Star Strategy

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Elissar Hammoud

Here’s a few more Star Strategies to get your kids motivated and back on track…

Ms. Caballero uses Scaffolding with her students during writing. She takes it a step further with some of her struggling students, by providing sentence stems and frames. She also uses color to help with the organization of the essay! Photos are attached.

Ms. Jaber uses mini-books to help students prepare for a test. As an accommodation, she allows students to use the mini-book on the test…students worked so hard preparing the mini-book, they inadvertently studied for the test and many didn’t need the book! Mind games people! I attached a template on how to construct a mini-book. It’s fun and easy.

Ms. Consiglio used a Flow map with her students to highlight the steps of good study habits. Metacognition is important and a great way to get students thinking about their learning and accountability. Photo attached.

Lastly, Newcomer students made Tree Maps to organize story elements during guided reading group. This is a great strategy for 6th grade ELA and Reading intervention!

Please share a Star Strategy that you feel worked well so we can all help our students shine

Mini Book Template

Student Flow Map for Test Prep (2) (1)

Star Strategy

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Elissar Hammoud

In addition to all of the amazing Thinking Maps you have all been using with you students (check out how Mr. Kade enriches his Art Lesson with double bubble maps and Ms. Consiglio’s uses thinking maps for problem solving steps!), Here is another great strategy you can use…

Formative Assessment Game On! Use dry erase boards to quickly formatively assess if your kids got it! Pull small groups for those who don’t, while the others who got it move on. Easy and fun way to see what your students need. Don’t have dry erase boards? Ms. Keveney is working on it..which means its as good as done!

If you would like to share a Star Strategy (or have a co-teacher who takes pictures when you are not looking…sorry Wellman) Please send them my way! So many wonderful things are happening and we could all use a great new strategy!

O3 Step Chart (1)

Simplify Alg Expressions (Yellow Page, Side 2) (1)

Solving Algebraic Equations (1)

Star Strategy

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Elissar Hammoud

Check out these star strat egies!

Ms. Edgerton uses Brace Maps to complete a Character Analysis. Remember that Brace maps show parts of a whole. What a cool way to describe a Character!

Keep those Accommodations Coming! Wellman uses SIOP Strategies to reach EL (and lower achieving students) during a quiz on Volume. Formulas can be tricky for struggling students but he bypasses that with a few simple tricks. Check out how he highlighted key vocabulary in the Math problem and simplified for the win!

Many of us remember using the Thieves Strategy way back in the day. It’s a great strategy for the start of a Unit. Preview a text or chapter. Partner work is always a plus and it gets you and your students out of the boring routine. Here’s a refresher and a template you can use.

Lastly, Kids are getting restless this time of year. Try breaking up group configurations with Desk Olympics. It’s a fun way for kids to practice getting into groups quickly. Use a timer and make them compete against your other classes for fastest time…a sneaky way to maximize instructional time.

I hope you are enjoying the Star Strategies.

Send me pics of any lesson you thought went well and kept kids engaged.