For the love of teaching!

What was that?

2013-02-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

A few things happened yesterday, that I need to record.

The first was the incident of the toot. A second grade boy yesterday got up to blow his nose, while we were in morning meeting. During morning meeting, we all sit in a large circle that includes everyone so that we can conduct any business for the day. On his way back to his seat next to me in the circle, he ripped a large fart, right behind my head. Let me tell you, it didn't smell all that good either. I look at the student and asked "Really, dude? Did you have to do that right behind my head?" He didn't have a response, he just shrugged his shoulders and sat down. I started to giggle and he did too!

A little later that day, we were able to go visit the VA Home which is down the street a little ways from our school. My students go and play bingo with the residents. Well on this particular day, one of my students got a bingo. He was so excited he jumped up, tipped his chair back and yelled "Miss W., Miss W., Miss W." Instead of the most common yell of Bingo! You just have to love his enthusiasm. I think the best part of that trip, was delivering our Valentine's to the Veterans that were playing that day. The smiles lit up the room. I honestly don't know who was smiling more my students or the residents at the home.

Yesterday, was one of those really great days!

Pep Talk from Kid President!

2013-02-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Do I need to say more? This video has gone viral and within days this young man has taken the country by storm.

This young man has inspired me to try and experiment with my students at school. (My students have a dream for our community, our country to become better. Well, according to Kid President, we need to act now.) So here are my actions to help my classroom recognize their own dreams and to begin to change the world for better.

Step 1. Show video
Step 2. Show video one more time.
Step 3. As the powerful question, "What are you going to do to make the world more awesome?"
Step 4. Write them down and put them on display.
Step 5. Have students make an action plan.
Step 6. Implement action plan.
Step 7. Celebrate.

I hope this will inspire and empower my students to understand that they can make a difference starting today and not "when I am older." Change can happen today, right this second.

So it is time for us to get up and do something! Stop being boring.

So I ask you what are you going to do to make the world more awesome today?

She's all about the fun....

2013-02-02T18:30:00.001-07:00

A parent tracked me down at the end of the day... and instantly my thoughts streamed to what happened throughout the day to make sure they were approaching in a non-threatening, pointing fingers kind of way. If you are a teacher, I know you know what I mean. Teachers, out of habit of constantly self-reflecting, we tend to read into minor details and we know anything we say or do in class will get repeated at home (the good, the bad, and the ugly.) Luckily for me it was the good!

The parent comes into the classroom and begins by saying I don't know if I should tell you this but...

(At this point, I am so intrigued that of course I need to know what was said, and what incriminating evidence was shared at home that would warrant the parent coming to see me.)

So the parent precedes to tell me how her daughter came home singing a song one of the other students shared during our closing crew circle. I need to mention this is song I wish they wouldn't ever sing and deserved a reprimand behind the scenes. (Closing crew is a time to share, remember about our day and to be just plain silly sometimes, it helps us become closer.) Apparently, her daughter was singing the song, over and over again at the top of her lungs. Finally, it started to get on the nerves of her family and her mom asked "where did you learn that song?"

Student A responded nonchalantly, "I learned it at school during closing crew."

"Oh, was Miss W. ok with that song? Did she say anything to the student who was singing it?"

"No! Mom, Miss W. is all about the fun! She wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings."

I am so grateful that this parent shared this story with me. It was just a tad bit embarrassing, but it made my day to have one of my students know that school should be fun and most of all, I would never purposefully be mean to anyone. Sometimes as a teacher, you have to correct behavior and you always wonder how students are taking the corrections. Apparently, this student is taking it in stride!

Kids make my day!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2013-01-18T17:53:00.001-07:00

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is on Monday and that's right, this girl is going to have to work. I am not too sure the reasoning behind this, but to comfort myself, I like to think that it is because the students wouldn't learn about this man who made a difference by standing up for what he thought was right. Oh and inspired millions to speak up too.

I plan on taking full advantage of Martin Luther King, Jr. and teaching about a person who was kind, respectful, thoughtful, intelligent and well-spoken African-American male who took pride in finding solutions to difficult problems. I am going to say, I know he wasn't a perfect man and he probably made millions of mistakes, but who hasn't. So now that I got that out of the way, we can give thanks and honor his memory, by focusing on what he accomplished in his short life.

Martin inspired people to love one another, and to change the injustices of the world through peace and understanding.

He was one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, who helped change the laws, so that future generations would not be segregated based on the color of their skin. I am not here to claim that the laws helped change the minds and hearts of all, but it helped force some people to face the issues and begin to change.

I think the most important lesson I want my students to learn from his life is that it is important to dream and then figure out how to make that dream happen.

In years past I have been impressed about the dreams they have shared with me and others. (This is after we discuss to death that I am not talking about daydreams or nighttime dreams, but of what we want for our community/country/or our world's future.)

Most often they dreams revolve around, no more hunger, no more violence, no more pollution.

If I could help one child realize their dream and help them find a way to pursue it, how would our world change?

This year we will once again identify our dreams, but I think I am going to take it one step further and see if they can figure out one-step that they can do to work towards their dream.

How are you going to spend Martin Luther King, Jr. day?

p.s. Here are some of my favorite books to teach about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler

My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Christine King Farris (She also wrote, March On! The Day My Brother Changed the World)

Meet Martin Luther King Jr. by Johnny Ray Moore and Amy Wummer

My Dream of Martin Luther King by Faith Ringgold

Hello there stranger!

2013-01-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

So I know it has been a while since I have posted anything and I plan on being much better about updating my blog! My goal is 3 to 5 times a week, highlighting the ups and downs of teaching and anything that I find that has helped teach different concepts. Now that obligatory phrase was mentioned, here I go!

