Blog

Master Meet the Teacher & Conquer Curriculum Night

July 22, 2014July 23, 2014By astutehoot

Just the mention of Meet the Teacher or Curriculum Night makes most teachers break out into a cold sweat. Why is this? We speak in front of people all day, every day, but the difference is their age. Children will still love us if we make a mistake, get nervous or act silly (they especially love when this happens). Adults by nature are more judgmental and harder to win over. Stop the dread and take back control with these easy tips:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare: Plan your handouts and student activities at least 2 days before the big event. Don’t wait until last minute–that’s when the copier breaks or the computer runs out of ink. Not sure what to say at Meet the Teacher and Curriculum Night? Download our Welcome Back to School Parent Packet for several important customizable letters and forms.

2. Post directions & agenda for the night: Write specific directions for parents to read as they come into the classroom. Make sure they know they must fill out transportation form, room parent slip and student information card. Plus it gives them something to do (other than staring at you) while waiting for the presentation to start. Many parents must attend more than one Meet the Teacher on the same night. Help these parents by posting an agenda (with times) for the night so they can determine the best time to quietly exit and go to next session.

3. Serve refreshments: It is polite to serve refreshments for guests in your home and the same etiquette applies in the classroom. I purchase inexpensive cookies (from Target or Walmart) and place on serving trays. Add decorative napkins and flowers as a finishing touch.

4. Provide engaging activities for students: At the beginning of the night, I need to address just the parents and don’t want students talking or running around the room. While parents are completing necessary paperwork, I gather students (and their siblings) and bring them to the carpet area where I give them a word search, pencil and white board. I explain directions and set expectations for their behavior. I also pass out lollipops to eat–this keeps their mouths busy while I am addressing parents. Be sure to put a garbage can there as well or you will have wrappers and sticks all over the room.

After I speak to parents, I give the kids a scavenger hunt with 9 boxes of items to find in class. I glue small, round stickers to each scavenger sheet; students place a sticker on the box after the item is found. When students are finished, they get to help themselves to refreshments (I set a limit on number of cookies or you will have a couple that will try to take the whole tray–trust me, I’ve learned from experience)

5. Create suggested supplies visual: Each year students come in with random bags of supplies and rarely want to share them with the rest of the classroom. To alleviate this problem this year, I listed specific supplies I wanted to students to bring and then created a visual of what the supplies should look like. I simply purchased a medium-sized pencil case and glued the requested supplies inside and showed it during the presentation, reminding parents to unwrap items and place inside case as shown. This year all the students brought their prepared pencil cases just as I had shown and it was a HUGE time-saver! They simply put inside their desks and we were able to move on to other procedures.

6. Make a Giving Tree: Parents love to donate supplies at the beginning of the year, so write down each item on an apple and post on a Giving Tree. Remind parents to pick an apple or two before they leave for the night. They return the apple with donations during the first week of school.

Most importantly, remember to smile, breathe and believe in yourself! You’ve got this!

Back to School Organization 101

July 20, 2014By astutehoot

Does the sight of this classroom make you shudder? Unfortunately for many teachers, this is reality during back to school season. As soon as we sign our contract, we become immediate hoarders, stock piling supplies purchased during those great back to school sales. But once we get in the classroom, we realize there’s simply not enough space for 100 boxes of crayons. What is one to do? Here are 4 easy storage solutions to get your year off on the right foot:

1. Book Boxes: These colorful cardboard book boxes are perfect for any type of paperwork. I purchased several to hold daily work as well as quarterly copies of behavior charts, writing paper and reflection forms. I also use them to store my centers; each box holds a specific concept (i.e. ABC order, antonyms). They can also be used as writing portfolios to organize students’ writing pieces.

2. Plastic Bowls: I purchased 4 bowls from Target clearance section to hold small items that I need throughout the day. These bowls are perfect for staples, rubber bands, paper clips and push pins. Simply label and place on desk.

3. Silverware Caddy: A silverware caddy is the ideal desk storage solution because it has multiple spaces to hold a variety of items. I use the first 3 sections to store scissors, pens and . The back section is much larger, perfect for stickers and notepads. I label each section to help ensure continued organization (especially if students use).

4. Tupperware Storage: Inexpensive tupperware is a great solution for small items such as googly eyes, jewels, beads, cotton balls and clothespins. Plus they stack easily, making organization a snap. Add labels to find items easily.

Have an innovative organization or storage solution? I’d love to hear from you!

Keep Calm and Teach On

July 17, 2014By astutehoot

We’ve all had that dreadful teacher moment–the time when a student vomits all over you or your behaviorally-challenged student forgets his meds during a full moon. It’s that moment that sends shivers down your spine, makes you question your career choice and urges you to head for the hills and never look back. However, those 25 bright, shiny faces are staring at you, waiting for your reaction and depending on you to remain cool, calm and collected.

In times like these, rely on your Keep Calm and Teach On board, a special reflective space that helps you de-stress, regain composure and focus on the big picture. This board should reflect your personality, interests and favorites. Fill with special pictures, mementos, dreams and aspirations.

Board Set-Up: First I gathered several of my treasured pictures and mementos and then narrowed down to my absolute favorites. I measured my dimensions of my allotted space and replicated my board on a large table, rearranging several times until I found the perfect arrangement. It took only about 10 minutes to hang (thanks to my trusty glue gun).

Here’s what I included on my board:

Believe: This is a powerful reminder to believe in myself and stay focused on my aspirations.

Travel: My husband, Brett, and I love to travel; this is a picture of us in Napa (one of our favorite destinations).

Teacher Barbie: Brett bought this for me as a Back to School gift one year because I love Barbies and this is a personal replica (I even have a similar outfit).

