Yippee! It's a Shark Week Blog Hop!

Duh Dun. Duuuuuuuuuh Dun...

I DO love Shark Week! It's a yearly event full of fun and freebies!

Jenny from Luckeyfrog's Lilypad and Matt from Digital Divide and Conquer have put together an adventure that is fin-tastic! (Sorry, you know I had to include at least one punny reference!)

This year my Shark Week Freebie is a decimal review! Just click on the graphic below to get a copy!

Students can practice writing decimals in standard form... or in word form... or they can use the cards to play Go Fish (Or... maybe... Go Shark!) So you have options of independent work or partner work. Hopefully, you can find some use for this toothy friend!

I even included a few of the tricky ones... those that will cause them to choose an answer, change it and then re-think again! (I'm sure I am not the only one to have had a child see "seventy-four and six hundredths" and have them say 74.6!!) But I do love to keep them on their toes, so I've added a few of those cards in the mix.

The cards only include tenths and hundredths, which would make this a good beginning-of-the year review for fifth graders... but I am guessing fourth graders (and maybe even some third graders) could use the activity too.

I think I was excited to make a freebie this year because I just adore these sharks from Creative Clips! (Who am I kidding?  I love everything from Creative Clips!)

So grab your scuba gear (or at least your coffee cup!) and continue on your Shark Week Blog Hop adventure.

Your next stop is Paula's Preschool and Kindergarten. Click on over HERE and find out what she has waiting for you!

Thanks for stopping by!

An InLinkz Link-up

So Cal End of the Year Link Up

Hi! So happy to chat with you again! Some bloggers from Southern California have come together to bring you some freebies and some end-of-the-year fun.

Easy Teaching Tools has organized a sweet summer link up... and you're invited too! And there are freebies involved! Keep reading to learn about all of the goodness involved...

I'm so lucky to live in a place where it is sunny and warm almost all year round. In fact, if I were to do some mental math, I would estimate that we have "wonderful weather" almost 300 days out of 365. I'll admit: I used a calculator to determine that this fraction amounts to more than 80% of the year filled with sunshine! (My freebie is a mathematical one, so I'm steering you in that direction!)

While I do not live at the beach, I do live in an area where palm trees are plentiful. I love to take walks in the early morning and enjoy this sight every time I open my door.  

Of course, it's just a quick twenty minute drive to the shore, and I like to take walks there too!

Speaking of percentages (Did you like that little segue?), I added a little end-of-the-year freebie to this post. It's nothing fancy, just a beach-themed fractions/decimals/percent match-up. I used it last week when we were preparing for testing. It's also an easy-to-prepare card game (print and cut!) if you are still teaching and want something "low key" to keep students math skills warmed up. (Another weather pun?!)

Kids can play Concentration, War, or Go Fish. We also like to play Beat the Clock to match the sets of four before the timer runs out. It's a great game for "Silent Partnerships" where coaches "help" without talking. Got to love a silent game, right? Or you can save the game for practice on a rainy day (Around here, we are WISHING for a rainy day!) or use it in September when the sunshine is still plentiful!

All of the bloggers listed in the link-up are offering a freebie and a window into their end-of-the-year and summer happenings. Just follow the Inlinkz buttons below.

And that's not all! You can win a $100 gift certificate toward a pair of Tieks! What a perfect summer shoe to pair with your favorite fun-in-the-sun outfit. Just make a few clicks to enter through the Rafflecopter at the end of the post! This giveaway will be running from May 23rd to May 26th, so enter fast before time runs out!

In my district, we still have three and a half more weeks of school. Yep. Three and a half weeks. That's almost four weeks, which is almost a month, which is... well, I'll just enjoy the early summer weather and appreciate all that is lovely in the world. After all, we have testing and promotion practice and Open House and Family Friday to fit in before our days run out.

If you are already on vacation, I am wishing you peaceful days of relaxation. If you, like me, are still in school, I am sending you wishes of patience and a hope for the chance to enjoy the little moments that make the end of the year fun!

An InLinkz Link-up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Calming the Chaos

Once again, my BlogFriend, Kristy, from Two Peas and a Dog, has linked up some bloggers to discuss their strategies for Calming the End-of-the-Year Chaos.