Life flies by and in a moments notice you can be turned around, flipped on your head and right yourself once more. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but life doesn't make sense.

One of the reasons why I love teaching is because of... you guessed it the money! Ha! If only that was the case. I never thought my favorite part of going to school day to day is the belly laugh of 25 students. The best thing is when they can make me laugh so hard I start to cry.

Today was one of those days. I was tired, drained, frustrated (not at my students, at myself because I haven't seen as much progress in my students this year as last year and as a teacher you ultimately fault yourself a hundred-fold before even pointing a finger at someone else) and just plain tired... until one of my fist grade girls was read me one of her creative stories and accidentally nudged my nose with her pencil. I, being one for dramatics, decided to go with it to get the others students out of their funk. I preceded to fake an injury, this started a roll of belly laughs. Amazingly, my students took it in stride and just continued on with their work.

Sometimes laughing is the answer.

What I really want to know is it possible to skip without smiling? I would like someone to try it and get back to me. I think I am going to do it with my class tomorrow.

More inferencing ideas!

2010-10-13T09:16:00.000-06:00

Lesson idea #1

Length: 20-25 minutes

Materials:

Cut out 8-10 pictures from magazines that you think would be fun to make an inference with.

Glue magazine pictures onto a piece of construction paper

Large Sticky Notes

Directions:

1) Show students the pictures. Take one picture and make an inference and show them how to write their inference down on a large sticky note. “I think she is saying/thinking…” or “I think he is feeling…” and then stick it below the picture.

2) Your students job is to pick one of the pictures and make an inference and stick it below their picture they chose. If you see students flocking to only a couple of pictures, encourage some of them to go to another picture.

3) After they are done, collect all of the pictures and read aloud the inferences that were made.

Lesson idea #2

Length: 10 -15 Minutes

No Materials Needed!

Directions:

Play the game: Pass the ….

This is a game that requires no talking, but great acting skills. To begin have all students in one large circle. Tell them we are going to be playing, Pass the… The person who starts passing is going to have an object in their mind and they are going to use their body to show what it could be, No TALKING is allowed!

When the last person passes it to the person who started it, students can guess what the object was. Take three guesses, if no one has guessed correctly the student then may share what it was.

The first time, the teacher should start the object as a practice run through. After playing and you feel your kids are ready, break them into smaller groups to play this game.

Lesson idea #3

Materials:

Tuesday by David Weisner

Tuesday is a wordless book (it might have 5 words all together) to make the story you need to make inferences to tell what is going on in the story.

As you “read” the story, encourage students to make inferences to tell the story. Have one or two students comment on each page to create the story. Prompt students and point to different parts of the illustrations if you think they are missing something. Remind students to look at expressions, and body language and the scenery to help tell the story.

**Inferencing can happen anytime and anywhere. Encourage students to make inferences in books they are reading or looking at.

Lesson idea #4

Materials:

Zoom by Istvan Banyai

This is another wordless book. Each page makes you zoom away from it was first looking at. This book is fun for students to use the setting to help figure out what they are looking at and can help develop inferencing skills because they are encouraged to be detectives that pay attention to small details.

Lesson idea #5

Materials:

The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel

This is another fun read aloud. Not only will your students laugh at the funny moles that trying to figure out what invaded their underground home. As you work your way through the story it can be interesting to listen your students make inferences about what the moles think of this “Great Fuzz.”

Lesson idea #6

Materials:

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood

Use this funny little mouse to help your students practice inferencing. The illustrations bring this story alive and my students thought it was one of the funniest books of the year! It also is a story about sharing, there are lessons to be learned from every story.

Booger Pickers, Booger Pickers, Please No More!

2010-09-17T10:12:00.002-06:00

I don’t know if I have ever gone a year without having “gold miners” in my classroom. I have the full spectrum of booger pickers in my room. If you are a teacher or a parent I am sure you know what I mean. If I forget a kind let me know and I will make sure I add it to my list.

Sneaky Picker- This is the kid who has their back to you, so they think you don’t know what they are doing.

Nose-Cover Picker- This is the kid that remains great eye contact with you, but will ever so slowly use one hand to cover the nose and use the other finger to go for it.

Head In Their Lap Picker- This is the kid who puts their face in their laps and then proceeds to pick it.

Backpack Picker- This is the kid who pretends to go their backpacks to get something out, but really just trying to hide the fact they are picking their nose.

I am not ashamed picker- This is the kid who isn’t afraid to pick it, look at it and then eat in front of you.

I am sure there are more, but in my classroom these are the most common of them all. What do you do when you got so much picking going on?

At the beginning of the year we talk about germs a lot! From hand washing to covering your sneeze to blowing your nose, we try to cover all of our bases.

I make my kids sign a no picking booger contract and I hang it in my room all year long. The contract says, “I promise I will never pick my nose!” Then I make all my students sign it. So when my class becomes forgetful (especially in the winter) I revisit the contract and review.

Am I the only one with this problem?

Inferencing!?!? What is that? (!)

2010-09-07T16:10:00.001-06:00

Grades: K-3

Day 1

Length: 10-15 minutes

No materials needed!

Directions:

Good readers can make inferences. As readers, we need to make inferences because the author does not always tells us how someone is feeling or thinking. It is our job as the reader to make inferences.

To make an inference we use someone’s facial expression, body language, and tone of voice to help us know how they are feeling or what they are thinking.

Today, we are going to practice using our facial expression and our body language to show different emotions.

First I am going to be acting out different emotions and I want you guys to make an INFERENCE of how I might be feeling. Feelings to act out; happy, sad, surprised, embarrassed, mad, etc. (This is a great way to introduce “fancier words” or words that are synonyms to the above emotions.

After students make several inferences, allow students to partner up and have them do different emotions and the other student should make an “inference” about how their partner is feeling.

