Sweet! There's even an ap for that!!

Can you believe there's a common core ap to have immediate access to the common core standards right on your blog?! SWEET!


I heard about this from Tiffani at Time 4 Kindergarten. I'd seen it on other blogs, but Tiffani's gave me exact directions on where to download it from.


What do you think? It is handy having them right over on the right-hand side of my blog? -->
~HoJo~

Friday Funnies - Part 2!

Here's your second dose of HoJo's Friday Funnies. If you didn't catch last week's, go here.

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Back in November of this school year, we had a new student. She had been in school maybe a week. One day she brought her homework back written on 4x5 inch decorative pink paper. I chuckled on the inside, and told her she needed to take her school paper home and use that from now on. She complied and I didn't think much of it.

Later that day, I went back to check her work, and she had written down a problem with this: "the answer is 52, maybe"

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Any funnies to share with me today?

~HoJo~

Top 10 Reasons to Follow HoJo on Facebook! Plus a Linky Party!!

If David Letterman can make a Top 10 list, so can I! =)

Here are the Top 10 reasons to follow HoJo on Facebook!

10 - I have taught a variety of grades K-5 (and counting, because who knows where I'll go next!) So you're bound to get a wide variety of resources!!

9 - I show off some awesome pins there! I have a collection of over 1,500 pins - so you'll get some great ideas!

8 - You'll get to see my latest blog posts! If you sign in to your Facebook more often than you "blog stalk", this will allow you to see my posts shortly after going live!

7 - You will see a wide variety of topics being posted! Giveaways, tips, links to FREEBIES, and more!

6 - You will hear about my newest Teachers Pay Teachers products before anyone else! (And over half my store is FREE, so you'll get a lot of great freebies!)

5 - If you have a question related to teaching, I will be more than happy to help you answer it! My goal is to one day teach future teachers how to teach, so helping other teachers out is not only fun to me, but I thoroughly enjoy it! Post your questions to the wall/timeline at any point and I'll try to help you out!

4 - I won't overwhelm your news feed on Facebook. I tend to post 1-4 times a day. So you'll get great information without clogging your feed!

3 - I teach in South Dakota - the lowest paying state in the nation - so I need positive support from fans like you to keep me going!

2 - I hold random "Flash Freebies" where you can get an item that is normally priced for FREE! But you have to be a Facebook fan to see these!

and...
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1 - I'm asking you really nicely to become a fan. Pretty, pretty please!! =)

Click here to follow me on Facebook!

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I thought it would be fun to get other bloggers involved! So - if you blog, please link up!

Here's what I ask. Make your own "Top 10 List" (or top 5, 20, whatever!), and link up to your blog post. Make sure your blog post directs us to your Facebook page. And please make sure sure to link back to this post. (Feel free to add the linky picture above! Or make your own.) When you post here, please include the grade range and your name. This way people can choose to follow those within their levels! For example, I'll link up as K-5 HoJo's Teaching Adventures. =)


I hope we can all find some great Facebook pages to follow!

Thanks for looking!
~HoJo~
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Facebook Giveaway! Act Quickly! Only good through 3/26/12!!

Looking for a multiplication freebie?

Then head on over to my Facebook page. Once you like my page, you will see which item I am giving away for FREE until 3/26/2012 at 7:00 pm MST. This item normally sells for $1.00, so act quickly!

What are you waiting for? ;)
~HoJo~

PHEW! April Fool's Day falls on Sunday this year!!

I've never had a student be malicious toward me on April Fool's Day, but sometimes I get a tired of little kids "jokes".

"There's a spider on your head!"

"Hey, your shoe's untied!"

If you're a teacher (particularly of younger grades) you know what I'm talking about!

With that being said, I played a bit of a trick on my students last year...

I super glued a quarter and a nickel to the sidewalk just outside of my building! (The Kindergarten building was separate from the rest of the school.) The kids picked and picked and picked, but they couldn't get those darn coins to come up!!

I was rolling! Although of course I had to keep my laughter in for a little bit so they would keep trying. Finally, I had to shout, "APRIL FOOL'S!"

It was a blast! Even better - one of the adults I worked with also tried to pick them up and couldn't figure out why she couldn't get them! lol

Now - I am NOT a mean person, but I see nothing wrong with a good joke once in awhile. And I got the "ok" from my principal and custodian before I did this. Which, I'm glad I did, because it took almost a month before those darn coins came off! I had tried scraping them off and everything else I could think of, but they finally came off about 5 weeks later with the rain.

