Holiday Gifts for Children

Holiday Gifts for Children

Holiday Gifts for Children

Holiday Gifts for Children

Too Small to Fail | Clinton Foundation

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/our-work/too-small-fail

Too Small to Fail aims to help parents and businesses take meaningful actions to improve the health and well-being of children ages zero to five, so that more of America’s children are prepared to succeed in the 21st century.

Report Card Comments; Phrases—General and Handwriting

Comments

• All of _______'s basic skills are at grade level, but he is not working to the best of his ability.
• _______'s school work has shown improvement over the past quarter. I hope this effort will continue.
• _______'s behavior continues to be inconsistent. She is still having difficulty following the school rules and respecting the other students. Please call to set up a conference.
• Thank-you for your continued support and help from home. The amount of extra time you have been spending with _______ on his schoolwork is evident.
• _______ has improved since the last time we met. I suggest that you continue to work on _______ nightly.
• _______ is a polite and alert _____ grader. Because he is a quiet boy, he needs to be encouraged to participate in class. Any help you can give from home would be very beneficial.
• _______ has adjusted nicely to her new school environment. Could you call to set up a meeting as soon as you are settled into your new home?

General

• _______ is gaining more self-confidence.
• _______ is maintaining grade-level expectations.
• _______ performs well in everything he undertakes.
• _______ is doing strong work in all areas.
• _______ is a clear thinker.
• _______ has good organization of thoughts.
• _______ should be encouraged to _____.
• _______ needs frequent encouragement.
• _______ exhibits creativity.
• _______ has excessive tardiness.
• _______ has excessive absences.
• _______ has failed to turn in makeup work.
• _______ is a good student who appears to be a deep thinker.
• _______ grasps new ideas promptly.
• _______ talks excessively.
• _______ needs to spend more time on assigned tasks.
• _______ does not put enough time into the assignments.
• _______ needs to improve self-discipline
• A conference is requested.
• Please call to set up a conference.
• Your constant cooperation and help are appreciated.
• It is possible for _______ to exceed grade expectations.

Handwriting

• _______'s handwriting needs to be improved.
• _______ has good (poor) fine-motor skills.
• _______ is able to print on the lines.
• _______ spaces letters and words correctly.
• _______'s work is not neat.
• _______ does not form letters correctly.
• Some of _______'s printing is excellent, but it is often untidy in daily assignments.
• When printing, _______ often reverses letters, such as __, __, etc.

Report Card Comments

Report Card Comments; Phrases—Citizenship

Comments

• Although _______ has had some difficulty adjusting to our room and various duties, he usually tries to cooperate.
• As you know from my reports to you, _______ has had some problems adjusting to our room. Please continue to work with him in this area.
• _______ has made many fine contributions to our class and is an inspiration to her classmates.
• No matter how busy _______ is, he still has time to do something nice for someone. For this reason, he is one of the best citizens in my class.
• _______ assumes responsibility well, excels on the playground, and is well liked by her peers.
• _______ is trying to practice good citizenship habits, but has been inconsistent with this. He needs to remember that we play only at certain times.
• _______ is a very dependable student. She frequently helps her classmates without being asked to do so. Thank-you for your help.
• Since our last conference, _______ has shown great improvement in the area of citizenship. Thank-you for your support.
• _______ is starting to understand that in order to be a part of this class, she must follow the classroom rules. More improvement is needed for her to be successful in this area.
• _______ is one the best citizens in the class. He often volunteers and helps others without being asked.

