Rewards and Consequences

                  I’m a fan of having a positive reward system! Do I indulge my students with a treasure box, NO! Believe me, parents appreciate it and I don’t have to waste my money on cheap toys that break (It is a win, win for both of us). Can my students earn privileges for good behavior? Of course! Not only do they get a lot of verbal feedback about how awesome they are, but they can also earn rewards for their good behavior. (If you give a compliment, be specific and direct i.e. Susie I loved the way you lined up so quickly and quietly!)

                  Last year to reward my students for good behavior, I used a ticket system. I loved and hated it. I loved that my students would follow the rules to hopefully earn a “blue” ticket, but I never knew if they were doing it for the ticket, or because it was the right thing to do. I would say in the beginning it was to earn the ticket, but when the tickets came out less frequently during the middle and end of the year, I knew my students were no longer doing it because of the “ticket.”

                  I have seen the ticket system work in two different ways.  You can decide what would work best for you and your students!

For both options you will need to create a chart of possible choices that your students can choose. Rewards I used were, Froggy, Ringo and Bob (these were are classroom stuffed animals), teachers chair, master of the beanbag, line leader, class DJ, free centers and happy phone call.

Option one-

1.          Label a jar “tickets”

2.         Place in a spot that is easily accessible

3.          Make sure when a student receives a ticket they write their name on the back and turn it into the jar (at an appropriate time).

4.         On Friday, pull out 5 names.

5.         These friends would get to choose one choice from the list.

*Teaches probability, the more tickets you have in the jar, the more likely you will get picked!

Option tw0-

1.          One small container for every child

2.         When a child receives a ticket, they place their name on the back and place it in their container.

3.          Students when they receive enough tickets, may make purchases in the beginning of the day for one of the choices off the list. (You will need to assign different values for the options.)

*Teaches the value of saving and purchasing!

However, I do believe in having consequences for students who choose to make poor choices in my classroom. I’m very clear all year long that we have two choices, to make a good choice or a poor choice. If you choose to make a poor choice, there will be a consequence. I enjoy the card system!

Card System

                  Each child has four different colors (I use grey/purple, green, yellow, red). Each color means something different. When a student pulls their first card, it means I made a poor choice and I need to change my behavior. If they pull to the yellow card, it means I lose my recess and I will get a note sent home. If I pull to the red card, it means I need to stop what I am doing and think, and a phone call home (either during school or right after school).  I usually gave a nonverbal warning, verbal warning, then I will have a student pull a card, then repeat. Some offenses call for an immediate pulling of a card or two cards, I won’t explain the reasons but I am sure you can use your imaginations.

I know the push in education has been to give students constant positive praise, however, how many bosses do you know give positive praise to their employees for showing up to work or handing in their work on time? If you know one, let me know! I have yet to meet a boss that gives constant positive praise to their employees. As educators it is our job, to not only educate our students, but also to prepare them for the real world. What happens if you get caught speeding? If you are lucky you might get off with a warning, but most of us will get a speeding ticket to discourage us from speeding again. A speeding ticket is a form of a negative consequence.  We need to show our kiddos that there are both positive and negative consequences!

Discovering Primary and Secondary Colors!

These lessons can be given through out the year! It is actually best to separate these lessons so that they have multiple opportunities to absorb this information. 


Grades: K-2 

Length: 4 days (Does not need to occur back to back)

Lesson 1 Discover the Secondary Colors

Materials

            Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh

            Model Magic (Red, Yellow and Blue)

            Color Wheel

Before lesson begins

Give a piece of red, yellow, and blue model magic to each child. Have students make 3 red balls, 3 yellow balls and 3 blue balls. Students should not mix the colors!!!

Directions:

            Remind students to keep their hands locked while you read and that they should only touch the model magic, only when you have told them to do so.

Have them point to the colors as you read them “one red, one yellow, and one blue.” Stop and tell them that these are the primary colors. (Make a list of primary colors on the board).

What are the primary colors?

After you read, “the red mouse stepped into a yellow puddle, ” direct students to mix one red ball with one yellow ball. Tell them to mix them until a new color comes to be. What color do you see? ___________ (Orange). Write the word Secondary Colors on the board. Underneath write red + yellow = orange.