In reality, this blog post ended up being rather therapeutic for me. We still have six weeks of school left, and my sixth graders seem oddly certain that summer is already HERE. We haven't even finished testing yet, and I am having to hang on for dear life just to keep the peace among thirty-five tweenagers.

I've been staring at a blank computer screen for the last hour wondering about the answer to this question: How WILL I survive until June 15th?

After some reflection, I have narrowed things down to three basic tenets...

First, I have to stay healthy. This includes getting enough sleep and expanding my food intake beyond items that consist primarily of sugar and/or caffeine. I'm not sure about your school, but in the past few weeks it seems like a conveyor belt of treats has been shuttling non-stop through school. Those yummy snacks leave me tired, which sends me in search of more caffeine... which rarely keeps me alert (or even awake) and more often leaves me feeling grumpy--all of which is counterproductive!.

A good attitude (made more likely by a healthy diet and enough sleep) gives me the reserve of energy I need to fight off the blues (theirs and mine!). Besides, every time, I don't follow through with better eating and sleeping, I get sick. And we all know how that affects the process.

Yesterday, I planned four math mini-lessons, a review of the elements of a narrative, a comparison of two texts, and a brush up on using context clues to decipher unknown vocabulary... all before lunch. By the time, the second child said, "Wait. Which one is the narrative?" my patience was ebbing. Add to this: sibling-like squabbles and broken rules and lost pencils and unfinished/misplaced/I-never-got-that-page homework, and the smile was quickly fading.

I've settled on a two-part approach to this problem. The first is forgiving myself. If I am going to reflect endlessly on the lessons that fell flat, I'm not going to be successful when I have to return to school the next day. I'm going to have to let it go (which is very hard for me--with or without the song) and focus my energy on a different approach. Today it was rotating through stations with fewer math problems but in a way that seemed more somehow more accessible. Not perfect, but better!

Even more importantly, I am going to have to pick my battles in terms of behavior. Obviously, there are problems that must be addressed. (And maintaining my routines is the next item on my list). But I think the kids are getting tired of having yet another "serious discussion" about sharing and honesty and trust and respect and, and, and... Sigh. Time to replace the lost pencil, apologize, forgive and move on. Time is precious.

This last pledge is based on the previous one. While I need to change up my lessons and plan some fun activities and let the small stuff go, I still have to navigate through twenty-nine more school days. I need to keep some constancy in terms of routines and expectations and schedules... or we will never make it to June!

At some point this week, I confused letting it go with letting it all GO. That was a mistake. I think, at least for my kids, there needs to be enough predictability so that the fun activities are novel and stand out. When there just a few days (or hours) remaining, I can let things unfold with less direction. But with weeks still yawning ahead of us, I let the hot weather convince me that we were almost done. In reality, it's not summer yet. There is still plenty of teaching and learning (and fun!) ahead of us.

So those are my three hope-fors. I recognize that many teachers are, truly, just days away from the year's end. But if you're like me, there are still days and days to fill...

That's why Kristy pulled some teachers together. You can click on any of the blog buttons at the end of the post to read about other approaches to beating the End of the Year Blues and finishing strong.

How are YOU calming the chaos? I'd love to hear your strategies for finishing the year on a good note. Leave a comment below so I can also add your ideas to my list.

And whether it is a few days or few weeks until your countdown is complete, I am hoping you have enjoyed a wonderful school year!

It's a Fifth Grade Blog Hop... with Freebies and a Giveaway!

I know... My blog name is Finding JOY in Sixth Grade. And  a lot of people think my name is Joy (It's Kim, in case you were among those looking for someone named Joy). And a lot of people think I teach sixth grade. And they're right! HOWEVER, I may be getting a few fifth graders this year... and next year I will have even more. So... I'm finding a comfortable spot among my fifth grade BloggyBuddies and getting ready for the new year!

I'm lucky. We have still have a week of vacation before those "teacher meetings" that precede the time with kids. I am always jealous of those lucky to be out in May when it's well into June and I am still in school. It's a toss-up, I guess. (Actually, we don't have air conditioning in our school , so starting as late as possible is a good thing for us!)

Oh! This is a blog hop! Why am I getting to so bogged down with autobiographical details?! Sorry!

