tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48923504498741175792024-03-14T00:10:57.141-04:00THE WRITE ONETHE REAL VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY CONSISTS NOT IN SEEKING NEW LANDSCAPES BUT IN HAVING NEW EYES.
---MARCEL PROUSTKathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.comBlogger470125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-56040286940165851412013-05-29T13:44:00.002-04:002013-05-29T13:52:11.124-04:00Writers Notice Things and Write Them Down<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you are preparing to finish your year, one of the things that is probably on your mind is: How can I encourage my students to be lifelong writers now that they are leaving me? I was asked to do lessons with students as they attended their last few days of the school year. I would only have them for 1/2 hour. What could I teach them in that short time to help them be better writers? That was my thinking as I prepared for that day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">My lesson ended up being: Writers notice things and write them down. Here is the lesson I came up with for notebook writing and helping students to be better observers and therefore, better writers. It might be something you want to try with your students on these last days of the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Writers notice things and write them down</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lesson:
Notebook Work….Snapshots<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CONNECTION:<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I really enjoy taking pictures. One thing I take pictures
of is just snapshots of things I observe around my neighborhood. I observe
things very closely. Let me show you a couple of my snapshots. [<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Show pictures of daisies and two bird nest
pics]<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What do you observe in these pictures? <span style="color: red;">Turn and Talk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When I took those shots, what senses did I use? <span style="color: red;">Turn and Talk<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">TEACHING:</span></b><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When we write, we also need to be good observers. Using
our senses helps with that. I want to show you an example of how one student
did that. [<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Use from LWN N-5] </i>Quinnee
is in 4<sup>th</sup> grade. She took a walk outside and wrote this in her
notebook. As I read it, notice which of the senses she used. <span style="color: red;">Turn and Talk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ACTIVE
ENGAGEMENT<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You can do this, too. You can collect snapshots of your
world with words. You might even want to add a drawing or sketch if you think
that would enhance the snapshot you’re trying to create. You don’t have to go
to a faraway place to find ideas to write about. If you get in the habit of
observing, you’ll find that there are plenty of things close by.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">LINK:<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today we are going to make a snapshot book to collect our
snapshots. [<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Make book—foldable—put sense
on each page & page for wonderings] </i>We are going outside, quietly, and
become observers. As a writer, you should do TWO things:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Notice
things<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Get
in the habit of writing them down<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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(This lesson was taken from ideas from <u>Lessons for the Writer's Notebook</u> by Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi.)Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-86322840546633717312013-05-03T07:27:00.000-04:002013-05-03T07:27:14.695-04:00Making Revision Work For You in the Classroom<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In May, many classrooms are doing a unit of study on revision. Actually, all classrooms should be discussing revision as a tool for their workshop. This time of year is when students reflect on what they know about revision no matter what genre they are writing. This is a great time to allow students to choose the genre they want to write and then incorporate the revision study with all those genres. I decided I would share with you some of the books I have used as help for me when I teach this unit or when I see children doing something that needs further study. Here are a few of my favorites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book: <u>The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing</u> by Judy Davis and Sharon Hill is one of my most used books. It has chapters on various units of study and it is easy to follow. There is also one chapter on revision. It is called: 'Mastering the Magic of Revision'. What a great way to think of revision. It is not a time that you have to go back and rip out and start over. It is a magical time to make your piece come alive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Making Revision Matter</u> is by Janet Angelillo. She is a favorite author of many in northeastern Indiana because she has visited and trained many of us. I have this book tabbed with loads sticky notes hanging out of it. First of all, she gives actually mini lessons that teachers can use from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. She also has a year long curriculum with ways to teach revision in various genre studies. As she takes the reader through the year she shows how to deepen the study of revision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are always asking yourself: "How can I get my students to revise their writing?", then this is the book for you. <u>The Revision Toolbox</u> by Georgia Heard not only gives basic ideas on how to revise. She talks about how to get the students to know the difference between revision and editing. She uses three main toolboxes: words, structure, and voice. She also has a chapter on conferencing techniques just for revision.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love this quote by Barry Lane: "Until a teacher promotes choice and responsibility among her students, the tools of craft this book has to offer won't help students become writers." This is the practical way Barry undertakes in writing <u>After The End</u>. His simple samples of ideas to use in inviting students to revise is so beneficial to teacher who do not have time to read whole books or even whole chapters to find what they need to teach. By simply picking up the book, opening to any page, there will be an idea for a lesson. Barry also encourages teachers to become writers themselves. "For years researchers like Donald Graves have done work to show that teachers who can model writing process through their own writing have a tremendous advantage in transforming their classroom into a community of writers." This is a challenge for teachers as they are looking forward to some "down time" in a few weeks. Take some time to become writers yourself. This is the best way to prepare for the fall and a new year with a community of writers!</span>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-17046545525083424002013-05-01T07:17:00.001-04:002013-05-01T07:17:36.518-04:00How To Pump Gas<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are winding down our Gramma Preschool. The things we are doing are all coming together and Meron is feeling more and more anxious about going to kindergarten next year. I want to be sure she has everything she needs to be successful as she enters her years of schooling. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week for writing I let her take the lead. I asked her what she wanted to write about for that session. We talked about writing a story. I suggested writing about what she had learned about magnets. That was our science project for our day. She had discovered that magnets picked up some things and didn't pick up others. We put our findings in her Science Notebook. She had another idea. She wanted to write about how to pump gas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our way from her house to Gramma's house, we had to stop and get gas. Her first question was, "Can I help pump the gas?" I thought about it. Well, it would take longer if she "helped". Still, it would make a great learning experience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I pulled up to the pump and she piled out of the backseat. I popped open the door for the gas to be pumped and she unscrewed the cap. I put the credit card in the slot. Each thing we did, I explained what was happening. We put the hose into the car and held the handle down. Then we did a counting exercise as we counted up the gallons of gas going into the car. After awhile it was full and the hose clicked to tell us to stop. We then put the hose back into the pump, she screwed on the cap and shut the gas door. Climbing into the backseat again, she said, "I know how to pump gas, don't I Gramma?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">That is where she got her idea for the book. Not only did she want to write that book, she also knew who the audience would be. As she wrote she said, "I want to give this book to Audrey for her birthday!" Audrey is her four-year-old cousin. You never know when you will have to help someone pump gas!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-36223244007758358132013-04-29T07:55:00.004-04:002013-04-29T08:02:30.679-04:00How Do You Feel About Memoir?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May is the month for memoirs in many classrooms. I love the idea of writing memoir at the end of the year. Students can look back at their writing throughout the year and decide what is really important to them in their life. Their notebooks will show this. Reflecting on what has been written and then going deeper into what does it really mean to me, is a way to start their memoir adventure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">To begin this journey, it is best to dig into some mentor texts. Today, I am sharing four books that I enjoy using for mentor tests in this genre. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favorite books for memoir is by Ralph Fletcher. Teachers know this author because of all the books on writing he and his wife, JoAnne Portalupi, have written. Children know this author because of the young adult novels he has written. This book on memoir will not disappoint either. Each chapter gives you a little snippet of Ralph's life and shows beginning writers how to write that type of genre. The book is: <u>Marshfield Dreams.</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another book I like to use when teaching memoir is <u>Childtimes</u>. It is also written by a familiar author: Eloise Greenfield. This is a three-generation memoir because it takes you across three generations in this family. This is not just a chronicle of stories from a family, it takes you into the heart of that family. As you read the happy, sad, and always vivid stories, you are being taught the art of writing memoir.