Have students lock up their hands and continue reading. After reading, “the yellow mouse hopped into a blue puddle,” direct students to pick up one yellow ball and one blue ball and mix together until they see a new color. What color do you see? ________ (green). Write on the board yellow + blue= green.

Have students lock up their hands and continue reading. After reading, “then the blue mouse jumped into a red puddle,” direct students to pick up one blue ball and one red ball and mix together until they see a new color. What color do you see? _________ (purple). Write on the board, red + blue= purple.

Finish reading!

Review

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue.

Secondary colors are colors that are made when two primary colors mix together. Review the mixes.

            What happens when you mix red and yellow? Yellow and Blue? Red and Blue?

The secondary colors are orange, green and purple.

Introduce students to the color wheel and show where the colors are and how the when two primary colors mix, it makes the color that goes in between.

Lesson 2 Making the Color Wheel

Materials:

            Color wheel

            Blank Color Wheels (white construction paper works best)

            Water Colors

            Paper Towels

Directions:

1)    Review Primary and Secondary colors.

2)    Tell students today we are going to be making our own color wheel using only the primary colors!

3)    The following directions should be done in the format I do it, You do it.

-       paint one part red. Rinse and dry brush.

-       skip one part, paint yellow. Rinse and dry brush.

-       skip one part, paint blue. Rinse and dry brush.

-       What happens when I mix red and yellow together? Put a lot of yellow watercolor in the empty spot between the red and yellow. Rinse and then put red in the same spot, mix together until you make orange.

-       What happens when you mix yellow and blue? Put a lot of yellow watercolor in the empty spot between the yellow and blue. Rinse and put blue in the same spot, mix together until you make green.

-       What happens when you mix blue and red? Put a lot of blue watercolor in the empty spot between the red and blue. Rinse and put red in the same spot, mix together until you make purple.

4)    Let air dry. After they are dry have students on the bottom make a label. Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary colors are orange, green and purple.

Lesson 3 Making the Color Purple!

*** I like to use this lesson when we are talking about text-self connections when we have had previous experience with Lilly.

Materials:

            Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

            A Collection of Purple Objects (preferably different shades)

            Large Poster board (4-5 kids will share)

            Red and Blue Paint

            Paint Brushes

Directions:

• Read Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse.
• After reading, have students look at the different objects of all different shades of purple.
• Ask, how do you make purple?
•  Today you are going to work as a team to discover ways to make purple and different shades of purple. But first, what two primary colors make purple? The best way to make different shades of purple is to make dots. (You can make a connection if you have made the dot art, found in the lesson titled “Everyone is an Artist”)
• Tell them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on the paper.
• Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, How do you make a lighter purple? Darker purple? Guide them to the conclusion the lighter the purple the more red they need, the darker the purple the more blue they need to use.

Lesson 4 Making the Color Orange (I would suggest using this lesson around Halloween)

Materials:

      A book about pumpkins (can be nonfiction or fiction)

      Red and yellow paint

      Paint brushes

      18x24 white construction paper (1 piece per 2 students)

Directions:

•  Read and discuss pumpkins.
•  Ask, How do you make orange?
• Today you are going to make orange and different shades of orange using the primary colors red and yellow. You are going to be working with a partner to make a pumpkin that are different shades.
• Remind them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on the paper.
• Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, how do you make a lighter orange? Darker orange?
• Guide them to the conclusion, for lighter orange they need more yellow for darker orange they need more red.

Lesson 5 Making the Color Green (I would suggest using this lesson near Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day)

Materials:

            Read a book about trees or St. Patrick’s Day

            Yellow and Blue Paint

            Paint Brushes

            9X12 white construction paper

Directions:

• Read aloud the book of your choice.
• Ask, how do you make green?
• Today you are going to make green and different shades of green using the primary colors, yellow and blue.
• Remind them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on their paper.
• Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, how do you make a lighter green? Darker green?
• Guide them to the conclusion, for lighter green they need more yellow for a darker green they need more blue. 

