tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77566750604456271642024-03-13T11:08:53.033-07:00First Upon A TimeA place to share ideas and connect with other wonderful teachers.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-43815242760160917582014-11-02T12:03:00.001-08:002014-11-06T20:21:19.919-08:00Big art grant! Help!<b>"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ”</b><BR>
-Pablo Picasso<BR><BR>
I could really use your help! I am the only teacher in California competing for $100,000 in the Farmers Insurance Dream Big Challenge. Voting goes through the end of November. At the end of November, the school with the most votes will be awarded the $100,000. We are competing against two other schools in our zone.
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We are going to use the money to create a digital art program. Students will have the opportunity to create original art, use digital cameras to take photos and integrate the different media into original pieces. We will be able to purchase all the necessary equipment such as digital cameras, computers, printers, scanners and all the necessary support materials with this grant.
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You know how valuable experiences with art are and how essential technology skills are. Our students are hungry for these types of experiences, yet the circumstances of their lives find them having alarmingly few experience in these areas.<P>
Our rural district does the best it can to offer as many experience as possible for our students, but our kids need so much more. Most of the resources we have are spent on bridging the academic gap that our language learning and low socioeconomic status students experience. I am very excited to have the chance to bring this enrichment opportunity to all of the elementary schools in our school district.
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At the end of each session of classes, we will have a community art show to spotlight the great work our students have done. It will let the community see what great things our kids are capable of and will strengthen our community.<P>
<a href="http://artsgrant.weebly.com" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BgwmnAFsamA/VFaGtQBoahI/AAAAAAAAATU/2GJxuRonc_I/s320/kidmeme.jpg" /></a><BR><BR>
I sincerely hope you will take just a moment each day to vote and verify your vote in your email. It only takes a minute and there will be no other spam or other emails sent to you as a result. We desperately need your help with this!<P>
You can vote each day for Michael Jones of King City, CA (Southwest Zone) at <A href = "https://www.thankamillionteachers.com/vote-for-a-proposal/vote-for-a-proposal-form-100k/">Thankamillionteachers.com</a><P>
For more information about the grant, how you can help, and how art is SO important for our students you can visit the web site I created: <a href="http://artsgrant.weebly.com">ArtsGrant.weebly.com</A><P>
There is information on how to join our Facebook group, participate in our Facebook Event, or a place to sign up for daily voting reminders in your email. (I control the reminders and they will stop on November 30th when the contest is over.)<P>Thank you for your cosideration!<P>
<a href="http://artsgrant.weebly.com" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zMtzLoT0h4/VFaLRSaGddI/AAAAAAAAATg/QIdAC0IfEVk/s320/KeepCalm.jpg" /></a>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-3511815127712486962014-09-13T09:56:00.000-07:002014-09-13T10:26:14.568-07:00Making Insects (FREEBIE)Our class has been studying insects so I thought it would be fun to make one. <BR><BR> The students planned what their insects would be like, identified the parts of their insects, provided some details about their insect, then got to create their insect with clay. <BR>
<a href="http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/FirstUponATime/media/IMG_0043.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/IMG_0043.jpg" width="80%" height="80%" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0043.jpg"/></a><BR>
<a href="http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/FirstUponATime/media/32dec4ad-f38e-4e64-b918-f1ae3cd99f98.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/32dec4ad-f38e-4e64-b918-f1ae3cd99f98.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 32dec4ad-f38e-4e64-b918-f1ae3cd99f98.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/FirstUponATime/media/5f8b6b19-bcdb-4293-ad6a-f134a6c0f6ce.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/5f8b6b19-bcdb-4293-ad6a-f134a6c0f6ce.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5f8b6b19-bcdb-4293-ad6a-f134a6c0f6ce.jpg"/></a><BR>
<a href="http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/FirstUponATime/media/3f8d333a-3f22-4b2c-811e-a7bddee8d7ce.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/3f8d333a-3f22-4b2c-811e-a7bddee8d7ce.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 3f8d333a-3f22-4b2c-811e-a7bddee8d7ce.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1242.photobucket.com/user/FirstUponATime/media/5b5f2868-8ba9-458d-a02d-7d45ea4ea9bc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/5b5f2868-8ba9-458d-a02d-7d45ea4ea9bc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5b5f2868-8ba9-458d-a02d-7d45ea4ea9bc.jpg"/></a>
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If you are interested in using the printable to plan your own insect project you can download it from TPT here: <BR>
<A HREF="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/My-Insect-Clay-insect-project-1445339">My Insect printable (FREE) at my TPT store</A><BR><BR>
