tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57373571206852401742024-03-14T02:51:27.544-07:00Read. Write. Play.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-9940279342577794332014-01-21T12:54:00.001-08:002014-01-21T13:04:43.089-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>The Thing About Luck</i> Book Club Meeting</span></h2>
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Hello Dear Readers,<br />
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I finished <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2013_ypl_kadohata.html#.Ut7edOAo62w"><i>The Thing About Luck</i></a> two weeks ago and have not been able to get the characters out of my head. I'd love to chat about the book on Twitter next Thursday, January 30, at 7:45 pm.<br />
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If you read the book already, reread and look for some things you think may offer great conversation. Then post them to the comments section of this blog post.<br />
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If you have not read yet, order your copy or download it tonight. Then tell your friends at school to do the same so you can enjoy a great <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2014/01/teacher-book-clubs-reading-rereading.html">Teacher Book Club</a>.<br />
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I am going to offer up some points of conversation below that might surface in our chat. Happy reading! See you Thursday night on twitter. My handle is @Read_Write_Play<br />
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1. I am really interested in thinking and talking more about Obaachan. Page 267 has a beautiful description of Wabi-sabi. Jiichan says it can be "beauty and nobility in a rough exterior." Looking back at so many of my post-it notes about Obaachan, I see her beauty and nobility in that rough exterior. Do you? Do you want to collect examples too? I'd love to talk more about this.<br />
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2. We could talk about Summer and her thoughts about death. She speaks about it on page 79 and page 213 in detail. I think she is a vulnerable character to us as readers, but not necessarily to the other characters. Agree? Why?<br />
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3. Chapter 12 just sums up why I love Cynthia Kadohata's writing so much. She captures the heart of what it is to be twelve. I love when summer says, "Have you ever felt humiliated and proud at the same time?" (page 199). We can talk more about this chapter and why it is an important part of the book.<br />
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4. I'd also love to talk about Jiichan and this book he gave her, <i>A Separate Peace</i>. I love the part on page 102 when Summer says, "It made me think that each person had all sorts of things going on inside of them, but most of these things would never surface unless circumstances were exactly right." It seems like Jiichan had an important role in fostering the sense of empathy and compassion that Summer carries throughout the story/her life. Do you agree? I'd love to talk more about him and what he does to influence both of his grandchildren.<br />
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5. Did you get the chills (or what I imagine a runner may feel at mile 25 of a marathon) when you read the bottom of page 261. Summer carries so much onto that wheat field. I'd love to talk about why she carries it all with her and the consequences (perhaps positive and negative - or maybe with no judgement at all) of all she brings with her that night.<br />
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6. Finally, we could talk about Jaz. He is such a great secondary character and the way he helps bring the book to a close is artful. I would love to talk about those last few pages including the unchanging Jaz and Kadohata's decision to also bring Mick and Jenson back into the story in such a deeply personal way. I wondered if she was trying to tell us something about moments when we should use our empathy to reach out and moments when we should use our empathy to just silently wish someone peace and kindness. What did you think about that ending?<br />
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I am looking forward to discussing these topics and more with you next Thursday! Cheers to great books!<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-54860217003470324052014-01-06T11:46:00.000-08:002014-01-06T11:52:57.109-08:00<div style="color: purple; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Teacher Book Clubs: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Reading, rereading, writing about reading, talking, and eating! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;">(And falling in love with hope and squirrels.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">This winter I had the privilege of working with teachers at Kaukauna's NDLC on the topic of writing about reading. </span></span> </span></span>We were all curious to see what would happen if we read a book together, did some writing about reading in preparation for a book club conversation, and then had the conversation, and wrote some more. We were wondering if we would grow stronger in our teaching of reading (and writing about reading) if we actually did some of that work ourselves in the company of one another. </div>
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I enjoyed it so much, that I wanted to share it with other teacher leader friends who may want to do something like this in their schools. Here are my top 10 reflections on this book club.</div>
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#1: Pick a great book. We chose <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/076366040X/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=35720911608&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1400445878576212543&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_5jyres4bl4_e">Flora and Ulysses</a> by <a href="http://www.katedicamillo.com/books/flora.html">Kate DiCamillo</a>. It was on my list of children's lit that I wanted to read. A close runner up (and on my nightstand now) is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thing-About-Luck-Cynthia-Kadohata/dp/1416918825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389035078&sr=8-1&keywords=the+thing+about+luck">The Thing About Luck</a>. One of the teachers at the table ordered 13 copies of our choice on her smartphone and they were in the mailboxes the next day! Wow!</div>
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#2: We decided to read it in less than a week. The teachers and I said, "read as much as you can," and we all knew that choosing a children's chapter book meant that we would all finish or be close to done at the week's end. We also set a goal to do some writing about reading and come to the conversation with something to offer-up to conversation. The short deadline and specific assignment helped tremendously.</div>
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#3: We ordered a great lunch for the book club meeting day. Thanks so much to the principal for the treat!</div>
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#4: We gathered, and as we mingled and opened our lunches, we reread our post-its for 3-4 minutes so we would be prepared for conversation. I asked the teachers to jot on a post-it something they would like to talk about for a long time. I also offered up the need to jot clarifying questions. It is hard to talk about bigger issues or themes in a book if there is a part a reader is still working to understand. And, we did do a bit of clarifying.</div>
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#5: We decided on a few bigger themes or issues that we thought would make good conversations. Some of us wanted to talk about a specific character and Kate's deliberate placement of her throughout the story (The Dr. Meecham). Some of us wanted to talk about the changes in the main characters, Flora and Ulysses, and how the other characters influenced those changes. Some of us wanted to linger on some very powerful quotes in the book. We decided to start with one of these and then eventually, we got to it all.</div>
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#6: We worked hard to listen to the person in the club speaking, to ask them to tell us specific text evidence, and then we all went back to reread theat evidence. We learned that doing this close listening and rereading, helped all of us add on to the conversation and eventually our writing about reading. For example, while discussing Flora's mother, we asked questions like, "Do you really think the character meant to say that? Why or Why not?" and then we forced ourselves to dig deeper, rereading places where that character spoke in different parts in the book and we developed a theory about the mother. This ritual reminded us of the kind of <a href="https://www.choiceliteracy.com/articles-detail-view.php?id=1851">close reading</a> our friends Chris Lehman and Kate Roberts write about in their book, <a href="http://heinemann.com/products/E05084.aspx">Falling in Love with Close Reading</a>.</div>
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#7: We wrote about our reading in different ways. All of us collected jots on post-it notes. Some of us jotted connections, ideas about themes, ideas about characters, and some of us commented on author's craft. Some of us used a timeline to mark significant changes in a character. Some of us made double or triple timelines so we could notice how one character's changes may mirror another. Some of us made character webs or t-charts to compare characters. Some of us even began to write literary essays during our conversation on the second day. </div>
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#8: We began to see that the small jots perhaps didn't mean much alone, but when we reread a whole book full of jots, we saw patterns and could use those patters to develop and idea for conversation. This real-life experience of writing about reading in a book club will help us explain the purpose and importance of all this reading and jotting to our students. </div>
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#9: We saw ourselves, our families, and our friends in the pages of this book and in our conversations. Kate DiCamillo is a fabulous writer and this thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud book is just ripe for conversation in upper elementary classrooms - and in teacher book clubs every where. </div>
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#10: Meeting for book club conversation felt joyful to me, as well as the kind of good, hard work that I want my students to do when they read in a club. I want to read with this book club, and more like it, in the upcoming months. </div>
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Who wants to join me in talking and writing about <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2013_ypl_kadohata.html#.UssGoOD1uYA">The Thing About Luck</a>? My goal is to post about it next week. I am hoping to take pics of my jots and invite you to have a conversation with me via the comments section. Let's give it a try.<br />
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PS <br />
Another big thank you to the #nerdlution twitter community out there.