The World of Charlie and Lola

The brilliant Lauren Child has a gift of bringing characters alive that easy to relate too. The problems she uses in her books are every day problems that all kids at one point or another go through or can relate to. Her books allow for students to make text-self connections with ease. Her straightforward writing also allows students to practice identifying problem and solution in stories. Her style of writing and the font she chooses and the emphasis she places on letters or different words, help teach students how to read with more inflection. When used correctly it can build their fluency skills.

The following is a list of my favorite Charlie and Lola books:

(All books are best read with using your best English accent!)

My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out

Boo! Made You Jump! (Halloween)

Help! I Really Mean It!

I’ve Won, No I’ve Won, No I’ve Won

I’m Really Ever So Not Well

This is Actually My Party

I Can Do Anything That’s Everything All on My Own

Whoops! But It Wasn’t Me

You Can Be My Friend

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

But I Am an Alligator

I Want to be Much More Bigger Like You

I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed

There are so many more to choose from it is hard not to get carried away! If you have little ones at home there are board books too!

The Importance of Writing - Part 1

With all of the focus now being shifted to our student’s ability to read on grade level by third grade, what happened to the art of writing? From year to year, I have seen in many schools how writing is becoming less of a main subject and one that doesn’t carry much wait anymore. Reading and writing go hand in hand. Writing helps build phonemic awareness, practice known phonic skills, encourages students to find new vocabulary to express themselves, teaches about organization of both fiction and nonfiction (depending on the what the focus is) and can help build fluency as they are required to reread their work each day to continue the text they are writing. Do these areas seem familiar? Well they should, I have touched on the five pillars of reading and how writing can help our students become better readers. Good readers are not always good writers, but if you have a good writer usually they are also avid readers. 

What should my first writing project be about?

What do your students know most about? They know most about themselves. The first writing project should be about them.

In first grade, we made an “All About Me Book.” Where I gave them most of the words and they were responsible for filling in the blanks and illustrating the pages. Topics that I included were, This is me!, This is my family.(encourage to label their picture with names), Here are my friends. (encourage labeling the picture with their friends names), and I love to _____. This simple four page book was a way for all students to fill like a writer regardless of their abilities.

In second grade, I made it a little more challenging and expected them to write a “memoir.” This began our memoir unit. Can you tell you students go write a memoir and get back to me? No, of course not. You need to prepare them for their own writing by sharing memoirs that other people have written and get ready to share a story from your past as well.

       Setting the stage for a great first book of the year!

Over several days read the following books and talk about, What is a memoir? *A memoir is a memory. Something we remember that has already happened to the writer.

Step #1

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (this book discusses what a memory is from the perspective of wise adults, it starts a good discussion)

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant

Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

Step #2

First Stage of Writing – Getting Ideas

Have them make a list of all the memories they have:

       Losing my first tooth

First day of Kindergarten

Family Vacation to…

My new baby sister/brother

My trip to the emergency room, etc.

Once they have their list of ideas, they need to pick out their favorite story and the one that they remember the most about.

Step #3

Show them how to web about their main idea! (Share with them a story from your childhood)

       What people/animals are in the story?

       Where did the story take place?

       What happened in the beginning/middle/end?

       Was there a problem?

       How was it solved?

Step #4

After my web, now what!

       Show students how to use your web to make it into a story. In our web, we can’t write everything down that is important to our story. So we have to use the web to help us remind ourselves about what they story is going to be about, but it is up to us as writers to fill in the holes. As you write your story from your web, model how to skip every other line (this will help when you get to the revising stage of writing.) Remind them to stick to one main idea!

Step #5

I’m done writing my memoir!

Well, all good writers go back and reread their work to make sure it makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense, it gives us a chance to add more details or to get rid of parts that don’t really stick to our original story.

Step #6

After we read our own story it is always good to give it to a buddy to read to make sure they understand it. The buddy’s job is to read and give two suggestions on what would make the story better.

Step #7

Now they have read it themselves, a buddy has read it. Now it is time for students to edit their own work (circle words they don’t think are spelled right, make sure their our capital letters and ending marks).

