Character Traits through Inference

Whenever I teach a lesson, I try to combine as many different standards as I can.  For this particular lesson, I decided to combine what we had already learned about character traits with making inferences based on evidence in the text.

Our class novel, Tuck Everlasting , is filled with vivid descriptions of the various characters that lend themselves to deep inferences.  So I asked the students to think about a character that they connected with, and list 10 character traits that could be used to describe the character.  (They used this chart that we had previously glued into our journals from Read, Write, Think)

Once they had the list of character traits, the students had to list text evidence from the novel that supported their character trait inference, AND their own schema that led them to the inference.

After the list was complete, the students did two things.  First, they wrote a paragraph describing the character from the story using the character traits and the inferences.  I had them use this form (which you can download for free here) to help them really keep organized.  They also had to work to reference the text, direct quote, and list the schema to create a cohesive paragraph that adequately described the character.





Then, each student was given a little man cut out.  On it, they had to write the character trait in big letters.  Under that, the direct quote and the background knowledge schema was written.  This formed a visual representation of the paragraph.....that the kids really enjoyed making!

The final product was pretty neat looking, and made a nice, standards-based bulletin board!

How have you taught/reviewed character traits and inferring?

Calendar Math...in the Upper Grades??

One of the BEST things I have done in my 5th grade classroom has been to implement Calendar Math.  I know what you are thinking.....isn't that something they do in primary grades?   Well, when I started teaching, yes.  It was pretty much exclusively for primary grades.  But, after seeing what it could do for the little kids, I was bound and determined to bring it to my upper grade classroom.

Now, if you follow my blog, you know that I am a HUGE proponent of Calendar Math.  In fact, I have written about it on my blog more than any other single subject.  I just feel like it is the one thing that has saved my math instruction, and kept my kids on top of the testing score scales.

So what exactly is Calendar Math?  Basically, I take all of the major standards that the kids need to learn throughout the year, and put them on to one sheet of paper.  The kids manipulate the numbers, practicing the skills they need on a daily basis, with all of the numbers revolving around the calendar date.  Each day the skills stay the same, with the numbers changing.

This constant review (that we go over daily together) takes about 15 minutes per day (though it does take a bit longer in the beginning to get it going).  This 15 minutes is the most productive 15 minutes of our whole day.  Really.  It is SUCH a good use of time, that we never miss. 

Would you like to try Calendar Math in your classroom?  Here is the recording sheet that I use with my students.   Here is the routine sheet that I wrote out too....so that you can know what to do with it all!

Want to know more about Calendar Math?  Come over to my blog to read even more in detail and pick up even more Calendar Math resources! 

The Periodic Table

The Periodic Table of Elements is a 5th grade standard in my state.  It is such a hard thing to teach the kids, because there is just SO much to grasp when looking at it.  

This year, I tried to tackle it a bit and make it a little more manageable by adding in some easy to use and fun resources for my kids.  We did a great little foldable, that had the kids looking at the various groups, and we did some Periodic Table Spelling...that the kids LOVED! Come on over to my blog to read in detail how we did it and pick up your freebies so you can do it in your room too.

First Day Student Questionnaire

On the first day of school, the students walk in, quiet and ready to work.  I take advantage of this and have them complete this questionnaire for me.  Not only does it give the students something to do immediately, SILENTLY, when they walk into class, but it answers some burning questions that *I* have about the students as well.

Click here to access the questionnaire

Once I read over the questionnaire, I have a better idea of who they are, what life is like for them at home, how long they have been at my school, who their friends are, etc...I also get to see their work habits right off the bat.  This simple little questionnaire (which takes them about 20 minutes to complete) gives me a wealth of knowledge about the students.

What is something that you do on the first day of school to get to know the kids a bit better?

Incorporating Daily Writing

I don't know about you, but it seems like writing always gets the shaft in my room.  I start off every year with this grand scheme to make sure my students write daily, yet when something needs to go off of my schedule, it always seems that this subject is the one on the chopping block.

Honestly, it just isn't fair to my students.  They will not become better writers unless they are actually writing.  So what I started to do, to ensure that they would write daily, was begin a Paragraph of the Week.

The basic idea is simple.  The students are given a prompt to write a paragraph about and they have the week to do it at home.  However, I knew that if I just gave my students a prompt and let them at it....all heck would break loose.  They *needed* some scaffolding and a bit more accountability to decent sentences than that.

So I thought and thought about what it is that I do to get the kids to proficiently write a paragraph.  I thought about how I scaffold it and how it all works together to form a cohesive, thoughtful, structured paragraph.  I then broke all of that down into four days worth of writing time for my kids and, viola, Paragraph of the Week was born!

It truly is something that has changed my writing block.  Heck, it has changed the way I even view writing.  What makes it so amazing?  The kids just "get it".  They understand how to write now because they see it not as a huge, daunting task, but as a short, systematic structure.

But don't take my word for it.  Here it is just for you!  I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!