ABC books to find the letter. On the whiteboard, I will have my students demonstrate how to draw the letters and draw 2 pictures that start with that letter sound. Then we will use kid spelling to label.

 Afterwards, we go to our ABC chart to color the letter we just completed.

I will repeat this lesson a couple more times during the first 2 weeks of school. That way my students will know what to do when they are at the computer center.

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Mimio Monday: More or Less

In the upcoming school year, I am determined to create more interactive lessons with my students using Mimio software. I love how easy Mimio software is to use. It opens up many different types of files (but not the Now board) including PDF files, PPTs, JPEGs, Smartboard and Promethean files. So if you have interactive software, yours may be able to open up Mimio's ink files. If not, you can download their free software at their site. Last year, that is what I used. I didn't have an interactive whiteboard in my classroom, but I had access through our computer lab and a kindergarten co-worker. So now, I do have access to all components since we use Mimio interactive software at our school site. Click on Mimio below to visit Mimio and try out their free software. (I am not a sponsor of or paid by Mimio to advertise! It is what my school uses for interactive whiteboards.)

Last year, when my class began to expand rapidly, I had to think about a different way to teach calendar. I happened upon A Teacher's Touch. She has great Smartboard calendar ideas on her site. Since then, I have created my own with a mix of ideas from different people. I cannot share it as it has graphics and calendar parts from Kim Adsit and Shari Sloane's calendar that are copyright protected. I like the idea of my students having their own calendar notebook. We do calendar whole group, and in January, I will start adding their own calendar notebooks.

Instead, I have created a More or Less ink file (Mimio interactive software). One of the Common Core math standards that I'll be teaching in the first six weeks of school is CC.K.6- Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group. I embedded a flash game into the file as well! That way, I do not have to rely on the internet connection. I will introduce this lesson after I have gone over the numerals 1-5. Click on any of the previews to download and use.

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Daily 5 Chapter 3

http://livelovelaughkindergarten.blogspot.com/2012/06/kd5-ch3-linky-party.html

1. Establish a gathering place for brain and body breaks. 

I just call it our meeting area. I've also called it "the carpet". I do like the idea of giving it a name. Perhaps, my new students will help think of a name for our meeting area.

2. Developing the concept of "good fit" books.

 The shoe concept is a great visual for teaching "good fit" books. I also like Tammy's (from Live Love Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten) suggestion to use Goldilocks and the 3 Bears concept too. Click on her linky party link above to go to her site. If you haven't been there yet, you're missing out. She has some great freebie visuals on this concept.

 
3. Create anchor charts with students. How will these be visual in the room? Where will you store them? What about small spaces?

After creating an anchor chart, I usually hang them on the whiteboard or up on our lights. Sometimes I create them on the computer and display them on the tv screen for students to reference during the time they may need them. Some anchor charts I send home with my students when we are done with them. Some anchor charts are put on hangers and put in my poetry/chart center. In the past, I have taken pictures of my math charts and put them into a classbook. If I did this with my all my charts, then I would have a reference of what I have done in the past. 

Here's a picture of my poetry stand. It is like a clothes hanging stand. I do not have a side view... sorry! It shows where we display the main poem or anchor chart we are using at the moment. Behind it, is a wooden bar that holds all my charts. I have them categorized. My students know they may use the charts at the front, near the hanging place for the chart. This is where I keep my student of the day charts, poems, and anchor charts. Separating the front from the back is a bunch of empty hangers waiting to house  a chart. At the back, I keep all other poems and charts for the year, waiting to be introduced.

 
4. Short, repeated intervals of independent practice and setting up book boxes. (How are you going to keep track of stamina? What will you use for book boxes? What are you going to put in those book boxes on the 1st day of school? 

I haven't officially kept track of stamina with my students. At the beginning of the year, we discuss and work our way up to 15 minutes, then as they matured and learned to read, they were capable of reading for longer periods of time. Last year, I purchased white book boxes from IKEA for each of my students with the intention of following Daily 5's recommendation of book boxes. Then my class quickly grew from 18 to 32 students. So, I did away with the book boxes and used ziplock bags instead. I have had chair covers in previous years be their "book boxes". In addition to book boxes, I also have group blue baskets of books. I use a "DEAR" (Drop Everything And Read) concept, following a 4 Blocks "Self-Selected Reading" for Daily5 Read to Self. At the beginning of the year, I gather books from my personal stash, Harcourt resources, and the library. There is a variety of books, ranging from easy readers, magazines, and picture books that I place in the baskets. I do not put any chapter books in kindergarten, until I see a need for it. My kindergartners make many easy readers at the beginning of the year. Those are the first books that are placed in their book box or ziplocks (which are kept in the group blue baskets). I do like having group baskets. Even though some children are not reading words, they can read pictures. After a reading group, I usually put our guided reading books into the group baskets. After reading a book to my class, I put copies into each group basket. My students love to reread these books.

5. Calm Signals and check in procedures. Do you already have a signal? How will you handle check ins? 
I use music for transitions. Dr. Jean has some great ones. I also play the xylophone or sing a tune to get their attention for a quick moment when needed. When I first start off teaching Daily5 concepts to my students, I am usually monitoring and checking in with my students. I start weening off after I have helped them learn "ask 3 before me", use anchor/direction charts, and how to get my attention for a problem that hasn't been solved. I discuss with my students they may interrupt me for an emergency. If they have a problem and the other ways did not help, they may stand by me and I may be able to answer them. We role play different situations and discuss ways to solve these problems. So besides that, I don't have calm signals or check in procedures, unless it was something discussed with one particular child needing that extra support. I am looking forward to reading what others do in this area!

6. Using the correct model/incorrect model approach for demonstrating appropriate behaviors.  I do not keep track of inappropriate behavior, unless I need to for RTI. Instead, I have to think about why the child is misbehaving: attention? work too hard? work too easy? enough or too much choice? social issues? Then we discuss ways to solve our problems or I adjust materials available to my students. If a child needs attention, then usually I have them on some type of positive behavior plan. Sometimes, I may pair a child with a partner.


On a different note, I just spent 3 days in a Got Mimio? workshop. I am excited about being able to do more with my Mimio software! I don't have the interactive part just yet, but I hope to get some updated technology in my classroom soon! They have a great piece where students record themselves to demonstrate their understanding. I think this could be used for small groups to work in creating anchor charts for Daily 5. Just wondering how you would tie in using an interactive whiteboard with Daily 5?

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