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This Free Manipulative Will Be a Hit With Your Students

4/29/2017

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I am always on the prowl for new manipulatives I can use with my students. Hands-on learning  increases student engagement and retention - both benefits that all teachers can appreciate. So for a recent economics unit, I wracked my brain for a way to add something tactile to the lessons. And then I found it! Gift Cards!

Now, don't think that I have the money to buy a bunch of gift cards for my students. Nor did I have the time to wait through the next 12 months to use up the ones I have with money on them. So instead, I went to my local grocery store customer service counter and asked if I could have some blank, no-value cards. It turns out that my grocery store (and maybe yours) recycles gift cards and had hundreds of them they were willing to give me. I then proceeded to Walmart, Starbucks and McDonalds to ask the same question - and SUCCESS! I now own dozens of gift cards from four different vendors. 

Below is a photo of how I used them in the economics unit. Students were directed to choose one card of their liking, and then write on a sticky note what the opportunity cost was of their choice. They were actively engaged in discussions with their peers about the benefits of each and why they made their choices. Having the card to hold kept their interest high and their attention on the topic. 

Not teaching economics? Here are some additional ideas for what to do with free gift cards:
  • Mark the cards with dollar amounts for math problems
  • Stick address labels over the backs and write vocabulary terms
  • Ask each student to choose one and write a story about something that happened there
  • Distribute cards randomly and direct students to develop persuasive arguments about why their's is the best store, restaurant, etc.
  •  Have students develop slogans, illustrations, etc. for that business

Have an idea for how to use gift cards in you classroom? Please share so that we will all be 'richer.'
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The One Strategy Every Teacher Should Have in Their Tool Bucket

4/23/2017

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Looking for a simple way to boost students' motivation to learn? I recently read that nine research studies show that simply asking a student to write for 30 seconds about their prior knowledge of a topic resulted in them recognizing the gaps in their knowledge and increased their motivation to fill in those gaps. 

Tomorrow, start your lesson by directing students to pull out some paper. Share your learning target for the day and ask students to jot down everything they know about it for 30 seconds. Then consider coming back to it at the end of the lesson and closing by asking them to add their new knowledge to the list. 

A variation on this is to ask students to create a download or progress bar such as the one shown below. At the beginning of the lesson have students color in the bar based on their current confidence with the topic. Return to the download bar at mid-lesson and at the end. Even if students aren't 100% truthful with their reflection, the act of reflecting will still cause them to try to select strategies that will help them meet the goal. 
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Creative Idea to Get Your Students Talking

4/17/2017

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  One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to learn from so many teachers around the country. Last week I visited several co-taught classrooms in Dearborn, Michigan. Laura Flack and Derek Borg welcomed me into their middle school language arts classroom. As well as having students with disabilities, this class also includes several English Language Learners. The teachers have found a great way to work on communication skills through the use of Family Talk cards. This award winning game is a collection of conversation starters, ranging from humorous to more serious.
 
Sample questions include:
 
If everyone in your family became dogs, what kind of dogs would they be? Why?
If you could have chosen your own first name, what would it be?
 
On Tuesdays and Thursdays the teachers choose a card and assign the question for homework. Students are expected to talk with their family about the question and then share the answers during class the following day. Both the students who shared and those who listened were very engaged in the conversation. What a great way to tie in family backgrounds and cultures and work on communication skills!
 
Thanks, Laura and Derek, for allowing me to share your idea with others!



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Spin and Spell

4/3/2017

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​Spelling practice can be a chore for many students. Strategies that turn spelling practice into fun, while also strengthening the learning process, are a plus for any classroom. Twist and Spell, originally designed as a spelling activity, can be adapted to enhance math fact practice, too!
 
Watch the short video below to see this strategy being used as one of three hands-on approaches to spelling practice. 
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How to:
Purchase a package of Styrofoam coffee cups with a wide lip.

Using a black marker and a second, bold colored marker, write the letters of the alphabet around the rim of an upside down coffee cup. Mark the consonants in black and the vowels in color. Space the letters evenly around the cup.

Continue to mark cups in this fashion until you have enough for Spin and Spell. For one student, prepare six to ten cups. For a small group activity, prepare thirty cups.
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Each student will need a rubber band with a paperclip hanging from it. Or, as an alternative, a cup with an arrow marked on it. 

Choose a spelling word to demonstrate Twist and Spell to the students. If the word has three letters, such as in “bed”, stack three cups and twist the cups until the word is lined up. 

You can also mark the letters so that the words will spell horizontally.
 
Variations
Twist and Spell cups can be designed to use for practicing math facts. Instead of letters, mark the numerals 0 through 9 around the cup, the operational signs and = at the end. The operational signs should be in a contrasting color.
 
Tip
To space your letters evenly, mark A first, then mark M and N on the opposite side. The letter G will go half way between A and M, and the letter T will go just shy of halfway between the N and A.
 

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    Anne M. Beninghof

    Anne's mission is to improve instruction through collaboration and the sharing of creative, practical ideas for educators.

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