The Beach: This is definitely my happy place and a great visualization in times of stress.

Kitty Perry: As many know, I love cats and Katy Perry; this card is the perfect blend of both.

Sawyer & Jack: Here’s our two “babies” as tiny kittens.

A Crayon: I love art and creating new things–it’s probably my favorite part of teaching.

High Heels: I have a love affair with shoes (I’m working on it) and you will find me wearing high heels everyday, no exceptions.

Besides providing some stress relief, my Keep Calm and Teach On board helped organized my desk area. I moved all of my important, yet unsightly school paperwork (staff phone list, parent directory, special notes, etc.) and taped to the inside of my cabinets right behind my desk. Now I’m ready to tackle any classroom challenge that comes my way!

I’d love to hear your Keep Calm and Teach On ideas! Please share your suggestions and comments below.

Vegas Baby!

July 13, 2014July 20, 2014By astutehoot

We just wrapped up our first TeachersPayTeachers conference in Vegas and we had a blast! We learned so much, especially about Pinterest, data and marketing and we are so excited to apply it as soon as we get back. All of the presenters were so inspiring and informative. The best part was meeting other teachers who share our passion and creativity. We look forward to collaborating with them in the near future! Some other fabulous TPT sellers we met were:

S.T.E.M.agination Station
Diapers, Dollars, and Diplomas
Surfing to Success
Second Grade Sugar and Spice
Journey of a Substitute Teacher

There were a lot of fun scavenger hunts going around; we loved the idea and created our own. We had the BEST people watching spot at Cabo Wabo at Planet Hollywood. Here are a few photos we took from our scavenger hunt:

A "celebrity" siting — **A “celebrity” sighting**

(And a few other unpostable items….)

After the conference ended, we were ready to dance and ended up The Bank at Bellagio. It was the perfect ending to an amazing weekend!

Check out our upcoming Back to School Bootcamp blog series that will cover such topics as Organization 101, Mastering Meet the Teacher & Curriculum Night, Dress for Success, Keep Calm and Teach On and many more!

Jennifer’s Summer Story

July 9, 2014July 10, 2014By astutehoot

Wow! This summer is flying by so fast. My boys attend a school with a modified year-round school schedule so that means that their first day of school is right around the corner on July 21st! Although I worked managing Teacher Development Coaches at a summer Pre-Service Training for new teachers throughout the entire month on of June, I still had a chance to squeeze in some summer fun with my family.

We had an incredible time visiting the Grand Canyon for the very first time. The boys were amazed at its grandeur…and I was freaked out each time they got close to the edge! We went on an exciting jeep tour and learned a lot about the history of the Grand Canyon.

Before we left, the boys picked out some cool souvenirs; a bow and arrow for Jake and a dream catcher and pocket knife for Alec. We also bought an awesome book called Whose Tail on the Trail at the Grand Canyon? . The author, Midji Stephenson, signed a copy for us too! We had so much fun reading the book when we got home as we had to guess which tail was on the trail as we turned each page. The book has beautiful illustrations and fun rhymes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has visited the Grand Canyon.

Whose Tail on the Trail at Grand Canyon?

Now that we are back from vacation and gearing up for school, I realized that I needed to start getting the boys back on a routine and provide some structure into their days because they have been acting like wild animals Alec and Jake helped me put together the following visual schedule for our remaining two weeks of summer break. We have it posted on the fridge and I see them referring to it throughout the day. I wish I put this in place earlier in the summer! Children crave structure and routines. Using a visual schedule and daily routines are great ways to support this for all children.

A great resource for putting strong routines, procedures, and transitions in place for the beginning of the school year can be found here.

Back to School Teacher Toolbox: Routines, Procedures and Transitions

Tina’s Summer Story

July 7, 2014By astutehoot

The Astute Hoot gals are always on the move in one way or another and this summer has been no different. I was lucky enough to take a trip of a lifetime with my husband Nick and dog Luna in a 24ft RV (named Loretta) for the last 2 months. We left on May 3rd and returned home on July 4th. We traveled around the perimeter of the USA looking for a new place to eventually live and to kick off our creative business together. All-in-all we visited 25 states and drove over 11,700 miles! We took about 10,000 vacation photos during the 2 months and have only scratched the surface of editing. One of my favorite things to take pictures of is critters. We kept a list of all the wild animals we saw and some of them stayed still enough for a photo op. Here’s a couple of my favorite pics from the first few places we visited. To see more of the pics and highlights you can visit the TNTbomb.com travel blog.

Our site-seeing began in South Dakota at Bear Country USA, then on to the Badlands, Mt Rushmore and many other Great Plains roadside attractions.

Next we spent some time in the AMAZING Yellowstone National Park. I was in love with all the critters everywhere, including buffalo that walk right past your car.

Once we passed the plains we enjoyed the beauty of the coast and spent some time with friends in Seattle.

We also enjoyed more city time in Portland and went to the market for some food, crafts and people watching.

It took us a long time to travel down the Oregon and California coast because every mile was as beautiful as the one before. The ocean was always calling us to dip our toes in and let Luna take a swim.

Maximize Summer Break, Minimize Back to School Stress

July 6, 2014By astutehoot

Summer is about enjoying the little pleasures of life…..sleeping in past 6, sipping coffee leisurely, eating lunch at a real restaurant (as compared to the teachers’ lounge), trading Common Core reading for romance novels. Summer is also the perfect time to conquer some of those pesky classroom projects that have been lingering on your to-do list. Pick one or two that will be most beneficial and alleviate some of the back to school stress. Here’s a few ideas:

1. Organize classroom library: My mom was a reading specialist and I was lucky enough to inherit a large library, but was overwhelmed by quantity and storage options. I purchased dish washing pans from the local dollar store, organized books by topics and then printed labels for the bins. My students continuously put books in the wrong bins, which drives me nuts! I decided to print labels to place on the front of books to help students return books correctly.

