Teacher planners are all the rage these days.  If you have been anywhere in the blogosphere, or on Instagram, or FaceBook... you have seen teachers raving about their favourite planners.  One of the most popular brands is the Erin Condren teacher planner. It's beautiful... but at over 100$ (including tax and shipping) to Canada, I just haven't been able to justify the purchase.

Enter... Happy Planner.  I got mine at Michaels for 39$, and then used a coupon to get another 40% off the price.  Yay, #MichaelsTeacher!  You can also find them on Amazon for $29. 

I love the idea of keeping my life organized on paper.  Sure, there are some things I like to track electronically, but there is something so cathartic about writing everything down and seeing each day/week/month organized.  It's part journalling, part organizing, all fun.

And who doesn't like stickers?! I thought I would review how the Happy Planner (Life Edition) stacks up as a teaching planner.

Happy Planner - The Pros

1. It's adorable!

Stylistically the planner is an absolute win.  There are quite a few cute covers and styles to choose from, so you won't necessarily have the same planner as every teacher in the building.  

2. Accessories Galore.

Just like other mega-planners, this one has so many things you can add on to make it your own.  Stickers, washi-tape, extra pockets (for those staff-meeting hand outs you don't want to loose), more dividers.  Each pop in easily to the plastic rings.  

3. Customizable

The happy planner is a non-standard 9-hole planner, so every day paper can't be added into it. However, at Michael's they carry the Happy Planner Hole Punch.  How easy would it be to add in extra pages to make the planner exactly what you want it to be.  (Hint, hint.. I will be adding in student class checklists, phone numbers, and a to-do list... but it'll be a breeze to print, punch, and go!)  So many sellers on TpT offer Happy Planner compatable products for teachers so making this your own is a breeze! 

4. Bright, Clean, Design

The Happy Planner isn't cluttered, so it's easy to write lesson plans in each of the three daily boxes.  I know that some teachers prefer the day to be broken up further, or have room for standards checklists... but this is perfect for my style.  Currently, I've used the boxes for Before Recess, Between Recess and Lunch, and After Lunch.  Sure, I still do detailed lesson plans, but this helps me to get a quick grasp of what my week will look like.  (See below!)  Plus, the planner itself isn't too cluttered with doodles and designs, so there's plenty of space to write. 

5. 18 months

The planner comes with 18 months of pages so there's plenty of room to plan in advance.  I love that I'm not left scribbling leftover ideas on the back page.  

Happy Planner - The Cons

1. It's not specifically a teacher-planner

If you are looking for the absolute perfect solution that can allow you to toss out your lesson planning book... this may not be it.  For me, it will suffice.  I am okay with the vague nature of the 3-block days... but this may not be your cup of tea.   Because it is not a teacher planner, it also doesn't have the teacher documents you may be looking for:  quick student checklists, conference forms, or any curriculum planning documents. 

That being said... you could add them in.  With the Paper Punch, your own add-ins are virtually endless.  I'm hoping to add my own personal class list in, so I'm never without a marking sheet or contact information.  

I have now used it for an entire year and I am totally happy. I love that it fits in my purse and can travel from home to school.  I write in my daily lessons and my after-school schedule and I am so much more organized! 

2. Accessories Galore

I know what you're thinking... wasn't this a "pro"?  Well... yes.  Quite a bit of what makes the Happy Planner incredibly useful is available as an "add on".  

Want a pack of pocket dividers? They're available separately. 

Like those cute stickers that show a birthday? They're a separate pack!  

Need some to-do lists or a page for phone numbers? Only an extra $7

How about a shiny gold band to hold the planner together?  Ditto!

The Happy Planner itself is just the base model.  Sure, you can customize it to become the teacher planner of your dreams ... but not without shelling out a lot more money!

My Suggestions:

I love my happy planner.  I bought the base model, plus the Michaels brand stickers.  (Sorry Create 365 brand people!).  They aren't the official stickers... and they work great!  Just as sticky!  I'd love to get the 'official' Happy Planner inserts, but I think I will just make my own.  Maybe the craft of making some extra pages will even be fun!

How about you?  Do you use a teacher planner?  Do you have a favourite?  I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below.  