Day 2

Length: 20 minutes

Materials:

No, David! By David Shannon (I love my big book that I have of this story)

Directions:

· Today while we read No, David! By David Shannon we are going to make inferences about how David or his mom might be feeling based on the words and the illustrations.

· Begin by looking at the title page. (You might want to act out this picture for your students). Ask what do you think this person is thinking or feeling? I think she is thinking “you are in big trouble mister!” I made an inference using this illustration.

· As you read each page, challenge your students to look at each illustration and try to figure out what David is feeling or thinking. Reinforce the word “inference” every time your student successfully makes an inference.

· Inferencing questions: What do you think he is thinking? What do you think he is feeling? What do you think is going to happen to them?

· After reading, reinforce that the students made some great inferences and review some of the inferences that they made.

** This book is also good to make Text to Self Connections, but keep your students focused on inferencing. My students loved when I read this book, we could of read this book close to 15 times through out the school year all for different purposes.

***Make a reader’s theater script with this book!

Day 3

Length: 20 Minutes

Materials:

David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon

Directions:

· Remind students about inferencing. Inferencing is when we use facial expression, body language and tone of voice to figure out how someone might be feeling or thinking.

· Have students make an inference about the front cover.

· Before reading, have students choose a neighbor that they are going to share their inferences with as we read the story today.

· Pause on pages and ask one of the following prompting questions. What do you think happened? How do you think ____ is feeling? What do you think _______ is saying/thinking?

· After reading, review some inferences that you listened to and praise students for making good inferences.

Day 4

Length: 20 minutes

Materials:

David Goes to School by David Shannon

Directions:

Like the previous two stories, the illustrations by David Shannon makes inferencing easy! While you read encourage students to share their inferences either with a buddy or with the whole group. Feel free to redirect if need be. Some of my students liked to get carried away and I reminded them that they have to use the illustrations that are there and cannot make up any inference they wanted. To redirect give another example from you, tell them what you are looking at to make your inference and then share it.

Day 5

Length: 25-30 Minutes

Materials:

No, David! By David Shannon

Type up phrases that you hear around your school to make a class book! (See a list at the end of this lesson)

No, ____________! (I always made a No, First Graders book)

Directions:

· Today we are going to be making a classroom book that is similar to No, David! By David Shannon. We are going to be the illustrators and just like David Shannon we are going to make sure our pictures are large and shows how someone is feeling, thinking or doing because of the words that are on the page. For example, If you heard me say, “Sit Down!” what would you be doing? What would your face look like?

· Reread No, David! Don’t feel like you have to stop every page for students to make an inference. The purpose to reread this story is to get students and idea of what kind of illustrations and what they could draw for their page that they are going to be responsible for in the class book.

· After reading, show students what they will be doing by completing the title page with a picture of you and your body language. Remind students to draw big and to use details.

· Give each student a page of your pre-made book.

· Collect drawings and place in a book called “No, ______________!”

*When the book is finished use it as a read aloud and have students make inferences! One rule is that if it is there drawing they cannot be the ones who make the inference.

Phrases you might hear in an elementary school:

Slow down!

Be quiet!

Put that down!

Sit down!

Come back here!

Really?!

Again!?

Put the toy away!

Not right now!

Don’t do that!

Who put this here?

Why?

Assessments, Why and What Ones Should I Give?

2010-08-30T18:27:00.002-06:00

The beginning of the school year is stressful to say the least. There is a mile long to do list with no end in sight. Teachers spend day and night going to meetings, setting up their classrooms, making name tags, creating a theme for the classroom, putting up bulletin boards, making a back to school packet with information (that may or may not be accurate come January), lesson plans for the first days of school (maybe a week if your lucky), creating a rewards system, etc. What’s crazy is I probably didn’t even mention a tenth of what a teacher has to do before the students even walk into the classroom.

Another “biggie” on the to do list is deciding which assessments to give! Every year I would change or tweak the beginning of the year assessments to help give me feedback to help drive my instruction. We assess students at the beginning of the year for a couple of different reasons; to benchmark the students so we can see their academic growth, to help establish homogeneous groupings for small group reading instruction and math instruction, and to drive our instruction and focus on areas of need, to name a few.

The following assessments I gave to my first graders.

**If you teach a different grade you will want to look at what students should of learned in the previous grade and what you will be teaching in the first term.

Language Arts

Letter Names

Letter Sounds

Write ABC’s

Sight Words (1^st term)

Beginning Sounds

Medial Sounds

Ending Sounds

Rhyming

Blending/Segmenting

Fluency (Grade appropriate passage)

Guided Reading Level A-Z (Fontas and Pinnell)

Words Their Way spelling inventory

Math

Number ID

Orally Counts

Count by 10’s

Count by 5’s

Days of the Week

Months of the Year

Seasons

Coin ID and Value

Time to the Hour

Shape ID

Patterns

This list may sound extensive, but the information gained from these assessments was irreplaceable. After these assessments, I knew my students and I was better able to fulfill their academic needs. These assessments took about 5 weeks on average to complete. Remember to get valuable feedback takes time. I also delegated some of the assessments to trustworthy parents.

TIP: How do I keep track of all the information?

I would make a simple spreadsheet in Microsoft word for language arts and math for each term. I would list the skills across the top and the names I would run down vertically. Organizing the assessments in this way, helped me be able to quickly glance at areas of concern, with out having to look at each individual paper.

I love to read!

2010-08-25T16:08:00.000-06:00

Wow! I didn't realize how time flies so quickly when you are having fun!

I have now seen Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love come to life on the big screen and amazed at how the story came through. I am surprised because I usually detest when books are made in to movies, but I was pleasantly surprised! I now want to sell all of my belongings and go travel the world specifically learn to speak italian and eat, find a "Richard" to tell me like it is, and find my true love in Bali.