To see all the insect that my class made you can visit our classroom blog here:<BR>
<A HREF="http://sl-firstgrade.weebly.com/blog">Our class blog</A>
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-80569152131050269912014-09-07T17:42:00.000-07:002014-09-07T17:42:33.031-07:00Our First Grade PodcastsI really wanted to help my students experience something new, something that is going to get them excited about practicing language. So, I decided we would create our own internet radio station and create podcasts. We are starting out slowly with the students using language frames and I am hoping to progress to the students helping decide on content and giving interviews. I'm excited to see where we can take this idea! <BR><BR> If you want to check out our work so far visit our internet radio station page <a href="http://sl-firstgrade.weebly.com/podcasts.html">Superstar Internet Radio </A><BR>
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We are using an Olympus DP-311 for voice recording and Audacity or Adobe Audition (depending on where I do the editing) for editing the audio files. If you and your students are doing something fun to keep the kids engaged and excited about language practice or if you have any questions, please comment.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-15299255064352323042014-09-02T19:52:00.000-07:002014-09-02T19:52:51.942-07:00Classroom Tech MakeoverWell, the year got off to a great start. I posted back in July about the Farmers Insurance Thank a Million Teacher grant opportunity. <B> I GOT IT!</B> It took a lot of my time to get the word out and get the support of my community, but it worked and it was well worth it. The money came in and I was able to turn it into great technology for our classroom. We got some Chromebooks so we can continue to do great things with Google Apps. <BR> One of the other things we got for the classroom was digital voice recorders. They have been a lot of fun and have helped engage the students in practicing their verbal skills. <BR> I have created a new classroom web site where I will share the fruits of our labor. You can see our first podcast there. We have decided to take to the internet airwaves and put out some podcasts on our very own internet radio station. I am excited to stretch the limits of what we can do with our new technology and find new ways to support our educational goals with technology.<BR><BR>
Our new web site is <A HREF = "http://sl-firstgrade.weebly.com"> sl-firstgrade.weebly.com </A>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-46250104527900278632014-07-07T15:30:00.003-07:002014-07-07T15:30:34.490-07:00$2500 grant opportunity - I could use your help - YOU CAN APPLY TOO!!!I am a teacher in King City that is trying to earn a $2500 grant for my classroom from Farmers Insurance. The grants are awarded based on internet voting. I am the only teacher on the 'leaderboard' on the entire central coast of California(and probably the only participant in this month's grant cycle.) Any way that you can support my efforts to bring this grant to our area would be greatly appreciated. <P>
I want to enhance my students' learning by providing them with technology experiences.<BR>
It is too late to get in on this round of grants, but you can submit for a future cycle. But in the meantime, PLEASE give me a vote each day to make this a reality for my students. Comment that you voted for me and when your grant is up for voting I will return the favor when you share your grant proposal. Thank You!!!<P>
The web address is:
<a href="https://www.thankamillionteachers.com/vote-for-a-proposal/"> Farmer's Thank a Million Teachers </a><BR>
A search for 93930 zip code shows my grant for M. Jones of King City
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-14554338313293085282014-02-15T12:58:00.001-08:002014-02-15T12:58:45.924-08:00Common Core Assessment WorkbooksI just downloaded a preview of the <A href =" http://www.corecommonstandards.com/common-core-standards/common-core-assessments/">Common Core Aessment Workbooks </a> for first grade from CoreCommonStandards.com. This really seems like an interesting idea. The notion of having a resource to go to with a tangible assessment for each of the standards seems like a concept that might simplify things a little. Of course for many of the Common Core Standards a worksheet or a page or two is not enough evidence of the complete understanding of a concept or standard. However when it comes to record keeping, this has a nice checklist of the standards and an actual artifact that you could put into a folder. These seem like they could be valuable as a piece of your common core record keeping arsenal. Let's face it, keeping on top of all those standards can be a real challenge. Any resource that can help simplify things or take a little of that management off your plate has to potential to be beneficial.<P>
In the interest of full disclosure, I am going to be given a complete workbook for writing this review and following some basic steps they have laid out. However, I would not go through the trouble if I didn't think that the product had some merit. I will follow up with how this workbook fits in with the other things I am doing with common core assessing when I put it to use.<P>
<img src="http://www.corecommonstandards.com/images/common-core-assessment-workbooks.jpg" width ="50%" height="50%">
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-53856844998517479242013-09-13T17:01:00.000-07:002013-09-15T12:39:51.200-07:00Video Math Prompt Friday! It's back again!
