It's January....and Here We Go....!

What a wonderful break, but now it is time to get back into the swing of things again. If it's this hard for us, imagine what our students are feeling! I know that when I go back, I will ask my class a question and they will all just stare at me with blank expressions. I call this "mush brain," and I give them one week to clear the cobwebs and get back in the game! I always make a joke out of it, so we all laugh together, but seriously...do they do any thinking at home with their families? =D January means Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History month (the Civil Rights Movement). February means President's Day. Lincoln and Washington. What better way to get these concepts across, than using the actual words of these historic figures? Washington can be a bit dry, but both Lincoln and King were quite articulate and spoke in beautiful figurative phrases.

I love to pair the words of Lincoln with the words of King, and set up a Socratic Conversation or debate situation. The students jump right back into the game with these types of activities! I also find that it is a great time to have my students start to think of others besides themselves.

Random Acts of Kindness fit in perfectly at this time of year! And do the parents love it when the homework for the evening is to do something kind for your parents and report back on what happened, how they reacted, and how it made you feel! It's a great way to get your students and their families back into the swing of school!

Responding to Quotes Bulletin Boards - A Great Way to Teach Figurative Language!

"Life is about using the whole box of crayons!"

I have found that the best way to teach figurative language is to incorporate examples all year long. At least twice a week, I have my students address a quotation as a prompt. They need to identify the type of figurative language, explain the meaning of the quote, and connect the quote to their lives. By doing this activity weekly, followed by a class discussion, my students show marked growth in understanding this abstract concept. Another benefit is the wonderful classroom discussions that come out of this activity! It really warms my heart!

A few years ago, I decided that I wanted some of this outstanding thinking to be reflected in my bulletin boards, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I didn't want to just put their writing on the board, that doesn't work unless someone goes and reads the bulletin boards (which rarely happens.) So, what to do? I started choosing specific quotes for a bulletin board, and then had my students create parts of the board to show their connections and responses to the quote. Here's my latest bulletin board:

My students created their own individual crayon in the computer lab using a crayon template that I had attached to my class webpage. They inserted their picture in the tip of f the crayon, and used word art to add their name, an adjective that described their strength, and a color word for their chosen color. This was a thesaurus lesson, a technology lesson, and a response to a figurative language quotation. Here is a closer look at some of their crayons:

If you would like a copy of my template, click here:

Another one of my bulletin boards this year uses the quote, "Those that reach the stars walk in stardust!" Here's a picture:

On this board, the students created two arms. On their left arm they put their name and their strengths, on their right arm they put their goals (both long term and short term goals).

Other quotes that I have used for bulletin boards are: "Those at the top of the mountain didn't fall there" and "Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?"

What Did You Do This Summer? Research Project

Many years I like to start off with a research project for my students that gives lots of student choice. I learn so much about my class, and my students are getting back into the swing of things by learning more about something they experienced over the summer. The topic can be anything that has something to do with their summer, and the research activities are selected from a Tic Tac Toe menu. Not only do I learn so much about my students, I also can set the groundwork for my research expectations. We discuss choosing reliable sources of information, paraphrasing vs. plagiarizing, and keeping a bibliography. I am not hard nosed about these yet, but I do start to discuss my expectations. I have had such great luck with this project that I have it put together as a unit in my TPT store - if you are interested. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beyond-The-Garden-Gate-Shari-Bithell ">

I'm not sure what I did differently, or if it is just the students that I have in my class this year, but the creativity and work that I got this year was incredible! Every year, I give my students a Tic Tac Toe board with choices of activities based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory, yet many of my students tend to choose the same three or four activities. Technology, Fact Gathering, Compare & Contrast, and Survey. (It's interesting, even when we try to give student choice - they aren't always ready to take a risk at the beginning of the school year) Not this year though! This year I had students demonstrating how to do something they learned, singing songs to the class, building or creating items to share with the class, and creating their own videos for us! Listening to the presentations was so much easier, because of the variety of styles!

Topics vary greatly. This year we learned about places such as National Parks (Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon), travel destinations (Hawaii, Washington D.C, Las Vegas, San Diego, New Mexico, Disney World), summer activities (snorkeling, whale watching, horseback riding, canoe rowing, surfing, and other water sports), and even more about video games from one of my couch potatoes!

How to's included: How to draw Tigger:

How to row a boat or canoe:

How to snorkel:

Summer Activities included: Horseback Riding:

Surfing:

Whale Watching:

Students love the choices they can make, and they were truly interested in each other's presentations! What could be better than that?

