Just Published Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Two By Two Digits Multiplication



Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Two Digits By Two Digits Multiplication
Just published, just in time for your reviews for state tests!
Once you teach your students the Steal and Slide method, they can use it for any word problems in your math series or standardize tests! In addition to everything the teacher needs to project and teach, this packet has five pages with room to practice the Steal and Slide Method. 
Can be used for morning work, homework or a sub tub!
Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Two Digits By Two Digits Multiplication
More Steal and Slide Products on My Pinterest Board


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Easy Make and Take Centers with Leftover Valentine's Day Candy Boxes


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Easy Make and Take Centers with Leftover Valentine's Day Candy Boxes by Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas Make and Take Easy Center Games Using Valentine's Day Candy Boxes
I ♥love Whitman's Sampler candy. 
Can't help it, gonna own it, wasn't gonna do candy this year, but this is our family's tradition every year. It is the only time I eat this type of candy, so it really "seems" like Valentine's Day. Once the box is in the house, it is a quick and easy death. That's why we only bring it in once a year.....sigh...anywoo, on with the directions! 

{Remember, I'm not a great photographer, I just play one for my blog....haha!}
Clean out the box, add a little scrapbook paper {which doesn't fade as fast as construction paper} on the front, add the center cover and pop the pieces, sheets, dice, whatever inside and YOU.ARE.READY.TO.GO!

These are perfect for classrooms that have very little center areas. I started making these over 20 years ago when I had 34 students in a teeny-tiny Florida portable. They could grab a box and take them back to their desks. It works for independent work, pairs or groups of 3-4 children. It involves very little storage and your early finishers can even keep it at their desk. 
REMEMBER, 
seat work doesn't always mean dull work!
Fern Smith's Grammar Center Game "Similes!"
This is a terrific way to have your students use centers for a brain break, especially those boys that need to stand at their desk to release some energy.  
Fern Smith's Grammar Center Game "Similes!"
 Shown is one of my best sellers, I just printed the cards in gray scale on light blue hard stock to save ink.
Another great idea for a simile center game is to use paint sample cards.
Fern Smith's Grammar Center Game "Similes!" with Paint Sample Cards 
This is for when you introduce similes, or need remediation with your low-babies. Use two similar colors to help them read and match up the simile. I love the Disney samples because the colors are very bold and the paper is very strong.
Easy Make and Take Centers with Leftover Valentine's Day Candy Boxes
 Then, when your group is more advanced, just use one color for the entire game!
Easy Make and Take Centers with Leftover Valentine's Day Candy Boxes
 Placing matching stickers on the back make the game self-checking/self-correcting!
ENJOY!

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Just Published St. Patrick's Day Properties of Multiplication Mega Math Pack



Fern Smith's Classroom Ideas St. Patrick's Day Properties of Multiplication Mega Math Pack
Just published, just in time for some St. Patrick's Day fun!
Can be used for centers, morning work, homework or even a sub tub day!
Fern Smith's St. Patrick's Day Properties of Multiplication Mega Math Pack
More St. Patrick's Day Fun on My Pinterest Board


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Just Published Discounted Bundle Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Multiplication



Fern Smith's Just Published Discounted Bundle Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Multiplication
This Discounted Bundle contains two packs at 75% off.
1. Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - One By One Digit Multiplication and
2. Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Two By Two Digits Multiplication
Once you teach your students the Steal and Slide method, they can use it for any word problems in your math series or standardize tests! In addition to everything the teacher needs to project and teach, this packet has ten pages with room to practice the Steal and Slide Method. 
Can be used for morning work, homework or a sub tub!
Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - Two Digits By Two Digits Multiplication

Test Prep Baseball's Steal and Slide Method - One By One Digit Multiplication
More Steal and Slide Products on My Pinterest Board


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Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles

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Fern Smith's Guest Blogger ~ Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles By Julia at In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia.
Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles
 I have another terrific guest post from Julia for you. Julia's blog is In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia
The best part of my day is most definitely Literature Circles! I love teaching reading and my class this year is full of very, very avid readers. These kids will read in complete silence for however long I allow them! One day I lost track of time while I was joining them in silent reading, and we all ended up in our books for almost 45 minutes! Whenever I need to replace something in the afternoon with say, a catch-up lesson or activity, I will ask what I should NOT eliminate and they will always beg me to keep silent reading in the schedule. Along with that, they love to talk about their books, and wait anxiously as a friend finishes a borrowed book so they can talk about what happened!

My goal was to make this authentic conversation that the kids have about their independently chosen books carry over into Literature Circles, where they are assigned a novel to read. In order to do that, I decided I would have groups of 4 and each group member would have a "job" that needed to be completed after reading and during Literature Circles. These jobs help ensure that students are taking responsibility for their reading and group conversations!
These are the jobs I came up with:
Fern Smith's Guest Blogger ~ Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles By Julia at In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia.
 Discussion Director: This student is the Leader of the group. He/she will keep track of the groups participation and is also responsible in making sure that everyone shares. This person will record the start time and end time of Literature Circle as well as provide discussion questions for the group. 

 Practical Predictor: This student makes predictions either based on events happening in the story or character motives. Since the jobs are to be held for a remainder of time (not just one night), the Practical Predictor must revisit old predictions each day so the group can either confirm or revise the predictions from before.

 Language Lover: This person determines the hardest words, words that shine, and notable parts in the story. I tell the students that even if you know the meaning of the word, if you think it is hard and maybe someone in your group doesn't know it, record the word so that everyone can discuss it. It is this student's job to make sure the entire group understands all of the challenging words AND recognizes the important parts of the section.

 Visualizer: This student sketches out what he/she visualizes while reading. This person also describes the parts visualized with words. When meeting with the group, the visualizer must check with the rest of the group to see if everyone else "saw the same movie" in their mind.

Students are assigned these jobs for more than one night. I planned it out as 3-4 nights in a row. That way, they can become experts at the job. Since jobs don't change each day, students can start to feel like they "own" it more and put forth better effort while working. When we switch jobs, it is in a rotation, so each student knows which job is coming next.
Fern Smith's Guest Blogger ~ Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles By Julia at In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia.
Literature Circle Successes! 
The Discussion Director is key in making this work. I saw a huge amount of responsibility and seriousness being taken on. These students made sure their group members were involved and followed the routine that were set in place. When students have a responsibility to keep everyone on track, they are seeing that responsibility through. 

Push each other to do better work: When I was observing a group wrap things up, I heard a student say to someone else, "Make sure you write more predictions for tomorrow because we need more to talk about when you share." and another student in that group said, "Yeah, yeah! Because predictions are like the funnest thing to talk about!" I don't think my student wants to let down her friends and will come in with more to share tomorrow!

Students can really delve into their job because it lasts more than one day, and I believe this adds to the success of conversation. They have only one thing they are responsible for when reading AND they get to practice it a few times before they move onto their next job.

Fern Smith's Guest Blogger ~ Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles By Julia at In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia.
Fern Smith's Guest Blogger ~ Create Meaningful Learning with Literature Circles By Julia at In 5th Grade with Teacher Julia.
How do you teach Literature Circles? Is there something you do to ensure student accountability and meaningful learning? 
http://www.teacherjuliasroom.com/
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