Tag Archives : Reading

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOME LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts literature Literature Circles No Prep Reading Rubrics on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Evaluating-a-Fishbowl-Activity-in-a-Literature-Circle-694363

 

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Fishbowl activity is mostly useful during literature circles or in a novel study. Quite literally, the group in the center is being watched by the rest of the class, while they are discussing elements of fiction. This activity is a very important tool in order to teach students how group discussions should run, what is to be said, and how it is to be said. Many times the leader of the discussion doesn’t know how to prompt members to elaborate upon their contributions. This will certainly help.

In addition, it is often difficult for a teacher to evaluate these discussions, which is the reason I have created this package. It is easy to use and you can merely check boxes to quickly assess each member of the groups.

This package contains:
• An explanation of The Fishbowl Activity
• How to run a Fishbowl Activity (within the realm of a literature circle)
• Why such an activity is important
• Evaluation sheets one can use to easily evaluate the discussions and roles of students

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
8
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Free Creating a board Game assessment tool

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOME LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts No Prep Reading Rubrics Writing on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Creating-a-board-Game-assessment-tool-648898

 

Creating a board Game assessment tool

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This rubric was created to help students understand exactly what is expected of them for this evaluation. It is also an excellent tool to assess students’ progress and final product.

This self assessment rubric is part of bundle as well.

Self-evaluation grids are a great way to guide students in their evaluations. Students will know exactly what is expected of them and will be made responsible for their own success. This package can also easily be changed to be used as peer-evaluations.

It’s teaching made easy!

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts literature No Prep Reading Reading Circles Rubrics on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Evaluating-a-Fishbowl-Activity-in-a-Literature-Circle-694363

 

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Fishbowl activity is mostly useful during literature circles or in a novel study. Quite literally, the group in the center is being watched by the rest of the class, while they are discussing elements of fiction. This activity is a very important tool in order to teach students how group discussions should run, what is to be said, and how it is to be said. Many times the leader of the discussion doesn’t know how to prompt members to elaborate upon their contributions. This will certainly help.

In addition, it is often difficult for a teacher to evaluate these discussions, which is the reason I have created this package. It is easy to use and you can merely check boxes to quickly assess each member of the groups.

This package contains:
• An explanation of The Fishbowl Activity
• How to run a Fishbowl Activity (within the realm of a literature circle)
• Why such an activity is important
• Evaluation sheets one can use to easily evaluate the discussions and roles of students

Total Pages
8
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Rethinking Reading Logs for young readers

This entry was posted in 1st Grade CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged #backtoschool #ReadingLogs back to school classroom management education first grade kindergarten love of reading Reading Reading Log alternative reading logs Reading Logs for first grade Reading Logs for kindergarten on by (updated on )

Rethinking Reading Logs for young readers

I have spent most of my career teaching little people, and a good part of that time parenting little people, too. One topic of great discussion (well beyond kindergarten and grade one) was that of the Reading Log.

As a first grade teacher, I had mixed feelings about sending them home. It’s fairly easy to figure out early on what will become of one’s students’ reading logs throughout the year. As parents, we all have the best intentions. Teachers know that. Many of us fill both roles.

Life gets busy, especially that in-between school and bed time when you have to make and clean up dinner between driving kids everywhere ensure they’re somewhat clean, and maybe even do some homework. I believe that most parents do read with, or to, their kids. Writing it down (especially when we’re exhausted and feeling like we’re being policed?) Well, that’s a whole other story.

How many evenings did I spend at the end of each month, sitting at my kitchen table with a selection of different colored pens, filling in my kids’ reading logs? We absolutely read each night, probably for too long, but we sure didn’t break the spell to keep track of it all!

It is because I valued passing on the love of reading that, in the case of traditional Reading Logs, our kids learned from me that I was okay with dishonesty (under very specific circumstances). Yep, they learned that the magic of reading trumped honesty. GULP.

The Parent / Teacher Connection:

When I was teaching Reading Recovery, between my training and the variety of students I had, I began to really understand the difference between passive and active learners, and the connection between our roles as parents and teachers. Have you heard the phrase ‘Never do for a child what he can do for himself’? I’m a believer.

There was a very definite link between how quickly my students that were more independent with getting ready for recess or home, for example, and using the strategies I was teaching them, were progressing through the program. Those who simply shrugged when I asked them a question, or stood daydreaming in the hall, expecting someone to come and zip up their jackets were the ones who seemed to struggle the most. They were also the ones who left their reading bags at home, waited to be directed for every step of the same structured lesson we had each day. Some of my students did not have bedtime stories because they ‘didn’t have time’. (That did not surprise me with the amount of time it took to travel down a short hallway!)

I have ‘rejigged’ the reading log for the little people, with the purpose of parents and teachers focusing on maintaining the natural enthusiasm and building responsibility for their learning in our little people! Have a look:

Th 2 Reading Log bw cover

This is the front

cover, with space

for the student’s

portrait and

name. Copy onto

colored paper

or let them color

it themselves! 
Th 3 Reading Logs

This is the first

inside page of

the Reading

Log, with the

legend and a

note for parents

explaining how

it all works! 
Th 4 10 June Reading Log

Students draw in &

submit reading

log with a page

completed monthly.

after discussing  

the 3 boxes at 

bottom at home.
strips - Copy

This is a later addition

to Reading Logs –

rejigged, for anyone

wishing to add extra

strips for additional

tracking (weekly?)

Simply return to your

My Purchases page &

download an update!
Th1 Familiar Reading explained! Free handout for parents and volunteers by ThatFunReadingTeacher

While this is not part of

Reading Logs – rejigged

it is the ideal info sheet

(& freebie) to include

with it or in your

familiar reading bags! 

It is my hope, that by focusing on each child as an individual ‘Superstar’ Reader (front cover), who has an important job to do in bringing his or her special Reading Folder or bag home regularly (hopefully with a library book to listen to, and/or some familiar reading), and returning it to school, it help foster a sense of pride in being a big kid who ‘reads’.

It is also my hope that our earliest little readers and their parents find reading stories at bedtime something they look forward to each night, and that stories accompany them elsewhere in their lives!

Below, please find the links to the free one month trial version and the full versions of Reading Logs – rejigged! If you like this idea, please pass it on!

I would love to hear your thoughts on reading logs, this new one, and alternatives you use.

Best wishes to all of you as we embark on another school year!


