A Question for the Teacher

Teaching Literary Devices? Try These Picture Books

2014-06-21T11:39:00.002-06:00

(A list compiled from: Using Picture Storybooks to Teach Literary Devices- Susan Hall)

Alliteration:the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

Switch on the Night – Ray Bradbury

Come on, Rain! – Karen Hesse

Simply Delicious – Margaret mahy

Mouse, Look Out! – Judy Waite

Atmosphere: the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art.

The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian X of Denmark – Henri Sorenson

Edna – Robert Burleigh

One Duck – Hazel Hutchins

So You Want to be President – Judith St. George

Cliché

overused expression that has lost its original vitality

Roberto the Insect Architect – Nina Laden

Tree of Hope – Amy Littlesugar

Flashback

interruption of present action to insert an incident that took place at an earlier time for the purpose of giving the reader info to make the present situation more understandable or to account for a character’s current motivation

The Worry Stone – Marianna Dengler

Flash-forward

a sudden jump forward in time from chronologically narrated events to a later time that shows the aftermath of the present events

The Art Lesson – Tomie de Paola

Goldilocks Returns – Lisa Campbell Ernst

Fore-shadowing

builds suspense and adds plot plausibility by providing clues ahead of time to event that will occur later in the narrative

(Number the Stars – loose front step)

Pierre’s Dream – Jennifer Armstrong

The Full Belly Bowl – Jim Aylesworth

Edna – Robert Burleigh

King Christian

A Spoon for Every Bite – Joe Hayes

Come On, Rain! – Karen Hesse

Passage to Freedom –Ken Mochizuki

The Ant Bully – John Nickle

Hyperbole

emphasis achieved by deliberate exaggeration

The House Gobbaleen – Lloyd Alexander

Kate and the Beanstalk – Mary Pope Osbourne

Yard Sale – Mitra Modaressi

Comes a Wind – Linda Arms White

Imagery

mental pictures summoned through language that appeals to the senses

The Hidden Forest – Jeannie Baker

The Spirit of the Maasai Man – Laura Berkeley

The Memory String – Eve Bunting

Edna – Robert Burleigh

Fly, Eagle, Fly! An African Tale – Christopher Gregorowski

Inference

Without direct comment, an author’s clues enable a reader to form reasonable conclusions about characters or events

Pierre’s Dream – Jennifer Armstrong

The Memory String – Even Bunting

Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type – Doreen Cronin

The Yellow Star: The Legend of King Christian of Denmark – Carmen Agra Deedy

The Lonely Scarecrow – Tim Preston

Irony

the perception or awareness of a discrepancy or incongruity between words and their meaning, or between actions and their results, or between appearance and reality

The Art Lesson – Tomie de Paola

Goldilocks Returns – Lisa Campbell Ernst

Metaphor

an implicit comparison between one thing as described in terms of another

Switch on the Night – Ray Bradbury

Come On, Rain! – Karen Hesse

Faraway Home – Jane Kurtz

Motif

a recurring theme, character, or verbal pattern

Alice Nizzy Nazzy, the Witch of Santa Fe – Tony Johnston

Emma and the Coyote – Margriet Ruurs

The Lost Boy and the Monster – Craig Kee Strete

Deep in the Jungle – Dan Yaccarino

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Onomatopoeia

the use of words to represent or imitate natural sounds

River Friendly, River Wild – Jane Kurtz

Parallel Story

a narrative or picture story enclosed within another story upon which equal or primary interest is centered

The Worry Stone – Marianna Dengler

Sister Yessa’s Story – Karen Greenfield

Parody

a humorous but recognizable imitation of another literary work to amuse or ridicule the other’s style or subject matter

The Three Little Dinosaurs – Jim Harris

Little Red Riding Hat – Susan Lowell

Personification

Tambourine Man – Joy Jones

Poetic Justice

an outcome in which vice is punished and virtue rewarded in a manner appropriate to the situation

The Three Little Pigs

The Tale of the Turnip – Brian Alderson

Mr. Wolf’s Pancakes – Jan Fearnley

A Spoon for Every Bite – Joe Hayes

Bearhide and Crow – Paul Brett Johnson

The Man Who Caught Fish – Walter Lyon Krudop

Nobody Rides the Unicorn – Adrian Mitchell

Point of View

perspective from which the story is seen and told

Voices in the Park – Anthony Browne

Dragon Scales and Willow Leaves – Terryl Givens

Go Home! The True Story of James the Cat – Libby Phillips Meggs

The Ant Bully – John Nickle

The Sign Painter – Allen Say

Serendipity

accidental good fortune that occurs just when it is needed

Why? – Lindsay Camp

I Like Your Buttons – Sarah Marwil Lamstein

Emma and the Coyote – Margriet Ruurs

Simile

comparison between two unlike things for the purpose of pointing out an attribute found in both

The House Gobbaleen – Lloyd Alexander

Goodbye, Geese – Nancy Carlstrom

Alice Nizzy Nazzy, the Witch of Santa Fe – Tony Johnston

Cindy Ellen – Susan Lowell

One Lucky Girl – George Ella Lyon

Kate and the Beanstalk – Mary Pope Osbourne

Emma and the Coyote – Margriet Ruurs

Stereotype/Reverse Stereotype

Predictable, oversimplified patterns of thinking or reacting.

The opposite of the expected

Mr. Wolf’s Pancakes – Jan Fearnley

Little Red Cowboy Hat – Susan Lowell

Symbol

any person, object, or action that has additional meaning beyond itself to represent or stand for a more abstract emotion or idea

The Yellow Star –

Chicken Chuck – Bill Martin

Peace Cranes – Sheila Hamanaka

Red Flower Goes West – Ann Turner

Theme

the underlying meaning or truth about life or humanity as revealed in a story’s plot or characterization

Lottie’s Princess Dress – Doris Dorrie

Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores – James Howe

I Like Your Buttons! – Sarah Marwil Lamstein

Bud – Kevin O’Malley

The Sign Painter – Allen Say

The Lost Boy and the Monster – Craig Kee Strete

Tone

the attitude of a writer toward a literary work’s subject and its audience as revealed by choice of words and details

The Spirit of the Masai Man – Laura Berkeley

The Video Shop Sparrow – Joy Cowley

Misc

The Girl Who Hated Books – Manjusha Pawagi

Henrietta – David Mamet

Trash Can Clues...Or "A Fun Deductive Logic Exercise"

2014-06-11T13:59:00.001-06:00

I love mysteries. They are fun to solve and they are my favourite reading genre. (Actually my favourite television or movie genre too!) And I think it is just wonderful to share the fun I have reading mysteries with my class. We always spend a lot of time on improvised crime scenes (which teaches critical literacy, timelines and jot notes) and read-aloud short story mysteries.

