split grades

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split grades
By Cathy-Dee

Hi Mike

Split grades have pros and cons. 30 kids (Yikes). I've done a 2/3 split myself and this year my colleague has done a 1/2 split.

If splits have to be done then the older grades do tend to fair better. 1/2 splits
are very difficult, but 3/4 splits are not quite as bad. Here in Alberta we don't love them because of the achievement tests for grade 3 but sometimes we just don't have any choice.
Usually split grades work in the system that you only teach one of the curriculums in science and social studies (usually the one that both groups of students have not done). So you would most likely

do 4th grade science and social studies this year and then with those 3rd graders you would do 3rd grade curriculum in their 4th grade year.

This helps to alleviate some of the workload. You just modify the lessons somewhat to meet the younger students. I often did the same lesson, but the assignment was a little less complicated for the younger grade (less questions, less writing, etc.,)

Language arts is fairly easy as well since we usually teach to 15 different levels anyway. Go with themes and units and just change your expectations for each grade level. If you check the other post on phonics I mentioned a phonics series that is really good. You might want to look into this. It would give you something to have students work in while you are teaching one class on a topic.

Math is the hard one - the lessons are often quite different and it is so progressive. Is there anyone else who can teach math for one of the grades (the Principal perhaps???). This is what I've seen done in a number of schools. Someone takes the grade 3's or 4's for math and you teach the other grade.

If this is not possible, then you have to plan your lessons strategically - have your grade 4's working on review work or work they can do (even practice pages or flash card drill) while you teach a lesson to your grade 3's. Then while they are working on their assignment - do your lesson with the grade 4's. Some things you can do together - mad minutes, etc., they can have different questions in front of them.

I would start the year with grade 3's on one side of the room and grade 4's on the other. You might want to have rows side by side (2 rows together) this does allow for more room in the classroom. Later you can try mixing the kids for some of the projects, etc.,

Spend the first two weeks really working on classroom procedures - they will need it. But if you can get some things ironed out the year may not be as stressful.

Something that really helped me when I did that 2/3 split was.... I was taking over part way through the year for the homeroom teacher so I was lucky in that she already had so many things organized. The best thing was a large chart where she had listed all the units, topics, etc., for each area and grade for every month. It was so easy to glance at the chart and see that in science we were going to do plants in May, Language arts was a castles theme, math was division, etc., This helped to keep me focused.

Talk to anyone who has taught those grades in your school and get their ideas for lessons, etc., Get their year plans, unit plans, etc.,

I don't know if I helped much, it is frustrating when you have to do a split grade and you don't really have any choices. I don't think administrators love them either, but they are often tied up because of budget constraints. It's too bad the government doesn't recognize these things!