Five for Friday/Student Motivation: Quarterly Incentive

I am going to be linking up with both Doodle Bugs and Head over Heels!

As a fifth grade team, we came to the consensus to keep points for each students. At the end of each class period, we go around the room and the kids tell us how many points out of 3 they have earned.

1 for being prepared with EVERYTHING they need for class

1 for participating, not just sitting there like a bump on a log

1 for on task behavior that follows expectations

We, the teachers, can award an additional point to a student that we feel went above and beyond what was expected. That is few and far between. 

At the end of each 9 weeks, we calculate how many points they earned, what was possible accounting for days the student was absent, and then come up with a percentage.

Then we come together and take an average from their three classes (reading, math, & homeroom)

If they have an 85% overall, they qualify for the quarterly incentive. We do not tell them what it is before. It is a surprise! 

(If they don't have 85% then they go to a study hall room and have a packet of work to keep them busy.)

Our plan for this quarter was simple. We were going to watch Mr. Peabody & Sherman and have caramel apples. We found out about 20 mins before school that the movie was a no-go and all of us started thinking a million miles an hour. What were we going to do to fill an hour & a half with 60ish kids? Luckily we have our prep first thing in the morning and I hit Pinterest for "Halloween Crafts". I found a lot of idea but what could we do with whatever supplies we had in the school? 

After scrounging and begging from our fellow staff members: 

Ta Da!

The kids loved it and it turned out super cute!

This was probably the favorite of most kids…

They just got to be kids.

The grass was covered just enough with frost that they could slide down on their coats or shoes if they didn't have that great of traction.

I tried to take a picture with just a couple of kids… others noticed and wanted in on it too. 

Their yummy treat!

This wasn't part of the incentive. This has been a tradition as the advanced/on grade level reading classes use it to spring board into How To speeches. We decided to just make a day of the activities. 

Yes, his head is completely inside his pumpkin.

Most of the 5th grade team…missing one.

Hope you all have a fabulous Halloween week! I have conferences on Thursday and Friday so it's a short week. However, my school basically drips Halloween so I won't miss out on the chaos. 

Smiles!

*Steph*

Five for Friday: Love, Tip & Laugh

This going to be short and sweet because I still have lots to do even though it's Friday!

LOVE

My little (not really a baby anymore) girl splashing and watching airplanes.

From my hubby and his help. He is out of town and his work assignment has been extended a week.

Love him.

 

TIP

Do you wear a belt to actually hold your pants up and
not just for looks? I have to.

I always hate when I have a loose end flapping. Enter a simple idea.

A clear hair elastic.

Boom.

Mind blown.

As time has gone on, it has turned black from the belt but that camouflages it even more.

You're welcome. :)

I posted my classroom tour! Click {here} to check it out.

LAUGH

Saw this at a school in my district… couldn't help but take a picture.

An expensive doorstop don't you think?

It made me think about those meme things. 

p.s. it didn't look like it was in working condition anyways.

Classroom Tour 2014

I am finished! 

Ok not really. 

It looks good, but I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of how things are going to run in my new classroom. We had our open house picnic on Tuesday with the class list reveal and today was the first day with students. Luckily, we don't start switching for our leveled reading and math classes until Monday. I have a general idea of how I want things go, but we'll see. This is a new grade, a new math program, a new way I am using our reading program and waiting on IT to get through some work orders. A lot of things are bound to change.

Without further ado…

Welcome to Fifth Grade!

Just inside the door, along the back wall. 

The cubbies are where my students will keep their binder/homework folder, notebooks, and other personal supplies until they are sent into their other classes.

From the other back corner

I have boxes out for some supplies if students brought them to the open house.

My teacher corner

I went to a kidney table this year and a small side table. I'm excited about not having a black hole to just drop things in. 

:)

View from my corner

My hubby made me the pine shelf and I love it! 

File crates fit perfectly and so do the three drawer organizers. 

I'm still decided what to do with the black paper trays and colored tubs. 

Last year I used them for turn in bins and each class had a designated color. I think I will do the same again this year and then when I need to go through them, set the tub on my black filing cabinets so I know that I need to take care of that tub. We'll see if I'm able to keep up on them better than last year. 

My calendar

Where I am going to try out Jivey's Mentor Sentences with my intervention reading class.

*p.s.* I had asked for some ideas on how to cover the bottom of the chalkboard where there used to be a shelf. I ended up using just a regular border. Corkboard went right up to the edge of the chalkboard so I stapled it and it worked out perfectly!

My library

Homework page to fill out for students to copy into their planner

My fun US map rug I scored at Costco

 

I have the reading intervention class so I went through and separated out series that are close to their reading levels. I also put out some picture books because I will have students with 1st-2nd grade reading levels. We'll see how it works. 

I am super excited about having it actually organized and labeled. :)

My attendance check in. 

