Pronouns and Antecedents Freebie

I have just posted a freebie on Teachers Pay Teachers! This product includes a lesson plan that includes a short YouTube video clip about pronouns and antecedents. It also includes activities that you can use within your classroom. I hope you like it!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-Pronouns-and-Antecedents-Lesson-Plan-and-Practice-2141721

So Tell Me More About Kagan... Part One

If you have read my past blog posts, I am sure you have read about how I use Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures within my classroom. I found out about Kagan through an email sent to me by my principal. He offered to send a few of his staff to professional development in Kagan- during our summer break. After some consideration and weighing the pros of going to professional development to the cons of giving up some of my summer, I decided to go for it. I'm so glad I did!

Not Another Curriculum, Please!

Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures isn't a new curriculum and you don't plan your lessons around cooperative learning- you just implement the structures in logical places where it makes sense to have students to process new information or demonstrate and apply their knowledge. It is based on scientific evidence to provide a brain friendly environment to learn. In other words, we all know kids love to move and they love to talk. Having a student sit silently for an hour long lesson goes against what kids want. Instead, with Kagan Cooperative Learning, students are provided the chance to share their ideas with each other and they are provided opportunities to get up and get moving. In other words, Kagan works with what the kids want! We get them learning and they get to talk and move. I don't know what you call that, but I call it a win-win situation!

Breaking the Group Work Misconception

Now I know what you are thinking, I do group work all of the time. I let my students talk. Wrong! I was shocked to discover this too, but group work is not cooperative learning. Let me repeat that once more so it can truly sink in, GROUP WORK IS NOT COOPERATIVE LEARNING. Now let me explain why. In cooperative learning all students must work together to share what they know for the common good of the team/partnership. Now lets think about group work for a moment. Do all students have to work together? Can they just sit there and listen as a chatty person at their group leads the discussion? Could they completely zone out? So, since group work doesn't depend on everyone working together, it falls flat.

Kagan is based on 4 basic principles: PIES. 

P- The P stands for Positive Interdependence. Kagan Structures promote students helping and encouraging each other and they NEED each other to do their jobs for task completion.

I- The I stands for Individual Accountability. With Kagan everyone is accountable to show what they know. In other words, we don't have people that can zone out. They can no longer hide.

E- The E stands for Equal Participation. This means that the Chatty Kathys and the Quiet Suzys are all participating at the same amount.

S- The S stands for Simultaneous Interaction. Kagan Structures simply make sure that there is a large percentage of the class actively engaged.

Every structure is based on these principals to guide the activity. When I look at the bones of Kagan compared to the bones of group work, the biggest ingredient that I see Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures has that group work doesn't is STRUCTURE! The activities are structured so carefully based on these principals to get ALL students engaged.

Kagan Isn't Time Consuming

Dr. Kagan and his team has already created many structures that could easily be incorporated into your classroom today and change the way you engage your students. So incorporating these strategies isn't going to require tons of money or work for you. I know your time is valuable and we already spend enough time as it is working in our classrooms. All you have to do is research the structures, learn about them, and incorporate them into your classroom. 

Now Let's Learn a Structure

One structure that I use and implement frequently in my classroom is called Round Robin. It is called round because you work around the table which is usually a group of 4 (sometimes 3 or 5) and the robin part of the structure name comes from where you have to share orally. So you simply present an open ended question and announce that you are going to do a round robin discussion. Then students will take turns each sharing a response. Once finished the students will always give each other feedback and praise each other. 

There is much more to Kagan Cooperative Learning than I can possibly share- so if you have an opportunity to go to a Kagan professional development conference- DO IT! I promise it is worth the investment of your time and energy. 

Structuring My Literacy Block

When I first started teaching there were so many ways to structure a literacy block and so many different ideas out there. Was I supposed to use a reading workshop approach? Balanced literacy? Literacy centers? Direct Instruction? I only had my students for 80 minutes. Not to mention I was required to teach my fifth graders reading, writing, and grammar. I was confused and I didn't know what to do. The perfectionist in me wanted to cry!

I finally settled on my version of something that works for me, my class, and my students. So here is an idea of my literacy block structure- and as I said before this isn't a rigid schedule- it is fluid and ever changing based on the needs of my students. 

• Bell work- Language Standards Review 5 minutes
• Model Reading Skill/ Strategy 5-10 minutes
• Guided Practice 10 -15 minutes
• Independent Practice 10-15 minutes
• Introduce and Model Writing Skills 10 minutes
• Independent Writing 15 minutes
• Share Writing and Reflect on Lesson 5 minutes

Bell Work: Usually during this part of the class the students review the targeted grammar language standard by completing an activity that could be done quickly and without my assistance so I am free to greet students, take attendance, and make sure my materials are ready to go. Once the students complete the bell question, we usually share using a Kagan Structure such as timed-pair-share, round robin, or rally robin. 

