Poems, Conferencing, and Snakes... Oh my!!!!!

Hello Monday!

Off to another full week of school and there isn’t a snowflake in sight! (Yay!) By this time last school year we’d already piled up over a dozen snow days and boy and I’m glad that this isn’t the case for this year!

This week we are focusing on comparing & contrasting in addition to wrapping up our poetry. We are in the process of conferencing & publishing our poetry drafts. I allowed the students to choose from Haikus, Limericks, Cinquains, and Free Verse poems. They’ve done an excellent job writing the poems and I’m SO proud to see some of my struggling writers really put their minds to getting these poems done and doing them right.

We have these great writing folders, one side is labeled ‘Drafting’ and the other is ‘complete.’ Our goal is to conference and get some pieces on ‘over to the dark side’ while we have the mobile lab so students may type! They also have ‘Writers Toolboxes’ with tips for revision strategies and writing prompt ideas. (The students have found this very useful!)

In our compare & contrast studies (I’m pretty sure this is going to be one BIG chunk of the new TEST based on the guide books.) We completed an activity (Pinterest inspired of course) on comparing and contrasting characters. (See the Pinterest example below.)

It was the first nice day we've had in a while and we went to the play ground. Nothing like ending my day with one of my Fifth grade boys lining up to go in with a baby snake in his hand. (Thankfully it was dead!) Boys will be boys!

On a personal note, Master classes are going very well, this week I’ll be half way finished with this round of classes. YAY! Also, I’m looking forward to planning a trip to San Francisco to visit my very best bud! Can’t wait- It’ll be my first trip on a plan, across the country, ALL ALONE! Yikes!

Have a good week friends!

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Trashy Readers

What a GREAT lesson. I wish I could take the credit for the lesson, but it was completely stolen!

Ms. Noren over at My Life as a Fifth Grade teacher presented this lesson to her kids and I took her lead! What a SUPER way to get the kids making inferences. See her post about “Trashy Readers” here.  (Pictures of my lesson to come.)

I can’t believe today is already Wednesday. We have “PLC” meeting tomorrow and we are working on practical living and vocational studies requirements. Evidently, since the state is no longer assessed on this, it is now up to teachers to provide proof of incorporation in the classroom.

We all do this, each and every day, trick is, getting our brains to think of it this way. It’ll be interesting to review the standards and dig in our brains and say “Oh, I do ____ that meets that standard.” Ahhh life lessons taught in the classroom.

What are some ways you incorporate practical living in your classroom? Do you take advantage of those ‘teachable moments’ to help you kids learn about life?

Technology... Friend or Foe?

After spending four hours at school on Sunday planning and searching the Internet for the perfect "interactive" activity to do with my kids over conjunctions and them types of poetry...

THE STINKIN' INTERNET WAS DOWN!!!!

FAIL!!!!!!!!

So, never fear! I'm versatile! I can adapt... change plans... (boo for no technology...) In walks principal to observe!

Ohhhhhhh why couldn't you work internet? Geeze!

Lesson went fine, concepts were taught, and well received, even though I had to shake up my own lesson plans. (No way I was about to throw away that hard work.. I'll save the super technology plan for tomorrow!)

What do you do when your technologies aren't working as expected? What are your 'go to' plans?

Funnies, Frantic, & Fun Friday

I. NEED.THIS.WEEKEND.

I’m so thankful today is Friday, and on top of that, it was early release! Students left a 1, while we all stayed behind until 3 for PD. (Check out this funny video our principal showed before we were released! It’s a hoot and right on about education and “The Test.”)

After my Master class last night and knowing all I need to work on this weekend. I realized that after being out on Monday, I was a day behind in my “prep” for next week!

I admit it. I left school without all my materials ready for Monday. I know I’ll give in a go tomorrow or Sunday, but I just had to bolt. (Especially after the hubby called and said “Come home! It’s the weekend!” Who could resist a hubby that wants to cuddle with you on the couch?)

To the real point of this post!

We take 45-50 min each Friday afternoon to have what we like to call “Fun Friday.” This is a reward for students who didn’t get their 3 strikes for the week. Students who did the right thing get to go to “Fun Friday” while the others go to the “offender” room. (Here students copy procedures from their student packets or write about words like ‘respect’, ‘origination’, and ‘responsibility’. We also discuss how we can change our behaviors to have a better week next week.

I like out set up, but I HATE HATE HATE to be the warden! Wish there wasn’t a need for this room at all, but we all know there are going to be a few little stinkers who need more convincing in following the rules.

What are some ways you reward your students? What are disciplines your students respond to best? How do you deal with those students who seem “unaffected” by their consequences?

Wild Weather

After an early release on Thursday afternoon due to snow flurries coming in, a snow day on Friday, and a Holiday yesterday, the LAST thing I needed was to spend an hour huddled in the hall after lunch avoiding nearby tornados!!! Talk about making a wild day even wilder!