My classroom bookshelves are full of Encyclopedia Brown, You Be the Jury and Two Minute Mysteries.

Rationale:
Lately, we've developed a new mystery lesson that teaches us that are actions are accountable. It came about from an Eco lesson I observed. The teacher had her pupils look through trash cans and recycling boxes to see if the students were committed to saving the environment by recycling. It was a great hands-on lesson.

It got me thinking that I could ask my students what the trash says about a person's activities. After all, archaeologists dig in garbage dumps to learn about older civilizations. What would future archaeologists say about us?

Hands-on Activity

So I took our trash bin and the recycling box and dumped them out (onto plastic sheeting so the custodians wouldn't be angry) and I had the students don plastic gloves and pick through it.

Then I asked them to tell me ten things about the group who used these bins. I prompted them with a few questions to get them started: Are they recyclers? Are they healthy eaters? Do they sharpen their pencils a lot?

Written Component

I had the students make a chart with five columns.

When Where How Who What

And I asked them to make reasonable guessing based on the evidence they see to answer these questions.

The students were thrilled! (They love hands-on activities)

Some of the answers:

This took place recently - over the last year!

I think someone used the box to carry a sloppy, wet item. A cardboard box wouldn't usually hold wet items.

The string is red, perhaps someone wanted to remember something.

Someone threw out three bottles - I would use them to make a tunnel for my cars.

Lessons learned:

Your trash says something about you.

Can you reuse your trash

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Exit Slips

2014-06-06T17:22:00.001-06:00

It is interesting that as the year ends, I am thinking of exit slips. Exit slips are small written tasks - but sometimes oral tasks - that students complete in order to leave the class. I use it to recap the lesson mostly. And I find it has merit as a memory cue and for some accountability in the lesson.

I use a generic slip and post a question on the board for students to answer. The slip has room for name and date, then lines for writing. They have to write the date on the slip so I can keep track of which question I used! I make questions to go with my lesson to check their understanding - requiring a written answer explaining a concept or a math problem. I've included some examples of the generic ones I use below.

Whenever I post worksheets on this blog, they far exceed the post boundaries and are seemingly useless to other teachers. Instead I will simply try to re-create them in this post (and teachers who want to use them can copy and paste them into their own documents.

Name ______________                       Date______________

                                              Exit Slip

Name three facts that you learned or used in this lesson.

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

______________________________________________

Name ______________                       Date______________

                                              Exit Slip

What was the main idea of the reading? __________________

What evidence supports your reasoning?

____________________________________________

The Walking School Bus....

2014-05-29T17:18:00.001-06:00

Walking to school alone is not an ideal situation for students. Even when walking in larger groups of school-aged children, parents are uneasy. Kids don't always follow the rules and a single moment can change a child's life forever. But the line-up of cars that circle a school each morning isn't great either. Students need exercise and they need to get to school. A "walking school bus" may just be the answer. This is a designated route with stops just like the big yellow school buses have except that parents or volunteers led the walkers and take up the rear too. Children arrive at school safely and have gotten some exercise too.

I recently read about something that is so simple that I think it may catch on. A walking school bus. It seems to be really catching on in some school districts. No only is it a less costly form of transportation, but the children also get some much-needed exercise, and it is environmentally friendly.

Here is a link to read more, but I will give you a short summary of the website. A walking school bus is inclusive of all students and ensures a safe (adult-led) walk to school. Its great exercise and it is environmentally friendly. (Variations of this theme include the "bike-train"). This site includes lots of well-thought out tips on finding a route and setting up a school bus (a walking school bus that is!) in your area.

Here is an article about one school districts' experience with the walking school bus.

It seems to be a global initiative, Walking Bus Ireland, is a well-established institution.

Help Your Child Improve Math Skills for Middle and High School with these Websites

2014-05-26T17:16:00.000-06:00

I really like the following three websites for middle and high school students looking to improve their math skills:

Mathematics and Statistics This site has everything a math student could need. Short clips on improving your long division skills to videos on heat transfer. This is an open university website but a lot of the lessons are so simply delivered that even high school students can use them.

EZschool Worksheets for all math strands at various levels. What a great resource for the summer.

CK-12 A great site for math and science lesson,s worksheets and videos. Motivated students can really get lost in this fabulous site.

Ontario Teachers Beware of the Pay Cuts for Teachers in British Columbia

2014-05-22T18:01:00.000-06:00

In British Columbia, teachers' salaries will be cut by 5% next Monday. In September, they will be cut 5% more, totalling a 10% pay cut. Ontario teachers need to be watchful of this, because if we elect the wrong government in June, this will be our fate as well. More here.

ETFO, or the English Teachers Federation of Ontario, has over the past several elections asked teachers to support the Liberal party. The reasoning is that the Liberal party supports teachers. I think there are two problems with this stance: 1) we have to recognize that it is the Progressive Conservative Party that targets teachers and 2) we have three parties in a two-party system.

What does that mean? Three parties in a two-party system? It means that the system was set up for two parties. People were expected to vote for one or the other. The candidate with the majority of the votes won. When there are three parties in the two-party system, it throws things off a bit. Now it is not necessarily the majority of the votes that wins, but only the candidate with the most votes who wins. That means, that if the voting was relatively equal among the three parties, we could have a party win with roughly 34% of the total vote. That party would win the election but it wouldn't represent the majority of voters.

So, a vote for the Liberal party is not necessarily a vote against the Progressive Conservatives (PC). To truly campaign against the PC party, ETFO and teachers must ask teachers to vote for the non-Conservative candidate most likely to win.

The Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) often split votes because they are both leftist parties. The Conservatives are the only contenders who try to represent the right. Yet, with two similar left parties running against each other in a tight riding, that could allow the PC party to win.

We don't want a PC government in Ontario come June 12th. The PC party promises to slash education jobs, increase class sizes and ruin the education system we already have.