A girl can have dreams you know!

I also this week have read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Yes the title is a mouth full, but it is worth reading in between the Daily 5 and Debbie Diller's Making the Most of Small Groups! If you like historical fiction this is a winner!

I also have been impressed upon to read a classic Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I am loving the inner monologues and the unique characters! I don't know about you, but I could read forever!

If I could only channel my passion for reading to ALL of my kiddos, hmmm...

I am looking for book recommendations! Please send them my way:)

Do you Zumba?

2010-08-21T11:30:00.000-06:00

I can't tell you how much I love going to my new Zumba class! It totally beats typical running on the treadmill or riding a stationary bike. It takes a couple of times to actually get the movements down and for you to feel totally comfortable moving your body, but during the class I can't stop smiling. I have a perma grin on my face!

Have you Zumba'd before?

Ugh! It's raining!

2010-08-19T12:12:00.000-06:00

As summer comes to a close, it has to rain! I normally don't complain about a good rain shower. I usually call it a day, find a blanket, curl up and read a good book! It's hard to do this when you actually have a to-do list that is ever expanding and you feel as though there isn't enough time to get it all done.

Hopefully, the rain won't lull me to sleep anytime soon! I guess I should be thankful for the cooler weather:)

Owen and The Scream

2010-08-17T16:50:00.001-06:00

This is another integrated art lesson plan, that uses Kevin Henkes' book Owen and Edvard Munch's painting of The Scream to help talk about being afraid!

Grades: K-2

Length: 1 Day

Objectives: 1) To make inferences about how Owen and his parents might be feeling or thinking. 2) To make Text-Self Connections.

Questions: Why does Kevin Henkes use the Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream in Owen?

Materials:

Owen by Kevin Henkes

A print of The Scream

White paper

Crayons

Directions:

1) Show students a copy or a picture of Edvard Munch’s painting The Scream.

2) Ask students the following questions: Why they think the painting is called The Scream? Why do you think the person is screaming?

3) Tell them you are going to read the book Owen and that you want them to stop you when The Scream reminds them of something that they see in an illustration.

4) Read Owen by Kevin Henkes. Throughout the read aloud ask students how Owen is feeling? How are the parents feeling?

5) Ask them to share their Text to Self Connections, as well, while you read.

6) When students spy Kevin Henkes’ version of the scream, ask students to make an inference about how Owen might be feeling. Why do you think Owen is feeling that way? What is happening in the story?

7) After reading, give students time to think about a time they have felt afraid or felt like screaming. Have them share with a buddy.

8) Today the student’s job is to create a drawing of when they felt afraid and felt like screaming. (If they are having a hard time coming up with a time when they felt afraid, share a time that you have felt afraid. I like to use getting lost at the store and not knowing where my mom was.)

9) When students have completed their artwork, choose how to celebrate their work (gallery walk, buddy share, whole class share, or group share).

Rewards and Consequences

2010-08-12T13:12:00.003-06:00

I’m a fan of having a positive reward system! Do I indulge my students with a treasure box, NO! Believe me, parents appreciate it and I don’t have to waste my money on cheap toys that break (It is a win, win for both of us). Can my students earn privileges for good behavior? Of course! Not only do they get a lot of verbal feedback about how awesome they are, but they can also earn rewards for their good behavior. (If you give a compliment, be specific and direct i.e. Susie I loved the way you lined up so quickly and quietly!)

Last year to reward my students for good behavior, I used a ticket system. I loved and hated it. I loved that my students would follow the rules to hopefully earn a “blue” ticket, but I never knew if they were doing it for the ticket, or because it was the right thing to do. I would say in the beginning it was to earn the ticket, but when the tickets came out less frequently during the middle and end of the year, I knew my students were no longer doing it because of the “ticket.”

I have seen the ticket system work in two different ways. You can decide what would work best for you and your students!

For both options you will need to create a chart of possible choices that your students can choose. Rewards I used were, Froggy, Ringo and Bob (these were are classroom stuffed animals), teachers chair, master of the beanbag, line leader, class DJ, free centers and happy phone call.

Option one-

1. Label a jar “tickets”

2. Place in a spot that is easily accessible

3. Make sure when a student receives a ticket they write their name on the back and turn it into the jar (at an appropriate time).

4. On Friday, pull out 5 names.

5. These friends would get to choose one choice from the list.

*Teaches probability, the more tickets you have in the jar, the more likely you will get picked!

Option tw0-

1. One small container for every child

2. When a child receives a ticket, they place their name on the back and place it in their container.

3. Students when they receive enough tickets, may make purchases in the beginning of the day for one of the choices off the list. (You will need to assign different values for the options.)

*Teaches the value of saving and purchasing!

However, I do believe in having consequences for students who choose to make poor choices in my classroom. I’m very clear all year long that we have two choices, to make a good choice or a poor choice. If you choose to make a poor choice, there will be a consequence. I enjoy the card system!

Card System

Each child has four different colors (I use grey/purple, green, yellow, red). Each color means something different. When a student pulls their first card, it means I made a poor choice and I need to change my behavior. If they pull to the yellow card, it means I lose my recess and I will get a note sent home. If I pull to the red card, it means I need to stop what I am doing and think, and a phone call home (either during school or right after school). I usually gave a nonverbal warning, verbal warning, then I will have a student pull a card, then repeat. Some offenses call for an immediate pulling of a card or two cards, I won’t explain the reasons but I am sure you can use your imaginations.

