A Teacher's Tale

Steps Towards Organizing our Classroom Library

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:04:00 +0000

After reading "I know that book's here somewhere!" How to Organize Your Classroom Library by Hollie Brooke I have taken a few more steps towards organizing all the books in my fifth grade classroom.

At this point I already have bins of books organized by genre however, Hollie suggests and I agree, that creating a database of all the books in a classroom will prove to be an incredibly useful tool for students when selecting books.

So, the students and I are typing in the title, author and genre of each book in a Google Spreadsheet. I will print off 2 or 3 copies of this list and have it in the classroom for a reference for students to use.

Because it's Google, I will also be able to share this database in a variety of digital formats. Once it's complete I will post a link on our classroom wiki and even be able to send the link to parents and students in an email.

I do have high hopes of creating hyperlinks of each book where kids can click the book title and quickly get a glimpse of what the cover looks like, read a summary of the book and even possible read reviews.

Another advantage is the ability to sort any of the columns alphabetically. This will allow me to get a sense of the different genres and authors I already have and identify any gaps in our classroom library.

For instance, when I sort the genre column alphabetically I can quickly see that I have over 100 biographies but hardly any autobiographies. So, now I have identified a gap and can begin fillin' it.

The kids are actually pretty excited about helping create this database and are especially interested to see the number of books continue to grow. We are currently at 350ish and only about half way through.

Goodreads

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:38:00 +0000

I am enjoying using the website Goodreads to keep track of all the books that I have been reading. It's also been a great way to get book recommendations and to see what others have been reading.

Like most websites these days, there is a social component where you can "make friends" or share what you're reading on your facebook page.

There is also a "Group" section that I have yet to really delve into but when time permits, perhaps over the summer I will see what that's all about.

Another neat feature that I have started using is the ability to create book shelves. So for instance, I have my fifth grade reading books separated from my own adult interest books.

The final point that I will mention is that Goodreads has developed a "goal setting" feature. So, my goal, which is separate from the reading goal I made with my students in September, is to read 50 books this year.

What are you reading these days?

I Let Go For But A Moment...

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 02:45:00 +0000

I've been thinking for a few days now about how to craft this story that I am about to tell. The more I talk with other teachers about these lessons the more I am realizing how really very powerful this learning experience has been for the kids... and myself.

I would start by not claiming any mastery in all of this. To be brutally honest, I had not planned on teaching the lesson this way until literally 10 seconds before I started. The idea struck me and so I dove in and gave it a whirl.

Here it is in a nutshell:
"Either on your own or with a partner, read pages 186-191 in your Social Studies text book about the Plymouth settlement. You will stand in front of the class and teach the rest of us about Plymouth once you are done. Are there any questions?"

No questions.

The kids hemmed and hawed for a bit on who their partners would be, some wanted to work alone, others wanted groups of 3 or 4. I allowed all requests.

The kids dove in with enthusiasm and started digging through the text. As they were reading they were deciding what to write down, who would say what and then they began asking me a few questions.

Mr. Howell can we create a play and perform the Plymouth story?
Mr. Howell, can I use the Smartboard and take screenshots of Google Maps to show the Mayflower route?
Mr. Howell can I watch a few videos on History.com to add to our notes from the text book?
Mr. Howell can I create a quiz to give to the class after my presentation?
Mr. Howell can I download images and insert them into our presentation?

The questions don't end there but you get the idea. Almost instantaneously this lesson took on a life of its own. The kids claimed the learning and were deeply engaged and invested in this process like I hadn't really experienced before.

Why?

Here are a few of my thoughts on this:

They knew they were going to be in front of their peers
They had a choice on how to deliver the Plymouth story
It was social.
It was different.

I suppose it's hard to put my finger on any one reason as to why they were so engaged however, they were and I loved being a part of it.

The paradigm shift:
This style of teaching/learning forced me into a different role however. I was no longer the "sage on stage" delivering an energized, humorous and thoughtful presentation. I was now the "guide on the side" going from one group to another asking probing questions.

With one group I would review the work they had already done, clear up any misconceptions, ask a few probing questions and then move on. I would help another group figure out how to insert images into Microsoft Word that they were going to use. Another group needed help determining the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Another group needed help figuring out the username and password for Britannica Online so they could find out more information.