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A List of Math Skills Students Should Have for Grade 6

2014-03-28T10:52:00.002-06:00

Clipart Source

 Recognize, read and write numerals to 999,999.
 Read and write word numbers (one hundred twenty-two thousand, four hundred)
 Write numbers with expanded notation (5,931 = 5,000+900+30+1)
 Create a simple graph or chart to express mathematical information.
 Do two and three digit addition and subtraction with regrouping (carrying or borrowing).
 Introduce decimals (tenths, hundredths) and show how to line up for addition.
 Round numbers to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000.
 Use estimation for arithmetic problems and know when this is appropriate.
 Memorize multiplication facts up to 12 X 12.
 Learn multiplication terminology: multiplicand, multiplier, product, factor, multiple.
 Multiply two and three digit numbers with or without regrouping.
 Multiply by 10s, 100s, 1000s.
 Multiply numbers with decimals, and count digits to the right of the decimal points in the multiplicand and multiplier to determine the placement of the decimal in the final product.
 Find common multiples and lowest common multiple.
 Learn division terminology: dividend, divisor, quotient, remainder.
 Memorize division facts with quotients up to 100.
 Do long division with or without remainders.
 Know the fraction terms numerator and denominator.
 Reduce fractions to lowest terms (6/8 = 3/4).
 Compare fractions with like denominator.
 Find a common denominator for fractions.
 Add and subtract fractions.
 Multiply and divide fractions.
 Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions, and improper fractions to mixed numbers.
 Convert fractions to decimal numbers, and decimal numbers to fractions.
 Read and create simple graphs (pictograph, line graph, bar graph).
 Tell time to the minute.
 Compute elapsed time (clock or calendar).
 Understand the concept of time zones and convert between them.
 Calculate perimeter of polygons.
 Calculate area of squares, rectangles and triangles.
 Identify lines of symmetry in a shape.
 Identify points, line segments, parallel lines, intersecting lines, perpendicular lines and rays.
 Identify the center, radius, and diameter of a circle.
 Solve for a variable (n+3=9, so n=6).

An Experiment on how to get Students to Understand that Reading the Text is Important Homework

2014-03-21T05:55:00.000-06:00

In the primary grades, students learn to read. And in the junior grades we transition into having the students reading to learn. As students climb into higher grades, this reading really needs to be completed at independently in preparation for the class.

When students arrive in class with the reading finished, it changes the class. Instead of spending time reading and introducing the reading to students, we can focus on the reading in discussions. It allows for reading to be the primary focus of the discussion and it allows discussion to take place.

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A lot of students think reading for homework is passe. Or they have been told so often by teachers to read that they see it as meaningless.

Traditionally, students are first introduced to a topic in lecture. What I want to do is grow their independent reading skills and impress on them the need to pre-read with a pre-reading assignment. Students will get more out of class if they already know the basic definitions and vocabulary, as well as having already had the chance to consider the reading at their own pace. This helps control for the variability in background knowledge ofthe students, and students regularly mention in surveys that pre-reading helps them follow what is covered in class. Also, I've noted that student questions are on a cognitively higher level in weeks with pre-reading assignments compared to those in weeks without. Second, students arrive with clear ideas about what was difficult for them. We can cut to the chase. Which in turn, brings us to a third benefit, class time was not spent on definitions or low-level examples, leaving more time for discussion and deeper concepts.

Since the goal of the reading assignment is to free up class time for discussion, it is important to get students to do the reading at home.

With this goal in mind, I decided to initiate two ideas to the class:

First, I let it be known that understanding is built in stages and deeper comprehension comes with second and third readings. If class time is used for students' second reading of the text, than deeper meaning can be derived.

Second, discussion must be accountable. A lot of students seem think they can wing it during discussions rather than using this to exchange important understandings of the text.

And a few ways to track their reading as well:

Keeping in mind that many comprehension tasks can be attached to the reading assignment in order to ensure that students complete the reading, I reviewed these reading comprehension tasks:

Strategies that can help students read more quickly and effectively include:

Previewing: reviewing titles, section headings, and photo captions to get a sense of the structure and content of a reading selection
Predicting: using knowledge of the subject matter to make predictions about content and vocabulary and check comprehension; using knowledge of the text type and purpose to make predictions about discourse structure; using knowledge about the author to make predictions about writing style, vocabulary, and content
Skimming and scanning: using a quick survey of the text to get the main idea, identify text structure, confirm or question predictions
Guessing from context: using prior knowledge of the subject and the ideas in the text as clues to the meanings of unknown words, instead of stopping to look them up
Paraphrasing: stopping at the end of a section to check comprehension by restating the information and ideas in the text

Trial #1

I've learned to pair at-home reading assignments with graphic organizers so that students have something tangible to hand-in when they arrive at class. This gives me a visual to how many students have completed the reading but it fails in its attempt to assign reading as a meaningful task. Many students skip immediately to the organizer and only scan the text to complete the organizer.

Trial #2

I assigned a summary writing task to complete when finished the reading. Summarizing requires students to determine what is important in what they are reading and to put it into their own words. Instruction in summarizing helps students:

Identify or generate main ideas
Connect the main or central ideas
Eliminate unnecessary information
Remember what they read

Trial #3

I assigned a task where students read one heading and the paragraphs that follow and then answer a question. There are questions for each reading passage.

Trial #4

I have assigned a vocabulary assignment where students write definitions for all bolded words in the text as well as five other words that may be unknown to them. This really helps in discussion because students are already familiar with definitions that would have otherwise held-up understanding in a discussion.

Considerations for Pre-Reading Assignments

1. The focus of the assignment is to get the students to read and focus on the big ideas. This creates a clear connection between the reading and the expectations of the students for class.
2. The shorter the assignment is, the more likely the students will actually read it and focus on the key material. I started out with longer, less focused, readings from which the students are expected to extract the relevant material. But this was in opposition to the idea behind the reading at home idea. It was an unrealistic expectation for a first exposure to the material.
3. The reading should be guided with explicit prompts for the students of what to look for while reading.
4. It is important that the students understand why and how the pre-reading will be beneficial to them.
I did not expect them to “teach themselves” the material nor understand it all completely from the textbook alone. This first exposure gets them started and helps reveal the trouble spots. It is worth repeating the benefits of pre-reading to your students a couple of times during the term.

Morning Work that Really Works

2014-03-15T18:48:00.001-06:00

I need something for about 1/2 hour first thing in the AM. First thing in the school day is when your best plans have to be the most flexible (parents show up unannounced and you have to talk to them; the office looks for trip tallies and forms; admin calls with something unexpected, etc, ). You need to get your students in the habit of morning work that works.

Morning work always includes a language component, writing, and silent reading, and I add a logic piece. This is reading material that requires deductive logic to solve - lately it has been a mystery but sometimes it is a math problem.

Morning work allows for the stragglers but I don't wait for them, hoping they will catch on and arrive on time. These assignments are done in their journals, dated, and on Friday I give participation grades on their journals. My morning work is designed to last about 15 minutes (but can go for as long as 30 minutes if I need it to), which allows me to get attendance and any other little things out of the way. Then we go over the language part of our morning work.

Morning Work: (Choice of order but all must be completed...)