- Rachel

It's that time of the year again!  The birds are singing, the sun is out, and the school year is winding down.  I've found myself becoming a little bit tear-ier than usual when I think about saying goodbye to this years' batch of kids.  At times, they were a really tough group, but I've loved the adventures we have been able to have together.

There are so many ways that you can celebrate the end of the year in an elementary classroom.  I thought I'd share a few of my favourite ways to mark the end of a successful year together.

1. Now and Then Bulletin Board

On the first day of school, I always take a picture of my kiddos holding a sign that marks their first day in a new grade.  For me, it's important that this happens on the actual first day of school.  (Not the first week, etc.)  I love the nervous/shy/apprehensive smiles I get when I take their photos on Day 1.  Then, towards the end of the year (usually 2-3 weeks from the end), we take another photo.  This time I ask them to scream out "I am done grade three!"  I love seeing the difference between their beginning and end of the year photos.  They grow so much in third grade.  

2. Birthday Party for Everyone

The theme for our year end class party this year is "Birthday Party for Everyone".

I have to admit, I am not the best at celebrating birthdays in class.  I'm great at holidays, book studies, literary events, science projects... but birthdays...notsomuch.  This year, we are having an in-class birthday party for all of my students on a day that is no one's birthday.  Each student is in charge of something: planning games, making invitations, setting up colouring stations, organizing food... even washing the dishes afterward!   

A fun way to celebrate with their friends, and make sure each child feels valued during the school year. 

3. Slideshow (Class Movie)

I love ending the year off with a class movie.  I am an iPhone and camera addict (Nikon girl!)  so I am constantly snapping pics and quick movies of my kiddos. This is my chance to snip them all together into a short (ok... 10 minutes... not that short) movie to watch.  

When I first started teaching I always waited until the last day of school to show them the movie.  Last year I stopped doing that.  Why?  Because they love the movie.  They love it so much that they could watch it every day for a week.  So now I usually show it to them 2-3 days before the end of the year. It gives them a chance to see it a few times before they have to say "goodbye" to each other for the summer.  Then, if they want to talk about it, process it, or suddenly *remember* someone that they need to play with on the playground... they can! 

4. Beach Field Trip

I know that this one isn't possible for everyone.  I feel so fortunate to live in British Columbia, and only 30-45 minutes away from more than a dozen world class beaches.

Each June my grade three class heads to the beach with our grade one buddies, their siblings, and all of our families.  We celebrate the end of a successful year family-style with a beach BBQ, sandcastle building contest, and little toes in the sand!

5. 'About My Year' Project

I always try to finish out the year with a project that helps students to reflect on their time in Third Grade.  It's a great way to help students to remember all of the fun you had, and think back on how much they have learned and grown!  Last year we wrote letters to future Third Grade students.  This year, I created a flipbook template that let us think about the best parts of the year! 

6. Award Ceremony

In the last week of school I always hold my annual 'Grade Three Award Ceremony'.  We set up the classroom like a mini-auditorium and each student is given an individualized award certificate.  I invite parents to come watch and try to make this a special part of the end of our year.  This is such a chance to honour the unique parts of each student in my classroom.  I love how students light up when they hear how they are being honoured.  Teachers Pay Teachers has many pre-made award certificates.  I use this pack from 'Teaching with a Mountain View' because it has so many different options and is a great time-saver.  (I do still have to come up with a few awards on my own - but she has an editable template as well).  

7. Maintain Routines

This one may sound odd... but stay with me.  Sometimes the end of the year in an elementary classroom can be so much fun that it gets a little chaotic.  Field trips, parties, school-wide events, parent visits and evening concerts can mean that their last few weeks in a certain grade look almost nothing like the rest of the year!

Last year, I remember one of my bright-eyed little third graders coming up to me and asking "Mrs. P, will I ever get to do read-to-self with you ever again?"  She was heartbroken at the thought that regular grade three was over.  

In the hustle and bustle of the "fun" of the end of the year, I've learned that sometimes the best gift you can give to your students is the gift of keeping things as normal as possible.  They like it.  They like you, their teacher.  They will miss so many parts of the grade they are in, so why not let them hold on for just a few more days? 

