Integrating Music

In my graduate class we looked at TeacherTube and I thought I'd add a couple of songs I do with my class. Music is a very powerful way to learn and I should do more of it in my classroom. I'll put the words to a song that helps my students remember when to add -ed to a word. It's corny but effective. Now once I learn how to do a podcast I'll be able to add the audio here as well. I'll write out the words and think of the tune to Turkey in the Straw.
When your root word ends with K your ed sounds like T,
when your root word ends with K your ed sounds like T,
when your root word ends with K your ed sounds like T,
when your root word ends with K your ed sounds like T
Na-na, na, na-na, na-na, na, naa,
Na-na, na, na-na, na-na, na, naa,
Naanana, na, na, na, naa, na na-na, na, na, na, na, na
K makes your ed sound like a T (Shave and a hair cut - two bits)


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You can also to switch off to CH, S, SH, P, X instead of T or make each line of the song a different combination.

Now that I'm in the singing mood, I'll put another one up here too. Months of the year can be tricky for students to remember, but not after you get them singing this one to the tune of Are You Sleeping.

January,
February,
March, March, March, (have the kids march in place during the all the marches)
March, March, March,
April, May, June,
July, August, September,
October, November,
Decembuuurrrrr, (pretend you're cold and and shake during Decembuuurrrr)
Decembuuurrrrr.

Months of the
Year Song

Now that I've laid some music on the line let me know all about those musical hits you belt out for your class.

Sharing Part 2

A way my teaching partner and I created more of that extremely valuable resource in school, time, was by bringing both of our classes together for read aloud. Two days a week she brings her class to my room and I read to both classes. She also reads to both classes for two days of the week as well. This allows one of us to have 20 to 30 minutes of prep time each day we do read aloud. One thing we have done to allow our students to practice reading in front of a group is to have two students each week (Very Important Person or Star students of the week) read a favorite book to the classes during one of my read aloud times. Then during my teaching partner's time one day we have students from both classes read their writing samples and stories they created to the whole group. Students really think about which of the writing samples they want to share and they enjoy receiving feedback from their peers. Very much like blogging. Let me know if you have any creative ways to build in more prep time.

2nd Grade Shared Files

Our district has set up a shared file system on the server for each grade. It's quick and easy for your IT department to do. Yesterday at a grade level meeting I was able to take the other members of my team through the process of locating and entering the folder. We then started adding work we had completed in different programs (mainly Word) to a set of organized folders I had put in place. Having three elementary buildings in my district makes it harder to share or even remember to share with the other two buildings. Technology makes it very easy to share documents. Now that we have put all this information in, it is important for us to take a look through it and see what everyone has included. Otherwise it's just a resource that sits there like so many of the workbooks, books, and binders I have sitting on my shelf.
What about non-computer based sheets you ask? The photocopiers out there now allow you to email yourself a copy of the sheet you just photocopied in a pdf file to your email.
The staff meeting I had yesterday was pretty valuable. Everyone was to bring in an activity that helps with differentiation in the classroom. Lots of great ideas that I will talk about in a blog at a later time. However, since everyone gave an activity we now have a red folder full of activities - but no time to look through them or choose what will work best. That's often the problem with professional development, load you up with all this information over a short period of time and you're off on your own. There is usually no follow through or activity to bring back. Anyone have any presentations you've been to where the presenter had some great way for you to learn it, but put it to use in the classroom?

Homework Help for Students and Parents

I was introduced to wikispaces by a classmate in my Digital Media course and thought of the possibilities with this interactive webpage www.2ndgradehomeworkhelper.wikispaces.com. So I have started on the task of setting up a way for my students and parents to find help, advice, strategies, ideas, and recommendations. I have to figure out how I will know if someone has posted a question or comment that I need to respond to without going through all the links. Another step is to incorporate some of the websites I have found to be useful. In the writing section I'm thinking of having some story starters my students can use to extend their times they write past the school day. Then it's time to stockpile tips and strategies in each of the sections. Oh, and make sure they're organized and easy to use. I guess I have some work to do, but with the use it hopefully gets - well worthwhile.

Teaching Tips and Blogs, Blogs, Everywhere

I'm new to blogging and would like to hear from anyone with a great blog for classroom ideas in the primary grades. Also if you have a teaching idea I'd love to hear it. I've got one I just learned about. Take a transparent report cover and open it up. Slide it on top of a textbook and let students write with dry erase markers on the cover. It's a great way to see what students look at to help answer questions, see if they are paying attention. Make sure they cover up the pages so they are not marking all over their book. A tissue or sock from home can clear off the cover and allow a whole new set of marks to be made.

My first blog

This is my first attempt at blogging. I hope to switch over much of what I do on my website to this site. We'll see how it goes.