Common Core and You

Seriously!!! It can't be Sunday afternoon already!  Where did the weekend go?  Part of our weekend was spent  in a local school gym watching our kiddos play basketball ( two of them anyway).  I always get a giggle when I run into one of my students at a sporting event or any other event that is not school related.  Often their reactions to seeing their teacher are so darn cute!  Some of them sheepishly say "hi" and watch from afar, others go out of their way to come up with their friends to say hello, and then there are others that say the darndest things.   On Saturday I happened to be sitting just one bleacher below one of my very outspoken students.  Of course, he wasn't shy about saying hello or visiting with me for a bit.  I do LOVE this, and it gives the Mr. a chance to meet one of my students.  Well in this conversation with my outspoken student, he was most curious as if I had graded his D.O.L. quiz and spelling test yet and what grade did he receive on these.  His Mom spoke up before me and giggled and told her son that Mrs. Mehrtens probably had lots of other things to do than grade those papers yet ( this being said while my two year old is throwing a temper tantrum because he can't run out on the basketball court).  Truth be told I hadn't graded those papers yet, and as I type this post, I STILL haven't. 

Okay, Okay enough with the story.  I wanted to share a few resources I have received about the Common Core from some workshops that I have attended lately.   Listed below are some fabulous websites that we were given at a Common Core workshop.  If you get a chance, check them out.
1. Teachervision- Items are listed by grade level and subject area- lots of lesson plans and activies.  I even found some St. Patrick's day resources.
2. Readworks- This was my FAVORITE-- I have it bookmarked.  On the left hand side of the page are many items such as author's purpose, main idea, summarizing, character traits, and etc.  If you click on the item, then you can choose your grade level, and many printables and lessons will pop up on this topic.  LOVE!
3. Rubistar-  You can register to create rubrics on any activity. 
4. Giggle poetry-  This is too cute!  Great resource for using poetry in your classroom.  There are lots of cute poems and interactive activities for the students to complete. 

 "Lil Ladybug Fiction and Nonfiction File Folder games- I added a new item to my TPT store today that ties into the Common Core standards for literature and informational text.  It contains 4 file folder games.... 2 for fiction and 2 for nonfiction text.The games go with any text students have read.  It's a great way to review the story and uses vocabulary such as main idea, key details, author's viewpoint, connections, plot, summary, facts, and etc.  I'm going to implement this in our literacy stations this week.
It is $2.50 in my TPT store.  You can find this set here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Lil-Ladybug-Fiction-and-Nonfiction-File-Folder-Games

 As our school district works on transitioning to the Common Core standards, we have talked about not only having the standards displayed in our room in a student friendly way, but also giving each student a folder/binder of the "I Can" student friendly Common Core checklist of the standards. This would be kept in a special area of the classroom and from time to time be revisited to determine what standards students have mastered or are working on.  A great way for students to take an active role in their learning of the standards and to see how far they've come.   I have made a student friendly version of the "I Can" 3rd grade standards for literature, informational text, writing, speaking,and listening.  It can be accessed at my TPT store here.... there is also a free download to preview this checklist.

Please share your cute "student stories", and I would love to hear about  the resources you are using to help implement the common core. 
I realize this blog was a bit wordy!!!  Thanks for sticking with me!  Have a great evening!  I hope you are able to get your "to dos" for the weekend checked off of your list.  I am working on mine.. slowly.