Tuesday, May 31, 2016

BOOKS that ANY STUDENT will read.

Let's talk toilets, toilet paper, restrooms...and well, I'll stop there. But wait, don't your students appreciate a little potty humor? YES. OH, YES, they DO.

Don't let me fool you or think this post isn't legitimate potty talk...because it is. It's all about Bathroom Readers--only your students read them in the classroom.One of my favoritefavoritefavorite books that instantly transformed by reluctant readers!!!

Here it is!!!

Run and get these books I was so skeptical but once we read a few excerpts and saw the magic of this book--I literally ran to Sam's Club (I am a total Costco fan but Sam's had me on this one) and picked up this book to test it out!

I have to tell you "Uncle John's Bathroom Readers" make my skittish readers read. And since it's not Guinness Book of World Records (#insertteachereyeroll...there I said it...well, I have the hardest time with my perpetual Guinness Book kiddos and it drives me batty. Am I alone? Yay? Nay?)...
 I am so so happy that they love this. It's history/science/everything you want that is---so so funny and engaging!

My students that love reading love these just as much because of the real life/historical/scientific stories that are told and the funny (and yet still accurate) way the information is presented.

PLUS text features out the wa-zoo! Some information is presented in charts and lists which is so cool for students to see used in real life!

I love the page number--toilet paper rolls--your kids will love it too!

I have the "kid version" of the bathroom readers on my shelves--well, they are never on my shelves because my kids pass them around--and they have a 1.5 week time limit check out. So my students can use them for their personal reading but I use the original versions for reading groups throughout the year. The regular bathroom readers contain some """interesting history""" ;) so I keep those in my book cabinet ;) for selected reading articles

I mix up my groups with just about every book so sometimes there are books that require more meetings than others but I don't want to lose instruction time with those that are finished with their books...


So I copy less than 10% of the book and make packets for our lit groups. It's is hilarious and fun. Sometimes I pair my students up and they present us with information for one article, we read it all together and do some extra exploring during genius hour, and sometimes we just sit and giggle and read these articles that are totally true! It's also a great addition to their reading logs!

I love the "A Hair Piece" and usually show the Frozen clip when the Prince of WEASELTON's hair piece flips off and we all get a good laugh. And most of the time the funny titles just get me!

So grab your bathroom reader and get started! You have the entire summer to check it out!

Over and Out!



Monday, May 23, 2016

All NETS on DECK!

That's right! ALL about NETS! I don't know about you but for some reason SURFACE AREA totally throws my kiddos for a loop. Like they have to find all the area of that whole big shape thing and it's just a lot sometimes.



So FOUNDATIONS become really important. Especially laying a foundation for learning all about 3d shapes such as rectangular prisms, cylinders, triangular prisms, pyramids, and all that jazz.


It's time to bring in boxes and rip them apart to see their net, pringles canisters, toilet paper tubes, masking tape (making nets of of floor tiles), and taking a closer look at pyramids. It's all about opening their minds to everything nets.

We focus a lot on identifying nets and really getting our heads around how these 3d shapes are made. When you take time to do this surface area and all things nets just becomes easier.



One of my favorite activities to do with my kids is IMPOSTER! I have a series of nets that actually fold into an object and some nets that are well, IMPOSTERS! They have to sort through the cards and really analyze how these shapes come together.

Students will have those light bulb moments and really familiarize themselves with 3d shapes!


And then it is smooth sailing into surface area...really...no bumps in the road because your kids are so familiar with nets that it isn't confusing or this crazy math cloud of confusion looming over their heads.


You can find all things nets (posters and activities) in my tpt store right here!

Over and out friends!

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