New Classroom = new decor!! EEKK!

Hi there! I am slowly gearing up to get back in my class to start decorating. New classroom = blank canvas. Here is a sneak peak! I totally got this idea directly from pinterest. I found the quotes all over the place and then found Kacie over at managingandmotivatingmathminds.blogspot.com. I put her idea to work. Enjoy the sneak peak!

Grading tests and the black pit of despair! BUT NO MORE!!!

Howdy! I am in the middle of a Kim Sutton Math Camp and am learning so much for my new grade level! My brain was spinning about what to share with you first! But, I wanted to back up and really dive into something I found last year but didn't get around to using. (You mean, we don't implement everything we find in the known teaching universe; immediately? The answer is.. sadly, no.) But I really got to thinking: I am going to have 3 classes of math and I want to be very efficient at providing test feedback rather quickly. I want to do ALOT of data tracking and self monitoring this year. In order for that to have any impact with these kids, they have to get feedback and as much as I can give!
So.... first problem I ran into was grading their tests. I tried to grade it as they turned it in, but then I got tied up with given testing accommodations ( oral admin or small group, etc) and when I tried to do both, my poor small group kiddos were interrupted up to 20 times during their test. Not good accommodating if you ask me! So I stopped grading immediately and my kids got into a bad habit of rushing and turning in sloppy work with loads of mistakes.
The second problem I found was when I had to wait to grade the tests, the feedback came way too late, sometimes days later. At that point, the mistakes wouldn't resonate with them and had little impact. Sadly, the test just became another boring worksheet.
At last!!! My suite mate from 3rd grade found this great app on Pinterest and sent it to me. Again, with all the fabulous new math objectives this past year, this was put on the back burner.

Here is a rundown for you. The app itself is called ZipGrade. It does have a free trial version where you get up to 100 scans free. Then it comes to a decision, to purchase or not to purchase? When you purchase, I believe it doesn't have a limit of scans anymore, It goes to a subscription for a period of time. I figured I'll give it a try the first test we take and go from there. So i downloaded the free app and started exploring. You will definitely want to set up a account, because it makes your data easily accessible in the app/computer. When you log in this is what you will see.
Below is a picture of  where I created my 3 classes.

Above: Picture of once you created a quiz and where your quizzes will be listed.

 This is the student section. All of these are fake students. I began with first and last names. I then started thinking about full student names with their grades easily seen (you will see that in a few minutes), I wanted to make it as private as I could without me needing a cipher to figure out whose data I was viewing. Play around with it and do what makes you feel comfortable. Everything about the student is editable. First and last name, ID, and Ext ID. I think I decided I am going to do 3 digit number for each student. For example: The first student alphabetically in my homeroom would get the number 101. The second, 102. The first student alphabetically in my 2nd class would be 201. Easily deciphered by me, and the kids won't see names immediately.

Moving on...

The next two pictures are views from when when you click on a specific class name under the Classes Tab. 

A view of the quizzes given for that particular class. And when you click on a specific quiz, it takes you to the picture below.

This is where you can see scanned in grades ( on the right). You can see stats. You can also edit/create your answer key, scan the papers, see bigger view of what is on the right side if this page already, or the glorious item analysis portion. Absolute GOLD, my friends! I'll get to that in a few moments.

This is the view when you click on  Classes, Students Tab. When you click on an individual student, it brings up this view...

Holy Moly Right?!?! All the tests taken by that particular student and their grade. OMG What great documentation that is easily accessible. Where have you been all my life?!

You can even go further into what question he/she got correct or incorrect! WOW! What a great tool!

Now here is the best part if you are a DATA DRIVEN teacher... The Item analysis portion. Once quizzes have bee graded (by ZipGrade NOT you) you can see the item analysis of your test. Here is what it looks like.

Draw back here... On the app, when I first had 12 questions and weighted them 8.3 each. It did some weird things and turned it into 8.300000000001 or something similar. Therefore I did my demonstration by an easy 10 question test. 

What easy feedback for planning purposes! When you click on a particular test question Zip Grade even breaks it down by student who got it correct and incorrect! There is your small grouping already done for you! 

My next post about this will be how the first test of the year went using this and some tweaks I want to make. Some things I still want to consider are:

1. Will I have my students scan their own or will I scan it? 
2. How will I have the students follow up after they have received their grade?

So there you go folks! I am telling you, download it and play around. They even give you the scantron to use. No creating the wheel! What are your thoughts on this app?

