To My Fellow "Overeager Optimists,"

   I know it can't just be me... That mid-July itch to get back into the classroom. No matter how much I love summer (and I do), I don't ever seem to be buried in as much sand as I'd like to be. Instead, I'm knee deep in PD books, Pinterest, education blogs, and my Google Drive. My wedding is in a year, but planning is often sidetracked by revamping of lesson plans. Crazy, I know! Still even more insane is what I've come to affectionately call my "overeager optimism." The sheer number of exciting new ideas to try out in the classroom is almost overwhelming, and I want to try so much of it! From HyperDocs to Interactive Notebook, #TLAP series engagement techniques to The Reading Strategy Book ideas and NGSS, I can't wait to dive in! What a time to be a teacher. :)

   A downside to being an "overeager optimist," however, is that the long summer days fool you every year into thinking that school-year-days are just as roomy. Time management is both the blessing and curse of a teacher. Stay on track in your curriculum while meeting every students' needs, AND still manage to leave work before the sun goes down - if that's 100% you, you are my hero. Add on all of the innovative ideas that books, a PLN, and colleagues have suggested, and we teachers are looking at another year of no sleep. Let's be honest though, we not-so-secretly love every minute. Being able to try out new teaching techniques that regularly engage our students in innovative ways, and fitting it all into a day jammed with valuable learning experiences is our Olympic win. After a summer full of training, we're going for the gold.

Upper Elementary Writing Celebration Ideas

    I LOVE writing celebrations, but ideas for celebrating can be hard to come by in upper elementary. By fourth grade, writing is often rather lengthy, but I want to ensure that my students' work is appreciated and receives feedback from as many peers as possible. Here are a few celebration ideas I tried in my classroom this year:

Sketch It Celebration

    I'll call this one "Sketch It Celebration." This was the finale of our Pourquoi Tales writing unit. All it took was a few long sheets of paper across each table. I first wrote the title of each of my students' stories for them. Then the author was given a chance to decorate the title however they pleased. Once the celebration began, students rotated to available stories, read a bit, and then added to the drawing. They could sketch their favorite scene, write down a line from the story that stood out to them, draw a character based on the text's description, and so much more! By the end, we had some great posters to display AND they all had a great time! 

Celebrate Non-Fiction Writing

      Non-fiction reports like these can take a while for students to read and respond to during a writing celebration. At the conclusion of this unit, my students participated in a gallery walk. To keep things moving, students were instructed to carefully read through a section or two of writing. As students read each other's non-fiction writing, they filled out one of the many boxes seen in the worksheet above (FREEBIE) to record something they learned from the text. I printed this sheet on different brightly colored paper, leaving one next to each students' work. This allowed many children to respond to other's writing while practicing non-fiction reading strategies! It also wasn't a bad quick assessment tool. ;) Bonus!

     
     We published our non-fiction reports using Google Slides which meant that we could use Chromebooks during our gallery walk. In addition to the worksheet provided, students could leave comments right on Google. It was fantastic!

How to Publish on Google Slides:

     To change slide dimensions, click FILE - PAGE SETUP. Next choose custom dimensions 22 x 17 inches. Once this is done, put a vertical line down the center of the page. Students can then design their pages however they choose. Double side the pages when printing and VOILA! you have a non-fiction book made by each student. 


Happy celebrating!

Encouraging Students to Question the World Around Them

     We want our students to be thinkers, problem solvers, engineers, researchers, designers and so much more. That's a tall order for young children, but it certainly possible! Before we can get students to answer questions, however, we need them to start asking meaningful questions. 

     My students tend to need quite a bit of practice developing questions that push their thinking, and often stumble or give in when faced with a problem to which they cannot immediately find a solution. Without a doubt, this is something that teachers need to address sooner rather than later. 

     Introducing the idea of asking Open and Closed Questions gave my students a great start in developing deep, research-worthy questions. Here are the guidelines I gave my students:

STEP 1:

1. Ask as many questions as you can.
2. Do not stop to discuss, judge, or answer the questions.
3. Write down every question exactly as it is asked.
4. Change any statement into a question.​

STEP 2:

• Categorize the questions as closed or open.
• Closed Questions: They can be answered with yes or no or with one word.
• Opened Questions: They require an explanation and cannot be answered with yes or no or one word.

    In groups, students work to develop as many questions about a broad topic as possible. Every question is written on its own post-it note, as this allows us to be able to sort our questions either in groups or as a class later on. We continually return to these questions, revising them to make stronger ones and using some as a starting point for discovery!

   

    My class was able to use this strategy throughout content areas and the kids loved it! As a bonus, they even came to respect each others ideas and creativity a bit more over time. I hope you can give it a try!