I was busy - real busy just in a very different way.

Here's the other dilemma I was faced to deal with. The noise.

This type of learning is messy. Kids are moving about, talking with each other, debating on what to say and what not to say. An onlooker not involved in this process may have thought, "What on Earth is going on in there with all that noise?" But upon taking a closer look would have seen that every single student was deeply involved in the learning process.

So in the end I realized this:
I let go for but a moment. I let go of the control and gave it to the kids and they handled it very well. For over an hour, at the end of the day mind you, these kids were grinding through a rigorous piece of text right up until the very last second of the day and beyond...and enjoying it.

They owned that learning experience and most definitely took what would have been an otherwise dry and dull activity and turned it into something much much more ~ a personalized learning adventure.

A Visit to the Book Store

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 14:25:00 +0000

I absolutely love going to book stores. My kids and I walked in yesterday to Barnes and Nobles and were greeted by a gentlemen playing live Holiday music on his piano. The fresh smell of coffee and the hustle and bustle of the last minute shoppers added to the moment.

We quickly found our way to the back of the store where my son found the 8th book of Lunch Lady by Jarrett Krosoczka. He pulled up some carpet and dove in. Amelia and I grabbed a few picture books and found our way over to the Winnie the Pooh reading nook.

Our first book was Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus. Although I have not seen it, there is a movie about this book as well.

We also read Charlie Brown's Christmas where he chooses the "best" Christmas tree on the lot and learns the meaning of Christmas.

Then we read Santa Trap. This was my personal favorite out of the bunch.

No Christmas could go without reading about Bad Kitty.

Amelia then grabbed another favorite of mine that is good to read anytime of year; The Kissing Hand

What are you reading these days?

Rise and Shine

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 13:44:00 +0000

It's bananas, just bananas! The amount of information to sift through, select, process, connect and ponder is simply crazy. Let me give you an explicit example of what I am talking about.

This morning, I stumbled out of bed around 6:00, brewed a cup of Columbia Caribou Coffee through the Keurig and within minutes took a seat in front of the screen.

I had a quick conversation on Facebook with a family member and then found a Wall Post from Angela Maiers that said:

Interested in what Sir Ken has to say I quickly opened my twitter account and found @NcreatvieyN. A quick glance down the feed showed me this:

"This Revolution is Not Being Televised looks interesting," I thought. I clicked the link and began reading.

"Who is the author of this post I wonder?" I thought to myself. "Hmm, never heard of Sam Chaltain before. I'll keep reading to see what Sam is trying to say here."

"Oh, he's a published author. Careful, read critically," I thought to myself. So as I continued I quickly found a sentence that spoke to me and used my handy dandy Diigo highlighter. This was making real sense to me. The ideas in his post had me considering my own teaching habits and my own parenting habits.

"Here's a link. I'll right click and "open in new tab" to read once I get through this article."

"Wow, there's a lot of links. I'll just right click and "open in new tab" and once I am through reading this article I go back through them." I said out loud while sitting in the kitchen with the dog on Sunday morning at 6:10am.

It's at this point that I realized I had about a dozen tabs open, I was bookmarking possible books to read, skimming over the links that Sam has embedded in his article, and reaching the bottom of my coffee cup.

Bananas!

So now the dog is ready to go outside, my head is about to explode and the second cup of coffee is being brewed.

I grabbed my journal, actual pencil and paper, and jotted a few notes down and then opened my blogger account. It was time to write.

Actually, no it wasn't. The dog, after being let in, had to see the children. Rylee ran down the hall, chew toy in mouth, jumped into the children's bed and began the early morning ritual of obnoxious out of body tail waving and slobbering.

"Ok, brain. Put all this on hold and focus on the kids."

Hugs and kisses ensued as we discussed last nights dreams and possible breakfast choices. Gavin asked about the time change, "We can't move the moon so we move the clock?" He asked.

"That's one way to think of it." I said while chucklin' a bit under my breath.

Chocolate chip pancakes were eaten, we talked with mommy on the phone, I made a few phone calls about our landscaping business and was able to sit back down to the computer and reconnect my head to this mornings barrage of thoughts.

