Students Taking Ownership of Their Learning

Firsties completely engaged in weather research.

For as long as I can remember I always told my students it was my job to make them independent learners. I wanted my students to leave my first grade classroom knowing how to set goals, ask questions, and find the answers to those questions.  Above all, I wanted them to leave with a general love for always wanting to know more. I implemented these three things in my classroom that made tremendous impact on my students: The Daily 5, setting academic goals, and research projects. 

Now researchers call this philosophy, "students taking ownership of their learning."   Research shows increased academic progress in those students who set learning goals, have an interest in what they are learning, and have choices as to how/what they learn. It's never too late to start creating independent learners! Start slow. Start now. Start with one thing. Watch your students blossom.  It will change your world as a teacher. I promise.

Suggestions on how to create independent learners: 

1. Find a book, blog article or research article about students owning their learning. Within that book or article, find one new idea choose to implement in your classroom. I've listed a few links below to get you started:

Books

Leaders of Their Own Learning by Ron Berger

Learning that Lasts by Ron Berger

The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy in the Elementary Grades

I may make a very small amount of money if you purchase from an Amazon link.

Blogs

4 Ways to Let Kids Take Ownership of Their Learning

Beyond Engagement

7 Things That Happen When Students Own Their Learning

Articles

Student Ownership

2.  Take a look at your current instruction. Are you already implementing strategies to create independent learners? Can you tweak something easily and make it student centered?

3. Conference with your students individually. Use goal sheets to guide the discussion. An easy goal to begin with is an Accelerated Reader goal with a focus on engaged time reading or points or STAR goal with a focus on Percentile Ranking or Grade Equivalency. Create your own goal sheet or save time with a goal sheet that has already been created. If you need a quick and easy goal sheet you can download my Goal Setting Sheets, print and start setting goals with your students. A digital version is also included.

4. Student Data Notebooks:  Create notebooks or folders so that students can track their own data.  I found a free simple reading and math data notebook for early elementary on TPT.  You can download it here.

5. Research Projects:  My students LOVED research projects. Yes, my firsties became quite the researchers!  At times they would collaborate and at other times they worked independently. Sometimes I assigned what they would research and other times they were given choices.  I always checked out books about the subject from the school library and had them available in the classroom. Kid friendly search engines are another plus when doing a research project. Think about units you are already teaching. How can you add a research component to these units?  I have several research projects that I created for my classroom and offer in my TPT store. One of the absolute favorites is my Research Tourist project.  My daughter-in-law just used it with her third graders last month and they had a blast! See the pictures below of the finished product.  You can purchase Research Project Washington D.C. today and be ready to start the project tomorrow.

Created by First Graders

Created by Third Graders

I have also bundled all of my Research projects into one product. You can purchase the bundle HERE. Make sure you FOLLOW ME on TPT so you are notified when I upload a new product.  ALL new products are discounted 50% the first 24 hours.

I promise if you teach your students how to take ownership of their learning you will see growth like never before.  Take baby steps and ease into the pool of independent learning! 

Much Love,

Rebecca Wrenn

January Theme Teaching

 When I was in the classroom, January was always the beginning of theme teaching that carried over into February and March.  I LOVE theme teaching and my students were always engaged in our activities.  You can tie in so many standards in a unit and get your firsties researching too! Below are some of my favorite theme units for January. They can be printed and sent home to your remote learners.  I still believe that these students need tangible learning where they use scissors, glue, pencils, crayons, etc.  Create packets periodically and have parents drive thru to pick up.

Martin Luther King Jr. 

First graders need to understand segregation and how it effected so many people, both adults and children. Martin Luther King Jr.'s story is one of faith, courage, and hope that can help children understand the civil rights movement. I used the lap book unit below to teach my firsties about Dr. King.

Purchase the unit HERE.

Penguins

Another favorite of my firsties in January were PENGUINS.  Who doesn't love a penguin? I created an Emperor Penguin Family Scrapbook for my firsties to work through.  It's an 11 day unit with a teacher plan included. It can be printed and sent home to your remote learners.  I still believe that these students need tangible learning where they use scissors, glue, pencils, crayons, etc.  Create packets periodically and have parents drive thru to pick up. 

Purchase the unit HERE.

Tackylocks, Tacky the Penguin

One of the last theme units I taught in January was my Tackylocks book study. It is a fun unit to teach after your penguin unit.  I have carefully created a unit tied to several common core reading standards. I want all of my units to focus on academics alongside the creative piece of the craft. This is such a fun story! I know your firsties will love it!  If you need the book, Tackylocks and the Three Bears, you can purchase it HERE on Amazon. 

Your firsties will love making this craft of Tackylocks.  Purchase the whole unit HERE.

Hashtags Sales: Time to Buy

 I Love a Good Sale

I am always on the lookout for a good sale and will stock up on items I find at a great price.  Hashtag sales are the perfect time to "stock up" on some great Teacher Pay Teacher products.  

