G-Camp for Teachers

Back in April I applied to participate in G-Camp for Teachers and was accepted.

G-camp is a 17 day hiking trip done by Texas A&M through Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico. It is meant to improve our knowledge of Geology, an area I could use some help in.

Today, I leave for G-camp. I am very excited for it, but it is very hard for me to be away from home for more than a few days at a time. Even harder to be away from my husband for a few days at a time. I am a little unsure of how I will deal with it at the moment.

This is where we will be traveling. We will see Capulin Volcano, sand dunes, a gold mine, drive through the mountains, Enchanted Rock, Canyon Lake Gorge and so many other sites. You can see a lot of geology in 17 days!

If you are a Science Teacher in Texas, I would suggest applying for it next year. I am sure it will be an amazing experience. I am supposed to have some internet access on the trip and I hope to post pictures as I go.

Mini Science Board

I have used a Science Notebook for my entire teaching career. (2 years) I love them so much. I attended a workshop this summer about them and have even more ideas to try.

Science Experiment Board for an Interactive Science Notebook

This idea I found last year, probably on pinterest. I tested it out with a students a few times this year and it worked pretty well.

I always have an example to show my students first. My first year I didn't always have one. Usually those activities were the most frustrating for me and the students. This past year I saw teachers try to explain activities without giving students a visual of what they wanted. I know I don't learn well with someone just speaking to me. I have to see.

First, start with a shutter fold. It makes the construction paper look like a mini science board. Mini anything is already just adorable! After they finished the inside of the foldable, the students decorated the outside. (This is my teacher copy. I am not the best artist. But I try, which is what counts.) The back can be glued into a science notebook.

On the inside the students put the problem/question, hypothesis, procedure, data, graph, materials, and conclusion. 

For this lab, the students had to come up with their own experiment to test force on an object. (Which is Texas Science TEKS 5.6D) They weren't allowed to test the question I did for the example. So while they had a visual of what to create, all the content was original. They did work in groups on this. 

Some of the tests were as follows:

Does the number of books on a person's back affect the number of push ups he/she can do?

Does size affect the distance a paper football can go?

Does size affect how long a paper spinner will spin?

Will different size balls bounce at different heights?

And yes, I had an observation the day the groups were experimenting in class. So I had students flicking paper footballs, doing push ups, and bouncing balls when my principal came in. Luckily, she likes (productive) noisy classrooms. 

School Supplies!

I am linking with Fun in Room 4B on Fabulous Find Friday. 

It's July. Which means that school supplies start coming out and we all start stocking up. Well, I hope I am not the only teacher that might go a little crazy when it comes to buying it.

I have always had an (unhealthy and expensive) obsession with school supplies. In college I worked at the BYU Bookstore in the school supplies section. I loved it. Eventually I got to help pick out supplies and order them. And got free samples. It is hard to leave a gig like that.

So this was some of my winnings from tonight.

This is all from OfficeMax. For $1 each, I got 2 binders, 2 100 sheet spirals, 12-ct box of Sharpies, white out, 2 of the 2pk of mechanical pencils with replacement lead, 2 of the 5pk of dry erase markers and a cube of post it notes. The 4pk of glue was $.25 each and the 10 folders were free. 

I have to say I am just happy with all of that. I am tempted to go back and repeat tomorrow. At least for the Sharpies and dry erase markers. 

Then I stopped at Target for the dollar bins. I cannot resist any new sticky notes. I probably have at least 25 packs of them at home right now. Even more stored in my classroom. 

Then I found my perfect planner for the year. I absolutely loved it!

Head over to OfficeMax and get some cheap school supplies. Take your husband/significant other/friend, check out twice and double your winnings!

Last Year's Classroom

I am horrible at organizing and decorating. Planning a classroom does not come naturally to me and I am working hard to have my classroom feel welcoming to students.

This is what my classroom looked like at the beginning of last year. I felt comfortable in it and I felt the kids were comfortable as well. I haven't really had a problem with students feeling out of place in my room.

This is what my classroom looked like the first time I walked in 2 years ago. I have a Smartboad, although it is in the most awkward place. Now when our schools place Smartboards, they install it on the back wall. I have one tiny window. (But my school is so old, so I don't think they liked students looking outside back in the day.)

Last year, this is how I decorated. I made lots of tissue balls and hung them from the ceiling. I felt it really brightened the room and made it seem inviting. At each group, there were a few boxes of supplies. That didn't last long. It wasn't a priority to me. I am trying to decide if I should try again next year.

I love my absent folders. It is one thing that helps me stayed organized. I have a Silhouette die cut machine and use it a lot. 

I try not to waste any space. The cabinets were turned into my permanent word wall. I used the Silhouette to cut all the letters and laminated all the cards. Surprisingly, they made it through the year. 

This year, I am completely lost on what to do. I am trying to spend as little money as possible to add to the room, but decorating is hard to do on no money. Plus, I may be moving classrooms. If anyone has a suggestion for anything, let me know. The other classroom would look the same, except the Smartboard is on the wall instead of the whiteboard. 

I am linking the Teaching Blog Addicts "There is no place like Home."

Planbook

I have been looking for a digital plan book for while. Something I could share with other teachers. Last year I used Google Docs, but it did not have all the features I wanted.

Last week, I found Planbook.edu. There is a free version, but to use the features I want it cost $25 a year. Unless I find one that does the exactly the same thing for free, it looks like the one.

Most importantly, I wanted to be able to attach documents to my days. This does that. I can also share it. But I am guessing those teachers will need have a subscription too.

So far, this is the best option. If anyone knows of another digital plan book, please let me know. But, I have started making plans, which makes me happy.

What is a Scientist?

I saw a poster like this on Pinterest. Unfortunately, I have no artistic talent. So I had my sister draw it for me. I love it hanging in my classroom. And I plan on having her make me lots more!

Scratch-Off Cards

I saw this tutorial and this tutorial on Pinterest last summer and loved it. When I introduced it to my students, they loved it also. 

Last year I had two classes and on most days I gave at least one ticket out for each class. I looked for students who had followed all of the classroom expectations, including being engaged in learning. I told them sitting there being quiet was not always enough. They needed to answer questions, offer responses, and contribute ideas to our lesson. 

The tutorial says to use contact paper but I used Scotch tape instead. 

I tried to stick to rewards that didn't cost any money. Who has that to spend?

• 5 minutes extra recess for the class
• Choose a song to listen to at the end of the day
• Gum at the end of the day
• Use markers for the day
• Sit in teacher's chair for the day
• Swap seats for the day
• Use markers for the day
• Sit at the teacher's desk for the day
• Eat lunch with Mrs. Stowe and a friend
• Homework Extension (I don't like Homework Passes)
• Five points extra on a test
• Double a Daily Grade
• Draw on Whiteboard at the end of the day

The students really looked forward to seeing who got the ticket every day. For my students who had difficulty following classroom expectations, I would wait until a day they seemed to be more on-task. Then I approached them and offered them the ticket if they could continue the rest of the period. Usually they worked it out the rest of the class.