100 Minutes Book Study!

What are your feelings on continuing your education?  Have you started taking extra classes?  Getting another degree?  Getting a PhD?  Or are you more like me and just ready for a good old fashioned book club?

I am a huge fan of book clubs- in the classroom, in the school, and in the real world.  There's nothing that says "I'm a reader!" like being part of a book club.  Are you interested in joining a book club?  Well get excited because Beth from Thinking of Teaching is hosting a book club!  Me and some other amazing bloggers will be co-hosting as we read through the book, 100 Minutes.  Are you a Daily 5 teacher?  A workshop teacher?  A "what works for my class" teacher?  No matter what type of teacher you are or what you believe in, you can take something away from this book.  I am looking forward to discussing, sharing, and picking through this book.  Whether you agree with Lisa Donahue or not, come join us... I think that's what makes a great teacher.  Picking and choosing what you believe and what can work in your classroom.  And knowing why you do what you do- and most importantly- why you don't do what you don't do.  And by sharing your thoughts and feelings with us and other bloggers and blog readers, we can grow as professionals and educators.  Think you're ready to join?  Go grab yourself a book!  You can pick it up from any of the stores below!  {I recommend Stenhouse or Pembroke because they're the cheapest I've found!}  We'll start May 23rd so you have PLENTY of time to pick up a book!

Amazon

 Stenhouse Publishers (The cheapest I've found!!)

Curriculum Press

Pembroke Publishers

And in honor of this celebration, Beth is hosting a giveaway.  You can pick up your own copy of the book for FREE if you win!  Be sure to enter below :)

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Can't wait to get started!!

Keeping Students Busy Busy Busy During Spring Fever

Wooh Spring fever has hit hard.  It's hit me, the students, and parents.  Wait, what's homework?  Where do pencils go?  What are we learning next??  Oh. My. Lordy.  To keep students engaged I've had to jazz up a few lessons.  Last week I had to switch gears when I realized attention spans we're flying out the window- one after another.  I vaguely remembered reading about a game somewhere and decided to give it a go.  It is a fun vocab game for ESL students but would also be perfect for working with vocabulary in a traditional classroom, and for a quick and easy brain break!   You can super easily differentiate it!

First separate your class into 2-4 groups.  Have each group stand in a line in front of your whiteboard {or chalkboard!}.  Write a word on the board in front of each line.  Then, the first student in the line of each group must use the last letter of the word to write a new word below it.  So if the first word is Beautiful, the next word must start with "L".  Then the marker is passed back to the next student and they write a word.  If I were to incorporate this game into a traditional classroom, I would have students use only nouns, or only verbs, or words that are 7 letters or longer, or only words that begin with a prefix.  I keep a word wall nearby to support my ESL kiddos, but many don't even look that way.  Allow students to continue the relay for 2 minutes.  {That's more than enough time!}

Review the words, correct spelling, and cross out any repeats {I cross out any words that both groups used- this negates the copy cats}.  And then count up the words each group wrote.  The group with the most words "wins".  It usually takes one or two rounds to get into a groove but all of my students who have played this game really love it!  I hope you can use it in your classroom.  It makes for a simple and fun brain break!

Below I have included some possible vocabulary categorizations.  What other categories can you think up?!

Possible Vocabulary Categorizations:
-  Nouns
-  Verbs
-  Words that begin with prefixes
- Words about science
-  Words about math
-  Words about friendship
-  Adjectives
-  Words about holidays
-  Words about your house
-  Words about the weather
-  Words about movies
-  Words about school
-  Words about clothing
-  Words about food

And don't forget to enter my giveaway that's going on right now!!  The winner receives $25 to TpT!!  It's free to enter- check it out :)

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