What is a Hashtag Sale

Hashtag sales are sponsored by groups of TPT sellers.  Each seller chooses one or two products and reduce their price to $1. A hashtag is chosen and placed in the title of the product. There may hundreds of products listed in the sale depending on the number of sellers participating.

How to Shop a Hashtag Sale

In the search bar on Teachers Pay Teachers type in the title of the # sale. For example I am joining other sellers in the #ByeBye2020 sale.  You would simply type in #ByeBye2020 in the search bar and you will get pages and pages of resources that are reduced to $1. You can either scroll through the resources or filter by grade, subject or resource type.

Items I have Listed in the #ByeBye 2020 sale

Ruby Bridges is reduced to $1 for the #ByeBye2020 sale.  It's a perfect unit to purchase for Black History month. Buy now at a "stock up" price and have it ready to go in February. It comes complete with all patterns and instructions. Packets can easily be created to send home to remote students.

My Penguins Craft & Writing Activities has also been reduced to $1 for the #ByeBy2020 sale.  This Emperor Penguin Family Scrapbook is a first grade favorite!  January is the perfect time for a penguin unit.  It comes complete with all patterns and instructions. Packets can easily be created to send home to remote students.

Information on the #ByeBye2020 Sale:

 December 31 and January 1

#ByeBye2020 = Dollar Deals

Sponsored by the group, TPT Focused Success

One on One Data Meetings

A data meeting does not have to be something that is checked off of your to do list.  These meetings can be  a time to honestly look at student learning and instruction.  Using data to drive instruction works but we have to be willing to be honest about instruction - what works and what doesn't work.  As an administrator I met monthly with grade levels to discuss data and student progress. However, once a year I met one-on-one with my teachers to discuss data.  My time with the teachers allowed for a more in depth discussion about each student in their classroom.  It's easy to print a report from an assessment and place it in a notebook, but we need to do more so that we can help our students progress. We need to disaggregate, discuss and plan using that data. In other words, we need to know our data backwards and forwards. I created specific data review forms for my teachers to complete.  Those forms serve as guide for our discussion and also help teachers understand their data and how to use it.  I also made sure to print all reports and familiarize myself with the data before each meeting. Sometimes data can overwhelm teachers and they just don't know what to do with it.  As an administrator, it was my job to help guide them through how to use their data.  One-on-one data meetings were an excellent way to guide teachers in a positive way.  I always chose to focus on the positives first and then work together to determine next steps for helping those struggling students whose data did not reflect growth.  In my district we focused on STAR Reading & Math, DIBELS, and Accelerated Reader.  I've included the forms for those assessments. I know that each district focuses on different assessments so I have included documents that you can edit and make your own. You can grab the data review forms HERE. 

Ruby Bridges

 Ruby Bridges has always been a go to for me when introducing my firsties to civil rights. This unit was created 7 years ago out of a need for my own classroom. I have recently updated the craft and anchor chart and made a few minor updates to the lap book. You don't have to wait until February to teach your students about civil rights and compassion.  Grab the updated unit HERE.  

Weekly Dollar Deal - Pilgrim Children

 We continue on with holiday theme teaching!  This week's dollar deal is my Pilgrim Children Craftivitiy and Lapbook.  I always began this unit with a read aloud.  My two favorites are Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl and Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy.  You can purchase the books HERE or HERE. Once the read aloud is complete I build an anchor chart with my students.  See the picture below.

Then I introduce them to the unit we will be working on for the week.  I start with the craftivity so that we can get them hung up in our classroom or hallway!  Then we move into the lapbook.  I always told my firsties that it was my job to make them independent learners and the lapbook does just that!  They always collaborated and researched to find the information needed.  With Covid it may be a little difficult to collaborate but breakout rooms work great for collaboration.  Once again those distant/virtual learners need to create so set up a time for parents to pick up materials and share away on Zoom, etc!!!! Grab this unit HERE. I promise you'll love it and so will your firsties!  Below are pictures of the unit:

Weekly Dollar Deal - Veterans Day

This month begins my most favorite time of the year... so many holidays and themes to celebrate in the classroom!  This week's dollar deal is a Veterans Day project. You can begin with a read aloud. Check out this LIST OF VETERANS DAY BOOKS. Then, you can "anchor" their learning with an anchor chart. Below is a picture of my firsties' thinking.  We brainstormed words that describe soldiers.  Anchor charts are such fun ways to display students' thinking.

  

You can extend their learning with THE VETERANS DAY PROJECT. This project comes complete with daily directions.  First graders need to create.  They need to use their scissors, glue sticks, crayons and markers!!!! Fine motor skills development at it's FINEST!! Even if you are remote, I implore you to print out this project and send it to your firsties.  Ask parents to do a curbside pick up of materials.  Students can display in their home and share during virtual class meetings.  I promise both traditional and virtual students will LOVE this project and they are so proud when it's complete!

Review: "These look SO cute outside! They were perfect with our current standards. I have been teaching about expository text as well as character traits/responses. I was able to use this for both and as a transitional lesson from one standard to the other. My principal even commented about how much she loved them outside in the hall!! Thanks :)" - Monica M.