What's Happening Around Lyon Academy? September 25th, 2014

Take a look at some of the great things happening in our classrooms that were spotted this week. If you see an anchor chart, student work or something else in the building you would like to share with the staff and have featured in the blog, please send it to Tyler.Archer@slps.org.

Ms. Salmo's anchor chart, "Turn to Your Partner" demonstrates for students expectations for using an engagement strategy during read alouds. 

Ms. Cleland's anchor chart, "Respectful Words" helps students to engage in conversation with each other in a positive, respectful manner. 

Although not a traditional anchor chart, Ms. McCord has used sentence strips to help students with citing their evidence when making a claim or argument. 

Along with the sentence strips (above), this anchor chart helps students to write compelling, complete and effective arguments. 

Ms. Williams-Alberty modeled for her students how to create a Main Idea and Details chart/table from a read aloud. 

Ms. McPherson created an excellent rubric and aligned her student work to the objectives being taught in her classroom. 

Ms. Colacino's hallway display features her students pictures and their reading goals for the year. 

Finally, Mr. Schwerdt's Volleyball anchor chart proves that even in Gym, anchor charts are useful! 

What's Happening Around Lyon Academy? September 11th, 2014

As we prepare for our first district Learning Walk next week, take a look at some great anchor charts in our classrooms. This week I have chosen to focus on anchor charts that outline expectations for student behavior and responses. As always, if you see something in the building or have something in your room that you would like to have featured on the blog, please send it to Tyler.Archer@slps.org.

Ms. Colacino's anchor chart, "Scholarly Conversations Sound Like..." helps students to think in full thoughts and respectfully agree and disagree with one another. 

Ms. McPherson has clearly posted the expectations for how students show their work in her classroom. 

Ms. Tuthill has a series of anchor charts around her room that she created with students to review expectations for parts of the lesson. 

Ms. Tuthill, posing with her award winning "Poetry Characteristics" anchor chart. 

Mrs. DeLeon tracks class mastery of learning objectives using a data wall in Art. 

Pre-K Model Classroom Visit (9/10/14)

See the attached images from Ms. Harper's Pre-K classroom at Carver Elementary. These components should be present in a balanced literacy Pre-K classroom.

What's Happening Around Lyon Academy? September 5th, 2014

It may have been only a four day week, but there is still a lot of great work happening around our school! Take a look at some of the great postings in classrooms throughout the building that were spotted this week! Be sure to give these teachers a "high five" when you see them! If you know someone who has a great item  in their class or you have something you would like to share, please e-mail a picture to me at Tyler.Archer@slps.org! 

Mr. Bartlett's sixth grade students created an anchor chart to help illustrate how the eye perceives light and is able to see. 

Another of Mr. Bartlett's anchor charts is a student-friendly depiction of the states of matter and includes an explanation of the drawings. 

Ms. Colacino created an anchor chart of "Power Reading" strategies to help that students can refer to in order to become stronger readers throughout the year. 

Ms. McCord has created two posters that give students a visual reminder of thinking stems to use when speaking and writing testable questions and arguments. 

Ms. Cleland created an anchor chart for her students identifying characteristics of realism and fantasy, then had them participate by doing an extension activity with Post-It notes. 

Mr. Swanston has posted new student work with a rubric and SLPS Project Description sheet. Students completed projects about careers they wanted to pursue when they grow up. 

Finally, Mrs. DeLeon gave her students a framework for comparing two pieces of art by designing a Venn Diagram with higher level questions.