In case you are new to the hashtag, check out the post that started it
all at <a href="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/">Colby Sharp's blog</a>
and twitter feed. Nerdlution is motivating me to read 60 min of YA a
day and I promise to blog about it. Nerdlution lasts for 50 days, but I
am hoping my goal sticks as a real, long-term habit. <br />
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<a href="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/"><img alt="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDDAteFecAk/UpqA9j1vQGI/AAAAAAAAD5E/RmMe6wDfYQg/s320/nerdlution-button-tiny-01.png" height="226" style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a><br />
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PPS <br />
I dedicate this post to my teacher friends at New Directions Learning Community. You are exactly as your school-name says you promise to be. I get the chills listening to you joyfully problem-solve, plan, and ask such important questions. It has been a pleasure to be with you from the conception of your dream to the reality. <br />
A big thank you for this post goes to Barbara, one of the first grade teachers, who at the end of this 2-day book club conversation, read the most beautiful literary essay about change, hope, and love (and it included text evidence). We all had to wipe away some tears or run our hands down the goosebumps on our arms. And, I know Barbara would say that her thought collective helped her write it, so to all of you staff members at NDLC, a big CHEERS!<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-75454200899839080472013-12-02T11:33:00.001-08:002013-12-02T11:36:17.742-08:00<br />
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My Love Affair With Kevin Henkes Grows: The Year of Billy Miller</div>
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I have always had a love affair with <a href="http://kevinhenkes.com/">Kevin Henkes' children's books</a>. I feel in love with the books with the little mice characters when I was in college and took a children's literature course at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Sheila Rae stole my heart with her feisty bravery and honest need for support. Lilly's spunk, passion, and love for her teacher made me wish for students like her in my pre-k and second grade classrooms. <br />
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Then, one fateful evening, I met Kevin at the <a href="http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/default.asp">Cooperative Children's Book Center's</a> annual Charlotte Zolotow lecture. We all (maybe 100 or so participants that hung around post-lecture) ate vanilla ice cream sundaes together with cherries on top - just like the characters in Weekend With Wendell. I think I had an entire imaginary conversation with Kevin that night, wherein I told him how much I enjoyed his character development in books for such young readers. In real life, I think I shook his hand and said hello.<br />
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Fast-forward nearly 15 years and countless books collected. I found myself introducing Kevin at a speaking engagement at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project's annual Summer Institute. I worked for weeks on crafting just the right words. To prepare, I poured over his books - not just the mouse books - but also his richly woven chapter books. I became a huge fan of Junonia and used part of that book to help craft the introduction. I said this to him (among a few other things):<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Your stories are the
stories where characters go to dark places, and move through complex challenges
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We watch as Lilly faces the horror of losing her precious
purple, plastic purse. She goes a dark
place and writes Mr. Slinger a letter. But
in the midst of the darkness, she realizes who she really is, a person who
cares more about her relationship with a teacher than she does a purse, and she
finds the courage and grace to ask for forgiveness. That story helps us remember the person we
want to be – helps us light our own way when we find ourselves in the darkness.
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Time after time your characters seem to show us how children
and adults can move into challenging moments with grace and humor along side of
a little sorrow and longing. And you
seem to understand that all of that – grace, humor, sorrow, and longing is part
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Your books mentor our kids into the kind of problem solvers
we need in the world. Now, more than ever, the world needs heroes like you and
books like yours. You are my author-hero.
You are a hero to us all.</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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This weekend, I fell in love with another one of Kevin's characters, Billy Miller, and declared Kevin an author-hero once again. His chapter book, <a href="http://www.kevinhenkes.com/book/the-year-of-billy-miller/">The Year of Billy Miller</a> is one of my new recommendations for second and third grade read alouds this year. Kevin does what he does best - crafting characters that are honestly their age. Billy Miller is full of physical energy, wants to stay up all night long, and has a deep knowledge of bats. He loves his family dearly and looks for their approval while simultaneously edging toward new boundaries. He is annoyed with his table-mate at school on a daily basis, and his sister at certain moments (like when she threatens to ruin the all-nighter he has been anticipating for weeks). He helps his dad with a "break-through" that advances his career and he decides to show his love for his sister and his mom in such genuine ways. <br />
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Some reviewers have said this book beautifully captures the ordinary moments, and I would agree, but it goes further. It does the kind of subtle teaching that I love to do in k-3 classrooms. Billy Miller's action, external dialogue, and internal thoughts are just the stuff that will give you great small group and whole class conversations after read aloud time. And, it will fuel your character reading units of study.<br />
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My book has several dog-eared pages. I'd love to talk with kids and offer kids time to talk with other kids about these parts. Here are a few I can share without giving too much of the plot away:<br />
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The conversation Billy has with his dad in and around page 97 and 105.<br />
- Why does Billy make this choice? <br />
- What do you think this says about him as a character? <br />
- How does his dad react?<br />
- What does this say about him as a character?<br />
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The conversation and actions between Billy and Sal around page 158.<br />
- What does he decide to do with the pearl? Why?<br />
- What does this tell us about Billy as a character?<br />
- Is this what you thought would happen?<br />
- What might you do?<br />
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The quote on page 176. "Billy sighed. He realized that as soon as one problem is solved, something else is right there, waiting to take up your time."<br />
- What do you think the author is trying to say or teach us? <br />
- Does this remind you of anything?<br />
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In sum, I would love to hear what you think of the book and what your young readers and thinkers have to say after reading it. Write me back with the ideas that come from your conversations.<br />
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And, lastly I need to give two big thank you notes for this post (I would write them and seal them in a dragon envelope like Billy Miller if I had them handy).<br />
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#1: A big thank you to the #nerdlution twitter community out there. In case you are new to the hashtag, check out the post that started it all at <a href="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/">Colby Sharp's blog</a> and twitter feed. Nerdlution is motivating me to read 60 min of YA a day and I promise to blog about it. Nerdlution lasts for 50 days, but I am hoping my goal sticks as a real, long-term habit. <br />
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<a href="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/"><img alt="https://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/nerdlution-round-1/" border="0" height="226" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDDAteFecAk/UpqA9j1vQGI/AAAAAAAAD5E/RmMe6wDfYQg/s320/nerdlution-button-tiny-01.png" style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a><br />
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#2: As part of my Nerdlution goal-setting, I decided that I needed an incentive to do the blogging about my reading. I thought back to when I wrote my first book, and one of the things that kept me going, was the thought of the dedication page. I dedicated that book to my parents and every time I didn't want to write, but knew I had to, I would draft a dedication page, and that got me started. So, I think I will try that again. <br />
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I dedicate this blog post to my friend of 25 years, Emily Rhoades, out in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Emily, I can't wait to read your words in your first book. Congrats on making the decision to chronicle your stroke recovery and survival. You are and have always been one of my mentor readers, writers, and teachers. Thank you for your honest advice and empathy. May this year be the year of Emily Rhoades. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-80208593594255920042013-09-26T08:45:00.001-07:002013-09-26T08:55:10.265-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Second Grade Partner Time</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">in Reading Workshop</span></div>
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Hello Teacher Friends! I was so excited about my day at PS 116 last week. I wanted to share with you some of the great partner talk happening there. Partner time has been going well there because it is a work-in-progress. The teachers are working hard to listen and coach it. </div>
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Second Graders love to talk about books in Kristen and Alyson's second grade classroom at PS 116. They started the habit early and the kids remembered so many things from their first grade partner time. Last week (which was just the second week of school for these 8-year-olds) we reminded them about book recommendations. We told the kids that friends are often asking each other, "What are you reading?" or "Do you have a good book your could recommend?" We noted how a book recommendation usually sounds, modeled one with a Mr. Putter and Tabby book we had just read, and then got the whole class practicing with a book they knew from Read Aloud, <i>Mercy Watson to the Rescue. </i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ygPFOEB5Es/UkRTTAJm-qI/AAAAAAAAARo/y7Vk8Fx5ykE/s1600/photo-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1ygPFOEB5Es/UkRTTAJm-qI/AAAAAAAAARo/y7Vk8Fx5ykE/s320/photo-28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Towards the end of independent reading time, we gave a quick interruption to help the kids plan for their partner time. We said, "choose the book or the part of the book you want to talk about with your partner today. You might want to use the chart to rehearse if you are going to retell and/or give a recommendation."</div>
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Soon, they met with partners. The readers in this inclusive classroom span a wide range of levels and there are lots of options for partner time. Some kids chose to read a book together, some chose to talk about favorite parts, and many chose to give a recommendation. While the kids met with their partners, the teachers and I could listen and take some quick assessments about retelling and summarizing. We ended that reading workshop brimming with ideas about some quick small groups we could gather to support partner time as well as retelling and monitoring for sense as you read.</div>
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Finally, we started a class book recommendation chart together during our end-of-workshop share time. The kids were chomping at the bit to post their recommendations. It is growing day by day.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XsIMIUjN9MQ/UkRVQBuOPoI/AAAAAAAAAR0/s8M7q-By8y8/s1600/IMG_1989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XsIMIUjN9MQ/UkRVQBuOPoI/AAAAAAAAAR0/s8M7q-By8y8/s320/IMG_1989.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our hope is that all the good book talk results in great independent book shopping and an increase in reading stamina. I read with stronger stamina if I know a friend has told me a book is great. Don't you? <br />
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What partner talk routines are happening in your classroom? What are kids doing already that they remember from last year? Do you have fun ways for kids to share book recommendations?<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-13896181775627382512013-09-24T11:53:00.002-07:002013-09-24T11:53:39.686-07:00Help Kids Find Writing IdeasI was invited to do a guest blog post at Two Writing Teachers last week. I decided to offer some tips with topic choice and supporting kids who tell us they are not sure what to write. Click <a href="http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/i-dont-know-what-to-write/">here</a> for the post. Support the kids with empathy and be sure to help them find ideas using strategies so they will be able to use them whenever they are stuck.<br />
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Happy Writing!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-5854194605611634442013-09-12T09:10:00.001-07:002013-09-15T17:18:01.753-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXyQ0uCiecA/UjC5cvMcq6I/AAAAAAAAARU/_ufPs45m-7g/s1600/Maggie+and+her+book+box+July+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bXyQ0uCiecA/UjC5cvMcq6I/AAAAAAAAARU/_ufPs45m-7g/s320/Maggie+and+her+book+box+July+2013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Close Reading</b></span></div>
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I have been reading lots of good conversation about Close Reading at <a href="http://kinderconfidential.wordpress.com/">Kinderconfidential </a>and I am delighted to see Chris Lehman and Kate Roberts are about to publish their book, <a href="http://www.heinemann.com/products/E05084.aspx">Falling in Love with Close Reading</a>. Chris and Kate have invited all of us to think about what close reading is and isn't, during their blog-a-thon. You can see a few of their glorious blog posts <a href="http://kateandmaggie.com/tag/four-corners-of-the-text/">here</a> and <a href="http://christopherlehman.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/blog-a-thon-post-1-what-closereading-isnt-or-at-least-shouldnt-be/">here</a>.</div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been thinking about close reading quite a bit this
summer as I watch my one- year-old daughter tear through the books she loves so
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I say, “tear through,” because, quite
frankly, we have been using a lot of packaging tape to fix those lift the flap
board books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, really, this post is
not about Baby M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about the
observations we make as teachers during independent reading time, the way we
organize our classroom libraries and student reading materials, and the way we
plan for read alouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching Baby M
read just gave me the reminders I needed as I start this school year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip #1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Collect some
data about close reading when you observe you readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Collect some data about your classroom
environment and how kids use it.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do they reread?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do they look closely at the pictures or ponder
about what the words mean?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do they seem to reread their sticky notes where
they have dome some writing about reading?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do they reflect on the things they have written
and expand on those ideas?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>How do kids check out books?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they “get to” check out books yet or do
you make table baskets to share?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I noticed in June that M enjoyed reading books, went to them
independently, and often chose them as her first item to play with in the
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then, in July, I noticed
that she was speed-reading through the shelf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I worried, “shouldn’t she take her time, look more closely at the
pictures?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried modeling it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More tossing of books after she read just a page or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simultaneously, I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simplicity-Parenting-Extraordinary-Calmer-Happier/dp/0345507983/ref=pd_sim_b_7">Simplicity Parenting</a> by Kim John
Payne, M. ED.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He suggests, “Less is
More.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Page 65, he says, “Quite
Simply:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A smaller, more manageable quantity
of toys invites deeper play and engagement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An avalanche of toys invites emotional disconnect and a sense of overwhelm.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I counted up the books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had over 60 board books available to her at any given time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Yes, we are lucky to live literate lives and
have friends who gave us great books as gifts).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This realization that we might have too many books available at one time
and in one place lead to action and tip #2…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip #2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Provide your
readers with the amount of texts and tools to sustain them for a week and allow
for close rereading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do your k-2 readers have a book box they can
call their own or do they browse a vast library with hundreds of titles?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do your beginning readers in kindergarten and
first grade have 8-10 books in their book box?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do more advanced first and second grade readers
have tools <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/11/partnerships-and-post-its-make.html">like this </a>or <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/11/partnerships-and-post-its-make_07.html">this</a> or <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/12/post-it-folders-for-readers-at-levels-i.html">this </a> and a place to jot notes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I quickly made a book box for Baby M (see photo at the
beginning of this post).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put it next
to the bookshelf that she loves and moved the other books into two other
bins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We switch out her books every 4-5
days so she is not bored with the titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I noticed almost immediately that she settled into her reading time with
less tossing books overboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also
noticed her rereading books to find her favorite pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she was able to do this because she
got to reread the same texts day after day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, I have begun to
rethink the browsing bins for a whole table in September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been wondering if would be easier for
kids to stay engaged and do some close reading in September if they shared a
book box (maybe a magazine box size) with a buddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, maybe these boxes could be theme based
(one about trucks, the other with Thomas the Train books, another with farm
animal books, another with alphabet books, etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am wondering if we can help kids get the
stance for close reading that Kristi wrote about on her blog if we give them
these partner bins right away in the first weeks of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if there will be fewer arguments at
tables about who will get the puppy book next and more sharing of thoughts,
ideas, and favorite parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, if kids
switch partner bins every 3 days or so, perhaps they would know much of the
library by the end of September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could
this be a new way to browse the library?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let me know what you think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you try this, I’d love to hear how it goes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tip #3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Model the
close reading and rereading in Read Aloud</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Do you have class favorite read alouds that the
kids love to hear again and again?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers, do you have
those Emergent Story Books lined up on your shelf ready to go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your favorites?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Try modeling think-alouds or questions like
this:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Oh, today I noticed ____ in the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never noticed that before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that was there on purpose as a hint to
tell us what is happening next!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“What do you notice in the pictures today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you think the author/illustrator did
that?”</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>“Oh, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
thought this was</i> just a simple list book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but really</i>, it is also telling a story.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I notice Baby M paying more attention to the pictures in her
books these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also notice that she
is able to sit and attend to read alouds (although these are one-on-one read
alouds) for longer stretches of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She points to pictures, tries to approximate reading, and taps along on
her knees when a book has rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
all began around the time we started to read and reread the same 3-4 books
every single day at the exact same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We modeled the close reading by pointing to the pictures and talking
about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, we lead the way, choosing
to reread instead of just grabbing one of the other 50 books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers do this often as they
include some Emergent Storybook reading in the beginning of their school
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They read and reread titles like
<i>Caps for Sale</i> and the kids chime in, reading along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon they are holding their own copies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wonder though, how often do we reread picture books when
this emergent storybook unit ends?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
what about first and second grade?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
whole conversation about close reading has reminded me that is important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And one last final thought…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In one chapter of her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Making-Seven-Essential-Skills/dp/006173232X/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265131013&sr=8-8">Mind in the Making</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child
Needs, Ellen Galinsky writes about the development of self-control and it’s
relationship to attention with children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This whole conversation about close reading has me thinking about
Galinsky’s advice about developing and cultivating children who are able to
attend and focus for longer and longer stretches of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In primary reading workshops, we can
deliberately create environments and model the stance of close reading (and
support kids to hold attention for longer stretches of time):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lingering, pausing, thinking for a bit,
asking questions, and then talking about our ideas and questions with others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks Chris and Kate for putting this topic out there to
ponder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait for the arrival of
the book!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://christopherlehman.wordpress.com/oddsends/we-are-closely-reading-close-reading/"><img alt="close reading button" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1284" height="195" src="http://christopherlehman.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/close-reading-button-01.png?w=490&h=195" width="490" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-53216609235634283332013-06-12T12:20:00.000-07:002013-06-12T12:20:08.285-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
Year Long Planning</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Hello Teachers and School Leaders,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been visiting schools and supporting fellow teachers and administrators as they make their plans for the 2013-2014 school year. I want to share with you some of the ideas that teachers seem to like best.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Idea Number 1: Plan out reading, writing, math, science, social studies, as well as assessments on a calendar grid. See this kindergarten sample from Manhattan School for Children.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zYKFCo95bMI/UbjEU1-7VmI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/EYvn3zg8GVE/s1600/year+long+plan+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zYKFCo95bMI/UbjEU1-7VmI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/EYvn3zg8GVE/s320/year+long+plan+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O1YUGNFx5uI/UbjD9fxZHBI/AAAAAAAAAQs/_0FBHxfusoY/s1600/Weekly+plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
The teachers created this together and then we revised and added in the assessments we needed. They searched for curricular connections and used note cards so they could physically move things around if needed. Then, they added clear dates on their calendars for writing celebrations and assessment dates. <br />
<br />
And, they also set up a protocol for their weekly planning meetings so they can hold themselves to this amazing grid. They will start each meeting with a 5 minute calendar check-in so each teacher can reflect and set classroom goals for the following week.<br />
<br />
Idea Number 2: Plan out an Ideal Week<br />
Use post-it notes to plan for everything you need to do and want to do in a school week. Do you need to teach 5 math workshops in a week? Then make 5 post-its that say Math Workshop. Do you want to teach Word Study 4 times a week? Then make 4 of those. Don't forget the post-its that say lunch, gym, art, etc. Then, plot it all out on a big chart. Start asking, "What's most important?" and "What can I leave out?" and "According to my data, what do my kids need most right now?" Here is an example from a first grade teacher. She is still looking for the room to do more shared reading, word study, and interactive writing. She'll make it happen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O1YUGNFx5uI/UbjD9fxZHBI/AAAAAAAAAQw/hXXRAlLZSD8/s1600/Weekly+plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O1YUGNFx5uI/UbjD9fxZHBI/AAAAAAAAAQw/hXXRAlLZSD8/s320/Weekly+plan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Best wishes as you play around with your unit plans and weekly plans. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Remember, we have so much of the day in our control. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We can choose the things to teach that our students need most, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and the methods that are engaging and fun!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-5955292597550004482013-05-14T11:53:00.002-07:002013-05-14T11:53:51.699-07:00<h2 style="background-color: blue; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Kindergarten Character Reading Clubs </span></span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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, <i>Reading for Real</i>, 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.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1te0rn0Y0Y/UZKFTCHTxII/AAAAAAAAAQA/1-PovVXX5GI/s1600/Chr+club+shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1te0rn0Y0Y/UZKFTCHTxII/AAAAAAAAAQA/1-PovVXX5GI/s320/Chr+club+shelf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
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.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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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. <br />
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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). <br />
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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.</div>
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-14121330050033119652013-05-09T07:02:00.002-07:002013-05-09T07:02:46.628-07:00<div style="color: purple; text-align: center;">
Science Lab Report Writing for First Graders </div>
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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! <br />
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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. <br />
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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. <br />
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In the classroom, Hillary read aloud a great book,<br />
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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:</div>
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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.</div>
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"What can we do with these?" I asked.</div>
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"Mix them up!!!" a first grader shouted.</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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Let the experimenting begin! Have fun Teachers!</div>
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-61451526654993247452013-04-17T18:56:00.000-07:002013-04-17T18:56:19.533-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Kindergarten Opinion Writing</b></div>
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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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).<br />
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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.<br />
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Happy Writing! </div>
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-10229670613899363612012-03-18T11:01:00.000-07:002012-03-18T11:01:50.360-07:00Making Text Sets, Reading Across Genres, and Compare and Contrast Skills in Reading WorkshopBreanne 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. <br />
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Here are some things we have been thinking about that may help you:<br />
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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":<br />
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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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_4WixHzmyA/T2YeuPB_65I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/P8Mx4XQ2bp8/s1600/text+set+sign-up+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_4WixHzmyA/T2YeuPB_65I/AAAAAAAAAOQ/P8Mx4XQ2bp8/s320/text+set+sign-up+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reality-Checks-Teaching-Comprehension-Nonfiction/dp/B001TMED7Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332093313&sr=8-1">Reality Checks</a>, 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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkQiyFB5pu4/T2Yf8OZz6MI/AAAAAAAAAOY/wj6GWxeNmgA/s1600/sample+RAN+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkQiyFB5pu4/T2Yf8OZz6MI/AAAAAAAAAOY/wj6GWxeNmgA/s320/sample+RAN+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each partnership has one of these charts in their text set baggie to help keep track of the thinking.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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?" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--xWy66J6WRs/T2YhL8VnneI/AAAAAAAAAOg/RtrPCbL1RqQ/s1600/NF+reading+CC+questions+to+ask+ourselves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--xWy66J6WRs/T2YhL8VnneI/AAAAAAAAAOg/RtrPCbL1RqQ/s320/NF+reading+CC+questions+to+ask+ourselves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjL7Hoy32FM/T2YhWAuU2nI/AAAAAAAAAOo/5-SmjVLxpu0/s1600/sample+nf+reading+strat+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zjL7Hoy32FM/T2YhWAuU2nI/AAAAAAAAAOo/5-SmjVLxpu0/s320/sample+nf+reading+strat+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Special thanks to Breanne and Francesca for thinking and working with me and their principal Ms. McEvoy for supporting all of this work!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-6706257116978371562012-03-16T13:40:00.000-07:002012-03-16T13:40:35.892-07:00Partner Time Reading in Kindergarten and First GradeHello Friends,<br />
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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:<br />
<ul><li>Accuracy - Kids can read books to or with partners and practice monitoring for accuracy and helping each other with the tricky parts.</li>
<li>Fluency - Kids can read books with partners and practice reading in longer phrases and using punctuation to help with intonation.</li>
<li>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.</li>
</ul>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...<br />
USE YOUR INDEPENDENT READING TIME TO GET READY FOR PARTNER TIME.<br />
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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:<br />
<ul><li>Read</li>
<li>Talk</li>
<li>Ask for help </li>
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Note: These three options can change. You can add options like this:<br />
<ul><li>Act out a page or a part</li>
<li>Read/perform in character voices </li>
<li>Talk across books (compare/contrast)</li>
</ul> 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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Thanks to Kristi for sending us the pictures!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-30403915151025286932012-02-08T17:02:00.000-08:002012-02-08T17:02:59.201-08:00Series Reading Club ChartsHello Readers!<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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Happy Reading!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Af6TDw-5fds/TzMa0sthW7I/AAAAAAAAANg/kJrA7vjOx7M/s1600/series+unit+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Af6TDw-5fds/TzMa0sthW7I/AAAAAAAAANg/kJrA7vjOx7M/s320/series+unit+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgxfpI3TfSc/TzMa6xyQDLI/AAAAAAAAANo/8et4iih3M50/s1600/series+jot+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tgxfpI3TfSc/TzMa6xyQDLI/AAAAAAAAANo/8et4iih3M50/s320/series+jot+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-syWhDZBMJ3A/TzMbAtK4kPI/AAAAAAAAANw/6KWdUR1BfC0/s1600/Series+partner+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-syWhDZBMJ3A/TzMbAtK4kPI/AAAAAAAAANw/6KWdUR1BfC0/s320/Series+partner+chart.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-31607666583681530192012-02-02T12:24:00.000-08:002012-02-02T12:24:57.216-08:00Supprting Kindergarten Readers: Move Up Levels from A to B to CHello Everyone,<br />
<br />
I have been collecting lots of great things to share with you on the blog this winter and spring. Look for updates this month!<br />
<br />
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!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oF29q34aor0/TyrwZzGpyeI/AAAAAAAAANY/aNSoQN2ofIU/s1600/k+leveled+book+shelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oF29q34aor0/TyrwZzGpyeI/AAAAAAAAANY/aNSoQN2ofIU/s320/k+leveled+book+shelf.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Here is how you can do it in your own classroom. <br />
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:<br />
<ul><li>One to one matching</li>
<li>Reads high frequency words</li>
<li>Uses the pictures to make attempts and guesses at unknown words</li>
<li>Uses initial and/or final consonants</li>
</ul>Here is an example of a recording sheet you can use: <br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Conferring Notes About Each Reader (from their independent reading)</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Name of the Reader</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">One to one matching</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Can read high frequency words in text</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Uses the picture to make attempts</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Uses initial and or final consonant to make attempts</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">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. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> Conferring Notes About Each Reader (from their writing folders)</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Name of the Reader</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">One to one matching</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Writes high frequency words</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Consistent spaces in between words</div></td> <td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Writes initial and final consonant sounds</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.55pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div></td> <td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 88.6pt;" valign="top" width="89"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
And, remember that we will want to support kids as they shop in a new leveled book basket. We can do two things:<br />
<ul><li>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.</li>
<li>Guided reading in small groups. This is especially crucial as kids move into a new level. </li>
</ul>Best wishes with your quick assessments! Happy reading!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-33030025108366394392011-11-02T13:15:00.000-07:002011-11-02T13:15:58.001-07:00Kindergarten Book Shopping ListsSome of you may be finishing a reading unit of study that supports young readers to reread familiar picture books like <i>Corduroy</i>, <i>The Three Billy Goats Gruff,</i> or <i>Caps for Sale</i> by looking at the pictures and telling the story. Now, through lots of repeated shared reading activities your students are probably ready to reread these familiar shared reading texts. If you need some recommended titles for familiar shared reading or teaching ideas, see the list in <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/09/big-books-and-small-copies-for-emergent.html">this post from last fall.</a> Some kids too may be ready to read higher level books in your classroom library. <br />
<br />
You may be wondering how to manage and support these different needs. I like to give kids personal shopping lists to keep in their book boxes or baggies. Then, on the days they go into the library to shop for books, they will know how many books to choose from the different baskets. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UFJ5ZHFQg90/TrGj-3b33jI/AAAAAAAAAM0/6iC5XSfQbnk/s1600/k+shopping+list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UFJ5ZHFQg90/TrGj-3b33jI/AAAAAAAAAM0/6iC5XSfQbnk/s320/k+shopping+list.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Here is a photo of one such bookmark from an inclusive kindergarten classroom. Special thanks to the teachers Mia and Lisa.<br />
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Happy Book shopping everyone!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-84690666909138265472011-10-13T15:21:00.000-07:002011-10-13T15:21:02.692-07:00Build Reading StaminaHello Readers,<br />
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I've been talking with lots of teachers lately about building reading stamina in the reading workshop. We have been thinking about ways to help kids enjoy their books and read for long chunks of time. We know how to show kids how long they read each day by building a tower of cubes to represent how many minutes we read and we know we can make a bar graph so kids can see their reading stamina growing across time. In addition, we are using a few tools that I thought would be helpful to share.<br />
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We are creating welcoming and comfortable reading spaces in our libraries so kids can shop for plenty of books. Two pictures are shown below. One is for a series section in a library and the other is a leveled book section.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OWwRiKUefJA/Tpdi_hlN5HI/AAAAAAAAAMs/bT25BqThvRg/s1600/Leveled+section+of+library+MD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OWwRiKUefJA/Tpdi_hlN5HI/AAAAAAAAAMs/bT25BqThvRg/s320/Leveled+section+of+library+MD.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bloVqnxwxuA/TpdigHx1mrI/AAAAAAAAAMk/n5HtbHtXAhI/s1600/a-d+baskets+photo+ps39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bloVqnxwxuA/TpdigHx1mrI/AAAAAAAAAMk/n5HtbHtXAhI/s320/a-d+baskets+photo+ps39.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Next, we have been thinking lots about reading goals with kids. Emily has this chart hanging in her room to help her chapter book readers set goals for themselves and their reading for the week. This could be helpful for second and third graders who are getting into longer texts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD5HoSahXUg/TpddJy7pzRI/AAAAAAAAAL8/EZhnC6M__XA/s1600/reading+rate%253Avolume+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jD5HoSahXUg/TpddJy7pzRI/AAAAAAAAAL8/EZhnC6M__XA/s320/reading+rate%253Avolume+chart.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Setting goals and monitoring progress toward those goals with a reading log is crucial to maintaining stamina. We can confer with the logs and notice if kids stick with a book, how long it takes them to read a book, and their preferences for certain genres and authors (and their understanding of each genre). It also helps us see how long they have been reading at a given level and if they struggle to maintain stamina when they move on to the next level. I like kids to keep all of their reading logs for an entire year in a folder so we can reflect together about the kind of reader the child has grown to be throughout the school year. A sample of one of these logs is seen here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8z5o0Z0229I/TpdhE0wDpRI/AAAAAAAAAMM/14BAZh5Ut_g/s1600/reading+log+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8z5o0Z0229I/TpdhE0wDpRI/AAAAAAAAAMM/14BAZh5Ut_g/s320/reading+log+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1xqRFVuwDoU/TpdhOimryhI/AAAAAAAAAMU/XQ9NbCUCw44/s1600/reading+log+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1xqRFVuwDoU/TpdhOimryhI/AAAAAAAAAMU/XQ9NbCUCw44/s320/reading+log+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBFq8Xw8E-8/TpdhX0utNwI/AAAAAAAAAMc/mbyIZAnLjho/s1600/reading+log+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBFq8Xw8E-8/TpdhX0utNwI/AAAAAAAAAMc/mbyIZAnLjho/s320/reading+log+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
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I think a chart to help kids build stamina and get back into their reading when it feels difficult is also important. Here is one that a second grade class built together:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5jxReRNs2I/TpddzDHWuyI/AAAAAAAAAME/v5xY1qffkFs/s1600/fix+up+strat+for+stamina+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5jxReRNs2I/TpddzDHWuyI/AAAAAAAAAME/v5xY1qffkFs/s320/fix+up+strat+for+stamina+chart.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
I hope you are all off to a strong start to the school year! More posts will come in October! I've got some things to share about Small Moments units and partner talk time during the read aloud. I'll be back soon.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-77641304202094186882011-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:002011-09-11T12:41:58.711-07:00Literacy Classroom PhotosAre you a literacy coach or reading teacher looking to remake your classroom or small office space?<br />
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Maggie, a teacher in Brooklyn wanted to create a space that would allow for these two things:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>a place for teachers to gather and plan curriculum</li>
<li>a place to teach small groups of students who need more support in reading and writing</li>
</ul><br />
She worked hard, with an incredible team, to create a classroom make-over. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gtq80XYTNYE/Tm0Kb2XhHVI/AAAAAAAAALo/AsWAEU7-hGk/s1600/curric+cal+wall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gtq80XYTNYE/Tm0Kb2XhHVI/AAAAAAAAALo/AsWAEU7-hGk/s320/curric+cal+wall.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Above: Curriculum mapping board. Tables for teachers to gather are in front of this board.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OUqU-MQ5zM/Tm0KwjlkTuI/AAAAAAAAALs/sJqaHjogg6g/s1600/tc+board.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OUqU-MQ5zM/Tm0KwjlkTuI/AAAAAAAAALs/sJqaHjogg6g/s320/tc+board.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Above: List of PD workshops, locations, and directions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dates for on-site PD will be listed on the posters at the bottom of the board.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SUM1mr2mrbc/Tm0K9GFI3HI/AAAAAAAAALw/ht3mmgSy36E/s1600/Maggie+in+her+new+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SUM1mr2mrbc/Tm0K9GFI3HI/AAAAAAAAALw/ht3mmgSy36E/s320/Maggie+in+her+new+room.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Above: Maggie, seated in front of the professional text shelves. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Her meeting area for the kids is behind this shelf and books for their classroom library are on the opposite side of this tall shelf as well as in a lower set of shelves that run perpendicular to this one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This shelf breaks the room into two zones, one for kids and one for teachers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKMtyp3NNI8/Tm0LVpbzM0I/AAAAAAAAAL0/ROIMDi8VFs8/s1600/pro+text+check+out.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XKMtyp3NNI8/Tm0LVpbzM0I/AAAAAAAAAL0/ROIMDi8VFs8/s320/pro+text+check+out.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Above: Each teacher has a pocket to hold notecards. Teachers can jot the titles of the professional books they need and place the notecard in their pocket so texts can be located and shared.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tNChcpeL5lA/Tm0NB-W50dI/AAAAAAAAAL4/vB2kNv7bTJ0/s1600/Maggie%2527s+library+at+309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tNChcpeL5lA/Tm0NB-W50dI/AAAAAAAAAL4/vB2kNv7bTJ0/s320/Maggie%2527s+library+at+309.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Above: This is the shelf opposite the professional text shelf where Maggie was seated in the other photo. These shelves contain baskets for series books as well as nonfiction topics. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Maggie also has a few bins for mentor text to use in writing workshop as well as genre specific read aloud books she knows she wants to use throughout the year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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You can give your literacy room or coaching room a makeover too! Here is how we started. First, we asked a key question and we gathered lots of answers to it.<br />
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Question: What do we want out of this space?<br />
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Answers:<br />
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<ul><li>Meeting area for kids to gather with comfortable seating and an easel or smart board for teacher.</li>
<li>Classroom library that supports the needs of the students and has clearly organized bins.</li>
<li>Writing center with paper choices and revision tools that support the needs of the students and has clearly organized zones or buckets.</li>
<li>Bulletin board to display student work.</li>
<li>Tables for students to work independently and with partners.</li>
<li>Folders and folder hold areas for students to keep their work and have access with independence.</li>
<li>Bulletin board to post workshop dates and on-site PD notices.</li>
<li>Bulletin board to display curriculum maps and units of study resources.</li>
<li>Tables for teachers to gather with writing tools at the center.</li>
<li>Bookshelves with professional texts for teachers and a bulletin board with pockets for teachers to jot the titles of the books they check out and take into their own classrooms.</li>
</ul><div>Then, we divided the work into the zones, each took on tasks, and stuck true to our needs to have all the things we wanted in the room with no clutter.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I hope you enjoy your own classroom makeovers. Have a super week everyone!</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-51127867728261726322011-09-06T08:54:00.000-07:002011-09-06T08:54:38.615-07:00Morning "Do Now" in a Workshop ClassroomAre you thinking about the first 5 minutes of your school day and wondering how you can get everyone in the room, unpacked, and started with academic work quickly?<br />
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Or are you wondering how you can fit all the academic work you want to into a school day? Thinking through your morning "Do Now" routine may be helpful. <br />
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Of course many of us begin our day with attendance, collecting notes, and then sitting down for a morning meeting at the rug. We can keep our kids working hard during these first 5-10 minutes before the morning meeting - and we can give them meaningful work to do. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">I like to start the school day in Pre-k and K (and even first and second grade) with 5-10 minutes of an academic activity that gets kids talking, and capitalizes on their morning energy. Here are some options you may want to try:</span><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">4-6 Kids a day do their book shopping for reading workshop.</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Remember to keep this schedule posted so students know their shopping days. I like to invite the books shoppers to enter the classroom first, so they can unpack and get 5-10 minutes for book shopping in the <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/09/classroom-library-photos.html">classroom library</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EeWiTvR26EE/TmY_NJenFhI/AAAAAAAAALg/un9VyEgEDp8/s1600/book+shopping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EeWiTvR26EE/TmY_NJenFhI/AAAAAAAAALg/un9VyEgEDp8/s320/book+shopping.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Storytelling time with partners. </span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">Kids often come to school wanting to tell teachers stories and so giving them a few minutes in the morning to sit at the rug and tell stories is powerful - and it helps them plan stories for writing workshop. I have seen teachers teach kids to hold out their three fingers and tell stories across fingers (just like we do in writing workshop) each morning. Kids sometimes retell old favorites - and even stories from the classroom. Some teachers keep a box of field trip photos handy to help kids tell stories. This picture shows a drawing from a story some kindergarten kids told about a fire drill.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxKwVzgZpCg/TmY_uVukH9I/AAAAAAAAALk/GF67Y67MnDo/s1600/class+story.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wxKwVzgZpCg/TmY_uVukH9I/AAAAAAAAALk/GF67Y67MnDo/s320/class+story.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
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<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Singing a song or reading a poem together at the rug.</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Teachers can give students the job of pointing to the words of the song or poem on a chart/smart board. The guest pointer can start the music and use the pointer. As kids come to the rug, they can join in the singing or chanting.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tTjvEL9Pr8c/TmY98xRnTeI/AAAAAAAAALc/C9II1hQC6Js/s1600/Jack+and+Jill+poem.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tTjvEL9Pr8c/TmY98xRnTeI/AAAAAAAAALc/C9II1hQC6Js/s320/Jack+and+Jill+poem.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Word Study Sorts</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/09/get-word-study-up-and-running.html">Click here</a> to see the posting on teaching word study sorts to help you get word study up and running. Then, once it is running smoothly in your classroom, invite students to do their sorting first thing when they enter the room.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z8BKq8fmD6Q/TmY9nqfkHWI/AAAAAAAAALY/0j2CItbJmLg/s1600/sort+up+close.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z8BKq8fmD6Q/TmY9nqfkHWI/AAAAAAAAALY/0j2CItbJmLg/s320/sort+up+close.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br />
</span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-11779657672095317272011-09-01T19:05:00.000-07:002011-09-01T20:25:42.949-07:00Thank You Teachers!Read Write and Play is celebrating its first birthday and the milestone of 100 followers thanks to all of you dear readers. <br />
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This summer was filled with more and more of your thoughtful questions, great stories, and beautiful cities. I celebrated hard work in person with teachers in Wisconsin, Texas, and Seattle. I met teachers from all over the country as well as teachers from schools in South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia at the summer institutes at Teachers College. I can see all of you from all corners of the globe looking at pictures here on the blog. Thank you for being part of this community.<br />
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I wish you all a great school year and many happy stories with your students. I'll be here and will continue to post all the things that inspire my teaching as well as the teaching I see in your classrooms that inspires me.<br />
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I took this picture at the Ace Hotel after having dinner with some of my teacher friends in NYC this summer. I think it will be my back-to-school mantra. It reminds us all to dig deep, take a risk, and teach our hearts out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZuDJd064Ws/TmA5Te-RaWI/AAAAAAAAALU/Ar0BgFZXK_A/s1600/alright+pic+ace+hotel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WZuDJd064Ws/TmA5Te-RaWI/AAAAAAAAALU/Ar0BgFZXK_A/s320/alright+pic+ace+hotel.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Happy New Year Everyone! Here is to you and another great year of sharing great stuff from our reading, writing, and choice time workshops!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-20139870015004178232011-08-06T14:08:00.000-07:002011-08-06T14:08:43.504-07:00Classroom Library OrganizationHello Teachers,<br />
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It is August. Time to enjoy the summer breeze and begin to think about your classroom environments once again. I want to devote some posts this month to organizing our classrooms to support student independence. I can see that you like the classroom library photos, so I will post a few more of those today. Many thanks to Phyllis for allowing me to share these photos from her classroom. <a href="http://readwriteandplay.blogspot.com/2010/09/classroom-library-photos.html">Click here</a> to see more classroom library pictures.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A few tips for your library:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><ul><li>Put out the books your students in need. The baskets should represent the range of readers in your room. </li>
</ul><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAWObPpTihk/Tj2p4n4tZgI/AAAAAAAAAK4/IPxkDY48K5k/s1600/a-d+baskets+photo+ps39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QAWObPpTihk/Tj2p4n4tZgI/AAAAAAAAAK4/IPxkDY48K5k/s320/a-d+baskets+photo+ps39.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DI2epKHdNfo/Tj2qNkY_q6I/AAAAAAAAAK8/EqZ9JAt-jXE/s1600/e-i+baskets+ps+39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DI2epKHdNfo/Tj2qNkY_q6I/AAAAAAAAAK8/EqZ9JAt-jXE/s320/e-i+baskets+ps+39.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<ul><li>Make sure the labels on the books are clear and consistent.</li>
<li>Sort your nonfiction books into baskets with interesting categories and invite your students to make and resort the baskets with you. I like to have the books in these nonfiction baskets leveled when possible.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fIT69PuM6BU/Tj2qbaAmAaI/AAAAAAAAALA/CZObaKK0Egg/s1600/nf+section+ps+39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fIT69PuM6BU/Tj2qbaAmAaI/AAAAAAAAALA/CZObaKK0Egg/s320/nf+section+ps+39.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>You can place author bins and other topical baskets on separate shelves (for example, an "Authors We Love" shelf, a "Partner Reading" shelf, and an "Ideas We Love" shelf) so kids understand the organization. You may want to unveil this section and these baskets after you read books with these favorite authors and themes (perhaps in read aloud or in a unit of study that involves partners reading the same books) so kids know how to browse these sections, how to look and pictures and retell the stories, and where to put them back when they are finished.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s7qk6oYzOPo/Tj2rDiz9ZtI/AAAAAAAAALE/vUWBB9COTws/s1600/author+baskets+ps+39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s7qk6oYzOPo/Tj2rDiz9ZtI/AAAAAAAAALE/vUWBB9COTws/s320/author+baskets+ps+39.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-91111965266546321802011-07-02T11:18:00.000-07:002011-07-02T11:18:19.105-07:00Summer Reading Lists for Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade ReadersHello Teachers and Families,<br />
<br />
I read a comment this week from a follower wondering about summer reading lists for young readers and I wanted to follow up with a few suggestions to keep young and budding readers reading over the summer. It can be tricky to find leveled books to match the needs of our youngest readers. I have a few series suggestions for teachers and families. First, check your child's report card to see if the teacher mentioned a reading level. If you aren't sure the level, read a few of these series to your child at the bookstore or the library and you'll be sure to find the right match when your child begins to read along with you. I like to recommend series books for the summer because once a reader is hooked, he will have plenty of books to read! In other words, it builds stamina easily.<br />
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<a class="subhead" href="http://www.candlewick.com/bookxtras.asp?isbn=0763613274&id=&browse=Title&view=jacket&jacket=./images/cwp_bookjackets/648/0763613274.jpg&bktitle=Piggy+and+Dad" target="bookxtras"><img alt="Piggy and Dad" border="0" src="http://www.candlewick.com/images/cwp_bookjackets/158/0763613274.med.jpg" /></a> <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><u><b>Books that you can easily find at your child’s independent reading level:</b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Level C and D Readers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal">Brand New Readers Series</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">click <a href="http://www.brandnewreaders.com/">here</a> for information about ordering. My favorite characters are Piggy and Daddy, Worm, Termite, and Mouse. Adults will even find these simple books laugh out loud funny. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Level E and F Readers:</u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Puppy Mudge</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Cynthia Rylant</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Tiny</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Cari Meister</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Kipper</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Mick Inkpen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Level G and H Readers:</u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Turtle and Snake</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Kate Spohn</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Biscuit</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><i>Fly Guy</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Tedd Arnold</span></div><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><u> </u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u> </u></div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Level I and J Reader<i>s:</i></u><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Dragon</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Dav Pilkey</span> <i> </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Poppleton</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> series by Cynthia Rylant</span></div></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Henry and Mudge</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> series by Cynthia Rylant</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Fox</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Edward Marshall</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u>Level K and L Readers</u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Commander Toad</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> by Jane Yolen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Arthur</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> Series by Lillian Hoban</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Frog and Toad</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> series by Arnold Lobel</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Pinky and Rex </i><span style="font-style: normal;">series by James Howe</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><b><u>Some websites that will support oral language development and nonfiction reading:</u></b></div><span style="color: #990000;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #990000;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">National Geographic for Kids <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/">http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> PBS Kids <a href="http://pbskids.org/">http://pbskids.org/</a> <span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;">And, if you are planning for summer bookstore or library time this week to get out of the heat, here are <b>some books that kids and adults love to talk about together.</b> Remember that your kids are NEVER too old for read aloud. They love hearing the sound of your voice and talking about books with you! Happy reading!</span></span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><b><span style="color: black;">Read Aloud Titles: </span></b></u></span></em></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="booklistitem">Keller, Holly</span><strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Sophie’s Window</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Greenwillow, 2005.</span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="booklistitem">Fleming, Denise. <a href="http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailBook.asp?idBooks=1095" style="color: black;"><strong>Buster</strong></a>. Henry Holt, 2003. Ages 4 - 7</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="booklistitem">Montenegro, Laura Nyman. <a href="http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailBook.asp?idBooks=1035" style="color: black;"><strong>A Bird About to Sing</strong></a><span style="color: black;">. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Ages 5 – 8</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><span class="booklistitem">Hopkins, Lee Bennett, editor. <a href="http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailBook.asp?idBooks=1007" style="color: black;"><strong>Hoofbeats, Claws & Rippled Fins: Creature Poems</strong></a>. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. HarperCollins, 2002. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">O'Connell George, Kristine.</span><em style="color: black;"> </em><u><em style="color: black;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Little Dog Poems</b></span></em></u><b style="color: black;"><i><u>.</u></i></b><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Marshall, James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>George and Martha.</u></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houghton Mifflin, 1974.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Marshall, James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>George and Martha Round and Round.</u></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houghton Mifflin, 1991.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Marshall, James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>George and Martha One Fine Day.</u></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Houghton Mifflin, 1982.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Waber, Bernard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>Bearsie Bear and the Surprise Sleepover Party.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; Reprint edition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2002. </span><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"> </div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-29814498065041241012011-06-26T19:20:00.000-07:002011-06-29T04:40:38.357-07:00Visiting NYC for a TCRWP Institute?Are you looking for some after-institute fun? I have some of my favorites listed here for all of you.<br />
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Casual dinner with a great view?<br />
Take the 1 train to 59th street and enter the Shops at Columbus Circle. Then take the escalator up to the third floor for <a href="http://www.bouchonbakery.com/showPlace.php?id=3">Bouchon Bakery</a>. This will be close to Times Square (walk down Broadway after dinner for good Times Square at night photos) and provide some time for shopping too.<br />
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Going down to SoHo?<br />
I have a few favorite places in this neighborhood. <br />
My new FAVORITE NYC restaurant is <a href="http://thedutchnyc.com/">The Dutch</a>. It is on the corner of Sullivan and Spring Streets. You can take the downtown A,C, or E train to Spring Street. Get there at 5:00 if you don't want to wait. This restaurant is close to <a href="http://angelikafilmcenter.com/angelika_index.asp?hID=1">The Angelika</a>, a small movie theatre that plays limited released films. It might be a great after dinner, air-conditioned treat.<br />
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Dinner and a show in midtown or Times Square fun and an inexpensive place to eat:<br />
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I love <a href="http://ppc.broadway.com/shows/memphis/?siclientid=2885&sessguid=6c40e272-2327-4cf8-8dd6-bda6a6d4344e&userguid=6c40e272-2327-4cf8-8dd6-bda6a6d4344e&permguid=6c40e272-2327-4cf8-8dd6-bda6a6d4344e">Memphis</a>. This musical is inspiring and filled with great music. Before or after the show, you can get dinner in one of may great restaurants on 8th and 9th avenue. Here are some good bets:<br />
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<a href="http://www.vynl-nyc.com/">Vynl </a>on 9th ave and 51st street<br />
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<a href="http://www.eaterynyc.com/">Eatery</a> on 9th and 53rd street<br />
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<a href="http://toloachenyc.com/media/toloache.html">Toloache</a> on 8th and 50th street<br />
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<a href="http://www.elcentro-nyc.com/">El Centro</a> on 9th and 54th street<br />
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Are you looking for something a little sweet after school or after dinner? Try some of my favorite bakeries:<br />
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<a href="http://www.crumbs.com/">Crumbs</a> for cupcakes. Various locations. There is one on Columbus Ave near 98th Street, another on 75th and Amsterdam, another on 52nd and Broadway, and several other locations in NYC.<br />
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<a href="http://www.levainbakery.com/">Levain Bakery</a> Hands down, my favorite cookies in NYC. This bakery is tiny so be careful to look for the little sign. You'll find them on 74th street just off the corner of Amsterdam Ave. (right around the corner from a market)<br />
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<a href="http://www.magnoliabakery.com/home.php">Magnolia Bakery</a> I love the banana pudding from Magnolia. And the ice box cake too... Yum. Go here if you are headed to Rockefeller Center (see the plaza, the Today show, the Top of the Rock, etc.). There are other locations, but this location on 49th street and Avenue of the Americas is a good one. You can also find them on Columbus and 69th Street.<br />
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Check back throughout this week for more fun NYC ideas!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-41574319068497613222011-06-09T14:46:00.000-07:002011-06-09T14:47:29.778-07:00Summer Reads for Teachers and CoachesHello Friends,<br />
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For many of you this month signals the end of one school year and the beginning of another. I want to give you a great big THANK YOU on behalf of the students you teach! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AMPT4mdgL._SL1000_.jpg" id="imageViewerLink" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; position: relative;"></a>As you sort through placement cards, cumulative records, and report cards for this year's class, you can't help but think ahead to the kids who will gather at your meeting area in September. Even if you have 4-8 weeks away from school this summer, I know you will be thinking of the year ahead. That's what we do. So, with that in mind, I have a summer reading list for you - filled with lots of fun reads for you, both professional and <span style="color: #990000;">to help you connect again with your own reading life</span>.<br />
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I get several text recommendations from Amanda at her blog <a href="http://readingmyselfintotheworld.blogspot.com/">Reading Myself Into the Word</a>. This year she gave me two of the books I put on this list. Thanks Amanda!<br />
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Now, on with the list!<br />
