Aloha to Second: Tricks and Treats Blog Hop

Happy Fall! I don't know about you, but I am so excited for fall. I think it is so beautiful outside and I love wearing scarves and boots! Another reason why I love fall is the fact that you get to participate in our tricks and treats blog hop! What teacher doesn't love a new trick to try in their classroom or a fun treat to have!

Here is my TRICK for you!

I have a problem with my students not wanting to transition from one subject or activity to the next. It is like pulling teeth to get them to move! I have tried counting, taking points away, bribing, EVERYTHING! They could care less. They continued to work on their assignment or just take their time walking across the classroom as if it were a stroll in the park. It was driving me crazy! Then, I decided to use music as a transition tool.

and..

WOW! My kids magically started moving and getting to the next activity in a matter of seconds. After a couple weeks of using music as a transition, they started getting there BEFORE the song was over!! It has been simply amazing.

I have picked songs that are current or old. I just try to choose songs that are upbeat and fun. I have a mac, so I use Garageband to edit the songs. If you are not able to edit the songs, you could always start a song and stop it when you want them on the rug.

I also use this to help my students understand time. Some of the songs I use are 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, etc. I have different time frames depending on how much time they need to transition. Then, my students have learned that certain songs are short, as well as others are long. My students are also understanding how long 10 seconds is compared to 1 minute. I love this! I hope this can be useful for you in your classroom.

Here is your TREAT!

I am not sure how you use word work in your classroom, but I do 4 different stations.

1. Spelling words - students use the word work worksheets to practice spelling words for the week.

2. I have a fluency poem station with phonics questions.

3. Fluency phrases - read the cards in 1 minute. They practice with a partner. When they have mastered it 3 times, they get tested, and can move on to the next set.

4. Students complete special sounds activities. There are 11 centers. The students have 3 activities per special sound, then they take a quiz. Once they pass the quiz - they move on to the next special sound. Check out this blog post to learn more if you are interested!

This product is on sale during the blog hop! This is my latest creation. There are over 200 pages in this packet with 4 weeks of plans for reading and writing. Each week lists the weeks' lessons, along with the standards and learning objectives. The lessons are then broken down to describe each day's task using the I do, we do, and you do format. There are also activities with the lessons where you can check for understanding.

All the activities are apple related! Check out some pictures below of some of the activities provided!