2. Purge files: The vast majority of my curriculum is saved on my computer, yet I continue to hold onto unnecessary paper copies. I purged most of my files and was able to consolidate 2 large filing cabinets into one small cabinet that fits perfectly by my desk. Less paperwork, more space is a win-win!

3. Assemble centers: Engaging, differentiated games and materials are imperative for successful, productive center time, yet preparation can be laborious and time-consuming. Purchase a few center game books and prepare centers while catching up on Netflix. (Check out Ebay for great deals on popular center books.)

4. Begin Back to School prep: The beginning of the year can be so daunting–there is always so much to do and such limited time. Tackle a time-intensive project so it’s one less thing to do during back to school craziness. I assemble a class set of Golden Keys to Success construction paper pocket books to store all of their Back to School activities.

While thinking about your summer projects, be sure to check out our Best of Back to School Lesson Plans that includes comprehensive first week lesson plans and 50+ interactive, engaging activities that allows you to maximize summer break and minimize Back to School stress.

To help ease into summer fun, sign up for our FREE Kindle Fire Giveaway here http://tinyurl.com/oehe7z4

Jessica’s Summer Story

July 2, 2014July 2, 2014By astutehoot

The Astute Hoot girls are living some amazing summer stories! Tina is nearing the last leg of her 11,000-mile Creative RV Tour with her husband, Nick. Jen is venturing to Northern Arizona with her husband, Todd, and their boys, Alec and Jake, to witness the splendor the Grand Canyon for the first time. While both of these adventures sound incredible, I needed a little tropical infusion embedded into my summer story. The beach has always been my place of peace and solace, one where I can completely unwind. I usually travel to San Diego, but this year I needed a change of scenery and decided it was the perfect time to visit my brother, Jordan, in Miami. Boarding the plane, I was thinking only of the tedious 4.5-hour flight, completely underestimating the powerful impact this trip would have on me.

Upon the first few hours of arrival, I settled into my summer relaxation mode: lots of lounging accompanied by a little shopping and some delicious cuisine. After four peaceful, yet fairly non-descript days, Jordan and I packed up and headed to the Keys, the beginning of a truly perfect vacation. I don’t know if it was the salty, sweet ocean air, the friendship shared with Jordan or the magic of the islands, but I was finally able to relax, reconnect and enjoy the little things.

Here are a few of my favorite highlights:

1. Relaxing at the beach: There’s nothing better than laying on a beach on a hot summer day.

2. Touring Key West: We started at Duval Street, famous for cold drinks, loud music and long nights. We walked all over the island and then took the trolley tour to experience all of the architecture and Key West culture.

The Gullah people of Africa believed that ocean water scared away evil spirits so they painted the roof overhangs a pale blue to represent water and prevent spirits from entering house. Many people in Key West carry on this tradition; I might try it on my classroom to prevent a few "evil spirits" as well. — The Gullah people of Africa believed that ocean water scared away evil spirits so they painted the eaves of their roofs a pale blue to represent water and prevent spirits from entering their houses. Many people in Key West carry on this tradition; I might try it on my classroom to scare away a few “evil spirits” as well.

Jordan and I experiencing the Key West trolley tour. — Jordan and I taking the Key West trolley tour.

3. Eating Key Lime muffins: We stopped at Harriette’s Restaurant, a tiny greasy spoon in Key Largo. Jordan and I decided to try their famous Key Lime muffin and it was THE BEST thing I ate on the entire trip (I don’t even like muffins).

4. Visiting the Turtle Hospital: All 7 types of sea turtles are endangered due to extreme pollution, boating accidents and hunting. The Turtle Hospital treats a variety of ailments, rehabilitates and releases nearly 75% of treated population. It was so moving to see these turtles up close and watch them receive treatment. Most were incredibly friendly; we were even able to feed them!

We hope that you are living an amazing summer story! Don’t forget to enjoy the little things!

Beating the Summer Boredom Blues

June 24, 2014June 26, 2014By astutehoot

It is hard to believe that my boys are already halfway through their summer vacation here in Arizona. We’ve had lots of fun so far, but I’m afraid to say that I’m already running out of steam! It has been HOT here (105+ degrees) and the boys are getting antsy being stuck indoors. There’s only so many cartoons to watch and video games to play. So, the teacher in me decided to make a choice for my boys with a menu of fun things to do

Using this choice board has really helped the boys be more independent in finding fun things do. I’ve haven’t heard “I’m boooorrrreed!” within the last few days! Yay! Here are some of the things we have been up to:

Thanks to Pinterest, I was able to find some fresh ideas I’d like to try:

At times, my boys’ constant high energy level, chatter, running, jumping, and bickering, has left me wanting to escape to beach…far away…ALONE.

At the beach...ALONE — At the beach…ALONE

But then at the end of night when Jake says “Mommy, can you cuddle with me on the couch?”, I know that there is nowhere else I’d rather be. So for now, the dishes will remain in the sink, the laundry will have to wait, and maybe I’ll have more energy to get to it tomorrow.

Hopefully I’ll survive the rest of the summer trying to keep up with them. Either way, I know that we have made some great memories together! We’d love to hear your ideas for beating the summer boredom blues too! Please comment below.

Brandability of fashion

May 28, 2014By astutehoot

Brandability of fashion.