 FULL PRODUCT		 RL fr sample FREE SAMPLE

The full product comes with all 12 months, plus additional months  for August, October,

November, December and April to keep options open regardless of country or religion!
Reading Log preview.png - Copy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related:

First Grade and Kindergarten Literacy Bundle

Follow That Fun Reading Teacher’s board Kindergarten Literacy Fun on Pinterest.

 

2015 TpT Store Prof pic circle

http://thatfunreadingteacher.com/

[email protected]

Click the symbol above to access my TpT Store! 😉

 

Reading Logs for young readers? Here’s an alternative!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS PreKindergarten SPECIAL EDUCATION Uncategorized and tagged #backtoschool #ReadingLogs back to school classroom management education first grade kindergarten love of reading Reading Reading Log alternative reading logs Reading Logs for first grade Reading Logs for kindergarten on by (updated on )

Rethinking Reading Logs for young readers

I have spent most of my career teaching little people, and a good part of that time parenting little people, too. One topic of great discussion (well beyond kindergarten and grade one) was that of the Reading Log.

As a first grade teacher, I had mixed feelings about sending them home. It’s fairly easy to figure out early on what will become of one’s students’ reading logs throughout the year. As parents, we all have the best intentions. Teachers know that. Many of us fill both roles.

Life gets busy, especially that in-between school and bed time when you have to make and clean up dinner between driving kids everywhere ensure they’re somewhat clean, and maybe even do some homework. I believe that most parents do read with, or to, their kids. Writing it down (especially when we’re exhausted and feeling like we’re being policed?) Well, that’s a whole other story.

How many evenings did I spend at the end of each month, sitting at my kitchen table with a selection of different colored pens, filling in my kids’ reading logs? We absolutely read each night, probably for too long, but we sure didn’t break the spell to keep track of it all!

It is because I valued passing on the love of reading that, in the case of traditional Reading Logs, our kids learned from me that I was okay with dishonesty (under very specific circumstances). Yep, they learned that the magic of reading trumped honesty. GULP.

The Parent / Teacher Connection:

When I was teaching Reading Recovery, between my training and the variety of students I had, I began to really understand the difference between passive and active learners, and the connection between our roles as parents and teachers. Have you heard the phrase ‘Never do for a child what he can do for himself’? I’m a believer.

There was a very definite link between how quickly my students that were more independent with getting ready for recess or home, for example, and using the strategies I was teaching them, were progressing through the program. Those who simply shrugged when I asked them a question, or stood daydreaming in the hall, expecting someone to come and zip up their jackets were the ones who seemed to struggle the most. They were also the ones who left their reading bags at home, waited to be directed for every step of the same structured lesson we had each day. Some of my students did not have bedtime stories because they ‘didn’t have time’. (That did not surprise me with the amount of time it took to travel down a short hallway!)

I have ‘rejigged’ the reading log for the little people, with the purpose of parents and teachers focusing on maintaining the natural enthusiasm and building responsibility for their learning in our little people! Have a look:

Th 2 Reading Log bw cover

This is the front

cover, with space

for the student’s

portrait and

name. Copy onto

colored paper

or let them color

it themselves! 
Th 3 Reading Logs

This is the first

inside page of

the Reading

Log, with the

legend and a

note for parents

explaining how

it all works! 
Th 4 10 June Reading Log

Students draw in &

submit reading

log with a page

completed monthly.

after discussing  

the 3 boxes at 

bottom at home.
strips - Copy

This is a later addition

to Reading Logs –

rejigged, for anyone

wishing to add extra

strips for additional

tracking (weekly?)

Simply return to your

My Purchases page &

download an update!
Th1 Familiar Reading explained! Free handout for parents and volunteers by ThatFunReadingTeacher

While this is not part of

Reading Logs – rejigged

it is the ideal info sheet

(& freebie) to include

with it or in your

familiar reading bags! 

It is my hope, that by focusing on each child as an individual ‘Superstar’ Reader (front cover), who has an important job to do in bringing his or her special Reading Folder or bag home regularly (hopefully with a library book to listen to, and/or some familiar reading), and returning it to school, it help foster a sense of pride in being a big kid who ‘reads’.

It is also my hope that our earliest little readers and their parents find reading stories at bedtime something they look forward to each night, and that stories accompany them elsewhere in their lives!

Below, please find the links to the free one month trial version and the full versions of Reading Logs – rejigged! If you like this idea, please pass it on!

I would love to hear your thoughts on reading logs, this new one, and alternatives you use.

Best wishes to all of you as we embark on another school year!


 FULL PRODUCT		 RL fr sample FREE SAMPLE

The full product comes with all 12 months, plus additional months  for August, October,

November, December and April to keep options open regardless of country or religion!
Reading Log preview.png - Copy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related:

First Grade and Kindergarten Literacy Bundle

Follow That Fun Reading Teacher’s board Kindergarten Literacy Fun on Pinterest.

 

2015 TpT Store Prof pic circle

http://thatfunreadingteacher.com/

[email protected]

Click the symbol above to access my TpT Store! 😉

 

Hamlet Guess Who? Game

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts fun stuff games guided reading books literature No Prep Reading Shakespeare on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hamlet-Guess-Who-Game-2734208

 

Hamlet Guess Who? Game

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Guess Who? Game for Hamlet is a great way to familiarize students with characters. Included is a game card, the characters cards to cut out, and an instruction sheet. See preview for more details.

The fun thing about this game is that the game changes as the reading progresses. It’s a great way for students to learn characterization and have fun at the same time.

Spice up your Hamlet unit and incorporate a fun and meaningful activity.

This activity is part of a larger unit:
Hamlet Unit (No prep – Complete Unit)

Total Pages
4
Answer Key
N/A
Teaching Duration
N/A

Adaptable Short Story Chart (adaptable to all works of fiction)

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged #Graphic Organizer activities Chart English Language Arts literature Literature Circle No Prep Reading on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Adaptable-Short-Story-Chart-adaptable-to-all-works-of-fiction-1803945

 

Adaptable Short Story Chart (adaptable to all works of fiction)

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Adaptable Short Story Chart

This short story chart is perfectly adapted to all fiction (short stories, novels, plays….)

The document includes an explanation page as well as pages for students to complete.

It is excellent way to have students identify the different parts of plot.

It includes the following elements:
-narration
-Plot (initial situation, climax…)
-Setting
-Characterization
-Memorable quotes
-Themes

It’s teaching made easy!

Total Pages
3
Answer Key
Does Not Apply
Teaching Duration
N/A

Free Frankenstein Activity

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged English Language Arts free activity guided reading books Handouts literature No Prep Reading on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Frankenstein-Activity-1110383

 

Frankenstein Activity

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Who is the real monster in Frankenstein?

