Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook

I think I hit a gold mine!!  This is exactly what I've been looking for!  A 4th Grade Common Core Workbook from Common Core State Standards site.  It has the largest collection of worksheets and activities for the new Common Core Standards (both ELA and Math)!!!  It has 850 pages!!!!!  They include different posters and even some activity centers to teach all of the standards!!  Did you get that ALL of the standards!!  I can't wait to dig in!  This is such an awesome resource!!

Here is a sneak peek!!

Click on the link below to get your copy today!!  

Fourth Grade Common Core Workbook

Just FYI

www.commoncoresheets.com

Have you heard of it?  I stumbled on this gem yesterday and I couldn't get enough!  I couldn't wait to share it with you!  It is most useful in math and science, but hopefully they will add some new items for ELA.  Anyway...what are you waiting for go check it out!

Dana  :)

wRITING cOMMON cORE sTYLE

How well do your students write?  What is your favorite writing lesson to teach?  How do you get through to those unmotivated writers?  I ponder each of these on occasion. 

 I have been through portfolio madness, grammar push, and now ELA common core is staring down at me.  I often found that with my 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders a blank lined sheet of paper was either their best friend of their worst enemy!  

Where did they start, what made their writing good, who has that much to say, were all questions that I received when beginning paragraph writing with a blank slate.

 I decided that if I could have them organize their writing using a graphic I could steer some students clear of hating writing.  I selected webs because it was an organizer they were already familiar with and it fit well with having a topic sentence and supporting details.  

My students latched on right away.  It was easy for them because they didn't feel intimidated by the blank lines they had to fill or worry that their writing wasn't good enough.  

Here is a picture of the beginning web...

The students begin with the basic brainstorming web, but then I carry the webs through to writing paragraphs.  I had students who were writing complete 5 paragraph essays and friendly letters in no time.

I have had so many people come and ask me how I teach paragraph writing so I decided that maybe this set of lessons was something you too could adjust and use in your classroom.  If you are interested just click here or on the link below...it is for sale with a freebie in my Teacher's Notebook Store.  I too would love to give it away to the first two people who can share with me why they would like to have it for their classroom!  Please leave me a way to contact you!.

Thanks for your support!! 

Dana  :)

lEARNING tHROUGH tECHNOLOGY

I know there are a ton of teachers out there, myself included that wonders what exactly is the best way to use technology in the classroom.  I love technology and I could use it all day, but how can I use it to help my students master common core? 

I have found that sometimes no matter how hard it is for teachers to admit sometimes kids learn the most when we facilitate instead of doing so much talking.   I had a class that needed a lot from me last year so I tended to talk more.   Wrong thing to do. .. it didn't mean anything to them.   So I decided to have them take the reins and let them be a leader of their own learning... guess what I figured out. .. ready for this. .. they did better than they had ever done before!   I gave them an objective, a rubric, and some written directions for the websites and passwords... really that's all.   I then let them go for a week and I facilitated.   I know it was had for me too!   You know what my results were though. .. my students who never wrote anything had pages and pages of notes for this project, my gifted and talented students had created final products I never could have assigned, and my in betweens strived for personal success.   If you still don't believe it I gave an assessment after a weekend and I had 23 out of 24 with 100% ♥.  Success! !! 

I know it takes a while to implement and it can be tough to handle, but you will be amazed!  

What's your favorite technology to use??  I would love to hear from your experiences!   Link up and share!

~ Dana

Decimals, Fractions and Common Core

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have uploaded a few new items to my TPT store!  If you are in need of activities for Common Core 3-5 grades on decimals and/or fractions I have something just for you!  Leap on over and take a look.  I am new to all of this and really am in need of a few followers over there...to keep my heart content!  Please let me know what ya think!


~Dana
Live Learn Teach for Life

Have you ever used GlOgStEr

I am a huge fan of Glogster EDU!  I have used it in every subject in my classroom.  It works great at the beginning of the year to have students create a glog to introduce themselves, to glog about a book, to glog about problem solving, and/or to glog about historical events or science experiments   It is a truly authentic way to assess what students know and understand.  In my Teachers Pay Teachers store I have just recently posted a checklist and rubric that students use in conjunction with glogster in my classroom. Above all else it is already aligned to Common Core ELA.   I am new at selling, so if you would head over and check it out I would really appreciate it! Just click below! Please let me know what you think!!  :)

 ~Dana
Live Learn Teach for Life

New Favorite!!

Voki.com has become my knew favorite to use in the classroom! if you haven't heard of voki or know but haven't utilized...then this post its for you! In short voki is a taking avatar. At first I began by actually having the voki to give morning announcement and reminders to my class first thing in the morning. (kids LOVED it) Then I transitioned into making it introduce me at a presentation for student teachers that I did. Once again a hit. Then I wanted to really have my students use it. I created a rubric and gave my students the ropes. They came through with flying colors! It was a wonderful way to integrate the common core and technology into the classroom. I have posted my rubric along with student friendly directions in my teachers pay teachers store...go check out! Live learn teach I'm out!