The Truth About Teaching Upper Elementary (That Nobody Warns You About)

As a new teacher, I knew I wanted to teach the littles. My first teaching gig had me in a classroom with 7 first and second graders and I had 4th grade join in for social studies and Bible (I have always taught in private Christian schools). By 2nd semester, 2 more students came and I added third grade to my classroom. From then on, my first 12 years of teaching were mostly in the lower grades of elementary with often combinations ranging somewhere between K-2. Once in a while I would go up to fourth. 

I didn't find my upper elementary sweet spot until I started a new job and ended up with just 3rd and 4th. It was then that I realized that first grade was always my hardest challenge. They are expected to be able to read and write for much of the curriculum, but more times than not, they simply cannot do it. So that is when upper elementary became my jam. I have taught combos of 3/4, 3-5, and 4-6. All of it has been a blessing and a lot of fun. But there are also some downsides to every grade. 

1. The Pile of Grading that you get in Upper Elementary is more Challenging

I would say this is the number one biggest challenges when teaching in the upper elementary classroom. It is a lot. I have tried different systems to try to alleviate the grading load and STILL it is a lot. I have a particularly hard time with the math and writing. Those two really slow me down. 

One thing I have done is while in small groups, I try to have students work on as many problems as possible. While they work, I also grade the problems as they go. That takes away many of the problems and cuts the work down later. It has been super helpful. 

2. The Endless Copies

If I'm being honest, I probably make the most copies of anyone at my school. There may only be three to four teachers, but still, I earn that title. I look for ways to enhance my curriculum and that often means making extra copies instead of just being textbook driven. I look for ways to make things more engaging and sometimes that comes with extra copies...there's no way around it. 

3. 4th Graders are Hilarious

They are coming into their own and their personalities are coming out. They are stretching their wings as class clown, comedian, and jokester. They say and do things that are funny...and sometimes a bit over the edge. They are unpredictable. They are seeking for approval from their peers and sometimes that means attention-seeking behaviors in the classroom. 

4. Upper Elementary is Exhausting, but Amazing

Even with the downsides of more intensity and more grading, it is STILL pretty amazing. I enjoy the depth of questions I get. They are curious creatures asking questions that I sometimes have to admit not knowing the answers to. They are curious about your life as a teacher and tell you about theirs. They grow so much and you get a front row seat. You can push them higher academically and there is so much you can do with their curriculum. They are pretty amazing.

5. The Weird Things Kids Say

Kids say weird things...especially at this age when their vocabulary is growing and they do not know how to always use words properly. One year when we got to our economic unit, we were gearing up for our annual marketplace where kids create businesses and open a market for the rest of the school. Kids can either run their own business as a sole proprietorship, or they can run their business with a friend, creating a partnership. 

On this particular day, students were coming up to my table one at a time telling me what they were selling or what service they would be providing. That's when it happened...One of my students came up and when I asked what he would be selling at his business, he loudly proclaimed, "Panties!" Trying to keep my face from changing I said, "Panties?" To which he reiterated, "Yes, panties!" A little quieter and with a question on my face and in my voice I questioned again, "Panties?" By this time, he could sense that something was a bit off. I continued by asking if he knew what panties were. I proceeded to tell him that panties were girls' underwear. 

Immediately he blushed, ran off to his partner and stumbled back a few seconds later saying, "Not panties...patties." He was going to sell Jamaican patties. I chuckled and all was well. But I have never forgotten that fun moment. Each year when marketplace rolls around, I always remember the panties...LOL...and a smile comes to my face. 

Not only are their funny moments like this, but the kids at this age are into all the trendy words that are thrown around in their generation. Things like "That's cap!" and the infamous, "Six-Seven!" They love connecting with other kids by using the latest trend-inspired words. 

If you have never had the chance or taken the opportunity to teach in the middle...to the upper elementary kids, you should definitely give it a go. It really is a lot of fun.  

Countdown the School Year

Have you ever done an end-of-the-year countdown? I love doing this with my class. I have tried many different ideas and all of them bring a level of fun as we celebrate the year and wrap it up together. 

1. A Simple Countdown Chain

I went really simple again this year. With my own child finishing up her senior year, it is too much to go all out in this season. So, I sat down and created a chain with the number of days left. We began at 10 and, as of today, there are four links left. Kids love just getting to remove one piece each day and seeing the chain shrink. 

2. A Bulletin Board Countdown 

Some years, I have gone all out with creating a countdown that features a beach scene on my bulletin board. Each day we remove one piece and under each piece is an activity for us to do together as a class. This one took a bit more work, but it was a lot of fun!

3. Balloon Countdown

Another fun idea is to blow up several balloons to count down the end of the year. I stuff a slip of paper inside of each balloon with a surprise or activity for that day. Students enjoy taking turns and popping one balloon each day to see what is inside as we countdown to summer vacation. 

