Hashtags and Community Building

Hello friends! I've been so inspired by #miss5thswhiteboard on Instagram and how she uses her classroom whiteboard to engage her students and build community that I want to do something similar with my 2nd graders.  

Have you seen some of the incredible work on Instagram? Check it out because it is AMAZING.

It got me thinking about how I could incorporate weekly social media hashtags to "frame" the whiteboard conversations in my classroom. Students would use a dry erase marker to post their response to the question or conversation topic of the day. Here's an example of how I plan to use this tool in my classroom below:

Aside from creating academic connections, I'm also excited about the opportunity to inspire some lively conversations and connections among us as a classroom community.

I compiled some of my favorite weekly social media hashtags for you below:

Click here to download a copy for yourself Social Media Hashtag Freebie.

I'd love to hear from you and how you've used your whiteboard to inspire community building in your classroom. Send me a tweet @addsparkle88 or follow me on Instagram @addsomesparkle88. 

Working on Writing Fluency

Have you ever had a student tell you they were *ready* to edit with the teacher during Writer's Workshop and you read the VERY FIRST sentence of their writing and it doesn't make any sense?

I attended a Smekens Education Writing Workshop led by Courtney Gordon and learned about a unique tool to help students with their writing fluency called "audience on a stick." Now, my students must read their writing piece orally to their audience member when they think their piece is "done." The tool allows students to hear their writing mistakes and fix-up their own writing BEFORE they come to conference with me. (Sing hallelujah)

Some examples of the unique audience members students created: Darth Vader, a Colts football player, Mojo from Class Dojo, and an African Penguin. 

Students used a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 construction paper cut into fourths, art supplies, and a extra-long, jumbo popsicle stick (purchased in the craft section of Walmart) to create a colorful real life or fictional audience member. I explained that we would cut a "bubble" around their animal or person so they didn't need to use the entire space I've given them. I used clear packing tape to affix the audience member to the popsicle stick.

We keep the audience members in a pencil cup next to our Writing Workshop materials. Students can choose to use their own audience member or one their classmate has created. The unique choices of audience on a stick members keeps students engaged with the fluency tool long after it was first introduced.

Clockwise from top: A student self-portrait, Pikachu from Pokemon, fantasy animal lion/cheetah, a pet cat, and our classroom collection of audience on a stick members. 

As a bonus, students can use the "audience on a stick" tool to help them with their reading fluency as well as their writing fluency. It's a win-win situation.

If you get the chance, check out the Smekens Education Website for more great classroom resources from Courtney and her fabulous colleagues.

I'd love to hear how you are using "audience on a stick" in your classroom. It would make my day if you would send me a Tweet @addsparkle88 or tag me in an Instagram pic at addsomesparkle88.

3 Fabulous Math Games for Fact Fluency

Hi friends! I'm sharing three math fact games perfect for fluency practice that your students are going to LOVE playing. These math fact games allow for differentiation at different levels of math fact mastery so all students can play the same game at a math station, center, or in a small group.

Sequence Num6ers (7+ adult): This game is for 3 players individually or 3 student teams working in partner groups. The object of the game is to score one sequence of 5 chips in a down, across, or diagonal pattern on the gameboard before your opponents. This game is perfect for addition and subtraction math fact practice as the playing cards feature both addition and subtraction number sentences. Colored coded number sentences and corresponding answers on the gameboard help students with their fact fluency. Students who need extra support can play the game with a number line. A few unexpected twists keep game play fun. Two "plus" cards allows a player to place a chip in any open space on the game board allowing players to "block" each other and the two "minus" cards allows you to remove an opponent's chip on the gameboard.

Double Shutter Shut the Super Box (6+ adult): This game is suitable for 1-4 players (you will need to keep score with the multiplayer game). The object of the game is to shut all of the tiles in the box or have the lowest remaining total on the board. The game directions are primarily written for addition but I've modified this game in the classroom and used this game for addition, subtraction, or multiplication fact practice. Students start with all the tiles flipped up. They roll two dice and create as many correct addition, subtraction, or multiplication number sentences and answers as they can. For each correct number sentence and answer, they get to shut the corresponding tile. Players can only shut a tile from the back row if the tile in front has already been shut. When the total points on the remaining tiles is six or fewer, players can choose to throw only one dice.

Four Way Countdown (6+ adult): This game is for 2-4 players. The object of the game is to be the first player to flip up all ten keys (wooden pegs) before your opponents. This game allows students to create addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division number sentences to match their roll of the dice. When students create a correct number sentence and answer, they flip up their key on their side of the gameboard. A few twists keep this game exciting, if you roll a double six and you have to put all of your keys back down. Roll an eleven and you get to choose: have it count for a number one (6 - 5 =1) or choose to put all of your opponent's keys down. (This is by far the most popular choice in my classroom.)

I hope that you'll be *Adding Some Sparkle* to your classroom very soon. I'd love to hear from my fellow teachers. How are you using this games in your classroom? Send me a Tweet @addsparkle88 or send me a picture on IG addsomesparkle88. Until next time friends.

Hour of Code was a huge hit!

I never thought that computer coding education could begin as early as elementary school but my students proved to me that they had coding talent when we participated in Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week in December. What is it? It's a one hour introduction to computer science where students learn the basics of coding by using problem-solving, logic, and creativity.

I created a QR code choice board of coding activities with different themes such as Star Wars, Anna and Elsa, Flappy Bird, and Minecraft from the Hour of Code website. Students used their iPads and a QR code reader app to scan the QR code of the activity they were interested in. Having the QR code choice board definitely helped my primary students work more independently and allowed them the freedom to try many different types of coding activities.

Students were encouraged to work together in small groups to share their discoveries and help each other problem solve. Students were extremely engaged the entire time they spent coding. I loved hearing how they overcame an obstacle or problem and figured out a complex coding step. I found that these coding lessons provided a great opportunity to talk to my class about the importance of having a growth mindset when you're trying something new.

If you haven't tried an Hour of Code activity with your class, it's not too late! The activities I mentioned above stay up year round. Go to the Web site https://hourofcode.com/us to learn how to get started. Happy coding!