Behavioropoly!

I have had MANY requests for the template I used to create my Behavioropoly game. See this post for more information and for links to my inspiration.

On second thought, Google Docs did some weird stuff to my files when I uploaded them, so if the links don't work for you, or if you are mad at Google Docs too, then leave a comment with your email address and I will  email the originals to you. I used Powerpoint and Word so you will need those applications.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Due to the high volume of requests, I am no longer sending this file by email. You can get it from my TPT store here.

Thinking Partners Freebie!

One thing I think is mucho importante is developing good oral communication in the classroom. At the start of the year, I train the kids in how to be good thinking partners. I have them pair up and tell each other about something they did over the summer or weekend. The partner has to be able to summarize and retell what their partner did to their partner's satisfaction. I know this seems like a big DUH but I went to a Ron Nash workshop a while back and it was made super clear that the students needed many many many many many opportunities to have this kind of discussion with non-academic content before we expect them to have meaningful discussions about what they are learning. It really does make a difference, I promise!

Usually, I have the "turn to your elbow buddy" or use the partner wheel approach to finding thinking partners, but I wanted another mode for finding good thinking partners so I made this variation of Paula Rutherford's Feathered Friends or Clock Buddies. Students will take their paper around the classroom and ask classmate's to be their thinking partners for specific days. So if Johnny wanted to be partners with Sally, and they both had their Monday box available, Johnny would write Sally's name on his paper and Sally would write Johnny's name on her paper. It would go like this until everyone has every box filled. If it is done right, there should be no overlaps or duplicates. From then on, all I have to do is say, "Today children, I'd like you to sit with your Friday thinking partner on the carpet."

Click here to download

More Behavior Management and Freebie!

Here is a tool I use in my classroom to "randomly" partner my students up for activities. I love giving students the opportunity to choose their own partners but there are always a few who just can't work together well but insist on doing it anyway. I also pass out cards and find the match to find their partner from time to time. But sometimes you need a quick way to ensure that your students are paired up academically or according to behavior. Soooo.... I created the partner wheel.

My nice laminated ones are still at school, so you will have to do with this one straight out of the printer and use your imagination. So basically there are two wheels with 12 pie pieces each (I usually have 24 students). Layer them and use a brass fastener to attach them in the center of the wheel so that both wheels can turn freely.

The most basic way to use these is to write the names of any students you DO NOT want to be working together on the same wheel (he he). To find partners, simply turn the wheels until the names line up. In 5 years of using this, the students have never figured out that they won't be able to be partners with students on the same wheel as them (he he he).

I usually make multiple wheels. I like to make one for reading with higher readers paired with lower readers for certain activities. I print them on cardstock, laminate them, and write the names with overhead marker so I can erase and change names as students come and go.

Click Here to get your free partner wheel templates

Behavior Management

I've been working on a few things for Behavior Management so I thought I'd join the party! Check out The Lesson Plan Diva to see others who have linked up!




I've seen a lot of clip charts and stop lights in blog land and I have to say that I am not a fan. Don't get me wrong--I think they are pretty, easy to use, and a quick visual for the teacher at the end of the day when getting things ready to go home. BUT I strongly believe that kids should not be publicly embarrassed for their behavior. EVERYONE makes poor choices from time to time. Would you want the entire staff to know when you missed a deadline or made a mistake? I know this is not the intention, but it happens anyway.

Instead I use a binder. I wish I had a photo to show but sadly it is locked up at school. In the binder is a chart with student numbers instead of names. When students make poor choices, they are asked to visit the behavior binder where they place a check mark next to their number. There is also a copy of our Quality Student they should quickly review. When sending students to the binder, I make sure to do it privately so the student is not embarrassed. Each Monday we discuss the previous week's data, celebrate if we made a goal,  and make new goals for the coming week. The binder is also handy at conference time.

As a class, we set goals for the number of checks we will try to stay under per week. Students also may have personal goals for how many checks they will have each week or grading period. Recently I found Homeworkopoly on Ladybug's Teacher Files and decided to teacher-lift it. She uses this for students who consistently complete their homework, but I decided to use it as a behavior incentive. ALOT of people have been posting about doing away with the prize/treasure box and this could work for that too. I included two "prize box" places on the board but you could easily replace them with something else. I am still working on the Chance cards and I also added a spot for "Student-written questions." My plan here is to have students write their own review questions for topics already covered.

So my printer is running low on ink and the colors are a bit distorted but this is the basic idea. My plan is to post it on the chalk board and use pictures of the kids faces to make magnetic playing pieces. Students who made it the entire week without any checks in the behavior binder (or who met their personal behavior goal) will get to take a turn on the Behavioropoly Board. Check out Ladybug's Teacher Files to see how she runs the game.

***Update*** Due to a high volume of requests I am no longer sending out my template by email. You can go to my TPT store  and download the files for free!