Yep, it's a bit alarming. Lots of work to do and decisions to be made!
Here is the question: Should I still have a reading rug for my class to sit on for read-alouds and mini-lessons? In second grade, I used my rug/easel/reading chair ALL the time, especially for Daily 5. I'm not sure if I need it for fifth grade. Will they still like the carpet or would they prefer to hear the read-alouds from their tables? What have you seen other fifth grade teachers do? I would love any thoughts on this!!
If I don't make a read-aloud rug area, I will probably use the rug to make a little reading corner.
One more thing, I love reading teaching blogs of ALL grades. (Some of the first grade ones are my favs!) I believe we can all inspire each other. However, if you are a blogger who teaches 4th or 5th grade or you know of any upper grade blogs, then please let me know! I would LOVE to follow you! Thank you blog world.
I would keep it! I teach 4th grade and still use the rug for teaching (mainly for reading stories). I know they (should be) younger than 5th graders but they act fairly similar and might still enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI taught 5th last year, but am moving to 4th this year. My kiddos still very much enjoy being read to aloud. I'd say if you have the space, keep the rug! I've actually seen some of my 5th graders get more into read-alouds than the 1st graders I used to teach. :) After all, many are still very much like 1st graders. Ha!
ReplyDeleteSmarter Than a Fourth Grader
I'd at least try the read-aloud rug for a while and see how it works with your group of students. I teach 4th grade and love to read other teacher's blogs to get ideas. I found this list of other 4th grade bloggers...
ReplyDeletehttp://sqworl.com/hbiu8d
By no means did I create it, but have found it to be very useful. I bet there's a 5th grade version out there somewhere! Hope that helps!
I've taught grade 5/6 and 6/7 for 10 years. (I've got 5/6 again next year). I do have a rug in my reading area, and I do have the kids come to the carpet for some read louds (mainly shorter mentor texts), but for longer reads (chapters from novels), I usually have them at their tables or desks. You can always ask your students what they prefer and let them feel like they had a say in it.
ReplyDeleteJen
Runde's Room
I think you need a meeting area {rug area} in all elementary grades, but then again...I'm a 1st grade teacher and couldn't live without it! :)
ReplyDeleteOh and P.S. Natalie posts LOTS of 3-5th grade ideas on our blog!!! :)
ReplyDelete-Rachelle
whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com
I teach 5th and my kids LOVE the little reading area {and I teach MATH...ha!} I linked a post of my classroom...what it looks like. Enjoy
ReplyDeletehttp://katielately1.blogspot.com/2010/08/teacher-week-classroom-tour.html
Katie
I don't know if this is a good idea or if it would work, but could you have a table AND the rug in the same area (but not the table ON that rug), and let the kids choice where they want to sit each time? Those who want the table can sit there but those who like the ground can sit there. It may be better to have them all either at tables or on the rug though? I don't know, I'm not a teacher :)
ReplyDeleteWow thank you all so much for your advice! I'm definitely going to try a reading rug area! @Southerngraduate, thank you so much for the link! I appreciate it. @Katie, thank you for the link as well, I love seeing teacher's rooms! You are all awesome!
ReplyDeletei taught k-5 science last year and my 5th graders loved coming to the floor for the read-aloud before our experiment.
ReplyDeleteand check out snyder stories, she's moving to the upper grades this year :)
Thank you, Miss Dennis!
ReplyDeletehey Casey! I am moving from 3rd to 5th and have many of the same questions!! I just posted pics of some of the things I am doing in my room too! I don't have a huge rug (cause I cant find one I like) but I plan on having them sit in the floor sometimes. So gald I found you. Always looking for upper grade blogs. GOOD LUCK WITH THE MOVE. Stop by and see me on my blog too!
ReplyDeleteI taught 2nd grade last year and I just got a new job teaching 5th! I'm so nervous. I started blogging recently, too. I can't wait to share 5th grade ideas!
ReplyDeletemessyjofu.blogspot.com
I teach 5th grade and don't have a reading rug, I'm somewhat surprised to hear how much the other teachers use one! :-) Maybe I'll have to try it this year. The only thing I keep thinking of is how many rugs am I going to need for 25 fifth graders, ha!!??
ReplyDeleteJust weighing in as someone who teaches K-6 in the library... I have a rug where we occasionally read stories or group up, and I've found that I can MAYBE fit a whole class of 3rd graders on it. But only at the beginning of the year. Even my 2nd grade classes are pushing it by the end of the year! They grow so fast. 3rd-6th I usually just have sit at the tables, and that's mostly what I've seen in the teachers' classrooms as well.
ReplyDelete@courtney rebecca and @Kim, yes the size of my kids is a big factor to consider! My rug barely held all my second graders, so I guess when I use it I will have to have some students on the edge :) We will see how it wors!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteKeep the rug.If you had one and you were using it before, you will use it with 5th. I teach 4th and 5th and here is my blog: www.christine-readingisthinking.blogspot.com
I have taught 2nd & 3rd grade and was just moved to 5th as well. (I also have my master's in Literacy...another thing we have in common!) I am 8 months pregnant and was allowed to set up my classroom before I got larger and started with my HUGE classroom carpet. I, too, used my rug for lots of things but now that I have fifth graders- I don't have room for it anymore! I have larger desks with more bodies (class size goes up to 29 kids) so I opted to take it out. I am going to miss it but I can't see my fifth graders going to the carpet and doing "criss cross applesauce"...they may laugh at me! I do still have a library corner. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI think reading rugs are great for any age. I also teach fifth and I just call it our "meeting area". This makes it feel more grown up, I think. Then they are required to sit "student style" which is the grown up way to say cris cross applesauce! This is my second year teaching fifth grade and I love it! I am new to blogging but it is www.teachinginpink.wordpress.com Looking forward to following your blog and seeing other upper elementary ideas!
ReplyDeleteI know i'm quite late! However, my fifth graders adore our rug meeting area! We also have a couch! It takes top notch behavior to sit there though! I think you should do what ou want to do! The older teaches give me alllllll kinds of stuff for having these areas. However, my kids loved being babied. For alot of them, it was the only place they were babied. They grow up waaaay to fast.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I've found It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to contribute & assist other users like its helped me. Good job.shipping container sizes and prices
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