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the book <u>My Life in Dog Years</u>, another favorite author, Gary Paulsen, shares his life but it now is using all the dogs in his life. I especially like this book because it would be one that I could use as a mentor text and make my own life in dog years. I think this memoir would be one that the boys in the upper grades would connect with and use for their own.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last book is <u>the year of goodbyes</u> by Debbie Levy. This is a new book to me and I really bought it when I was studying historical fiction. This memoir is from the view point of a Jewish girl in 1938 living in Germany. This is a book of memoirs telling the Salzberg family's last year in Germany. It was a year of change. This book might be more for middle school children than elementary.</span>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-88726356558046115052013-04-24T07:34:00.000-04:002013-04-24T07:34:45.326-04:00Mentor Texts for Preschool<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month the kindergarten students are learning how to use mentor texts to help them with their writing. They may be using a classroom text for the entire group to use. With that sort of text, the students would listen to the books during read aloud time. They would discuss what they notice and then the teacher would chart it. Perhaps the students would be able to take this idea a step further and come up with their own individual mentors. At least that is what we hope for them to be able to do in the years to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">For our Gramma Preschool time last week, we used the book by Karen Hess: <u>Come On, Rain!</u> The book is about a young girl who is in the middle of summer wishing that it would rain. We used the book because it was a rainy April day. We had listened to Vivaldi on our way to preschool and talked about how that was the perfect music to listen to every time it rained. Then for Reading Time, we read the book and talked about the pictures. Meron loved the illustrations and could identify with the character! She chose to take that book home with her in her satchel.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkt-wiglylSqjCC__pQC_11llHdcHgcaq7i5nH34tiUXSl9XDKrhX5Qpy9R4QuxVeb6rYUiXmwRynm1GMdj4WD7Uwf4pbPrgasp7E_qs5XboZ98_4jDOVe9Lx76bO2hXeab9_M8Ndk1Qs/s1600/book+picture+of+come+on+rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkt-wiglylSqjCC__pQC_11llHdcHgcaq7i5nH34tiUXSl9XDKrhX5Qpy9R4QuxVeb6rYUiXmwRynm1GMdj4WD7Uwf4pbPrgasp7E_qs5XboZ98_4jDOVe9Lx76bO2hXeab9_M8Ndk1Qs/s200/book+picture+of+come+on+rain.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it was time to do writing, she decided to write a story about a time it rained. She wrote about how they were in the car and it was raining. Then when they got to the store it stopped. She illustrated the pages with the car, raindrops, and pictures of her, her brother and mom. This time she even labeled the characters without me suggesting it. She really is getting the idea of how writing is a way to tell a story. </span><br />
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Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-44642564121916515362013-04-22T08:04:00.000-04:002013-04-22T08:04:11.137-04:00It's Monday, What Are You Reading? More Historical Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEexNGA29-QpdprL4vmeyFi1DR4zpmTgrz5eA6Vh04hscPlLFLFrKqUZIljr6J0buowqyrBvyDSUadbARSENGEtlL3EcAV55SEthyphenhyphenNmsDxr8AOvF3B5KgTbTD6nMfeNk9stWB1nUBBu26W/s1600/book+author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEexNGA29-QpdprL4vmeyFi1DR4zpmTgrz5eA6Vh04hscPlLFLFrKqUZIljr6J0buowqyrBvyDSUadbARSENGEtlL3EcAV55SEthyphenhyphenNmsDxr8AOvF3B5KgTbTD6nMfeNk9stWB1nUBBu26W/s200/book+author.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to share with you an Indiana author that I have been reading lately. Margaret McMullen is from southern Indiana, but was born in Mississippi. The two books I just read were set in that state at the time of Civil War. Our book club is going to hear her speak in a this weeks and we wanted to be familiar with her work before that meeting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I had read one of her books several years ago at the recommendation from a friend. It is a children's book (young adult) and a fast read. I got it back out this weekend and read it again. Also fell in love with it again. It is <u>How I Found the Strong</u>. It takes place in 1861-1865. The Civil War had started and all the men old enough to hold a rifle, were heading off to war. The main character, Frank "Shanks" Russel, could not go...he was too young. Staying home with his mother, grandparents and young slave, Buck, was difficult for him. The book contains the story of what happened while others were fighting in this glorious war. At least that is what he thought. McMullen helps you have a different view point of the war and keeps you wanting to turn the page!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I wasn't satisfied with just reading one of her books. They are short reads, but great for historical fiction. These books would make great mentor texts while teaching this genre to fourth and fifth graders. The other book I read was: <u>When I Crossed No-Bob</u>. This book takes place after the war, when the slaves were free. But were they? Addy O'Donnnell is the 12 year old main character who lives in the patch of woods called No-Bob. Her family (clan) is mean, stinky thieves. Her dad is said to have left for Texas and her mom is mean and cruel, but all she has. Then the mother takes off leaving Addy to go live with a teacher, Frank Russel, and his new wife. (Does the name sound familiar?) Addy has t eventually stand up for what is right even if it means going against her clan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Both these books were written from the stories of Margaret McMullen's own family. This is a great way to teach children to draw from things they know to write their stories!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-61413611480944226282013-04-19T07:38:00.002-04:002013-04-19T07:38:35.219-04:00Informational Writing in the Content Areas for Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month many students in third, fourth and fifth grades are working on writing informational books or essays to go along with current content areas. They might be working on things for social studies or science. These pieces will be used to further teach classmates about the subjects. This is a new concept in many classrooms. As I went through all the information that we have on this unit of study, I drew some connections to things students have done in the past in writing a feature article, which also was a nonfiction piece. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Looking at all this information, I went through and made a day-by-day lesson series to help teachers have a place to start as they work with this unit. I am including on this blog the day-by-day outline. In this piece, I have noted that there is attached a lesson. I did not include those lessons due to the room on this blog. The lessons are usually things that teachers have taught while doing the feature article unit of study and can draw from that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is my outline!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day One</b>:
Informational Writers Know How to Take Notes without Just Copying (See attached
lesson)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Two</b>:
Informational Writers choose a (sub) Topic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(See attached lesson)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Three</b>:
Informational Writers choose an angle for their topic (See attached lesson)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Four</b>:
Informational Writers Communicate Their Ideas through Sketching Using Detailed
Labels and Captions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Students
will take their research and sketch their ideas. They will not just recopy what
they</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> have read. They will put in as much detail as possible and then add labels
and captions to their</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Five</b>:
Informational Writers Communicate Their Ideas through Observational Writing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Students
will use sentence starters like: “I notice”, “I see”, “This reminds me of” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Six</b>:
Informational Writers Use Questions and Wonders to Clarify Their Writing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> In the
notebook, students will read over what they have collected and then write their
own </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> questions about what they are thinking at this point. They will also write
what they are</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> wondering about now, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Seven</b>:
Informational Writers Think about Their Observations</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Students
will look back over the writing they have collected and write about what they
are </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> realizing. These entries may start like: “One thing I know,” “Another thing
I know,” “This</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> made me realize that, “ “This helps me understand,” “I used to
think…….but now I know,”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Eight</b>:
Informational Writers Choose the Best Structure to Teach the Information They
Present by Drafting a Table of Contents (3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Eight</b>:
Informational Writers Prioritize the Research They Gather (4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> &
5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Students
will learn how to decide what is important to include in their essay. They will
use</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> words like “most” or “least”. Phrases they might use are: “most
influential” or “least</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> effective” help them to decide which points to refer to
in the essay.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Nine</b>:
Informational Writers Cite Research Correctly (4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> & 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Students
will take a card and write a research fact on one side of the index card and
then</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> rewrite it on the other side of the card from memory. (Paraphrasing)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Nine</b>:
Informational Writers Use Linking Words Like: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Also, Another, And, More, But, </i>to Connect Ideas and Information (3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Ten</b>:
informational Writers Use Their Notebooks as a Valuable Resource </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Students
will look at their notebooks for detailed drawings to write more on a page.