1) Journals with my students in the morning.
I try to get journals from various sources so that they don't get board with doing the same type of thing.
The type of journals I do are:

Photo Inspired Creative Writing
Literary Term Review
Story Starters
This Day in history

2) Spelling Contract work (see a copy of a spelling contract here or here)

3) Morning Literacy Centres

4) They can also silently read and write a short summary during their free time.

Note:
Our students today go to school to get grades - to get something, even if it is simply to get through the day. I always marvel that so many studnets lose sight of the fact that learning can be a journey where not everything is graded. So, my final advice is to send this message : make sure they know it is important and counts for something- then they have a reason go doing it.

Teaching Place Value in Five Minutes a Day

2014-03-08T06:40:00.002-06:00

Place value is very important in math. I spend a lot of time teaching and re-enforcing place value because I find it is often the crux of the issue with problems with computation. When teaching remedial math at the middle school level, I often employ "the five minutes a day" rule. Here are some of the games/videos I have used.

Place Value Charts:
Make place value charts, and begin at the beginning. (See the end of this post for printable worksheets).

I begin with a three column chart labeled ones, tens, and hundreds. (You can do this by making a three column chart on the computer. Again see charts at the end of the post) Then for two or three days, dictate about eight or nine numbers per day at the beginning of your math block. If everyone seems to get it the first day, move on to a different chart the next day.

Next, I would make a four column chart on the computer labeled ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands. For two or three days, dictate about eight or nine numbers per day at the beginning of your math block. If everyone seems to get it the first day, move on to a different chart the next day.

After that, make a five column chart on the computer labeled ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands. For two or three days, dictate about eight or nine numbers per day at the beginning of your math block.

Continue this same procedure with a six column chart (ones to hundred thousands), and then a seven column chart (ones to millions).

When dictating numbers, be sure to avoid the word "and."
Wrong Way: Seventeen thousand, one hundred and sixty-two.
Correct Way: Seventeen thousand, one hundred sixty-two.

For some students, this will seem odd. They might tell you that when TV/radio broadcasters (the score for a basketball game or number of yards a player ran during a football game) or former teachers say the numbers, they include the word "and." Explain that "and" is used to designate the decimal point, as in "five dollars and twenty-five cents" ($5.25) or "ten and six tenths" (10.6). When to use and when not to use the word "and" will be very important to understand when your students begin using numbers with tenths, hundredths, etc.

Another thing your students need to know is that when a number is dictated, the comma is used for the words "thousand" and "million." in the United States but in Canada and the UK, we omit the comma instead using a space. (They will be familiar with this as many computer software programs do the same). (Note: in many countries the comma has the same meaning as a decimal does for English speakers, so Canada has omitted its use to avoid confusion).

For example: six million, one hundred fifteen thousand, seven hundred twenty-two = 6 (space for the word million) 115 (space for the word thousand) 722 or 6 115 722

Say the Number:
You might also want to test your students one-on-one to see if they can say numbers correctly. (With an answer key, you could have a classroom aide or parent volunteer do this testing.) Make one answer key page for each student, write student's name at the top, and just one copy of the list of numbers...each student can use the same list of numbers during testing. For correcting, use a highlighter to highlight the number of the incorrect responses. Then you will know which students still need more practice.

I would not just spring this test on your students, but give them several days to practise. They can practise with a partner in the classroom, but also take a list of numbers home for homework to practise with an adult. You will need to make a list of numbers...about twenty-four...one partner can say twelve, and then the other partner can say the other twelve.

I would also make an answer key on another piece of paper. Partners can trade papers halfway through the activity, and parents will have an answer key so students give the correct answers. If the child says the wrong answer, the partner/adult can say "try again."

Game: Largest/Smallest Number

This game will be played by partners. Each partner will need a place value chart, pencil, and number cards. The place value chart can be the same ones you have been using and vary according to the needs of the students...three columns, four columns, five columns, six columns, etc.

You will need to make four sets of number cards, zero to nine. (See attachment, pages seven and eight.) I would run these on cardstock, laminate, and cut out. (If you run them on a variety of different coloured cardstock, it will be easier to return number cards that might fall on the floor to the correct group.) You can put rubberbands around the groups of cards and keep them in a plastic ziplock bag.

Place the number cards upside-down on the desktop between the partners. Partner #1 draws a card and writes the number in one of the columns. The used card is placed right-side up next to the other pile. Partner #2 does the same thing. Once written, numbers cannot be erased and moved...may want to use pen or a marker so erasing is not possible.

The object of the game is to make the largest number (or smallest number) and then say it correctly. If the partner with the largest/smallest number does not say it correctly, the other partner says his/her number. If this partner does not say it correctly, no one wins that round. The game continues for as many rounds as time allows.

Place Value Rap:

There is a great resource online called Place Value Rap, and you want the Rockin the Standards version. Very cute, catchy and helps them understand how the numbers move up.

Place Value Chart#1 Name______________

	hundreds	tens	ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.

Place Value Chart #2 Name______________

	thousands	hundreds	tens	ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.

Place Value Chart #3 Name_____________

	ten thousands	thousands	hundreds	tens	ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
	ten thousands	thousands	hundreds	tens	ones
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.

Saying Numbers #1 Name_____________

Directions: Listen while your child says these numbers. The word andshould not be used in saying them.

6,754

36,754

236,754

9,236,754

4,009

54,009

954,009

3,954,009

5,096

25,096

625,096

5,625,096

8,104

38,104

638,104

10,638,104

8,029

28,029

208,029

14,208,029

16,025

106,025

22,106,025

44,905

Saying Numbers #1 Answer Key Name____________

1. six thousand, seven hundred sixty-four

2. thirty-six thousand, two hundred fifteen

3. two hundred thirty-six thousand, two hundred fifteen

4. nine million, two hundred thirty-six thousand, two hundred
fifteen

5. four thousand, nine

6. fifty-four thousand, nine

7. nine hundred fifty-four thousand, nine

8. three million, nine hundred fifty-four thousand, nine

9. five thousand, ninety-six

10. twenty-five thousand, ninety six

11. six hundred twenty-five thousand, ninety six

12. five million, six hundred twenty-five thousand, ninety six

13. eight thousand, one hundred four

14. thirty-eight thousand, one hundred four

15. six hundred thirty-eight thousand, one hundred four

16. ten million, six hundred thirty-eight thousand, one hundred
four

17. eight thousand, twenty-nine

18. twenty-eight thousand, twenty-nine

19. two hundred eight thousand, twenty-nine

20. fourteen million, two hundred eight thousand, twenty-nine

21. sixteen thousand, twenty-five

22. one hundred six thousand, twenty-five

23. twenty-two million, one hundred six thousand, twenty-five

24. forty-four thousand, nine hundred five

Rachel Canning, You Deserve Better

2014-03-05T18:13:00.002-06:00

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When I first read a news headline about this case, it was written in a gender neutral way. Something like "Student Sues Parents for Support" and I knew, before I clicked, that that student was a girl.