I know the push in education has been to give students constant positive praise, however, how many bosses do you know give positive praise to their employees for showing up to work or handing in their work on time? If you know one, let me know! I have yet to meet a boss that gives constant positive praise to their employees. As educators it is our job, to not only educate our students, but also to prepare them for the real world. What happens if you get caught speeding? If you are lucky you might get off with a warning, but most of us will get a speeding ticket to discourage us from speeding again. A speeding ticket is a form of a negative consequence. We need to show our kiddos that there are both positive and negative consequences!

Discovering Primary and Secondary Colors!

2010-08-12T13:09:00.005-06:00

These lessons can be given through out the year! It is actually best to separate these lessons so that they have multiple opportunities to absorb this information.

Grades: K-2

Length: 4 days (Does not need to occur back to back)

Lesson 1 Discover the Secondary Colors

Materials

Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Model Magic (Red, Yellow and Blue)

Color Wheel

Before lesson begins

Give a piece of red, yellow, and blue model magic to each child. Have students make 3 red balls, 3 yellow balls and 3 blue balls. Students should not mix the colors!!!

Directions:

Remind students to keep their hands locked while you read and that they should only touch the model magic, only when you have told them to do so.

Have them point to the colors as you read them “one red, one yellow, and one blue.” Stop and tell them that these are the primary colors. (Make a list of primary colors on the board).

What are the primary colors?

After you read, “the red mouse stepped into a yellow puddle, ” direct students to mix one red ball with one yellow ball. Tell them to mix them until a new color comes to be. What color do you see? ___________ (Orange). Write the word Secondary Colors on the board. Underneath write red + yellow = orange.

Have students lock up their hands and continue reading. After reading, “the yellow mouse hopped into a blue puddle,” direct students to pick up one yellow ball and one blue ball and mix together until they see a new color. What color do you see? ________ (green). Write on the board yellow + blue= green.

Have students lock up their hands and continue reading. After reading, “then the blue mouse jumped into a red puddle,” direct students to pick up one blue ball and one red ball and mix together until they see a new color. What color do you see? _________ (purple). Write on the board, red + blue= purple.

Finish reading!

Review

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue.

Secondary colors are colors that are made when two primary colors mix together. Review the mixes.

What happens when you mix red and yellow? Yellow and Blue? Red and Blue?

The secondary colors are orange, green and purple.

Introduce students to the color wheel and show where the colors are and how the when two primary colors mix, it makes the color that goes in between.

Lesson 2 Making the Color Wheel

Materials:

Color wheel

Blank Color Wheels (white construction paper works best)

Water Colors

Paper Towels

Directions:

1) Review Primary and Secondary colors.

2) Tell students today we are going to be making our own color wheel using only the primary colors!

3) The following directions should be done in the format I do it, You do it.

- paint one part red. Rinse and dry brush.

- skip one part, paint yellow. Rinse and dry brush.

- skip one part, paint blue. Rinse and dry brush.

- What happens when I mix red and yellow together? Put a lot of yellow watercolor in the empty spot between the red and yellow. Rinse and then put red in the same spot, mix together until you make orange.

- What happens when you mix yellow and blue? Put a lot of yellow watercolor in the empty spot between the yellow and blue. Rinse and put blue in the same spot, mix together until you make green.

- What happens when you mix blue and red? Put a lot of blue watercolor in the empty spot between the red and blue. Rinse and put red in the same spot, mix together until you make purple.

4) Let air dry. After they are dry have students on the bottom make a label. Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. Secondary colors are orange, green and purple.

Lesson 3 Making the Color Purple!

*** I like to use this lesson when we are talking about text-self connections when we have had previous experience with Lilly.

Materials:

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

A Collection of Purple Objects (preferably different shades)

Large Poster board (4-5 kids will share)

Red and Blue Paint

Paint Brushes

Directions:

Read Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse.
After reading, have students look at the different objects of all different shades of purple.
Ask, how do you make purple?
Today you are going to work as a team to discover ways to make purple and different shades of purple. But first, what two primary colors make purple? The best way to make different shades of purple is to make dots. (You can make a connection if you have made the dot art, found in the lesson titled “Everyone is an Artist”)
Tell them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on the paper.
Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, How do you make a lighter purple? Darker purple? Guide them to the conclusion the lighter the purple the more red they need, the darker the purple the more blue they need to use.

Lesson 4 Making the Color Orange (I would suggest using this lesson around Halloween)

Materials:

A book about pumpkins (can be nonfiction or fiction)

Red and yellow paint

Paint brushes

18x24 white construction paper (1 piece per 2 students)

Directions:

Read and discuss pumpkins.
Ask, How do you make orange?
Today you are going to make orange and different shades of orange using the primary colors red and yellow. You are going to be working with a partner to make a pumpkin that are different shades.
Remind them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on the paper.
Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, how do you make a lighter orange? Darker orange?
Guide them to the conclusion, for lighter orange they need more yellow for darker orange they need more red.

Lesson 5 Making the Color Green (I would suggest using this lesson near Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day)

Materials:

Read a book about trees or St. Patrick’s Day

Yellow and Blue Paint

Paint Brushes

9X12 white construction paper

Directions:

Read aloud the book of your choice.
Ask, how do you make green?
Today you are going to make green and different shades of green using the primary colors, yellow and blue.
Remind them not to mix in the cup of paint, but only on their paper.
Have them begin to paint. As they paint walk around the room and ask the question, how do you make a lighter green? Darker green?
Guide them to the conclusion, for lighter green they need more yellow for a darker green they need more blue.

The World of Charlie and Lola

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The brilliant Lauren Child has a gift of bringing characters alive that easy to relate too. The problems she uses in her books are every day problems that all kids at one point or another go through or can relate to. Her books allow for students to make text-self connections with ease. Her straightforward writing also allows students to practice identifying problem and solution in stories. Her style of writing and the font she chooses and the emphasis she places on letters or different words, help teach students how to read with more inflection. When used correctly it can build their fluency skills.