They will</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> use their notes to give more details in the writing by adding more
specific vocabulary, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> captions or labels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Eleven</b>:
Informational Writers Add an Introduction and Conclusion to Their Essay<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(See attached lesson)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Twelve</b>:
Informational Writers Revise by Thinking about Their Audience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Thirteen</b>:
Informational Writers Edit Their Work by Rereading to Be Sure it Makes Sense
and for Conventions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Fourteen</b>:
Informational Writers Edit Their Work Looking at Conventions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Fifteen</b>:
Informational Writers Present Their Books and Teach All They Have Learned to
Others (3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Day Fifteen</b>:
Informational Writers Publish Their Essays by Using a Variety of Strategies (4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
& 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-33708186099472819142013-04-17T07:05:00.003-04:002013-04-17T07:05:59.200-04:00Writing Fantasy in Second Grade<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In April, many second grade classrooms will be trying out a new genre with the unit of study on Fairy Tales/Folk Tales/Fantasy. These students have a great foundation for this genre since they know how to write personal narratives and realistic fiction. Now the trick is to get them to explore this type of fiction. The main thing the teacher needs to keep in mind is that these seven-year-olds are going to just be approximating this type of writing. It won't look like <u>The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe</u> or even <u>Harry Potter.</u> Remember to take each student where they are and help to make them a better writer. Take baby steps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The purpose of teaching this genre is to go along with the Common Core State Standards. They are asked to read this genre, so why not write it, too. The thinking is that some day in the future, when these second graders will be taking the high stakes tests, they will be asked to write this genre. We want to give them enough background to help them feel comfortable doing that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is a unit of study that I put together with things from Lucy Calkin's Curriculum Plan for the Writing Workshop. Hopefully, it will help you in this new adventure of fantasy writing!</span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second Grade Writing
Unit </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy Tales/Folk
Tales/Fantasy<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adapted from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Curricular Plan for the Writing Workshop, Grade 2, 2011-1012</i> by
Lucy Calkins and the Colleagues from the Reading and Writing Project<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Things to Remember<o:p></o:p></u></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
unit is designed to expose students to the power of this genre in teaching
story arcs and specific life lessons</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
unit is designed to give students more practice in writing fiction</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It
is important to immerse students in this genre through read alouds and
discussions about the structure</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anchor
charts created in other units of study are made available for student use</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Students
will practice comparing and contrasting two or more versions of the same tale</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Launching
the unit:</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through
literature</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Wolf Who Cried Boy</span></u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> by Bob Hartman</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza)</span></u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> retold by Philemon Sturges</span></span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through
Text book (Macmillan Treasures</span></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Farfallina & Marcel; Hermie the Hermit Crab; Pip the Penguin</span></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Head, Body, Legs; Telling Tales; The Story of the Giant Carrot; Three
Wishes from a Fish; Three Dog Wishes; Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type</span></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pushing Up the Sky; Why Sun and Moon Live in the Sky; Why the Sky is Far
Away; Sky Seeds</span></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mice and Beans</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Make sure you keep these few things in mind as you get started:</span></u></span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></u></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Give
students a choice about what they want to write</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Give
students a chance to be immersed in this genre before starting to write</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still
walk through the writing process (plan, draft, revise, edit, publish)<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Menu of Teaching Points: </span></span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy Tales/Folk Tales/Fantasy<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #1:
Writers plan before they begin to write</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
think about what they could change in their adaptation of the story</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
make many adaptations of the story</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
plan their stories in a booklet or storyboard<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #2:
Writers make important decisions while they write<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
ask themselves many questions as they plan their stories</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
work with writing partners to work out their choices and change their versions<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #3:
Writers choose one plan and begin to write</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
take a number of pages and transfer their ideas by using sketches</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
are storytellers using dialog, action and thinking</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
act out the scene or tell it over and over to get a clear idea of what to put
on the page<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #4:
Writers reread what they have done and plan what to do next</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
reread to see how to make their stories stronger</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
make stronger beginnings by using: “Once upon a time”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
use language for transitioning: “but, then one day…” or “Not long after that…”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writers
use sentence length to strengthen their stories<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #5:
Fairy Tale writers use similar story structure<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers use a main character and create a wish or problem for the
character</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers build the problem throughout the story with a solution at the end</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers use tension to hook their reader</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers use dialog, action and show-not-tell to keep the reader’s
attention</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers make each scene like a ‘small moment’ story</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers use endings with “happily ever after.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #6:
Fairy Tale writers teach readers a lesson<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers think about what they want their readers to learn</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fairy
Tale writers work with partners giving each other advice<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #7:
Fairy Tale writers may adapt a story by writing a whole new version of the
fairy tale told</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from a different character’s point of view<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #8:
Fantasy writers use what they know about realistic fiction to help write in
this genre<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers feature a character with a problem just like realistic fiction writers</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers use magic or an imaginary setting instead of something real as in
realistic fiction<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #9:
Fantasy writers act out parts and storytell over and over again<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers work with a partner to storytell or act out their piece</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers use dialog and very small actions into the their writing<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Goal #10:
Fantasy writers stretch out their fantasy stories<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers use story arcs to help develop the problem in the story</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers create obstacles that keep the reader on the ‘edge of their seats’</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers think outside the box about how to use magic to help their character</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fantasy
writers use charts around the room (old and new ones) to make good choices in
their writing<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ways to
Structure Fairy Tale/Folk Tale/Fantasy Writing<o:p></o:p></span></span></u><br />
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Write
a fairy tale from another point of view: different characters, different
setting, different problem</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Write
a whole new piece making up the characters and problem for a fairy tale or folk
tale</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Write
a whole new piece using new ideas for magic and make believe for a fantasy
story<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-9035785223389583532013-04-15T08:11:00.000-04:002013-04-15T08:11:30.919-04:00It's Monday! What Are You Reading? How About Some Anthony Browne?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzjlFN1k6D2HWPAZEJBZ9gOkVe-rG_xELHhmYFPbwlepSh6aV5Ik2YacGdgoW8vMzau76FFOqOm-0koXLsJH-T_l5LNpZMzkarfNgJNV5GOVA-_ix2Rew2PYEVczu_px8-jhWEIZbDpVL/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzjlFN1k6D2HWPAZEJBZ9gOkVe-rG_xELHhmYFPbwlepSh6aV5Ik2YacGdgoW8vMzau76FFOqOm-0koXLsJH-T_l5LNpZMzkarfNgJNV5GOVA-_ix2Rew2PYEVczu_px8-jhWEIZbDpVL/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I want to share a couple of my favorite books. They are both by the author, Anthony Browne. He is also the illustrator. As many classrooms are getting ready for the high stakes testing in multiple choice, they are focusing on inferencing. These books are wonderful for that comprehension strategy. Looking at the art work and the story that the pictures are telling us, is a way to exercise our inferring muscles. Anthony Browne has a special way of getting the reader to look deeper at the story. What is really happening? What is really happening?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE7Jgg6AndQdsInViqQk4z-pd6QU66iCYTIWVxsjGQMkUa5pKTlPtIFJ0D6_WUVst78nI6cOSDuwS247vjsy6mMuqXaxEB9S7T4DWb7ytzGQ8HvCu8geaPIIglr3OKTCwBaei7qurNnKQ/s1600/book-anthony-browne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVE7Jgg6AndQdsInViqQk4z-pd6QU66iCYTIWVxsjGQMkUa5pKTlPtIFJ0D6_WUVst78nI6cOSDuwS247vjsy6mMuqXaxEB9S7T4DWb7ytzGQ8HvCu8geaPIIglr3OKTCwBaei7qurNnKQ/s200/book-anthony-browne.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book <u>Voices in the Park</u> is one that can help students to look at things deeper. I will be posting at a later time the lesson plan for using this book with students. For right now I will just focus on the actual story. Reading it as a Read Aloud is a perfect way to get students familiar with the Anthony Browne "style". Putting the book on the document camera so students can actually see the pictures as you read, is a better way to allow students to discuss at a higher level.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDn6ytmxEuCag2dAKmbA1s3IQubIFGfX96xICmV7YMXeY7meeSXyo1PyK0dyVCZQkt1No8E44YZcQpW6oIF86vfUdCdhVKII33D69sKfb2Xddp1jFbGRjuV5UL43D_k5sVWthAp859gZK/s1600/book+voices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDn6ytmxEuCag2dAKmbA1s3IQubIFGfX96xICmV7YMXeY7meeSXyo1PyK0dyVCZQkt1No8E44YZcQpW6oIF86vfUdCdhVKII33D69sKfb2Xddp1jFbGRjuV5UL43D_k5sVWthAp859gZK/s200/book+voices.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another of Anthony Browne's books is <u>The Shape Game. </u> In 2001-2002, Browne was a writer/illustrator in residence at Tate Britain in London. He taught literacy using the resources in the gallery. This book is based on the responses to works of ark in the collections. This is a great Art/Literacy connection book. Again, I love the way Anthony Browne uses the illlustrations to tell the story as much as the words.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A study in Browne books would be beneficial during this time of test prep. However, a study of his books is also beneficial for writing workshops any time of the year! Hopefully, you and your students will discover the wonder of Anthony Browne's world!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuYHofMCRJ25ZzpfqEWMXc4mYUnEI0kYY12uQK9IDebBC2-vemEwEOTnSMwphDe2VjnF4hEFjvTuOHFI2ufuJr6EnslIpqA7wX1952p7jRVfYbihdLyoH1BZW5T17_ZQvmaARyZbt8BjT/s1600/book+artist+anthony+browne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBuYHofMCRJ25ZzpfqEWMXc4mYUnEI0kYY12uQK9IDebBC2-vemEwEOTnSMwphDe2VjnF4hEFjvTuOHFI2ufuJr6EnslIpqA7wX1952p7jRVfYbihdLyoH1BZW5T17_ZQvmaARyZbt8BjT/s1600/book+artist+anthony+browne.jpg" /></a></div>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-35576737804917213612013-04-12T08:35:00.001-04:002013-04-12T08:35:06.918-04:00Cross Genre Writing in First Grade<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As much as we as teachers, do not like it,
there are times when students are tested on their skills as writers. One way to
prepare them for this is to revisit the genres that they have been writing all
year. This also is a chance for those students who always seem to write about
the same topic no matter what the genre is. They just have a passion for that
topic. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
In first grade the students have written in these genres: Personal narratives,
Realistic Fiction, Opinion/Persuasive, and Informational (How-To, All About).
These are the genres that would be focused on in this Cross Genre study.