This activity has been designed to help students to understand the creature’s character. Is he a friend, or is he an enemy? Is he solely responsible for his misery?

This activity helps to develop students’ argumentation skills in a fun and meaningful way.

I hope you enjoy it.

It’s teaching made easy!

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts literature Literature Circle No Prep Reading Rubrics on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Evaluating-a-Fishbowl-Activity-in-a-Literature-Circle-694363

 

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Fishbowl activity is mostly useful during literature circles or in a novel study. Quite literally, the group in the center is being watched by the rest of the class, while they are discussing elements of fiction. This activity is a very important tool in order to teach students how group discussions should run, what is to be said, and how it is to be said. Many times the leader of the discussion doesn’t know how to prompt members to elaborate upon their contributions. This will certainly help.

In addition, it is often difficult for a teacher to evaluate these discussions, which is the reason I have created this package. It is easy to use and you can merely check boxes to quickly assess each member of the groups.

This package contains:
• An explanation of The Fishbowl Activity
• How to run a Fishbowl Activity (within the realm of a literature circle)
• Why such an activity is important
• Evaluation sheets one can use to easily evaluate the discussions and roles of students

It’s teaching made easy!

Free Assessment Tool to Create a Board Game

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOME LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged activities English Language Arts free No Prep Reading Rubrics Writing on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Creating-a-board-Game-assessment-tool-648898

 

Creating a board Game assessment tool

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This rubric was created to help students understand exactly what is expected of them for this evaluation. It is also an excellent tool to assess students’ progress and final product.

This self assessment rubric is part of bundle as well.

Self-evaluation grids are a great way to guide students in their evaluations. Students will know exactly what is expected of them and will be made responsible for their own success. This package can also easily be changed to be used as peer-evaluations.

It’s teaching made easy!

Adaptable Short Story Chart (Adaptable to all Works of Fiction)

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade and tagged activities Graphic Organizers literature Literature Circles No Prep Reading Writing on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Adaptable-Short-Story-Chart-adaptable-to-all-works-of-fiction-1803945

Adaptable Short Story Chart (adaptable to all works of fiction)

 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Adaptable Short Story Chart

This short story chart is perfectly adapted to all fiction (short stories, novels, plays….)

The document includes an explanation page as well as pages for students to complete.

It is excellent way to have students identify the different parts of plot.

It includes the following elements:
-narration
-Plot (initial situation, climax…)
-Setting
-Characterization
-Memorable quotes
-Themes

It’s teaching made easy!

 

Evaluating a Fishbowl Activity in a Literature Circle

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade and tagged activities English Language Arts literature Literature Circles No Prep Reading Rubrics on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Evaluating-a-Fishbowl-Activity-in-a-Literature-Circle-694363

fishing bowl

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Fishbowl activity is mostly useful during literature circles or in a novel study. Quite literally, the group in the center is being watched by the rest of the class, while they are discussing elements of fiction. This activity is a very important tool in order to teach students how group discussions should run, what is to be said, and how it is to be said. Many times the leader of the discussion doesn’t know how to prompt members to elaborate upon their contributions. This will certainly help.

In addition, it is often difficult for a teacher to evaluate these discussions, which is the reason I have created this package. It is easy to use and you can merely check boxes to quickly assess each member of the groups.

This package contains:
• An explanation of The Fishbowl Activity
• How to run a Fishbowl Activity (within the realm of a literature circle)
• Why such an activity is important
• Evaluation sheets one can use to easily evaluate the discussions and roles of students

It’s teaching made easy!

Free Frankenstein Debate

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 9th Grade and tagged Assessments English Language Arts free activity literature No Prep Reading on by

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Frankenstein-Debate-1110546

frankenstein debate

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Frankenstein Debate Package includes topics for students, a Procedure Sheet to help teachers take notes during the debate, as well as an evaluation sheet.

I hope you enjoy this document.

If you enjoy it, please visit my store to see what else I have to offer and leave a comment.

It’s teaching made easy!

April Teacher Talk

This entry was posted in 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT COMMON CORE End of the Year FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MATH LESSONS MISC. LESSONS SCIENCE LESSONS SOCIAL STUDIES LESSONS SPECIAL EDUCATION and tagged #AprilTeacherTalk #creativewriting #TeacherTalk #TeachingTips autism Reading on by

It’s April, only a few more months to go till the end of the school year. We have have so many things to share with you in this edition of April Teacher Talk. So sit back, relax and take a look at our posts.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs and blogging buddies and our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names. 


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April is Poetry Month

 I just love teaching poetry and spring is the perfect time. For me, inspiration comes from being outside, perhaps walking on the beach inhaling the salty ocean air, or just walking through the woods with my husband and beautiful husky who is no longer with us. Oh and April is Poetry month.

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Make a Splash in April

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Step by step instructions for an art project to motivate students for “April is Poetry Month”.

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Scientific Method: Neglect & Regrets

Are your students mere collectors of data, or do they analyze & interpret data? This blog relates an epiphany I had that changed my science-teaching game for good!  

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Autism & Learning to Use a Public Restroom: Tips for Parents and Teachers 

By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Learning to use the bathroom in public places or at school can be a struggle for children on the spectrum. Read this post for tips on how to make the process of using new bathrooms fun, interesting, and successful!

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More Core in Shared Reading for AAC Users

By Susan Berkowitz of Susan Berkowitz

This post is about using core words and more descriptive teaching rather than referential teaching. Not only does this encourage higher level thinking skills, it means AAC users can more easily participate in comprehension activities.

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Don’t Let the Pencil Craze Get to You!

Mary Moore of Moore Resources

Are pencils driving you crazy? Students not having a pencil? Losing them? Breaking the tip? The pencil craze got to me too! It doesn’t need to! During my student teaching we had cups with pencils at each group that we sharpened every morning and ensured there were plenty in each cup, which was great! That was in first grade. Over the years, I became use to about 2-3 students per class not having a pencil, therefore, I always purchased a box or two at a time and handed pencils out to those students. This year was a little different for me and the pencil craze got me! So many lost pencils, broken pencil tips, or students just didn’t have a pencil. I felt pencil cross eyed! A solution must be found!!! After much thought I came up with my “Pencil Station”!

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Nothing Like Non-Fiction

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

Using non-fiction will renew the love of learning in your classroom! Immersing students in reading & writing workshop: use non-fiction to teach note-taking, text features and formats!