My kids loved the dramatic music and some of the surprise elements. We were able to have a lot of context based discussions about subtraction using this video math prompt.<BR>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s1600/MathVideoFriday.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s200/MathVideoFriday.PNG" /></a></div><BR>
<BR><A href="http://youtu.be/FsKcbvtf63U"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://youtu.be/FsKcbvtf63U" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vaxVg1fdlhE/UjYMQGOBe9I/AAAAAAAAALI/QWwVbMFvbAY/s200/DinoPic.PNG" /></a></div><center>Click here to see the new video (youtube)</center></A>
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-61583635530033816342013-09-05T21:12:00.000-07:002013-09-05T21:13:44.383-07:00Video Math Prompt Friday - Free math animationsHere is another video that I made to show to my class to start conversations about math. We will use it to generate word problems. Watching a short animation to demonstrate a math idea has proven to be a lot of fun for my class. They are much more enthusiastic to talk about math and it is very engaging for them. Well enough of the hard sell. If you like them please share with your students.<BR>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s1600/MathVideoFriday.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s200/MathVideoFriday.PNG" /></a></div><BR>
This video features one of my daughter's favorite friends, "Lego" the horse.<BR>
<center>Click here for the video:<BR><a href="http://youtu.be/8Kg7gQ1ewKA " imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YM_lbmxSI8o/UilUq7eN-dI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/I8OoBdoyo2I/s320/HHHorses.PNG" /></a></center>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-27642423493511511102013-08-30T17:35:00.001-07:002013-08-31T13:18:26.410-07:00Video Math Prompt Friday - Free videos to start math conversations.I am trying to make videos to support math and make the concepts more concrete. These videos will hopefully help you to have quality discussion about math topics. I will try to make this a regular event. Video Math Prompt Friday!<P><P>
For the tens frames video click here --> <A href="http://youtu.be/qW_jBmbksmw">Tens Frame Video Prompt </A>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s1600/MathVideoFriday.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dBDINWvWjY/UiJPaYLs8eI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/vA6LquOGHZ4/s200/MathVideoFriday.PNG" /></a></div>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-60360103204338332492013-08-26T15:10:00.000-07:002013-08-26T15:10:05.068-07:00Going bradless... (Much like Jennifer Aniston)I'm sure that our school is not the only one that is tightening it's belt a little. All those fun things we used to be able to order for our class seem like such a luxury now. On this very topic, let me tell you about something fun that I discovered. Now I'm not claiming to have made this up as the first person to ever do it, but I did come to this realization on my own. You can use tiny pieces of pipe cleaner instead of brads! It is much cheaper than brads and it was actually much easier for my students to do this than to use brads. They always have trouble poking them through the paper. Here is a quick photo-torial with brief directions.<P><P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-auFvQ6_6PvI/UhvPLSH8UqI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZWJH-mNe_RU/s1600/NoBrads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-auFvQ6_6PvI/UhvPLSH8UqI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZWJH-mNe_RU/s400/NoBrads.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is a cute word wheel. Cut a pipe cleaner into pieces just under a 1/2 inch long. You can easily get 20 out of 2 pipe cleaners. Poke it through the first paper. Then poke it through the second paper. After that, push the two papers against each other. While holding the pipe cleaner on one side bend the other side flat to the paper, the fold the other side flat. It allows you moving parts to move while holding the paper pieces together. It is not much more intrusive than the parts of a brad. There you have it. I hope it changes your world the way it changed mine.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-15220325765660738172013-08-23T17:29:00.000-07:002013-08-23T17:29:17.665-07:00FREE Common Core Math video prompt (Bears and Caves)The year is now well underway and we are going to be getting into our EnVision math Topic 1. We will be asking the kids to learn about spatial patterns and ways to make 6 and 7. This is a fun video prompt to help contextualize ways to make 6. It is a visual that will help them make sense of the "Crabs in the Cave" activity in EnVision. It is a fun conversation starter and way to get kids asking questions about math they find all around them. I hope you find it useful and your students enjoy it. I will try to keep making little video shorts to encourage math thinking as time allows. Hope your start to the school year is/was a great one!