Primark is one of the best brands which offers constantly fabulous items for their customers. It is valuable for the improvement of the identities it serves to prep them by giving them marvelous items which are novel in style and configuration. Guys are extremely enamored with polished wallets which are offered by Primark and they use to put much of their cash in obtaining wallets for diverse events. They have typically an alternate stuff for winters and summers also. Presently Primark has presented a lavish mixed bag of slick wallets as indicated by the accumulation of Primark in light of the fact that lady generally require roomy pack to use in outing or some other out going. Read further on shoppingmonkey.co.uk.

What’s Your Summer Story?

May 26, 2014By astutehoot

Summertime is quickly approaching…..what is planned for your 2014 summer story? The Astute Hoot girls have several plans.

Jen is planning a road-trip with her family to visit the Grand Canyon for the very first time.

Jessica is going to visit her brother in Miami and also hopes to spend some time in San Diego (the beach is her favorite escape).

Tina is in the middle of a creative RV tour across the country with her husband Nick.

As a thank-you for your support, we are running a summer giveaway for a Kindle Fire–a perfect addition to any summer story! Click on the link for more details: http://tinyurl.com/oehe7z4

Love,

The Astute Hoot Girls

Relax with a FREE Kindle Fire This Summer!

May 22, 2014May 22, 2014By astutehoot

The countdown to summer has begun and we don’t know about you, but we can definitely relate……

What better way to relax and rejuvenate then with your new FREE Kindle Fire! Picture yourself poolside downloading a new juicy read (definitely non-academic) while enjoying beautiful summer weather. Sound appealing? Simply click on this link to enter now: http://tinyurl.com/oehe7z4.

5 Tips for Creating Easy End of Year Portfolios

May 19, 2014May 22, 2014By astutehoot

Do these stacks look familiar? Like many teachers at this time of year, I find myself buried in piles of students work while desperately searching Pinterest for a cute solution. After several unsuccessful searches, I finally found my answer at my local grocery store. Here are 5 tips to replicate these easy, yet impressive student portfolios while keeping students engaged and focused (a true feat at the end of the year):

1. Get a class set of brown grocery bags (handles are preferred). Sounds simple enough, right? These bags serve as the portfolios; they are the perfect size to hold a variety of projects and the handles help students transport them easily. Allow students to decorate bags with Sharpies or markers (they love this and it will take up some time, an added benefit).

2. Meet the authors. My students love to read biographical information about authors so we study back covers from a few of their favorite writers to determine what should be included in their own versions. I divide the class into groups of 4 and give them a few copies of books with biographical information included. Students discuss similarities and differences between each and brainstorm a list of what should be included in their biographical paragraphs. I model writing my own Meet the Author using sentence frames. As students write, I photograph them and put photos on top of their biographical paragraphs. I laminate them and then glue them to the front of the portfolios.

3. Record contents. I type up a list of the writing pieces we completed throughout the year and the students help me put them in chronological order. Students then decorate these content pages with Sharpie and I glue them on the back of the portfolios.

4. Plan a celebration. Each year I am always amazed at the quantity and quality of students’ writing and the tremendous progress they make through the year; they truly become published authors. Celebrate students’ hard work and success with an Author’s Tea. Pick a time and date (I always choose a Friday from 1:00-2:00) and have students make a personalized invitation to family members. I include an RSVP section so I know how many family members are coming. If family can’t come, I recruit other staff and my own family members. I also provide a variety of refreshments for the Author’s Tea (you can also ask for donations).

5. Practice and prepare. On the day of the Author’s Tea, we spend an hour practicing and preparing for the big event. First I select a student to be my parent and I model welcoming my parent, getting refreshments and explaining my portfolio. I give my “parent” a list of questions to ask (these are common questions parents will ask) as I explain and share my portfolio. I pre-select partners; one student is the child, one is the parent. They practice sharing and listening and then switch roles. Finally we prepare for our guests; we have a cleaning, set up refreshments and pack-up before families arrive. Students welcome their guests and share portfolios. While they share, I walk around and take photos. When students finish, they go home and take portfolios with them.

These amazingly easy portfolios keep students engaged and productive while creating lasting memories for all involved.

Debuting Upton Understanding Fish

May 11, 2014March 20, 2015By astutehoot

Upton Understanding Fish here, and problem-solving starts with me.
I help you understand the problem and teach you a strategy.
Practice with me at Problem-Solving Pond,
And your math skills will increase here and beyond.

Upton is the newest strategy animal in our Problem-Solving Pond, a CCSS Math Strategy Unit created to help teachers overcome Common Core math challenges and employ problem-solving strategies with confidence and fidelity. Read on to learn more about Upton and download Upton’s complete unit here.

WHAT is mathematical understanding? Mathematical understanding means that students understand the story problem and follow the problem-solving steps. Mathematical understanding includes many steps: identify question; identify key information; get rid of erroneous information; determine the operation; solve using an appropriate, efficient strategy. Students who have a firm mathematical understanding should also be able to explain the problem-solving steps they used and justify their solution using an additional strategy.

WHY is mathematical understanding important? Understanding story problems can be very challenging because it requires multi-step, higher-level thinking processes. Students are required to process several pieces of information before starting any mathematical operations. If students do not understand the problem, they will solve it incorrectly, even if they have a strong repertoire of strategies. It is critical that students learn how to divide the problem into smaller chunks to thoroughly understand each component.

HOW do I teach mathematical understanding? Since mathematical understanding involves so many steps, teachers should teach each step explicitly and introduce the next step after proficiency is demonstrated. This allows the teacher to isolate individual steps first and then gradually integrate the steps together. This unit breaks each component of mathematical understanding into mini-lessons and accompanying practice pages. Students learn how to:

Read the problem and underline the question.
Bracket important information and cross out unnecessary information.
Restate the problem to determine what is being asked to solve.
Use key words to choose an operation.

This unit uses a spiral review format so each mathematical understanding lesson builds upon previous lessons. This ensures that students get ample practice of these critical skills.