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Calculator Challenges

By Shametria Routt of The Routty Math Teacher

Calculators are wonderful tools for the classroom and can provide valuable learning opportunities for our students. In fact, in the Common Core State Standards for Math, Mathematical Practice Standard 5 requires that students use “tools strategically.” To support this goal, this series includes 4 calculator-based activities that can be used to challenge your students in the mathematics classroom.

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EdTech Tips: Google My Maps

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Ways to use Google My maps in the classroom!

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8 Highly Effective Practices for Teaching Printing

By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Don’t have time to take to a class? Improve the effectiveness of your handwriting instruction with these easy to follow research-based tips!

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What I Have Learned on TPT-Part One

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

Advice from one teacher’s journey to becoming a teacher-entrepreneur on TPT. This four-part blog series includes strategies for finding help and feeling success.

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Georgia, Poppies & Poetry

By Tracy Wills of Wild Child Designs

This post outlines how to use sentence stems and visible thinking routines to respond to Georgia O’Keefe’s art. It includes some great picture book recommendations as well!

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St. Patrick’s Day: Motivating students to reading for meaning ~ with humor!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOME Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS St. Patrick's Day Uncategorized and tagged #ReadAndWriteAndMore Grade 1 grade 2 motivating students with humor Primary Reading and Writing Reading reading comprehension reading for meaning reading with kids St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day Reading and Writing ThatFunReadingTeacher on by (updated on )

St P humor post

Nothing grabs my students’ attention more than something that is downright silly.

They know I tend to make the odd ‘mistake’ when we’re reading together, and that reading just HAS to make sense. Whenever I sense someone’s attention (or foot, or elbow) beginning to drift, I’ll throw in the odd error, for example:

Oh No!

Recently, we have completed the Pirate Pals Read and Write and More booklet together, and it occurred to me, again, that when kids anticipate fun and laughter, they are more willing to invest their energy and focus up front.

Pirate Pals kids joking about space monkey - CopyA 2nd grade student tries to get a  peer to choose ‘Saturn’ instead of the correct answer for the setting question… Pirate Pals Reading Comp photo…then they laugh at the thought of pirates bringing a space monkey on a treasure hunt!

St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. I read the story of St. Patrick to my grade one class years ago, and remember the pre-reading discussion well. A small group of my students believed that St. Patrick was a leprechaun, and others found the idea to be hilarious. The child who had expressed this idea was embarrassed and it had a significant impact on his confidence in sharing in groups, and taking risks in his learning, for some time.

This, of course, took us off-track into a conversation about teasing, laughing at vs. laughing with others.

I’m planning to give the students I see the advantage of knowing the true story of St. Patrick early, so they can be armed to laugh with their classmates!

The St. Patrick’s Day pages below and the Pirate Pals pages above are only two of the elements of the Read and Write and More Series.

St. P's Day Reading Comp JPEG updated
St. P's Day questions JPEG updated

Isn’t laughter the way of the Irish, after all?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

2015 TpT Store Prof pic circle

Related:

Th1 Th1 St P Day Freebie main product cover
More R & W & M Read Rec Sound boxes

Read and Write and DIFFERENTIATE by printing – for Valentine’s Day!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS Valentine's Day and tagged #DifferentiateByPrinting first grade Grade 1 grade two kindergarten LowPrep primary special education read Read and Write and More Reading rhyme rhyming scrambled sentences second grade special education Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day cards Valentine’s Day printables word endings write Writing on by (updated on )

Read and Write and DIFFERENTIATE by printing - for Valentine's Day!

A significant part of my support role to kindergarten and primary teachers in recent years has been to provide instruction and / or resources to differentiate instruction for little people in literacy.

Within one class, the range of abilities can span four grades. A little one’s tolerance to frustration towards a task that is too difficult, or another’s need for something to challenge his or her learning for just the right amount of time, can be a tough order to fill – especially at the same time – after gym and snack time and before recess, library and reading buddies.

I have designed my Read and Write and More packages to allow teachers to #DifferentiateByPrinting. There are always activities in each of these products to address a variety of needs.

Valentine Scrambled Sentences:

(Note: The colored sentence strips shown in the first example are provided in the Valentine’s Day Read and Write and More set. There are two different sentence options to choose from to photocopy onto each color paper, with six identical scrambled sentences on each strip).

Val sent sheet  Slide6 Slide7

Having the option to place and paste sentence strips, place and copy sentence strips, work without the strips on easier or more challenging sentences, means that many pre-writers, early writers and / or are independent writers have an accessible starting point.

Valentine Rhyme and Ending Sounds:

See it, hear it, read it? Assessment or  fun practice activities?
I use the following pages for fun small group review, then send them home for the fridge, where my wish is for the back-of-the-cereal box effect.

When I am doing the following rhyme activity with students, I am mindful of my data. Those who need more practice listening for rhyme and ending sounds and who automatically compare letter patterns at the ends of words will get the sheet without print. Proficient rhymers who need more practice with looking closely at print will get the copy with the words. And, of course, other days there will be other activities for those who do not fit neatly into those categories. 

Slide5 Slide4 Slide3

Check out these fantastic ideas and resources on our Rhyme Time board below:
Follow That Fun Reading Teacher’s board Rhyme Time! on Pinterest.

Valentine’s Day Read and Write and More contains a number of other fun literacy activities, including:

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Graphic Organizers, Writing Paper,

B & W Cards to color with insert ->

 Valentine Graphic Organizers and Cards

And for another day…

…activities for the 100th day of school!

 

The Read and Write and More sets always contain three-part graphic organizers, thematic writing paper, and fun, literacy activities with an explanation page, ideas and options to help make activities accessible to a wide range of kindergarten to grade 2 students.

We all remember our little students on Valentine’s Day. Check out the freebies below to be sure no one is missed!

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Th1 Valentine Th Staffroom Valentine Cards cover 400 Th1 Reading Buddies V

Save with Bundles!

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February Teacher Talk

This entry was posted in 100th Day 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOLIDAYS Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MATH LESSONS MISC. LESSONS PreKindergarten Presidents' Day SOCIAL STUDIES LESSONS SPECIAL EDUCATION Valentine's Day and tagged #blackhistorymonth #collaborativegroups #educators #English #FebruaryTeacherTalk #proofreading #TeacherTalk #TeachingTips #valentinesday fractions math Reading robotics on by (updated on )

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern



Welcome to our February Teacher Talk.  All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a Happy Valentines Day.  We have so many fab things this month from  proof-reading ideas, to ELA to math activities, to celebrating Black History Month and President’s Day, you don’t want to miss reading these blog posts from some awesome educators.