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Click here -> <a href="http://youtu.be/aGsxiLwsjA0"> Bears and Caves </A>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-22607501707446546772013-08-18T18:19:00.001-07:002013-08-18T19:06:36.457-07:00Common Core - Video Math PromptsAfter Linda Dilger (from the County Office of Education) visited us for some Common Core Math training I decided to jump into the fray by creating some Video Math Prompts to support math discussions. Here is a link to my first one on my new Youtube channel.<p><p>
I hope you enjoy it and find it valuable. As time permits, I hope to make more.<P><P>
Click here -> <A href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd-zzEf_c3U"> Balloon Video Prompt</A>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-40609228342909808332013-08-10T13:32:00.000-07:002013-08-10T13:32:50.058-07:00Back to school, Back to school...When I hear or read "Back to School" I think of Billy Madison singing.<P><CENTER>
<IMG SRC="http://soulwornthin.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/billy-madison-original.jpg" width="200" height"100"></CENTER><P>
"Back to school, to prove to Dad that I'm not a fool. I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight. Oh! Back to school... back to school... back to school." <P>
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This year I am determined to put something into balloons and have the students pop them. I like the idea of letting the kids pick their own student numbers this way. But, I really want to have that set up before the first day. So, I am going to come up with some sort of game to play. I am thinking of a an "I have, Who has?" game or a secret message where the kids can put letters from the balloons into. I might put their behavior chart clips in balloons and have them find the person that the clip belongs to. Then they can put it on the chart. I am open to your ideas on this. In fact I would love some good ones. If you have any other really fun activities that you like to do on the first day of school with your kids please leave a comment below.
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-27904647036317597982013-02-10T22:02:00.002-08:002013-02-10T22:02:47.598-08:00Back after a long break... with Henry and MudgeI am glad to be returning to blog world after taking a little time off.<P>
I have been enjoying my 2 year old daughter at home so much, I just can't allow myself to spend too much time running around the blogs. <P>
I am going to be working on devoting a little more time here... when I can.
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I have also been hard at work on another TPT unit. It is something that I have really been wanting for my students. I finally invested in a couple class sets of Henry and Mudge books. I am reminded of how much work it really takes to move your ideas to reality and how much extra work it takes to make your good ideas for the classroom actually TPT ready.<P>
If you have your students read Henry and Mudge I recommend you give this a look. It is set up just like my Magic Tree House unit. My students have been devouring the Henry and Mudge books and just can't get these question packs done quickly enough. I had no idea how much it would motivate them.<P>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hunt-for-Home-Based-on-the-Henry-and-Mudge-book-series-Question-Pack-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="248" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LwDOsmP0crk/URiIED2CwEI/AAAAAAAAAHk/-DAnMnZwzbk/s320/AdPage.PNG" /><p>Henry and Mudge Hunt for Home at Teachers Pay Teachers</a></div>
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I was so energized and motivated when I started this blog, and I am excited to tap back into that. So, let me know what you have been doing to keep your students motivated to read at home.