I feel like I need something above it because the fabric is really busy but haven't figured out what I want there.

Students choose a red or blue stick and put it their pocket. This does two things, I know who is here and how many hot lunches to account for. 

*Note* One day in and that cup needs a different means of attachment. 

Right now its on a picture frame Command hook, but with students reaching in, it fell off. TWICE. 

My still work in progress texts and supply area.

Math folders

Go Math program student materials that need ripped out and organized

Empty tubs for possible reading workshop activities.

I have team tubs (which I now have to figure out where to put a 7th tub)

Go Math manipulative storage

My students store their backpacks in their desk because my closet is tiny. 

We have to keep it open for snow gear. It's not fun when a kid's back pack is soaked because of wet gear.

I also use the chair covers so students have a place to put things out of the way during reading and math since we switch for leveling.

My coat closet

I'm going to be keep extra markers, colored pencils and things like that in the tubs.

My welcome message during Open House.

The best addition to my classroom was today.

My husband has been on another out of town work assignment. He left last Monday and was suppose to come home today but it got extended another week. I feel for those single parents who work. I have been stressed and exhausted. If it wasn't for good friends, I don't know what I would have done. 

Today I received a delivery. 

A beautiful wrap of flowers from my husband! (with a little help)

I got a vase during a break and it just made my day to look at these and know that he remembered me on this day. It was perfect. I love him! 

Sorry if too mushy for you, but I do! :) 

Hope you enjoyed "visiting" my room!

*Steph*

Monday Meet Me

Hello! I'm going to introduce myself to the blogging world! Join the party! 

I teach… 5th grade now! I've been in 4th for the past three years (my first three years of teaching). It has been a fabulous time and I have learned so much from my team teachers and am feeling a little sad to be leaving them. However, I am moving up to 5th grade in the same building so I'll still get to see them around. I'm really excited about the opportunity I had to move up and gain more experience and work with some other fabulous teachers. We are going to rock it this year!

In addition, I have loved teaching since I started. I've definitely had some bumps in the road as I came to know and understand myself as a professional in charge of the education of 9 year olds. I would not change anything. This is what I have always wanted to do, besides a small time in middle school when I wanted to be a pediatric zoologist to play with the baby animals. 

I have… an adorable little girl. She is full of energy and has no fear. Kasila is also very independent and has learned that she can have her own opinions and ideas about things. Sometimes that means that she goes out in her shoes that are WAY to big for her little feet. :)

I watch… a lot of Disney movies. We are a Disney home and most of the time, I choose to watch a Disney movie over anything else. Truly, I am a musical fan. I sometimes choose based on the soundtrack of the movie. I also really like historical based movies, which usually end up being war related. My husband and I enjoy watching Band of Brothers together.

I listen… to my little girl formulating her thoughts in sentences. I may not be able to understand her, but she is definitely babbling in complete thoughts.  I also enjoy any feel good music. Disney, country, 50's, the Disney singers (not movie soundtracks), pop, whatever. I'm not too picky as long as it had a good beat.

I read… almost anything! My husband and I are both bookworms. One of our mutual favorites is Matthew Reilly, an Australian author. He is an action/drama/military author. I also like Rick Riordan, Richelle Mead, Tamora Peirce, Brandon Mull, Janette Oke, Gail Carson Levine, and CJ Box. As a kid I really liked The Boxcar Children.

I do… love to groove! I actually met my husband country swing dancing! He was the one doing all the flips with girls so I asked him if he could teach me. It worked out well for me. :)  Also, I love the feeling when I have finished something that actually took work to do. Mowing the lawn is one of my favorite things to do because I can see the difference my work makes before, during, and after mowing. 

Phew… that was a lot, maybe too much. Sorry! I hope that you have a fabulous week! :) 

*Steph*

Five for Friday: School's Out!

My kiddos know me so well. This is the perfect card for me as I adore piggies! I was definitely showered with love by the kids. I received quite a few hugs from students I never would have expected it from!

We had our Initial Program Overview on Wednesday. We had to add an extra day due a snow day, so the district made it a PD day instead of a student contact day. This way they were able to give us a little bit of time with our new math program. There are definitely mixed feelings at my school. We are having to give up Saxon, which they have been doing since um… forever. I am not as tied to Saxon as others and I'm looking forward to working through chapters. Every program has its quirks but I'm hopeful about this one! 

If you have any insights to Go Math, please comment and let me know! 

On our last work day, the 5th grade team got together and we put together our class lists for next year. I am super excited about it because now I am able to think about the students I have when planning during the summer! I have a generally idea of who is going to be in my homeroom, reading and math classes. It's going to be a great year as I loop up with my kids from this year!

I get to spend more time with this adorable, little munchkin! This is on our walk #tothemailbox!

This is what happens when you get a frisbee stuck in a tree at family night at the fire station! My hubby is the one operating the ladder on the main truck.