Bananas!

"Ok, where was I?"

"Oh yes, a dozen tabs open and a thought about what to write. Where shall I begin? How about starting like this:"

It's bananas, just bananas! The amount of information to sift through, select, process, connect and ponder is simply crazy. Let me give you an explicit example of what I am talking about.

"Yeah, that sounds about right..."

A Generational Ying and Yang

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:52:00 +0000

I have started reading Nikhil Goyal's new book One Size Does Not Fit All and I'm hooked as of page one. Here's a snippet from the Foreword written by Don Tapscott that actually got me to stand up and throw my arms in the air as if I were in church.

They (kids) were collaborating. They were working at their own pace. They barely noticed the technology; it was like air to them. But it changed the relationship they had with their teacher. Instead of fidgeting in their chairs while the teacher lectures and scrawls some notes on the blackboard, they were the explorers, the discoverers, and the teacher was their helpful guide.

At this point, I am reminded of my last post where I highlighted NCTE's definition of what it means to be literate. Yes, part of the definition says "develop proficiency with the tools of technology." However, with a level of proficiency also comes a level of fluency that will ultimately help facilitate a learning experience far beyond that which educators were able to do in the past.

So it's not so much about the tools but more about the learning experience.

But the way I see it is there are two sides to this coin; the teacher's proficiency and the students'. Our students have been "bathed in bits" since birth and we however remember a time before the Internet.

Perhaps we as teachers are the bottle neck in this equation.

However, I think there can be a symbiotic relationship here between teacher and student. I suppose it's like a generational Ying and Yang.

I think our generation of teachers can balance a student's impulsiveness with steadiness. I think we can balance their quick fix mindedness with perseverance. I think educators have an opportunity to model the Habits of Mind that are necessary for a 21st Century Thinker, as our students continue to model a sense of fearlessness.

We are not opposing forces but can work together interdependently in a way that will benefit everyone.

Keep on keepin' on!

Are You a Literate Educator?

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:03:00 +0000

Will Richardson has put together an interesting set of questions for us as educators to ask ourselves. Here's one:

"How are we to make our students literate if we ourselves are not?"

According to National Council of Teachers of English a literate person should have these six components

Develop proficiency with the tools of technology
Build relationships with others to pose and solve problems collaboratively and cross culturally
Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes
Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information
Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts
Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments

So, I suppose the million dollar question is, "our you as an educator meeting the standards to be a literate person?"

If yes, awesome! How are you helping those who are not?

If not, what are you going to do?

I suppose your options are as follows:

Wait for your district to provide you training and support
Go seek out your own training and support
Do nothing

What will you do?

40 Book Club

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:55:00 +0000

I have challenged my fifth grade students to read 40 books this year. It's a lofty goal but one well worth striving for. I too will participate in this challenge.

Here are the books I've read so far:

The Leader in Me by Stephen R. Covey
The Magician's Nephew C.S. Lewis
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Night by Elie Wiesel
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Rules by Cynthia Lord
Helen Keller: The Story of My Life

Berlin Street Brawlin'

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:28:00 +0000

I suppose every kid needs to be good at something and I eventually became good at boxing.

I was 10 in the early 80’s and I was the only white kid that lived on my street. There was a collage of color and ethnicity in my neighborhood but for those of you that have never experienced being a minority, well…you quickly become a target for some serious hazing.

The 80’s was a time you’d let your kids outside in the morning after breakfast and not see them again until lunch. I loved it. All the kids on the street would ride bikes, jump rope, play tag, have foot races, or we’d just use our imaginations to come up with games.

However, most days ended up with some sort of scuffle. Innocent as it was with no more than bloody noses or the loss of breath from a punch in the stomach, I was usually the receiver of such innocence.

I remember running home time and time again after being “beat up” with my temper flaring, yelling, and screaming about how either Lamont, Kenneth or Jr. hit me.

My parents never made a racial issue out of any my problems on Berlin Street and I am incredibly fortunate they didn’t. I have seen racism up and close for all of its ugliness, but my parents never once mentioned the color of any one's skin.

