ReadWorks

ReadWorks has come a long way in a few years.  This year, with my new position in middle school, and with the focus being on increasing student vocabulary acquisition, I decided to take another look at what they had to offer.  I am so impressed with the streamlined approach to selecting articles, assigning them, and reviewing the data.

Above you will see a picture from my teacher dashboard.  I assigned the article, A Drop's Journey.  I can easily see the Lexile number, genre, and how many students have submitted the assignment.  I can also see that I have allowed this article to be read aloud to the students.  I can also quickly click on "Class Results" and view the data from my class.

Did I mention that this resource is entirely FREE?????  Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Thinking Blocks

After a hiatus from the math world, I have rejoined it in the 6th grade.  It is a big jump from 4th, but some resources have remained tried and true.  One of my absolute favorites is Thinking Blocks.  These are very similar to "Singapore Math Models" and "Tape Diagrams"...I honestly think everyone just gives them a different name so as not to "steal" information. 

This particular website is presented by:

I love that students read word problems and then manipulate the blocks.  The program checks each step of the equation as the student completes a section.  This particular style lends itself well to visual and kinesthetic learners.  Also, it helps students to see the problem in a concrete manner before moving on to using traditional algorithms and abstract thinking.  Give it a try!  The kids love it!

A Big Move

I have been absent from the blogging world...but I will hopefully be making a comeback very soon with some new/updated posts.  The reason for my absence is that I made a BIG CHANGE.  After years of teaching elementary school, I moved to the middle school to teach 6th grade math and science.  This wasn't the career move I was anticipating, but I know I am where I am supposed to be.  My hope is to continue to blog from the perspective of a middle school teacher, and that I will eventually be able to use this new perspective to move on in the area of technology.  

Now a favor...if you have any awesome resources/websites/people I should follow for my new role, please drop me a comment below!  

I am excited and my soul is rejuvenated.  Change can be wonderful.

Chatterpix Kids

Bring book characters to life with Chatterpix!  With this kid-friendly app, students can take a picture of the character from their book or the person/animal of interest from their reading passage and make them "talk" about the information learned from the reading immersion.  Don't have a picture?  No problem!  Have your students expand their creativity by designing one before they take the picture. 

Check out this example

Scholastic Magazine Grade 4 (February 5, 2018)

Golden Goals!

Julia Marino-Snowboarding

Freckle

Taken from the Freckle.com

Looking for a FREE tool to use with your students that will meet them where they are at in all four core areas?  I was on the same hunt, and fell in love with Freckle (formerly known as Frontrow).  Freckle gives a placement test and adapts practice to help students grow from where they are.  Giving students their user name and password is so easy because you can download adorable login cards that can be taped inside their binder or agenda.  I absolutely LOVE that there are science and social studies units that can be assigned with differentiated reading passages.  Want to learn more?  Click the Pig at the top to be directed to the website.

Seesaw

Scan this to get a month of Seesaw Premium for FREE!!!!

As always, Seesaw Basic is FREE 

How do I love Seesaw?  Let me count the ways!

• It is a digital portfolio for students that can be DOWNLOADED by stakeholders with accompanying QR codes.  
• It allows for communication and collaboration between all members of our classroom family.  Students are able to see and comment on each other's work (if allowed by teacher).
• Parents can see what students are uploading to their portfolio and can comment accordingly.
• There are so many apps that work in tandem with Seesaw.
• Students can demonstrate learning via recordings, pictures, drawings, and videos.
• Teachers can create folders for differentiation.
• Honestly, the list is always evolving because Seesaw is such an amazing tool.

Scared to take the leap?  Just set up a folder to house the links, videos, and anchor charts that you share with your students.  This gives students a "go to" location for finding this information at a later date.

Already a pro?  Try out Seesaw Activities in the "Beyond the Basics" section.

UPDATE: 11/15/2018
I didn't really know if I would continue using Seesaw at the middle school level, but it is just as wonderful as ever.  I LOVE the activities feature.  Check out the photo below.  I can create an activity and quickly see who has not turned it in.  This is helping me move closer to a virtually paperless classroom.  Also, the fact that parents can see what their child is doing makes this an amazing collaborative tool.