Fall is here and in full swing! We've been very busy here in 5th grade - so busy in fact that we've already made it to conferences!
As a 5th grade teacher - we try to get our students to understand the important responsibility of being a student. Taking responsibility for their work, being responsible for their class items, and taking ownership of their learning & achievement. We support this idea with student-led conferences in the fall.
Student Led Conferences are brand new for students & parents - so we spend a few days allowing the students to practice their presentations before their parents show up. Student-led conferences mean that the student does the talking, they walk their parents through their work, their grades and this year through their data tracking binders. We've been graphing and reflecting and rating our learning so much this year so we have some great growth to show parents!
Each student will walk their parents through their binder/info and then if the parent has a question for the teacher they put a colored cup on the edge of their table to alert the teacher that they're needed!
The cups are color coded for each subject, so we know exactly which teacher they would like to talk to! This process has become so efficient and effective and the kids and parents really seem to love it. It pushes the students to explain their grades and progress to their parents - not the teachers talking their way through! Also, it gives the parents a different perspective on the conference experience and they get their questions answered after they talk to their parents first!
We love it - they love it and we get to run 3 conferences at the same time - seeing ALL of our kids for 20 minutes each!
I'm excited to work through this whirlwind - 3 days of conferences this week!!
We look forward to seeing all of our parents and explaining the amazing things we've been working on!
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
A land forgotten
I've been a bad blogger - for a while! With updating my classroom website (missbrown5th.weebly.com) and all of the craziness happening here with snow days and make ups - it's completely slipped to the bottom of the priority list.
We had perfect weather for our skiing trip! Not windy - not too cold and perfect snow!
Currently:
The 5th Graders in Rm. 14 are hard at work on their projects for our annual Reading Tea!
March is READING MONTH - so we are kicking our reading into high gear! Our Reading Tea is next Thursday in the Library - and parents are encouraged to attend if they can! ( I can assure you, you will not be disappointed).
Our Marking Period is coming to a close - so report cards will be going home next week - right before our spring break! :)
I'm sure we could all use some relaxing - now that the weather is resembling something close to spring-ish :)
Miss B.
Let me update you on some things we've been doing.
Kindles in the Classroom!
Each student has been expanding their reading life
by using Kindles to read some top books of 2013! 
Cross Country Skiing!We had perfect weather for our skiing trip! Not windy - not too cold and perfect snow!
Currently:
The 5th Graders in Rm. 14 are hard at work on their projects for our annual Reading Tea!
March is READING MONTH - so we are kicking our reading into high gear! Our Reading Tea is next Thursday in the Library - and parents are encouraged to attend if they can! ( I can assure you, you will not be disappointed).
Our Marking Period is coming to a close - so report cards will be going home next week - right before our spring break! :)
I'm sure we could all use some relaxing - now that the weather is resembling something close to spring-ish :)
Miss B.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Artful Thinking
This past Friday, we decided to expand our minds in one of my favorite ways : Artful Thinking.
The Artful Thinking program was developed in collaboration with the Traverse City, Michigan Area Public Schools. The purpose of this program is to focus on students appreciating art rather than just creating it. I like to use artful thinking to help students create connections between art pieces and the topics we study in class.
We have just begun a new novel study of Scott O'Dell's Sing Down the Moon, so I made this choice for Friday's art piece:
The students were given some time to view the painting -- just to 'take it all in.' We paired our viewing with a See, Think, Wonder. The students were given 3 color coded post-its, one for their Sees, one for their Thinks and one for their very important Wonders.
.JPG)
We used our classroom Target Tabs to track our seeing, thinking and wondering and then they chose one to share with the class on our See Think Wonder chart.
I'm always amazed and the observations they come up with and the powerful impact art can have on young people. It's also a phenomenal platform for visualizing our novel's plot line.
The Artful Thinking program was developed in collaboration with the Traverse City, Michigan Area Public Schools. The purpose of this program is to focus on students appreciating art rather than just creating it. I like to use artful thinking to help students create connections between art pieces and the topics we study in class.
We have just begun a new novel study of Scott O'Dell's Sing Down the Moon, so I made this choice for Friday's art piece:
The students were given some time to view the painting -- just to 'take it all in.' We paired our viewing with a See, Think, Wonder. The students were given 3 color coded post-its, one for their Sees, one for their Thinks and one for their very important Wonders.
.JPG)
We used our classroom Target Tabs to track our seeing, thinking and wondering and then they chose one to share with the class on our See Think Wonder chart.
