Five for Friday-June 27, 2014

We have had a great week here in Charleston, SC, and I have had a lot of fun with my family. Here is a glimpse into the week:

1. Returning from seven days on vacation (just my husband and I) for our 20 year anniversary, I had to do some laundry. However, my wonderful daughter had done the laundry at home. (I am so lucky to have such a responsible, trustworthy daughter.) My father in law and niece were at my house the week we were out of town, but my daughter did a lot-cooked, cleaned, bathed and help take care of her brothers. 

2. At home learning fun-we started learning and keeping our brains sharp using letters and numbers. I stole this idea from my neighbor (with her permission-lol) and adapted to my kids, as well as, included practicing writing letters, numbers, and names. I brought home some things for my kids from school, but tried to take a more "parenting route" and not so much teacher.

3. Happy 5th Birthday to my baby! I can't believe he is 5 years old. It was a great day. Cupcakes for breakfast, cupcakes at lunch, cupcakes for snack, cupcakes before bed.

4. Library fun on Thursday. Check out yesterday's Throwback Thursday post to grab your freebie.

5. Baseball game at the hometown Minor League Baseball team, Charleston Riverdogs. We had an awesome suite (my husband got tickets from a local newspaper), but mainly sat in the seats outside. We had an awesome time! We are already planning our next visit in a couple of weeks.

Have a great weekend!

Throwback Thursday

Summer reading at its best! Today my crew and I went to the library. The above picture shows what we will be reading for the next week. We are also learning about letters and numbers, as well as, a craft each day. My boys are excited about dinosaurs; therefore, we got several non-fiction books about dinosaurs. My daughter got several fiction books, and I got a book about fun things to do in our new hometown. Since we are doing all this reading, and I am sure you are catching up on some personal (fun) reading and reading professionally too, my Throwback Thursday is a reading post. 

It is Manic Monday over at Classroom Freebies. If you haven't been there, then you better get over there and start discovering all the freebies.

No matter what you call your reading/language arts time, I bet your students read. I bet you teach your students about reading comprehension strategies to use BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER reader. I bet you instill in your students a love for listening to read alouds, reading independently, and wanting to learn more through reading. I have created some bookmarks to aide in encompassing the love and excitement, as well as, sneaking in using reading comprehension strategies.

I am super excited about these bookmarks. Click here for a sneak peek and a freebie at the first one in the series! If you like what you see, please consider following my blog.

Ideas on how to use:

You could print on colored paper to add Pizzazz and cut!

You could print front and back. Have the students fold and use for 6 weeks!

You could print and laminate. Allow students to use vis a vis and reuse!

The possibilities are endless.

Any other suggestions on how to use?

Enjoy!

Fiction and Non-Fiction Sources

Informational text and sources are important components in balanced literacy. Education Week has several articles that you can read related to Literacy and the Common Core. You might also want to read about the International Reading Association and read about The Guidelines for Literacy Implementation for ELA Common Core State Standards.
Students in grade K-1 need the foundational reading skills, therefore text complexity begins with second grade. In grades 2-12, teachers should faciliate high-level, text-based discussions that empower showing evidence from the text. I simply state to my students, "Prove It, Show me where in the text the author states or the author leads you to believe."  Scaffolding and teaching research-proven reading comprehension strategies will empower students' motivation, confidence, and academics. Therefore, leading students to become college and career ready. Teachers need to provide opportunites and guide students to gain a deep understanding of text through questioning, drawing conclusions, inferring, citing evidence, analyzing, proving, and application. Integration ,among core subjects with reading and writing ,provide authentic learning and allow students to develop logical arguments, compare and contrast, explain phenomena using vocabulary, as well as, summarize, interpret, predict,connect, recall, and identify. Through teacher faciliation and practice, students become independent thinkers and are being prepared for real-life experiences. Teachers should focus on the process of reading and understanding reading comprehension, not just the final product. (Same in math-It is not always about getting the correct answer, but how did you find the answer or what process did you use.)
Here are some sources that I have used this year and in the past to aide in balanced literacy and comprehension:

1. www.readworks.org
2. Scholastic News or Scholastic Scope
3. Time for Kids
4. Comprehension Toolkit K-2
5. Comprehension Toolkit 3-6
6. http://docsteach.org/
7. newspapers or news magazines
8. biographies
9. science and/or social studies text
10. PebbleGo
11. books

There are so many resources to facilitate balanced literacy. As teachers we need to provide ample time and opportunities for our students to read, read, read, and write, write, write.  Instill a love for reading with fun-filled activities such as games, graphic organizers, technology,....the possibilities are endless.

Here are a couple of new ones I recently discovered at the Georgia Association for Gifted Children 33rd Anuual Convention-Discovering Our Way: S.T.E.M.

• Writing Prompts is a website that uses pictures, scenerios, words, and more to excite students about writing. One thing that I like about each entry is that a Common Core Standard has been included.
• Wonderopolis is a FUN-wonder of the day. Great for critical thinking activities, class discussions, writing, and much more.

Happy Reading!