How do you and your class celebrate the end of a year of learning?  Any traditions you have carried forward from year to year?  Anything you are hoping to try out next year?

From the mouths of babes...

This is the second in my series about the funny, adorable things that students say (usually without intending to get a laugh!).  If you haven't, make sure to read the funny stories in Part One as well .  

Up here in BC we are almost at the finish line for the school year.  It is so close I can feel it!  In looking back on this year, there have been a lot of challenges, but there have also been so many funny moments.  Teaching little people has its own unique set of joys!

In no particular order, here are 12 more cute student sayings to get you through to the end of the year (or started on your summer break if you are so lucky!)

(10 + 2 bonus ones because I just couldn't leave any out!) 

#1 - Science > Donuts

My students were conducting the dye tied experiment and one of my first graders exclaimed, "This is awesome!  It's even better than the chocolate donut I ate on the way down here!" -  Stem to Steam Trio

#2 - Mid-Lesson Pedicure

I was in the middle of a lesson at the carpet and stopped to find one student trimming his toe nails with a pair of scissors.  NOPE! - Rianna, 3rd grade teacher

#3 - Kindergarten Swear Words

I had a kindergartener walk into my room on the day we were learning the short "e" sound and point to the word "elf" on the board.

"Does that say elf?"

"Yes! Good reading!"

"That's a bad word."

"No it's not, who told you that?"

"My mama tells us we're not allowed to say the elf-word."

- The Cozy Learning Cottage

#4 - The Facts of Life

Student:  You're having a baby?

Me:  Yes, I am!

Student:  So, you're adopting a baby?

Me:  No, the baby is in my tummy. (pointing to my 7 month pregnant baby belly)

Student:  (look of horror on his face)  You adopted the baby and ate it?!

- Wife, Teacher, Mommy

#5 - The Moon Walk

While learning about the moon in First Grade, I mentioned to the students that Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon.  One student says, "Wait! No!  That's not Right!!  Michael Jackson was the first person to do the moon walk!"

Then, straight face and all, he proceeds to show the whole class the moon walk, and say that this is how Michael Jackson walked on the moon.  

- The Pawsitive Teacher

#6 - Kindergarten Pronunciation

I have a student who has a part in our school assembly.  He is supposed to say, "Be kind and compassionate to others," but he keeps saying, "Be kind and passionate to others."  I'm never sure whether to correct him or not! 

- Lara, kindergarten teacher

#7 - Math Fail

"Am I supposed to subtract or take away?"

(OK, this may be more depressing than cute - especially in April!)

- Teacher Down the Hall

#8 - This is Not Part of a Flower

(It was close enough to the word "stamen" that I didn't have the heart to mark it wrong!)

- Poet Prints

#9 - Important American History

When discussing a Social Studies unit with a 5th grader, I asked, "What's the name of that document that contains all those laws and amendments?"

My student takes a few minutes to think, before her eyes light up, and she screams... "The CONSTIPATION!!" 

-SLPsimplicity

#10 - Latin Roots

When asked to find a word that uses the Latin root "quint, I had a student write: "Quintuplets are five twins born from a mothers womb".  

Another student, referring to the root psych, wrote: "Robin was Batman's psychic."  

So close, yet so far!  

-Mentoring in the Middle

#11 - Where Does Our Food Come From...

I overheard two of my kindergarten students talking: "So, if hamburgers come from cows, does that mean cheese is from cat pee?" 

- Home Run Teaching

#12 - Vowel Movement

From a 7th grader:  We were talking about vowels, and how they impact the pronunciation and spelling of words.

 This young man became perplexed and thoughtful, and then said: "Well, I don't understand where a vowel movement fits in."  He was confusing vowels with bowels.

There was NO WAY I couldn't crack a smile.    

- It's a Teacher Thing

Finally: When I Grow Up...

- Jim Hansen

*Entries may have been edited for length and clarity

See you again for the next instalment.  

In the meantime, don't forget to send in your cute student stories! 

poetprintsTPT (at) gmail (dot) com 

- Rachel

April and May are some of my favourite months to be a teacher. By this point, I know each and every one of my students, and they know me.  We’ve found our perfect rhythm and can work together as a fairly well-oiled machine.