Preparing Students for the "Real World"

       Recently, I found myself in a discussion about the current education system with people from two very different points of view: A recent NY high school graduate, and an education major about to embark on her student teaching journey. The specifics of the rather lengthy conversation now seem unimportant when I think about what each party's perspective was in general.
      The student teacher and I shared equal enthusiasm for much of what we have personally seen going on in classrooms. We discussed future grand plans based on all that we've been exploring during our summer with excitement and optimism. Upon hearing us, the high school graduate interjected. "For the past two years, my teachers have forced us to pass beach balls back and forth to answer questions. I've wasted 10 minutes of class time I really needed filling out Exit Slips. They're treating school like a game, and now I'm not ready for college. Teachers just need to focus on teaching us what we need to know."
      At this point, the student teacher proceeded to cite many of the professional journals and theories she recently learned in college, explaining why those so called "games" are purposeful forms of content review and formative assessments (a term the high school graduate had never heard before). She went on to express her determination for ensuring that her students learn everything they need to know by employing creative and innovative lessons each and every day. I, on the other hand, had nothing more to say. Not for lack of knowing why we teachers employ such teaching methods, but instead because the high school graduate's comments made me stop and think.
      I feel that it is necessary to point out that I have not been in a high school classroom since my own graduation in 2009. With that being said, I have been the "frustrated high school student"and I am the "very eager teacher." I can understand comments about college and career readiness not only as they pertain to the high school student, but to the fourth grader, as I believe preparing our students for the real world's trials and tribulations is the goal of an elementary and high school teacher alike. The question then becomes - How do we bridge what seems to be a gap between teacher and student enthusiasm for current classroom practices k-12 while preparing students for the "real world"?
      I've spent a good chunk of my summer researching up-and-coming teaching strategies to answer this question. Some of my favorite ideas about encouraging enthusiasm came from the book Teach Like a PIRATE, by Dave Burgess, a text I highly recommend checking out. However, to address the real world application of lessons, my newest passion is Project Based Learning (PBL). Of course, the idea of PBL is not necessarily new. I was first introduced to it this past spring during a curriculum meeting, and my interest in the subject has been peeked ever since. Getting students involved in learning that centers around their own interests and discoveries while still meeting rigorous standards certainly seems like a step in the right direction. What's more, formative assessments play a huge role in PBL. They can be used as a tool for both teachers and students, as students can reflect and revise their project goals while the teacher helps guide their questions and misconceptions, giving even more purpose to those exit slips, for instance. My hope is that I can begin to implement PBLs in my classroom starting this September, slowly at first as it all does seem like a large undertaking. However,  this year I want my students to focus deeply on critical thinking skills, creativity, and teamwork - all skills that few would disagree are important in today's society- and I feel PBL can be a way to help students integrate these skills into their daily lives. I can't wait to get started!
     Ten years from now when my students find themselves in a similar conversation to mine, I hope that they say, "I'm ready to take on the world! I had a blast discovering who I am and getting to where I am today."

Diving Back In

     For a while, I gave up on this blog.

1. I don't have the time. 

2. I'm not sure what kind of blog I want it to be. 

3. Who will read it anyway?

    Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting on this past school year and finally figured out why I owe it to both myself and my past/future students to blog, at least every once in a while. :)

1. How many times this year did I hear the phrase, "I couldn't do my blog this week, Miss Castronovo. I didn't have time." Those sentences would be followed by a long story about late night cheer or hockey practices, season finales of their favorite shows, or reasons why they were just too exhausted. This was often met with my all too familiar "Responsibility is Important" speech before directing the student to the stack of Responsibility Cards.   

    Thinking back on this, I asked myself,  "How can I expect my students to make time for their homework assignments, when I myself claim to be "too busy" to blog?" Granted, for me, blogging is optional while theirs is required. Still, there's something to be said for setting time aside to reflect or share an idea about something that has sparked one's interests. If I want my students to log onto our class blog every week feeling motivated, I need to get into the habit myself.  

2. I'm lucky enough to have been working in a wonderful district that allows my students and me to always take risks and try something new. As a teacher "only" going into her third year, the sheer amount of classroom management and teaching methods I've tried, reflected upon, and changed up throughout the year can truly make your head spin! Isn't that the fun of teaching though?! As teachers, we should be eager to try something new and exciting, as well as to always be on the look out for different ways to adjust things that may not have worked out as we had planned. A classroom is an ever changing entity. Each new class needs something different than the last, and every year we come suited with new techniques we learned on Twitter, from PDs, or from books we've read. It's the furthest thing from boring, and I love it!
     So what does this all have to do with my blog? Well, I realized that I don't know exactly what the purpose of this space will be just yet, and that's OK! I'm ready to explore and revise just as my students and I do each and every day in our classroom. I'm eager to share and to hopefully learn a thing or two both personally and professionally.

