Higher Order Thinking?

Happy New Year! I don't know about everyone else, but my school is pushing Rigor, with higher order thinking questioning.

This is what we were doing last year at this time. I thought my students were doing great. They were reading, writing, and finally could color! Got to have color.

Now I am rethinking what my students should be doing at this time of the year. They are mostly still 5 and 6 years old. They love school and learning - but am I pushing them to the higher level of learning. I am looking at the questions that go along with the Bloom's Task Wheel that everyone in my school has. 

I need to get to the top of the wheel (pyramid) more, but with little Ks who are just now beginning to APPLY the knowledge they have learned, it might be more difficult than someone looking in might think.

How do you get your Ks to climb to the top of the Bloom's chart? I would love some feedback on this.

Snowman Craftivity!

We had so much fun making our snowmen yesterday. Our school is about 6 miles from the coast, so most of my students have never seen snow. They love reading about snow and they loved making these snowmen from my Winter Math and ELA 135 Pages of Printables!

The snowmen are so big and just look great as my 'window curtain.' In the Winter Printables packet, this is only about 5 pages of 100, but I decided to make the snowmen with lined chart paper rather than the white paper I suggested in the packet. I wanted to have a writing activity that didn't take too long so I could get these up!

Some students wrote more than usual. What I was most impressed with is how my students' coloring, glueing and cutting skills have improved since the beginning of the year. I know that isn't at the top of most State Standards checklists, but it does help when a student can concentrate on coloring and then apply those details and descriptions to their writing.

My students were so involved with this activity! I know some teachers will know what I mean when I say I am so proud of their cutting skills!

I didn't edit any of the writing. They read what they wrote to their table buddies and I displayed all of their work.

Yes, this is such an improvement over what was done at the beginning of this year. And this child was so proud of her work! She cut around the lines, and colored with pizazz! She was following directions until she came to the mittens!

You can see the chart paper here. I say to use two sheets of construction paper and let students cut the corners to make a circle. We were out of white art paper and bulletin board paper, so I improvised and I really like this! I think I like the chart paper the best. It isn't too heavy for hanging and students loved writing on the chart paper.

Can you tell how focused my little ESL guy is? He didn't even realize I was taking a picture. I think coloring gives ESL Kinders a sense of accomplishment. They are trying so hard to learn English and may feel behind the others. A coloring project like this really gives them a chance to soar to the top of the class. 

I love my students faces when they are involved with a project. I took about 40 pictures, and could look at them all day! 

If you are interested in Winter themed activities for ELA and Math, the Winter Math and ELA Printable Packet contains 135 pages of ELA and Math printables. I like to call them processing sheets.... all engage students!  There is measurement, Emergent Readers, a Counting Book, writing, Artic Animals.... and of course the snowman!

Thanks as always for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoy looking through my students pictures. I am so proud of them! (I have to add one more of their snowmen!)

Okay, that's it! Thanks for being patient with all my pictures! 

I've Been Nominated for the Liebster Award!

Thanks for the Liebster Award!

I've been nominated by Jamie at Thrills in Third Grade for the Liebster Awards.

You may find yourself asking, "What in the world is the Liebster Award?" I know that's what I said!  It's pretty simple.  When a person is nominated for the Liebster Award, first they answer 11 questions about themselves.  Afterwards, they nominate 11 additional bloggers with fewer than 200 bloggers for the award.  It's like a chain award designed to help new bloggers* (see #1) become acquainted with the blogging world.  here are my answers to the 11 questions:

1. Why and how long ago did you start blogging?
       About two years ago I started blogging. I wanted a place to talk about teaching and to connect with other teachers world-wide. I figured blogging was a good way to do this.

2. What one word sums up the heart of your blog and why?
    I think my students are the heart of my blog. Everything I do is for them. I am always researching new strategies for teaching and implementing them into my daily lessons. I love my students and that is why I teach!

3. Is there something you learned late in your blog journey you wished you knew before?
    I am learning constantly. I am sometimes amazed that I can even get a blog up and going! I look at other blogs, ask questions, and then try it out. I will tell anyone to just jump in there and try it. You can always deleted your post if it doesn't turn out right.

4.  What is your favorite thing to do other than blogging?
      Knitting, being with my family, sitting on the beach and watching the ocean. I love to make new products for my students to try. I like puzzles, eating with my hubby, and my grandsons!

     5. How many hours per week do you dedicate to your blog?        Not many! This year I have been caught up with getting my Master's in ESL and trying to keep up at work with all the changes. Hoping to change this!

 6.  What category of blog posts do you enjoy the most?       I love reading other blogs and looking at the pictures. Sometimes I won't have time to read the blog, but I will always go through and look at pictures! I like the crafty type teaching blogs. Those are always fun to look at and dream about making these things with my students if there was TiME!

     7.  Where does your blog inspiration come from?

        Definitely other bloggers and my students! My students accomplishments make me want to do more each day!

     8.  Which post that you've written are you most proud of?

         Probably the one on the dodecahedrons. That was the most colorful!

     9.  Is there any post you've been planning to do but have been postponing?

      Oh yeah! Many, many! I guess I should just start writing them and then go back and edit and add pictures later. Did I say I never have enough time!

     10. What is your favorite aspect of blogging?

       Knowing that I am part of a huge group of teachers that want to connect! 

     11.  Which recipe, project, or idea on my blog would you most likely try yourself?

   Jamie I like your Currently blogs! I want to try this. I like to read about other bloggers and how they deal with everyday life!

The Rules:
Now that you've been nominated, here are the official rules for accepting:

1. In your post, link back to the blogger who nominated you as a thank you and "shout out."

2. Answer the 11 questions I answered above.

3. Nominate 11 blogs that have fewer than 200 followers each.  Have them answer the questions above.

4.  Let your nominees know they've been nominated and provide them with a link back to your post, so that they can accept.

5. Send your nominator a link to your post so he/she can learn about you.

That's it! Have fun!

Here are the bloggers I am nominating!

Jodie at Sugar n' Spice!

Angela at A Special Kind of Place

Jenn from The Primary Pack

Min Ah Kang at Primary ESOL

Sherry at Dr. Clements' Kindergarten

Carla at Comprehension Connection