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Calming the Chaos Blog Hop

Welcome to the Calming the Chaos Blog Hop hosted by 2peasandadog.

All of us bloggers have come together to share our top tips for making the last month of school run smoothly. Visit each of our blogs to learn something new and catch a freebie or two! Happy Hopping! 

 

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to hop to the other blogs.

 

At the end of the year I think we're all feeling a little frazzled - the students, parents, staff and teachers all feel the rush to the end of the year.  The sunny skies and warm temperatures don't help either... none of us want to be inside a warm stuffy classroom on a beautiful day, and the students drag their heels.

One of the things that I like to do at the end of the year is to hold a little classroom chit-chat to get a sense of how the year went for my students.  I think it's important to have the chit-chat in a different venue from my classroom, so I book into our Library and hold my class there instead.  (We're lucky enough to have a wonderful comfy lounge area we can hang out in.)  I find when I combine comfy couches and snacks the students open up a little more.  I like to give my students an opportunity to provide me with some feedback and I have learned some really great things about what works and what doesn't work for them in the way that I teach.

I also give them a few Top 10 Lists to work on - they love to share their lists with each other and the class.  Here's a set of 6 different Top 10 List activities that work at the end of the year.  Use one or use them all!  Click on the image below to grab a FREE copy! 

 

I also sell an End of Year product called 
"Time Flies...End of Year Literacy Activities" 
for only $4.00 in my TpT Store!

 

 

Blog Hop Participants

Check out this Great Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

End of Year Ideas and Blog Hop - "School's (Almost) Out!"

Welcome to our "School's (Almost) Out! blog hop hosted by Krystal from Lessons from the Middle and Joey from Create, Teach and Share!  There are some excellent resources to be WON - be sure to the click the button above to enter the contest.  Also make sure to "blog hop" by clicking the links below to check out some great end of the year teaching tips / ideas / strategies and freebies being offered by the generous bloggers below.

As much as I love the countdown to summer, it can sometimes be a stressful time of the year as students prepare for tests, teachers have to finish up final report cards and then begin the often gargantuan task of cleaning their classrooms and prepping for next year! 

Here's a fun activity I like to do at the end of the year with my students - it's called The Final Countdown. (You can grab a free copy by clicking the image below).  I ask the students to list 5 of something, then 4, then 3...   I like to do this activity and have students share their answers with each other or the entire class. It's fun to hear what everyone has to say about their year. 

If it's a nice day I like to take this activity outside - it's a nice change from the classroom and students can relax a little bit.  I also often use this time for students to provide me with some feedback - what worked for them and what didn't and why.

  I have also included a blank version of The Final Countdown that can be used as test prep - just fill in the blanks with questions that relate to your topic.
Click on the image below to grab a FREE copy! 

As part of the blog hop there's also GIVEAWAY - scroll down to the bottom of the post to see all the awesome prizes and to enter!!

Each blogger has donated a fabulous product and the winner will walk away with some awesome prizes!  I've donated one of my newest products called "Time Flies - End of Year Literacy Activities".  I had a ton of fun making the activities and I can't wait to use some of them with my class this year.  You can check it out in my TpT store by clicking on the image below.

Be sure to hop through the blogs below!!!
 

 

 

 

Good luck!

Addie

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exit Slips with Sticky Notes

I love to use sticky notes in my class and I have a big basket of different sizes and colors of sticky notes for my students to pick and choose from.  I tend to buy them at the dollar stores or anywhere I can find them on sale as I do know they can get expensive.

Here's a quick trick to use sticky notes as Exit Slips.  A few minutes before the end of the class I'll pass out a sticky note to each student and ask them a question.  They must post their responses (with their name) on the whiteboard on the way out.

Here are some of the questions I might ask:

- What were the two most important points in today's lesson / class?
- What are two questions you have about today's lesson?
- What stuck with you today as being important?
- What are two things you wonder / would like to learn more about?
- What were two big ideas from today's in-class video?


Here are some links to my other blog posts that involved sticky notes (did I mention that I love them!!)

Sticky Note Test Prep

 

Back to School Fun with Sticky Notes

I've also included three copies of the posters I have used in my class to post on my whiteboard.  Feel free to grab a copy by clicking on the image below.

 

Happy Sticky Noting!

Addie

Currently Thinking and Pink Shirt Day

So I've been in a bloggy rut lately and needed some inspiration to get some thoughts down here... so I'm linking up with Farley's Currently link-up on her fabulous blog "Oh Boy 4th Grade" - I love seeing what everyone's up to and thought I'd share too.

Speaking of current... this week we had "Pink Shirt Day" in Canada - it's a day to promote anti-bullying programs and increase bullying awareness.  It's a day that began several years ago when a grade 9 boy was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school in Nova Scotia.  Several other boys at the school went out after school and bought 50 pink shirts to distribute to other boys at their school as way to support the student.  The pink shirt plan was a success and the idea has caught on across Canada.  To learn more, check out www.pinkshirtday.ca - there are some excellent anti-bullying resources, videos and ideas.  At my school we had over 75% of our staff and students wearing pink shirts and I know that there were many great classroom discussions as a result! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Addie

Test Prep Ideas With Sticky Notes

 

 

Ugh... I know as a study I dreaded hearing the word "test"... especially if it was a math test!  I don't know how many nights I sat up with my dear old dad going over math equations... he was so patient with me (unfortunately I was never as patient with him!)  I know that many of my students face the same anxiety and stress that I did when it comes to testing.  Sooo... I'm so excited that Adrienne from The Tutor House blog has come up with a linky for Test Prep Tips! I think it's a topic that deserves so much more discussion and sharing among teachers... so be sure to check out the other bloggers who have linked up.

 

I think that much of my students' anxiety stems from poor test prep skills - they skim their notes or their textbook while watching tv, texting their friends or scanning facebook... and they don't focus entirely at the task at hand.   

I think today's kids are the ultimate multi-taskers - however, I don't think they're doing any of their tasks very well!

 

 

 

Here are a few ways that I use sticky notes during test prep with my students.

 

1.  I ask students to put a sticky note on the board with two questions they think I should include on the test. I always include several of the suggestions.

 

2.  Put a sticky note on the board with 1-2 topics you're still confused about.  I do this a few days before the test so that I have time to go over each question with the class.  I love the anonymity that this technique provides - I get a board full of questions but nobody had to put their hand up and admit what they are struggling with!

 

3.  I'll write a question or topic on the board and ask students to do a practice run with their answer on a sticky note.  I get to see how many students are on track or way off and I can focus my review work where I need to.  It's amazing how much information students can fit on a sticky note - so I can sometimes do 2-3 questions per sticky!

 

4.  I ask students to share a study strategy with a friend and post their technique on the board - I then discuss and share the ideas with the class.

 

I always get my sticky notes from the dollar store and try to have different colors and sizes on hand... the kids can pick and choose from a bucket of sticky notes at the front of the class.  Students really respond well to these techniques and I love that nobody has to be embarrassed to admit that they are struggling or doesn't know an answer to a question.  Students also appreciate the opportunity to get some help several days before the test.

Here's another test prep technique I use with sticky notes - you can download it FREE in my TpT Store.

I've also created a set of Test Taking Key Words Posters - available in my TpT store here for only $3.00!

 

Another blogger friend of mine is hosting a linky related to Test Prep too... be sure to check out the great ideas linked up there too!

 

 

 



 

 I hope these ideas are helpful!

Addie