The following is a list of my favorite Charlie and Lola books:

(All books are best read with using your best English accent!)

My Wobbly Tooth Must Not Ever Never Fall Out

Boo! Made You Jump! (Halloween)

Help! I Really Mean It!

I’ve Won, No I’ve Won, No I’ve Won

I’m Really Ever So Not Well

This is Actually My Party

I Can Do Anything That’s Everything All on My Own

Whoops! But It Wasn’t Me

You Can Be My Friend

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

But I Am an Alligator

I Want to be Much More Bigger Like You

I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed

There are so many more to choose from it is hard not to get carried away! If you have little ones at home there are board books too!

The Importance of Writing - Part 1

2010-08-11T14:22:00.002-06:00

With all of the focus now being shifted to our student’s ability to read on grade level by third grade, what happened to the art of writing? From year to year, I have seen in many schools how writing is becoming less of a main subject and one that doesn’t carry much wait anymore. Reading and writing go hand in hand. Writing helps build phonemic awareness, practice known phonic skills, encourages students to find new vocabulary to express themselves, teaches about organization of both fiction and nonfiction (depending on the what the focus is) and can help build fluency as they are required to reread their work each day to continue the text they are writing. Do these areas seem familiar? Well they should, I have touched on the five pillars of reading and how writing can help our students become better readers. Good readers are not always good writers, but if you have a good writer usually they are also avid readers.

What should my first writing project be about?

What do your students know most about? They know most about themselves. The first writing project should be about them.

In first grade, we made an “All About Me Book.” Where I gave them most of the words and they were responsible for filling in the blanks and illustrating the pages. Topics that I included were, This is me!, This is my family.(encourage to label their picture with names), Here are my friends. (encourage labeling the picture with their friends names), and I love to _____. This simple four page book was a way for all students to fill like a writer regardless of their abilities.

In second grade, I made it a little more challenging and expected them to write a “memoir.” This began our memoir unit. Can you tell you students go write a memoir and get back to me? No, of course not. You need to prepare them for their own writing by sharing memoirs that other people have written and get ready to share a story from your past as well.

Setting the stage for a great first book of the year!

Over several days read the following books and talk about, What is a memoir? *A memoir is a memory. Something we remember that has already happened to the writer.

Step #1

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (this book discusses what a memory is from the perspective of wise adults, it starts a good discussion)

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant

Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis

Step #2

First Stage of Writing – Getting Ideas

Have them make a list of all the memories they have:

Losing my first tooth

First day of Kindergarten

Family Vacation to…

My new baby sister/brother

My trip to the emergency room, etc.

Once they have their list of ideas, they need to pick out their favorite story and the one that they remember the most about.

Step #3

Show them how to web about their main idea! (Share with them a story from your childhood)

What people/animals are in the story?

Where did the story take place?

What happened in the beginning/middle/end?

Was there a problem?

How was it solved?

Step #4

After my web, now what!

Show students how to use your web to make it into a story. In our web, we can’t write everything down that is important to our story. So we have to use the web to help us remind ourselves about what they story is going to be about, but it is up to us as writers to fill in the holes. As you write your story from your web, model how to skip every other line (this will help when you get to the revising stage of writing.) Remind them to stick to one main idea!

Step #5

I’m done writing my memoir!

Well, all good writers go back and reread their work to make sure it makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense, it gives us a chance to add more details or to get rid of parts that don’t really stick to our original story.

Step #6

After we read our own story it is always good to give it to a buddy to read to make sure they understand it. The buddy’s job is to read and give two suggestions on what would make the story better.

Step #7

Now they have read it themselves, a buddy has read it. Now it is time for students to edit their own work (circle words they don’t think are spelled right, make sure their our capital letters and ending marks).

Step #8

After they edit themselves, now they can meet with you, the teacher. In your conference with the student you will give suggestions to them about their writing (it is up to them to take it) and to help them with the words they think they have misspelled. Depending on the child, you may want to help with capital letters and ending marks. (Considering this is their first story I try not to be too picky, because writing for most kids takes a lot of courage.)

Step #9

It is time for the final draft!

Each student will use their first draft with all corrections and additions to their story and make a final draft. Before releasing them, remind them it should be in their best handwriting and that neatness counts. They should use all corrections and implement it into their final draft. I also give them special writing paper, with lines and a space to illustrate. After they are done with writing their final draft, it is time for them to illustrate their memoirs. I remind students that they need to read each page and create an illustration that matches the words.

Step #10

Writing is down, illustrations are complete. It’s time for the cover page!

I like to have students create a self-portrait using construction paper and tear art (no scissors necessary).

Have students put their memoir together and give students an opportunity to share their memoirs with each other (rereading is a great way to build fluency!).

The First Reading Lessons!

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Reading! Reading! Reading!

I like to use the phrase “good readers” in my classroom. It is important to explain to kids what good readers do. If they don’t know what they do how will they become “good readers.” Many students who come into first grade our emergent readers, they are beginning to read simple words. They usually have some sight word knowledge, however, part of every students success in reading is developing their confidence! Everybody is a reader in my classroom, whether they are reading chapter books or reading wordless books and creating their own story. It is our job as educators to assure students that they are readers!

One of the first lessons, I like to give at the beginning of the year is “What do good readers do?” Before allowing them to answer this question, I like to read the story Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name by Suzanne Williams. I ask them to pay close attention to what I do while I read to help them answer the question at the end of the story. On chart paper I write, what do good readers do? Then I ask students to help me create a list of what good readers do?

What do good readers do?