Girls are disowned more than boys. Yes, even here in North America.

Rachel Canning is an 18 year old in her last semester of high school. She is a cheerleader and an honour student - although I bet her grades have plummeted since this has happened. She does not want to live at home anymore but she does want to finish school. A sad situation made far worse by the bullying antics of her parents. They have pulled the rug out from under their daughter by refusing to pay her tuition to finish high school or to top up her partial scholarship to the University of Vermont.

Whatever else is wrong here, shouldn't the adults keep her on track in school? Will she be better off without a college education? What lesson will she learn by not getting a chance to go to college?

Her parents say she left because she refused to follow the rules. They say they want her to return. Yet, they have also stopped paying tuition to the private high school she has attended since 9th grade. The school where she is popular and excels.

This family has issues that aren't atypical from a lot of families. A child who is too outspoken and makes bad choices, according to her parents. We've all been there.

You lose me though when the parents undermine her education with a stunt like refusing to pay for her last semester of high school.

If she loses out on a high school diploma, it will stunt her life. She will spend the next five or ten years working low wage jobs and working toward a GED. Her dreams of college will be stunted too.

(The administration at Morris Catholic High School in Denville, New Jersey, has wisely and compassionately agreed to raise funds elsewhere for Rachel's last semester at the high school.)

I just wonder: is the appropriate consequence for 18 year-old angst to head into life without benefit of an education? Can these parents not act like the adults and keep what is working for her -- whatever other mistakes they believe she is making --on track?

To me this sounds like a power struggle gone way too far. She is about to embark on her young adulthood and make decisions that may be good or may be bad. But they are going to thwart any chance she has at a happy, well adjusted life because she is doing exactly what young adults should do - make mistakes, learn hard lessons and mature.

I believe Rachel Canning when she says her family is abusive. This stemming of funds and the potential break in her education is abusive.

Good luck Rachel Canning. You've learned a hard lesson: sometimes parents aren't their child's best advocate.

From CNN:

Rachel Canning's attorney, Tanya N. Helfand, said Sean and Elizabeth Canning are being "negligent and irresponsible."

"Normal healthy parents want to help their children. They want their children to go to college. They want to help them with their difficulties," Helfand said in court.

"You may not get along wonderfully every single day with your teenager. That doesn't mean that you abandon them and you say, 'Guess what, you're on your own.'"

This is not a teenager on drugs or into prostitution, where parents would need to take drastic, tough-love tactics into consideration. From CNN:

The teen wrote in her court certification that she aspires to be a biomedical engineer. Her first choice for college is the University of Delaware, from which she has yet to hear back from regarding her admission decision. She said taking legal action was necessary to ensure that she is able to accomplish her future goals.

"I am a very good student. I have no drug problems. I am a good athlete. I work at a job outside of school," she wrote. "My parents simply will not help me any longer...(They) should be required to provide for my support and education until I can stand on my own two feet. In order to do this, I had to take legal action."

Improving Reading Comprehension with Your Favourite Books

2014-03-04T15:17:00.003-06:00

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Good Readers Make Predictions

· Look at the pictures, table of contents, chapter headings, maps, diagrams, and features. What subjects are in the book?

· Write down predictions about the text. During reading, look for words or phrases from those predictions.

· While reading, revise the predictions or make new ones.

Visualize

Many students think visually, using shapes, spatial relationships, movement, and colors, and can benefit greatly from this strategy. Instruct students:

· Imagine a fiction story taking place as if it were a movie. Imagine the characters' features. Picture the plot in time and space. Get lost in the fiction and imagine yourself there as the main character. How do you feel? What do you see?

· Imagine processes and explanations happening visually. Use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to create pictures, diagrams, or other mental images.

· Use graphic organizers to lay out information. Make sketches or diagrams on scrap paper.

What Makes You Curious

· Before reading, think about the subject based on the title, chapter heads, and visual information. Make note of anything you are curious about.

· While reading, pause and write down any questions. Be sure to ask questions if there is confusion.

· Look for the answers while reading. Pause and write down the answers.

· Were all the questions answered? Could the answers come from other sources?

Retell and Summarize

A great family activity is to act out certain parts of the book. This will help students to visualize as well.

· During reading, note the main ideas or events. Put a check mark in the book or write a note to point out a main idea.

· At the ends of chapters or sections, review the information or story. Note main ideas or events and the details that support them.

· After reading, retell or summarize the text. Focus on the important points, and support them with relevant details.

· Refer to the book to check the retelling or summarization.

Connect

Connecting a text to students' experiences and knowledge helps students personalize the information. It also helps students remember information when they link it to their lives. Instruct students:

· Is the subject familiar? Do the characters resemble familiar people? Have you learned about the concept from school, home, or other experiences?

· Is the style or genre familiar? Does it resemble other texts? Television shows, movies, and games can be considered "texts."

· Write down similarities between the current text and experiences, knowledge, or other texts.

Vocabulary Strategies

When you come across an unknown word, use context clues to figure it out. Word-attack strategies help students decode, pronounce, and understand unfamiliar words. They help students attack words piece by piece or from a different angle. Model and instruct students:

Use Picture Clues

· Look at the picture.

· Are there people, objects, or actions in the picture that might make sense in the sentence?

Sound Out the Word

· Start with the first letter, and say each letter-sound out loud.

· Blend the sounds together and try to say the word. Does the word make sense in the sentence?

Look for Chunks in the Word

· Look for familiar letter chunks. They may be sound/symbols, prefixes, suffixes, endings, whole words, or base words.

· Read each chunk by itself. Then blend the chunks together and sound out the word. Does that word make sense in the sentence?

Connect to a Word You Know

· Think of a word that looks like the unfamiliar word.

· Compare the familiar word to the unfamiliar word. Decide if the familiar word is a chunk or form of the unfamiliar word.

· Use the known word in the sentence to see if it makes sense. If so, the meanings of the two words are close enough for understanding.

Reread the Sentence

· Read the sentence more than once.

· Think about what word might make sense in the sentence. Try the word and see if the sentence makes sense.

Keep Reading

· Read past the unfamiliar word and look for clues.

· If the word is repeated, compare the second sentence to the first. What word might make sense in both?

Use Prior Knowledge

· Think about what you know about the subject of the book, paragraph, or sentence.

· Do you know anything that might make sense in the sentence? Read the sentence with the word to see if it makes sense.