Students would take a topic they are passionate about and write in each of
those genres. <br />
<br />
It might look like this with the topic of DOGS:<br />
<br />
<u>Genre <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Example</u><br />
<br />
1. Personal Narr. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
story about you and a dog<br />
2. Realistic Fiction <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Story
about made-up character and dog<br />
3. Informational <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
About Dogs<br />
4. Opinion/Persuasive <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why
dogs make the best pets<br />
<br />
The first step would be to have mentor texts available using one topic in these
genres. Here is an example with the topic being Fireflies:<br />
<br />
Personal Narr. <u>Fireflies </u>by Julie Brinckloe<br />
Realistic Fiction: <u>The Very Lonely Firefly</u> by Eric Carle <br />
Informational: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Living Lights; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fireflies in Your Backyard</u> by Nancy Loewen<br />
Opinion/Persuasive: <u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></u>A letter
written by the teacher about saving fireflies<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></span></v:shapetype></span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Writing one genre
a day is a great way to start this unit of study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After those four days, then they may go back
and work on finishing the pieces or revising and editing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A folder of writing with the focus on one
topic could be the end of the unit goal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-8322490665914655912013-04-10T07:30:00.000-04:002013-04-10T07:30:17.669-04:00Authors as Mentors for Kindergarten<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuqbzV1aRU15UkObvarMxl9AFqNvEFzu4R0RA13E8xXhEDUvbNwIIUAwEyj0vmm891Tmk8h_oBT59P2WHz4v_WEkfl-OdV4R7klqdO19JSVU1PXaTOwG0PMDp6w-_6n0zzPg_wij6WDL6/s1600/NYC+chart+on+Authors+as+Mentors+in+hall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuqbzV1aRU15UkObvarMxl9AFqNvEFzu4R0RA13E8xXhEDUvbNwIIUAwEyj0vmm891Tmk8h_oBT59P2WHz4v_WEkfl-OdV4R7klqdO19JSVU1PXaTOwG0PMDp6w-_6n0zzPg_wij6WDL6/s320/NYC+chart+on+Authors+as+Mentors+in+hall.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bulletin Board display from Kindergarteners in New York City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">This month many kindergarteners will be using Authors as Mentors
as their unit of study. This is a time when students will use various authors
as their writing teachers. They will develop styles, strategies and craft like
a certain mentor writer. To do this the class will study several authors. They
will read books written by the mentor authors and find what makes those writers
unique.<br />
<br />
First, a mentor author needs to be chosen to start the month. Some of the
authors I have used are: Donald Crews, Ezra Jack Keats, Kevin Henkes and Tomie
de Paola. As you choose your authors, they should be ones who can help students
with craft. What the teacher already knows about her class of writers will help
her make that choice.<br />
<br />
After one author is chosen, the teacher will do a read aloud reading the book
twice--once for enjoyment and once to look for various craft moves. Using a
chart with the author's name and perhaps picture on top will be where craft
moves of the book are listed. As this author is being studied, different books
by him/her will be read each day. The chart will have more craft items listed
on it. Students will try to model what they have learned from that day's author
in their own writing.<br />
<br />
Children will be looking at the world through writer's eyes. They will see
things in a different way---a way to turn what they see into a story. In order
to capture these details of their lives, they may want to carry Tiny Topic
notebooks with them. They can then jot down words or sketches of things that
happen in their lives. This will give them a collection of ideas to use as
stories.</span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lesson: Authors As Mentors: Ezra Jack Keats (The
Snowy Day)</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Materials: many E.J. Keats books; chart paper</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Prepare/Purpose:</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You have heard lots of
books this year. Your teacher has read them to you and you have even read some
books. Who is the person who writes the words in a book? That’s right, the
author. Who is the person who draws the pictures in a book? That’s right, the
illustrator. Sometimes the author and illustrator are the same person, they do
both. Today and for several days, we are going to look at one author. We are
going to look at the book he wrote and see what he did that we could do as
writers. Are you ready?</span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New Learning:</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are going to start by
looking at the author Ezra Jack Keats. You have already heard many of his
books. He wrote the book: The Snowy Day. I bet you have heard that book. </span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let’s make a chart that
says: Ezra Jack Keats, and look I have his picture right here. We will put it
up here beside his name. Remember I said we are going to look at the book The
Snowy Day? Well, I have the picture of the cover and I am going to put it right
here. </span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We are going to listen
to the book again. But this time I want you to be listening for things that you
could do like Mr. Keats is doing. Ready? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Read
the book to them.</i></span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What did you notice? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pick out things like: put spaces between his
words. He drew the pictures, too. Sometimes wrote only a few words on a page.
His words matched his pictures.</i></span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Active Engagement:</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Turn and talk to your
partner about what E.J. Keats did in his book that you could do in your book
today. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have a few of them share.</i></span><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Practice:</span></b><span style="color: #4e2800; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you go back to your
seat today, think about how you could write like Mr. Keats. He will be your
writing teacher. Those of you who do something like Ezra Jack Keats will get to
share. Happy writing!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-2896159401467183662013-03-29T16:20:00.002-04:002013-03-29T16:20:23.747-04:00Happy Easter From Gramma Preschool<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week at Gramma Preschool we did some fun spring things. We first of all had reading and read some spring books. Then we worked with words using magnetic letters.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvxUv542B03TQ1dGhe6GbYqxsOrA14K7sqeDfURSKziN6MCbIJ63OTEoGkPNu19b0vIpo4-vIRqmYHNiWzHGWLLLW88jBsfmOmCwNWvSMCt16rY_D-Amg3tS5xsgfp6noimZP9VNGPZrs/s1600/Meron+preschool+3.28+letters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnvxUv542B03TQ1dGhe6GbYqxsOrA14K7sqeDfURSKziN6MCbIJ63OTEoGkPNu19b0vIpo4-vIRqmYHNiWzHGWLLLW88jBsfmOmCwNWvSMCt16rY_D-Amg3tS5xsgfp6noimZP9VNGPZrs/s200/Meron+preschool+3.28+letters.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also made playdough using spring neon colors. When we were done, we had three different colors all put in individual zip lock bags to take home.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQbDCd9Ej0qU1ALCDqADvE3xz9i2lDLM1d-NHjtP39hPVSujsFzcXpjfBM6XK9lsqYDNkoGOihFQKqql_Zu625Yqsd0buPgkzM8E7X_jcbCJkZr5-8C0DuNFAji6eextCv1DIq3MvbVC5/s1600/Meron+Preschool+making+playdough.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQbDCd9Ej0qU1ALCDqADvE3xz9i2lDLM1d-NHjtP39hPVSujsFzcXpjfBM6XK9lsqYDNkoGOihFQKqql_Zu625Yqsd0buPgkzM8E7X_jcbCJkZr5-8C0DuNFAji6eextCv1DIq3MvbVC5/s200/Meron+Preschool+making+playdough.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For writing this week we did Easter cards. She made one for Mom and one for Dad. She wrote their names on the front and added stamps using ink pads. On the inside she wrote Happy Easter and signed her name!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKeFkP90Hr1SsSiZ1kC4e-G_8UjOP-nHQhfzSb0Z3IfJA6LS4ep3LTLFII67kK4M4iYNdQNCdJ1uolqAiZRJfrBVWY0wxq_EG8rWiwdYcAjUr66VMwVQhkIDCyQ4hUPkC9eL4KtGSa94g/s1600/Meron+Preschool+making+Easter+cards.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKeFkP90Hr1SsSiZ1kC4e-G_8UjOP-nHQhfzSb0Z3IfJA6LS4ep3LTLFII67kK4M4iYNdQNCdJ1uolqAiZRJfrBVWY0wxq_EG8rWiwdYcAjUr66VMwVQhkIDCyQ4hUPkC9eL4KtGSa94g/s200/Meron+Preschool+making+Easter+cards.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last time she was here, she made chocolate instant pudding for her snack. Afterward, she wrote a How to book on How to Make Chocolate Pudding. She was quite the expert on that!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoky-z7AwaRczVaTJNL_VO1EQCV6i1CrOOs7NeGiG7wHJnwqENYR7d79cchyphenhyphenEC20Z4I43qkc8Ii2qf3JyxsqEGiuuskDAXR1-04WFpshXvS_5PYSdPqJSGIBCNr77HGtPKYCYkNsQuhzuh/s1600/Meron+book+How+to+Make+Pudding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoky-z7AwaRczVaTJNL_VO1EQCV6i1CrOOs7NeGiG7wHJnwqENYR7d79cchyphenhyphenEC20Z4I43qkc8Ii2qf3JyxsqEGiuuskDAXR1-04WFpshXvS_5PYSdPqJSGIBCNr77HGtPKYCYkNsQuhzuh/s320/Meron+book+How+to+Make+Pudding.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. Put in pudding 2. Add 2 cups of milk 3. Stir it up 4. Put in cups 5. Eat it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-76646431833161163592013-03-27T07:40:00.000-04:002013-03-27T07:40:53.253-04:00Poetry: Ordinary to Poetic<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you are writing poetry in your classrooms, it might be fun to try something new. The lesson I will share with you today is all about how you look at things. Just observing the every day normal things around us can turn us into wonderful poets. Try this and see what you think!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lesson: Poetry—Ordinary to Poetic<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Material: paper to write on or notebook<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">T.Point: Poets write with poetic language not ordinary
