The Thing About November...

The thing about November is that it really makes you stop and think about what you are thankful for...and it is a time when you can share your thoughts about what you are thankful for (especially now that Facebook is around!).  I am so thankful for so many things...I am thankful for my family, friends, the blogging community, and you.  Yes you!  You give me a reason to write and a reason to share when I'd be just as happy if I crawled back into my shell and sat back and watched life happen.  Thank you!

Speaking of watching life happen, I am the world's worse when it comes to schedules.  I have a HORRIBLE time following them when it comes to the classroom.  So, when I heard about the linky that Susan Jones was linking, I figured I might as well join up. 

 There has been a lot of talk about RTI and how it fits into schedules and I have to confess that I am REALLY worried this week as I begin teaching 2 different RTI groups while trying to put the BALANCE into Balanced Literacy with only 120 minutes to teach literacy.  That gives me an hour to do all of my guided reading groups, my read aloud, my shared reading, throw in some social studies and science, teach some phonics, create my anchor charts,oh, and I forgot....writer's workshop.  And to think, I stopped biting my fingernails years ago...anyway...here is my schedule.

My Schedule 

8:15 Folders are out kids 'Read to Self'

8:30-9:00  RTI

9:00-9:30 Whole Group

9:30-9:45 Small Group

9:45-10:15 2nd RTI Group

10:15-10:45 Small Groups

10:45 Related Arts, except on Friday. 

11:30 Clean Up 

11:40 Lunch 

12:05 Recess 

12:30 Math and math activities 

2:40 Clean up and get ready for dismissal. 

This week I am using Lemonade for Sale by Stuart J. Murphy as my read aloud!

I also wanted to show you what I am using in my classroom this week!  I'm not big on visual plans, but how about a visual list??  =)

Here is a fluency pack from none other than the NUTTY AS A FRUITCAKE, Missy Squirrels!  

This packet was created by Amanda Madden from Teaching Maddeness!  We are teaching about producers, consumers, needs, and wants this week.

And, of course I am using my old standby to teach sight words!  Lori is awesome!

I don't have any big ideas for a craftivity.  Any suggestions?  Just leave them in the comment section!

Motivating Math with Mickey D's

I'm sure you looked at this title and wondered what in the world we are doing in our classroom!  The truth is, we are using McDonald's french fry containers to share the successes of our 2nd graders as they learn their addition and subtraction problems.  For each 'set' of problems (for example, the 2's or 3's)that are mastered during a speed drill, the student will get a 'french fry' <made from yellow construction paper>.  At the top of the 'french fry' we put the name of the set of problems that were mastered.  Midway down the strip I put the student's name in case the fry gets pulled out.  I have learned that it is best to tape them into the container so that they are not easily pulled out.

Now....here is the big news.....we have a sponser that has agreed to buy Happy Meals for the students that master all of their addition and subtraction problems up to sums of 25.  Those that do not master all of them will get a small order of fries.  Now, I know you are thinking this is not the healthiest thing to do, but I figure they will burn all of the calories off at recess!

Mastering these facts take a lot of practice.  In order to give them practice I use a computer program from the makers of Accelerated Reader called Math Facts in a Flash which keeps track of what problems are mastered and it controls when they move to the next set.  I also use math-drills.com to grab free math sheets for homework.

I hope this helps someone out there!!