If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs and blogging buddies and our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names. 

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The Proof is in the Pudding, Proof-Reading That Is!

As a veteran English and Social Studies teacher, I’d like to share some effective proof-reading tips that I’ve used to help students improve their writing skills, and to make my life a bit easier.


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Love is All We Need

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning

Just a little inspiration for building confidence and acceptance in your learning community.

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IMWAYR: Funny Bones

By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Have you read Funny Bones? Winner of multiple awards and a great informational addition to your Dia de Los Muertos collection!

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Valentine’s Day STEM Olympics

By Kerry Tracy of Kerry Tracy

Blog post outlines 5 infatuating Valentine’s Day-themed STEM challenges that can be modified for use with grades 2-8. Help Cupid get some target practice, build a tower of love, design the perfect candy container, find the “heaviest” heart, and have a flower frenzy!

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 Cooperative Learning – Bring Core Subjects Together for Student Learning!

By M. Moore of Moore Resources

 Cooperative Learning – Bring Core Subjects Together for Student Learning!

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What Word Does This Say: B-L-E-N-D?

By Susan Berkowitz of Susan Berkowitz

This is part of a series of posts about phonological awareness and the different steps and skills to teach. This post is about blending sounds and syllables to hear the word.

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Teaching Self-Regulation Skills to Elementary Age Children

By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Finally! A systematic method to teach self-regulation skills to children with sensory, emotional, and behavioral needs. Color coded task cards give students managed choices to learn specific skills that meet their sensory needs and also calm them down, so that they can perform their academic classroom tasks.

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My Funny Valentine: Love Letters by Arnold Adoff

By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

A review and glimpse into “Love Letters” poetry by Arnold Adoff. This post also includes a teaching idea for its use in the classroom.

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Robots + Math & Science = Total Engagement

By Megan Bodmann of Adventures Teaching 4th

Get your students engaged in learning by introducing robots into your classroom. They are not only a ton of fun, but you can easily utilize them in your math and science lessons. Find out how easy it is to do!

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Playground Problem = Real Life

By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

The Playground Problem is a real-life math challenge! It keep students engaged and practicing their area and perimeter skills in a meaningful way.

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Understanding Fractions: A 6-Part Series

By Shametria Routt of The Routty Math Teacher

Fractions– a single word that deflates the confidence of our most competent students and adults alike. In this series, I share some of the essential fraction understandings that I have developed over the years, including the many math tools you can use to reinforce these essential skills. With that in mind, each of the six posts highlights a fraction tool and activity that can be used to address a specific Common Core Math Standard (with a few printable freebies too). 

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Leveled Math Assessments

By Tammy Roose of Tarheel State Teacher

Do your math assessments encourage a growth mindset? Create an entry point for students who are not yet meeting the standards? Allow above average learners to show they know more than just what’s expected for their grade-level? Find out 7 reasons why I’m committed to leveled math assessments this year! 

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Here’s your chance to hop on over and visit the blog posts of our creative teachers.

FREE LESSON: Using Book Trailers in the Classroom

This entry was posted in 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade COMMON CORE FREE LESSONS LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS and tagged #owlteacher 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade common core Reading technology on by (updated on )

By:  The Owl Teacher

Grades 2-5

 

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I love to get students hooked on reading and with all the technology in their faces, I thought I’d take advantage of that.  I decided it was time to hook them on book trailers.

Book Trailers are just like movie trailers, where they show you clipits of the book.  It’s usually just enough to get you excited and want to read the book.  You can find many book trailers on the internet to interest your students.

Since we have so many standards to tackle, this project was amazing at meeting many of them – including technology, writing, and reading.

You can read all about it here at my blog- along with receiving a free download of the expectations and a grading rubric.  While you are there, consider following my blog or signing up for my newsletter where you can get freebies once a month!

Happy Teaching!

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FREE LESSON: Reading Ladder of Complexity

This entry was posted in 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade FREE LESSONS LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS RTI - Response to Intervention and tagged #owlteacher 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade common core Reading on by (updated on )

By:  The Owl Teacher

Grades 2-5

With the new common core, we now have to make sure our students are reading at their highest able level and that their text is more complex than before.  It’s in the standards, whether anyone likes it or not.

During a reading workshop that I attended, I heard about this idea that helps release students gradually into the world of more complex texts.  It’s called using the ladder of complexity.

ladderofcomplexity

Here students start reading a book that they would normally choose and then work their way up to a more complex text.  They also explain why they believe the book is more complex.  Of course, you can always make sure you instruct students on what makes a text more complex.  There is more detailed information on my blog where you can download this free organizer.  Just click here.

Happy Teaching!

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Copyright of The Owl Teacher.  All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.  I love it when you share my products with your colleagues but please do so legally!  Thank you!
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FREE LESSON – Speaking and Listening Task Cards

This entry was posted in 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade COMMON CORE FREE LESSONS LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged #owlteacher common core free Reading on by (updated on )

By:  The Owl Teacher

Grades 2- 5

Common Core is now focusing on more than just simple reading skills and strategies!  It’s also making sure that your students are able to communicate and listen well.  (Of course, my district was implementing something similar prior but it was not emphasized as much as now.)

I struggled in the beginning trying to figure out just how I was going to teach my third graders to listen.  Imagine – if there was ever a teacher that could actually 100% teach students to listen… he or she would be sensation!  A millionaire…

Ah, but I’m not here to dream or to convince you that I have the fool proof secret.  But I am here to give you a FREE tool that I use in the classroom to help my students work on this important life skill!

speakinglistening15

First head over to my blog by clicking here and download these really neat task cards!  Then print them in the colors you desire, cut them out, and laminate them back to back.  Cut a small slit along the bottom of the laminated card to insert a craft stick with a dab of hot glue.  Viola!  You have handy task cards!  (Of course, you can eliminate the stick!)

speakinglistening11

Here is a picture of both sides so you can see the thinking stems for both the speaker and the listener:

Speaking and Listening Cards

I hope these cards are useful for implementing those common core standards of speaking and listening… and hey, if you do manage to figure out the mysterious way to get *any* kid to truly 100% listen, be sure to let me know!  🙂

Happy Teaching,

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Copyright of The Owl Teacher.  All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.  I love it when you share my products with your colleagues but please do so legally!  Thank you!

