Life Science

A great place to find media on life sciences.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

When You're Too Cheap to Buy a Chime...

You're a teacher, so honestly, you probably already spent all of your money on books, science equipment, bins, etc.

Here are some YouTube clips I use instead of shelling out the big bucks for a million chimes.

Big Ben Sound Effect

Harp Sound Effect

Sad Trombone Sound Effect

Super Mario Mushroom Sound Effect

Timpani Roll Sound Effect

Guitar Sound Effect

Funny Baby Laugh Sound Effect

Extreme Makeover: Sentence Edition

How this works:
Students fold a paper in half and write "Before" and "After" on the top.  On one side we pick a sentence that can be revived.  On the other side, they recreate the sentence.  They do not add events, but make a more complex, descriptive sentence to reinsert into their work.  I encourage them to revise as many sentences as they can.

To introduce this lesson, I modeled with marker and large paper in front of the class.  Then, I gave a few practice sentences, such as "I ate pizza."  The energy level surged as we developed that sentence and compared what we did with partners.

Other sentences to "makeover" were:

I went to the park. => As I zipped along the narrow bike path, I saw the slide and swings come into view.

I walked to school. => I skipped like a jolly, little elf toward the glass door of the red, brick school building.

Of course our discussion developed into comparing connotations between descriptions of folks who enjoyed walking into school and others that did not (or so they claim) and the ensuing inferences we could glean from their word choice.

Part Part Whole

One comprehension skill is visualization and one technique for visualizing a word problem is to draw a diagram.  Teach the part-part-whole relationship (or even the part-part-part indefinitely-whole) model.  It even helps up to fifth grade for comparison problems and it's a definite go-to for ELL students.

                                     That is not quite it.  But it will get some laughs.

Ok.  This is it.  Use it with any numbers.  Part missing or whole missing.

Helps visualize number sense.

Multiple Intelligences

Lists of Activities that Highlight Multiple Intelligences

After trying a variety of activities and their not working, I'm back to the drawing board again.  We need to figure out how we learn best and go with that.  What motivates us?  Let's find out.

http://www.casacanada.com/chart.html

http://www.realclassroomideas.com/resources/MI-Activities+for+the+Multiple+Intellegences.pdf

http://www.realclassroomideas.com/resources/MI-MI+Key.pdf

Need an idea?

My go-to websites for creating the new or revamping the old:

http://www.thinkfinity.org

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators.aspx

http://www.readwritethink.org/

http://edsitement.neh.gov/

http://www.pbs.org/teachers

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/free-lesson-plans

War... What is it good for? Absolutely EVERYTHING!

I have planned to play the game war this week using cards with decimals to the thousandths place.  http://www.kaganonline.com/catalog/contents/BCDDDecimalWar.pdf  This link I found actually has to do with Kagan teaching techniques, which is a cooperative learning initiative.  I first learned of Kagan from a friend who teaches in Texas!  It's worth looking into for PD http://www.kaganonline.com/index.php

I've also played fractions war, whole number war, ten frames war, and there are so many others!

The game of War could probably be applied to Science animal classification, positions in US government, and anything else needing comparison.  Keep me updated on any new forms of War you play in your classroom! @nhts5