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Review)

Non-Fiction-Final SQ3R post

 

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review

 

Review-SUMMARIZE

Here

Before teaching the SQ3R process, I did some research (as I do before I fathom tricky or unknown territory). During my research, I stumbled upon the book, Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling: Skills for Better Reading, Writing, and Test Taking  written by Emily Kissner, and the book is a Heinmann publication. In this book, the author distinguishes the differences in paraphrasing, retelling, and summarizing. Chapter two also extinguishes myths about each and gives the reader a better understanding of paraphrasing, retelling, and summarizing. Here are some things she states about summarizing:

1. A summary should be shorter than the original text.

2.A summary should include the main ideas of the text. 

3. A summary should reflect the structure and order of the orignal text.

4. A summary should include important details. 

In this series of lessons, the students had a lot of practice summarizing using fiction and non-fiction. I started with fiction first using a variety of strategies and graphic organizers.  Then, students summarized non-fiction using different graphic organizers.

Before teaching my students how to summarize, I had them practice retelling fiction and non-fiction texts. During the lessons detailing summarizing, I wanted the students to understand how to summarize fiction and non-fiction. I had determined that I wanted  them to be able to :

•  locate important events from the story of fiction texts, passages, and articles. I introduced my students to the Somebody, Wanted, But, So graphic organizer.  Be sure to visit The students used this organizer during and after reading to help them remember what they read, summarize, and gather supporting details. Class discussions, lessons, and modeling consisted of each part of the organizer. Students also had to "prove" using evidence from the story to support their findings during their reading. After much discussion, we began creating thoughts and phrases that helped us with our evidence from the text(s). Therefore, I created a large anchor chart similar to this one at Create.Teach.Share. Then, I downloaded this for each student's notebook.  Reading skills used during these applications include identifying conflict/resolution, identifying differences, goals, and motivations, identifying main idea, and details, recognizing cause and effect relationships, making generalizations, understanding how shifting the point of view changes the aspect of the story. To grab the booklet organizer ready for students to use with reminders of each task, click here or visit my TpT store.
•  teach students how to identify text structures (compare and contrast, problem/solution, chronological order, cause and effect, etc.) to improve reading comprehension in non-fiction. (I used the SWBS organizer for non-fiction also, but I also have other organizers to aide in the text structures process-to be uploaded soon.) Other organizers used for non-fiction include the 3-2-1 and this booklet.

 How do you summarize in your classroom?

Non-Fiction and Animoto

Take a look at my 2nd grade Focus students research projects after our unit on Italy.

Click the link below to watch:

Non-Fiction Pastabilities


This was created using Animoto. If you have not heard about this website, you are missing out. It is easy to use and create videos such as this. Check it out at www.animoto.com

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Recite)

Non-Fiction Part 5

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review

Recite-Answer your questions aloud or teach another person what you learned.

Several lessons were modeled, scaffolded, and practiced during this part of the process. We used non-fiction and fiction to help us understand recite. Recite is a synonym for retell. Therefore, I began the first lesson by asking the students to retell their elbow partner what they did yesterday after school I listened to the students. After each partner had a turn, I called the class together and told them what I had heard. We created part of the Venn-Diagram you see below, as well as, a list of transition words used by people when retelling. We discussed that they have been retelling stories since before Kindergarten. I also told them when teachers ask them to tell or write about a story with a beginning, middle, and end that this is retelling. I also told them that retelling, however, is mostly done outside of school (classrooms) using words (by talking). I related this to books that also have retold by and an author's name. We discussed how stories from long ago were "handed" down or told by elders. (Somewhat an introduction to legends and folktales that are to come in the curriculum.)

Here is a little outline of how the lessons in this segment were completed:

• Day 1-Introduce (What is recite?)-Retell a friend about what you did yesterday after school. Make a list of what heard during converstion and make a list of transition words heard. Discuss what transitions words are and purpose. Students create flap on booklet. Students read a fiction book of choice.
• Day 2- Reread/review anchor chart and what is means to recite. Teacher read a book aloud to students. Stopping for students to retell to elbow partner throughout the book. Students finish reading and/or reread fiction book. Retell to puppet. Add to anchor chart.
• Day 3-Review anchor chart and transition words. Students read a different fiction book. Students retell a partner. Add to anchor chart.
• Day 4-Use document camera and students have a copy of text (non-fiction). Read in segments, stopping to retell elbow partner.Add to anchor chart/reread.
• Day 5-Students will use leveled readers (non-fiction) to read and retell to partner.

Be sure to check out these SQ3R posts

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Read)

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Question)

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Survey)

See you next time for Review !

Be sure to check out my TpT store for activity sheets that might be useful (to come) as a post first.

Non-Fiction SQ3R (Read)

Non-Fiction Part 4

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review

Check out Non-Fiction SQ3R (Survey)

and

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Question)

Read-Read from beginning to end. Stop to answer questions.

During this part of the process, students will read the text from beginning to end. Students will answer the questions ask during the question phase of the process.Students answer the questions on the back of the post it notes in my classroom. I have also used index cards. (Students write questions one side and answer on the other side, or students write question on top half of the card and answer on the bottom half of the card. this all depends on the size of the students' handwriting.) I have also used notebook paper for older students. During the teach, model, scaffold phase, my students write the answers to their questions on the back of the booklet we are making.