Model Reading Skill/ Strategy: During this component of the lesson I introduce the learning targets and try to capture the students attention and get them interested in learning. I may use a short video clip, song, or a Kagan Structure to get them thinking about what we will be learning about that day. Once I have them hooked, I always model the strategy first. Some days I will be reading aloud and explaining my thought process. Some days I am working with them on responding to a text by writing. Depending on what I am working on my methods change. I do my best to keep my talking time short in order to keep the students' attention. Now, I'm also realistic and some days I take over the ten minutes. I try to stop once I notice the kids are having trouble focus and provide them a chance to process their new knowledge and get them up and moving by using a Kagan structure. A structure I commonly use for this is standup-handup-pairup. Then we quickly review and I try to wrap up the mini-lesson (that turned out not to be so mini) shortly. 

Guided Practice- This is the part where students are working cooperatively using their new skills. Some days the guided practice is reading a class book and discussing the targeted skill or practice. Other times the students work using task cards or another test prep resource. I try to always use a Kagan strucure during this time too. I love the quiz-quiz-trade Kagan Structure for this part of my lesson. 

Independent Practice- Students will spend this section of class working independently on the targeted skill or standard. This may look like the students reading a self-selected text and respond by writing in their reading response books, or it may look like the students reading a short passage and answering a few questions similar to what I will expect them to be able to do on the end of unit mastery test. 

Introduce and Model Writing Skills- During this portion of the class we switch our brains to start "reading as a writer" we reflect back on the text we were analyzing earlier and discuss elements the author used to craft it. I then model using these skills to my class. 

Independent Writing Time- During this time I ask that all students be quiet and let their pencils do the talking. I let my students select their topic to write about, but they must write the entire time. If they finish writing- they have to start on a new piece or revise and edit a piece of writing. Now I'm not going to lie, towards the beginning of the year my fifth graders ALWAYS try to raise their hand and ask, "Well can I write about this..?" It always takes a couple of days, maybe even weeks, but this turns out to be a favorite time of the day for my students. When they are finally able to write without needing my assistance, I am able to pull students over to the side to conference with them on their writing. 

Share Writing and Reflect on Lesson- The students share their writing with a partner using a cooperative learning structure. Then I transition the students back to thinking about the class as a whole and the grammar, reading, and writing skills we addressed and we do something to help the students process that information. Some days it is just writing about what they have learned and pair up to share. Other days, I ask the students to come up with Kinesthetic movements to help them remember the skills and strategies. 

So there you have it, my structure that isn't really all that structured, but that's ok!  In the end, the biggest part that I want to get across is there is no one size fits all approach to structures for a literacy block. If you are the confused new teacher, like I once was,  the first step is to reflect and decide what components are important to you and your students. Then arrange them in a way that makes your class flow smoothly. Lastly, don't stress when you have to deviate from your literacy structure. 

Chasity

Fall Writing Prompts

Hey guys,

I just posted a great new product on my TPT store for ya'll. It is a fall writing prompt package. There are many ways that I have used this within my classroom. I personally love to use these prompts at my literacy centers. All you have to do is print the prompts, cut them out, laminate the bad boys and store them until you are ready to use them. This is a great center that you can utilize throughout fall!

However, if you aren't someone that just loves centers, you can use the prompts for bell work, whole group activities, independent practice, or homework. There are so many options.  If you want this product just click the following link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Writing-Prompts-2140120

I hope you enjoy!

Chasity

Test Reflection Freebie

Hey guys, we recently completed our first assessment on making inferences. After the assessment I wanted my students to reflect on their performance and think about the questions that they answered incorrectly. I wanted them to try to uncover where their thinking began to struggle that way when they are faced with a similar problem, they will be more likely to get it correct. So I created this test reflection activity!

After the assessment was graded, I wrote specific feedback on their tests. Then I provided time for students to look at their feedback. Following this time, I went over the test and I modeled my thinking for answering all of the questions. I cannot stress how important it is to model how to think about problems is! It may seem like this is something students know exactly how to do and it should come natural, but  you would be surprised about how many students are clueless when it comes to thinking about a question. After I modeled a question, I would provide think time for the students that answered the question incorrectly and a chance for them to record their reflection on why they missed that question and a note about what they are going to do in the future to prevent having this problem again. The students loved this because it REQUIRED them to THINK ABOUT THEIR LEARNING! At the end of the activity and reviewing all of the test questions, we did a round table discussion of what we learned from taking this test and how we are going to improve next time.

To download this freebie, go to my Teachers Pay Teachers store or click the following link:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Test-Review-Activity-2085915

Hope you enjoy!
Chasity

Starting the School Year Out

Hey guys, it's been a while since I have had the chance to blog. This year while keeping up with my two year old little boy, I have also graduated with a masters degree as a reading and writing specialist, and I decided to transfer schools too. So needless to say, I have been busy busy busy.

We started school back on August 6th this year and the start of school just happened to fall on my birthday. I teach two classes of fifth grade and one class of fourth grade and they all loved that they were able to share my birthday with me. I have a really great group of kids this year and I am super excited about all of the activities that I have planned for this year.

