Ways to Group Students Quickly and Effectively

In the struggle to reach every student in the classroom it occasionally becomes necessary to divide them into groups, but how? Whether it's for an activity, remediation, or even a quick little game, grouping students quickly and effectively can be tricky. I have been struggling with this concept, because my kids really want to work in groups on a full time basis. However, I'm doubtful of how much actual work will take place if I spend too much time helping one group over the other.

That dilemma has sparked a search for a solution. Like most teachers I need a solution that works in the classroom, not one that just sounds great on paper. Since classrooms are made of different personalities, I've decided to try different ideas to determine which works best in my class.

Here are some grouping strategies that may work for you.

• Setup an area for groups in your classroom- this works well if your kids don't stay in groups throughout the day, or if the groups change regularly.

• Pass out one playing card to each student-this way you can separate them by suite, evens, odds, factors of a number (factors of 6), the same number (four 9's), card-runs (2,3,4,5; or 6,7,8 depending on how big you want the group), divisible by, etc. The kids will be less likely to complain about the card they have, because they don't know how you are going to call the groups.

• "Number Pops"- "Number Pops" works like this: Get a bunch of craft or Popsicle sticks and write numbers on them. These numbers should correlate to the number of groups that you would like and the number of people in each group. Example: If I wanted six groups of four students, then I would have four 1's, four 2's and so on. This may take a while to prepare for the teacher, but once it's done... it's done. Note: If you don't want to set it up ask a few of your "helper" students to do it for you during recess or something. Even better you could write on the can the number of groups. That way you could have cans that separate your class into groups of 4, 5, and 6.

• Synonyms- on index cards you can write synonyms and have the students find their partners by matching the words together. Note: This concept can be confusing to some students. You may want to go over which of the words match before hand to calm the kids confusion.

• "Group of the Day"-this strategy should be setup during the first few days of school, while you are still setting up your classroom routines. Have different groups for different days of the week. (Groups of 4, 5, and 6 for Mondays, Tuesdays, etc. That way on Monday if you say groups of four they know who they belong with, and on Tuesday their group of six maybe different) By doing this the students can get accustomed to getting in their groups, and you can develop a routine. Routines are a teacher's best friend!!! The kids will know immediately what is expected of them and who they should pair up with. Make a Bulletin Board sized calendar just for this grouping, this way the kids can reference it throughout the year.

• Partners, Teams, and Panels- like "group of the day" you may need to establish these at the beginning of the year, but it works well for the different types of activities that you need them to achieve. Once established don't change the people in the groups, because keeping a routine will make the transition very quick. Once created the teacher will just have to say, "I need Partners to do such and such", "I need my Teams to complete...", or "As a Panel discuss....."
  
• "Partners"- pair the students up or have them in groups of three. These types of groups work well for study groups, or paired reading.
• "Teams"- separate your kids into groups of three and four. (NOTE: DON'T PAIR TWO GROUPS OF PARTNERS!!! They will become too friendly or get tired of each other. Plus it's good to have fresh input into the group.) These types of groups work well when there is a "hands-on" activity to be completed.
• "Panels"- the kids are separated into groups of five or six. These groups are designed to talk. However, the teacher should have something constructive for them to talk about. Since the groups are so large you don't have to walk around as much just a quick visit to make sure they're on task. (Note: These groups are best at discussing written works, hot topics, "what if" scenarios, cause and effect, and problem solving. Make sure to give each student a participation sheet so they can document their feelings, ideas, solutions, etc. This will make each student in the group accountable for their individual work.

• Birthday Buddies- match the students according to the months that they were born. This may or may not work depending on the dynamic of your classroom. I for example have 5 birthdays that fall in June, while only 1 is in March. So for my classroom, I chose to do "Birthday Buddies" by season. You could also separate them by the beginning, middle, and end of the month.

• Burger Buddies- have your kids choose the fast food establishment they like the best. Have choices for the number of groups that you would like. Example: Which do you prefer? McDonald's, Burger King, Hardee's, Subway, etc. You may have to even up the groups by asking which beverage they prefer. (Note: I teach in a very small town and they only have one fast food place. So, I took it a step further and asked what is your favorite type of food to get from this place/what would you like on your burger.)