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January Teacher Talk

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS Martin Luther King, Jr. MATH LESSONS MISC. LESSONS PreKindergarten SPECIAL EDUCATION and tagged #English #January #MartinLutherKing #TeacherTalk math Reading Writing on by (updated on )

Posted by Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

 

                      

Happy New Year 

All of us from the Teacher Talk collaborative would like wish you a

healthy, happy and wealthy 2016. May all of your wishes and dreams become a reality.


If you’re interested in joining this unique group of teacher entrepreneurs and blogging buddies and our blog linky, sign up here….The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you decide to join, be sure to mention one of our names. 

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By Deann Marin of Socrates Lantern

As a child of the 60’s I remember so vividly that fateful April day in 1968 when Martin Luther King Jr. was brutally gunned down by James Earl Ray. I remember sitting by the television set, just horrified by what I had just witnessed.

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By Mary Moore of  Moore Resoources

ALL IN ONE: Statistics, Probability, Classroom Management, Scatter Plots, Student Engagement, & Graphing!

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By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Help your kids get the most out of waiting in line!

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By Kathie Yonemura of Tried and True Teaching Tools

A simple strategy for activating prior knowledge and gets students to make connections. 

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By Shametria Routt of the Routty Math Teacher

Math stations are one of the current hot button topics for educators and the sessions with the longest lines at any math conference because they are not only fun for students but can be adapted to address a whole host of learning styles– more than we can typically address in a whole class setting. However, using math stations effectively in the classroom can seem like an overwhelming endeavor for beginners. To support those teachers who have been wanting to get started with math stations and to share some of my favorite tips and techniques with beginners and novices alike, this 6-part series features the 5 Ws of math stations: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. 

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By Tammy Roose of Tarheelstate Teacher

Are you ready to harness your greatness in 2016? I’m recommending 3 of my favorite resources for developing new positive habits and being the best you can be! Happy New Year! 

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By Susan Berkowitz of Susan Berkowitz

Phonological awareness refers to awareness of and access to the sound structure of language. Spoken words are comprised of strings or sequences of phonemes that signal different meanings. Awareness that changes in these sequences result in changes in meaning is crucial in literacy skills development. If a student cannot conceptualize the order of sounds and syllables in words, he cannot associate the sound units with written symbols.

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By Lisa Robles of LisaTeachR’s Classroom

Books and resources to teach kindness.

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By Kerry Tracy of  Kerry Tracy

If your 4th – 8th grade students are struggling to produce grade-level writing, start here!

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By Tammy DeShaw of The Owl Teacher

Are you looking for some great ideas for teaching about Martin Luther King Jr? This blog post is a great opportunity to still teach your reading common core while teaching about this legend. The great part? A freebie to help you get started is included!

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By Thia Triggs of Print Path

Can you read these letters? Do you know why they are so hard to read? What can we do as teachers to prevent this?

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By Marypat Mahoney of Just Add Students

Keep writing projects from lingering on and on by using a writing scheduler.

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Gifts of the New Year

By Retta London of Rainbow City Learning


Now that “the holidays” are over, the decorations are packed away, and the ribbons, bows, tinsel, and paper have been disposed of, many of us think that the huge whoosh of gifting is over. I disagree! January is the perfect time to gift yourself! Here are some gifts that I hope you will lavish upon yourselves during the often cloudy, gray, and chilling days of January!



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Helping Reluctant Readers Find the Magic

By Marcy Howe of It’s a Teacher Thing

How can you help your reluctant upper elementary and middle school readers? Check out this veteran teacher’s post on how she helps struggling readers.


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Finding Balance & Doing the Fandango

By Tracy Willis of Wild Child Designs

Quick! Can you stand on one foot and cross your eyes? Me neither! Find out how this teacher is reclaiming her sense of balance.

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From teaching math to writing to reading to learning how to form letters properly, to celebrating Martin Luther King, you don’t want to miss reading these fabulous blog posts from some awesome educators.

FREE MISC LESSON: Martin Luther King Jr Reading Freebie!

This entry was posted in 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade FREE LESSONS LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS Martin Luther King, Jr. MISC. LESSONS and tagged #owlteacher #teachers 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade free free lessons fun holiday Reading Writing on by (updated on )

By:  The Owl Teacher

Grades 2-5

MLK

Martin Luther King Jr was a hero to me.  He stood up for civil rights and did so in a peaceful and loving way.  He demonstrated bravery and courage as he fought for equality and justice.

As we approach Martin Luther King Jr Day, I have some great teaching ideas for you!  Over at my blog (www.theowlteacher.com) I have provided several ideas for you – all related to vocabulary, reading, and writing.  I have provided some great mentor texts to use along with a freebie for you to download!

You can read all about these great ideas by clicking here.

Martin Luther King Package 8x8

My Martin Luther King Jr Freebie can also be located at my Teachers Pay Teachers store ready for you to download.  Check it out here.

I hope you enjoy it!

Have a great day!

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For UPDATES and FREEBIES in future, look for the GREEN STAR

near my store name and CLICK it to become a FOLLOWER.

Be sure to follow me so you are up-to-date on all my products, freebies, tips, and much more!

Copyright of The Owl Teacher.  All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.  I love it when you share my products with your colleagues but please do so legally!  Thank you!

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No-prep printables – Reading and Writing for Christmas!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade Christmas FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs HOLIDAYS Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS Uncategorized and tagged #ChristmasReading #ChristmasWriting #language Arts christmas homeschool kindergarten Literacy Center Ideas No-Prep Printables Reading Writing on by

2x Xmas Preview - Copy

Happy (almost) holidays, my friends. Have you noticed an excitement in the air? My students definitely have the Christmas Spirit, and are always thrilled to have some fun seasonal activities do to recognize it!

I run Early Literacy Intervention groups with students from grades 1-3. While we do guided reading and writing, and play skill-building games, once in a while I do like to have them do some worksheets that I can keep a copy of in their files. We are currently working through both of the packages shown in the picture above and they are enthusiastic with the variety of activities at their ‘just-right’ level, too.

Here is a close up of the North Pole Reading and Writing Fun preview:

North Pole Preview

…and one of the Nativity Reading and Writing Fun preview:

demoNativityReadingandWritingActivities

The kids are having a lot of fun with these, thanks to the wonderful clip art by Edu-clips.com. They can’t wait to color the pictures!

Each of these packages come with the following tip sheet:

Instructions

Best wishes to all of you and yours as we wrap up for the holidays. Take care of you, too!

