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Sticky Note Book Report: An Alternative to a Traditional Book Report!

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Do you remember book reports in school? I loved reading, so I had no problem reading a new book for a book report. However, I remember classmates finding any way they could to not  read a book. Google summaries, watching the movie version, Spark Notes...you name it, they were using it to complete their book reports. At some point, one of my teachers assigned us a sticky note book report. Essentially, the report happens during the reading process rather than after. I loved this format as a student! What is a sticky note book report? As students read, they write notes about their interaction with the text. Any time a student has a prediction, question, inference, critique, etc., he/she will write on a sticky note and place it in the book.  I loved this project as a student. It helped promote reading engagement and even introduced me to annotating my books later in life. From the teacher side, it helps combat Google summaries. The problem (and solution). Now that I'm a teacher, I want
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Should You Teach in the Town You Live In?

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I'm a hometown girl. I loved being an Eminence Redwing growing up; I bled red and black, my bedroom was Redwing-themed, and I was decked out for every spirit day.  I taught in my hometown for four years, but now I teach about 30 minutes away (while still living in Eminence). I'm still getting used to wearing yellow, but at least it's not paired with purple! ;)  If you're a teacher wondering whether to apply for a job in the town you live in or if you should branch out...this list may help you weigh your decision.  Pros/Cons   of Teaching in a Town You Don't Live In: Pros :  Commuting: The 30-minute drive is nice to get my mind right before school, and it also serves as a decompression time before I get home to my family. I (surprisingly) love it! Work/life balance: Having a 30-minute drive forces me to be super productive in my time there. I leave at the contracted time and work about 7 days during the summer. That is a huge change from how much I was at school whe
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Mustard, Ketchup, and Pickle

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Mustard, ketchup, and pickles aren't just for picnics; they are the perfect classroom solution!  I can't take credit for this idea; I believe it was one I saw on TikTok. However, I loved the idea. I decided to design my own template and try it out a few weeks ago. It was a hit!  What is Mustard, Ketchup, & Pickle?  It's my favorite thing at the moment for my 6th graders. It's a display slide I use in class!  During individual student work times, you divide tasks into 3 categories: Must-Do (Mustard) Catch Up (Ketchup) Pick One (Pickles) Students work through these tasks in order. When they finish their mustard and ketchup, they choose one activity from the pickle list. It's the perfect way to keep students organized and on task! It also helps save your sanity from answering the same questions over and over. This template is great for regular days and sub days!  Subs can simply pull up the display slide, and students will know the exact expectations for class time
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Mrs. R's Favorite Teacher Tech!

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I love technology. Sometimes I have a love-hate relationship with it, but ultimately, it makes the classroom and my teacher life so much better. Here are some of my favorite teacher technologies for planning or lesson creation . Another post will be done soon on my favorite technology for the student side of things. My Top 8 Favorite Teacher Technologies 1. Class Dojo. A lot of teachers use Class Dojo for classroom management. ClassDojo goes far beyond classroom management!  There are features like timers, to-do lists, focus music options, a random student generator (goodbye popsicle sticks), a noise meter, and a  group maker (this is the best feature).  I love the group feature for making seating charts. I type in who shouldn't sit together, how many students per group, and voila! Easy peasy group maker for seating charts. Algorithms for the win! 2. Poll Everywhere: This is my favorite for whole-class discussion questions. Students can type anonymous responses that pop up live on
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Sneaky Science Tricks!

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If you know me, you probably know I love teaching science. It is my thing. I wish I could teach it all day long! I mean, I made my whole classroom theme a mad scientist lab one time.   Because science isn't allotted much time during the school day, I try to bring in science as much as possible.  One of my favorite ways to incorporate more science is through little references/commands during the day. We will call it sneaky science . This, of course, does not replace formal science instruction; it is a fun way to reinforce concepts all year!  Mrs. R's Seven Sneaky Science Tips: 1. Open the circuit. Teach a quick lesson about circuits using a circuit stick ( Amazon link ). How many times a day do you ask someone to turn off/on the lights? I challenge you to no longer allow that phrase in your room. You and your students must say "open the circuit" or "close the circuit."  2. Straight lines.  You may know that light travels in straight lines. Do you know what e
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'Twas the Night Before the MAP Test

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'Twas the Night Before the MAP Test by Whitney Randolph 'Twas the night before the MAP test. A teacher lies awake. Wondering if her kids are prepared for the test they’ll soon take. The students will come into the room bright in the morning, some filled with doom. She'll pass out some snacks, notes, smiles, and spirit In hopes they’ll crush it rather than fear it. How do 9 months come down to 3 sessions? There was so much more to our work—our lessons. The important things...you'll never be able to measure Yeah, the kids learned a lot this year—so much to treasure. We laughed, joked, sang, and cried If she said she didn’t love them, you’d know she lied. As that teacher lies awake, wondering if it’ll be rough... She comes to peace with the year. She is enough. The thing she hopes we all remember the best? We are more, so much more, than just one test . Be at peace, teacher-friends. You are enough. -Whitney
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Test Hacker: Prep Your Students for Multiple Choice Questions!

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  The Problem. In my first year of teaching, one of the biggest stressors for me was the end-of-year state assessment. It was self-inflicted stress; my district never caused the pressure. I just really wanted my kids to do well.  We did a few practice tests, and I realized something. My kids were uncomfortable. Bad. They struggled with what to do when they didn't know an answer.  I said what most teachers say: "It's okay. Just take your best guess. Do the process of elimination!" Crickets followed. Blank stares ensued. Students were still stressed and refused to guess and move on. There were even tears . I went into research mode. I decided to test their elimination skills. I wanted to make a question they would be uncomfortable with--something we didn't learn. I drew the craziest shape I could on the board. Then, I made a multiple-choice question. It looked like this: As you can see, the shape was entirely made up. However, the only answer it could have been was 
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