3. I love to write, but most of all, I love to share my passion for writing. Some of my favorite moments involve discussions with my students about a story or non-fiction piece they've been working on. I've noticed, and I'm sure you have as well, that students are often motivated to produce their best work when they know that someone other than me will be reading it. Oh the magic of writing celebrations (and soon PBLs - hopefully)! Still, while this is a great way to motivate creativity and focus, my hope is that students learn to write even if just for themselves. It's important to write with the purpose of sharing a message, but it's just as important to write for an audience of one. We learn so much when we stop and think back on all that we have done and still strive to accomplish.


    I hope that this post serves as motivation for my PLN, my students, and myself. Write a lot and write often, with or without purpose. Here's to diving back into blogging!

    

Floating and Sinking: Our Science Unit!

   A whole unit on floating and sinking? How perfect for our fish tank!!

   With the new science standards on the rise, I've been working with my fifth graders on making the shift from "scientists" to "engineers." The basic idea being that it's the students questions, discoveries, and designs that guide our science lessons. Giving that kind of power to 25 11-year-olds is tough, but they certainly LOVE the adventure. 

   In our first experiment, we wanted to find and answer to our question: What makes objects float and sink? What made this experience more "theirs" than "mine"? My students worked in small groups to select their own objects to test. This led to great conversations and was a HUGE step in helping them to think like researchers. What's more, rather than me giving them a ready-to-use worksheet, they designed their own means for recording data. Here are a few of the final the results: 

   Last week, students were given the chance to design their own clay boats, applying what they discovered during our earlier trials. I gave them the following instructions:

Your goal:

Design a boat that floats and can support weight.

Step 1:  Draw your design (include labels and descriptions)

Step 2: Build and revise! - Illustrate and record in your science notebook.

We folded a sheet of printer paper into fourths and drew each revised design in the next box. This was great for showing how engineers revise their thinking as they work through a problem. Not to mention, the kids had a blast testing and retesting their designs!

Celebrating Our Literary Essays!

     This month's writing unit allowed my fifth graders to dive into literary essays! To keep things interesting, we used various fairy-tales, fables and legends as inspiration for our many thesis statements, and boy do we now know these types of folktales inside and out!
                                            ---------------

    Due to their length and, in the eyes of an eleven-year-old, sometimes dry content, literary essay celebration can be a bit boring for some students. Let's be honest, how many essays can you read one after the other without needing a serious coffee break or nap?

    It is for this reason that I chose to keep my kiddos up and moving throughout this writing celebration, using chart paper and post-its!

     Students were paired with a different partner for each section of the literary essay (introduction, body paragraphs x3, and conclusion). After reading the appropriate paragraph(s) to their partner, students exchanged a complement and a helpful suggestion. Each partner was expected to record the complement and suggestion they received on a post-it and to stick it to our class celebration chart. By the end of this activity, we had quite a few different writing strengths to praise as a class, as well as a few ideas for ways we could continue to enhance our writing. 

    Overall, the kids loved this one! 

Happy celebrating!

Operation Classroom Decor

Operation Classroom Decor was a success! The large shelves, brick, and bulletin board-less walls made this year's decorating a unique challenge, but somehow it all came together!

Leveled classroom library and my "fake" bulletin board--
just some fabric and a boarder pinned to the wall! 

Yes, I love green and blue :)

I can't wait for this room to be filled with my minnows! T-minus 6 days!

A Great Text for Close Reading

I have tirelessly perused the internet and picked the brains of colleagues in the hopes of finding the answer to what I thought would be a simple question: What is close reading?

Last year I tried several different strategies in the hopes of getting my students to see just how exciting it can be to really dive into a text (it's the English major in me :) ), but frustration was getting the best of us all and I found myself shying away from close reading.

Luckily, one of my good friends recommended the text Falling in Love with Close Reading (Lehman & Roberts) and now I could not be more excited to give it another try! The authors break the process down into 3 easy steps:

Read through lenses 

Use lenses to find patterns  

Use patterns to develop a new understanding of the text

That's it! The book goes into detail with examples of how to teach students to close read which makes it all seem doable and exciting.

(I do not own the rights to Falling in Love with Close Reading, of course, but I do highly recommend it!)

Below are signs I've designed for my classroom based on the close reading ritual outlined in the book: 

Click HERE for these FREE signs!

I can't wait to get started!

Responsibility Cards

     I learned this trick during my student teaching semester and it has worked wonders ever since! When students "forget" to turn in a homework assignment, few are likely to remember that they still need to complete it, and fewer still want their parents to know that an assignment was not turned in. The solution - Responsibility Cards!

     This not only lets parents know that their child is missing an assignment, it also serves as a reminder to students that they must complete the missed homework that night. 

     Want this for your classroom? Click HERE!