Classroom Hacks

World Maths Day is tomorrow!

This is an international "Maths" day, and it's not too late to sign up!

What is it?

Students play at home and at school against other students around the world in live games of mental arithmetic.  Each game lasts for 60 seconds and students can play up to 100 games, earning points for their personal tally.  Students can play beyond 100 games during the event, but points will only count to the World Maths Day Mathometer, not their personal point score.  The students who answer the most questions correctly appear on the Hall of Fame.  There are 5 different levels of play, 20 games on each level.

Can homeschoolers participate?

Yes. We welcome school aged children and homeschoolers to register and participate. It’s a great way to improve numeracy and mental arithmetic skills and have fun in the process.

..and it's absolutely free of charge!

Follow Classroom Hacks on Twitter, Math Helpers

Now that we're back to a (mostly) daily schedule, please add us to your twitter list.   Click here or the big box to the right that says "Follow Me" ;)

MATH HELP - in the classroom and at home

Reader John sent in this great hack:

"First In Math is appropriate for addition- through algebra-ready students, and each area aligns to NCTM standards. The site offers broad content, with an open-ended, self-pacing design that is ideal for differentiated instruction.  It costs $6-8 per student depending on how many lisences you purchase. Many schools are using this with GREAT success!"

Loyal fan Brittany sent this in:

"Multiplication.com has helped my students greatly.  They can use it in the classroom or at home for added practice.  I include it on all my materials sent home.  The games are engaging and fun, and not too much advertising"

Tune in tomorrow for more Classroom Hacks!

Some new deals - Audible and Scholastic

Thank you for all the great feedback and inquiries to my health!  Things are going much better and I have SO much to share with you.  To get us started, here's a coupon for 500 'free' Scholastic Bonus Points if you sign up for one of my favorite online tools, Scholastic Printibles.

USE CODE:  BPHP12

Audio Books are a great way to 'read' books while correcting papers, commuting to and from work or working out.  This is how I've been reading all my books lately.  Here's a great deal (teachers or not) where you can sign up and get a free book.  I recommend Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire

Try Audible Now and Get A FREE Audiobook

More tomorrow!

Classroom Pets?

Do you have pet(s) in your classroom?  What do you recommend?  I'm considering two guinea pigs.  I'm going to purchase them from a local 4-H child.  From what I've read they are low maintenance, furry, soft, easy and happy.  If you're considering guinea pigs, I found a great site with free instructions to creating a large cage that your students (depending on their age) can help with.

Post in the comments or tweet me @ClassroomHacks any experiences you have had with a pet in your class.

Follow ClassroomHacks!

Here are a few sites with more information:

Classroom Animals and Pets

Selecting The Right Classroom Pet

Best Pet Choices for Classrooms

Is a Classroom Pet for You? : The Humane Society of the United States

Miss Tippy

For all teachers!

Our middle daughter's Kindergarten teacher read this poem to the parents at the 'promotion'.  It was so sweet and of course we were all weepy.  It's a great beginning of the year, end of the year poem for any grade level.

Or just print it out and put it on your desk to inspire you.  We all have those moments!  If you want to purchase Robert Fulghum's books click here

All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

- by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned:

• Share everything.
• Play fair.
• Don't hit people.
• Put things back where you found them.
• Clean up your own mess.
• Don't take things that aren't yours.
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
• Wash your hands before you eat.
• Flush.
• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
• Live a balanced life.
• Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.
• Take a nap every afternoon.
• When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
• Be aware of wonder.
• Remember the little seed in the plastic cup.  The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die.
• So do we.
• And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK .
• Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
• The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Have any more great ideas for teachers?  Post them here or send them to classroomhacker@gmail.com

"Convention"al Teaching

With the convention in Denver in full swing, I wanted to take a minute to list some great news sites for children.  So many of us grew up with Weekly Reader, and it's still around!  Of course there are other news sources that focus on children't questions and issues, which are child friendly. Here I have linked a few.  Do you have more ideas for bringing current events into the classroom?  Post in the replies!

