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Making the Most of Plexiglass Shields

 They may be part of your classroom furniture now, dividers and plexiglass shields.  We can either complain or make the best of it and I for one am in the ladder camp.  

Tip: Look at that divider as another teaching surface!  Here are some ways that I have incorporated those intrusive pieces of furniture into my instruction.  

1. Use post-it notes!

Is there a limit to what we can do with post-its? I think not!  There are many ways to use post-its on the dividers.  One way is writing on the opposite side so the sticky part is facing the students and putting up words, letters, sounds, facts, etc.  What is a better place to put something you want the students to reference, than right in front of them?  

One way I've used this strategy is by writing the high frequency words we will practice in text on post-its and place them on the glass.  We talk about the words and practice reading them in isolation first.  The words stay displayed while we are reading as a support.

Another way I've included post-its and the plexiglass is having students brainstorm words that have a particular phoneme or phonics pattern.  When we introduce a new sound we make lists with words that incorporate that pattern or sound.  With the plexiglass we can load up the surface and discuss what we see.

A final way that I've used the post-its and plexiglass this year is with word and sound sorts.  For example with the sounds of -ed, students read the words and organize them under the correct sound.  Students move the post-its right on the plexiglass or we do it together.

(a view from the student's side of the plexiglass)

2. Dry erase

This one is a lot of fun for kids, but can be tricky.  I am actually pretty good at writing letters upside down for students when we are working in a small group....if you are writing on the other side of the plexiglass for students, then you'll need to be able to do this well (with relative speed).

I've used this for learning how to properly write letters by making the house (think letter formation house paper) on my side of the glass while the student writes on their side of the glass in the house.

I have also been able to write simple CVC words on the plexiglass (backwards on my side) and directly instructed with students how to more easily decode.

Students can use the dry erase on their side of the glass to draw connections or even diagraming syllables!  This can be limitless!

(a view from my side of the plexiglass)

What ideas do you have? Drop your's in the comments!

Thank You!

Kristin

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