Stephanie Davis' Class Learning Through Fun, While Striving to be Perfectly Purple

Stephanie Davis' Class Learning Through Fun, While Striving to be Perfectly Purple
 Click on the link above to watch my video segment on the news tonight.  I was awarded the Golden Apple Teacher Award last week, so my classroom was taped last Thursday.  My students are thrilled to be "celebrities"!

Brain Sprinkles

For those time when your brain needs an extra boost!  I have seen this a few places, but I first saw it on Sarah Cooley's blog, HERE.   This is probably one of my favorite things to do with my students.  Sarah is so right...there are those moments when my students just look sleepy---and I say the magic words, "Hmmm....do we need some Brain Sprinkles?"  Their moods completely change...smiles appear....and they are re-energized!  It is some amazing stuff!  I made mine with a rock salt grinder, some left over purple sprinkles from my daughter's birthday cupcakes, and some colored sprinkles we had in our pantry.  The cool thing is that after I have used them this year, the purple sprinkles have turned the salt purple!  I never take the top off, but I just "shake" those sprinkles on top of their heads! Some students request more, and some say they only need a little....lots of times they ask me to use it on the Smart Board or the computer when we have technical difficulties!  Kids are so awesome!  The funny part is that if I have adults in my room- they usually ask for some sprinkles too!  Of course, I always make sure to save a lot for myself!

My New Station Chart

I saw on Pinterest where someone used their SmartBoard for their Station Rotations.  Once again... I was thinking to myself, "Seriously, why did I never think of that?"  I am so glad that teachers share their ideas on-line!  So, I made my own flow chart for my math stations.  I have it arranged with my paired partners, so they can remember to work together.  While I was making my chart, which literally took about 15 minutes, I realized that I wouldn't be able to use my timer anymore.  I use it every day so the students will know when to change stations.  Then, the idea came to me...I can just copy and paste it to my station board!
   We used this today instead of the super cute Stations Chart I spent hours making....and it was GREAT!  The students loved it, and it was easily read and interpreted by all of my students.  My new motto is that it doesn't matter how long I spend making something.  If I find something that works better- then I should just use it! (I am still using my old chart for my Reading Stations.)

Angry Bird Math

 I watched this amazing math lesson you can find here. This teacher used angry birds to teach all kinds of math skills.  Now, his towers are much larger and more 3-D.  I might try that next year.  But, I just wanted to implement this easily right now.  So, I used my daughter's colored blocks and three angry birds I bought at Toys R'Us.  I showed my students how to play today during math stations.  The group built the tower, and the students took turns throwing the birds at the towers.  They had so much fun!  I made a recording sheet below for each student.

There is a table that explains how the different colored blocks are worth different points.  Their partner gathered the blocks that they knocked down for each attempt.  Then, they added their points together to get their final score.  The person in the group with the highest score wins... but who am I kidding...throwing angry birds, knocking down blocks, building towers....THEY ALL WON!  They were thrilled with this math lesson.
   Just to let you know...we played this as a family at home first with my 4-year-old daughter.  I really like using the different colored blocks because it made the points system easy.  I also like how easy this is to store.  I will able to use this on multiple occasions for a station.  It is something the students can do without me.  We also were able to review 3-dimensional shapes, and we reviewed measurement when we measured how far away you had to stand before throwing the birds.  This is such a brilliant idea!

Classroom Library Baskets

 I love using these big pictures of the characters on my book basket labels.  These help my students remember what "characters" mean. (I put my labels on my baskets with velcro which is why they look a little crooked.  Apparently, one has fallen off and the kids have put it back on.  But, velcro is so much easier than anything else.  I just didn't realize how crooked it was before I took the picture!)

 I also use these baskets because they hold so many more books.  This Junie B. Jones Label is one of my favorites!

Of course, I also have this Purple Book Man Label for all of the books that have the word "Purple" in the title.

WBT Scoreboard

 I have been using Whole Brain Teaching in my classroom this year, and I LOVE IT!  I made these cards for the Scoreboard- Smileys/Frownies.  I wear the different level on my lanyard each day.  I carry my Vis-a-Vis Pen with me everywhere I go.  It is truly amazing.  Even if I wasn't doing WBT- I would still use this for a Behavior Plan.  For those of you unfamiliar with this- you should really look it up on http://wholebrainteaching.com/.  It is such an exciting and engaging way to teach.
    To explain more about the cards above, Level 1 is Smileys and Frownies- Level 2 is to focus on one of the rules (for example Rule 2: Raise your hand for permission to speak.  I always say not to be a squawker.) -Level 3 is Girls versus Boys- Level 4 is Doubles Day (which is great for adding doubles all day long)- and Level 5 is Students versus Teacher.  

This is what it looks like for Level 2, then I add tally marks all day when they are earning Smileys or Frownies.  Thank you WBT!  You have made my life so much easier!

Purple Jobs

 Each day, one person at a table gets to have all of the special jobs.  I always have a Line-Up Leader and a Teacher's Pet, too. (Pictured at the bottom.) These special purple jobs allow each table to have a leader. This child is in charge of putting papers in the Purple Box, passing out all of the papers at the end of the day from the Purple Box, making any decisions for the table, speaking for the table, and just general every day things that could occur.  My students never ask to do anything- because they know that the Purple Job is special to one person each day of the week.  They never even argue about what animal they get!  It works great.  Of course, their seat at the table determines their Purple Job.  I don't have any more than 5 people at a table.

I also have a picture in a magnet frame on my board which reminds me of who is in charge, just in case I forget.  I even use these animals for lining up- I will call for all of the Purple Cats first, then Purple Giraffes, etc.  My other jobs are listed below.  I have all boys on one ring, and all girls on the other ring.  I go through the whole ring, and then switch them.  My Line-Up Leader gets to line up first and pick our Line-Up songs in the hallways.  This person also gets to choose how we say Goodbye each day.  My Teacher's Pet job is for running errands, taking the lunch count, passing out soap, and being the door holder.  Only having two main jobs has made my life so much simpler!  With the Purple Jobs and the Helping Paws Jobs, no one is ever left out.  I have made sure that they are consistently helping me and feeling super special about their place in our class!