I know which students need that ‘extra push’ to do their best, and which ones need to be gently coached with a hug and a smile of encouragement. I know how to correct behaviors in a way that encourages the best from my little ones, and doesn’t crush their spirits.

Each student needs such different things, and it often takes months to figure it all out.

Look at my little hard-working students  Oh term three, how I love you!

So, for me, Term Three is the most blissful of the three.

They know what I expect in my classroom, and I (for the most part) know what they need to be successful. I still get small butterflies in my stomach when I look across the hall to the Grade Two class that will eventually be ‘mine’ next year.

I wonder how we will get to this point.

Academically, I find September to be one of the most challenging months as a teacher.

Is anyone else with me on that one?

All of those lovely, high-achieving students that walked out of the school in May or June, walk back in like tiny little zombies who have forgotten almost everything. (Or so it seems!)

Oh, the summer slump.

Teachers, you know what I mean.

It’s that phenomenon that happens over the summer where the 8+ weeks of summer vacation seem to erase our students’ brains… or at least the part that remembers how to ‘do’ school.

So we re-teach. Things that were a snap in June, are suddenly brand-new skills.

• How to put your name on a piece of paper

• Where to line up

• How to use capital letters and punctuation

• Working for more than 3 or 4 minutes at a time

• How to open a thermos! (So, so many thermoses… side note: why has no one invented a thermos that will open itself?!)

I’ve tried all kinds of things to beat the Summer Slump.

I’ve sent home reading logs, writing journals, and extra science projects.

Some have had more success than others.

This year, I’m trying something different.

I’ve put together a “Stay Sharp Summer Packet” for my kiddos.

It covers most of the things that we have learned in Grade Three, plus a few skills from previous grades that I don’t want them to lose.

I’m spiral-binding it into a booklet and sending it home right before the break.

Purposeful practice: Summer practice pages specifically designed to practice the most important skills.  (Try out a freebie - link below!) 

It is my hope (and prayer!) that they will do one page every 2nd day.  That should be about 15 minutes of work. Just enough to help to keep their minds sharp a little bit over the summer, and maybe, just maybe, prevent the summer slump from completely erasing their brain! ;)

I'd love for my blog readers to try this packet out!  The full version is available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store, but I've put together a sample (9 full pages!) for you to try out for free. The full version (90+ pages is available for 5$). 

(CLICK HERE for the freebie!)  

Let me know what you think about it in the comments below.  

How do you combat the Summer Slump in your classroom or in your school? I’d love to hear your tips!

- Rachel

Trying to fit in daily time to read the Bible can be tricky in grade three, but I feel that it’s important… especially at a Christian school. My grade three literacy program is part Daily 5, part Literacy Place, part Reading Power, and part 6-Traits. I haven’t ever found one program that completely fits the needs of my students, so I have always borrowed from the best parts of the most quality reading and writing programs on the market. Each day, my students sit for 20-25 minutes of independent, sustained Read to Self time.

In our room, this is treasured time.

My students need the time both to practice their reading, and to have a small amount of time that is calm and quiet. They treasure this time as much as I do, and heaven help us if this block has to be moved for some reason! Most of the time, students can choose to read any book (or magazine, or comic) that they would like as long as it is usually at their level.

read to self time with bibles

However, on Wednesdays, we spend the entire Read to Self block in our Bibles.We are so lucky to have a class set of Bibles that are assigned to each student.We have New International Reader's Version Bibles that are just about perfect for a third-grade reading level.

I think that it is so important to cultivate a classroom culture that places an emphasis on the Word as being important.  Building strong spiritual disciplines starts early, and the Christian classroom is a great place for this.  How can I teach and tell my students that reading their Bibles is important if we are not spending time to do that during class time? How can I talk about how important it is for them to fall in love with God’s Word if I am not setting that example myself?

How to help students navigate their Bibles while they read

Before our time in the Word begins, I stand at the board and help students to navigate their Bibles.They will yell out topics and stories that they want to read about, and I will (to the best of my ability) point them to the Book/Chapter in the Bible that they will head to.

Sure, there are parts of the Bible that they won’t yet be able to understand, and some of it is above their reading level, but that doesn’t mean that they are too young to start the habit of reading from a Bible for enjoyment. 