Phrases

• _______ is learning to be careful, cooperative, and fair.
• _______ is very helpful with cleanup work around the room.
• _______ gets along well with other children.
• _______ accepts responsibility.
• _______ works well with her neighbors.
• _______ is a good citizen.
• _______ makes friends quickly and is well liked by classmates.
• _______ cooperates well.
• _______ helps others.
• _______ is a big help in seeing that our room looks clean and pleasant.
• _______ is a fine citizen and takes a keen interest in school.
• _______ possesses good self-discipline.
• _______ is respectful of others.
• _______ can be very helpful and dependable in the classroom.
• _______ is always cooperative.
• _______ needs to improve respect for others.
• _______ interrupts others.
• _______ needs to learn more socially acceptable behavior.
• _______ needs to improve his self-control so he can be more socially accepted.
• _______ is learning to listen and share with others.
• _______ has difficulty following the classroom rules.
• _______ does too much talking. It is disturbing to the other children.

Report Card Comments

Report Card Comments; Phrases—Math

Comments

• _______ has a good attitude towards the math work at this grade level. Please continue to work on ______ nightly.
• _______ has worked hard in math this quarter. However, her progress has been slower than I would have liked. Can we meet to discuss some helpful strategies?
• _______ would benefit from more practice with _____. If possible, could you please spend some time nightly on this skill?
• At this point, _______ has successfully learned all of the addition facts through ten. He is now able to start nightly practice of the subtraction facts through ten.
• Thank you for your interest in our room. It would be helpful if _______ practiced her multiplication facts nightly. I know she can put in more effort than she has been recently.
• _______ is having trouble with many of the basic skills in math. Can we meet to discuss some helpful strategies?
• _______ has a true enthusiasm and gift for math. His effort is reflected in his high grade. He is also an excellent citizen, as he frequently assists other students with concepts, not answers.

Phrases

• _______ has difficulty retaining math processes of addition, etc.
• _______ can work with numbers up to ___ with understanding.
• _______ understands the plus, minus, and equal signs, and uses them to make number statements.
• _______ understands and uses basic facts of addition and subtraction to ____.
• _______ is still reversing some numbers.
• _______ understands place value up to _____.
• _______ can use manipulatives to add and subtract.
• _______ can use manipulatives to show place value to _____.
• _______ understands money (pennies, dimes, nickels).
• _______ relies heavily on concrete objects.
• _______ can count to ______.
• _______ is able to create graphs using simple data.
• _______ understands several methods of graphing.
• _______ is beginning to memorize the number facts.
• _______ knows the basic shapes.
• _______ still needs strengthening in the concept of _______.
• _______ does not know his math facts well.

Report Card Comments

Report Card Comments; Phrases—Work Habits

Comments

• As I have explained in my previous reports, ________ does not use his time wisely in class. Please help him to understand that we study in class and play at only certain times in school.
• When _______ is able to settle down, she does much better work. However, she is often seeking the attention of her classmates, which causes distraction for everyone.
• As we have discussed in previous meetings, __________ must continue to improve his work habits. We need to encourage him to be much more serious about the work he does.
• _______ loves artistic activities. However, I am concerned about the amount of time she spends drawing when she has other work to do. Can we please meet to discuss strategies to help _________ correct this issue?
• ________ is doing grade-level work at this time. However, I am sure he is capable of turning in better work. When he improves his concentration abilities, I know the work will improve.
• _______ misuses much of his work time daydreaming and then does not complete the work in time. He is capable of finishing the work in the allotted time and needs to start doing so.
• ________ has been doing good work at times, but it is not consistent. She can be very social and restless and often does not finish her work on time. Thank you for your help at home. Please continue to work with her on this issue.
• ________ is very anxious to get her work done, yet she tends to be bothersome to other students around her. Although she has shown progress in this area over the past month, she still needs to work on it.
• _______ is having difficulty because he frequently talks out loud and disturbs the other students. He is trying to improve this bad habit and has shown some growth in the past few weeks.

Phrases

General

• ______ works well in groups, planning and carrying out activities.
• ______ needs to work democratically with others in groups.
• ______ needs to develop a better sense of responsibility.
• ______ wants responsibilities and follows through.
• ______ now accepts responsibility well.
• ______ is an attentive student.
• ______ is gaining self-confidence.
• ______'s work habits are improving.
• ______ has the ability to follow directions.
• ______ requires incentives.
• ______'s assignments and/or homework are incomplete and/or late.
• ______ needs to pay attention in class.
• ______ needs better study skills.
• Please encourage him to do things on his own.