Each component of mathematical understanding has a visual cue included in the practice pages. An accompanying Upton Understanding Fish Anchor Chart is included in the unit (see below).

WHEN should I introduce mathematical understanding? Mathematical understanding is the foundation for problem-solving and must be introduced before any mathematical operations are performed. Mathematical understanding should be modeled and practiced all year long in the context of meaningful story problems.

Helpful hints:

Model the problem-solving process. Regularly model using think-alouds to demonstrate how to analyze a story problem and apply the problem-solving process. Be explicit in your models to show students how to determine important information and identify key words.

Use anchor charts. Post the Problem-Solving Steps and Upton Understanding Fish Anchor Chart in a prominent place in classroom. Students can refer to these during problem-solving time.

Incorporate multi-sensory activities. Allow students to act out the problem, use manipulatives and/or highlight key information in the problem. My class has their own Upton Understanding Fish, a small, inexpensive stuffed animal that I purchased from Ebay.
During problem-solving time, I have students sit at a circle at the carpet area and together we analyze the problem. First I read the problem while students follow along on a paper copy and then I toss Upton to a student to read the question. That student tosses Upton to another student who identifies important information and then tosses to another student who determines if there is any unnecessary information. Upton is tossed for a final time to determine key words and operation used to solve the problem. The students absolutely love this activity and it promotes engagement and academic conversations. Often students will argue different points and learn to use the story problem to justify their positions.
Use word banks of key words. Provide a reference page of key words that signal each operation for additional support (included in the unit).
Like Upton? Download all of our Problem-Solving Strategies here.

Ready to Research

May 7, 2014May 7, 2014By astutehoot

We are nearing the end of the year (seriously summer can’t come soon enough) and my students are growing more hyper and less productive by the minute. In an effort to increase engagement and keep my sanity, I channeled their love of animals into a cumulative animal research unit. Follow these steps to implement this project in your room; download the complete unit here.

1. Create a research bulletin board: I created a research bulletin board with the text features poster set from Really Good Stuff. I enlarged an American black bear printout from enchantedlearning.com as my primary resource. I laminated 8 different colors of paper and hung up next to the bear printout; each color represents a different topic (i.e. anatomy, habitat, diet, etc.). I model how to record key words for each topic on corresponding card.

2. Select leveled nonfiction animal books: Look for books rich with text features (headings, captions, photographs, etc.) are best. I highly recommend selecting sets of these books for guided reading groups; this is a great way to teach children how to ask questions and effectively use text features to find answers in the text. National Geographic Kids and readinga-z.com offer a wide range of quality, engaging options.

3. Help children find research sources: I let each student pick animal to research (this promotes ownership and engagement) and print an animal printout from enchantedlearning.com. These printouts are easy to read and all include a diagram and headings. I send home a letter asking parents to send in supplemental research and colored photographs to use in report (I remind parents to preview first to avoid mating details and photos.)

During our research unit, I follow these steps:

1. Read a variety of animal nonfiction books, pointing out different features of nonfiction text and their purpose(s). I also use sets of leveled nonfiction texts during guided reading groups; students ask questions about the animal and use learned text features to find answers in the text.

2. Each student picks an animal and completes a KWL chart (included in the downloadable unit).

3. Explain the report process and review the rubric with them (included in the downloadable unit).

4. Model completing research with the American black bear printout from enchantedlearning.com. Each day I pick one topic to research (diet, anatomy, habitat, locomotion, etc.). If the topic is diet, model finding diet in the text. Write key words on that color-coded card. I organize the key words with bullets. They should fit all key words on one card; remind them not to copy whole sentences. If there is a word that students do not know, I have them highlight the word; these words will go into their glossaries.

5. Create an animal research report outline. First model how to write an interesting beginning (usually a question or interesting fact) along with a transition sentence. Model how to write a main idea and key fords for the supporting sentences. Students also write the heading above each main ideas so that it is ready for them when they draft. This outline can be completed during small group time.

6. Draft, edit, revise and publish report (drafting paper, table of contents and glossary are all included in the downloadable unit). Review elements of the rubric frequently and how to score each report using the rubric so students are familiar with expectations.

7. Share reports with class. Students can practice presenting to a partner or small-group before presenting to the whole class. This activity meets several listening and speaking Common Core State Standards. I put completed reports in the class library so students can read during silent reading time.

We’d love to hear any research project ideas you have!

TPT Teacher Appreciation Sale!

May 5, 2014May 6, 2014By astutehoot

Check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store here for 28% off of ALL our products from May 6-7. We have several new Common Core Math Strategy Units and many FREEBIES too! Stock up for the upcoming school year during this HUGE sale.

Giving Back is a Hoot!

April 23, 2014April 24, 2014By astutehoot

Making learning fun brings me great joy. Some of my best teaching memories are when I saw things finally “click” for struggling students. Knowing how hard they work to sometimes make even the simplest connections makes these little successes even better!

Working with students with special needs has been such a rewarding vocation and I am so lucky to have helped so many wonderful students. I also have a special place in my heart for children who are sick or injured and need to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time.

When my oldest son Alec was in kindergarten, he had a complication during his recovery from a tonsillectomy. He was rushed to the hospital in ambulance and spent two days in the hospital recovering because he had lost so much blood. It was a very scary time for us but we were very fortunate that he fully recovered so quickly. Other children, however, need to spend weeks, even months in the hospital. As a mother, my heart broke for those children and families. Our brief stint in the hospital was difficult, but I couldn’t even imagine the challenges and heartache others went through. I knew I wanted to help, but at the time I wasn’t quite sure how.