• Genre Groups- separate your kids by the types of books, movies, music, or subjects that they enjoy. (Note: "Genre Groups" and "Burger Buddies" can be done through an interest survey at the beginning of the year. Since these surveys are done on paper, they will have no clue that you are using the survey as a means to group them. They will probably think that you are just trying to get to know them better.)

• Color Pencils-have your kids pick colored pencils out of a can. Have four or five of the same color and have as many colors as you need groups.

I hope these ideas help to make grouping your students a little less stressful.
-Enjoy

Lesson Plan Ideas and the Comprehensive Curriculum

I have recently been wondering how teachers in other states handle their lesson planning. I teach in Louisiana, and we have been instructed to follow a Comprehensive Curriculum. This curriculum is developed by teachers in various districts around the state, and it dictates what we should teach. The concept is that if a student transfers from one district to another, then they will not fall behind. However, sometimes I find that it does not fully meet the needs of my students. If they do not grasp a particular topic, the Comprehensive Curriculum limits the amount of time that I can spend on reteaching, and enrichment activities. Basically, when it says to move to a different topic I have to follow. Granted the curriculum is based upon state G.L.E's and by the end of the year each of these Grade Level Expectations have to be met, but I do not want any of my kids to fall between the cracks because they failed to grasp fundamental concepts.
Though the curriculum allows me the freedom to adapt the lessons to my teaching style, I find that I am so rushed to cover the material that "hands on" activities, "grouping", and engaging lessons are over looked because of the initial time investment that they require. So in the pursuit of becoming a better teacher, I am asking my audience. (If anyone is actually reading...)

• What are some lesson ideas that you simply love?
  
• What are some great 5-10 minute activities that keep your students actively engaged in your lesson?
• How do you quickly group your students, inorder to get the most out of your class period?
• What steps are you taking to make sure that the G.L.E's are being met and properly assessed?
• What resources do you find yourself searching for most often?
• What can I add to Gallimore Learning to make teacher's lives easier?
  

If you would like to have your lesson plans posted to Gallimore Learning, please include them in your comment. I appreciate your time and effort, and I will give you full credit for your idea.
I plan on including a teacher submitted section in the up coming days, and you can be one of the first to be included.

Again, thank you. You are the reason behind the creation of this site. Your hard work and dedication are truly an honor to the profession.

The Fortune Teller Foldable

Do you remember those paper fortuneteller things that girls used to make when they were younger? You know the ones with the colors and the numbers written on them, and when your friend opened a certain flap it meant that she was destined to marry so and so, and have a mansion, and a "bazillion babies". Yeah, something like that. Anyway a thought occurred to me when I confiscated one of these instruments of gossip from a student in my class last year. What if I could take this thing that is already appealing to kids and use it to teach them something?
I know just like a teacher to zap the fun out of everything, but here goes.
I had my students write a question on each of the outside flaps. Once the question was answered, then the person holding the fortune spelled out the letters of the answer, while moving the fortune teller open and shut. (This can also be done with the words from the answer, if they are longer than one or two word phrases.) Once the answer is spelled out then the student can choose from the vocabulary words that are written on the inside of the fortune teller. They have to correctly define the word that they choose, or they do not get a point. The students can then open the fortune to see if the guesser had it right.

If the little animated gif that I made is hard to follow, then here are the step by step instructions:

These directions look complicated, but it is quite easy to make (just difficult to describe!).