language.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">CONNECTION:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">You have
been working on poetry and have a sense of what poems sound like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the things poetry does is that it
helps us look at the world in a new way and describe it like no one has
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, we’re going to write a
poem together that tries to do just that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">TEACHING:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Let’s look
at something together---how about the trees outside the window here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On a
chart draw a line down the middle</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On
top left write Ordinary and on the right Poetry.</i>]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Look at the
<u>trees</u> and tell me the first words that come into your minds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poets often begin their poems this way with
“anybody’s words”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">[Write down words such as: <u>green, tall, leaves, old</u>.]</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now we’ll
read those words together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they sound
like a poem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what poets do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They write a few words down, and then they
reread it and sometimes realize that they have to go back and resee. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now, let’s
look at the tree again, even more closely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What kind of green is it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>The
green of the ocean</u>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How old is
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Write
down what they say: trees are as green as limes; majestic giants; their leaves
are jewels; historic recorders of time.] </i><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now, we’ll
read these words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they sound more
like poetry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, because we looked at
them with poetic eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u>ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT</u>:<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now I want you to choose an
interesting object to look at—either out the window or in the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you have your object turn and tell your
elbow buddy.<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">LINK:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now at your
seat start a new paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under ordinary
describe the object using the first words that come into your mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then under poetic transform these
descriptions into poetry by using metaphor and simile or describing its exact
details.<o:p></o:p></span></strong>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-79001767162934951032013-03-22T07:48:00.001-04:002013-03-22T07:48:41.126-04:00Using Charts to Enhance Your Teaching<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is amazing to see how teachers use charts in the classroom to keep thinking in front of the students at all times. Charts that are made WITH students or BY students are the most valuable. Even though the posters that can be bought are beautiful and colorful, they are not as powerful as those you make yourself with the children. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYwhg9itobxo1cBQZ0vY2BoVEcA3KLBfEXXLEdtTgYFhrXT3AwD6DWZu8mxvVm8Hm3_sdo6Ojx6H7hPeOioSPfBY-K1BkkyzHhNnm1T4uq3uDKBnsQYk-vmiabZVEqkA49iF-bRUnlAxS/s1600/NYC+chart+on+writing+in+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYwhg9itobxo1cBQZ0vY2BoVEcA3KLBfEXXLEdtTgYFhrXT3AwD6DWZu8mxvVm8Hm3_sdo6Ojx6H7hPeOioSPfBY-K1BkkyzHhNnm1T4uq3uDKBnsQYk-vmiabZVEqkA49iF-bRUnlAxS/s200/NYC+chart+on+writing+in+room.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This chart is about the features of nonfiction writing. Notice how bright and colorful it is. Notice how you can really tell that it was made by the teacher, not bought. It is also amazing how the charts were all around the classrooms of those we visited in New York. They found space to display the charts where students were able to see it easily.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdwKTE5XdUr7fu8F7Voizi_wx6_B3dZ-YJRUZCyBMpyLxbrnQEY8kh3qsC_ZwLUmcdci_IkwY6ir92MWuq1KQUezoMEoC2TIMbqztwxViabmZSy15uvjN6YGMzZ3szb95DqfxbtjdRHk3/s200/NYC+chart+on+Talk+Styles.JPG" width="200" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a chart that the teacher and students have done together about Talk Styles. After this has been discussed and used, it is then put onto chart paper and displayed in the room. It is something that the students will use each and every day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g_CRpidRPIQ74MBM50Zp0BvWd-i-TL5lMG0XG_78R-JLMGQc4gJg3XTumdfFpZPbFBtLmarKLxTPdgV08Jo7lHj5GX7p-X6_KfUds71Lgju7xZATrtS_v3wxzXaVi8M9JXC2DQZ1m8uI/s1600/NYC+chart+on+problem+solving.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0g_CRpidRPIQ74MBM50Zp0BvWd-i-TL5lMG0XG_78R-JLMGQc4gJg3XTumdfFpZPbFBtLmarKLxTPdgV08Jo7lHj5GX7p-X6_KfUds71Lgju7xZATrtS_v3wxzXaVi8M9JXC2DQZ1m8uI/s200/NYC+chart+on+problem+solving.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Charts in the classroom are not just for language arts. This chart is one that would be used in math. It is on Problem Solving. What a great way to have this thinking in the room where the teacher can refer to it over and over.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1z2If2j1j3FAJpsOn11S45ZJGy2SvrhnVVT_aJj0S5gxeUKnMCQE-k-aa_uajGuJGdQPuypygGj9Os3bqjF29bJBcAu5eJldUXAmxosCkkJLG9ISfriJW0LS4fvPC_hXzDbL_g2iK5j9/s1600/NYC+chart+of+K.+writing+rubrics.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1z2If2j1j3FAJpsOn11S45ZJGy2SvrhnVVT_aJj0S5gxeUKnMCQE-k-aa_uajGuJGdQPuypygGj9Os3bqjF29bJBcAu5eJldUXAmxosCkkJLG9ISfriJW0LS4fvPC_hXzDbL_g2iK5j9/s200/NYC+chart+of+K.+writing+rubrics.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1z2If2j1j3FAJpsOn11S45ZJGy2SvrhnVVT_aJj0S5gxeUKnMCQE-k-aa_uajGuJGdQPuypygGj9Os3bqjF29bJBcAu5eJldUXAmxosCkkJLG9ISfriJW0LS4fvPC_hXzDbL_g2iK5j9/s1600/NYC+chart+of+K.+writing+rubrics.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;">
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</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This chart was posted in the hall as we walked by it. However, I am sure it was in the classroom during this unit of study. It was from a kindergarten class and a rubric of their writing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkr3nF-IUAxH4bbf-j8EW6UX7ll7FwosD9EH2coC19DIXbOa4ORCHoeiZXYKm97Wgi4s_gXattO7OgRExQJcCcybmOYizLFH8DMKeCSX9iqTPJgRltTaeIZHU5xk5G4Vhm-IMu98IwzJS/s1600/NYC+charts+hung+in+classroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkr3nF-IUAxH4bbf-j8EW6UX7ll7FwosD9EH2coC19DIXbOa4ORCHoeiZXYKm97Wgi4s_gXattO7OgRExQJcCcybmOYizLFH8DMKeCSX9iqTPJgRltTaeIZHU5xk5G4Vhm-IMu98IwzJS/s200/NYC+charts+hung+in+classroom.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I said before, charts are everywhere. I think almost every classroom had charts hanging from a wire that went from one side of the room to the other. They were high, but still available to the students. Recording their thinking is so important for their learning!</span></div>
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Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-83145806405172582982013-03-20T07:36:00.001-04:002013-03-20T07:36:45.223-04:00Displaying Our Work<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While visiting P.S. 247 in Brooklyn, New York, we were able to see the work the students were doing as we walked the building. Outside every classroom was examples of each of the steps in writing workshop for a particular unit of study. Whether it was poetry, fiction, or author studies, the work was displayed. Learning was evident.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJYmilJu4AtO1GdUbX6Tny95BKIRI6y6iFCd4l3xsjxL7o0c-Z26V_CUQjJNkl3svv1QaQEi9d6tkVMJXlci00da84UiDoxLCkfYbpE9Ks2e7Kt3FaZMzhDYXYXJWK70ZziQ3X_5KIl0T/s1600/NYC+bul.+bd+in+hall+writing+process.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJYmilJu4AtO1GdUbX6Tny95BKIRI6y6iFCd4l3xsjxL7o0c-Z26V_CUQjJNkl3svv1QaQEi9d6tkVMJXlci00da84UiDoxLCkfYbpE9Ks2e7Kt3FaZMzhDYXYXJWK70ZziQ3X_5KIl0T/s320/NYC+bul.+bd+in+hall+writing+process.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This picture shows the writing process. Under each topic: planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing; are samples of that part of the process. These samples are from an upper grade classroom.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhed-885SoDfbXuPYiZV_yfhD9BMjH89nxqvTp5g9W9x91OHDWo_7brBME_MxN7vAL209_Md0EtX7x7ZiNGQp42MyUIaKpasdFr87vRfMDJqrrH65z5-a6UMy7HvEYDk9pUxqdPIy8i478a/s1600/NYC+bul+bd+hall+of+author+study.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhed-885SoDfbXuPYiZV_yfhD9BMjH89nxqvTp5g9W9x91OHDWo_7brBME_MxN7vAL209_Md0EtX7x7ZiNGQp42MyUIaKpasdFr87vRfMDJqrrH65z5-a6UMy7HvEYDk9pUxqdPIy8i478a/s320/NYC+bul+bd+hall+of+author+study.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This bulletin board located in a hallway, it is about authors. It is a study the children did on various authors. It is not just a simple piece written like the author, but a researched poster on the author the child chose.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tW-UG4RYf62aVWiKQb8AWxQgskrSE8w06JmtmfsJ9KllimngRKCqqBfw-grur76s9c9Wdlo6HtYMANB8dcpBypBkqcJsipn-YA0e-U2btyGdyQhwjc92wkBCiwnobQqI_t5EK9GB-WJk/s1600/NYC+chart+on+Authors+as+Mentors+in+hall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tW-UG4RYf62aVWiKQb8AWxQgskrSE8w06JmtmfsJ9KllimngRKCqqBfw-grur76s9c9Wdlo6HtYMANB8dcpBypBkqcJsipn-YA0e-U2btyGdyQhwjc92wkBCiwnobQqI_t5EK9GB-WJk/s320/NYC+chart+on+Authors+as+Mentors+in+hall.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a sample of a first grade bulletin board. It is about a particular author the class studied. It is from the Unit of Study: Authors As Mentors. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvdPV2PuGjS4e0v-2rtVX_baVf3aU2Jwp6FkE6bL2QPjocNomr0RqJ-mWwdKhh1KrqSdS0VGrzXEDbZT6CS94nkiD6KbqW1pT0G5wlq32cnliRXp5fa-su3os3EgoCd1-CkeBMNpLn0zl/s1600/NYC+bul.bd+in+hall+of+writing+process+poetry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvdPV2PuGjS4e0v-2rtVX_baVf3aU2Jwp6FkE6bL2QPjocNomr0RqJ-mWwdKhh1KrqSdS0VGrzXEDbZT6CS94nkiD6KbqW1pT0G5wlq32cnliRXp5fa-su3os3EgoCd1-CkeBMNpLn0zl/s200/NYC+bul.bd+in+hall+of+writing+process+poetry.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next two pictures are of the same board. It is on poetry. The first picture is of the entire board. You can see the art work around the board. This was done in their art class and was in a particular artist's style. Then each student wrote poetry for those pictures. The next picture is the piece that the teacher wrote explaining what the students did.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLA6DC1WqWYzAvwePgMZD4xFnS-vA3GneGILK0ro6fvLQYF0aFMZ7CZhhFd9qNOpPJ4rSVcMX8Jsy_r8NGQPX2ovTJxVPix34rcKAxP11BXlGZgbOexWqLp0ock9Hr3yBxzYsp9rSz5J9/s1600/NYC+bul.bd+in+hall+of+writing+process+poetry+close.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLA6DC1WqWYzAvwePgMZD4xFnS-vA3GneGILK0ro6fvLQYF0aFMZ7CZhhFd9qNOpPJ4rSVcMX8Jsy_r8NGQPX2ovTJxVPix34rcKAxP11BXlGZgbOexWqLp0ock9Hr3yBxzYsp9rSz5J9/s320/NYC+bul.bd+in+hall+of+writing+process+poetry+close.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-40194035749730179722013-03-18T07:44:00.000-04:002013-03-18T07:44:38.655-04:00Reading Poetry, What Are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vK8xMlmsIq_OcTs7MlYg9rbAmtcHERYIM9ZIDbLej0XIXexXnpYnr5ofrzQ1G-f2vHzY45jGaqdIlfx5Y4SPAqNXx3FEErbb2bIvXLhdaxxrOpzlwXRsQXpLUTTtx0VHbAZW1KHAWUTe/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vK8xMlmsIq_OcTs7MlYg9rbAmtcHERYIM9ZIDbLej0XIXexXnpYnr5ofrzQ1G-f2vHzY45jGaqdIlfx5Y4SPAqNXx3FEErbb2bIvXLhdaxxrOpzlwXRsQXpLUTTtx0VHbAZW1KHAWUTe/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I have two books on poetry that are about as opposite as you can get. I love when that happens! It is up to each teacher to know the students so well, that it becomes easy to choose books that those children will love and use! Here are a couple for you to try!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvddqPWbfg4Ny_CBfc-P_XUARdIefBw8-zx5hx4Utt5iSTzDhOwJ5xbfm9eHuP2rKgVCm5W6NdbzJXzO4Y6JqKEs8PUDLcM1UD894MMf6l9BGZ6MFVW9sdjR7EGI8pd5AP2eDjph6xttsY/s1600/boook+heartsongs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvddqPWbfg4Ny_CBfc-P_XUARdIefBw8-zx5hx4Utt5iSTzDhOwJ5xbfm9eHuP2rKgVCm5W6NdbzJXzO4Y6JqKEs8PUDLcM1UD894MMf6l9BGZ6MFVW9sdjR7EGI8pd5AP2eDjph6xttsY/s200/boook+heartsongs.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How can you go wrong with <u>Heartsongs</u> by Mattie J.T. Stepanek? This is just one of his many books. Mattie began writing poems when he was three. He had muscular dystrophy and had lost three siblings to the same life-threatening condition. But that isn't why we remember Mattie. His poetry proclaims the innocent hope, wisdom and humor of childhood. These poems will become heart felt mentor texts for your students.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-RwN6UFGB6hLlmG-eleLHcfoXf_f2mEUQqoyBBNWCz4acNzTQ-G4Um0ovdLGqbFeKPUbKwJBGcEhkvvvzVXTizBcjDKt0vwOjs32nygwpSKOnMy-swzbCzEzT_65UI2z3bd7b3w-qW22/s1600/Book+FEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-RwN6UFGB6hLlmG-eleLHcfoXf_f2mEUQqoyBBNWCz4acNzTQ-G4Um0ovdLGqbFeKPUbKwJBGcEhkvvvzVXTizBcjDKt0vwOjs32nygwpSKOnMy-swzbCzEzT_65UI2z3bd7b3w-qW22/s1600/Book+FEG.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>FEG</u> by Robin Hirsch...This book is for the intelligent child...and maybe the intelligent teacher! From alliteration, haiku, and onomatopoeia to palindromes sonnets, and even spoonerisms this book will have poetry lovers saying, ahhh! It is such a fun book for those who would like to take poetry to a new level. Ready to try one? Here you go...<span style="font-size: x-small;">hint: read it fast and think alphabet.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">FEG</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Abie's seedy effigy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Eight chide Jake: a lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">O peek:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You are as tea</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You feed double</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You axe why</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">See?</span><br />
<br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-63720639724205747752013-03-15T08:07:00.000-04:002013-03-15T08:07:17.475-04:00Visiting a New York City School<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUk2POS9C1bOdAnFWG8ixj9AyRrqhDhS5Pti9_8JnwU-QRr4pETtZdr6rgI935ihN3MN1ll19mceGvK_w32OMFis6bymwVo2ruZIuloJRPXw432SDAC0uaSUy8aZMcD-NvkObouJAH5kH/s1600/NYC+sign+inside+by+security+guard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUk2POS9C1bOdAnFWG8ixj9AyRrqhDhS5Pti9_8JnwU-QRr4pETtZdr6rgI935ihN3MN1ll19mceGvK_w32OMFis6bymwVo2ruZIuloJRPXw432SDAC0uaSUy8aZMcD-NvkObouJAH5kH/s200/NYC+sign+inside+by+security+guard.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week I had the chance to visit a great New York City school with a couple of my friends. It was P.S. 247 in Brooklyn. The principal was wonderful to give us not only a tour of the building, but also took the time to explain his thinking behind what made the school so successful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We picked this school to visit because it was similar to the ones we work with in our district. It has 27 different languages spoken in that one school of about 700 students. There is a 75% free and reduced lunch count. We felt right at home. The thing that startled us was when the principal took us to his office window and showed us another elementary school just three blocks away that has 1,000 students. Yes, it is a neighborhood school. These children all live within three or four blocks of the school. AND, if you went to the other side and looked out, there would be another school with that many students. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-A5l03sUze2FN6HpV_CEsntGPS56-d3s8VMgT-Y2LfQeQYaTxqII3ciSjDk-n6tslBReddko2cqboZnGfB9tVTfsUW2j7H1OUleL0w0CfwPO8FKVkQxXlmbrdUQ9KofAG3BDnAlYOEo-/s1600/NYC+walking+to+PS+247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-A5l03sUze2FN6HpV_CEsntGPS56-d3s8VMgT-Y2LfQeQYaTxqII3ciSjDk-n6tslBReddko2cqboZnGfB9tVTfsUW2j7H1OUleL0w0CfwPO8FKVkQxXlmbrdUQ9KofAG3BDnAlYOEo-/s200/NYC+walking+to+PS+247.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We got there early in the morning as the students were walking to school. In fact, after getting off the subway, we were having a hard time finding the school. We finally asked a mother with a little child, "Are you going to P.S. 247?" She said yes and allowed us to follow them to the school. On the walk there, she couldn't stop talking about how great the school was. Many of her children had gone there and she loved it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The school was build in the depression era and was four stories high. It was built on a small area of land. The funniest thing was when the principal showed us a stairway that led to nowhere...a wall. The original plans were to have a gym there, but there wasn't room when they went to build it. So, the wall!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As we traveled the halls of the building and stepped into various classrooms, we saw great teaching and very engaged children. The expectations for teachers and students are high. The atmosphere was relaxed and happy. The students would greet us with smiles and "Good Morning" as we entered the rooms. They were used to people visiting their rooms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Next week, I will be blogging about some of the actual things I saw while walking around the school. Great charts and bulletin boards. We can't thank Mr. Ogno and the staff and students at P.S. 247 enough for allowing us to take a peek at the wonderful things that are happening for children at their school!</span><br />
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<br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-29535773978549172672013-03-13T07:35:00.000-04:002013-03-13T07:35:49.426-04:00Where Poetry Hides For Me<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This month in all Indiana schools, the children in many classrooms will be taking the state test. Doing writing during that time can be difficult. For that reason, many are turning to the more relaxed, pleasure of teaching poetry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I remember when I first taught poetry to my second graders. I tried all the usual types: acrosstic, haiku, rhyming, you get the idea. However, when I began using the non-rhyming poems, that is when both boys and girls fell in love with poetry. That is my wish for your children. Does that mean we don't teach those other types? Of course not. It is just an easier way to get the children "hooked" on poetry! Here is a lesson that I started out with. Try it and see what your students think!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lesson: Beginning Poetry<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Materials: overhead of my: Where Poetry Hides for Me; copies
of various kids’ poetry showing variety of subjects on overheads<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
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<o:p><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></strong></o:p><u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">CONNECTION:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">You have
been doing a lot of writing in your room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today we are going to talk about a different type of writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is called poetry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love poetry because I can say things with poetry
that I can’t say any other way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
lines are short and usually I don’t have to worry that much about punctuation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get ideas for poetry everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">TEACHING:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today I
want to talk to you about where we get our ideas for poems that we might
write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to think of it as, where
poetry hides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, hides!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poetry is everywhere!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lots of times I find poems when I am outside.
