Social Studies Notebooking-Freebie

Do you use "Notebooking"?

Several years ago, I was “nominated” ~ ‘cause no one else wanted to do it ~ to be a part of the Teaching American History Grant that had been received by my district.  I reluctantly agreed to be the representative for our school.

Man am I glad that I did.  I have been attending in-services for the last three years.  The in-services are intended to teach us the content so that we can, with confidence, teach the content.  I’ve learned so much history in the last three years that I feel like I could run a history museum…ok, not really.  Still.

During each set of in-services (three days in the fall, one day in February and a week in the summer) there are three professionals who come to teach us.  One of the three instructors is a master teacher who teaches us how to apply what we have learned to lessons for our classroom.

Two years ago, I learned about notebooking.  I know a lot of you are familiar with notebooking, so I will just give a quick summary to those of you who don’t know about it.

The idea behind notebooking is that the student has notes/study guides/ etc. on one side of the notebook and the other side has the response to the learning.  The right side is for the notes and the left side is for the “creative response”. 

What I love about using this method is that the students have OWNERSHIP in his/her learning.  In the year and a half that I have been teaching with this method, NOT ONE student has lost his/her notebook (I probably just jinxed myself). 

At the beginning of the year we spent the first few days creating our notebook.  Each student decorated his/her notebook’s cover.  I live close to the South Carolina/Georgia border so I went to both welcome centers and gathered up brochures that directly related to my standards. 

Notice the Native Americans on this student’s notebook (Standard).

I covered each notebook with clear contact paper so that it would hold up all year long.  (It does).

Then, we set up our "Table of Contents" page.  Just like any other book, this is set up for the student to again, have OWNERSHIP in his/her notebook.  On the left side you see the notebook requirements that I have established so that I can grade their notebook at the end of each chapter (gotta get those grades...geesh).  You can download it from my TpT store here.

At the beginning of each chapter, I have the students create a title page.  The students will later go back to this title page to illustrate what they have learned.

For each lesson, I have the students complete the study guide with me.  I usually use the CLOZE method, but not always.

The next day, the students complete what I call their “Left Side Activity”.  This is where it gets fun!

If you haven’t heard of foldables, this is where it comes in.  Check out A Teacher's Treasure to read more about foldables.  This post explains it all :) 

Here are some examples:

I highly recommend the book by Dinah Zike, Notebook Foldables.  

It helps guide you to the right foldable for the right lesson. 

I don't always use foldables.  Sometimes, I have a map (high on the standard's list).

The teachers at my school do a great job collaborating and finding "left side activities".   I have to give credit to a super teacher in my school, Mrs. Eberhard, for many of the left side activities that I use. 

This year, I added a new component:

This is where they store their vocabulary flashcards!  No more lost cards…yay!

Everything in one place.  Can’t. Beat. That!

Do you use notebooking?  What resources do you use to find activities for the “creative response”?


One more tiny note: 45!  Yay!  Maybe by the weekend, I will be able to have my giveaway.  Just in time for Valentine's Day...

This (or one similar since I've sold THIS one) could be yours.  Ain't it gaudy and great?

See tomorrow's post for the details and a chance to win.

Currently January

First off...sorry about the two blogs in one day.  But, since I'm home sick, what the heck.  Right?

Farley (who is absolutely amazing~I want to be her when I grow up...wait, I'm older than  her. Poo) over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade is hosting January's Currently Linky Party.  So fun.  

She's also having a giveaway for a cool prize- the best pencil sharpener eva!

I totally want to win this one!

OK, here's my currently:

Now off to get dressed and make something of myself and my day off.  I'm feeling much better after my long nap this morning.  I'm fighting a sinus infection.  Yuck!

Make sure you go and link up with this party and try to win a prize, too.  (Maybe I shouldn't encourage that...oh well.)

Clutter Free Classroom Project~Linky Party

OK, I'm doing it.  I'm joining Clutter-Free Classroom to get organized in my classroom.

I must admit that I feel a teeny bit guilty about posting this in the middle of the day.  I'm home sick (just woke up, it's noon) and I should really be getting ready for lunch with my kiddos.  Instead, I'm blogging.  Sad.

Per my style~I'm a week late to the party... but here goes:

As part of the Week 1 Challenge, I had to take pictures of my classroom.   Scary, I know.  But, I did it anyway.  What encouraged me to post them was through linking to other bloggers' pictures and seeing that I'm not alone.  Thank the Lord!

First off: Remember this post about the cute magnetic chalk boards I made...here they sit.  Boo!

I've always got great intentions...

So there you have it.  It's kinda bad, right?  But, I can do this! I know I can. 