Spoiler Alert: The boys like the stories about battles, fierce animals, and God showing his POWER!I cannot tell you how full my heart feels during this block. It’s amazing to look around the room and see a class full of students enraptured by the Bible. I love it when students skip up to share something new that they have discovered, or just cannot wait to tell a friend about what they have read.

Even though we only have scheduled “Wednesdays in the Word” so many of my students have begun pulling out their Bibles for Read to Self much more than one day a week. It’s such a joy to watch the Spirit move in our classroom through the hearts and minds of these little ones.

I am a big fan of hands-on learning.  There is SO much research suggesting that when students discover things for themselves, rather than have all of the information ‘deposited’ lecture-style, they make genuine lifelong connections. There is no better place to conduct an investigation than outdoors, take a peek at how we used inquiry-based learning to explore the life cycles of plants in our third-grade classroom.

This spring, we are learning about plants through a guided-inquiry unit.  It is guided because I came up with the inquiry questions (true inquiry allows students to come up with their own questions). 

We began by learning some vocabulary and key plant terms.  Then, I posed the question: “How do plants grow and change?”  I put the question on a blank bulletin board, and left room for us to answer as we moved through the unit.

Guided inquiry cards  (Pictured above - included in the whole packet)

Instead of handing them a worksheet with the answers, we began to plant! We planted beans, lettuce, scallions, marigolds, and pansies. Each student cared for an individual bean plant, and tracked its growth, changes, and how they cared for it.  In groups, they took turns being ‘gardeners’ for our group outdoor garden. 

There were so many great AH-HA moments as we used our hands-on garden as the focal point for our learning, and I think we learned more from our mistakes than successes!  My students knew the concept of photosynthesis, but only truly understood the importance of green leaves when their plants were munched by local deer!

We finally figured out why plants need sunlight after our blinds were accidentally closed over the weekend and our plants sat in the dark for 72 hours. 

We tracked the changes on our plants, and marveled at how resilient our bean plants were! 

We could not believe at how our teeny-tiny seeds turned into edible pieces of lettuce!

I cannot tell you how many parents have sent me e-mails or stopped in to let me know that they now have small gardens in their houses/apartments that are being tended to by my third graders.  It makes me smile to think that what we are learning in the classroom is already turning into out-of-school continued education! 

I’ve gathered together my whole unit into a ready-to-go packet that you can pick up on Teachers Pay Teachers.   It has everything you need: vocabulary, life cycle worksheets, inquiry questions, student notebooks, and two experiments. 

Check it out here:  ALL ABOUT PLANTS, inquiry-based science

If you try it out, let me know what you think!  Have your kiddos discovered their “green thumb”? 

- Rachel

I remember my first Mother's Day as a brand new teacher.  I was in a lower-income school and I can remember eagerly planning a super-crafty project, with glue and glitter and a beautiful card titled “Why I love my Mom” (or something of the like). 

I waltzed in before Mother’s Day, and gathered up the kids to introduce the project, expecting them to be as excited as I was.

However, instead of unbridled excitement, I was met with questions and comments like:

“What about my Stepmom, can I make something for her?”

“I only have a Foster mom, what do I do?”

“I live with my auntie.”

“I don’t have a mom, she died last year.”

What a sobering moment.

Needless to say, that was a pretty big disaster.

In my rush to prepare a “cute and fun” craft project, I had completely forgotten to plan for all of the reasons why Mother’s Day can be such a hard day for so many students.

But I let it be a “teachable moment” for myself. I learned from my mistake, and made sure to think through possible difficult situations before I planned another lesson.

This year, we are doing Mother’s Day Flip Books

(Dad’s are getting the same thing in June!)

Our easy Mother's Day Flip Books

We are drawing our Mom, writing adjectives to describe her, filling in the blanks about her favourite things (fingers crossed that it ends up being something cute or memorable!) and writing her a short letter.

But this project won’t just be for Moms.

In an effort to avoid one of my worst “flops” ever, I’ve made it specifically for Stepmom’s…

And another version that is great for any special friend.

I know that some of my little ones don’t have a Mom, but they do have a mentor, an aunt, or even a family friend who would love to receive something on Mother’s Day.