Thankfully, nothing more than some heavy rain and dark gray skies for us. It doesn’t look like other people in the state were so lucky. After a bit of a schedule arrangements, we ditched Science to get in the long overdue Social Studies test that was scheduled for Friday. This is where I’m so thankful to have a great teammate that is so flexible!

Last year I was lucky enough to be teaching in the same school that my son attended. I found myself wondering how he was doing in the “drill” today. I always loved his surprise visits to my room for snack money and what not, I find myself missing those now at my new assignment. How many of you teach at the school your children attend? How do you feel about it?

A day off... or not?

We all lust after those 3 (in my case, thanks to the snow, a 4 day) weekend. How many of use ever actually take those days off?

I admit, I did use my snow day on Friday to tackle the mountain of Masters homework hovering over me. (Thankful for a chance to jump ahead before I could be left behind!)

Today however, I spent some time in the classroom. Planning time is never enough to get everything done at school. I went today to make sure all my materials were out for tomorrow and also to prep a few anchor charts for my Daily Five.

This is the anchor chart I was inspired to create. I found this (along with a TON of other great anchor charts) via pinterest at Fabulous Fourth Grade. This is her creation; mine looks pretty much the same, minus the spatula. (I just didn’t feel that I could do the pie server justice!)

What have you been inspired to create via Pinterest? Do you frequently spend your snow days/holidays working?

Enjoy your week!

A Day in My Shoes

Linking up with Miss Klohn from Adventures of a 6th grade teacher, I thought it would be nice to portray a day in the life of Mrs. Yonker.

5:05 Alarm sound.... I choose to snooze until 5:45 (some days it's 6).

6:00 Pending on the weather the hair may be curly or straight... either way, I like to have my coffee and be out the door by 6:45.

7:00 (or earlier) is when I love to get to school, I MUST have that gearing up time before my kiddos arrive. I usually check e-mails, work on lesson plans, or gather supplies for the day.

7:45 Begins our morning meeting for the day. Each day the whole school meets in the gym to hear a word from the principal before the day begins. Then it's off to our 5th grade lockers to get all of our things for the day!

Between locker time and 8:00 is spent sushing ushering students into the classroom and offering 15 dozen times, don't forget ______ for class today!

At 8:10 my first reading class with my homeroom begins. We focus on a Mini lesson followed by a Daily 5 choice area. We spend the last 5 min of class wrapping up and filling in our agendas with homework for the evening.

9:00 Starts the second reading class of the day where we do much of the same as the first class.

9:50 That little precious time of day where I get to retreat to my room, run through the building collecting papers, making copies, and touching base with other teachers about XY &Z, while my students attend Music, PE, or Art.

10:50 The kids are picked up and I get to take the boys for their restroom break. (Is there a sign in there that says play, touch one another and talk as loudly as possible?)

10:50-11:20 Is our "Brain Break" we spend time playing review games or fun activities that don't seem like work but focus on a skill, even if it's a social skill.

11:20 Is lunch... I hate this time of day. I always feel like the time is better spent working in my room, but I don't want to be a hermit in my room. Plus if I work, I don't eat... my hinnie is plenty wide enought without adding to.

12:00 Writing classes begin where we focus on vocabulary and then writing block.

12:50 Ditto... Writing.

1:40 We spend this time differently each day. Monday's and Wednesday's we work on On Demand writing to please the Testing Gods in hops to perfect our On Demand skills. Tuesday and Thursday we have Science class. This day is much more fun. We like to get our hands dirty.

2:30 Begins break, this time is spent wrapping up the day and getting ready to go home. (Sometimes it is spend practicing procedures and rules we need work on from the day.)

3:00 Students are dismissed and teacher are allowed to leave at 3:15.

I usually don't leave until 4ish on a normal day, unless I have Zumba which starts a 4 about 10 min down the road.

Either way, I usually arrive home around 5 and the rest of the evening is spent getting me, my 8 year old and the hubby ready for the next day.

Always some Facebook and Pinterest time thrown in there while we keep the couch company before we hop off to bed about 9.

Ahhhh what a day!

The First of Many...

Hello Friends,


This is my first post here at "A Little Ditty." The site recieved its name only by mistake. I've been teaching for three years now and last year I made the swith from second to sixth grade. (Yikes!) Turns out, nothing to fear! I never imagined such a close relationship with a group of 11 and 12 year olds, but boy did they turn my world around, in a good way!


We worked on gender based class and those girls... 24 sixth grade girls, what some may see as the stuff nightmares are made of, but it was h-e-a-v-e-n! The word "ditty" quickly caught on! In class the ladies used this very odd mix of a british/high-pitched accent. It stuck! I found myself telling them directions in this same voice! We had a blast and everything was a 'ditty' When will we go to lunch? In a ditty. Where should I put my notebook? In that ditty. Bye kids, I love you, have a ditty of a night!


That 'ditty' of a year changed the way I'll see teaching forever. It was blessing to get to know those students so very well. I hope I can have that kind of relationships with my students each year.


What do you do to get to know or form better relationships with your students?