My dad, who wanted me desperately to fit in and have friends and have fun tried to give me his fatherly advice, but “just ignore them” never really worked. So, one day he came home with a pair of boxing gloves, and I do believe it made all the difference.

You can see the inherent problem: I was the only one with a set of gloves.

The solution: Rock, paper, and scissors for the right handed glove. The loser would get the left.

Each day we’d pick some one’s backyard to have our “boxing match” in.

The rules were simple: You could only punch with the gloved hand and when you gave up…you lost.

I had to fight Lamont first. Lamont was fast. He was a fast talker, runner, bike rider, and…a fast puncher. I had been on the receiving end of Lamont’s speed on more than one occasion, and I was not looking forward to boxing against him. On this particular day I won the right handed glove that he desperately wanted.

In all the boxing matches there was never more than one round. Sometimes it went for 5 or 6 or 7 minutes but it never went past round one.

All the neighborhood kids gathered in Jr.’s fenced in backyard for the daily “fight.” The summer sun forced us to take our shirts off as Lamont and I had our friends tie the gloves on our hands. The shouts from all the neighborhood kids and chaos ensued.

The sweat was running down my brow as I was standing in my corner of the yard anxiously waiting. I had seen enough boxing matches to know that I had to get “loose” so I was bouncing a bit and throwing punches in the air.

Kenneth, the unspoken leader of our pack, made the imaginary bell sound to signal the beginning of the fight. There was an instant flurry of left handed jabs thrown by Lamont. I stopped each one with my face.

The yard was large and allowed me to run from side to side until I could catch my breath and stand toe to toe with the speedy 10 year old. My right hand was the stronger of the two and with a few wild swings that connected I was able to slow his lefts down a bit.

What happened next I didn’t expect.

As I was throwing right hooks and he was jabbing with his left I instantly felt an open handed slap across my face. Lamont was punching me with his gloved left and slapping me using his right hand.

Apparently, my punches were getting Lamont so frustrated that he lost his temper. I had never seen Lamont so enraged. Our friendly boxing match had turned into a full blown brawl. So, in the midst of the chaos I kept my composure and meet his anger with my right and my own left handed slap.

The rules had changed.

He charged and tackled me to the ground when Kenneth then called for a break so we could stand back up and fight.

My face was burning from the constant blows but neither of us called it quits. The fight seemed to go on for days but in reality it only lasted about 5 grueling minutes. Pure exhaustion set in and both of us found a way to give in without ever declaring it quits.

The fight was a draw.

Lamont and I gave each other tired high fives.

The backyard brawls continued for a few weeks after that first fight but we quickly realized that riding bikes or playing kickball was much less painful.

For all the gifts my dad has ever given me those boxing gloves not only empowered me but gave me a way to fit in despite the fact that I was so very different from everyone else on Berlin Street.

I wonder how I am empowering my own children for the challenges that lie ahead of them.

Seedfolks

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:06:00 +0000

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman has been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while in my fifth grade classroom, and it wasn't until this summer that I dusted off the pages. What a great little book with a incredibly promising message of hope and community.

It all started with Kim, a young Vietnamese girl living in a rough neighborhood in Cleveland. In an attempt to honor her deceased father, who was a farmer in Vietnam before moving to America, she planted six Lima beans. The catch however, is that her planting ground was in a vacant lot that was filled with the town's garbage.

Each subsequent chapter is told from a different character's point of view. As the story unfolds you are introduced to about 10 different characters, each with their own set of problems, and each finding their way to this planting ground. The community garden is slowly created and ultimately transforms the lives of these folks.

Ana, who sees Kim digging in the vacant lot, thought she was up to no good. She quickly discovered Kim's secret as she began to clear the soil away and, "she felt like she'd read through her secret diary and had ripped out a page without meaning to." Another character, Wendell, whose life has been filled with despair realizes what he can change..."a patch of ground in this trashy lot."

Each succinct chapter will take the reader on a wonderfully warm and honest journey that is sure to shoot an arrow of empathy through the heart. I cannot wait to share Seedfolks with my students.

Google Searchin'

Here's an interview with the author Paul Fleischman about his ideas that inspired the story.