How do you make sure that you are accounting for all types of families on days like Mothers or Father’s Day?

Do you do anything special in your classroom to honour different types of men and women?

I’d love to hear your ideas!

- Rachel

Being a teacher can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet.  I get to watch students learn to fall in love with learning.  I love the moment when the ‘light bulb’ goes on, and they understand something for the very first time.  However, teaching can also be completely and totally draining.

While I have the privilege of hearing about every happy moment, I also enter into each of their hard times as well.

Even in third grade, there are so many tough moments to walk through.

I consider it such a privilege to come alongside students and their families in both seasons of joy and sorrow, but, at times, they can leave me feeling so physically and emotionally exhausted.

When I first began teaching, I used to give 110% all of the time until I had absolutely nothing left to give.

I think I felt that if I wasn’t always going, always moving, always trying to do more, it wasn’t enough.

What is it about our culture that seems to see stillness as a synonym for laziness??

I learned pretty quickly that this is just not sustainable. I cannot be the teacher I want to be if I have nothing to give.

Slowly, I have been learning that taking time to rest, relax, recharge, and spend time away from school, teaching, and little people actually makes me a better teacher.  I don’t have to feel guilty for stepping away for a moment, because recharging my own ‘batteries’ gives me life to invest into those around.

I have found a few ways to be particularly life-giving in this past season.

Read (but nothing educational)

Each night, before bed (whether I’m “ready” for the next day or not) I stop at 8:30 and tell myself that the day is done. Then, I cozy into bed with a book and start reading.

Although there are always more pro-D books that I could be reading, and ones that are on my to-read list , I make the choice not to read them when I need to relax.  I love teaching, but I need to purposefully unplug in the evenings.  This is my signal to my brain to stop thinking about my class and my to-do list and start trying to relax.  You can't pour from an empty cup, and my cup can't refill if I'm constantly trying to do more and more.

Plus, I tend to sleep more soundly if I can turn all of my screens off, and read something that has nothing to do with the next day. I have way less classroom-themed dreams if I've read something good before bed! 

Netflix (No chill, No guilt)

I love Netflix.  In a deep, I should-feel-guilty-about-it, kind of way.  I don’t watch shows casually. I am a binge-watch-only kind of girl.

Royal Pains? Yep!

Prison Break? Of Course!

Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, Scandal, and White Collar… Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes.

All Seasons.

I used to feel bad (slash guilty) when people asked: “Have you seen X show on Netflix?” And my answer was always yes.

I do watch a lot of binge-able TV… because it is such an escape. I can turn off the rest of my life and immerse myself in the characters and the drama of a storyline that has nothing to do with my own.

I’ve noticed that the amount of Netflix I watch directly correlates to the stress in my life: the more stressful the situation, the more I gravitate to cuddling-up with a show when I get home from work.

The Beach

My soul feels best when it is outside, near the water.

I love the ocean, but I can make due with a lake in a pinch! I live on the west coast, mere minutes from so many amazing beaches.

When I stand next to the ocean I feel small. My problems seem to shrink in comparison to the immensity of the body of water next to me.

I tend to stand next to the water and just breathe. There is something about salty ocean air that is good for the soul.

Getting out of the City

Sometimes a quick trip to the beach, or an afternoon of Netflix just isn’t enough to recharge.

I am learning how vitally important it can be for my mental health, and my marriage, to take the time to stop, rest, and focus on something other than the day-to-day in the classroom.

This past weekend my husband and I headed to Kelowna to take advantage of some amazing beautiful weather in BC (20 degrees Celsius, 68 Fahrenheit).

We spent the weekend at a small B&B, toured wineries, and just spent time together.

It’s amazing how time away can prepare you for getting back to regular life.

I’m not sure that I always realize just how exhausted and empty I am until I remember to take the time to rest and recharge.

I’d encourage you to do the same, rest, relax, take time to recharge. You cannot be the teacher your students need when you are running on empty.

Trust me, you deserve it.

- Rachel

OH DEER... WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

If you've been around children for any period of time at all, you know that they have little (or no) filter.  For better or for worse, the things that they are thinking just come bubbling out.  As teachers, we get to be privy to some of the most hilarious spoken and written comments.  