• National Geographic Kids

• Scholastic News

• ABC News 4 Kids

• CBC4Kids

• ChannelOne.com

• KidsPost

• NY Times Student Connections

• Online News Hour Extra

• Scholastic News

• Time for Kids

• Weekly Reader

• Yahooligans! News

Weekly Wrap Up

Parent communication is KEY in education.  This Weekly Wrap up has worked for me for over 15  years.

You can use the 'generic' one, and just fill in by hand.  If you download the Word file, you can alter it to your own needs using your computer.  I've included both Word and a .pdf version.

The first one is generic.  By hand or using a computer, fill in what you'd like to keep the parents aware of.  Print on a bright color, and use the same color every week so they know to look for it.  On the back I have printed poems, stories to share with the kids, what we're learning in math, or anything else you think is worthwhile for parents.

Other times I have printed weekly grade reports on the back.  This way the parent has gotten that information each and every week, so there should be no surprises come report card time.  Or you can attach grades.  I just hate wasting the back of paper.

The second one is student specific.  I like this one the best, but it takes a little more time.  I put in all the information like birthdays, stuff we've learned that week donations I'm asking for etc.  Then I pass them out.  The children write their names etc. on the top.  I walk around during silent reading or recess or another 'down' time.  I write in any missing homework assignments, any notes to parents.  If you have a 'card' system (flipping a card for behavior) you can mark how many times they were on each color.  If you have children on behavior contracts, this is a good way to reinforce weekly behaviors.  Just remember to reflect upon the whole week, not just that last Friday afternoon's behavior.

Please please remember to remark upon good behavior too!  "Catch" them being good and write that in.  It makes the parent and child's day.

• Download weekly_wrap_up.pdf
• Download weekly_wrap_up.doc

The children must return the child specific Wrap up, signed, every Monday.  This goes into their file.  Great resource for conferences.

I hope these work for you, contact with parents is key to a child's success in school.

Have any more great ideas for teachers?  Post them here or send them to classroomhacker@gmail.com

Door Hangar ideas

Check out this great post from Let's Explore.  While it would be a good item for home, I like the idea for the classroom.  One for the inside, you could use these to hang on the outside of your door, say if you were out at PE or Library or something.

These door hangers would also be good for making your own Girl and Boy Bathroom and Office Passes.  You can get them at a craft shop, from Oriental Trading Company, in wood or fun foam. Or make your own with this template!

Have any more great ideas for teachers?  Post them here or send them to classroomhacker@gmail.com

Truly easy worksheet generator

I started using Scholastic Printables last year.  It's about 25.00 a year and in my opinion totally worth it.  Some of the features:

10,000 worksheets that are arranged from preschool-about 6th grade
Teacher and classroom themed clip art
Make your own word lists (or use theirs) to create custom worksheets

What I have used it most for is 'sponge' activities -- that "When you're done" time, instead of 'sit quietly' or 'read a book' which never works for me, they have something to reinforce what you've been teaching that day.

I also put in vocabulary and spelling from our Open Court program.  Once the words are in, they quickly put them into word searches, crossword puzzles, bingo cards (really cool), flash cards.  They have said that they will be doing the same thing with math this year.

I find it easy to use, download and print.  It also keeps all the worksheets I have created in folders I can return to the next year.  I think it's worth the look-see.

Mrs.T

Do you find this useful?  Have any more great ideas for teachers?  Post here or email me classroomhacker@gmail.com

Presidental Election 2008

What a great idea!  Allison send in this gem:

I ordered them for my third grade class.  I'm going to use them on a bulletin board.  I will laminate them and let each 'student of the day' dress them for the day.  Next to that, the electoral vote graphs. Have the board look like a road race they are on, with the White House at the end  What fun for election year in the classroom!   

Here's a foldable 3-D White House you can also staple to a wall, or print enough for each student to have one.

White House Facts:

The White House, the official residence of the US President, is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. The 132-room Neoclassical mansion was built (1793-1801) from the designs of James Hoban (1762-1831), who also supervised its reconstruction (1814-29) after it was destroyed by the British in 1814. Major restoration work was carried out in 1948-52 after the building was discovered to be in danger of collapse.

White House Official Site

Have any more great ideas for teaching about the election?  Post them here or send them to classroomhacker@gmail.com