Recently it dawned on me that I could help make learning fun for the children who attend the hospital school by donating several sets of our Hoo is Ready for School? flash cards. Early learning is critical to future academic success and I knew that our flash cards could help young students learn the alphabet and important phonemic awareness skills even while in the hospital. Parents and teachers could use our materials to provide essential practice in an engaging game-like format.

It was our sincere pleasure to donate several sets of flash cards to two local hospitals; Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Cardon Children’s Medical Center. Thank you to Christine Birnbaum (pictured with us above), Child Life Specialist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, for taking time out of her busy day to tell us about the wonderful programs and services available to children there. We are thrilled that we are able to give back to our community and spark the joy of learning in children who especially need a little happiness and fun in their lives.

Emmy Equating Earthworm Is Here!

April 20, 2014March 20, 2015By astutehoot

Emmy Equating Earthworm here.
I help you write a variety of equations without any fear.
Horizontally or vertically, it doesn’t matter the direction,
I will help you solve each one to numerical perfection.

Emmy Equating Earthworm is our newest animal in our Problem-Solving Pond: A Common Core Math Strategy Unit. The Problem-Solving Pond was created to help teachers overcome Common Core math challenges and employ problem-solving strategies with confidence and fidelity. Emmy’s unit is perfect for general education, special education, RTI and math intervention. Read more about Emmy’s strategy below or download the complete unit here.

WHAT is an equation? Students write an equation, or number sentence to solve a story problem or show their work after using another method (e.g., drawing a picture, using manipulatives, making a table, etc.). Solving equations is the very beginning of being able to do algebra. The basic idea behind solving equations is to be able to find the missing number. Students can use a variety of strategies to solve equations, including traditional algorithms. Traditional algorithms involve repeating a series of steps over and over as in carrying in addition and borrowing in regrouping.

WHY are equations important? Traditional algorithms have been the core of many elementary mathematics programs for years as educators focused on quick, precise calculations and paper-pencil drill. Math instruction has drastically changed the last few years with the implementation of Common Core State Standards and the heavy emphasis on science and math instruction. Students are now required to solve real-world math problems using a variety of strategies while explaining thinking and justifying solutions.

Traditional algorithms, or equations, are still acceptable to use as secondary strategies to double-check work and to summarize the mathematics behind the problem-solving process.

HOW do I teach equations? The first major step is to teach students how to find a missing number. This means that students need to be familiar with their basic facts first. Practice a variety of ways to find the missing number using many different equations. Next, teach addition and subtraction without regrouping; once proficiency is demonstrated, introduce regrouping.

WHEN should I introduce equations? Basic equations and number sentences should be introduced when you begin teaching the problem solving process. This is also an ideal strategy for proficient mathematicians who have a strong number sense foundation, fluency with basic facts, and are able to quickly conceptualize a problem and use a traditional algorithm to solve. It is most effective to introduce traditional algorithms after students are able to regroup numbers using place value manipulatives. It is critical that students understand and can articulate the regrouping process before using a traditional algorithm.

Helpful hints:

Model writing equations and number sentences. Regularly model using think-alouds to demonstrate how equations are used as part of the problem-solving process. Be explicit in your models to show students how equations can also be used to check their work after using a different strategy to solve the problem.

Provide place value and equation building practice. Students need a strong place value foundation to use traditional algorithms effectively. Provide regular practice through center games and kinesthetic activities. Simple games such as “Race to 100” where students roll dice and add numbers using place value manipulatives are engaging and effective. Incorporate equation building activities into weekly center rotations as well.

Use visual support. Use the following Subtraction Poem to reinforce regrouping. Place value and regrouping posters are also helpful tools to post while students are using the traditional algorithm method.

Liebster Award for Blogging

April 16, 2014April 23, 2014By astutehoot

We’d love to thank Alicia over at The Elementary Professor for giving us a Liebster Award!

The Liebster Award is given to bloggers by bloggers and you can find out more about it here.

To start with, Alicia has a few questions for me to answer.

1- What is your favorite subject to teach and why?

Reading is my favorite subject to teach because I love to see the excitement and joy of beginning readers as they learn to read. I love when they learn new facts and engage with characters in a favorite series.

2- When you were a kid, did you already know you were going to be a teacher?

I come from a long line of educators and I always knew that I would be a teacher. I often played school with my younger brother and made him be the obedient student. I would also line up my dolls and stuffed animals and make them be additional students.

3- If you could have a shopping spree at any one store, what would it be?

For my classroom, I would love a shopping spree at Really Good Stuff and Lakeshore because I love all of their learning products and games. Personally, I would love a Nordstrom shopping spree for clothes and shoes!

4- What do you do to make yourself relax on weekends and breaks?

Relaxation is very important; I enjoy working out and spending time with family and friends.

5- If you have a family and teach full time, I’d love a tip about how to balance it all.

A home/work balance is critical but can be very challenging to attain. I get up early each morning before my family wakes up to exercise and finish work. This early morning quiet time is so productive!

6- What is your favorite thing to do at home?

My favorite thing to do at home is to entertain; I enjoy having family and friends over for barbeques, pool parties and game nights.

7- What is your must have food or drink when you’re in for a long session of planning/grading, etc….

Starbucks’ iced coffee gets me through any strenuous planning or grading session.

8- In your classroom, music or silence?

There’s a time for both music and silence in the classroom. Each day, students unpack and pack-up to “Beautiful Day” by U2; they have to be completely ready by the time the song is over. I also play music during writing time, but the rest of the day is usually music-free. My classroom is rarely silent as we do a great deal of group-work and cooperative learning projects.

9-What’s one of the scariest things you’ve ever done?

I’m incredibly afraid of heights and hate the sensation of falling. So, going on the Tower of Terror in Disneyland’s California Adventure was something very scary for me!