They sound out words

They use the pictures

They change their voice

They don’t read too fast

They read the words

They THINK

The second lesson, I like to do is: where do good readers read? I like to ask this question because of a couple of different reasons: 1) I want them to realize reading is important in their lives, not just at school and 2) Reading can happen anywhere! Any book would work for this lesson. I enjoy reading A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood. Like the previous lesson, have chart paper and write the question where do good readers read?

Where do good readers read?

At home

In bed

At school

In a restaurant

In the bathroom (yes, a student actually said this!)

In the den

In the car

Under a tree

At the cabin

*The places are endless, have each child come up with one place.

The third lesson is How to Choose a Just Right Book! As you can imagine, this task is harder than it seems, considering the reading gap in each classroom is larger than it has ever been before. So this lesson should be done more than once throughout the school year. I like to pick out one of my big books to read so everyone can see the text. I also like to bring in a medical text book with small print and large words that even I can’t sound out (the students love to see there teacher struggle).

How to Choose a Just Right Book

1) I can read most of the words. (Five finger rule)

2) The words are not too small, too big, but just right.

3) The pictures help me read the words I don’t know.

I know there are probably more rule, but these are the ones I can remember and reinforce with my students.

Help! I Can’t Remember

2010-08-11T14:12:00.001-06:00

What Each Parent Told Me at Back to School Night!

I hope this will ease your mind. The first homework assignment I give at the beginning of the school year is meant for the parents. I want to get to know each individual child, but back to school night always ends up being one great blur! I give my parents an opportunity to share everything they want at the beginning of the school year. I give them a sheet of paper that asks them to share everything about their child “in a million words or less.” Tell me about who they are, what they like to do, what games or activities they participate in, anything medical I should know about, etc. Parents have the greatest insight to their child, giving them this opportunity allows you to get ahead of the game in getting to know each child on an individual basis.

Setting Up Rules That You and Your Students Can Live With!

2010-08-11T14:11:00.003-06:00

Think simple, easy to remember, and what is most important. If you can’t remember the rules, then you definitely can’t expect your students to!

Here are some examples of classroom rules

Be Ready

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Be Kind

Take Care of Yourself

Whatever you decide on or your school decides on make sure you model all desired behaviors and explain rules. If you spend the first six weeks focusing on the rules and having clear rewards and consequences, your year will ultimately go smoother. Once students know what your expectations are of them, the less time you will have to spend during the year correcting behavior.

Establishing Procedures!

2010-08-11T14:10:00.003-06:00

Set up expectations from the beginning of the year and the best way to do that is to create procedures in your classroom. Model, Role Play, Model, Role Play, this is crucial! Model what is looks like? Doesn’t look like? Sounds like? Doesn’t sound like?

Procedures to think about!

Entering the classroom

Bathroom (How to ask as well as in the bathroom)

Pencil Sharpening (When?)

Hall Way

Quiet Signals (Attention Getters)

What do I do when I am finished?

***I am going to share a couple of my favorites with you!

Bathroom

To ask to go to the bathroom, I use the letter “T” in sign language.

I have bathroom passes, but they do not leave the room. If they get permission to go to the bathroom, they take the bathroom pass and leave it at their seat.

Going to the Bathroom

Go, Flush, Wash, Leave - These are the steps that I teach my students. Also known as taking care of business : )

Are you too hard on yourself?

2010-08-11T14:09:00.003-06:00

Does this remind of you of yourself?

As teachers we put pressure on ourselves to have everything perfectly arranged in our classroom, we lesson plan to the infinite detail, we prepare tell we are blue in the face, we then deliver all lessons plans with thoughtful consideration to all of our students different learning styles and needs. But regardless of how prepared we are, there are days and maybe weeks that we feel everything we prepared and have done has had little or no effect on the success of our students! As a professional, I think one of the qualifying statements before we are accepted into an educational program should be are you critical of yourself? If yes, please apply. If not, don’t bother. From the very first day of student teaching, we are asked to be reflective practitioners, which included identifying what went well and what didn’t go so well through out our day. I don’t know about you, but during student teaching I found more things I needed to improve on then anything else. Although we will always remain critical of ourselves because it is in our nature please remember to celebrate all success. Some days are better than others. Your first great day might not happen until October. The hope is there! Pick one thing each day to tell you if you have had a successful day. Maybe your goal is to have students walk in a straight line or wash their hands after the restroom, whatever you choose remember there is always tomorrow!

HANG IN THERE!!!

Skippy jon Jones, Ay, Caramba!!!

2010-08-10T13:39:00.002-06:00

Have you every met a Siamese Cat who thought he was a Chihuahua? Well, now you have with the help of Judy Schachner? The following lesson plans are more text-text connection ideas.

Skippy jon Jones; Ay Caramba!

Grades: 1-3

Length: 5 days

Objective: 1) To make text-text connections.

Lesson 1: Skippy jon

Materials:

Skippy jon Jones by Judy Schachner

Directions:

1) Read Skippy jon Jones in your very best Spanish accent! Students can practice making text to self connections if they want. However, it might be best just to allow the flow of the story to happen.

2) Complete a story map, including characters, setting (you might want to explain how the story is in Skippy jon Jones imagination and doesn’t really happen when he enters into the closet), beginning, middle, end, as well as, identify the problem and solution.

3) Completing the story map will help students remember the story better for tomorrow so they can make text to text connections.

Lesson 2 – In the Dog House

Materials:

Skippy jon Jones in the Dog House by Judy Schachner

Chart paper with text-text connections written at the top

Large Post-It Notes

Directions:

1) Today we are going to be reading another story by Judy Schachner called Skippy jon Jones in the Dog House. Have students use their schema, or what they already know to help predict what characters they might see, what might happen, etc.

2) While we read today I am going to be making some text to text connections. That means when I read the story today it might remind me of another story or text we have read before.

3) Read Skippy jon Jones in the Dog House. While reading pause and share 2-4 connections that you can make to other texts (the text doesn’t have to be Skippy jon Jones).