Daily Reading Block in Middle School

2014-03-02T13:27:00.000-06:00

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I begin each class with a mini-lesson. I use a mentor text to teach this lesson while modeling the strategy/skill as I read. I do not read the whole mentor text on the first day, but find logical places to stop so I can model the strategy, and the class can discuss the reading strategy. It usually takes several days or a week to read the mentor text, and I continue to model the strategy/skill each day.

Students are at first upset that we take so long to read one mentor text -which lately has been non-fiction- and sometimes we re-read it over a few days. There exists this belief across middle school students that books are to be consumed once and only once.

On some days I do not read at all, but model how to respond to the strategy being taught. This response might be a worksheet/strategy sheet, or it may be a reader's notebook response. I make sure I model responses that can be done by my lowest readers, but also more advanced responses that can be done by my more able readers. All reader's are exposed to a variety of reading responses.

So if I am teaching predicting as a reading strategy, I will have taught that a prediction must be logical and supported by the text. The reader must be able to back up his predictions and make reasonable arguments for his predictions. Predictions also must include the word "because." (I predict the main character will break a bone because she is clumsy.)

After my mini-lesson, my students move to Daily 5.
(1. read to self/independent reading, read with a partner/at same guided reading level,
2. word word, 3. respond to reading, and 4. listen to reading) while I meet with guided reading groups. My students are grouped by reading level -this is a group unknown to them and which is constantly being reorganized. (I meet with my two lowest groups every day, and more able readers every other or third day.)
--During read to self, students may be reading their guided reading material or independent reading material.
--During reading with a partner, students may read their guided reading material with a partner from their group.
--During responding to reading, students write about what they are reading. By the end of the week, they should have two to three responses. I rotate my checking of these...about five to six per day so that in a week, I have read all responses.

Whether or not we read together in guided reading depends on the group's level and what strategy/skill I taught during the mini-lesson. If I feel certain groups need a jump start with the reading, we might read several pages or half a chapter together. At times, I may do this with all groups.

During all guided reading groups, I focus on whatever strategy/skill was taught during the mini-lesson. So if we are focused on predicting:
--my lowest groups will make two or three predictions that I write on a chart. We discuss what evidence from the story supports these predictions.
--my at-grade level groups will write two or three predictions in their reader's notebook with evidence from the story to support one of them. We discuss these when we meet and try to find support from the text for the ones not supported by the students.
--my able groups will write three predictions in their reader's notebook with evidence from the story to support all of them. We discuss these together.

This process is differentiation at its best!

When I return to this strategy/skill later in the year, I will expect different things from each group, use a more advanced mentor text, and model different responses. By then, the lowest students will have grown as readers and writers, and be able to do what my at-grade level groups were able to do at the beginning of the year.

At the end of each workshop, I bring students back together. I pull names (written on tongue depressors in a pencil can) of about five to seven students so they can tell me what they did during workshop that day. I take notes on a chart so they know they are accountable. If I have not heard from a certain student in awhile, I might pull a tongue depressor but fudge what it says so I can hear from this person.

I also conference with students about what they are reading independently. I slip these conferences in during reading time, but also other times during the day when students are working independently on other tasks. Students have an assigned day for conferencing, and I try to stick to this schedule. I have a chart (same chart as above) for each student so I can record what they are reading and what we have discussed during the conference.

Students fill out nightly reading logs and we discuss these during conferences. With this info, I am able to keep track of what each child is reading independently, and whether it is the right reading level for the child. These are the books on which I conference with students. (My students must read a book one level below, at their level, or one level above their reading level.)

Students may abandon a book once per quarter, so they are very aware of choosing the right text for them. This also curbs beginning but not finishing a book. For some students this is difficult, because they have seldom finished a book.

Paragraph Writing In Steps

2014-02-17T18:24:00.002-06:00

Writing is one of my strengths, but I know how difficult it is for analytical people to write creatively. So, I have worked really hard to create a writing "formula" for my students to use when getting started. (I think everyone sooner or later adapts that formula to their own style, but in the classroom it is still at the foundational level). I teach it to all kids and the linguistic kids run with it.

I start teaching clusters/webs. I require a minimum of 4 supporting details. I allow the kids to make mini-mindmaps to help them delve deeper into thier details. These mindmaps are a half-page at most. Other kids just fill in a simple organizer or write jot notes. Whatever works for them is great. (I encourage them to use what works for them - and I get a bird's-eye view of their learning styles.)

From these webs, we create paragraphs. I challenge the studnets to come up with one or two words that summarizes their paragraph. This will be developed into their topic sentence. Then I have them use the details from their clusters to explain further. At this point, students need to reassess the details in their clusters. Are they all valid? Do some combine? etc.,

Source I like this web because the topic is in the middle and possible paragraph ideas and details follow on each branch.

For example, if I am writing about ice cream, that will be the middle. Then, each bubble contains a subtopic that I will cover in my paper. Sample paragraphs might be flavors, toppings, forms, ingredients, etc. Using intro and conclusion paragraphs, students have just written a 6 paragraph paper.
(Here is a link to one printable cluster web; and here is a link to many different, free, printable organizers).

Also, never underestimate the power of hearing a classmate read his work aloud. It allows the classmate to shine and it motivates the others.

I also have style specific guidelines for compare/contrast, persuasive, story, etc. If someone wants more, let me know. Otherwise, I don't want to bore everyone with things thet already do or know.

Les Lehmann: Thanks for Protecting the Children

2014-02-07T19:53:00.001-06:00

Photo used from the Donate to Les website

Les Lehmann is one Canadian who deserves to come home. While on vacation this week in the Dominican Republic, he did something that most of us would never think to do. I bet he didn't think about it either. I bet he just jumped into action.

He jumped up and acted as a human shield against two robbers' bullets. He was shielding a group of school children visiting the Dominican Republic on a humanitarian mission. He was shot nine times. Not one child was shot or injured. Read more about it here.

I just keep thinking about what would have happened if he hadn't been so heroic.

I'm sick of turning on the news each week and listening to reports of violence in schools. And it seems like it is each week. It is so common, it almost isn't even news.

The newspapers and the online news sites are not filled with stories of children injured, or worse, in "senseless violence". CNN isn't outside the compound reporting from the area. The children are alive and well. They are back home safe. How wonderful that this man put himself before the children.

It is an old-fashioned type of hero that would do that. Someone so selfless and so community-oriented that he cared for these children, whom he did not know, the way we would care only for our own.

Les Lehmann, you are a hero.

You are a great Canadian.

You did us all a good turn this week.

Thank you.

But wait, now you need us to help you. You are in a hospital, recovering from nine gunshot wounds. Nine. Wow!