Others who have written about Seedfolks

DogEar Diary: Seedfolks
The Musings of The Ruler of the World: Seedfolks, an Analyzation
Lets Rock With Aidan's Blog: Seedfolks Essay

An Anchor

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:57:00 +0000

There is no doubt that if you populate your RSS Reader, create a PLN, read, write and reflect on the times in which we live that you will quickly experience the tsunami of possibilities and questions. Where is one's anchor in the midst of exponential change?

Is it in the curriculum?
Is it in the Common Core Standards?
Is it in your teaching rationale?
Is it in effective first instruction?
Is it your passion?

I have discovered a framework for my anchor ~ and it can be summed up in this quote from the book titled The Passion-Driven Classroom:

"Honoring passion is more than simply giving students the technology, tools, and a few books on topics they find interesting. It is a commitment to helping students to discover for themselves-the emotional reasons linked to motivation that drive us to want to study or know something." p.52

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Dear Reader,

I am a husband, dad, teacher, musician, landscaper and learner. This blog has become a space for me to slow down and reflect on what is going on inside my brain. Life seems to be relentlessly flying by and I would love nothing more than to be able to briefly hit the pause button and enjoy the moment. Here lies the very essence of what writing to this web log has done.

A Teacher's Tale has provided me the chance to look closely, think deeply, pause and wonder out loud about my professional and sometimes my personal growth. The views expressed here are my own and by no means do they represent the thinking or philosophy of the school district I work for.

I do not claim to have any answers, actually the more I read and the more I write I find the opposite to be true. So, if you have read this far I thank you for your time and look forward to the conversation.

Respectfully,
John Howell

Future Learning

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 30 May 2012 20:21:00 +0000

Deep Understanding of Non-Fiction Text

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Question: How can I get all of my students to independently read and deeply understand a piece of non-fiction text?

I love teaching Social Studies! It gives me an opportunity to dramatically tell a story, inspire kids, and use all the wonders of the web to showcase a multimedia presentation that would make most fifth graders heads' start to spin. After I have thoroughly fired them up about a particular topic I usually set them loose on a piece of reading and then they finish up by answering a few well thought out questions on a worksheet that I have created.

This gives me the chance to walk around and help students out with the reading. I answer questions and probe for understanding along the way. It seems to work. I get the sense that students are learning...but is it enough? Of course not. There's always more students can do with a particular subject but I am still struck with the never ending question: How can I get all my students to independently read and deeply understand a piece of non-fiction text?

I tried something a bit different today. I assigned a piece of non-fiction text to read and then asked THE STUDENTS to tell the story instead of me.

Here's what happened

First: The students read through the text and summarized each section without my dramatic story before hand.

Then: We went to the computer lab with our text books and notes and began creating a presentation that they will use to tell their dramatic tale.

Here's one example of what one of my students created based on the article above.

Does this student deeply understand what they have read in that first section of the article? You betcha!

Here's another example of student work based on the section titled "The First Try" from the same article above. Again, I can clearly see that based on the images and text on the slide that the student has a deep understanding of what they read.

The beauty of this lesson was that it forced the students to read, reread, understand thoroughly and then decide what type of images they'd use to help them tell the story of Roanoke Island. This was incredibly engaging for all students and much more challenging and complicated than to just listen to Mr. Howell, read the text and then answer questions on a worksheet.

This lesson can be a great jump start into using Creative Commons images, determining validity of sources, and a slew of other possibilities. However, my main objective was to answer the never ending question: How can I get all of my students to read independently and deeply understand a piece of non-fiction text?

Now that the students have had this critical thinking opportunity it will allow me to take this subject matter much deeper. For instance, I can begin to ask students questions like:

Why would another country want to start a colony in the first place?

If you were to start a colony, what sort of people would you want to take along with you?

What challenges would you face when starting a colony?

What effects would this have on the Native Americans already living here?

Imagine your are a Native American. What are your thoughts on these visitors?

What would you have done differently than this first group of English settlers?

What do you think happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island?

Overall, I think this lesson helped me reach my objective and has set the foundation for an even deeper learning experience.

What are some of your strategies you use with non-fiction text?

Authentic Learning

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Where do I begin?