Listening Skills

• ______ is learning to listen to directions more carefully.
• ______ is learning to be a better listener.
• ______ is learning to share and listen.
• ______ listens carefully.
• ______ is a good worker and an attentive listener.
• ______ evaluates what she hears.
• ______ needs to listen to all directions.
• ______ has difficulty following directions.

Quality of Work

• ______'s hand work is beautifully done.
• ______ enjoys doing neat, careful work.
• ______'s work is neatly and accurately done.
• ______ does colorful and interesting art work.
• ______ takes pride in work well done.
• ______ makes careless errors.
• ______ is disorganized.
• ______ needs to proofread work.

Time Management

• ______ is learning to occupy his time constructively.
• ______ always uses her time wisely.
• ______ never completes assignments in the allotted time.
• ______ is becoming more dependable during work periods.
• ______ is gaining independence.
• ______ is becoming more self-reliant.
• ______ works independently on assignments.
• ______ fails to finish independent assignments.
• ______ comprehends well, but needs to work more quickly.
• ______ needs to be urged.
• ______ lacks independence.
• ______ is too easily distracted.
• ______ works too slowly.
• ______ does not complete assignments in the allotted time.
• ______ seems unable to finish required work.
• ______ often completes work early.
• ______ is not very appreciative of the value of time.
• ______ is sacrificing accuracy for unnecessary speed in his written work.

Work Potential and Effort

• ______ has great potential and works toward achieving it.
• ______ is working to full capability.
• ______ is a steadfast, conscientious worker.
• ______ is enthusiastic about work in general.
• ______ seeks information.
• ______ is a hard-working student.
• ______ is extremely conscientious.
• ______ is a pleasant, conscientious student.
• ______ is a hard worker.
• ______ is an enthusiastic worker during the ____ period.
• ______ is a polite and conscientious pupil.
• ______ must improve work habits if he is to gain the fundamentals needed for ___ grade work.
• ______ is inconsistent in her efforts, especially in _______.
• ______ makes little effort when not under direct supervision.
• ______ is anxious to please.

Walls that teach

As an elementary teacher I would always put up learning charts.  Charts with initial sounds and examples, number charts, alphabet charts, charts that explain the vowel sounds, charts for sentence structure etc.  You can find all types of colorful charts and wall posters that teach, as well as decorate. Turn your walls into walls that teach.

