Sunday, April 21, 2013

Finding Balance...

Hello! I hope you had a FABULOUS week and weekend, and that you're looking forward to Earth Day tomorrow! We talked a bit about Earth Day on Friday afternoon, and I challenged my sprouts to think about some ways they could personally show their love for our Earth. I hope they put their thinking caps on at some point during the weekend, because we'll be working on a fun writing assignment tomorrow morning! They should turn out very cute, I'll be sure to post pictures!

Administration sent out an e-mail the other day, informing us that we have 27 school days until our EOG tests, and 35 school days until summer vacation. What I am gleaning from this information is that we are finally in TESTING SEASON! (When I type those words, I envision myself as an Elmer Fudd-type character, and all my little sprouts are silly little hound dogs.) We spent the bulk of last week taking benchmark tests and practice EOG's...not the most exciting activities for any party involved, BUT a necessary evil. 

Since it is my first year of actual state test preparation, I am really trying to find a balance between introducing new subject matter and reviewing 27 weeks' worth of information! My principal offered to disaggregate our grade level's student data by class based on the practice EOG's completed (not like he has a million other things on his plate...seriously, super nice of him), and I am using the information he provides to make whole-group and small-group review materials. My stations will be primarily review materials as well! I'm also going to have to find more ways to help my sprouts practice bubbling, which we admittedly don't do very often outside of our ACC Math program (blame that on me, womp womp). How are YOU getting your students ready for testing? I'd LOVE any of your input and advice! As a special thank you, the first two people who give me feedback will get...

A) A bear hug from me (through cyberspace)
B) One product of your choice from my TpT store for FREE! :)

Since this was a long and rambling post, here is a picture of me locked up in "jail" from our school's Spring Fling this past Friday :)


Have an amazing week!

<3 Kelsey

4 comments:

  1. One thing I used all year was studyisland.com. Not sure if you have access to this program, but it is SO worth it to me! The questions are worded like our state tests and it integrates games students can play after answering correctly. Also, there is a lesson online as a review of EVERY SINGLE standard (both common core and my state, since we haven't switched to the PARCC test yet).

    Also, lots of games, task cards, and these super cool power point games. I don't remember where I got them, but after our principal showed them to us, I just googled it to find them. (At that time most of the games you had to pay for... I just have the free ones. My students LOVE the Sunken Treasure one).

    Good luck! Thankfully our state tests were last week.

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    1. Wow, major brain fart on my end...we use StudyIsland as well! I LOVE IT! It is super helpful! I didn't even think of it for some reason...good job, Kelsey. I am on the hunt for more task cards! Let me know what you would like from my store, and I will get right on e-mailing it to you :)

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  2. Found your blog on the TPT forum. =)

    I am also a third grade teacher and this is my second year. Love finding new 3rd grade blogging friends.

    Ms. Smith
    Adventures of Ms. Smith

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  3. Blah testing season is no fun! Your stations sound like they will be a big help! I found your blog through Tpt and I am your newest follower! :)

    Fashion Craze Learning Days

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