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Th1 Xmas bundle Th1 BigXmas
Th1 Nat R&W cover - Copy Th1 North Pole R & W JPG file

Follow That Fun Reading Teacher’s board Christmas Literacy Fun! on Pinterest.

Counting by 2s, phrasing, fluency and quotation marks with REINDEER!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade Christmas FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MATH LESSONS MISC. LESSONS Uncategorized and tagged #kids #language Arts #MathAndLiteracy Christmas math homeschool kindergarten math Math reader Reading reindeer math TpT Writing on by

Counting by 2s post

Have you ever noticed how perfectly the Santa’s reindeer and Rudolph stories lend themselves to teaching kids about counting by twos? The reindeer are paired up in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer song and in Santa’s famous line at the end of the classic story Twas the Night Before Christmas. The teachable moment is just sitting in front us begging to be used!

Perhaps that is why I, That Fun Math Reading Teacher, have started passing on this Phrasing and Fluency Reader to teachers as a math resource as well. (For anyone who may have purchased it more than a year ago, please go back to your purchases page and download an updated version.)

Last year I was using 10 at the Sled primarily for the phrasing, fluency and fun factor. That is, after all, the purpose for which it was written in the first place. It can be sung to the tune of Ten in the Bed, and even if students are not familiar with the song, they do catch on to the simple melody quickly and enjoy the repetition. They also hear how certain words fall together naturally to create phrases.

TenattheSledacountingbysphrasingfluencyreaderandsong

After several requests for a black and white student booklet last year, I created one over the summer, using speech bubbles where there are quotation marks used in the color edition:

Th2 10 at Sled 1 Th3 10 at Sled

I wanted to show students what quotation marks really mean, in a visual way, rather than only telling them. I am finding that with this year’s students, this concrete approach has made a huge difference. We compare my color copy with their black and white copy and discuss how quotation marks and speech bubbles really serve the same purpose. *Lightbulb moment*!

The tone, expression (and curiously deep voices) they use when reading the ‘spoken’ lines are hilarious! But clearly, meaningful to them!

Thank you to all of the teacher bloggers who provided feedback during the Christmas in July sale that led to these revisions.

Enjoy these last two weeks!

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What are your favorite ways to bring various subject areas together? Here are some of mine:

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Follow That Fun Reading Teacher’s board Math and Literacy Fun on Pinterest.

“Misc. Lesson-“El Grito” Mexican Independence-Reading-Comprehension Unit- Cultural SUB Plan

This entry was posted in 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade COMMON CORE GRADE LEVELS MISC. LESSONS SOCIAL STUDIES LESSONS and tagged fun history lessons Hispanic Heritage Day Mexican Independence Day Reading reading comprehension September 16 social studies spanish on by (updated on )

MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

“EL GRITO”

 

by Monica Herterich

Grades 2-12

el grito 2-page-001 el grito 2-page-003 el grito 2-page-002

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/El-Grito-Mexican-Independence-Reading-Comprehension-Unit-Cultural-SUB-Plan-2089535

This wonderful “El Grito “Cultural unit is the perfect way to celebrate Sept 16. Mexican Independence Day in your classroom.

The unit addresses the history of the Father Hidalgo in Dolores and his legendary “Grito de Dolores” that started the Mexican Revolution. The unit also describes in detail the reenactment ceremonies done on Sept 15 every year in the Zocalo of Mexico by the President of Mexico. It is a fun unit with wonderful Word Searches both in Spanish and English to reinforce the reading and cognates. Finally a fun coloring activity can be used for Elementary students. You can do it as a class reading and then little ones can just have fun coloring the Sugar Skull on a bed of Roses and doing the English Word Search.

el grito 2-page-006

Your students will be able to read the Cultural piece, complete reading comprehension questions in English and have fun doing the Word Search and coloring the Sugar skull

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An important lesson from my Reading Recovery days: Begin at the very beginning

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged #kids #ReadingRecovery #teachers Emergent Reader kindergarten Pre-Emergent Reader Reading Sight Words special education struggling students TpT Writing on by (updated on )

Begin at the very beginning

I taught for a decade before I started my Reading Recovery training, beginning with kindergarten in a school where half of my students understood only Portuguese when they arrived. In those first ten years I moved between kindergarten, primary special education and grade one. My grade one students who struggled the most were lucky enough to have the Reading Recovery program in place, and I was astounded at the changes I saw in them in such a short time. Those teachers had some kind of magic and I was thrilled when I was able to take the position at my school. There was a mystery that surrounded what really happened in that little room.

Wait a minute – the kid learns nothing new and the teacher does everything for them?

I began my Reading Recovery training like my fellow trainees, enthusiastic, and in a hurry to get my students reading and writing! I was impatient with the ‘Roaming around the Known’ period: ‘Roaming’ being delicately consolidating (with ABSOLUTELY no teaching) around what the child already knows (the ‘known’), perhaps discovering more about what is known or stumbling upon areas of difficulty somehow missed in the testing process. It was a ten lessons, two week complete, no-stress, the-child-does-all-he’s-capable-of-and-you-do-everything-else period of (what felt like) non-structured, laziness. It drove us all nuts – at first.

But here’s what actually happened.

We had LOADS of fun. The kids, who at the beginning of grade one already knew they were ‘the worst readers in the class’ and had already been refusing to take risks and try anything new, gained confidence and trust in us, the process and themselves and started to try. They were excited to come to Reading Recovery every day, before we even started lessons.

What did we do?

  1. We read familiar books over, and over, and over again.
  2. We made our own story books, sharing the marker; the child writing the words s/he knew, the teacher writing the rest.
  3. We played games with the words and letters the child already knew. We painted (with water) on the walls of the school and the playground, in sand trays, and shaving cream.
  4. We practiced moving from left to right…and I could go on (and will in a future post)…

My point is, we learned that there is nothing wrong with EASY, especially when dealing with a child whose confidence needs a boost.

Most of the children I have worked with in recent years are these very children. For many of them, the little things are giant in their minds. Anticipation of a task can be more difficult to manage than the task itself. We need to start with success and build up one baby step at a time. You do remember Baby Steps, don’t you?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3JPa2mvSQ4] Dr Leo Marvin TFRT

And, of course, humor keeps us all going when the going gets tough!

Here are a few links to help anyone who is starting at the very beginning of the literacy journey this year. Best wishes to you!