It seems like nature is a place where poetry hides for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see poems on my morning walks with my
dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see poems when I sit outside
under a tree and watch the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poems
can be in the food I eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poems might be
around the Christmas tree or in the rain falling in big drops.<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> I'm</span><strong>going
to show you what I do first when I get ready to write a poem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I go to my notebook and look at a list I have
made. I call the list: Where Poetry Hides For Me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at this list. (Show it and go over
list.)<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Maybe you
don’t have a list like I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
something we are going to work on today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First, I want to show you some poems that some kids have written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where do you think these poems were hidden?
(Go over the overheads and let children talk about the topics.)<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<u><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></u><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Think for a
minute where you think poetry hides for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who has an idea?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Let them turn
and talk about some ideas and then share a few with the group.)<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><u>LINK:</u><o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now when
you go back to your seats, get out a paper (or notebook) and start your list
like mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to give you some
time to do that and then we will share our lists. <o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">For sharing time use the
“whip share”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sit in circle and each
child gives one idea from the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
others may add an idea they liked from a friend’s list.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-75251319025415434012013-03-11T07:51:00.002-04:002013-03-11T07:51:42.735-04:00Monday in March, What are You Reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUrEXdOi1qBtm1VfefZXi8GTbcuLKs2DaSUaOfwa5tIurMdVOg67JoEwiUj-Ti1IemwR-JGYwaZNVxSwuHRKAdbdjsSTE3DAR3a73_yQu6l-R_2mOL1UgmLGXFwGTWjUdjtB7FGLWhgf6/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUrEXdOi1qBtm1VfefZXi8GTbcuLKs2DaSUaOfwa5tIurMdVOg67JoEwiUj-Ti1IemwR-JGYwaZNVxSwuHRKAdbdjsSTE3DAR3a73_yQu6l-R_2mOL1UgmLGXFwGTWjUdjtB7FGLWhgf6/s1600/Mon+Reading+Button+PB+to+YA.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This month I am going to be focusing on poetry books. One of the teachers I work with has Poetry Friday and they work with poems in the writer's workshop every Friday. I love that idea! Many classrooms are busy with state testing this month. Doing a unit in poetry is a relaxing, fun way to focus on another type of writing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8J2YHWd0cZM6EXYJG8TP_s5HioVDXVgo8Qw1qH0jYm9024Mz-MTuabWBlpG9xH2vkRyU7WF1w7Wgj4YAOXb_w0p6XU03WoBD3wso8eBCjKxdiyZKoDByENmAPTG0izL3oKjXjUKv_Ig7/s1600/book+all+the+small+poems.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8J2YHWd0cZM6EXYJG8TP_s5HioVDXVgo8Qw1qH0jYm9024Mz-MTuabWBlpG9xH2vkRyU7WF1w7Wgj4YAOXb_w0p6XU03WoBD3wso8eBCjKxdiyZKoDByENmAPTG0izL3oKjXjUKv_Ig7/s1600/book+all+the+small+poems.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>all the small poems and fourteen more</u> by Valerie Worth is a great book for any grade level. What I like best about this book is that it is not rhyming poetry. Do you know how hard that is to find for children? This book is full of poems that children can identify with and use as mentor texts. Ms. Worth also uses all aspects of poet's craft. Her poems are fresh and observations are sharp. Here's a sample:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">sun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The sun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Is a leaping fire</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Too hot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">To go near,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But it will still </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lie down</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In warm yellow squares</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">On the floor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Like a flat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Quilt, where</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The cat can curl</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And purr.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGB3aGIeK8utl2hawiD7SXGPVRuyYw0N1tu8xp7o_vEPJxd-C0o0erKAfNRALam8ScqAROboHS0Z9CPINdE5liFlfCD44tAfIMtfLz1DRllg5k-ESLMzN9bG1_fBWltIAxLaMkdvn6k_Y/s1600/book+love+that+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGB3aGIeK8utl2hawiD7SXGPVRuyYw0N1tu8xp7o_vEPJxd-C0o0erKAfNRALam8ScqAROboHS0Z9CPINdE5liFlfCD44tAfIMtfLz1DRllg5k-ESLMzN9bG1_fBWltIAxLaMkdvn6k_Y/s1600/book+love+that+dog.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other book I want to start out with for the month is <u>Love That Dog</u> by Sharon Creech. Yes, it is a novel, but it is based on poetry. This is a must read for the 3rd-5th graders studying this genre. It gives boys, especially, a new outlook on poetry. Here's a sample when Jack was asked to write a poem:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sept. 13</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I don't want to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">because boys</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">don't write poetry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Girls do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-61195289837295439252013-03-06T10:05:00.001-05:002013-03-06T10:05:58.772-05:00Small Teaching Moments Happen Any Time<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Teachers play a big part in a child's life. I know, I was a teacher for 43 years and got to see not only those children grow up, but also see them with their own children and sometimes even grandchildren. I know how important teachers are. However, even more than that, I always told the parents I worked with: "You are the most important person in your child's life. You are his/her first teacher!" Not only are the parents important, but so are the grandparents.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As I spend time with my own grandchildren, I can see how it is important to take those tiny moments and make them into teaching moments. We did that at Gramma Preschool last week. It was a cold February day when Meron came. For Science we decided to do an experiment. We wrote our thoughts in her Science Notebook. Our question was: What happens to bubbles in the winter? Her prediction was: They will freeze. We then went outside and tried it out. It wasn't quite freezing that day, only 34 degrees. So when we blew bubbles, they flew off into the sky. But when she would blow them into the snow, they lit on the snow and froze. When she "popped" them, they would shatter! We had loads of fun!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEek7oLHC9O8amwoa8NPessYYCY9YqqVFW4I3tFKY5Ou2Pe1LAij1nv-hZRQFnocNHf3lVExetUnxx2t-TGnOQwFJU3J29jiHhdwW1UVaBgHErYFZkJQ8We_a0EA6Ky9KiXvR3-131EXc4/s1600/Meron+watching+machines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEek7oLHC9O8amwoa8NPessYYCY9YqqVFW4I3tFKY5Ou2Pe1LAij1nv-hZRQFnocNHf3lVExetUnxx2t-TGnOQwFJU3J29jiHhdwW1UVaBgHErYFZkJQ8We_a0EA6Ky9KiXvR3-131EXc4/s200/Meron+watching+machines.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also noticed that across the street, there were big machines digging into the ground. They were going to build a new house. So, we watched. We investigated. Then she wrote her book about Big Machines and what they did. What a great chance to do some research before our writing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Graham also had a new learning experience at Story Time. They were learning songs, stories and rhymns about Teddy Bears. For one of the songs, all the children put their bears in the middle of a parachute. Then they sang and bounced their bears. How fun!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the craft that day, they all colored a bear with a poem on the back. After they colored it, they got to take it home!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being a Gramma is so much fun!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-84550597833232631942013-03-04T07:44:00.000-05:002013-03-04T07:44:21.834-05:00Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday was Dr. Suess Day...his birthday! Many classrooms will be celebrating by reading his books to the students. That is what I have been invited to do in a fifth grade classroom. I decided to do my read aloud with the first book Dr. Seuss wrote: <u>And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street.</u> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I will be traveling to New York City this week, I thought it would be great to share the idea of what Mulberry Street in New York looked like and the history of the book. Well, I was mistaken. The Mulberry Street in this book is from the hometown of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Suess, in Springfield, Mass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The book is about a boy named Marco who wants to tell his dad an interesting story about what he saw that day. But the only thing Marco saw was a boring old horse and wagon. So he decides to liven it up a bit and the story goes from there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">But, did you know this book was rejected 27 times? One day Theodor was walking home in New York City and he bumped into a friend who had just become an editor at a publishing house. Theodor told his friend that he had given up and was going to destroy the book. His friend told him to let him look at the book. That was the moment that changed Dr. Suess's life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If he had been walking down the other side of the street, he probably would never have become an author. The book was published. So, it was that ordinary street that launched one extraordinary career!</span><br />