Have you ever played an April Fool's trick on your students?

~HoJo~

Calling all those who LOVE Reading Recovery!

Let me start by saying,
I LOVE READING RECOVERY!

Alright, now that I got that off my chest, let's begin.

Here's a little background info:

My third year of teaching was spent as a Reading Recovery teacher. When I sit back and reflect on that year, it still amazes me how much I learned! Prior to getting the Reading Recovery training (which is pretty intense!) I really didn't know how to teach students to read. =( I don't know if it was my lack of attention in college, if I just didn't "get" how to teach it, or if I wasn't really taught how to teach reading... Either way - I'm glad I had the training!


The next year I was moved to Kindergarten because my administrator felt I had learned many great skills that were too valuable to use on just the students who were struggling. He wanted me to help an entire classroom. So I took my Reading Recovery skills and put them to good use! (You can read all about how I incorporated Reading Recovery into my reading/writing lessons here.)


After getting Reading Recovery endorsed, I only needed six more credits to earn my South Dakota Reading Specialist certification. So I made the plunge and did that as well! It's a great feeling!!


I'm still relatively new to this blogging world, but I haven't come across any blogs/teachers who are as passionate about Reading Recovery as I am. (Although maybe I'm blind...) So it's time to unite us all!

Here's what I'm asking. Please create a blog post explaining why you are passionate about Reading Recovery. Maybe you've watched the growth a student has made while in the program, maybe the training has made you a much better teacher, or maybe you just have a wealth of resources that you would like to share. Regardless - link up! Please borrow the picture above (I'm not a fancy picture creator by any means! Could you tell?? lol), add it to your blog post, and send a link back this way!

Alright, before I let you go, here are a few products I created with my Reading Recovery background in mind.

Alphabet Letter Sort - $6.00 on TpT - As you are aware, sorting letters/words is a HUGE activity in Reading Recovery. So these 2/3/4 letter sorts work great for the PreK, K, 1st grade kiddos!

Not ready to pay $6.00? That's fine! Check out this Alphabet Letter Sort FREEBIE to try the product out for FREE first!

Reading Recovery really focuses on the positives of what children DO know. So I created this list of 23 items adults can ask children to recognize. It asks for thinks like rhyming words, sight words, letters, punctuation, etc. It sells for just $1.00 in my TpT store.

Alright, time to link up!! I can't wait to start following all of the great Reading Recovery lovers out there!

Thanks!
~HoJo~

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AHHH! State Testing!!

If you are anything like me, you are starting to freak out about state testing! Ours start on Monday, April 2, and we have just a two week testing window. (Did I mention that Easter break - aka a 4-day weekend - just happens to fall in there as well!?!)

I feel particularly stressed this year because I will be reading the test aloud to my 5th grade special ed kiddos. There are nine kiddos who need the test read aloud! (I have one of the bigger caseloads in my school - which is fine, because it keeps me busy and I know some schools have WAY more than nine on a caseload!) But it's also a little nervewracking because I cannot stand watching students mark the wrong answer and not being able to do anything about it. Since I read the tests in small groups, I see that first hand. In my opinion, it's downright sad and depressing at times.

Anyway, the kids have to take three reading tests and three math tests. Oh, and I can't forget to mention that 5th graders also take three science tests. Plus, I have to read to them in small groups - so I will be reading 18 different tests over the course of just eight days. not.fun.at.all

Done whining! Sorry!!

  

Alright, so how do you prep kiddos for the test?? Honestly, I don't really know. Obviously good teaching is key, but I don't know how much good this last minute cramming the few weeks before the test does. I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all answer. Similarly, every kid can't prepare/study in the same way.

However, I have been trying to find every good idea I can online to pin! If you want to check out my test prep board - head on over!

One of my favorite posts about reducing stress before test prep has come from "Wise Guys". Their blog post is entitled "Ideas to Take the Stress Away". Go check it out!

Here are some things I've done in my general education classroom in the past:

• buy smarties candy and tell the students how smart they are!
• give the students peppermint candies to suck on (I've heard there's research supporting this - but I've never read/seen it for myself)
• given the students "You can do it!" pencils for motivation

Another thing I've done in the past is to make a sort of "contract notecard". I don't know about you, but I've had some students who could care less about the tests. (Not that I entirely blame them!) With that being said, they still need to do their best.


So I stole borrowed this idea from a former coworker. What she did and I adapted was to have each student take a notecard and write something along these lines:


 I will...

1. work the entire time.
2. follow directions. (because we know this can cover anything!)
3. quietly read a book when I'm finished (because I don't want them to get up)
4. read everything on the test and answer all questions (we can't look to make sure they did this in SD)

If I do these things, I will... (earn ______, do well on the test, whatever fits your student/class!)
Student then signs/dates


Here's an example:

This "contract notecard" is taped to their desk during the test. This way you can simply point to whatever "rule" the student is not following. (Which is a great reason to have #2!)



The friend who introduced me to this idea said to have 3-5 things. So pick what is most important to you and go with that.

How do you motivate your students to do well on the test? What type of test prep do you do? Any tips for calming teachers' nerves the week of? lol

And I will end on a positive note about testing. As evil as it may seem, I do think the tests can do some good. They can hold schools accountable, and I feel it helps get a "whole picture" of the student when taken into consideration with grades, effort, and other formal/informal assessments. However, that still doesn't mean I have to like reading 18 tests aloud!! ;)



Here's another positive - there's a linky party going with FREE test prep materials. Click on the picture below to head to Laurah's ESOL Odyssey linky party!

If you are looking for even more great testing ideas and blog posts, you need to check out this Test Prep linky party by Jennifer at Empowering Little Learners! Click on the picture below to check it out!

And if you want even more test prep hints - check out this linky party by The Tutor House.

Happy testing! (Is that an oxymoron or what?!)
~HoJo~

Friday Funnies!

So I had this fun idea a couple of weeks ago, and I am just finally posting it.


My goal is to give you a "Friday Funny" each week. You know students say some of the darndest things in the classroom! Well, I've only been in teaching for five years, but I've already heard some great ones!

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Here's my first official "Friday Funny":

During a 5th grade science class earlier this year, the students were using animal cards to sort animals into groups based on whatever criteria they picked. After the sort, they were to pick two animals to complete a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the animals. 


One boy looked at me with a vampire bat card in his hand. He pointed out the part that says “Sucks: 9 months”, and said, “Wow, do they really suck that long? I didn’t know vampires could stay attached that long.”


It took me a second to realize he thought the bat was a literal vampire. I then told him, “That means they nurse for 9 months.”


He looked at me blankly and said, “oh”. Then he said, “Oh” again. And finally, I knew he had gotten it because he let out one more exasperated “OH!” as his face turned red.

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If you like this "Friday Funny", please check back each week to view my newest one. I will try to post one every Friday of the school year, but I anticipate taking the summers off.


Now it's your turn! Please leave a comment below with a funny story your students have done or blog about it and leave me the link.


Thanks for stopping by!
~HoJo~

CAFE update

I posted about starting the CAFE model earlier this year, but I never came back to update you. SHAME ON ME!!

As you know, I am teaching 5th grade special ed this year. Mostly I am in an inclusion setting, but I do pull the kiddos for reading from time to time. During this time we do a mini lesson to focus on the skill they are covering in the classroom AND we do The CAFE model from "The Sisters" (modified to best fit our limited time in the room!).

I made these boring headings up all by myself. The little clothespins are to be a visual reminder for the kiddos as to which skill they are working on.

(I am breaking a rule by "The Sisters" here. :S I am supposed to have the students write these cards out, but when I only pull 2-3 times a week and have 40 minutes, I just can't make it work...)

I meet with each student individually. My goal is to meet with them every other time we go to my room for reading. (Anywhere from once to four times per week - depending what is going on in the general ed classroom.)

This is our expanding vocabulary wall. (I swear there are more words on it now, this picture was taken the first week we started it!!)

Any time one of the kiddos finds a word they do not know while reading (whether it is at home, in my room, or in the gen ed room), I ask them to write the word and its definition down on a post-it. Then they put it on the wall.

Finally, I am them to use these words in a sentence. Each time a student is able to use a vocab word from the wall into a correct sentence they earn a point. Each point earns them one free minute of computer time. They love it! Plus - I am honestly hearing these words in every day conversation!!

Alright, that's what my CAFE model looks like in a nutshell. What do you do? I'd love for you to leave me a comment with your ideas OR leave the link to your direct blog post so I can read more about it!

