Reward Coupons for Big Kids - Adapted for Younger Kids

Although I currently work with younger kids, I can't give up all of the fun, free incentives Reward Coupons for Big Kids offer. With a couple of tweaks I've been able to make many of the Reward Coupons for Big Kids work with my current younger group. 
One coupon is in really big demand right now. It is Read to a Kindie. Students select a book and at a mutually agreed upon time with the kindergarten teacher, my students go and read to them. Can a teacher get any happier than watching a young student clamor  to read to someone? Frankly, I smile just a little bit wider when my student is a struggling reader! "Retro fitting" this free reward for younger kids isn't hard. Here are some tips.
1. We have a mini economy going in my room and I open my 'store' every two weeks. I post the Read to a Kindie coupon on the whiteboard, write a price next to it, interested kids sign up and then pay.
2. I can say to a fifth grader, "Go to the library choose a book you think a kindergartener will like and will take you n less than 8 minutes." That doesn't work with the younger crowd. I help out by selecting several books for them to choose from, keeping in mind my students' reading level.
3. I make the kids practice in class. A lot. Younger kids need coaching on voice volume, how to hold the book and fluency. We talk about what to expect when reading with kindies and how to handle it when they aren't perfect angels. An older child can roll with it when a kindie calls out or gets up to get a drink in the middle of a book. A younger kid does best when actively told what to expect.
4. Most Big Kids can take on reading to a whole class right away, but for younger kids audience size matters. At the beginning of the year I make sure my students are reading one on one with a kindie. If they make a mistake, a kindie won't notice and my students feel safe. By the end of the year they can handle small groups.
5. I require my students to share their experience with the class when they return. Without exception, they are enthusiastic and tell some funny stories about what a kindie did or said. This in turn inspires others to choose this Reward Coupon in the future.

Why does this Reward Coupon works so well with a younger crowd?  There is built in success. A kindie is excited for an older student to come read to them. My younger students are instant celebrities in the hallway! They are confident going in. They know the book. They've been prepped on what kindie might do. Rather than be thrown off by a kids behavior or comment they enjoy the process a lot.

Many of the other Reward Coupons for Big Kids are easily adaptable for younger kids too! Give them a try!

Student Guest Reader

Meet Sam. Sam was my Guest Reader last week. He read The Amazing Bone by William Steig to our class. He read it fluently, added in voices for the characters and did not stumble on some pretty sophisticated vocabulary.  My cuties were a fantastic audience and when Sam was done with the story they all clapped.
Several years ago Sam was MY student - and he really struggled with reading. He tried SO hard. I gave that boy extra time, lessons and attention. His parents worked with him every night. Although he wanted to unlock the reading magic so badly, it hadn't clicked for him - yet.
Sometimes kids simply need more time than others. Sam is now, several years later, a Harry Potter enthusiast, one of the top readers in his grade and a solid student. He stops by my room a couple of days a week before heading home to chat. He talks about the books he's reading and what's going on in his life. Isn't witnessing this kind of academic growth and making a real friendship connection with a child what teaching is all about?
Do you have guest readers? I always have. Usually it is a student's parent or grandparent who comes in at the end of the day and shares a book. Sam remembered this - and asked if HE could be a guest reader sometime. We picked out a book, he took it home, practiced on his younger sibling and the next day said he was ready. Why had I not thought of this before?? Inviting a student to guest read was a win-win experience.
It was a win for my class - Many recognized him from seeing him in the hall or when he dropped by before heading home and felt like a friend was reading to them. They got to watch a kid, not much older, be a great reader. It was new and different. It was a win for Sam - he took on a leadership role and walked away with a great sense of satisfaction. Recalling his struggle many years ago, I took a video and some pics and sent them to his mom. The smile on his face when he was finished was priceless. You may want to invite a student guest reader too!

A Simple and Meaningful Constitution Day Celebration

Constitution Day is coming up. I used to get a bit anxious since my lower elementary kids never seemed to "get" it. The concepts and ideals are abstract for a kid. Over the years, however, I've come to accept that although students may have limited reference to what our Founding Fathers wrote, it remains a valuable experience to discuss the main ideas and the KEY is putting it into kid-friendly terms. Below are the main pieces of our Constitution Day event. They are simple, meaningful and easy to implement. Plus, you'll get lots of credit from parents because they love short presentations when their child gets to preform.

We make hats. It's just a basic tri-corner hat made from construction paper. Tracing and cutting a template is easy and students create it themselves. Sometimes they're lopsided and that is part of the charm so it's not an issue. Our art teacher helps transform them into amazing patriotic accessories! We keep them safe in our cubbies until it's art day.

We practice and put on a performance. Some years we have done it in the classroom. Other years we have been part of a whole school assembly. Regardless, kids love performing and the adults love to watch their cutie up on stage.
Our performance has two pieces and while it does take some advance planning, it doesn't disrupt our days. There is no scenery or drama. The hats are the only costume. One involves students learning about and sharing information about the Constitution in kid-friendly terms. We use the Constitution Day Classroom Performance. It lasts just a couple of minutes and it's really easy to put into place. All kids participate and it has built in flexibility. The lines vary in length and complexity allowing

for differentiation based on student need. There are 24 lines total - the exact number in my class this year. That doesn't always work out so perfectly. In the past when I've had fewer students, I assign two lines to a couple of kids. When I have more students I ask a student to write an introduction. Some kids insist on memorizing their line while others hold on to their line for security, while others read directly from it. Whichever they choose is fine.
I copy two sets of the the Constitution Day Classroom Performance - one set is on white paper which I glue in my student's planner. Notice the homework is written. "Practice constitution line."
I make a second set on a bright card stock to use for practice in the classroom. It takes a few days to perfect where I want each student to stand, how to stand patiently and how to project our voices. I like to serve as their coach, kneeling on the floor in front. Pointing from one student to the next in the order the lines should be read helps keep everything running smoothly.

We also sing the Preamble to the Constitution.
Oh how I love good ol' Schoolhouse Rock! Youtube has both the original and a karaoke version. We listen to the original several times. The cartoon graphics help explain the basic concepts in context. Often I'll turn the volume off and we discuss just the graphics! Once when have the tune down, we move to the karakoe version. I serve as the 'bouncing ball' following the lyrics, yet the kids get it down pretty quickly. For practice we sing during most of our transitions.
I use the Preamble to the Constitution: Posters and Activities to Support Learning as well. I glue a small version in student planners, post a larger version to hang on the wall and the Fill in the Box with word bank and Puzzle is good during some down time. I've also found that some years the kids have a tough time memorizing the words. In that case I pull down the larger, wall version and hold it up while kneeling on the floor. It helps with their confidence.
The last step is creating the invitation for the event. After establishing what sort of information should be included (literacy in context!) kids decorate the cover with American symbols. Oh when the kids wear their hats and perform for their parents you'll be smiling - and so will they!
Happy Constitution Day!