A group of fifth grade teachers have assembled some advice and some freebies (and a giveaway!) and made it easy for you to get from place to place to collect your goodies.


And since it's a Back-to-School blog hop, I get to share some Back-to-School advice.

And, if you need a Back-to-School-Get-to-Know-You activity, you can find a freebie HERE. Or click on the picture below to get it on TpT!

And... There's a giveaway. Look at all that goodness!

Just click away in the Rafflecopter below. EasyPeasy!

As I mentioned, this is a hop! So you're off to your next stop at Teaching with Grace. (You will love her!) She's got some advice waiting for you too! Just click on her button below!

See you at the Hop! And here's the evidence... My name really is Kim!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So Cal Blog Hop

WooHoo! It's a SoCal Blog Hop... or shall we say Blog Surf? I am so excited to be a part of a little end-of-the summer fun with some wonderful Southern California BloggyFriends!

I consider myself more than a little lucky to live twenty minutes from this lovely scene...

This is one of my favorite places to be. Even at high tide, you can walk and walk and walk. I love the sounds of the ocean... the waves, the seagulls, the people... as well as the sights. And I like the beach just as much in the winter. There is not a huge temperature variation from season to season in Southern California, and beach-walking is a lovely pastime almost year-round!

Now it's your turn to join us at the shore! As part of the Hop, each blogger is offering a little beach-themed freebie! I'm sharing some "sunny" teacher notes to celebrate student success. Just click on the picture below to get a copy from Google.docs.

The graphics are from my sweet friend Krista at Creative Clips.  You can check out her cute and colorful designs HERE on TpT!

But that's not all! By using the Rafflecopter options below, you could win one of four $25 gift cards from TpT--just in time to gather up some must-haves for Back-to-School! In the meantime, you'll be getting to know some west coast bloggers and collecting some freebies along the way!

Since this is a "Hop," we're making it easy for you to travel from place to place. Just click on the button below to surf over to the next stop, Sweet Sounds of Kindergarten, where Kelly has something special for you!

In the meantime, I'll be sending you happy thoughts for the new school year from a sunny spot on the beach!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No. No. No. I Don't Want It To Be August (Currently)

July. August. July. August.

Yep. There's definitely a difference. July sounds like summer. And August sounds like back-to-school. I'm pretty sure that August is still a summer month. But as soon as the calendar flips over to August, my whole world changes... and something in the back of my brain begins chanting, "You've got to get ready!" And then I hear someone whining: But August is still summer! Oh. That someone might be me!

I know that lots of my BlogFriends have already gone back to school--in July! (Sorry... I think that starting school in July borders on inhumane!). And for many, maybe even most teachers, school begins in August.  In my thirty years at my school, we have always gone back to school the day after Labor Day... also known as the first week of September. Next year I will join the majority when we report back in mid-August. But as of today, there are still a few more weeks of "summer" on my calendar. Sigh. I can't help it: My brain keeps telling me to go and buy some more crayons.

Not that it matters what month is on the calendar. I am still organizing the garage! And I am trying to consolidate my curriculum so that it is more "accessible." For the first time in almost twenty years, I will have some fifth graders in my room. It is going to require some adjustment: I have to brush up on my U.S. History curriculum! There is not a lot of overlap between Ancient Civilizations (sixth grade) and U.S. History to 1860 (fifth grade), so I'm going to have to get creative. Here's a little secret: I'm actually looking forward to the challenge!

I wish I could get into my classroom. My room is in the last row of rooms to be cleaned. It will still be another week before I can get in. That only leaves two weeks to get ready. Thankfully, I sorted and cleaned most of my drawers and cupboards in June. Ahhhhh. June. Now that's a month that sounds like summer!

Tomorrow I will be a participating in a Southern California blog hop. A group of "SoCal" bloggers have put together a collection of freebies... and a chance to win some "spending money" on TpT! I hope you'll come back and visit again!

And don't forget to link up with your "Currently" thoughts. I think I meet another BlogFriend almost every time I link up with Farley. I know that's one of her goals... It's like a cross-country blogger meet up--and you don't even have to chose an outfit! Just click the graphic below to be a part of the fun!