This year, our district is really pushing Kagan Cooperative Learning strategies. If you haven't heard of Kagan you really need to research it! Out of all the new initiatives, Kagan is actually one that I think has benefitted me and my students. The students love working cooperatively and I love it because all of the students are excited about learning, they are all accountable, and they are learning from each other. So the very first day, we started class-building and team-building to lay a solid foundation for cooperative learning while learning about rules, procedures, and expectations.

Some ways you could use Kagan Structures on your first day are:

• Use Mix-Pair-Share or Round Robin to share about what students did that summer
• Rally Robin Procedures or Rules to review information
• Fan-and-Pick or Quiz-Quiz-Trade to review questions for rules and procedures (my students absolutely loved this)
• Find-Someone Who to allow the kids to get to know each other
• Find the Fiction to allow the students to get to know each other
• Plus, you can't forget the Silly Sports!

Does your district use Kagan cooperative learning structures? If so, how do you incorporate Kagan into your classroom? I'd love to hear from you! Just leave a comment below. 

Chasity

Standards Based Grading

Introduction to Standards Based Grading:
Standards based grading appears to be the new educational trend that our schools are now leaning toward. For those of you that are new to standards based grading it is grading students completely on their progress toward meeting the state standards.  Last year the school that I work for completely transitioned to standards based grading and 100% of the students scores were determined by quizzes and tests that measured their knowledge of the common core standards. I'm not even going to lie at times it was a headache and so stressful to figure out. However, this post is completely dedicated to helping you figure out what standards based grading is and how to make it fit in your classroom.

First Step: Find What Your District Expects
First of all, if you are new to standards based grading, take a deep breath! Now exhale... Relax and try not to stress! Easier said than done I know! After you have tried not to stress the first step is to find out what your school expects. Do they want grades to consist of 100% assessments or are they going to weight it differently? Make sure your district is very clear on what they want and expect from you.

Second Step: Plan Your Units
Now that you know what is expected, it is time to plan your units. Think about what your students need to know by the end of the year and develop your units to suit your curriculum, your students, and your teaching style. Personally, I teach a Key Ideas and Details of Fiction Unit, a Personal Narrative Unit, a Key Ideas and Details of Nonfiction Unit, a Craft and Structure of Fiction Unit, a Craft and Structure of Nonfiction Unit, an Informational Writing Unit,  an Integration of Knowledge and Ideas of Fiction Unit, an Integration of Knowledge and Ideas of Nonfiction Unit, and a Persuasive Writing Unit. But then again, this is what works for me in my classroom!

Now that you know what units you need to teach, identify the main learning outcomes. I use the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. For example, with my Key Ideas and Details of Fiction Unit I teach standards RL 5.1, RL 5.2, and RL 5.3.

Third Step: Create your Assessments
After you know the standards you are going to be addressing during that unit, then create an assessment the measures the students progress toward the learning objectives.

Fourth Step: Teach the Unit with the Student Outcomes in Mind
Teach the unit as you normally would and constantly formatively assess the students progress towards their learning goals. If any students need extra assistance try to work with them one-on-one or in a small group setting to help them get the assistance they need. Remember, formative assessment (unless otherwise noted by your school or district) is no longer part of the students grade. You can provide homework if a student needs extra practice, however, homework is no longer a grade either.

Fifth Step: Give the Assessments, Analyze, Reteach, and Retest
After the unit is complete give the students the assessment that you have planned. Record your grades on a gradebook. I created a grading page for every standard and kept it in a binder for my class. Analyze the assessment and see who mastered the learning objectives and who needs extra instruction. Reteach the students that did not master the standards and once they have practiced the standards they can have the opportunity to retest.

What Problems Did I run Into?

• The number one problem I had was the time I was running into creating assessments. One way you can reduce this is to use assessments that teachers have already created! I have a great assessment package right now on Teachers Pay Teachers for Reading Literature Standards. I hope to get an assessment package up soon for Reading Informational Standards. But, the point is, use all of the resources you can find! It is definitely worth it to me to pay a little bit for assessments so I can spend the time with my family of the evening!
• Another problem I had was with the homework, kids were always asking me, "Mrs. Crum, if homework isn't for a grade then why do I have to do it?" My students were only in fifth grade and were already noticing that homework wasn't required. For this reason, I treated homework differently. I only gave homework for the kids that needed extra practice and it was required to be completed before they could retest on a standard.
• There were some kids that were in special education and they struggled so much at times that they could not master the standard. During this time, I made the accommodations necessary and with the help of the resource teacher I created a learning goal that was rigorous but achievable for them to be successful. I made note that their assessments were modified to meet their needs.
• The last thing I stressed about was time reteaching. I balanced this out by doing my whole group lesson and during the time students were working independently I pulled small groups or individuals to the side and we worked on the standard they needed extra assistance on.

With all this being said, Standards Based Grading helped our school improve to a distinguished school in one year's time! It is very beneficial to students because it makes the teacher responsible for the reteaching of the students that did not master the learning objective.

Let me know any questions or concerns you have about standards based grading and I will do my best to help you! Be sure to check out my Teacher Pay Teacher store that has many of my assessments and other resources that I have used to incorporate Standards Based Grading into my class!

Chasity