Declaration of Independence

I love Social Studies, but I find it harder to teach than science. I want it to be as interesting as science and I want my students to come to conclusions and make judgements on their own. But if they lack background knowledge, it is hard to get them to do that.

So I am always on the look out to make social studies more interesting. In Texas, 5th grade is US History. I found this video. It is Too Late to Apologize, but re-written about the Declaration of Independence.

My students loved this video. I wish whoever did this would make new videos. It isn't just the lyrics to the song that are great, but the music video that goes along with it.


There is another video that includes the lyrics on the screen. I usually watch that one.

And now they actually remember the three rights in the Declaration! Hopefully it sticks.

Survival Mode

Our AP passed this out at a mentor meeting this year, saying that our first year teachers were probably going through the survival mode and then would moved further down.

I don't think it is just the first-year teachers going through this. I know that I am in the survival mode. The many plates I am balancing just get more added to them.

I do remember my first year teaching though. November was the worst and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. My goal this time around it to not sink that low. (Third time's a charm, right)

Please tell me, it isn't just my school.

I also haven't given up on the idea of this blog. I am still trying to make it work.

Can I stop to breathe?

Just for a second?

The first eight days of school have flown by. (I say 8 because, yes, I had to work on Labor Day.)

I have hardly been able to catch my breath. This is how I felt all last year and I am determined to get some sort of organization in place.

Just not this week.

I have been informed that I will have a education student intern in my classroom every Tuesday and Thursday. (Someone to assist me? Yes, please!)

I am also a mentor to a teacher down the hall.

I am trying to keep my own head above water.

But... I love my classes. They are pretty much the best group of students I have ever had. My homeroom class is just so easy to teach. I can give them a task, explain it once, and they are good. I just walk around and facilitate. We are working on the other two.

Quotes from my classroom this week:

"This is pretty much my favorite class!"

"Do we have to leave?"

"I love school! I am having so much fun!"

Pockets in Science Notebooks

Sometimes when we work on things in science, they don't get completely done. Pockets in science notebooks are an easy way to store things for that purpose. Or to store a cardstock ruler, or some vocabulary cards. Or a candy bar. Whatever.

This one requires no extra product. Take two sheets of paper. Fold one over diagonally, glue the side and bottom to the second page. And eureka! there's a pocket.

 For this one, you could use an envelope or a sheet of paper folded over. Just glue it to an inside cover or a sheet of paper. 

This envelope is cut up the side and has the flap cut off. 

Science Tools in the Science Notebook

I have said it before. I love Science Notebooks. I have used every year I have taught science (that would be, count it, 2 whole years) and I am excited to use them again this year.

I want to do a lot more with the science notebook this year and have a lot more information in it. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth with 5th graders to get them to care about the science notebooks as much as I do, but it is worth it in the end.

This is an activity I am doing this week. One awesome part of G-camp was getting to talk to Jr. High and High School Science teachers. I asked them what they think us elementary teachers need to hit on better. 

They mentioned science tools. Students don't really know how to use them or what they are. So I am going to try to be better at it this year.

So I have collected all the science tools that the Great State of Texas says my 5th graders need to know by the end of the year. The students will work in a groups and I will give them a few of the tools at a time. As they go through each tool, they will name it, draw a picture, and write a brief description of what it does.

Because they are working in groups, someone is bound to know at least what each tool does. But if by chance nobody knows, their instructions are to draw a picture and leave everything else blank.

Throughout the year as we use each tool in class, we will go back to these pages and fill in the blanks. 

These are my example pages. I learned this format in a workshop I went to this summer. It is an easy way to give the students a limited space for each tool. Because you know some students will go crazy on the pages. They still might.

First Day of School

I survived my first day of school for the year! My legs almost didn't survive unfortunately. I wore my comfortable pair of shoes but I guess I am not that used to walking around that much. I took the summer off from any work out.

I look kind of ridiculous, but at 6:30 this morning, I was pretty excited to be going to meet the kiddos. 

 

My husband also teaches. Today was his first day with kids at a new school and new grade level. (He made the jump from 3rd grade to High school.) He thought I was joking when I said I was going to take his picture.

And this was my desk by the end of the day. I just can't get organized very much. I need to find some kind of system that works for me. Or just get rid of all the "excess" paper.

 

Good luck to everyone on the first days back to school!

What Teachers Make

I watch this every year several times before and after school starts. I still get a bit nervous walking into a classroom with dozens of eyes staring at me. It is a bit nerve-wracking knowing that I can change what a child thinks about learning. I can help them see how fun and life changing it is, or I can turn them off of it forever.

So, knowing that I can influence so many children every year just by teaching, is scary. But I love doing it and wouldn't want any other job in the world.

Most people have probably seen this, but if you haven't watch it. It will get you pumped to walk into your classroom.