4. Scratch-off Countdown

One year I created these fun scratch-off countdown cards. I saw something similar for a welcome card for the year announcing things that the class would be doing or learning for the year. That's when the idea struck me that you could also do that same idea, but to countdown to the end of the year for the last five days. Under each scratch-off is a little activity or prize for the students. They absolutely loved these and guarded them with their lives as we counted down together. 

If you are interested in the scratch-offs, you can find those right here. 

Five different styles include:

• Splashing into Summer (Waterpark-Themed)
• Countdown to Summer (Beach-Themed)
• Bringing in the Summer (Luau-Themed)
• Cheering for Summer (Football-Themed)
• Blast off to Summer (Space-Themed)

These are editable so you can add your own activity or prize beneath each scratch-off. Also, they come in full color as well as blackline to save ink. 

You can find the scratch-off dots over here at amazon.  These are just stickers that you place directly over the text. So fun for kids to scratch these off and reveal the prize. 

Whatever you choose to do, or not do this year, I hope you have a wonderful end to your school year!

State Floats

This year was the year we covered the 5 regions of the US in social studies. I love studying the five regions. There is just so much you can do with it. As we "toured" the US, one region at a time, I knew I wanted my kids to do a project to end the year in a big way. That's when I ran across the idea of having each student create a state float to show off their learning about one state in the union. 

I gave the students instructions (way ahead of time). This float had a lot of requirements. of course a few started right away, but there were several who did not start until the week before it was due. 

I contemplate the grading of projects like this because you always have several types of learners. You have the ones who obviously had parent involvement more than student involvement (as my former principal told one such student duo, "Mom, you get an 'A' and (looking at the child) you get an 'F.'") Then there is the child whose parent realizes that it is the student's project and helps in the hard or dangerous spots such as running the hot glue gun. And of course there are the students who very obviously had no parent help or direction. They were left to figure it out completely on their own and it shows. There were students who got right to work the very day you handed the project out and students who spent the final hours before it was due trying to play catch-up but it was too little too late. And of course, there is the child who did not bring in any float at all, despite the fact that you sent parents notes, texts, personal messages, etc. These are the things I struggle to muddle through when considering what each child deserves. Thankfully rubrics help to even the playing field by putting the focus on actual requirements. It takes the guess work out of grading projects like these. 

I am going to share a few of the projects here. Enjoy our "Parade of States."

Mother's Day and Father's Day in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Take Mother's and Father's Day to the next level with meaningful activities this year. Create this booklet with your students that will most likely make moms cry and Dad's may even shed a tear as well. 

Students will create a poem, write a narrative, create an opinion piece, write a descriptive paragraph, fill out an information sheet, and make a portrait. This will be a special keepsake that parents will treasure forever! 

You can save even more by bundling the Mother's and Father's Day projects together. 

Click the link. 

Click here

5 Classroom Engagement Tips for the End of the School Year

The end of the school year is already crazy, busy. Here are some ways you can save the sanity of your students and yourself to finish off strong. Check out these tips for a successful slide into the end of the year. 

1. Less Structured Days

Curriculum is finishing up. Students are getting excited for summer. Instead of whole group activities all day, incorporate some of the following: 

• Centers
• Partner Work
• Choice Boards

You can keep your sanity by conserving energy and not be the one leading all day long. 

2. Turn Learning Activities into Games

This will help to keep your students engaged when engagement seems to be a unattainable.

• Blooket (a favorite of my class) or Kahoot
• Whiteboard races: (two groups line up and a question is given. The front person in each line races to be the first to write the answer. Or Use individual whiteboards and see you can be first to raise the right answer up.)
• Trashketball: Students have to answer questions correctly to try to shoot a basket for their teams. You can use a ball of paper and a trashcan to keep it super simple.
• Scoot: Place task cards on each desk. Students move from desk to desk with a recording sheet and answer questions. 

The best part is that you can use any content area for these games, but these just make it feel like play. 

3. Review Without Worksheets

Keep students reviewing important skills for upcoming tests. Instead of using the regular worksheets, try some of these:

• Task Cards
• Scavenger Hunts
• Escape Rooms
• Around-the-Room Review

By adding movement, you are subtracting behavior problems. 

4. Project-Based "Fun" Learning

Let students create instead of sit. The sky is really the limit, but here's some ideas to get you started: 

• "Create a Business" Project
• Biography Posters
• Stem Challenges
• End of Year Memory Books

These will help keep learning meaningful but low stress.

5. Teach Life Skills (They WILL LOVE this)

These are no prep, but high in value.

• How to Debate
• Teamwork Challenges
• Goal Setting for Next Year
• Kindness/Leadership Activities

There you have it! Keep your sanity and still keep the learning going until the last day. If you are looking for some resources to make some of these type of activities a reality, click the pictures below. 

10 STEM challenges for the great outdoors. 

Superhero STEM & Writing Activity

Soccer STEM & Book Unit

Llama Themed Memory Book

Problem Based Learning with Design Thinking

Our private school system provides PD for teachers based on areas of interest. This year, I have been taking a course on design thinking and problem based learning. I took the project based learning intensive at Buck Institute, in Napa Valley, a few years ago with a couple of my coworkers, but I had not heard much about problem based learning, so this study group has been my intro into that world. Both are pretty similar, but problem based learning starts with a problem and students need to find a solution and create a product or solution around that problem. They follow the design thinking model.