Mike
Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-28012168854197332282012-06-11T20:40:00.000-07:002012-06-11T20:45:32.530-07:00Classroom Technology - Old and NewThe last weeks of school are a great time to pull out the a few fun ideas that you haven't had the chance to get to.
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First the 'new': <P>Data projectors and document cameras have replaced a lot of overhead projectors in our school district (if not all of them) but I get questions all time on how to make more effective use of them. There are so many possibilities... one thing I like to do with my students is show them some "Howcast" videos. You can find them online, but it is challenging to show them with all of the advertising (you never know what the content will be.) <i>TIP: ALWAYS use the "Freeze" button on your projector to freeze the screen while you preview an upcoming web page if you are unsure of the content.</i> I have two favorite Howcasts that I got from iTunes as podcasts. Saving them in your iTunes library is more reliable and the content will not change. I show them "How to Make a Tissue Paper Flower" and "How to Make a Clay Animal". We go over the materials needed, the basic steps, and we create some great opening sentences and closing sentences. They complete a graphic organizer, and then write the directions including an opening sentence, the materials needed, and a closing sentence. Here they are working on their projects. Having a project at the end of the writing is a great motivator for the kids to dig in and get it done.
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3apNDyMaWU/T9a2mOpEybI/AAAAAAAAAHI/PVxUATEhKC8/s1600/TPFlower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="230" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M3apNDyMaWU/T9a2mOpEybI/AAAAAAAAAHI/PVxUATEhKC8/s320/TPFlower.jpg" /></a>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2YKeHC4YoHs/T9a2l7LcBxI/AAAAAAAAAG8/YiQX3EajTto/s1600/Clay%2BAnimal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="249" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2YKeHC4YoHs/T9a2l7LcBxI/AAAAAAAAAG8/YiQX3EajTto/s320/Clay%2BAnimal.jpg" /></a>
Now the 'old': <P> The last few days of school can find the kids a little restless. It is a great time to bring something out they have never seen before. When we think of technology, we often consider the newer more cutting edge technologies that are new to our classrooms. Often our students have not seen the way things used to be. I have an old Dukane film strip projecter. The kids are mesmerized by the pictures and the cassette tape narration. After seeing a few over a couple days, I like to choose a story, put up the slides one at a time, and have the class help me write the narration for each slide. Their ideas are priceless. After we have completed the narration, I make copies for them and we read it together along with each slide. Of course we include the famous "beep" before advancing the slide.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-14854342691377039962012-06-10T21:25:00.000-07:002012-06-10T21:25:55.332-07:00Gasp........ That's me coming up for air. I apologize for neglecting the blog world for a while. The end of the year craziness got the better of my time (and the blogging is what had to give.) I look forward to sharing some of the end of year fun we had as well as what I have in the works for the summer. Stay tuned I promise to be more attentive to my blog.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-74070112019648553312012-05-03T20:37:00.000-07:002012-05-04T20:39:19.437-07:00Late to the (linky) party - Teacher Appreciation Sale!Well, I'm a little late for the giveaway part, but after taking a few pictures in the yard last weekend I had to share this picture for the Furry Friends Linky Party over at Soaring Through Second<P>
<center><a href="http://soaringthroughsecond.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i366/dreamlikemagic/blogs/button-187.png" alt="Soaring Through Second" width="125" height="125" border="0" /></a></center>
Here is my OLD dog Lucy, with my YOUNG Daughter. Lucy was a shelter rescue and has been a great companion through the years. She has been a great sport as I have changed things on her over and over again. When she was a pup, it was just her and I. We did a lot of fun things together. Then I went and got married. That was forgivable, but now just as Lucy was looking forward to a few peaceful twilight years... We went and brought this kid into the mix. Will she ever get a moments peace? She has been SO patient and she is and always has been such a sweet and gentle dog.
