World Read Aloud Day: March 9, 2011

I just found this on the LitWorld website. I plan to participate. My third graders love to read aloud. I do feel that this has helped to encourage reading. We practice The Daily Five during reader's workshop four days a week. Friday is a little different.(I got this idea from my teaching partner, Mishelle) Each student brings a flashlight, sometimes a stuffed animal, for reader's workshop. Students grab their books, choose a reading partner, find that special reading place, and on go the flashlights. I turn off the overhead lights and everyone takes turns reading aloud to their partner. As I walk around the room I hear wonderful reading voices. They convey excitement, sadness, drama, and more. My students can't wait to read aloud. At the end of our oral reading time we have a 'lasar show'. This is when my students shine the flashlights on the ceiling and around the room. The overhead lights go on... flashlights go off...until next Friday.

New Idea for Writer's Notebooks!

I just saw this video from Archivers Web Page. Click on the link below to watch it. What a great idea to spice up classroom writer's notebooks. Idea 1: Students collect items from weekend adventures..(movie tickets, words from magazines, brochures, ribbon from a special item, etc.) bring to school on Monday and then attach to writer's notebooks and write. Idea 2: Have students fill up a brown paper bag give to them at registration, bring to first day of school, glue in writer's notebooks and begin to write. Idea 3: Students also bring a picture from a special event, glue in and write. Send me your ideas!

Using an Angle Ruler in 3rd grade

We had a great time using our angle rulers during math workshop. I printed a page of triangles from my math resource book (scalene, isosceles, and equilateral). After measuring each side in cm's, students worked with a partner and used angle rulers to measure each angle. The math vocabulary was wonderful. I now have 3rd graders who want to get their own angle ruler. Next week they get to measure the angles from items in the classroom. Our classroom will be buzzing for sure.