• Start with a square piece of paper. (Use a standard sheet of paper. Take a bottom corner and diagonal fold it across to the opposite side of the page. Cut off the 2.5 inch strip at the top of the page to create an 8.5 x 8.5 sheet of paper)
• Fold the paper along the diagonal and crease. Then open it back up. Fold along the opposite diagonal and crease. Open it back up. Fold the paper in half along a straight edge and crease. Open it back up. Turn the paper 1/4 (90 degrees) and fold in half again, and crease. Open it back up. You should have a flat piece of paper with the creases forming a star in the center of the page.
• Take one corner and fold it in to the center of star. Repeat with each corner. When you are done, you will have a six inch square, with four open flaps on the top.
• Flip the piece of paper over. Take one corner and fold it in to the center of star. Repeat with each corner. Your square will now be about four inches on each side, with four flaps.
• Flip the paper over so that the top side has square flaps. Fold the paper in half along a straight edge and crease. Open it back up. Turn the paper 1/4 (90 degrees) and fold in half again, and crease. Open it back up.
• Put your thumb and index finger on your right hand under the two square flaps on the right hand side. Put your thumb and index finger on your left hand under the two square flaps on the left hand side. As you pinch your finger tips together, the fortune teller will take shape.
• At this point you can write questions, definitions, characters, vocabulary, math problems, science terms, etc. on the flaps and answers under the flip up pieces.
• To work the fortune teller, put your fingers back in the flaps. Pinch your thumb and index fingers together, then gently pull apart to open the center. Then bring the four fingers back together. Pinch together the two index fingers and the two thumbs. Gently pull apart to open the center.

This will work with any size square sheet of paper. These instructions use an 8.5 inch square so that other measurements can be used as guidelines in the instructions.

Black History Month

Every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. This tribute dates back to 1926 and is credited to a Harvard scholar named Carter G. Woodson. The son of former slaves, Woodson dedicated his life to ensuring that black history was accurately documented and disseminated.

In an effort to bring national attention to the contributions of black Americans, Woodson organized the first annual Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February in honor of the birthdays of pivotal black supporters Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

From Jackie Robinson to Tiger Woods, Harriet Tubman to Barack Obama, Black History Month pays tribute to inspirational African Americans from the past, as well as those who will continue to make history well into the future.

Check out biography.com for great articles, interviews, and videos. You may find something useful for your classroom.

More Great Educational Games

I have just doubled the educational games on the edutainment page. On this page you will find games that teach multiplication, addition, subtraction, vocabulary development, and geography skills.
All of these games are free to play, and take less than ten minutes to play. So for those of us with only one computer in the classroom, we can rotate the kids on the computer fairly quickly.
Try them out, before you have your kids play. I have found myself playing a few of these games during recess while my kids were out, and I realy enjoy them. Let me know what you think.

Edutainment

Edutainment

Looking to get away, and let go of the stress caused by life? Then try the newly updated Edutainment page. Here you will find games that challenge the mind, teach typing skills, math skills, patterns, and some games designed to just blow off a little steam (or fill the slow part of your day).

Here are some of the games that you'll find.

Longitude & Latitude Rap

How many times have you tried to teach the difference between latitude and longitude, only to leave your students with a look of utter confusion? I have something that may work. I can't guarantee that will work for every classroom. Some of your kids may just look at you like you're crazy, but they'll appreciate the fact that you obviously trying to reach them.

I created a little freestyle rap, and my kids created the dance to go along. ( I know! I know! I'm a nerd... thus the web sites... The key is not to try to be cool, just be yourself. Your kids will understand. At least it will brighten their day.)
Here goes:

"Longitude/Latitude Rap"

To find your spot on the globe
Some coordinates you have to know

To get these numbers that you see
There's a little dance so listen to me

Slide your feet side to side
On the latitude line we ride

Move yourself up and down
The longitude line is what we found

To find your spot on the globe
Some coordinates you have to know

To get these numbers that you see
There's a little dance so listen to me

Slide your feet side to side
On the latitude line we ride

Move yourself up and down
The longitude line is what we found

To find your spot on the globe
Some coordinates you have to know
Longitude and Latitude there you go

(Have your kids stand up as they mimic you. They'll start to laugh, but eventually they'll realize that it's better than taking notes.)

If your kids think the rap is dumb, then you can challenge them to create a better one.
Please let me know if they come up with one that you like better. I'll be happy to post it for others, and of course class and teacher will get credit.

-Enjoy

Diorama (Foldables Part 3)

Dioramas in the classroom can be a wonderful teaching tool. They are very cheap and easy to make. The students only need two sheets of regular (or construction paper), scissors, and glue (or staples if you want to be really cheap; staples also work a lot quicker because you do not have to wait for the glue to dry.)
When you think of a diorama you may be reminded of the old shadow boxes that you made when you were little. These shadow boxes were generally made from old shoe boxes, construction paper, and enough glue to keep Elmer's in business. However, the modern diorama is a very close cousin to the foldable. Here is how to make one.