<center><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/Blog/IMG_0911.jpg"></center>
Alright... I didn't want to make a whole new post (So I edited this one), but did want to say I really appreciate all the teachers out there. Especially all the new teachers I have met through the teacher blogs. SO inspirational... some of you are just killing me with all your ideas! To make a potentially long story short, I am going to be participating in the Teachers Pay Teachers, Teacher Appreciation Sale by offering 20% off of my store. Stacking with the 10% off code: TAD12 (See the ad below)
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/First-Upon-A-Time/"><img border="0" height="120" width="250" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Pue3MkF8sE/T6SeDuiI90I/AAAAAAAAAGs/8Wi13SS9kYM/s320/TPTSale.jpg" /></a></div>
<center>Click on the banner above to visit my TPT store</center>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-33966871805288374412012-04-28T10:17:00.000-07:002012-04-28T10:17:52.816-07:00Forgotten on Father's Day?I have seen so many great ideas out there for some of the cutest Mother's Day activities. It made me reflect back on how many times we have done something for Father's (Perhaps being a father myself has made me more sensitive to the issue.) We definitely have not taken equal time to honor fathers the way we have mothers in the past. We make a point to celebrate the students' summer birthdays even though we will not see them on THE day. What ever happened to Father's Day? I decided to make an explicit effort to change this trend in my classroom.
Well, if you find yourself in a similar situation, want to find a new way to celebrate fathers, or just want to find an excuse for another relevant writing assignment at the end of the year... this is what I came up with.
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/If-You-Give-a-Dad-a-Donut-Fathers-Day-book-Craft-Writing"><center><H1>If You Give a Dad a Donut</h1></center></a>
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/If-You-Give-a-Dad-a-Donut-Fathers-Day-book-Craft-Writing"><img border="0" height="312" width="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zk92VK47NC8/T5wlL61NJXI/AAAAAAAAAGc/BONRWpNBHHM/s400/DadDonutSamplesPic.PNG" /></a></div>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-44264581481882320462012-04-25T22:09:00.001-07:002012-04-25T22:09:08.701-07:00Jellyfish ProjectWe have been learning about Jellyfish with Laura's <i>Ocean Animal Invertebrates Writing Unit</i>. My kids did a great job with their writing, but what I want to share today is the cool jellyfish they made. There is an art project with each writing topic in her unit. This is what our jellyfish look like. (No... that is not all of them. My class is NOT that small.)<P>
<img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/Blog/P1010875.jpg" width=640 height=480><P>
The image is a little washed out with light, but it shows how great the jellyfish look with the light coming through. They look like neon signs. Thank you to Laura at <a href="http://overthe1stgraderainbow.blogspot.com"> Over the 1st Grade Rainbow</a> for the wonderful project!Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-48467666164732785042012-04-19T15:30:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:31:27.792-07:00We have a WINNER! / BIG Sale !!!!!We used the random number generator and came up with 26!