Nine.

You faced gunmen and shielded children head-on. You had no guarantee that you would survive. I bet you never even thought about it.

Now you need us to think about you. You need us to help bring you home. The cost to do this is - your family approximates - $25000.

I bet if we all gave up one cup of Tim Horton's coffee tomorrow and donated that $1.60 to you, we could get you back here by next week. And I am pushing this to Canadians, because you are one of ours. You are one of us. And I am very proud of that.

Please donate. We need to help our heroes. And make no mistake, Les Lehmann is a hero. There are few like him. Here is a link to the website his family set up.

Three Simple Rules for Speaking English Easily

2014-01-31T16:34:00.001-06:00

A lot of newcomers want to sound like native speakers. And language learning is often about written language learning. As an ESL teacher, I accept any pronunciation of English words (initially) from students who are first attempting English. Yet, it is in spoken English, that students want the feedback. Spoken English is readily used and real-world ready. On the school ground, they get immediate feedback on their pronunciation and they want it to sound good.

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Stressing accents in English

There are two main rules in English:

1) We stress vowel sounds
2) We only stress one part of each word.

I tell my ESL learners that, if in doubt, to first try stressing the first sound :

COUN-try, TO-day, YEST-erday, FORever

This holds true for most 2-syllable nouns and adjectives. But for 2-syllable verbs, we stress the second part of the word.

pre-SENT, con-SORT, im-PLY, im-PROVE, de-TER-mine

What about suffixes and prefixes?

Prefixes usually are stressed : RE-peat, Re-do, Pre-treat,

What's to note:

Suffixes are not usually stressed which is too bad because English Language Learners need to pay attention to tense and suffixes (ed, ing and s) are all about tenses.

Comparing Decimals - A Quick Game

2014-01-28T18:26:00.000-06:00

What's Bigger: 54.765 or 54.876?

I divide the class into several groups of three or four. Each student in a given group gets an index card and must use one colour marker to copy the digits I assign the group. The students work together to make those digits different numbers, using the decimal to change the number.

eg.:

                                    12345

student 1 :     12.345
student 2 :      123.45
student 3 :       12345
student 4 :      1234.5

These cards then go into a file folder with the group's name on it.

When each group is ready with a set of four different numbers per file, we elect one member from each group to peruse his file to find the largest decimal. He then holds this card up for the class to see.

At this point, we have four students at the board holding up four different numbers. As a class we decide the order of decimals, from largest to smallest.

The cards go back in the file and the next group member is up to "bat" next.

This is a great way to reinforce decimals for students. You can alter the decimal place ( I go to thousandths)

Have fun! I play this game as a whole class activity but it could just as easily be a centre activity with small groups.

Revisiting Phonics Rules for ESL

2014-01-21T15:27:00.003-06:00

A lot of times, in Middle School ESL, we revisit the phonics rules. Students new to the English language have to start at the beginning...all the way back to the letters of the alphabet and phonics rules.

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Phonics Rules

The vowels are "a,e,i,o, and u"; and sometimes "y".

I teach this with a song...(sing to the tune of Old McDonald)

there are some vowels that I know,.... a,e,i,o,u....

And sometimes letter "y"

Yeah, its a primary song but they get the vowels in a matter of minutes with it.

1. Sometimes the rules don't work.
The rules do work however, in the majority of the words. And when learning how to read, we are focusing on the rules working.

2. Every word must have a vowel.
English is a "vocal" language; every word must have a vowel.

Plane, car, umbrella, system....

3. "C" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of "s". Examples: "cyst", "central", and "city".

4. "G" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of "j". Example: "gem", "gym", and "gist". (there is a hard "g" sound too - as in guild)

5. When 2 consonants are joined together and form one new sound, they are a consonant digraph. They count as one sound and one letter and are never separated. Examples: "ch,sh,th,ph and wh".

These are a great way to up the students' voaculary (church, chug, chubby, chosen, chill, etc)

6. When a syllable ends in a consonant and has only one vowel, that vowel is short. Examples: "mat, Ted, fish, dog, luck".

7. When a syllable ends in a silent "e", the silent "e" is a signal that the vowel in front of it is long.

Think of it like this : VCV - the first vowel is long (says its name) and the second (the e) is silent.

Examples: "make, bike, kite, drape, and use".

8. When 2 vowels go walking together, the first vowel says it own name.

Examples: " eat, boat, sleet, say, grow".

Exceptions NOTE: Diphthongs don't follow this rule; In a diphthong, the vowels blend together to create a single new sound. The diphthongs are: "oi,oy,ou,ow,au,aw, oo" and many others.

9. When a syllable ends in any vowel and is the only vowel, that vowel is usually long. Examples: "pa/per, me, I, o/pen, u/nit, and my".

10. When a vowel is followed by an "r" in the same syllable, that vowel is "r-controlled". It is not long nor short. "R-controlled "er,ir,and ur" often sound the same (like "er"). Examples: "term, sir, fir, fur, far, for, su/gar, or/der".

Weekly Science and Social Science Terms

2014-01-05T10:37:00.001-06:00

One of my pet peeves in teaching is that we rarely teach the students how to study. I spend a lot of time asking students to make study sheets (I require them and allot up to 5% extra credit when they are turned in) and I also have them complete the following worksheet each week. I find this sheets helps to "cement" ideas for the students. The creativity I get back from many of my students when they complete this exercise each week shows engagement. It also shows the students that learning subject specific vocabulary can really boost their understanding of the subject.

Name ______________________________ Date______________________________

Weekly Science Terms

You are required to define three terms from Science each week. This is due every Friday morning. You may choose any term that you come across in class or in your reading to define.

Term: _______________________________

Definition: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Labelled Diagram/Picture:

Source: _____________________________________________________________

Ice Storm

2013-12-22T10:03:00.002-06:00

If you aren't from the north, you probably think these pics are beautiful....

ANd they are beautiful...but if you live here, you also know the ice means poor driving conditions, slippery sidewalks, power outages and more....

UGH!

What Daily Math Review Looks Like in My Classroom

2013-10-30T13:39:00.003-06:00

So I've spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what daily math review should look like in my classroom. I need something flexible and differentiated. I've decided to try a notebook filled with pages like this one...one column per day and the questions can be chosen by me or the student. I'm not sure how it will work, but this is what I'm trying....

Name: ________________________________ Class #: _________________

Daily Math Review

Date ____________ Date _______________

Number Sense	Number Sense
Geometry	Geometry
Algebra and Functions	Algebra and Functions
Measurement	Measurement
Data Mgmt	Data Mgmt

Be a Rock Star Geography Project

2013-10-26T10:25:00.001-06:00

You’re a Rock Star!