Thanks!

~HoJo~

Say What?! Did they really choose me??

I'm still in a bit of shock! Education World chose me as one of their "2012 Education World’s Top 25 Blogs for Educators"! WHAT?!


I only started this blogging adventure on November 7, 2011. So here I am, barely four months in, and I get this amazing honor! I feel so humbled and blessed.


Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to check out my blog again and again. I hope I can continue to provide you with great ideas! =)


And please click on the picture below to see the other 24 great blogs that were chosen!

Thank you again to everyone who has helped me get this far! I am so appreciative and humbled. =)
~HoJo~

GIVEAWAY from Life in Special Education!

Have you heard about this giveaway?!? It is going to be amazing!

Karla over at Life in Special Education is hosting it. Click on that previous link to go directly to the post to read about it and enter. Or read more about what's included in the post below...

Here's what one lucky person will win!

(If Karla has a super-amazing turn out, she will offer additional prizes for a 2nd and 3rd place winner!) 



$20 from Karla's Teachers Pay Teachers
Store!



100 Riddles for the 100 Chart $4
by Linda Nelson

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Super Sleuths
Sentences $2.50 by Michelle Walker

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Long and Short Vowel Sort $3 by HoJo

Spring Unit Combo Pack $10 by Valerie
Young

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Spelling Contract $2 by KnightsTeacher

Awesome Earth Day Activities $4 by
Krystal Mills

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Bug Ya: Basic Math Facts and Computation Game $2.29 by
Scipi

Cootie Catchers-Contractions $5 by Stacy
Mickelson

Springing into LiteracyStation $5.95 by
Cynthia Vautrot

Nouns Mini Unit $4 by Tessa Maguire

Gumball Hard and Soft C $3 by The
Teaching Bank

Monstering
Multiplication $6 by A Series of 3rd Grade Events

Dolphins at Daybreak Novel Study $3 by
TchrBrowne

Mini Beast Math Centers $5 by Down
Under Teacher

Spring Math and Literacy Centers $8 by D Conway

Wow!  That's a lot of stuff!  Over $80 worth of amazing teaching resources ready to use in your classroom!  So, who wants to win it all?  

Enter at Life in Special Education blog.

A lucky winner will be selected on Wednesday, March 28 around 5:00 pm!

Here are all of the stores giving away items!

Lessons From the Middle

FREE K-5 Differentiated Easter & Spring Story Starters

Here are five different Easter/spring story starters for grades K-5. There are three different formats to differentiate the writing for each prompt.

The story starters/writing prompts include:

• Oh, no! The Easter Bunny slept in late! Now he has to…
• The best thing about Easter is…
• The coolest Easter egg I’ve ever seen was…
• The Easter bunny brought me a chocolate egg. Right as I went to take a bite out of it…
• The best thing about spring is…
• One beautiful spring day I was out walking, when suddenly I saw…

Click on any of the pictures below to be taken directly to Teachers Pay Teachers for your FREE DOWNLOAD!

I would LOVE to hear how you plan to use these in your classroom! If you send me a picture of them being used in your room and give me permission to post them on my blog, I will give you one free item from my TpT store. =)


Want some Easter freebies? Check out this Easter freebies linky!

Looking for even more great Spring activities! Then you have to check out this linky party over at Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives! Click on the picture below to go directly there.

Happy almost Easter!!

~HoJo~

Labels for Classrooms!

I try to stay organized. That's just the way I am. So when I walked into my first Kindergarten classroom and saw class materials thrown about, I panicked! I knew I had to get them organized, sorted into the appropriate bin, and labeled. (I wish I had before/after pics, but of course I wasn't into blogging back then and such things never crossed my mind!!)


If you try to be organized like I do, maybe you will benefit from these labels. Each label has the word on it as well as a picture for non-readers. I found my students often would even write these words down when writing the room!


The labels include:

• colored pencils
• thin markers
• markers
• magnifying glasses
• crayons
• play-dough
• water paints
• glue
• pencils
• paintbrushes
• stamps & inkpads
• glue sticks
• sponges
• scissors
• cookie cutters
• stencils
• dot paint
• chalk
• foam lacing letters
• erasers
• water sticks
• dry erase markers

Click here to get your FREE labels!!

Looking for more ways to get organized? Click on the picture below to go to an organization linky party!!

Thanks for looking!
~HoJo~