Common Core English Language Arts Mapping Project Grade: K

Dawson Education Co-Op


Unit: 1-A Colorful Time with Rhythm and Rhyme by Tyger Sims, Kimberly Johnston, Angela Weaver and Kara 
Jones at ArchFord Coop
Overview: In this series of three lessons, students will learn about rhyming words and the differences in the
CAPS of a storybook and a poem. Students will also explore the habitat of animals and the winter hibernation
habits of a bear.
A. Topic: Listening for, identifying, and producing rhythm and rhyme within literature
B. Objectives:
● The student will develop phonological awareness by identifying through a common sign (e.g. thumbs up,
thumbs down) rhyming words in literature.
● The student will develop phonological awareness by producing rhyming words through reciting and
drawing.
● The student will recognize the differences between a storybook and a poem through independent sorting
work in centers.
Focus Standards
• RF.K.2(a) Recognize and produce rhyming words
• RL.K.5 Recognize common types of text (e.g. storybooks and poems)
C. Instructional Resources:
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Jr.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, by Bill Martin, Jr.
“Despite their endless differences, effective lessons share the same, well known core structure. Though terms may differ, the essential parts of a good lesson include a clear learning
objective with some effort to provide background knowledge or create interest in the topic, teaching and modeling, guided practice, checks for understanding/formative assessment, and
independent practice/assessment.” (Excerpt from ASCD Focus by Mike Schmoker)“Five Little Bears” www.nanascorner.com
“Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZnzMIwe_gE
Scare a Bear, by Kathy-Jo Wargin
“Time for Sleeping” and “Big Brown Bear”http://www.edu.pe.ca/mtstewart/Grade1/Poems.htm
D. Procedures:
Day 1
1. Set: Practice responding with thumbs up and thumbs down. Ask simple questions such as “Did you
ride the bus to school today?” and “Do you have a pet at home?”
2. Teach: Tell students that some words have chunks of sounds that are alike. We say these words rhyme.
Give examples of pairs of rhyming words and pairs of words that do not rhyme. Introduce the text Brown
Bear, Brown Bear and have the students actively listen for rhyming words in the story.
3. Closure: Reread the story Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Model showing a thumbs up or thumbs down for
words that rhyme in the book. Throughout the book, give students pairs of words that rhyme or do not
rhyme and have the students respond with a thumbs up or thumbs down.
5. Differentiation: Brainstorm new words that rhyme with a given word. Repeat sets of rhyming words.
6. Connections: Science: Sort the animals from the book with their habitat.
Day 2
1. Set: Teacher will show the You Tube video “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”. Have the students listen for
rhyming words.
2. Teach: Introduce the poem “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. Show the students the format of the poem. Talk
about the placement of lines, verses, and title. Show the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear. How do the
two look different? Discuss. Read the poem and have the students thumbs up or thumbs down to note
rhyming words.
3. Closure: Have the students answer the following questions while showing the poem and the book.
Where is the title of Brown Bear, Brown Bear? Where is the title of “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”? Look at
the CAPS for the storybook and for the poem.
4. Assessment: Reread “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear”. Have students clap when they hear a rhyming word.5. Differentiation: Have the students sing the song “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear.”
6. Connection: Science: Read the poem “Time for Sleeping”. Have the students listen for rhyming words.
Discuss the winter habits of a bear.
Day 3
1. Set: Teacher gives a word and directs students to buzz with a partner. The students will buzz
rhyming words for the teacher given word.
2. Teach: Introduce Scare a Bear. Instruct students to identify rhyming words in the book and to
identify CAPS in the book. Have the students compare and contrast the CAPS from Scare a Bearto
“Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” and Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
3. Closure: Have students discuss with a partner and decide if Scare a Bearis more similar to Brown
Bear or to “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear.”
4. Assessment: Have students share their decision from their buddy discussion.
5. Differentiation: Match picture cards of things that rhyme.
6. Connections: Read the poem “Big Brown Bear”. Have the students act out the bear’s actions. Tell
about hibernation.

State Capital Crossword!

http://www.education.com/files/374401_374500/374412/state-capital-crossword-puzzle.pdf

Scary Trees

Click here to go to education.com

Make your own spooky decorations with these scary trees! With a few twists and cuts, your child can turn a simple paper bag into a decoration perfect for Halloween.

Anti Bullying Big Band Bracelets

Free Reading Worksheets - education.com

All students need a little praise; even the student that challenges you.  No matter how small, try to give praise to him/her also.  You may see a positive change.  Try it!

Leap Frog at Amazon

Field Trip Idea

Go see a Childrens Theater production.  Middle Schools and High Schools sometimes put on childrens plays

Free Field Trip Ideas

College or community performance groups (drama, ballet, orchestra, etc.) –to see if they’ll allow you to watch them rehearse for free.

Free Field Trip Ideas

Michael’s –occasionally hosts programs for school groups to make arts and crafts projects.

Consider.....

Learning Styles are very important to the teaching process. As difficult as it may seem sometimes, try your best to incorporate more than one style for each lesson. You will find that more of your students will grasp and understand the skill you are teaching.

Field Trip Idea

Go see a Childrens Theater production.  Middle Schools and High Schools sometimes put on childrens plays.

Field Trip Idea

Set up a pizza restaurant tour.  Many do this and it is a fun and interactive experience.  All those that I have been to even let the children make their own pizza!