I'm always amazed and the observations they come up with and the powerful impact art can have on young people. It's also a phenomenal platform for visualizing our novel's plot line.
Here are some of their thoughts:
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Common Core Roadmaps!
As November opens it's eyes and we join it in truly welcoming Fall into our grasp, one other thing waits upon the horizon: Conferences.
Some of my teacher friends are already well underway with their conferences -- but here in the Western pocket we have a few more days.
After preparing conference folders last week, I came across some helpful tools that I will be using this year to help parents understand what we do here at school.
Here are some of the things in my toolbox this year.
They are mighty helpful ::: use them if you like!
First up: a video that concisely explains the Common Core and its expectations for students and teachers. This video is free to use as you'd like (meaning it can even be put on your school website)!
Next up:
Some really nice handouts and roadmaps to lead your parents through what the CCSS means and how they can be supportive of these expectations on their end!
These Parents' Guide to Student Success Printable Flyers provide an organized overview of what your child will learn by the end of their academic year in both math and English language arts/literacy.
Click here to access these flyers in color (they are also available in B&W)
Lastly,
Some printable Parent Roadmaps from The Council of Great City Schools.
These resources guide parents about what their children will be learning and how they can support that learning in grades K-8. These Parent Roadmaps also provide three-year snapshots showing how selected standards progress from year to year so that students will be college and career ready.
If you're interested in checking these out: Click here!
I hope this are as useful to you as they are to me!
Miss Brown
Some of my teacher friends are already well underway with their conferences -- but here in the Western pocket we have a few more days.
After preparing conference folders last week, I came across some helpful tools that I will be using this year to help parents understand what we do here at school.
Here are some of the things in my toolbox this year.
They are mighty helpful ::: use them if you like!
First up: a video that concisely explains the Common Core and its expectations for students and teachers. This video is free to use as you'd like (meaning it can even be put on your school website)!
Next up:
Some really nice handouts and roadmaps to lead your parents through what the CCSS means and how they can be supportive of these expectations on their end!
These Parents' Guide to Student Success Printable Flyers provide an organized overview of what your child will learn by the end of their academic year in both math and English language arts/literacy.
Click here to access these flyers in color (they are also available in B&W)
Lastly,
Some printable Parent Roadmaps from The Council of Great City Schools.
These resources guide parents about what their children will be learning and how they can support that learning in grades K-8. These Parent Roadmaps also provide three-year snapshots showing how selected standards progress from year to year so that students will be college and career ready.
If you're interested in checking these out: Click here!
I hope this are as useful to you as they are to me!
Miss Brown
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
So long September
It's always hard to say goodbye to September -- the beginnings are over, my birthday is over and the very last reminders of summer are torn from my grasp.
However, the mourning doesn't last long when I think of all of my favorite FALL things.
As we settle into our routines (finally) and begin to dive deeper into the abyss of learning, I become even more excited about all of the things coming our way this year.
One of my most favorite things is turning my fifth grade friends into detectives and teaching them the skill of the inference.
This year we introduced: PIGEON IMPOSSIBLE -- and it is SO worth the time and rambunctious laughter that will surely disrupt neighboring classes.
Check it out ---
I wish you great days!
Miss Brown
However, the mourning doesn't last long when I think of all of my favorite FALL things.
- Boots
- Pumpkin things!
- Beautiful Colors
- Sweaters
- Scarves
As we settle into our routines (finally) and begin to dive deeper into the abyss of learning, I become even more excited about all of the things coming our way this year.
One of my most favorite things is turning my fifth grade friends into detectives and teaching them the skill of the inference.
This year we introduced: PIGEON IMPOSSIBLE -- and it is SO worth the time and rambunctious laughter that will surely disrupt neighboring classes.
Check it out ---
I wish you great days!
Miss Brown
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Welcome Back!
How quickly the summer flew by!
Here we are again at the beginning of a new year and I am so excited for everything in store!
With a brand new building, the staff at CMS is ready to jump into the 2013-14 school year!
I can't wait to meet all of you at Parent Night on Thursday. Please join us from 5-7 at the Middle School to meet the teachers and tour the school!
-Miss Brown
Here we are again at the beginning of a new year and I am so excited for everything in store!
With a brand new building, the staff at CMS is ready to jump into the 2013-14 school year!
I can't wait to meet all of you at Parent Night on Thursday. Please join us from 5-7 at the Middle School to meet the teachers and tour the school!
-Miss Brown
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