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pctt2r5jnKM/T5CM8AONH1I/AAAAAAAAAEY/3SDW2cR_K4g/s1600/giveawayNumber.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="196" width="171" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pctt2r5jnKM/T5CM8AONH1I/AAAAAAAAAEY/3SDW2cR_K4g/s320/giveawayNumber.PNG" /></a></div><P>
And comment number 26 is:<P>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YDoJKQaiJdY/T5CNLXLWB_I/AAAAAAAAAEk/BiBzRzH15Qk/s1600/GiveawayWinner.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="94" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YDoJKQaiJdY/T5CNLXLWB_I/AAAAAAAAAEk/BiBzRzH15Qk/s320/GiveawayWinner.PNG" /></a></div><P>
Congratulations to Kim. We have your email and will send you those units and the certificate this evening.<P>
Anybody who is interested in the Magic Tree House Passport to Adventure can visit <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-House-Passport-to-Adventure-inspired-by-Magic-Tree-House-Series">my TPT store</a> today from 3:30 - 8:00 pm PST and get it for $6.00, that is 50% off!!! That is a blog follower special for this short window of opportunity.<P>
If you are interested in the Ocean Writing Unit, please check with Laura at <a href="http://overthe1stgraderainbow.blogspot.com">Over the 1st Grade Rainbow</a> and she may be posting details of a sale there as well.<P>
Thank you all SO much for your continued support and for participating in our giveaway. It was fun, so I am sure we will work something out again for the not too distant future.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-76670767764236005282012-04-17T21:05:00.000-07:002012-04-17T21:05:55.382-07:00Classroom Library Management (and... KPM Doodles giveaway reminder)This is how I manage 5 bookshelves full of books in my classroom library. When the students get a chance to be in the library and self select books to read, I still like to offer them a bit of direction. Each section of each bookshelf has a two sided label with velcro dots. One side says "Open", the other side says "Closed". This explicitly lets the students know where they can get books and where they can't. It assuages the control freak in me and still gives them choices. I can change which sections of the library are open whenever I want. Hooray for Velcro dots! They are a little worse for wear, but they have been in use for several years.<P>
<img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/Blog/P1010865.jpg"> <img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/Blog/P1010864.jpg" width=320 height=240><P>
I am excited for the giveaway to end so we can actually give the stuff away. It seems fun! With only a little more than 30 comments, the odds are looking pretty good for people who have entered. Thank you all for participating. Your comments and willingness to play along make it fun to be part of.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-46137296145581324842012-04-15T20:30:00.000-07:002012-04-16T07:55:34.203-07:00Everything is HARD.... (and KPM Doodles Giveaway reminder)Everything is HARD... until it is easy. <P> This and the Staples Easy Button are not my idea. I heard it several years ago at our local regional reading conference. I do not remember specifically who it came from, but I do not want to take credit for it when I know better. :P <P>
I have a discussion with my students that goes something like this. "Everything is hard... until it is easy. Almost everything we do is difficult until we learn about it and practice it. Then it becomes easier. Then with more practice, over time you don't even think about how to do it anymore. It is automatic for us... it is easy. When we were little babies, we didn't know how to walk. We learned how, we practiced a lot, and we don't think about it anymore because it is easy for us. The same thing is true for almost everything we know how to do well." We talk about many other things, about how things that are easy for me used to be hard to do, and about the learning they are going to do in first grade. I also encourage them with the idea that just like all the other things that are "easy" for them to do now, hard concepts for them can be learned and with practice and time can become easy.<P>
Enter the Staples Easy Button.<P>
I choose a concept that I want to encourage the students with and when they reach a certain level of mastery, they get to push the Easy Button. <P> The class loves to hear as the button proclaims, "That was easy."
<a href="http://www.staples.com/Staples-Easy-Button/product_606396"><img src="http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/gg535/FirstUponATime/Blog/easybutton.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Also... the giveaway looks like it is going to have very great odds for the few people that have signed up so far! Oh... and that collective 100 followers between <a href="http://overthe1stgraderainbow.blogspot.com">Over the 1st Grade Rainbow</a> and my blog has become a success! (We only needed one more.) Now onward to whatever the future may bring!Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-86427493998114698102012-04-13T15:19:00.000-07:002012-04-13T17:17:07.876-07:00Hoping For 100 Giveaway! KPM Doodles Clip Art!Hoping for 100 Giveaway!
Many blogs celebrate 100 followers by having a giveaway. My friend Laura at <a href="http://overthe1stgraderainbow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Over the 1st Grade Rainbow</a> and I are hoping to get to 100 followers. Collectively we have 99 followers. (That is clearly within reach.) We are striving for 100 each. So what does this mean for you? A GIVEAWAY!
Kirsten at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kpmdoodles">KPM Doodles </a> is practically my neighbor and she has graciously offered a gift certificate for this giveaway. Her work is amazing and SO cute. Visit her Etsy shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kpmdoodles">KPM Doodles at Esty</a> and her blog as well <a href="http://www.kpmdoodles.blogspot.com">KPM Doodles Blog</a>.<br />
So here is what is at stake:<br />
A gift certificate from KPM Doodles good for 3 combo sets or 6 single sets. <br />
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kpmdoodles"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y6UHGiIDR_U/T4ijmR9AjmI/AAAAAAAAAEM/ZgyU9lMiAGE/s320/10.00-gift-cert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Laura’s Ocean Invertebrates Writing Unit.