10- What is one of those teaching moments that you still laugh about and will forever retell?

It was really funny when Jennifer came to my classroom dressed up as Hazel the Owl to read the students. Many of the students thought she really was Hazel and were asking her cute questions like, “Where is roost?”, “How long did it take you to fly here.”

11- If you could meet 1 character from any children’s book in real life, who would it be and why? What would you with them?

It would be great to meet Miss Frizzle from the Magic School Bus series because I love how she integrates science throughout her curriculum and engages all learners. You can tell she is an enthusiastic teacher as her clothing all goes with her units of study. I would definitely go on a science adventure with her!

That was a little about me (Jessica) and as requested here are 11 random facts (about Astute Hoot):

1 – Jennifer and I were thrown together in a co-teaching situation without even knowing each other in 2009. We instantly hit it off and became great friends and business partners!

2 – Jennifer and Tina (sisters and business partners) have wanted to start a company creating educational toys and games since they were very young.

3 -Jennifer, Tina, and I have owl sightings ALL the time!

4 – Tina lives in Madison, WI so much of our collaborative work is completed virtually.

5 – Jennifer’s sons Alec and Jake are not only main product testers (in addition to our students), but also our adorable models for many of our blog photos.

6 – We are excited to be attending the TPT conference in Las Vegas in July 2014!

7 – An Astute Hoot retreat in a tropical location is on our bucket list.

8 – We once pulled an all-nighter revamping our TPT store, products, and website.

9 – Some of our math and reading characters have been inspired by and named after people we know.

10 – We are all animal lovers.

11 – We strongly believe that everything in the universe happens for a reason and that nothing is a mere coincidence.

And now I am nominating a few more great blogs for this same award!

1. Getting Nerdy with Mel and Gerdy

2. Teaching Doodles

3. Extra Special Teaching

4. The Teacher’s Post

5. Walking in High Cotton

Alright! For those I nominated, here are the official rules of the Liebster Award, should you choose to accept it. 😉

Here are my questions for you!

1- What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
2- When you were a kid, did you already know you were going to be a teacher?
3- If you could have a shopping spree at any one store, what would it be?
4- What is your dream vacation?
5- If you have a family and teach full time, I’d love a tip about how to balance it all.
6- What is your favorite thing to do at home?
7- What is your must have food or drink when you’re in for a long session of planning/grading, etc….
8- What is your favorite holiday tradition?
9- How do you differentiate for a variety of student needs?
10- What is one of those teaching moments that you still laugh about and will forever retell?
11- If you could meet 1 character from any children’s book in real life, who would it be and why?

It’s Tom Tabling Turtle!

April 13, 2014March 20, 2015By astutehoot

Howdy, I’m Tom Tabling Turtle and I make tables-
These are columns and rows with numbers and labels.
Always organize your information, is what I say,
So you can discover patterns and relationships in a logical way.

Tom Tabling Turtle is our newest animal in our Problem-Solving Pond: A Common Core Math Strategy Unit. The Problem-Solving Pond was created to help teachers overcome Common Core math challenges and employ problem-solving strategies with confidence and fidelity. Tom’s unit is perfect for general education, special education, RTI and math intervention. Read more about Tom’s strategy below or download the complete unit here.

WHAT is the table strategy? Students make a table complete with labeled columns and rows. The table strategy helps students write information in an organized format, allowing them to easily identify number patterns and relationships.

WHY is the table strategy important? When students make a table, they organize information in a logical way and critically examine data patterns to create a solution.

HOW do I teach the table strategy? When you introduce and practice the strategy, give students a pre-made table. Todd’s turtle shell provides scaffolding with space for labels and organized columns and rows for neat data entry. As students become proficient with the table strategy, teach them to make their own table so they can use this strategy independently without the need for a pre-made table.

WHEN should I use the table strategy? This is an ideal strategy for developing mathematicians who have a solid number sense foundation. It is most effective for repeated addition or multiplication story problems.

Helpful hints:

Use a pre-made table. Young students often lack fine motor skills needed to construct a table, but are perfectly capable of using this strategy. Provide a pre-made table, such as Tom’s turtle shell or a simple table made in Microsoft Word so students can easily input data.

Provide visual support. After teaching students how to construct a table, be sure to write and post directions (along with visual support) in a prominent place during problem-solving time. Students would also benefit from an anchor chart like this one as well.

Stop Standardized Test Stress!

April 8, 2014April 23, 2014By astutehoot

Does the thought of standardized testing make you cringe? Stop the standardized test stress with these three easy, engaging classroom activities.

1.Testing Worry Pockets: Read Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes and make text connections to Wemberly and her worries. Discuss students’ test-taking worries and brainstorm ways to alleviate them. Make Testing Worry Pockets with a Wemberly template, library pocket and index card. Students will color the template, glue on the library pocket and tuck testing worry inside.

2. Standardized Stress Snowballs: Students write their testing worries on paper snowballs and gather in a large circle at the carpet area. Throw snowballs into the center, ridding the class of those testing troubles.

3. Testing Trail Mix: Read and make Testing Trail Mix together. Put in cups for students to eat while reading a testing story such as Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler or The Big Test by Julie Danneberg.

Download our FREE Standardized Test Prep unit for additional activities and testing tips.

A Sweet Treat for Test-Taking

April 6, 2014By astutehoot

Standardized testing is stressful for everyone! Prepare these Test Prep Bags to help motivate and encourage your test-takers. Sugar cures everything!

Simply purchase treat bags or paper lunch sacks and select the candy to be used. I choose the camo pattern because my class is the Test Prep Troops. During our practice sessions, students say a special test prep chant, wear dog tags and use camo pencils.

