With Common Core fully in place in my state, one of the big standards that we teach in fifth grade deals with Greek and Latin roots.   In the past, I wrote a few posts about how I taught them ( you can find the posts here ), but it has been so long, that I thought I would share these ideas with you again.  I figure if *I* have to teach roots, you probably do as well. :) I really don't have a Root Word program.  Basically, I teach my students 4 root words per week.  To introduce the words, I have the students create index cards with the root, the definition, and a picture of the meaning on the front.  The back of the cards has sample words containing the roots, as well as meanings. They keep these flash cards all year long to study, create games, use during writing, etc....   For homework, though, I have actually tried to combine all of what I was doing before.  Now I have them use these AWESOME (yes, I just called one of my resour......

Every year, I try to make things work a little better than the year before.  I am always tweaking lessons or units so that I can get the most out of them. One of the areas I have always been looking for "something" is my Greek and Latin Root word study.  Over the years I have taught them in a sort of systematic way, but it was always a "maybe" subject.  Maybe I will get to it.  Maybe I will do this with the roots today.  Maybe I will make something that won't make this a "maybe" subject. Well, this year, I think I did it. What I did was create these Root Word Trifolds .   Essentially, combining all of the things I had been doing in the past, but into one easy to use and follow trifold.   So here is how it works: Each Monday, I copy the trifold I am using for the week back to back.  I pass them out to the kids, they fold them (because I am sure not going to fold 32 trifolds myself!) and we get to discussing the roots.   ......

Ahhh.....spring time.  The time of year when my house becomes overrun with multicolored plastic eggs that get one day of use and then clutter up my living room.  For the past few years, I have given these eggs a new life in my classroom while practicing root words (recycling....perfect for Earth Day! ;)) Though the lesson I did the past two years worked well (read about it here ), I just wanted to do something a bit less "competitive".  So here is what we did this year. In preparation, using a permanent marker, I wrote the root words that we have been studying on the eggs.  One root per top, one root per bottom.  The eggs were then placed unmatched in little baskets.  In total, there were about 10 whole eggs per basket (give or take.) The students were to take two sides of the egg, one top and one bottom, and create a brand new word.  The word that they created needed to be NEW, nothing they have ever heard before.  Words like "Unigrap......

This week back was filled with so many new happenings, that I thought I would tell you a little bit about each of them, instead of lots of little blog posts about each of them.  Most of the week was spent getting back into the swing of things, relearning routines, and beginning some new ones.  So, what were we up to this week? Each January I like to start things off fresh and my room environment is no exception.  So I spent one afternoon and rearranged the furniture so that we have a better flow in the room.  Also, I was just tired of standing up at the ELMO in the front of the room.  I need to sit down some of the time!  :)  So now I have a little space to work, can still move around the room, and it all feels "new".  Do you ever just up and move your room around? I started organizing my students for Math Workshop.  I have added in a rotation, am working in my fabulous aide just a bit more, and allowing for more problem solving time......

Today is officially my last day of winter break (because the weekend doesn't really count, does it?? I mean, we would have it off anyway....but I digress)  I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed my time off, but I am also really excited to get back into my classroom.  I really do love what I do, so while I am sad to be leaving my little ones, I am happy to get back to my big ones. I thought I would cap off this last day of vacation with a Five for Friday review from Doodlebugs .  I have been doing a whole heck of a lot of planning, trying to get ready for next week.  Looking through Notice and Note to prepare my first Signpost lesson.  I actually also bought a lesson plan book!  Yay me!  My daughter and I like to go on "Girls' Dates" where it is just her and I spending the day together.  This time, we went to Disneyland and California Adventure.  On a side note, did you know they have a nursing/pumping station at both parks??......

One of the most favorite things I do all year is teach my students Greek and Latin Roots.  I just feel like if they can master these roots, from which so very much of our English language is derived from, the expansion of vocabulary and word attack strategies will increase ten-fold.  So I dedicate time each week to these important pieces of language.   Last year, I wrote a few posts about how I taught them ( you can find the posts here ), and this year I have revamped it just slightly....and I wanted to share. I really don't have a Root Word program (though I honestly am still searching!  I would love to have a more prescribed way of doing this other than what I just came up with)  Like last year, I teach my students 2-4 root words per week.  I am actually thinking of upping that number as the year progresses.  I really believe they can handle it.  But for now, it will stay at 2-4.  Like before, to introduce the words, I have the stu......

Jen at The Teacher's Cauldron is having a Word Wall linky, and I thought I would take this opportunity to link up.  Now, some of you may have seen my word wall post when I first wrote it...but I am going to wager that most of you haven't.  It was one of my firsts...and I know there weren't as many of you here when I started ;) I don't use my Word Wall in the traditional manner.  I used to, really I did.  But I found that I just wasn't getting the most bang for my buck that way.  The kids weren't using it so it basically became a really big wall decoration.  As time went on though, I realized that I could use that same space to help my students learn their Greek and Latin Roots. One of the major standards in 5th grade is learning these roots.  I have gone to great lengths this year to get them to learn the roots and the word wall is the first step. Each Wednesday, the students create Root Word cards.  (You can read more specifically about......