And don't forget to leave a little extra love for the bloggers before and after you. It's back-to-school time--or close to it. A little extra love can go a long way!

Book Study: Reading in the Wild... Reading PLANS

If you have read The Book Whisperer, you must now add Reading in the Wild to your Reading Plan. You won't be disappointed.

One of my favorite parts about summer vacation is the opportunity to just READ! So it is with "Wild Readers" as discussed in Donalyn Miller's latest book, Reading in the Wild. My BlogFriend, Catherine, The Brown Bag Teacher, is leading us through a Book Study of this wonderful book. You can check in with Catherine by clicking her button below.

Wild readers always have a pile of books close at hand. Here is the pile of books on my desk at the moment... and that is only one pile... I have a pile of books in every room!

Miller knows this about wild readers: They are always thinking ahead about the next book.

Miller notes that disengaged readers don't have a plan for future reading. And this chapter offers suggestions to help them develop reading plans that will reading a lifelong habit.

Wild readers tend to do things that ensure that their reading life is uninterrupted...

Additionally, wild readers think about their reading experiences and habits and identify areas they would like to improve or enrich. They set personal goals based on their own tastes and needs. They take ownership for their reading.

And this point was a cause for some serious reflection for me. In my efforts to "guide" readers in my classroom, I have not put them in charge. In most situations I have plotted a course for them--almost ensuring that they will not take the helm... and that their reading lives will stall when I step away. If they are going to become life-long readers, students must have the opportunity to control their own reading lives.

In order to encourage students to develop reading plans that they can truly own, Miller suggests that teachers encourage students to develop two types of reading plans: Commitment Plans and Challenge Plans.

Students must commit to reading every day and they need to have strategies to put into place when they sense that their commitment might be ebbing. "Without this personal commitment to reading, students remain dependent on outside forces that temporarily drive their reading habits such as classroom expectations for reading" (Miller, p.143). Guilty as charged! In my zeal to ensure that my sixth graders read widely and read extensively, I have often imparted the message that they are reading to satisfy either a classroom expectation or the classroom teacher. I am anxious to send a different message when school resumes in the fall!

To help students develop commitment plans, students can be encouraged to 1) Finding reading time every day, 2) Increase book completion and 3) Look for specific titles, authors, genres and series.

Miller offers a range of options for Challenge Plans, including 1) the Nerdbery Challenge (based on Newbery Award winners), the Book-a-Day Challenge and the Book Gap Challenge (based on books or genres that have been avoided). These challenges may inspire students to set and meet goals that they establish to improve their reading accomplishment and enjoyment.

Miller then promotes the idea of using classroom conversations and reading conferences to help students develop reading plans. Students can become "experts" on different authors or series, increasing students' confidence and diverting attention toward students' voices and away from the teacher's direction. She also suggests that having reluctant readers read books from a series may provide a "comfortable" reading experience because of the scaffolding that comes from reading previous titles in the series. Completing a series can also provide a sense of accomplishment which motivates further reading and, hopefully, spur students to venture beyond their comfort zone into new authors and titles.the

Reflection and resolution-making can further cement reading plans. Resolutions can be individual or public, but should always lead to students developing a plan or routine that extends outside the classroom. The chapter includes some ideas for launching summer reading--which makes me wish I had read the book before the school year ended. I can now plan for next June when I will send the students off to summer vacation with hopes that their reading commitment continues beyond the school year and the school building.

The chapter ends with a commentary about keeping track of your reading life. Again, the onus must be on the students. "Encouraging students to take responsibility for their reading plans reduces their dependence on teachers and parents for determining when, where and what students read" (Miller, p. 156). Encouraging students to keep a list of Books to Read helps promote their independent book selection and their confidence that they can direct their own reading lives. The goal is for students to develop plans that promote their continued reading and their continued enjoyment of reading.

How wonderful it is to read a book and have it impact your teaching life so directly! I am looking forward to helping students design reading plans to guide the course of their own reading life!

For another perspective on this chapter, sure to visit Crafting Connections where Deb has reflected on reading plans as well (Don't you just love that button?!)

Have you read been Reading in the Wild along with us? We hope that you will join in on the discussion and link up your reflections below!

An InLinkz Link-up