I’ll start with Authentic Learning.

My understanding of this is it’s an opportunity to utilize a variety of skills and talents to create something magnificent. To have a rich experience filled with challenges and obstacles that allows you to use your strengths and possibly develop a certain skill set to solve problems. To be able to design something you are passionate about and then share that with a larger community.

An authentic learning experience brings people together and gives them a chance to synergize and create something more wonderful than they could have done alone. It is collaborative, yet there is an understanding and a call for creative autonomy within an interdependent situation.

Authentic learning experiences requires a plethora of effective personal characteristics that if used well, leave those involved with a sense of great satisfaction and accomplishment and inspires others.

Does such learning even exist? If so, where?

Well my friends, I am here to tell you Authentic Learning does exist and it can happen on a stage.

We have just finished our second annual musical performance, Pirates of the Curry Bean, with about 60 elementary students from K-5. It was a monumental undertaking that brought our entire community together.

I humbly witnessed the depth and breadth of talent that the parents of our school community brought with them to this production in order to give the students this authentic learning experience.

I was so deeply touched and moved while watching our young students day in and day out step up to the challenges that a full production like this offered. Kids are quite amazing and can accomplish so much when appropriately challenged and given the support to succeed.

I am grateful to have been a part of this musical production and to have witnessed this amazing authentic learning experience in action.

From bended knee, I thank thee.

Tour Guides to the World

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 17:47:00 +0000

"Elementary teachers are tour guides to the world..."

New York Educational Commissioner King has a discussion with David Coleman and Kate Gerson on the First Instructional Shift: Balancing Informational Text with Fiction.

SHIFT 1: PK-5: Balancing Information/Literature from EngageNY on Vimeo.

4:22
Kate Gerson asks, "I wonder then what you think the ways in which this shift changes the role of the elementary teacher?"

Commissioner King responds:

The elementary teachers role ~

Demands attention to the coherent teaching of content

Demands a different allocation of time

Demands a different level of preparation

Invites teachers to think about engaging different students with different texts.

Provides an opportunity to add informational text to the teachers tool box.

5:45
Kate Gerson, "...creates a window for an elementary teacher to become the facilitator of the world as students begin to access it...."

Commissioner King later responds with, "...being a tour guide to the world will help students become better readers."

The message that I received from this video, and believe, is that through explicit and effective first instruction with informational texts you begin to expose students to topics they may not have otherwise been connected to. With that, a student may:

become genuinely interested in a particular topic

become incredibly passionate and seek out all they can know about that topic

connect with others who share common interests

share their knowledge, understanding and passion

and ultimately expand their reading ability.

It's a win-win situation!

So here are a few of my To Do Items:

Take an inventory of the non-fiction texts that our fifth grade team has.

Seek out and discover non-fiction texts to add to our classroom library.

Find gaps in my instruction where non-fiction text can be added.

Summarizing Non Fiction Text

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:06:00 +0000

The non fiction article I selected came from National Geographic Explorer magazine. There is also a Teacher's Manual created by National Geographic as reference if needed. The topic and images that go along with the article will engage kids and allow me to make connections to our Science lessons on Invertebrates and Vertebrates as well.

The main objective is to help students summarize and synthesize the information. I am planning on 3-5 guided reading lessons using this article.

Here's the link to my lesson on Google Doc's or take a look below.

Summarizing Non-Fiction Text
Guided Reading Lesson
Grade 5

Objective:
Fifth grade students will learn how to summarize sections of a non-fiction article.

Text Selection:

Got Poison?

National Geographic Explorer

Introducing the Text:
Guided Participation

Demonstrate and communicate needed information which:

Removes some complexities
Allows reader to take on new challenges.

Help students make personal connections to the images in the article Got Poison?

Ask them what they already know about the topic (poisonous animals)

Identify the Bold Titles of each section

Point out that each section will provides information about different animals

Show students how to use the glossary to identify the meaning of the highlighted words.

Reading the Text:
Students will read the first two sections, It’s Night and Poison Power, independently.

Discussing and Revisiting the Text:
Lead a discussion to help students:

Summarize and synthesize information

Communicate their ideas

Make inferences about the text.