For this weeks' post, I asked around the blogosphere for stories, photos, and quotes of teachers' favorite things students have said or written that made them laugh out loud.  I got so many great responses!  

In no particular order, here are the first 10 in my new series...

Oh Deer... What did you Just Say?? 

#1 - Underwear Issue

"Can I go to the bathroom real quick? I have a really bad wedgie and mom told me not to pick it around everyone."
-Chloe Campbell

#2 - A Lesser Known Miracle

One of Lindsey Paulson's students writes about how "Jesus Rows Again."  
- Lindsey Paulsen

#3 - Dinner Table Conversations

I remember asking a kindergarten student whether he'd told his parents what I'd said to him the day before. 

His response: "It's not like we sit around the dinner table talking about you." 

Um ok, I didn't realize five-year-olds had more important things going on than their day at school!
- Primary Teaching

#4 - Math Logic

Me: Your answer is right, but directions say to explain your work.

Student:  Explain my work?! The answer just flew into my head.  I can't explain the flight.

Me:  Well...try.  Tell me each step of how you solved it.

Student:  Well, first I thought about it.  And then there it was!

-Grade 5 Greatness

#5 - Oversharing

I had a student walk up and announce to me one morning: 

"Mrs. P. , my dad slept on the couch last night." 

Well, thanks for sharing, buddy.

-Poet Prints

#6 - Life is Over

I had misplaced something, as usual, and I said the words: "My life is over," and a student said to me:

"Your life isn't over until you have kids...oh, wait we are your kids." 

So true.   

-  Little Human Resources

#7 - Teachers at AA

Student: (eyes wide) I just heard some teachers talking about going to an AEA meeting!

Me:  Uhhh yeah.  Lots of teachers go to those meetings I guess.

Student: (eyes even wider)  WHAT?!?!

Me:  What do you think the Alabama Education Association is?

Long pause.

Student: Oh!!! I am thinking about AA!

- Grade 5 Greatness

#8 - Thoughtful Thanksgiving Reflections

- Poet Prints

#9 - More Review Necessary

I work for a public school service, but I'm in a Christian school (confusing, I know). 

The kids quickly learn to answer "God" or "Jesus" for many questions when they don't know the answer. 

I was working with a group of kindergarteners and one little cutie responded, when I asked who that was on the penny, "That's easy! That's Jesus!" I had to laugh. 

-Ashley's Brainy Centers

#10 - Kindergarten-isms

This final section comes from the lovely Daisy Designs , who sent in a hilarious collection of things that she has said while teaching kindergarten.  I dare you to not laugh out loud while reading them.  

"Get your shoe out of the water fountain."

"We don't hit our friends with apples."

"Get the graham cracker out of your pants... NO, don't eat it!!!"

"Do not use the foil to make a bra..."

"Why did you put the Q-tip in her boot?"

"Eating shoelaces is bad for you."

"I hope nobody pulls their pants down tomorrow."

"I think that it really is dog poop in your shirt."

Do you have any cute funny quotes or pieces of writing from your students? Do you want to be featured in my next "Oh Deer" blog post?  Write a comment below, or send me an e-mail to poetprintsTPT (at) gmail (dot) com .  I would love to see you in an upcoming post!

- Rachel

I teach third grade, and I love it!

I love how my kids are big enough to have “real” conversations about life and tougher issues, and how they are still small enough to race inside and tell me about the special leaf that they found at recess time.

At this age, there is such a great opportunity to integrate play in the classroom.

Our students are already familiar and eager to play, so why not use purposeful play activities designed to engage students in our curriculum.

Here are two of our current favourite ways to play!

Painting the Room

One of my favourite “exit ticket” type activities is Painting the Room.

Although a traditional exit-ticket takes only 3-5 minutes, this one can take 30-60 minutes.

This play based activity combines Art and any other subject you would like.

I start by taping up large banner paper around the room, and dividing students into small groups.  Then, I set goals.  Depending on our current unit of study, I may ask them to paint the answer to a guiding question (“Show me how plants grow and change.”) or show what they have learned (What promises do you have from God).  They are then free to express what they know using paints.  In this time I will go around and be assessing orally as well in casual conversations while they paint. 