Working with Parents

Design programs or events that require strong parental support.  These types of programs help students perform at a higher level.  One example is "Family Math Night".

Facebook Guide for Educators

By Clara Pak on August 16, 2013 5:50 PM

Commissioned by Facebook, an education think tank in the United Kingdom recently created a "Facebook Guide for Educators."

As of May 2013, 1.1 billion people worldwide are using Facebook, making the social network "rich with potential for learning," states the guide by The Education Foundation.

The 20-page manual outlines the functions Facebook allows and how educators can tailor them for their own classrooms. For example, teachers can use Facebook Groups to communicate with parents. They can share information about an upcoming school trip or staff contact details. Students can also use group pages to collaborate on projects, post research, and share ideas, videos, or resources.

Acknowledging that Facebook poses privacy challenges, the guide provides an appendix that includes relevant information about how to modify settings. For instance, it shows how to use the "activity log" to select what audience can see a particular image.

As Education Week has reported, many teachers are already using social networks in their classes—including lesser-known ones that are viewed as having more protections for students. And many parents see their kids' social-media use as beneficial.

Teachers, have you used Facebook in the classroom? What are your thoughts on the new Facebook guide?

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”
― Margaret Mead

“True teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross; then, having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create their
own.”
― Nikos Kazantzakis

DO YOU HAVE A STUDENT WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA?

If you work in a school with students that have diverse backgrounds, chances are you may have a few students with Sickle Cell Anemia in your school.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 70,000 to 100,000 Americans affected by this incurable disease in the United States and Millions affected globally.  It is said that 1 out of every 500 African Americans are born with this disease along with 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanics. What happens? Sickle cells block the flow of blood through vessels resulting in pain episodes affecting the arms, legs, chest and abdomen. This is only a few issues that may be observed in the classroom setting. PLEASE NOTE:  Students with Sickle Cell need to stay hydrated and in turn may have to use the restroom often.  Cold weather may trigger a crisis so outside time in inclement weather should be avoided or kept to the minimum. These cautions may differ with each case. To learn more about Sickle Cell please visit 

http://www.sicklecelldisease.org

or 

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/  

or

http://www.ffsicklecellfoundation.com/Home_Page.html

Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.
Rabindranath Tagore

Remember......

Give Them a Choice

Most teachers give students morning work or bell-work.  Give your students a choice for bell-work.  Make sure you have at least three levels of difficulty so that your students can choose and start the day with success!

Morning Meetings

Morning meetings are a good way to prepare students for another day of learning.  Use morning meetings to review concepts from the previous day or give your students the opportunity to discuss things that are on their minds, or even use the time to talk about your expectations as far as behavior issues.  As always, be creative.

Recognize students with extraordinary potential and push them to reach higher.

Common Core State Standards 2nd grade - Lesson Plans: Language Arts & Math

Common Core State Standards 2nd grade - Lesson Plans: Language Arts and Math

On the Spot Recognition

Provide on-the-spot meaningful recognition when students are actively engaged in a lesson.  Examples are: praise, positive notes, special privileges, awards, badges, stickers, coupons, mini-celebrations, etc.  

Anticipatory Set

Get all students involved by beginning your lessons with something that grabs students' attention and engages them right from the start.

Teachers and Unmotivated Students

Unfortunately, teachers are asked to teach unmotivated students every day.  Students are unmotivated because of things such as: stimulating television shows or movies, computer/video games, parents that don't have high expectations of their children, personal issues, and most of all, students who don't value their education.  How do you motivate your students?  Share your thoughts.

Consider this...

One of the greatest motivators is parental approval.  If misbehavior is an issue, consider speaking with the parent about loss of privileges in school and at home.  It can increase the chance that the student will improve his/her behavior.

Parent Support

Take time to call parents about students' appropriate behavior or academic achievement.

Working with Parents

Design programs or events that require strong parental support.  These types of programs help students perform at a higher level.  One example is "Family Math Night".