Fam Read Fun Th Dos & don'ts of motivating young children to write Th1 Reading Logs - rejigged!
flipbook post pic ben-of-alpha-book.png-150x150 Alpha book 350 x 350

PreEmergent Sight-Word-Stages Readers (two words per page, also available in bundles):

Th School Things half page cover Fall Things Thanksgiving Things half page cover Hall Things half p cover

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Collaboration & Cooperative Learning ~ Bring Students Together

This entry was posted in 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MATH LESSONS and tagged #Collaboration #CommonCore #MathMiddleSchool #Cooperative Learning #Debate #project #teachers education math Reading research special education Teaching Resource Teambuilding on by (updated on )

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Engage Math Students in a Read, Write, & Research project that they Debate!

The “Read, Write, Math Project Lesson” incorporates all of these tasks!

 

This lesson brings Language Arts, Collaboration, and Math together.

Engaging students in collaboration assists them in team work, cooperative learning, and more that they will utilize throughout their life!  Bring it all together with this unit!

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This assignment is completely {editable} to suit your class and how you have students turn in the assignment.

This lesson may take 3 days of class or more – a day to research and review the lesson with students, a day for students to collaborate, then a day to debate.

Note ~ I allowed 2 weeks for students to complete this project.

Learn more about this lesson by clicking here…  “Read, Write, Math Project Lesson” .

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PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW, SHARE, PIN, TWEET, ……

 

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Best Wishes, Mary Moore

Certified K-6, 6-9 math, and 6-9 science

TpT Store ~ https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Moore-Resources

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©2015 M Moore, Moore Resources, You may share, pin, like, repin,…. etc., just not copy

Print and Go – 5 U.S. Regions Scavenger Hunt Bundle

This entry was posted in 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade SOCIAL STUDIES LESSONS and tagged 3rd grade 4th grade common core Literacy Center Ideas Reading social studies TpT US regions on by (updated on )

Combine literacy and social studies while letting your students have fun! Your students will love these 5 scavenger hunts about the U.S. Regions.  This is a bundle of the 5 regions into one, so you can click print and have a great supplemental activity for your class. Each region contains 25 task cards for a total of 120 task cards and 120 questions for the bundle.  Your students will learn at least one fact for state and also national monuments, famous buildings, national parks and tourist attractions.

 

Slide1You can use these cards in anyway you want for your classroom, but this is how I use them in my class.

 

1.  Print the region that you are currently working on in class.

2.  Cut the task cards apart and print the student questions for students.

3.  Tape the cards around your classroom or hallway.

4.  Let the students hunt for the cards and answer the questions on their sheets.

5.  Answer keys are included for quick grading.

 

My students beg me to keep working on this activity and I really truly believe that the movement of walking around the classroom searching for cards helps them remember more facts.

You can find this resource HERE!

US Regions Scavenger Hunt – BUNDLE

Here is an example of the task cards and questions from the Northeast Region.

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Thank you for viewing this post.  I hope this helps you in your classroom!

Sara Oberheide

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sara-Oberheide

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A post to pass on to parents: Reading and writing through play!

This entry was posted in 1st Grade 2nd Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Kindergarten LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS and tagged #kids End of year for parents for play centres fun homeschool kindergarten learn through play Literacy Center Ideas No-Prep Printables Reading summer templates for kids TpT Writing writing for real purposes on by

Reading and writing through play!

 

Do you have a child who loves animals, may wish to be a veterinarian or doctor, and could use a little practice or writing his or her name? (Not that you would ever mention it…)

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How about one who does not see the point in learning to read or write, but has a fantastic imagination?

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A sociable child with boundless energy, an interest in the law, perhaps, and exploring roles?

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Maybe you have a child that likes to pretend to be grown-up sometimes, and receive the praise self-esteem boost that goes with it. I admit to feeling very important as a ‘waitress’ at summer BBQs growing up. (My brothers preferred to be ‘bartenders’). It was always more official and fun with a notepad in hand.

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And once the drinks are handed out, someone is bound to start telling stories. Perhaps your child is a fan of pirates, or a natural storyteller?

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The child in this post could be any child.

Children learn without even realizing it through play, and read and write for real purposes .

We learned this way when we were kids. We played. We helped out. We didn’t have the electronic distractions of today.

The templates above (and a few more) have been designed for today’s more discerning audience in a product called Summer Fun: Reading and writing through play. It is included in a bundle with another Writing for Real Purposes product: Fun Summer Lists, which I wrote about here. I have included the links below, and the original post that launched this line of products.

Kids love to imagine, create and role play. Thank you to those of you who do purchase these products. I hope anyone reading this post is inspired to play with their kids and discreetly slip in teachable moments where possible. The key is to have fun and let go of expectations.

It is summer time after all.

Best wishes to all of you!

I.M.

That Fun Reading Teacher 

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Stories to Keep Students Engaged

This entry was posted in 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade FREE LESSONS & PRICED LESSONS - The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs LANGUAGE ARTS LESSONS MISC. LESSONS SCIENCE LESSONS and tagged #kids #teachers #teacherspayteachers education gifted and talented Reading stories TpT on by

Now that school is winding down, teachers often find themselves looking for that extra reading passage to keep kids engaged. I wrote these five original stories, which come complete with activities. 

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Short-Stories-for-Classrooms-Complete-With-Activities-1763051

In this bundle, you will find the following:


Nonfiction Sports Story With Expository Writing Activity 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
This nonfiction story depicts Josh Pastner, coach of the University of Memphis Tiger Basketball Team. His motivational story is quite impressive and provides a great model for kids. I have also provided directions for kids to write an essay about what they read in the story. Nonfiction writing is high on the common core expectations, and this activity is perfect for providing high interest curriculum and current events.

Help! I’ve Misplaced My Modifier. Humorous Story to Explain Misplaced Modifiers 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This humorous story helps students to learn about misplaced modifiers. Students are given the task of finding the misplaced modifiers in this story about a child’s birthday party. Answer key included.

Electromagnetic Energy Story (Creative Writing Activity about Science) 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This creative story shows the path of electricity from a neutron’s point of view. Students are asked to write their own stories that relate to a scientific topic.

The World’s Most Loyal Dog: A Nonfiction Story With Questions 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

I am an author as well as a teacher, and I wrote this story about Hachiko, the amazing Japanese dog who spent about a decade waiting at a train station for his master who had died. This story comes complete with vocabulary and comprehension questions.

Beware of Cooties 

Here’s a bonus story that one cannot buy individually on TPT. I fear it will never find a home due to its shocking ending, but none-the-less, it’s one of my favorites that must be shared. If you dare to share it with the kids, I promise they’ll get a laugh. Enjoy!

I have plenty of stories and reading activities at my TPT store. Won’t you please stop by?