A week before testing, I send home a donation letter asking parents to provide healthy snacks and treats. I include the candy I need for the Test Prep Bags so I don’t have to purchase myself.

The day before testing, I gather kids at the carpet and we read, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss. We discuss the story’s message and I tell them how proud I am of their hard work and dedication. I remind them that they are prepared for the test and I believe in them whole-heartedly. At dismissal, I pass out their Test Prep Bags and have them open at home.

Students absolutely love this inexpensive gift and you will love priceless encouragement and motivation it provides. Download our other standardized testing tips here.

Presenting Brian Breaking Badger

April 3, 2014March 20, 2015By astutehoot

Hi, I’m Brian Breaking Badger, and I love to break numbers apart.
Separating place value is considered my art!
I break numbers into ones and tens with my teeth,
Then I work with the place value underneath.
I’ll add or subtract the tens, then the ones.
Before you know it, the problem’s all done!

WHAT is breaking apart? Students use place value knowledge to decompose or break each number apart into hundreds, tens and ones. Depending on the problem, students will either add or subtract each place value (first hundreds, then tens, and finally ones). Students will then add or subtract all numbers to solve the problem. Read more about Brian’s strategy below or download the complete unit here.

WHY is breaking apart important? When students use the breaking apart strategy, they are decomposing numbers by place value. This help helps strengthen mental computation, builds number sense and solidifies foundational place value skills. It also serves as an efficient method to double-check solutions as students.

HOW do I teach breaking apart? Teach breaking in isolation first so that students become familiar with the process of decomposing numbers. After proficiency is demonstrated, students can apply this strategy with story problems.

WHEN should I use breaking apart? This is an ideal strategy for developing mathematicians who have a solid place value and number sense foundation. It is most effective to introduce the breaking apart strategy after students are proficient with the hopping strategy since hopping requires place value identification and decomposition skills.

Helpful Hints:

Provide place value and expanded notation practice. Students need a strong place value foundation to decompose or break apart numbers. Provide regular practice through center games and kinesthetic activities. Simple games such as “Race to 100” where students roll dice and add numbers using place value manipulatives are engaging and effective. This game is the perfect addition to weekly math centers.

Act out the problem. Increase students’ understanding of the mathematical context by acting out the story problem. Students also love to show their badger fangs when they break apart the numbers.

Standardized Testing Good Luck Hands

March 31, 2014By astutehoot

Standardized testing often causes anxiety and stress for students. I alleviate these worries and build students’ self-esteem with Standardized Testing Khamsas (Good Luck Hands), part of our Standardized Test Prep Unit.

The khamsa, which means five in Arabic, is a good luck symbol from Morocco, Africa. Often made with precious metal like silver and gold, these ornate and colorful hands are used to bring luck and blessings into people’s lives. Students feel so special making these good luck hands; these are always a top keepsake for the year.

To make in the classroom, simply have students trace their hands on aluminum foil and glue onto brightly colored construction paper. Students can add detail with Sharpies and glue on jewels, buttons, eyes and sequins. Display these on bulletin board for a beautiful reminder for students to believe in themselves during testing time.

5 Secrets to Successful Test Prep

March 25, 2014April 1, 2014By astutehoot

Just the mention of standardized testing causes major anxiety for both students and teachers. These 5 secrets of successful test prep, along with our complete Standardized Test Prep Unit, will alleviate angst, strengthen skills, promote self-awareness and build confidence.

Create an engaging test prep theme. After spring break, my class is transformed into Test Prep Troops. I decorate the classroom with camouflage flair including a special sign on door and camouflage test prep bulletin board that displays learned test taking strategies. We learn a Test Prep Chant (to the tune of traditional military cadence) that we perform before each practice session. Students also use special camo pencils and wear personalized dog tags during testing. These inexpensive camouflage items can be found at your local party store.

Teach specific test taking strategies. Before I start test prep, I select the strategies I want to teach and the order in which to teach them. Since my second grade students are new test takers, I start with Bubbling Basics and have them practice making neat, bubbled answers on a bubble sheet. Listen and Learn is the second strategy I introduce because students have to listen carefully as most of the Stanford 10 standardized test is read-aloud. We play Simon Says and other games that focus on following directions to practice this skill. The rest of the strategies are taught while completing specific test prep practice. Be a Determined Detective and The Key is in the Question are perfect strategies to teach during reading comprehension practice passages. Show Your Solutions and Significant Signs are ideal for math computation practice. I post the strategies in a prominent place in the classroom and refer to them during test prep time. Download our complete Standardized Test Prep Unit here.

Encourage reluctant test takers. Testing can cause major anxiety for students; relieve this pressure with Tina Turtle, Troubled Test Taker. Introduce Tina with her rhyming poem; discuss her anxious feelings and help the class make connections to their own testing experiences. Explain that students have one important job— to teach Tina the test-taking strategies and tools needed for success. Each student gets a copy of Tina with blank scales; they are blank because she is lacking testing strategies. Students will teach Tina new strategies and record them on her scales; by the time Tina takes the test, her scales will be covered with strategies. Together Tina and the class will become confident, prepared test takers.

Store test prep in an important place. Create special test prep folders to house strategies and practice tests. Simply use 2 pocket folders with prongs; label one pocket “Reading” and one pocket “Math”. Put Tina and her poem in a plastic sleeve inside the folder; students can refer to her poem and fill out her scales during each practice session. Glue the Test Prep Chant and Test Taking Tips on the front and back of each folder.

Include motivational rewards. Since my class is the Test Prep Troops, I give a special ration at the end of each session. This can be a Smartie (for smart students), pencils, stickers, etc. Pick a reward that your students will enjoy; parents can help donate these items as well.

We’d love to thank Alicia over at The Elementary Professor for giving us a Liebster Award!

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