Send Urban Kids to Camp!

School starts in a few weeks. 

Can't you help a child this year? 

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Learning in the Middle TPT store!

Check out NEW products and some favorites that have been revamped and updated!

Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate your interest in the curriculum and products I design!

2015-2016 School Year-I'm Back in 5th grade!!!!!

I have been gone all year....sorry followers!

I was supposed to loop from 4th to 5th, but instead I am just moving with (hopefully) most of my kids to 5th grade! I am overly excited to get back into the curriculum and be able to work with some amazing folks!

Our district is giving each 5th grader their very own iPad starting next October, so my blog should be filled with some resources and tricks I pick up while starting this school year!

More to come.....HAPPY SUMMMER!

Social Studies WWI-1920s

Sketchnote-style WWI

Covey "Begin with the End in Mind" Goal Activity

I saw a pin on Pinterest from an art teacher and revamped it for a new year's resolution/goals activity I am planning to do Monday morning prior to starting our day.

Original Idea

DVD Jewel Case Storage Idea and Classroom Photos

I tried to find as many uses for those old DVD cases as possible: 

This was a quick Decimal, Fraction, Percent match-up game I used at the beginning of Math class.

 

DVD Case holds all those little cards the kids need for station work!

 

Revamped the side of my classroom upon walking in. I brought in a painting from my house and use long, viny plants and pillows to make it home-y.

Weekly Station Schedule (changing soon, but had this up while I was in the hospital so my kids knew exactly where they had to go!)

 

Always rearranging my tables to keep the kids guessing and motivated!!

 

Outside wall bulletin board

 

Imagine It board 

 

Landforms T-chart (I love a good comparison!)

 

Unit 5 vocabulary words with pictures! Great for my ESOL kids!

Immigration in America early 1900s

Just finished revamping my IMMIGRATION powerpoint presentation. It is wordy, but so is the South Carolina support document! Buh-dum-dum!

I always have my kids make T-charts (they know I am obsessed with them) to help them understand the shifts from being an "old" immigrant to "new" immigrant in early 20th century America. Also, for this lesson, I am going to print them a map of Europe and Asia and we will color code Old vs New immigrants by country. Geography skills are totally lacking these days, so I try to add it as much as possible!!

If you would like a copy, please leave your email address in the comment box below! :)

Land and Water Science Unit

I found a very quick powerpoint that can either be used whole group, or as a differentiation tool for the students who need less of the "bells and whistles" in order to understand content vocabulary in science.

Currently--November

Following Farley's CURRENTLY

Industrial Revolution in America

My students are starting the Industrial Revolution, so I made this powerpoint. It adheres to the South Carolina Standard 3.1

Comment below with your email if you would like a copy!

Gummy Bear Lab

Informational Text WORKSTATIONS for Science

I;m a TWITTER teacher

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Science Anchor Charts (Qualitative vs Quantitative observations; Variables)

Classroom Set Up 2013-2014

I am just a few things shy of being open for business!! Thanks to my hubby for helping me with the tall stuff :)

Classroom Goodies....misc

CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT
THESE SIGNALS!!

First ImagineIt Story Comprehension Station

Small Group First Weeks

Back to School Time!

Well, it's that time of year again when the world seems bright, there is a glimmer in every teacher's eye, and parents cannot wait to send their little ones to school! Ha!

But seriously, I am anxiously awaiting my first year at a new school. I have been in and out of my new building several times over the last few weeks and I still have TONS to get done. I know I am not the only one feeling excited, so I thought I would blog some plans I have used in the past to foster teambuilding and classroom mangement during the first week of school:

Whole Group Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters RESPONSIBILITY

Mr. Peabody’s Apples CONSEQUENCES

Whole Group Miss Rumphius SETTING GOALS

Whole Group Thank You, Mr. Faulkner BULLYING Watch streamline video

Whole Group Brave Irene GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Watch streamline of Brave Irene

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WELCOME BAGS FOR STUDENTS

 

Book: Reading classic novels helps build your vocabulary and makes you smart beyond your years!

Medal: You are all winners in my book! Let’s work together as a team this year!

Silly Straw: There’s always a time and a place to be silly---we will have a lot of fun this year!

Sunglasses: “Your future is so bright, you’ve gotta wear shades!”

Lifesavers: I am your support in and out of the classroom and so are the other adults in the building and your classmates. Never feel weird to ask for help!

Hugs:    If your feelings were hurt, you had a bad day, not feeling so well…remember there is always a hug waiting for you!

Whistle: You have worked so hard to get to the end of elementary school—don’t “blow it” now! Keep your behavior and attitude in check and this will be your best year yet!

                                                            Love,

Mrs. Penna J

 

New Classroom 2013-2014

View from Windows BEFORE

Back bulletin board space BEFORE

Here are the before and after pics of what I have done so far in my NEW school classroom! I am still in the process of moving into my new school and getting all of the excess furniture out of the way, but this is what I did the first day I was able: