Kindergarten Character Reading Clubs 

Kindergarten readers are in love with some new book best friends (Book BFFs according to the K team at PS 267).  I think this is the perfect time of year to invite K readers to meet new characters, perhaps a series of books featuring beloved characters, and gear up for high volume summer reading.  Kathy Collins's book, Reading for Real, will give you support if you want to know how to set up partnerships for this unit, prepare materials, and gather minilessons with colleagues.  I am posting just a few pics and tips here to help you get started in your classrooms.

First, create some inviting character club baskets that include books at your students independent reading levels.  Choose a few to use as whole class read alouds so you can model how to follow a character in one book and across books.

Many of you are teaching kids to infer how characters feel by reading the words and looking closely at the pictures.  You may have a chart like the one below that you have built with kids during a few minilessons.

This class built a chart to show how they got to know the character Mercy Watson from the lovely series by Kate DiCamillo.  They read a bunch of these books during read aloud and then the teacher referred to just parts or pages in her minilessons.  With each minilesson, she added to the chart with a clear example from the text and clear language.

And, it is also great to teach the kids to read across their books.  They can find the things their characters like to do, like to eat, like to play, and more.  Then, they can search for places where the characters do the same things in all of the books.  They can also compare one character to the other.  A kindergarten class at PS 6 made this chart together after they studied Mercy Watson, Piggy, and Fly Guy (3 different series).

Have fun meeting you new BFFs!  Encourage the kids to share their new "friends" with one another and make plans to meet more over the summer.

Science Lab Report Writing for First Graders

Hello Teachers and Coaches!  Can you believe it is May?  It is time to experiment.  For many of us, this means we will experiment with our teaching while we invite kids to create science experiments in our classrooms.  Before I write any further I need to thank some teacher friends of mine who have helped me experiment with Science writing for first graders.  Special thanks for this post go to the first grade team at PS 267, especially Breanne and Francessca who tried this writing unit for the first time last year.  Much of what I learned about science lab report writing for first graders, I learned along side of them and the science teacher at their school, Mr. Sloane.  And, I also need to thank the inspiring first grade team at Lake Mills Prospect Elementary school.  The charts you see here were up in Hillary's classroom as we began this Science Writing Workshop unit last week together.  Deb, Sherry, Nick, Stacy, Desha, and Amanda shared in the planning and teaching fun too.  Cheers to these two amazing first grade teams and all of the amazing first grade teams out there! 

Okay, now, on with the science writing fun!  If you are reading through the amazing science writing unit of study from the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and want some support to launch it, here are some of the things we tried at 267 and Prospect Elem. 

First, we recognized that this science unit was all about creating experiements and writing them up like a real lab report.  The teachers did observation journals for science writing earlier in the year with other topics like observing animals changing and growing over time.  Now, it was time to actually experiment and so they decided to teach this writing unit along side of the science content of liquids, solids, and gases.  Specifically, they wanted kids to investigate different liquids, mixing, combining, and asking questions about how things combine and perhaps become a solution. 

In the classroom, Hillary read aloud a great book,
 

 

Then, she asked her kids to turn and talk about all the things they learned from this book and what they knew from previous experience about what scientists do.   They made this great list:

The next day, we conducted a whole class experiment, much like we would do a whole class read aloud.  I gathered the kids at the carpet and we had a bunch of liquids in front of us.

"What can we do with these?" I asked.

"Mix them up!!!" a first grader shouted.

So, we began to ask questions about which things we should mix, how we should mix them, how much we should mix, how long we should mix, and when we should observe.  Each of these are variables and yes, we used that scientific word with the kids.  The kids talked with their partners and then we came back together as a whole class to conduct the experiment and write the lab report.  We asked the question, "What will happen when we add water and oil to a jar and then shake it up 20 times and then wait 20 seconds?" Here are the two charts that guided our experimenting and writing.  

 

As we conducted each part of the experiment, I wrote the lab report for the kids and the paper was projected so they could see their words and the record of the experiment going onto the paper.  You can use chart paper on the easel to do this or a document camera.  Keep in mind that first graders CAN most definitely do this!  Think of the whole-class experimenting and writing as a shared writing experience.  They can ask a question and make a prediction.  Let them turn and talk with partners and record the things they say on the lab report paper.  They can write a list of materials needed and a procedure.  It is just like a How-To Book!  Remind them of this and then have them rehearse it out loud with their partners.  And, you, the teacher, record it on the paper right there in front of them.  Record the observations with drawings, labels, and sentences.  Let them give you the words for this.  They will see it happening so let them talk with partners and give you the words.

I hope to post a first grader's lab report up here soon.  The kids in Hilary's class were ready to design their own mixing experiments that day!  When we finished this experiment, every single first grader had new questions about mixing and combining.  They all went off to their tables and wrote the first two pages of their own lab reports.

Let the experimenting begin!  Have fun Teachers!

Kindergarten Opinion Writing

Hello Teachers!  I have missed writing to all of you and I am happy to report that I am back and ready to write to you - hopefully once a week.

I have been working with some amazing kindergarten teachers at Manhattan School for Children and PS 267.  We have been supporting our kindergarten students to write their opinions.  We invited them to make signs, songs, lists, songs, letters and more to help them "make things better."  Here is one of the charts that hung in a K classroom. 

We thought it was important to post some demo writing on the chart, right away, so kids could see examples of how to use the paper choices.  The teachers also posted large photos of things kids said they could "make better."  In one room there were large, 8x10 pics of a messy block area, a messy coat closet, and some stray food on the floor next to the garbage can (just to name a few).

The following day, we posted another chart to remind kids of the writing process.  We wanted to be sure they remembered that we plan, draw or sketch, and then write.  We helped kids say the words they wanted to write across their fingers, point to the place on the page where each word will go, and reread as they wrote. If you have a chart like the one below from other units, pull it out.  Remind kids that kindergarten writers usually rehearse or say what they want to write, draw, and then write the words.

 

Happy Writing!

Making Text Sets, Reading Across Genres, and Compare and Contrast Skills in Reading Workshop

Breanne and Francesca, two first grade teachers, and I have been thinking lots about how to help first graders meet the demands of the Common Core as they think across texts and use compare and contrast skills.  You might be embarking in a unit of study in reading workshop just like these first grade teachers and wondering what you can do to support students in this complex reading work. 

Here are some things we have been thinking about that may help you:

The first graders looked through their nonfiction library baskets and sorted books into narrow topics.  Then, they looked for other fiction texts and poems to add to the piles.  Soon, they had over 15 text sets!  Here is one example, "Monkeys and Apes":

Next, the teachers invited students to choose the text set they wanted to read.  Kids give choose a few options and teachers gave students a new reading partner based on interest.  Note:  Not all of the books in each text set match the level of both of the readers, but most of the books in the text set baggies did represent the range of readers in the room (levels G-K).  For this unit, the teachers decided that the partners and the books will be at mixed levels AND after 15 minutes of text set reading time, kids will then read from their just right book baggies for another 15-20 minutes.  

Here is the chart that reminds the readers of the text sets available and the partnerships assigned to each set.  Kids read from the same text set for 4-5 days.  Then they will switch to another set.

Next, the teachers wanted to have a way for kids to keep track of information they learn and questions they have while reading.  They decided to use RAN charts.  Tony Stead recommends these charts as way to help students read and analyze nonfiction reading.  See his book, Reality Checks, for more information.  Here is the example from Breanne's class.  She is reading the monkey and ape books aloud and modeling for her students how to use a RAN chart to keep track of their thinking.

Each partnership has one of these charts in their text set baggie to help keep track of the thinking.

As I listen to first graders read in a cross-genre unit like this, I often hear kids saying things like the following example (after reading a Poppleton story about the main character trying to wall paper his home), "Hey, Popleton's friend Filmore just ate the wallpaper!  Do goat really eat wallpaper?  Do they eat other things?  Do they eat people?" 

These questions then fuel future reading about goats.  This reader can now turn to some nonfiction text about goats to get his questions answered and learn some new information.

Finally, I wanted to share with you some of the other charts the teachers are using to help the students use nonfiction reading skills to help answer their questions.

Special thanks to Breanne and Francesca for thinking and working with me and their principal Ms. McEvoy for supporting all of this work!

Partner Time Reading in Kindergarten and First Grade

Hello Friends,

A few weeks ago some teachers at North Street School and I investigated partner reading time in reading workshop.  We began our investigation thinking that we can teach kids to use their partner reading time to practice one or more of the following:

• Accuracy - Kids can read books to or with partners and practice monitoring for accuracy and helping each other with the tricky parts.
• Fluency - Kids can read books with partners and practice reading in longer phrases and using punctuation to help with intonation.
• Comprehension - Kids can talk about their books with partners.  They can retell important or favorite parts, ask for help with confusing parts, and talk about ideas across books.

Kristi, one of the teachers at the school, thought that her kindergarten readers needed some support to read for long chunks of time with their partners.  We came back to one of our BIG ideas this year...
USE YOUR INDEPENDENT READING TIME TO GET READY FOR PARTNER TIME.

Kristi taught her students several different options for partner reading time throughout the year and so now, rather than telling the kids how they would spend their time each day, she gave them some choices.  She presented a a 'placemat' of sorts with three options:

• Read
• Talk
• Ask for help 

Note:  These three options can change.  You can add options like this:

• Act out a page or a part
• Read/perform in character voices 
• Talk across books (compare/contrast)

 Kristi gave her students the placemat and invited them to place it on their table stop during independent reading.  Then, as kids read independently, they decided which books they wanted to read with partners and the purpose for reading each book or part of the book with the partner.  As they finished each book (8-10 books in the baggies of these readers reading at levels B-G) , kids decided if they wanted to read it to a partner and if so, they decided if they wanted to read it, talk about it, or ask for help. 

Many kids filled up their placemat with piles of books so when partner reading time began, they were excited to follow their partner time agenda.  Many of the partnerships read for 15 minutes.  Bottom line - using your independent time to prepare for partner time allowed kids to have a full partner time agenda and increased their stamina.  Kristi can now teach another guided reading group or strategy lesson during this block of time on some days of the week.

Thanks to Kristi for sending us the pictures!

Series Reading Club Charts

Hello Readers!

Are you and your students involved a big book club study this year?  If you are in a series book club unit in your classroom, you may be wondering how you can get all of your clubs reading and jotting on post-its with independence.  Some teachers at I at PS 309 in Brooklyn made some charts to help the kids work with partners and club members with independence.  I wanted to share them with you.  You can see that these are just my small handwritten versions.  You can make them bright and colorful.

Happy Reading!

Supprting Kindergarten Readers: Move Up Levels from A to B to C

Hello Everyone,

I have been collecting lots of great things to share with you on the blog this winter and spring.  Look for updates this month!

Last week I studied with 28 fabulous literacy coaches from across the globe.  We worked in several classrooms coaching and teaching together.  We assessed kindergarten readers who have been reading level A and B books for the past four weeks to find out if they are ready to read level C books.  We noticed that some kids were definitely ready to read C books and we got them shopping for books in new baskets.  It was so exciting to quickly assess kids and congratulate them on all they can do and then support them to shop for new books!

Here is how you can do it in your own classroom. 
1.  Sit next to a child during reading workshop and listen to her read her level A or B books.  Look to see if she can do the following:

• One to one matching
• Reads high frequency words
• Uses the pictures to make attempts and guesses at unknown words
• Uses initial and/or final consonants

Here is an example of a recording sheet you can use:

Conferring Notes About Each Reader (from their independent reading)

Name of the Reader	One to one matching	Can read high frequency words in text	Uses the picture to make attempts	Uses initial and or final consonant to make attempts

2.  Read the writing folder of the student and assess the writing and the reading of the writing to be find out if she can do the same things in independent workshop.

 Conferring Notes About Each Reader (from their writing folders)

Name of the Reader	One to one matching	Writes high frequency words	Consistent spaces in between words	Writes initial and final consonant sounds

 

Remember.... If kids are using initial and final consonant sounds to read some tricky words in their A and B books, they are ready for level C!  Hooray!  Time to celebrate.

And, remember that we will want to support kids as they shop in a new leveled book basket.  We can do two things:

• Small group shared reading with level C and D big books.  Then give kids the small copies of the big books to the kids in the group or invite them to have some time with the big books at the easel during reading workshop.
• Guided reading in small groups.  This is especially crucial as kids move into a new level.  

Best wishes with your quick assessments!  Happy reading!