Step #8

After they edit themselves, now they can meet with you, the teacher. In your conference with the student you will give suggestions to them about their writing (it is up to them to take it) and to help them with the words they think they have misspelled. Depending on the child, you may want to help with capital letters and ending marks. (Considering this is their first story I try not to be too picky, because writing for most kids takes a lot of courage.)

Step #9

It is time for the final draft!

Each student will use their first draft with all corrections and additions to their story and make a final draft. Before releasing them, remind them it should be in their best handwriting and that neatness counts. They should use all corrections and implement it into their final draft. I also give them special writing paper, with lines and a space to illustrate. After they are done with writing their final draft, it is time for them to illustrate their memoirs. I remind students that they need to read each page and create an illustration that matches the words.

Step #10

Writing is down, illustrations are complete. It’s time for the cover page!

       I like to have students create a self-portrait using construction paper and tear art (no scissors necessary).

Have students put their memoir together and give students an opportunity to share their memoirs with each other (rereading is a great way to build fluency!).  

The First Reading Lessons!

Reading! Reading! Reading!

            I like to use the phrase “good readers” in my classroom. It is important to explain to kids what good readers do. If they don’t know what they do how will they become “good readers.” Many students who come into first grade our emergent readers, they are beginning to read simple words. They usually have some sight word knowledge, however, part of every students success in reading is developing their confidence! Everybody is a reader in my classroom, whether they are reading chapter books or reading wordless books and creating their own story. It is our job as educators to assure students that they are readers!

One of the first lessons, I like to give at the beginning of the year is “What do good readers do?” Before allowing them to answer this question, I like to read the story Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams. I ask them to pay close attention to what I do while I read to help them answer the question at the end of the story. On chart paper I write, what do good readers do? Then I ask students to help me create a list of what good readers do?

What do good readers do?

            They sound out words

            They use the pictures

            They change their voice

            They don’t read too fast

            They read the words

            They THINK

The second lesson, I like to do is: where do good readers read? I like to ask this question because of a couple of different reasons: 1) I want them to realize reading is important in their lives, not just at school and 2) Reading can happen anywhere! Any book would work for this lesson. I enjoy reading A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood. Like the previous lesson, have chart paper and write the question where do good readers read?

Where do good readers read?

            At home

            In bed

            At school

            In a restaurant

            In the bathroom (yes, a student actually said this!)

            In the den

In the car

            Under a tree

            At the cabin

*The places are endless, have each child come up with one place.

The third lesson is How to Choose a Just Right Book! As you can imagine, this task is harder than it seems, considering the reading gap in each classroom is larger than it has ever been before. So this lesson should be done more than once throughout the school year. I like to pick out one of my big books to read so everyone can see the text. I also like to bring in a medical text book with small print and large words that even I can’t sound out (the students love to see there teacher struggle).

How to Choose a Just Right Book

1)    I can read most of the words. (Five finger rule)

2)    The words are not too small, too big, but just right.

3)    The pictures help me read the words I don’t know.

I know there are probably more rule, but these are the ones I can remember and reinforce with my students. 

Help! I Can’t Remember

What Each Parent Told Me at Back to School Night!

I hope this will ease your mind. The first homework assignment I give at the beginning of the school year is meant for the parents. I want to get to know each individual child, but back to school night always ends up being one great blur! I give my parents an opportunity to share everything they want at the beginning of the school year. I give them a sheet of paper that asks them to share everything about their child “in a million words or less.” Tell me about who they are, what they like to do, what games or activities they participate in, anything medical I should know about, etc. Parents have the greatest insight to their child, giving them this opportunity allows you to get ahead of the game in getting to know each child on an individual basis. 

Setting Up Rules That You and Your Students Can Live With!

Think simple, easy to remember, and what is most important. If you can’t remember the rules, then you definitely can’t expect your students to!

Here are some examples of classroom rules

Be Ready

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Or

Be Kind

Take Care of Yourself

Whatever you decide on or your school decides on make sure you model all desired behaviors and explain rules. If you spend the first six weeks focusing on the rules and having clear rewards and consequences, your year will ultimately go smoother. Once students know what your expectations are of them, the less time you will have to spend during the year correcting behavior.