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Over-The-1st-Grade-Rainbow"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3D-cnVVaytY/T3x0A2xCJJI/AAAAAAAAAEM/hqc1VNSf1lI/s400/Ocean+Animal+Invertebrates+collage+snipet.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Mike’s Tree House Passport to Adventure.
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-House-Passport-to-Adventure-inspired-by-Magic-Tree-House-Series">
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-House-Passport-to-Adventure-inspired-by-Magic-Tree-House-Series"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dqq_XE9aCow/T34hmwALSII/AAAAAAAAABs/JIGCzqzVPvs/s400/TreeHousePreview.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<center><a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-House-Passport-to-Adventure-inspired-by-Magic-Tree-House-Series"> Tree House Passport to Adventure</a></center>
Here is how to enter (each is worth one entry):<br />
1. Leave a comment saying that you already follow both of our blogs.<br />
Here is Laura's: <a href="http://overthe1stgraderainbow.blogspot.com"> Over the 1st Grade Rainbow </a><br />
2. If you are not a follower, then sign up to follow both of us and leave a comment here.<br />
3. Blog about the giveaway and leave a comment when you do!<br />
4. Follow both of our Teachers Pay Teachers stores. Then let us know with a comment here.<br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Over-The-1st-Grade-Rainbow"> Over the 1st Grade Rainbow @ TPT</a><br />
<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/First-Upon-A-Time"> First Upon A Time @ TPT </a><br />
Good luck to everybody who takes the time to enter. We will random draw for a winner on Thursday, April 19th.Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-3304198187875517172012-04-12T22:23:00.000-07:002012-04-12T22:23:04.290-07:00Spring Reading ReviewWhat says spring more than sheep and penguins? With reading assessments just around the corner I put together this small pack of reading review materials. It has an original reading passage (focusing on skills they will need in the reading assessments). The story features a sheep and a penguin racing. I have had some teachers tell me that the suspense and action in this original story rivals that of the Hunger Games. Now I don't know about that, but for $1.25 the story and the activities are a steal!
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<a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Todd-and-Bess-Reading-Review-Compound-WordsLong-Vowels"><img border="0" height="250" width="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--XxGChEE5yM/T4e3ACzUiZI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Pd6EB-QbwIE/s320/previewpic.PNG" /></a></div>
We use this to review Theme 7 and 8 in the Houghton Mifflin reading series. But reading skills are fairly universal, so I hope you enjoy!Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7756675060445627164.post-66606149551435045492012-04-10T21:15:00.000-07:002012-04-10T21:15:37.397-07:00Table pointsI know a lot of teachers that offer table points when tables can pull it together and do a good job, or when participation starts to taper off a bit, table points can re-energize student's interest in helping out. I have seen many ways to manage table points. Here is how I like to give out table points. I hang cups from the ceiling above each table. When I want to reward tables I toss them monkeys from the Barrel Of Monkeys game. If they fill the cup, the monkeys get to link on to the sides of the cup and overflow from the sides hanging on for dear life. Why Barrel of Monkeys? The kids love it... and that is what occurred to me at the time. I like it because they can put their points in their own cup, the cup is basically out of reach when the kids are sitting (so they are not tempted to play with them), and I can carry them around with me or toss them to tables from the front of the room. I even found a variation on the Barrel of Monkeys game that uses rabbits instead, which makes it perfect to use during spring. At the end of the week we count up the points and the tables with the most points get first choice of ribbons to hang from their cup string. All the tables end up with ribbons, but there are some that are definite class favorites. (More on the ribbons another time.) Silly? Perhaps, but it is the small out of the ordinary things that the kids really enjoy.
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<center>A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men. -Roald Dahl </center>Mr. Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360148097435967248noreply@blogger.com0