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My favorite NF book this year was a tie between <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Run-Superathletes-Greatest-Vintage/dp/0307279189/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307643379&sr=8-1">Born to Run</a> </i>and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Play-Shapes-Brain-Imagination-Invigorates/dp/B003VWC4Q2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307643676&sr=8-1">Play</a></i>. Both books inspired me to think hard about the parts of teaching that feel playful to me. <i>Born to Run</i> is not just a book for runners. It is for all of us who need a story of hope and a story of defying odds. It is also a great example of how a writer turns a simple question or wondering into a big project, one that reaches to several continents and helps readers meet a cast of interesting people who will live with you as you read.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AMPT4mdgL._SL1000_.jpg" id="imageViewerLink" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; position: relative;"><img alt="Product Image Play (Reprint) (Paperback)" id="imageViewer" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AMPT4mdgL._SL380_.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a></div><br />
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<i>Play</i> is a must-read if you are thinking about recapturing that child-like joy over the summer and carrying it with you into the next school year. It is written by a doctor who has investigated the science of play, emotions, joy, and productivity. It is easy to read and gives you opportunities to think about the kind of play you want to put back in your life if they are missing.<br />
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I should also say that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Life-Henrietta-Lacks/dp/1400052181/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307644479&sr=8-1"><i>The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks</i> </a>was one of my favorite reads this year. I admire Rebecca Skloot's tenacity as a writer with each and every page I read. She weaves beautiful narrative passages and information text in a way that we can all read, react, and synthesize. If you need a good book club book this summer, I love this one.<br />
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This summer, I am planning to read the NF text, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remembering-Everything/dp/159420229X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307644553&sr=8-1">Moonwalking With Einstein</a></i>. Read along with me and post your comments!<br />
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I also love to have some humor in my tote bag or on my nightstand. I highly recommend the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/People-Are-Unappealing-Even-Me/dp/0307382451/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307644861&sr=8-1">People Are Unappealing</a></i>. It is a memoir, filled with short stories of a young woman's life in Brooklyn, NY. You will laugh out loud when you read this book. I think it is perfect for reading at the pool, while the kids are taking a swimming lesson, or on a plane ride.<br />
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I am also planning to read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bossypants-Tina-Fey/dp/0316056863/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307644944&sr=8-1">Bossypants</a></i> by Tina Fey this summer. I am sure we'll get some good laughs in that one. If you missed <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Let-Great-World-Spin-Novel/dp/0812973992/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307655673&sr=1-1"><i>Let The Great World Spin</i></a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Novel-Oprahs-Book-Club/dp/0312600844/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307655706&sr=1-1"><i>Freedom</i></a> last summer, and/or want a great fiction read, I can recommend both. Both have interesting text structures and plot lines that push you to read, "just a few more pages."<br />
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I also want to tackle a few professional books this summer. Katie Wood Ray's book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pictures-Words-Teaching-Qualities-Illustration/dp/0325028559/ref=pd_sim_b_2">In Pictures and In Words</a></i> has been on my list as well as <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Engaging-Young-Writers-Preschool-Grade-1/dp/032501745X/ref=pd_sim_b_4">Engaging Young Writers: Preschool - Grade 1</a></i> by Matt Glover. I'm also in the middle of <i><a href="http://www.heinemann.com/products/E04163.aspx">Comprehension Going Forward</a></i>. I think all three of these will be a good shot in the arm. I love each of these authors (the third book is a collection of authors) because reading their books makes it seem like I am in a conversation with each of them. They have a great ability to talk directly to their readers and give honest and practical advise. <br />
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Happy Reading Everyone!<br />
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</tbody></table>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-53159779161142716722011-05-15T13:07:00.000-07:002011-05-15T13:07:09.770-07:00Summer Reading and Writing ProjectsYou can have worked so hard to support your students' growth in reading and writing this year. Now you'll want to send them off for the summer with their bags filled with ideas for summer reading and writing. <br />
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Kelly, a first grade teacher, and her students spent the final days of the school year last June making summer reading and writing plans. Here are some photos from her room and some tips on making your own summer reading and writing kits.<br />
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Remember that summer reading and writing is all about independent projects. Kids can think about the following:<br />
<ul><li>What can I make all by myself?</li>
<li>What favorite authors/series do I want to read? </li>
<li>What topic do I want to learn more about this summer?</li>
<li>What tools will I need?</li>
<li>Where can I keep my tools?</li>
</ul>Kelly's class decorated simple tote bags with fabric markers to hold their summer plans. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7n27OQY9eg4/TdAstB7_C5I/AAAAAAAAAKw/rDFhVd84OZw/s1600/Summer+writing+kits+class+set.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7n27OQY9eg4/TdAstB7_C5I/AAAAAAAAAKw/rDFhVd84OZw/s320/Summer+writing+kits+class+set.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>They took home blank calendars for the months of July and August and jotted some of the things they might do over the summer. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qeo6hsLCaMs/TdAvYKG31xI/AAAAAAAAAK0/CWaty9QbEUw/s1600/summer+writing+project+cal+ex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qeo6hsLCaMs/TdAvYKG31xI/AAAAAAAAAK0/CWaty9QbEUw/s320/summer+writing+project+cal+ex.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Then they used the calendars to dream up some of the writing they would like to make. For example, if they knew that they were spending a week at grandma's house and grandma has cats, they might decide to make an All About Cats book at her house. Or, if they really loved the poetry unit and they knew that they were going to be at a summer camp or day care program, they might take several sheets of poetry paper to make an anthology. Be sure your kids plan for several projects to create over the summer. <br />
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Kelly's class used old charts from previous units to make decisions about the writing they will make over the summer. They could choose from a paper buffet that included the following:<br />
<ul><li>Small moments and fiction story booklets</li>
<li>All About book paper choices</li>
<li>Poetry paper </li>
<li>Letter writing paper</li>
<li>How to Paper</li>
</ul>Kids can also imagine audiences for their summer writing projects. Kids will most definitely do their summer writing projects if they have someone to send their story/letter/book/poem to in the mail. Kelly's class made these simple address books so kids could collect (with family permission) the addresses of friends and family.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m1aMA2aO1ps/TdAsgk3T_rI/AAAAAAAAAKs/Udg-VSxpPbA/s1600/Summer+writing+kit+address+books.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m1aMA2aO1ps/TdAsgk3T_rI/AAAAAAAAAKs/Udg-VSxpPbA/s320/Summer+writing+kit+address+books.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
You'll also want to fill the kits with tools (besides paper) that will help kids follow through with their summer reading and writing plans. You might include the following:<br />
<ul><li>Pens and pencils</li>
<li>Copies of your word wall, alphabet charts, or other spelling tools that have supported kids</li>
<li>Strategy charts from some of the units that kids have found helpful</li>
<li>Phone numbers of writing buddies or partners (with family permission)</li>
<li>Library card</li>
<li>List of favorite books/authors/genres</li>
<li>Small summer reading log </li>
</ul>One of my favorite blogs, Tiny Reader, has lots more great ideas for summer reading and writing kits. <a href="http://tinyreader.blogspot.com/2011/04/summer-reading-and-writing-kits.html">Click here</a> for the post. <br />
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Look for another post soon about creative ways to get students to read over the summer including a post about making a summer reading DVD for kindergarten and first graders as well as making summer reading plans for yourself. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5737357120685240174.post-9010833142071385712011-05-15T12:27:00.000-07:002011-05-15T12:27:19.124-07:00Poetry Charts Part 2Hello Teachers,<br />
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We all want our students to write one poem after another during our poetry unit of study. We hope that they choose meaningful topics and look at the world with a sense of wonder. You can give them some mentors who do this such as Georgia Heard and Valarie Worth. And, you can chart some of the same strategies these poets use on charts for your young writers. <br />
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Two examples of these charts are shown below. Thanks to Bianca, one of our followers, for sharing these! You'll notice that the second chart was used to help kids make songs too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ed5itUk5ONE/TdAld7ScSrI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Uv3GTeP-U_M/s1600/poetry+ideas+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ed5itUk5ONE/TdAld7ScSrI/AAAAAAAAAKg/Uv3GTeP-U_M/s320/poetry+ideas+chart.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg_mWNAcE34/TdAlqbH6pmI/AAAAAAAAAKk/GjFHTcdTA8U/s1600/song+writing+ideas+chart.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zg_mWNAcE34/TdAlqbH6pmI/AAAAAAAAAKk/GjFHTcdTA8U/s320/song+writing+ideas+chart.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
We also know it is important to have examples of poems up in the classroom so kids can see the writing craft that their mentors use. Bianca shared this example of a Valarie Worth poem with me. Notice how she and her students highlighted some craft the author has used. Now, with coaching, the students can try some of these things themselves. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2Rr4YAVXOE/TdAnxeKfInI/AAAAAAAAAKo/gTtGg8TSGCI/s1600/poem+coins+on+chart+with+post-its.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2Rr4YAVXOE/TdAnxeKfInI/AAAAAAAAAKo/gTtGg8TSGCI/s320/poem+coins+on+chart+with+post-its.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This Valerie Worth poem, Coins, can be found in her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Small-Poems-Fourteen-More-Sunburst/dp/0374403457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305487410&sr=8-1">tall the small poems and fourteen more</a>. it is filled with great poems to use in your k-2 writing workshop.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17720515202767563802noreply@blogger.com1