Head on over to Clutter-Free Classroom to see more "before" pictures and to join the Linky Party.

I WON, I WON!!!

I won the Grand Prize over at Classroom Confections!  How awesome?  I wouldn't have known it, though, without Elisabeth over at Twins, Teaching and Tacos because I was the dork that didn't put my email on my comment.


Rookie Blogger Mistake #123 or so...


She was kind enough to make a comment on my blog telling me to go and check it out!  I'm so glad that I did because I WON!!! I was able to pick one item from each of these stores:

Classroom Confections Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Down Under Teacher Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Primary Inspiration Teachers Pay Teachers Store

I Love 1st Grade Teachers Pay Teachers Store

A Teacher's Treasure Teachers Pay Teachers store

Herding Cats in Kindergarten Teachers Pay Teachers store

Third Grade Bookworm Teachers Pay Teachers store

A Special Kind of Class Teachers Pay Teachers store

Mandy's Tips for Teachers Teachers Pay Teachers store

Hojos Teachers Pay Teachers store

Teacher Tam's Teachers Pay Teachers store

Tools for Teachers by Laurah J Teachers Pay Teachers store

If you haven't already checked out all of these wonderful blogs and TpT stores, you need to rush over right now!  Seriously.

How Awesome-Blog Awards

I have to tell you, this week has been crazy...whose hasn't?


In my haste trying to read and catch up on all of the blog reading that I missed throughout the week, I missed this totally awesome award....How is that possible?  With me~anything's possible.

Elisabeth over at Twins, Teaching and Tacos nominated me for this award.  (Don't you just love her blog title?) I'm so thrilled to have received it.  Elisabeth is so awesome just for that...but can you believe that she took the time to comment on my blog that she thinks that I am the top winner in the New Year's Contest from Classroom Confections.  Seriously, how "blogging friendly" is that?  

Man do I feel like a total dork because I didn't add my email.  Newbie Blogger Mistake #1.  There may be more...


Back to the award.  My instructions for receiving this award are as follows:

1. Thank the person who presented the award to you and link back to them.

Thanks, again, Elisabeth

2.  Tell seven things about yourself.


1.  This is my 18th year teaching and I have taught 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th grades.  I am currently teaching 4th grade and loving this age the best.
2.  I have two beautiful children ages 10 and 14, yet I feel like they were just born.  Time flies, eh?
3.  I LOVE Josh Groban...I promise to post more about him later.  I've referred to meeting him on here before, but those stories are still waiting to be posted :)
4.  I am loving this new blogging community.  It has really changed my enthusiasm in my classroom, too.  The wonderful ideas on here have inspired me to teach better lessons in my classroom.
5.  I am a Disney fan*a*tic.  I'd go every year if my husband would let me.  But, he won't.
6. I love having a pedicure, but don't even think of touching me with your feet.  I cant' stand feet.  Weird.
7.  I'm pretty crafty.  At least I think I am...I sold about 12 Christmas wreaths and just had to postpone posting this blog to make a Hobby Lobby run for materials for some Valentine's Day wreaths.  

3.  Pass this award on to 15 newly discovered blogs and let them know they have received the award.  


That's the hard part...so many of the blogs that I love have already received this award, so some may be honored again :)

Certainly not new blogs, but some that I recently found:

Yearn to Learn

 Vintage Teacher

Third Grade Bookworm

The First Grade Parade
Life's a Teach (my first follower)
Adventures of a 6th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives

Some Newer Blogs to Check Out (with less than 200 followers-like me):

Classroom Confections, of course!

Following Optimism 

The Polka Dotted Desk
Fabulous Fourth Grade
HoJos TpT Store and More
My Life as a Fifth Grade Teacher (she's at 195...help her reach 200)
Finding JOY in 6th Grade
Life is Better Messy Anyway


Happy Blog Hopping!

Thanks again, Elisabeth, for the award.  How cool are you?

I'd Like to Thank...

Time for my award speech...I'll just grab my notes:


OK~Just kidding.
I have just had the chance to check my email...been crazy busy this first week back at school and at home...geesh.

But, when I did FINALLY check my email, I had to jump out of bed (I was already there, sadly, at 8:15) to come and blog about this momentous event...well, at least for lil' ol' me.

Tanya over at A Class Act nominated me for the Liebster Award. This is so exciting. Little did I know only 2 months ago that someone would think enough of me to honor me with an award. Hokey, I know. If you haven't checked her blog out yet, you need to...she's awesome. I kinda like her just because we have the same taste in blog design :)
So now it's my turn. The rules for this award are to complete the following: The rules of this award are as follows:
1. Show your appreciation to the blogger who nominated you by linking back to their blog. Thanks again, Tanya.