4) After reading, write one of the connections you made onto a sticky note by either drawing or writing your connection or both.

Lesson 3 - Mummy Trouble

Materials:

Skippy jon Jones in Mummy Trouble by Judy Schachner (I recommend having this book on c.d.)

Chart Paper

Large Post-It Notes

Directions:

1) Review text- text connections. Have students think about the other Skippy jon Jones books we have read this week.

2) Today you are going to be in charge of making text-text connections, while we read and after we read.

3) While you read aloud, give plenty of opportunities for students to turn to their buddy or share with the whole group.

4) After reading, give each student a sticky note and have them draw or write their connection. You might want to write the words you want them to use on the board. The part when _________________ happened, reminded of when ______________ happened in the book _______________.

5) After all connections are completed. Go through each one and either you share it or have the student share theirs (I like to have the student share their connection.)

Lesson 4 –the Big Bones

Materials:

Skippy jon Jones and the Big Bones by Judy Schachner

Chart Paper

Large Post-It Notes

Directions:

1) Access students schema of Skippy jon Jones and have them share a little about what they already know.

2) Tell students that we are going to continue to make text-text connections while we read.

3) Have students share their text-text connections either with a buddy or with the whole group as you read.

4) After the read aloud, have students write their connection on a sticky note and place it on the chart.

5) When everyone is finished, have each student read their connection and share it with the class.

Lesson 5 – Lost in Spice

Materials:

Skippy jon Jones Lost in Spice by Judy Schachner

Chart Paper

Large Post-It Note

Directions:

Follow Lesson 4.

Do you like Judy Schachner and Skippy jon Jones, here are some other great reads by Judy Schachner:

The Great Bean Caper, Costume Crazee, A Surprise for Mama, and other reads are for your little ones at home.

Also available is Skippy jon Jones as a hand puppet!

Text to Text Connections!

2010-08-10T13:30:00.001-06:00

After teaching, text-self connections, it would be a great idea to introduce the concept of text-text connections. The following lessons are using the famous, "odd bird" Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester.

Tacky the Penguin and Text to Text Connections

Grades: 1-3

Length: 4 days

Objective: 1) To make connections between two texts.

Lesson 1

Materials:

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester (Great to have on CD as well!)

Directions:

Read Tacky the Penguin. After reading you can fill out a story map or you can discuss the details of the story orally. This will help your students to remember some of the details and hopefully tomorrow when you read Three Cheers for Tacky they will be able to make connections between the two texts.

Lesson 2

Materials:

Three Cheers for Tacky by Helen Lester

Directions:

1) 1) Remind students about the story Tacky the Penguin. Review some of the details that they remember about the book. Today we are going to learn how to do text-text connections. Text to text connections are like text to self connections, but instead of connecting the story to yourself, you are going connect the text you are reading with another book you have read before.

2) 2) Read Three Cheers for Tacky.

3) 3) As you read, do a think aloud. Tell students what you are thinking and model what good readers can do. When making a text to text connection. “This part reminds of when … happened in ___________ book.” Continue to use these words throughout your read aloud.

4) 4) After reading, show students how you can write or draw your text to text connection onto a large sticky note.

Lesson 3

Materials:

Tacky in Trouble by Helen Lester

Directions:

1) 1) Remind students about the story Tacky the Penguin and Three Cheers for Tacky. Review some details that they had in common with each other (text to text connections).

2) 2) Say, “Good readers can make text to text connections when they are reading.”

3) 3) Read Tacky in Trouble. During the story have students share their text to text connections and help them with the wording, “this part reminds of when ________ happened in __________ book.”

4) 4) After reading, have students turn to a buddy and have them share one connection they are having.

Lesson 4

Materials:

Tacky the Penguin and the Olympic Games by Helen Lester

Chart paper with Text to Text Connection written as the header

Large Post-It Notes

Directions:

1) 1) Review all books written by Helen Lester that has Tacky the Penguin as the main character.

2) 2) Remind students that their job as you read today is to make text to text connections.

3) 3) During the read aloud, give students plenty of time to share with a buddy or with the whole class.

4) 4) After reading, give each student a sticky note and have them write or draw one text to text connection they had.

Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum

2010-08-10T13:22:00.001-06:00

Chrysanthemum Galore!

*The beloved favorite written by Kevin Henkes. The following are different ideas of how you can utilize Chrysanthemum in your classroom. It might be a good idea to get the Big Book edition, follow the link!

The Importance of Names

Read Chrysanthemum and discuss how Chrysanthemum feels about her name. How does she feel about it in the beginning? In the middle? Why did she change the way she feels about her name? In the end? What made her change the way she feels about her name?

Discuss how names are important! That everyone has a right to be called by their name and that being kind to one another is using each other’s name and not making fun of each other.

Being a Friend

Discuss how Chrysanthemum classmates were not being good friends. Discuss what makes a good friend, make a list. Was Victoria being a bully?

Weather and Chrysanthemum’s Mood

Kevin Henkes uses the weather to show how Chrysanthemum’s mood changes during the book. When she is happy, it is sunny. When she is sad, it is raining or storming outside. The weather in the story helps make inferences about how Chrysanthemum is feeling about what is happening at school.

After reading have students think about their mood and have them create a water color painting that matches their mood.

Act it out!

In Chrysanthemum there are many instances where you can have your children act out different parts. How did she feel going to school the first time. Sometimes I like it when my students use their faces to match the mood of Chrysanthemum and track it how it changes going back and forth between home and school.

My favorite words for my students to act our are: miserably, wilted, absolutely dreadful, she blushed, she beamed, she bloomed.

If you would like more ideas buy Teaching with Favorite Kevin Henkes Books