Design Thinking

Design thinking is student centered. It is a process that works students through the following steps:

• Identify a Problem
• Understand People's Needs
• Brainstorm Ideas
• Create Solutions
• Test & Improve Them

Let's take a look at how this breaks down.

1. Understand the Problem

In this stage, students:

• Ask Questions
• Observe Others
• Try to Understand Feelings & Need

For example, "How do students feel during indoor recess?"

2. State the Problem

In this part, students:

• Narrow Down a Problem
• Turn it into a Goal

For example: "We need better indoor recess activities that will keep everyone engaged."

3. Brainstorm Solutions (Ideate)

Here students will:

• Generate lots of Ideas (without judgement)
• Think Creatively

Example ideas: 

• Create a System for Games
• Design Quiet Challenge Cards
• Build Mini STEM Kits

4. Create a Model (Prototype)

Students will:

• Build/Design Their Idea
• This can be a Simple Rendering with Craft Materials

5. Test & Improve

Students:

• Try Their Solution
• Get Feedback from Others
• Improve It

For example classmates can suggest improvements after trying games.

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Why Teachers Use Design Thinking

• Builds problem-solving skills
• Encourages student voice & choice
• Promotes collaboration
• Connects learning to real-world situations
• Works across subjects (math, reading, science, social studies)

How I Grew in My Understanding of Design Thinking

After being involved in the PD this year, I had the opportunity to be a judge for an Innovation X program where students were judged on their innovation projects which happened to be based on project based learning & design thinking. If you can go to see the ideas presented, I think it is the best way to learn and understand. It helped me a lot. 

Next Steps in Problem Based Learning & Design thinking. 

After returning from my experience at Innovation X, I wanted to give it a try in my own classroom. I ran across an article that sparked it all for me. It was a third-fifth grade level reading debate about if pets should be allowed on planes. Here's a look at how the unit shaped up:

1. We started with the question, "Should pets be allowed to go anywhere people can go?"

Students shared their thoughts with a partner and then I had all the students who said yes go to one side of the classroom, while those who said no went to the other. I chose a few students from each side to share their thoughts on why they chose the way they did. 

2. From there, I passed out the article and gave each student a partner. Students read the debate and then together traveled around the classroom to answer four questions that were posted on the different walls of the class. Each student  was required to answer the questions.

My posted questions were:

 

1. Why might a pet feel stressed on a plane? 
2. How would you feel if you sat next to a pet on a plane? Why?

3. What is one benefit and one problem with having pets on a plane?

4. What is a rule that would help pets travel safely on planes?

3. Next students used my Dice Convos to dig a little deeper into the article. Basically, students rolled two dice and they moved across the grid to the numbers matching their dice. They read and answer the question before rolling again. We used this to explore opinion writing and its features. Students spent five minutes on this discussion activity. 

4. Afterwards, students received a project paper with the mission listed on it:

Mission:

Airplanes don't always work well for pets OR people. Your job is to invent a solution that helps BOTH pets and passengers feel safe, comfortable, and happy on flights. 

Here's a look at the form I gave my students for planning. Students went right to work with their partners brainstorming ideas, etc. 

Challenges of Problem Based Learning

One of the challenges with problem or project based learning is that your higher level students sometimes feel lost. They often understand how to "play" the game of school. They know how to work the system: study = good grades. But with this type of learning that calls for creativity and innovation, those students can often feel fearful of failure because they have never had the pleasure of failing at anything and the idea terrifies them. So you must train your students on growth mindset and that failure is one part of learning.

Another challenge is time management. Some teams can continue on for what could seem like forever. You have to set a hard and fast time schedule. For this, we had three days of class time with an additional 2 days for tweaking anything else we needed to do. For the additional 2 days, this was not a scheduled time, but students got to use reading/math rotation time on those days if they needed it (but only after they finished their teacher time & independent work for the day). 

Wins for Problem Based Learning

 The biggest wins I usually see with this type of learning is that students who typically struggle in traditional classrooms often rise to the top when it comes to creativity and innovations. Those babies absolutely shine and it is magic to watch. Be sure to praise them for their ingenuity and uphold them as leaders. They rightfully need their moment to shine. 

Another win is that you will move in your role of a teacher to that of a coach. You may even feel, at some point, that you are not busy enough...and that's great! This is where student learning and independence really push students forward in their understanding and ability. You will be surprised at what they come up with. AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

5. Project Presentation

We are waiting to share a projects, but this is an important  next step. Next week, students will present and tell about their projects to the class. The will have some time to debrief and talk again with their teammates afterwards. 

Here's a look at our crafted solutions to the problem. I am looking forward to the presentations next week. I cannot wait to hear the explanations on these inventions and how they will solve the problem.

 

I encourage you to give innovations a try.