2. Nominate 5 more blogs (200 followers or less) by posting a comment on their blogs.

3. Post this award on your own blog (yay!).

4. Check out what other up-and-coming blogs have to offer. Happy blog hopping!

Recipients for the Liebster Award

So, here goes:

Thanks again and make sure you spread the love out there, bloggy world.

Peace out....literally....off to bed now.

One Little Word (OLW) and Thanks Bloggers!

During the winter break I was able to catch up on a lot of reading
(blog reading mostly).

I came across a post by Farley over at Oh' Boy 4th Grade about finding the perfect word to motivate you during the upcoming year.  The original brain child of OLW is Ali Edwards.  Check her out here. 

Much better than a resolution, right?  Who keeps those anyway? (Not me!)

As I continued to read the feed on Google Reader,
I kept noticing OLW (not OWL~which is what my brain keeps wanting to type).

So many bloggers out there are embracing this idea of OLW not only in their own lives, but for teaching, too.

Holly from Crisscross Applesauce In First Grade shared her idea of how to incorporate OLW with her students.  I used stole this idea from her (it was a freebie).   Basically, once the students come up with their word, they write it on their party hat. She had actually gotten the idea from Cara Carroll over at The First Grade Parade.  Isn't the blogging community fab?

Isn't it adorable?  Head on over there to get your own OLW freebie!

My students really embraced this idea.  So much so that some of the students are still mulling over the idea and we have decided to finish this activity later in the week. Awesome!

On another note: I just have to say how truly happy I am that this community has welcomed me ;)  I've enjoyed reading you for years (from the sidelines...never really speaking up) and I should have gotten off my duff much sooner.

Thanks for being so sweet :)  (That sounds like a yearbook signing quote if I've ever heard one...)

Swanky Magnetic Stations Boards

Ahhh, the beauty of a Winter Break, right? Having spent most of my break on vacation visiting the in-laws in Oklahoma, I've had ample down time. It's been so refreshing. I've spent time reading (including catching up on some of my favorite blogs), playing cards, and goofing around on Pinterest. All without feeling the least bit guilty because my house was a mess :) I LOVE being away, don't you?

I found this great idea on Pinterest for making magnetic bulletin boards using pizza pans. I don't know where I saw it first (and then neglected to pin...ah dang it). But here is a picture of the general idea:

Click here for my pin to Passionate for Paper Blog.

I ran out to the local Walmart to grab 5 pizza pans for $1 each.  Then, over to Hobby Lobby for chalkboard paint, ribbon and felt.  My sister-in-law, Wendy, insisted that I take pictures of each step of the process to show you exactly how to make it :) So we did.

 Here's a play-by-play of how this all came together. Enjoy the show :)

Step 1: Drill holes into the pan for the ribbon hangers

Step 2: Spray paint the boards with chalk board paint

Step 3: Make the felt flowers (Let me stop here to explain):
I found this idea on Pinterest (of course) for these cute flowers.

You really need to just click over to this link and watch her video for full explanation if you are really interested. It's easier to watch than for me to go "blah, blah, blah.blah.blah".  Scroll down to the bottom of her page to see the video.

Cut strips, fold strip over and glue, snip loop of strip every cm or so.

 

Roll up and glue as you go!

Step 4: After everything is dry, hot glue the flowers to the board and slip a ribbon through the holes:

Voila!

Here's how I plan on using these cuties:  

I will write the name of the literacy station on the top of the board (I only have 5 different stations per week...it's manageable for me) in chalk (the stations themselves change about every three weeks).  Then, each student will have his/her name on a magnet that gets moved from board to board each day.  It all sounds great in theory.  We'll see how it works in practice come January 3rd!  I already have a system of how they rotate in place, just not a cute visual for the kids to remember where they are going each day.

I will be adding more later about how I "do" my literacy Stations.  Look for that soon!

Snowman Glyphs

During the last week before the break, you know that time...the time you are just trying to hold the kids at bay and not kill each other...I decided to take on this project.

Operation Snowman Glyph

Smart move, too.  It kept the students engaged (aka...busy) and everyone was happy :)

I knew I wanted to do something with snowmen because I could leave that up after the holidays (and maybe even through February).  So, naturally, I started with Pinterest.  I found the idea for a snowman glyph.  Too cute, right?

Snowman Glyph idea from Angela Wynn

How could I make this with my students, yet keep it standards-based for 4th graders?
We had just completed a poetry unit.  So, we made diamante poems to write on their bellies.  They turned out soooo adorable.

You can find the snowman glyph at my TpT store here.

 My kiddos were so proud of them, too.  I gave them the option of hanging them up inside the classroom or outside and they all shouted "OUTSIDE" so we could show them off!