Stay tuned for SQ3R--Recite

Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Question)

Non-Fiction Part 3

SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review

Check out Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Survey) for the first part of the SQ3R series.

QUESTION-Write questions for key points. Ask who, what, when, where, why or how.

     For this lesson, the students began by adding to the six fold booklet, the what is questioning during the SQ3R process. (We have discussed THICK and thin questions in previous lessons. Therefore, the students understood this process completely.) However, we used the same article and each student wrote his/her questions on the post-it notes. (The students love doing this. There are several questions on each post-it, as well as, students' index cards. Index cards are purposeful and helpful during the reading process.) Again, the students practiced independently using his/her leveled reader or article. His/her questions were written on the back of the booklet. 



Non-Fiction and SQ3R (Survey)

Non-Fiction Part 2

     Last time, I discussed how the second graders worked on becoming familiar with non-fiction. If you missed out, check out Non-Fiction-What is it? Post. As our lessons continued from teacher modeling/scaffolding, the students began practicing using text mapping and using non-fiction text features to predict and answer reading comprehension questions. I used a variety of non-fiction books, as well as, articles from Read Works for students' practice. (If you have not checked out Read Works, you need to do so because it is an incredible resource.) After several articles, I introduced SQ3R.

 SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.

Each lesson was a component took 1-2 days of teaching and modeling, scaffolding, and practicing independently. 

SURVEY-BEFORE reading look and discover the non-fiction text features. Students will make predictions about the text. Asking self-What am I going to read? What do I think this article, story, book, excerpt, .... will be about?

 We began by making a 6 fold booklet. At the  beginning of each  lesson, the students defined the SQ3R component on the inside flap.  Then, we used an article (from Read Works) as our modeled part of the lesson. During this lesson, students used the non-fiction text features (headings,subheadings, bold print, photographs, captions, glossary, and charts). The students made predictions on post-it notes. This is what you see in the pictures. Students were given a chose of non-fiction books and/or articles to practice independently. They wrote their predictions from SURVEYING on the back of their folding booklet.

How do you conquer non-fiction?

Stay tuned for post 3---Question---using SQ3R

 

 

     

    



Non-Fiction-What is it?

My second grade Focus classes have been focusing on a unit, Pastabilities (learning about Italy). Throughout the unit, we have been able to use fiction and non-fiction. I decided to go "all out" with non-fiction (definitely Common Core).

First, we learned about what is non-fiction and the features of non-fiction. Here are the charts we made:

 We also learned the purpose of each feature. Students used a variety of non-fiction sources. They identified the features. We made these charts:

We spent several days text mapping too. The students really enjoyed this. Not only did the students identify text features, they used the text mapping to answer comprehension questions about food in Italy.

Stay tuned for Non-Fiction post 2
Be sure to check out my Non-Fiction Text Features Choice Board in my TpT store.

What is Visualizing?

What is Visualizing? Why is visualizing important?

• Visualizing is creating mental images in our head before, during, and after reading. I explain it to my students as seeing a movie in your head as a part of reading.
• Students may use their five senses (sensory images) to enhance reading. Therefore, reading "comes to life".
• Reading becomes personal and memorable through visualizing.

During a recent lesson with some of fifth grade students, we reviewed visualizations and imagery. I read an excerpt from "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud". As I was reading the poem, the students were drawing their visualizations. Here is the excerpt:

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. 

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Excerpt from “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth

Here are some pictures of my students drawings:

 

Here is a lesson I taught last year in regards to visualizations using the book, Two Bad Ants  by Chris Van Allsburg.

Visualizing Freebie





Visualization Changes

Why is Making Connections Important?

I have not blogged in so long.....

Today I had to leave school because one of my sons got sick (Yuck!). So I was instructed by three AP's at one time to pack it up and go home. That is exactly what I did. I carried out one huge bookbag filled with teacher stuff to do, a laptop bag filled with a computer and papers to grade, as well as, my Thirty One lunch bag, and my purse. Needless, to say I did that first before trying to get my little one. Then, he was able to walk out, but not without getting sick (I believe this time he may have a stomach virus. Usually every year around this time, he seems to want to play hookie and get sick. However, this time may be different. He did not want to eat (not even fries-his all time favorite). At first, he wanted to watch television, but that lasted about 30 minutes. Then, he was out--asleep. So I decided to blog (because I could not tell you what was even on television. No, I do not even have anything on the DVR because really I do not watch t.v.) Anyhow, I was able to sneak in this blog writing for today while he has slept. Poor  baby!

 

Why is Making Connections Important?

Making Connections are important because:

1. It allows reader's to use background knowledge (schema) to connect to self, text, world, and/or media.
2. It shows that student's are thinking as they are reading.Therefore, student's are engaged during their reading.
3. It allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the text when meaningful connections are made.

   

     Teachers should teach students how to make meaningful and authentic connections through think-alouds across a variety of lessons using each type of connection.

  This bookmark and graphic organizer, as well as, other bookmarks and graphic organizers can be found at  my TpT store.