Play and Talk

Play and Talk was born out of a need for my students to break out of their “cliques” and get to know other people in our classroom.

Students are divided into pairs, or groups of three, and pick a board game of their choice.

They then pick two Question Cards.

(I bought mine from another store on TpT - Bright Stars Learning) Throughout the game time, they must figure out the answer to these cards about each member of their group.

At the end of the playtime, we meet as a big group to present the new things we learned about group members.

The only rule is that you may not talk about yourself, you may only share new things you learned about someone else.

In doing this, I am easily integrating Oral Language, Social Responsibility, and Health and Careers outcomes into one fun activity.

Plus, students have started to make connections with people that they don’t usually play with on their own.

Win for both of us!

How do you play in your classroom? Do you integrate the curriculum into playtime? I would love to hear from you!

- Rachel

This is Part Two in my series on using task-cards in the elementary classroom.  Hop on over and check out part one ("Why I love Task Cards!)

Task Cards are the ultimate versatile resource for teaching any subject. Apart from the answer sheets, they are not consumable, so they can be used time and time again.

Consider printing them out on heavy paper, and then laminating them to make sure they last through many uses. In my classroom we use task cards for more than just small group work.  Check out all of the different ways we use these flexible-use cards!

• Go paperless - Allow students to verbally quiz each other on the task card concepts prior to a quiz, or when they are finished an assignment.
  

• Use the task cards as a whole-group activity by projecting them using a document camera
  

• Set the on each desk and play a game of scoot. Have the students stand behind their chairs so that they are ready to move. Give students 1- 2 minutes at each card to write down their answer on the Answer Sheet, and then call “Switch!” Students then move onto the next desk and begin to solve the next question.
  

• Give the cards to a parent volunteer to work with struggling students
  

• Set up centers with various sets of task cards.
  

• Use task card sets for early finishers. (Consider using task cards that are a challenge to the students)
  

• Task card scavenger hunt - Hide the task cards around the room. Give each student an answer paper and instruct him or her to find all of the cards and solve the problems. My students love this one because they think it is hilarious when they can “beat” me and find all of the cards that I have hidden.

In my TeachersPay Teachers shop, I have a number of ready-to-go task card sets.  

How about you? Do you use task card sets in your classroom?  What works for you?  I'd love to hear in the comments below, or send me a message on Instagram (@poet.prints)! 

Happy Monday!

- Rachel

I have to be honest, I had never heard of task cards before this school year.

I know, I’m way behind on this one!

I found out about task cards as a necessity, I had a student who was struggling, and I needed a way to find extra practice for him on that particular topic.

A little bit of googling led me to ... task cards!

What are task cards?

For those unfamiliar, task cards are cards (4-6 usually fit on one 8.5”x11” piece of paper) that have educational ‘tasks’ on them.

Task cards can be created for all subjects.

A set of math task cards would usually come in a pack of  about 20, and would be geared for a particular subject.

They might have questions for a student to solve, things for them to find around the room, or mental math problems for them to figure out.

The great part about task cards is that the cards themselves can be re-used for years to come!

I have to say, I am now one of the biggest advocates of these teaching tools as a method for easily differentiating learning in any classroom.

It is so simple to put together a series of cards for any subject, and then to give them out to different students, as they need to work on a subject.

In my room, we do this most often with math.

(Above: 3D Shape Task Cards easily used with our unit on geometric shapes!) 

Need some extra practice with geometric shapes?  No problem, grab those cards! 

Having difficulty multiplying with tens... no problem, grab the cards and work on that with a buddy who already understands the concept! 

I can easily divide my students into small groups and tailor the lesson for exactly what each one needs, without having to continuously photocopy worksheet after worksheet.

I love that once task cards are laminated, they are reusable and kid-friendly.

I keep mine in a colourful bucket on the carpet and my students have been known to grab a pack in their spare time just to “see if [they] can do it!”

Have you ever used task cards in your classroom? Do you have a go-to pack?

- Rachel

Check out PART TWO of this series, “What to do With Task Cards” for more ideas of how to creatively incorporate task cards into your classroom routines.