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Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-12016392238674619702013-03-01T07:27:00.000-05:002013-03-01T07:27:21.886-05:00Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent Readers<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time for another professional "book talk". When this book came out, I just knew I had to have it. First, of all, the author, Penny Kittle, is one of my favorites! I love her books! I love when she comes to speak at our All Write Summer Institute. I just love her! So, even though I'm retired...I bought <u>Book Love</u>! And yes, I love it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week I was in my niece's sixth grade classroom in Utah and heard the same story I hear in classrooms in Indiana: "My students are great word callers, but they are fake readers!" Penny addresses that issue and talks about how we, as teachers, can help students develop a love for reading!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Her book tells us about building stamina and fluency. She helps students set goals. Penny knows what students need to be successful in college and she knows how to encourage them to get there. Even if you are an upper elementary or middle school teacher, you will be able to take what she says about stamina and apply it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Even though I have sat at the feet of the master of conferencing, <a href="http://www.conferringguy.com/" target="_blank">Carl Anderson</a>, for many years, I still learned so much from Penny's chapter on conferencing during reading time. Samples of conferences, questions to ask, and types of conferences were all so helpful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I really enjoyed her chapter on Book Talks. When she talked about the book <u>Encyclopedia</u> <u>of an Ordinary Life</u>, I knew I had to have it. Then when she showed how the students took that into their writing time, I was really hooked. I mean hooked---as in "getting out my writer's notebook and beginning my Encyclopedia of a Retired Teacher hooked". But, that's for another blog!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Let's just say, I am so enjoying this book! Penny just keeps sharing her wonderful ability to be herself and show (not tell) us her passion for books and kids!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">See you this summer, Penny, at <a href="http://www.eastnoble.net/files/_lBIvM_/669d77fb0cc981143745a49013852ec4/All_Write_Summer_Brochure_2013.pdf" target="_blank">All Write's Summer Institute</a>! </span>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-45176407050054585442013-02-27T07:35:00.000-05:002013-02-27T07:35:17.500-05:00Planning a Unit of Study<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the things I enjoy most about working with teachers is the time spent in collaborating with them. Recently, I have had the chance to work closely with a couple teachers doing just that. One is a fifth grade teacher in my hometown and the other is my niece who lives in Utah and teaches sixth grade.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last Sunday, Amy, the fifth grade teacher, came over and we brainstormed how to teach a unit of study. She wanted her students to do well on the state test next month, but did not want to do the usual prompt study. Her kiddos are amazing writers, so how could we make them even better. We decided to do a two-week study on reviewing the genres. This would be a learning unit, not a pre-testing unit. She came up with lesson titles like: Writers Can Write in Many Genres. She would have the students first brainstorm what each of the four genres components were and she would chart that. The next day the students would come up with one topic they loved and could write about in all four genres. After that she would model day by day a genre using her topic. This was the beginning. For the following days we came up with things that we thought the children needed to review...specific nouns, punctuation as a revising tool, etc. How fun it was to sit and just work all this out together!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I also got the chance to work with my niece. We were planning a trip to see family in Utah and I volunteered to come do a lesson in her sixth grade classroom. She accepted! So via email and texting, we planned what I would do when I visited. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After arriving in Utah on Thursday, the two of us met at her house that night. We sat at the kitchen bar and made our last minute plans. I tried not to overwhelm her with all my writer's workshop blather. She asked me to do a lesson on persuasion. I wanted to give her something that she could take and continue to do in her classroom even when I wasn't there to give her support. I decided to do the lesson on using mentor texts and writing for real reasons...each child having the choice of what to write.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I used the Wal-Mart letter that Mary Helen's children wrote many years ago. It is the perfect example of the power kids have in writing. (Thanks again, Mary Helen for sharing. Utah kids loved the letter!) We charted what we noticed and then, in notebooks, the kiddos made their own lists of things they wanted to change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The kids wrote and wrote as I sat beside them and talked about what they wanted to change. Such great ideas! These students have the power to change the world!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you so much, Park Elementary School, Mrs. Anderson's sixth graders and Annalyse for allowing me to be part of your classroom today!</span>Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-11807675281556306772013-02-20T08:08:00.003-05:002013-02-20T08:08:51.705-05:00Writing Gripping Stories in Second Grade<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many second grade classrooms are taking narrative writing to a higher level this month. They are turning their personal narratives into "Edge of Your Seat" stories. The focus this month is on grabbing the audience and holding on to them as the story progresses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">To start this unit of study the students need to think of stories in their lives that were exciting. Usually, seven-year-olds don't think anything they have done is that exciting, but when you share mentor texts like <u>Shortcut</u> by Donald Crews or <u>Peter's Chair</u> by Ezra Jack Keats, they realize that everyday events can keep readers on the edge of their seats. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The following lesson gives you a perfect example of how that is done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Connection:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">You
have been writing stories all year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
know so much about how to do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today, we are going to spend some time studying how to stretch the good
part of a story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to call
these “edge of your seat” stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
kind of story would be an edge of your seat story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Discuss.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Teaching:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have an edge of your seat story to read to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shortcut.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story is a small moment in time story…a
“One time...” story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, we have
talked about the “Magic Words of Story,” - how you can begin a story with an
“O” word, if you can’t think of a way to begin.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Listen to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shortcut</i> and we will talk about what
makes it an “edge of your seat” story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Read story and solicit (from students) why
this is an edge of your seat story.<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now we are going to
talk about things that would make “edge of your seat” stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some examples:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jot
these down on a list and add a few they might have…</i>A time I was
afraid;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I did something;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A time I was naughty;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A time I had a problem with someone;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A change in my life.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Students can write key words at the top of
their list:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>scared; naughty; change;
etc.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I was thinking about****.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tell
your story briefly</i>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Active Engagement:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Look
at our list and think about an edge of your seat story that you have had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give me a “thumbs up” if you can think of
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ask
for volunteers to share <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">topics, not the
whole story.<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 18pt;">Link</span>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I would like you to turn to a partner
and tell them your story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Give them a minute or two and then switch so
the other person can tell their story.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, turn to a different person and tell them your story<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do
the same as before</i>.<o:p></o:p><br />
We are going to go back to our seats and get out our
writer’s notebooks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turn to a clean page
and write some ideas that you thought of that you could write about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are not going to write the story, only
ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, I would put ****.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, you put down your ideas for
edge of your seat stories just like I do.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span></span></div>
Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4892350449874117579.post-22876931535355786112013-02-18T11:18:00.000-05:002013-02-18T11:18:08.811-05:00What Are You Reading in February?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the last blog on Black History read-alouds, I have picked one of my favorites. This book is based on The National Civil Rights Museum. The title: <u>Everyday People</u> tells the whole story. This IS a book about the everyday people that made up civil rights. The focus of this book is important because the movement was always about lifting the lot of the common people, the everyday people. It shows how ordinary citizens can take up the course of their own lives and make extraordinary changes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. This book takes select exhibits at the museum as a framework. This book is a tribute to those who fought for equal rights in the United States. It is intended to remind us that struggle precedes peace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The pictures are a wonderful way to see the story of civil rights. The text is more difficult, but choosing what to read instead of reading it cover to cover would still make it valuable. This book is another one that will make the Civil Rights Movement come alive to children today.</span><br />
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Kathy Douglashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048581226559774602noreply@blogger.com0