Your group has recently completed a tour of Canada and your manager wants to cash in by selling a Commemorative Canada-Wide Tour Magazine. Your job is to put together pictures, maps and diagrams of the tour. Anything your fans might find interesting (ticket stubs, etc...) should be included.

Since this project is partly funded by Tourism Canada, you have to be sure to include information about each concert date - one for each city in every province and territory. (That’s 13 all together.) Remember, not every city in Canada has giant stadiums, so some of your venues could have been at festivals or more out-of-the-way places.

About your commemorative issue:

This has to be exciting to sell. Make it visually appealing. Make it something you want to keep because then it is also something you would be willing to buy.

Come up with a band name and a tour name.
Choose a record label and a tour sponsor (Pepsi, etc)

A list of concert dates, cities and venue names

Use artifacts to sell your issue – ticket stubs, inside stories, top ten lists, etc.,

Use pictures, labels, t-shirts, postcards, cell-phone bills and e mails to make it more interesting

You don’t need to purchase anything for this project. It is all about facts, story and creative appeal!

About site-seeing in each province and territory:

This commemorative issue will be sold outside of Canada too, so be sure to include a lot of information about each city. You aren’t talking to locals, so you’ll have to provide maps, diagrams, postcards and pictures. A lot of people think Canada is one giant snow pile – prove them wrong by telling them how we live, where we live and how we have adapted to the environment.

For each city, you must touch on the 5 themes of Geography to help you describe the city/town/province or territory.

M -movement

R-region

H E –human and environmental interaction

L-location

P–place

5 Themes of Geography – Commemorative Tour Guide Rubric

Name____________________________Class_____ Total ________/ 30 (Project Grade)

	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4
Artifacts (images, maps, tickets, post cards, etc.)	Artifacts do not relate to content (1 point)	Some artifacts are included and some enhance content (2-3 pts)	Many large, clear artifacts used to enhance content (4 pts)	Large, clear, engaging artifacts enhance the content (5 pts)
5 Themes of Geography	Some of the five themes of geography are defined and explained in the cross-Canada tour guide. At times, definitions are confusing or are absent. (1- 2 pt)	Many of the themes of geography are included and discussed. (3-5-pts)	All five themes of geography are defined and explained in the cross-Canada tour guide. (6- 8 pts).	All five themes of geography are defined and explained in the cross-Canada tour guide. This reflects a thorough understanding. (9 -10 pts)
Tour-guide as a storytelling technique	Builds, transitions, and information is confusing and overwhelming (1 pt)	Builds, transitions, and information that distracts from message Audience enjoyment is vague (2-3pts)	Builds, transitions, and provides information that is accurate. Audience enjoyment is good (4 pts).	Builds, transitions, and provides information that enhances content Audience enjoyment is high (5 pts)
Tour Guide as an instrument to sell magazines	Graphics, artifacts and information is not organized with visual appeal. It is not easy to read because it is vague or confusing. (1 pt)	Graphics, artifacts and information is beginning to be organized with visual appeal. It is easy to read at times but there are parts that are confusing. (2-3pts)	Graphics, artifacts and information is organized with visual appeal. It is easy to read. Audience appeal is high; this issue will sell (4 pts).	Graphics, artifacts and information is organized with visual appeal. It is easy to read. Facts are seamlessly interwoven with story. Audience appeal is high; this issue will sell (5 pts)
Consistency	No overall theme for the presentation (1 pt)	A few parts work together logically; different sections not clearly distinguishable (2 –3 pts)	Most parts work together logically; different sections clearly distinguishable (4 pts).	Each page works together logically and different sections are clearly distinguishable (5 pts)

Teacher Comments:

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Adopt-A-Physicist Program

2013-10-24T18:53:00.001-06:00

I joined the Adopt a Physicist Program and I now have five adoptees for my class. It is a fabulous program and while the program for fall is now closed, there will be another in January or so. Here is the link,www.adoptaphysicist.org

Questions my students have asked so far include "why do you need winter tires?" "are animals used in physics" and "is there a place for physics in sports medicine'?

The answers are amazing. We've looked at MRI scans and we've read about patient advocates and ethics in physics too. And we've learned a bit about the road to a PhD in physics. One of our adoptees sent us links on bicycles and that started a classroom discussion on skateboards. This is a resource well worth using in your classroom!

The program is sponsored through "The Adopt-a-Physicist program is led by Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society, with aid from the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers."

It is open to middle and high school students world-wide. Sign up today!

Writing Paragraphs

2013-10-14T17:12:00.000-06:00

A lot of students in my class this year are confused about paragraphing. Since it is a learning objective that should have been mastered in grade 4 or so, I find this a bit perplexing. What do you do to teach paragraphing quickly to a few students who haven't mastered it? This is definitely a differentiated editing task since many students have mastered paragraphing - to one extent or another.

I've decided to make a center where students deconstruct their own writing into an organizational chart. Once this is completed, they can use it to re-organize their writing

Re-Organizing Your Journal Writing Name__________________

Journal Topic: ________________________________________________

main idea sentence:_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Detail Sentence	Detail Sentence	Detail Sentence

Closing Sentence: Repeat the main topic in a summary sentence.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

A One Pager ( or....A Quick Re-Cap of the Text I've Read)

2013-10-02T19:07:00.001-06:00

A One-Pager is a way of responding to a piece of writing on a single sheet of paper. It is your chance to recap what you have read. You can make it as colourful as you like but there are some requirements that must be met.

Directions:

ØYour paper must be standard sized, unlined paper

ØYou must fill the entire page

ØYour writing must be in ink or typed…no pencil

ØInclude the title and the author of the piece

ØUse colored pen or markers unless the piece demands black and white

The following elements may be arranged on the page in any way you choose:

It must have two or more quotes from the reading (passages that you like or think are important) {10 points}
It must have an illustration (that is, a drawing,a magazine picture, or a computer graphic) that ties to the piece you read and the quotes you chose. {5 points}
It must include a personal response to what you have read: comment, interpretation, evaluation, etc. {10 points}

Student Checklist: (Put a check mark next to each one as you complete it)

This one-pager has two or more excerpts from the reading and the excerpts chosen are a good representation of the conflict, plot, theme, or author’s message.
There is an illustration of the excerpts (quotes) used to demonstrate the conflict, plot, theme, or author’s message.
The student has written a personal response that indicates they were able to interpret or evaluate the novel; the response includes support or evidence from the text.
The student has written a summary that demonstrates a good understanding of the text.
Grammar and conventions were checked for accuracy.

Clipart from Wikicommons here