Summary
1. Many animals use toxins—poisonous substances in poison and venom—to
survive. In some cases, they use it to kill prey. In others, the poisons help them
defend themselves

2. Animals deliver poisons in several ways: biting with fangs, injecting with
stingers or spikes, spitting, or oozing poison from their skin.

Teaching for Processing Strategies:

Revisit vocabulary and Glossary

toxins and venom

Here is a screen shot of the first page of this article that I will be using.

Resources

Anneberg Foundation ~ Teaching Reading Grades 3-5

30 minute video of a fifth grade teacher in her classroom teaching summarizing.

Read Write Think

Get the Gist ~ this lesson is geared for grades 6-8 but parts could be adapted to grade 5

Reading with a Nook

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:15:00 +0000

I know, I know the eReader debate is a passionate one but check this out!

We have a Nook Color in our house and I am reading the Percy Jackson books to my son Gavin. He seems to be enjoying the adventures and twists and turns that Rick Riordan has written in the first book The Lightning Thief.

Here's the cool twist with using the Nook that I have discovered both as a dad and a teacher.

First:

You can highlight different sections of the text as you read. At first glance this may seem inconsequential but wait...there's more.

I typically read a few chapters ahead of Gavin and highlight:

new characters

interesting or challenging words

important sections of the text.

Then I hand over the Nook and let him read. He can see my highlights and after which we can talk about the book.

Through this process I am modeling my own reading habits. I am thinking out load for my son by the use of these highlights and it signals to him that, "uh oh, daddy highlighted something here, it must be important."

What has quickly happened is that he is now highlighting sections while he reads which again may seem inconsequential but wait...there's more.

Next:

There's a section built into these eReaders that allows you to scroll through all of your highlighted sections which for me, gives me a heads up as to what his thinking is. How cool is that?

Just that feature alone is worth the cost of admission, but it gets even better.

Next:

Not only can you simply highlight sections or words but you can then insert a note. A note. Unbelievable.

With this feature I am then able to jot down:

questions I have

predictions I make

connections

random thoughts that are connected to that particular part of the book.

I am hooked. Seriously hooked.

Also, just like with the highlighted sections you can also scroll through an archived list of your notes as well. Just too cool!

Think of the possibilities.

Over the course of several years we can have a collection of all our highlighted sections and notes off all the books we have read on one of these cool devices. Whew!

Reading Aloud and Taking Notes

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:07:00 +0000

I love experimenting during my read aloud time. It gives me a chance to introduce a variety of genres to kids that they may not have otherwise picked on their own. In most cases, read aloud is one of the favorite times of the day for the students and it is for me too!

Today we started reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. We have a copy of this book on tape and I thought I would play the story and have the kids follow along with their copies of the book in hand.

In the midst of listening to the opening pages I grabbed a pen from the Smartboard tray and began taking notes. I drew boxes and bubbles to highlight the setting, and made lists of characters and added details to each as we discovered them.

Modeling this process and how I organized the main ideas and details of the story will certainly help my students do the same. The notes will provide a visual to help facilitate discussions, ask or answer questions, clarify misunderstanding, and strengthen their own understanding of the story.

One unintended consequence that just occurred to me is now I will have the ability to quickly review these notes each day before reading again.

In Flight

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:35:00 +0000

I think this is a good analogy for the teaching profession these days.

We are passionate educators dealing with a tsunami of changes along the way. It's stressful and requires us to be adaptive and flexible in the midst of our flight. Our common Vision points us in the right direction and together we will accomplish our mission.

Media Literacy

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:11:00 +0000

I am working with our Library Media Specialist on designing a Global Warming Unit for fifth graders.

We signed up for a Digital Media Literacy workshop organized by Chris Sperry from Project Look Sharp who is training us on how to embed Media Literacy skills within the Science Curriculum. One of the goals for this workshop is to create a lesson plan that will be posted online.

Our work can be found at the Library Science and Teacher's Alliance website where we are piecing together our ideas with the help of Chris.

At this point, my understanding of Media Literacy means to use a sense of critical thinking to be able to:

analyze and interrupt the bias of a particular piece of media

determine the credibility of a particular piece of media

gain an understanding of multiple perspectives on a single topic.