New Grade Level...New Classroom...New Adventure!

Here are some picture of my new classroom! I am moving to 5th grade Math in a portable! This was after everything was moved, but not set up! I also am still missing my student desks!
 You get to see the before...

 This is a view from my computer/teacher desk to the door. To the right of this picture in the adjoining portable door.

 Right wall of my classroom looking from the door.

 Parallel wall from my door.

The teacher desk/corner view from the door. One of those big cabinets is going to be donated to a team member.

These two are just a tease of my new decorations! That wreath was made by a parent! How sweet and amazing! I just finished this curtain for one of my windows! EEK! Its not even August yet!

Any recommendations on storage? What you see it what I got and trying to limit my spending to essentials!

Fact Quizzes: The Nitty Gritty

Like promised, after major icing my fingers from my extensive blogging last time, my tutorial on my facts quizzes of the 21st century!
First, go to the website here.

This what it looks like and here is where you will set up your account!

This is your dashboard! These are your main menu choices.

If you need multiples classes this is where you will switch back and forth between them.

This is where you will begin! TADA!

This is your Edit Class Page. I changed passwords to match everything else my kids had to use to login. Also be sure not to do last names. Some silly law.. FERPA, is it?

Common Tests tool bar is where you begin making your tests! I click on integers!

These are your first choices. Length - for 3rd graders, I made mine 20 at first and deleted some to have 15 total. The Level is the fact- x2 or x3... But it won't look like that at first, you have to click on the FOCUSED box further down.

As seen here. Be sure to rename your test and check the TO ALL CLASSES box if you have multiple classes. BUT... if you have to go in and edit the test I wouldn't assign it to all. You would SHARE the tests between the classes once your test editing is complete.

Here is a class view of tests once you have created them. To dive deeper... let's say you want to alter the test or go back and fix some criteria. You'll click the test you want to edit and the edit tab at the top of this page and...

You'll see this page. Now, all you see here is the criteria I set for my students. These criterion are key to helping you manage the quiz grades. It does not disappear until they pass according to your standard. If you don't set the "Save grade when score is ____" option, you will manually have to delete the grades if you want the students to keep testing until mastery.

I do a few additions to put in the 11s and 12s facts. You can just do an "insert" option while your still on this edit page.

There it is folks! Once set up, it will manage itself ALL year! Enjoy!

Facts Quiz Frenzy: No longer a time consuming and wasteful past time

Hi Everyone! Talk about a small hiatus from the blogging world! My district really shook things up and changed lots of things for us. I was so excited and thankful.. said no teacher ever! I barely had time for anything except sleep and possible those precious few happy hours!
So I am going to dip my toes and test the water on this post. Short and sweet.


So I was searching for a new way to manage those pesky fact fluency quizzes! I wanted to find a digital way to get them done and boy did I find one! When a colleague turned me on to this, there was no return for this girl!


What is it? thatquiz.org
Why is it amazeballs? Here are a few reasons...
1. Totally customizable. You tailor it to fit your students/class.
2. Set a time limit.. YUP no more 1800s stopwatches for you folks!
3. PAPER FREE.. yes you read that correctly! I don't know about you guys but our campus was threatening people with their lives because of some tree haters on our staff! :)
4. The site grades the quiz and logs said grades after you set criteria. OMG what will you do with your spare time? No more grading?!?! Cue waterworks.
5. Provides feedback to your students with showing them their answers along with correct answers. What do you know, a teacher is now worthless. You can all go home!
6. Student friendly! It does not require much navigation on the part of the quiz takers.


Tomorrow, I will post a tutorial on how I use it and some tips/tricks! My fingers are officially getting sore from the amount of blogging I have been doing. Whew! Workout!!! Until tomorrow everyone!

New SWAG POSTERS!!

I did a post on my swag poster and I made a few variations for ya'll! I might even have to use one myself! Here they are. You can get them here.

Speeding Tickets

I found an idea like this on pinterest. But of course I made my own version. You have lots of kiddos the first semester that rush through their work and make silly mistakes or just plain messy!

I found a fun way to tell them they need to go back over it without the public humiliation. I just simply staple a speeding ticket onto their paper and place it back in their not done folder. Their name will appear on the Ketchup Board and they will know exactly what I want done. :) We will see how this works! I might even work into my point system if they don't get any speeding tickets for the week! YOU CAN GET IT HERE!