To create a simple diorama, take a square piece of paper. (8 1/2" X 8 1/2" works well) Fold the paper diagonally, open it and fold it on the other diagonal. Then, cut on one fold to the center. Bring one of the flaps over the other flap and staple. This makes a little tent shaped space for your scene. Color the scene, add the setting, and then you can also have your students write a small paragraph about why they chose specific things.

Once the diorama is complete you can have the students combine four of the dioramas together, and they can be used to compare or contrast various ideas.

Foldables Part 2

Think about it! People learn though the use of their senses, so logically a better way to teach would be to involve as many senses as possible. In creating and using the foldable, many of the senses are involved from tactile to auditory.
Foldables can be used to teach vocabulary terms, concept mapping, and as study aides. However, the list is only limited by your imagination. Here are some ways that I have used foldables in my classroom.

Now for some usable ideas:

• Foldables for Vocabulary Terms-
• Have the students fold the paper in half by making the longer sides of the paper come together.
• The students can now write the new terms on the front side of the foldable.
• Using a pair of scissors the student can cut under each term to create term tabs.
• Once these tabs are flipped open, the student can write either the definition or a personal connection to the term.
• Because of the tab the students can actually quiz themselves, then open the tab to check their answer.
  
• I use this a lot at the beginning of a lesson.
  
• This method can be for any subject, from kindergarten through college.

• Foldable as Concept Maps-
• Have the students fold the top of the paper until it meets the middle.
• Then fold the bottom so that it also meets the middle of the paper.
• Basically the paper should now be folded in thirds with the two short sides touching.
• The students should now fold the paper in half so that the newly formed shorter sides are touching.
• Once you unfold the paper four squares should be present.
• The students can now label these squares as you see fit
• Whether you are teaching story elements, compare & contrast, outlining, or even just simply reviewing the chapter. You can use this foldable for all of these depending on what you have you kids write on the top.
• Story Elements
• Kids should write "Characters", "Plot", "Setting", and "Conclusion" in the four squares.
• They can write the key details on the back side of each square, these squares can be cut to allow each square to be opened independently
  

• Compare & Contrast
• Kids should write the things being compared in each of the four boxes
• They could then write how the items are different on the backside of the terms square.
• Once the foldable is opened similarities between the four terms can be written in the central box.
  
• This foldable can be used like a Venn Diagram, except up to four things can be compared.

• Outlining
• Kids could write the "Key Term" on the top of each square.
• The details can be written on the back side of the term.
• The children can write a summary of what they have outlined in the center of the opened foldable.
  

I will write about other ways to incorporate foldables into your lessons as the weeks progress. I guess this could be considered my first series.
Well, I hope that I have given you some useful ideas. Enjoy

Foldables

I recently attended a workshop on foldables. I thought, "My kids are not going to like folding paper, that's below their level". I could not have been more wrong. I have integrated foldables into my some of my lessons; and to my surprise, the students really enjoyed them.
There are types of foldables that you can do are practically limitless. They can make flip-books for vocabulary words, diaramas for comparing and contrasting, folding graphic organizers which can be used for multiple objectives.
I will soon be posting more on the uses of foldables, and shows some diagrams on how they are made. I'm currently working on the graphics that I plan to post.

Tell me some of your ideas, and how you have used foldables in your classrooms.

Current Projects

I have been hard at work both in the classroom and on the web. I am currently trying to develop 5 different webpages. Since I am a novice this seems like a daunting task. However, I'm prepared to help my fellow teachers, and that is why I'm doing all of this.

Teachers have it rough, there is no way around it. We have to be many things in the classroom, and by the end of the day it takes a lot out of a person. So, I have made it my life's goal to make our lives better. Not through pay raises or accountablity but through simple free stuff.

I am currently offering free lesson plans, clipart, classroom management stuff, and a plethera of other free stuff, but the problem lies in getting the word out. So please, if you are a teacher check out my links on the sidebar, and let me know how I can help to make your life easier.