This type of thinking will have to be taught to my students. It's not easy and to be honest I am learning how to do these very important skills myself.

What does Media Literacy mean to you?

What are some examples of how you decode and analyze the media sources in your life?

Engaging in critical thinking when evaluating media messages

 Being able to evaluate the credibility of information from different sources

 Recognizing media’s influence on beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, and

the democratic process

Time

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 07:13:00 +0000

Time is the never ending challenge for all teachers. My last contribution to this blog was before the 2011-12 School Year actually began some 5 months ago. I had a chunk of time in the car heading home and thought I would record my thoughts at the moment.

Besides that reflective moment I haven't contributed to the blogosphere in a while. I mean I have added to my Diigo Bookmarks and created digital spaces for my students, but as far as personal and professional reflections...just haven't taken the time.

So I ask myself a few questions:

1. Is blogging something I really want to continue doing?
2. What are the opportunity costs involved?
3. What positive or negative unforeseen consequences?
4. What other questions could I be asking myself?

As for me, I am off to making pancakes for the kids and then out to shovel the driveway before this afternoon's basketball game. I shall be pondering throughout the day.

Keep on keepin' on.

Labor Day Ramblin'

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:35:00 +0000

Warning ~ a "talking head" video ahead ~ proceed with caution.

What better to do than talk to yourself during a long drive home.

In this case I happened to grab my handy dandy iPod Touch and document this momentary lapse of reason. Please keep in mind that this is what I look like after a long weekend of hard labor in the landscaping business. I am clearly in need of clean shave.

List of resources I mentioned in the video:

Standards Based/Standards Referenced Report Cards

Stealing Reading Moments ~ idea originated from The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

Moodle

Our Class Wiki

Our Class Blog

Animoto ~ This is fantastic video production software that is entirely web based and free to educators.

Glogster Edu Ambassador ~ Fill in the short application to see if you will qualify for the Premium GlogsterEdu service.

Kevin's Meandering Mind

Grade Book for the Standards Based/Standards Referenced Report Card.

Dodie ~ who writes at Technology Chatter

Planbook

Tempered Radical ~ after reading his post I was able to create my own Google Form to collect data.

Above and Beyond

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:25:00 +0000

Barbara Bray, who recently wrote an article called 4C's Gives Students Wings gave me an idea on an activity to use during the first week of school.

First, we'll watch this short animated video.

Then, in a Socratic Seminar format we will discuss the 4C's

Communication

Collaboration

Critical Thinking

Creativity

There are a few points that I really like about this video. One is the fact that the personalities of the two characters are very different from each other, yet they find a way to work together. There is no doubt that learning can be messy and that we each have our individualized learning style or preferences. However, these two students discovered a "win-win" scenario and ultimately created something better than they would have alone.

Here is a list of a few guiding questions to help facilitate dialogue within the group.

What were the some of the learning differences between the Charlie and Maya?

Which way of thinking is better?

Do you have to follow directions to create something spectacular?

When is it o.k. to not follow directions?

Which type of character are you more like?

What do you think Maya meant when she said, "we've only just begun?"

The final scene shows Charlie and Maya going Above and Beyond and then joined by others with similar inventions. If someone creates a spectacular invention is it o.k. to use their example to create your own similar design?

What other questions could I ask?

Lets Look at Those Process Systems of Reading

noreply@blogger.com (John Howell) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:25:00 +0000

I do believe that teaching literacy well requires a fine mixture of art and science. I have just finished reading The Book Whisperer and the Passion Driven Classroom which certainly gives out heavy doses of the "Art." I have received a bit of the "Science" on the teaching of reading after attending this years Reading Workshop at our District.

Here's a bit of the Science.

Take a moment and consider the strategies proficient readers use in the graphic below. It can be overwhelming at first. As adult reader we use these reading strategies effortlessly and probably without much consideration. For many students however, that is not the case.

I will use this wheel as a way to begin to observe students reading behaviors to determine which strategies they have:

control
partial control
or no control at all

As the year unfolds and I design small reading groups this wheel can help facilitate and guide many of our mini-lessons and guided reading lessons.