Do You Know the New Education Buzzwords? Can't They Just Speak English?

What the heck is my principal talking about? Every year as we prepare for the opening of school, my principal starts spouting off buzzwords that I only have an inkling as to what she means. I am after all, an educated woman with a Masters Degree, but she uses terms that we have never learned. No one wants the staff meeting to go any longer than necessary - so we all sit quietly. Of course, I can guess the meaning of these terms by using the context in which they were used. Isn't that what we teach our students to do? But this strategy only goes so far...I have a general understanding of what she is referring to - enough to fake it, but I don't have any background information. Sound familiar? I'm quite certain that I am not alone in this! So, I have decided to take some time before the school year begins, and look up some of these terms. And lucky you...I am going to share my findings, so you don't have to take the time to do it yourself! Each day I will write a post on a different buzzword: Tier 1,2,3 Vocabulary List Words, STEM, Depth of Knowledge, Habits of Mind, and anything else that I hear as we head in to the school year.

Today's Topic: Tier 1, 2, 3 Tier Vocabulary

Today I will begin with tier 1, 2, and 3 words. Now this is one of those terms that I understand the concept, but is anyone ever going to show me a list of words, or do I have to make it myself? Seriously, do we expect every teacher to come up with his/her own list? I would have thought that my district would have taken care of this by now...maybe yours has, but I'm left here guessing as to what words should be Tier 2. I know that my primary focus should be on the tier 2 words, and that these are the academic vocabulary - the vocabulary of learning. Feldman & Kinsella (gurus in the field of academic vocabulary development) call this level "the academic toolkit." It seems pretty clear to me that students need to understand what is being asked of them in order to give a correct response, so I am pretty dialed in that these would be important. I have heard people suggest that each teacher should go through the standards and write down any academic word that is used in the standards, because these are likely to show up on the test. Seriously? We should each do this individually? So, with a little research I have found a really good book to help us out. Daily Academic Vocabulary by Evan Moore Publishing. They have one of these for each grade level.

Now these look very comprehensive but they're not cheap. I teach a 5th/6th blend and Amazon.com wants $22 for the 5th grade copy and $31.97 for the 6th grade - and that's the paperbacks. That is $54.00! Hello....I'm a teacher!!!! Also, I've been told that Kate Kinsella is coming out with her own book on the subject and that it would be worth the wait. I guess I will wait. Venturing on, after lots of Internet searching, I found some lists of tier 2 words listed by grade level. These were on the website of Hyde Park Central School District in Hyde Park, New York. Looks like they have their act together! Thanks for sharing HPCSD!

Click on these links to pull up the grade level tier 2 vocabulary lists: GRADE 5, GRADE 6, GRADE 7, GRADE 8,

Goal Setting Bulletin Board - What Should It Say?

Every year I start with a goal setting bulletin board. I find this to be a great kick start to teaching figurative language, classroom discussion expectations, and student goal setting. I make this a student centered bulletin board with students creating their own character with a goal for the year. These stay up all year long, and at the end of the year I pass them back and let the students do some self-reflection as to how well they met their own goal. Four years ago, my bulletin board read, "Grow Your Own Wings...Let Them Take You to Amazing Places." The students created their own butterflies with their goal for the year on it. It was great! Three years ago, my bulletin board said, "Those at the Top of the Mountain Didn't Fall There." I had two mountain peaks and the students created their mountain climber with their goal on it. This wasn't quite as cute, but the students really got into the message. They would talk about how there are always taller mountains to climb, and once you do reach the top of your own personal mountain then you need to move on to the next one!

Two years ago, my bulletin board sparkled for the entire year! The quote read, "Those who Reach the Stars Walk in Stardust!" Each student traced their arm, cut it out, and added dreams and goals to it. This one was probably my favorite, and I'm tempted to repeat it, but first I need to explore other possibilities.

Last year my board read, "Why not go out on a Limb, Isn't That Where the Fruit is?" The student characters with the fruit were adorable. Students could use whatever fruit they wanted, in any way they wanted. Some used an apple as a hot air balloon, or a banana as a surfboard. They were very creative!

So, the question remains...what should I do this year? How about some help out there? I'd love to hear your ideas! Here are some that I have been considering...

I'm also open to other ideas. What do you think? I'd love your input! Thanks, Shari

Seussify Your Class This Week!!!

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss is not just for the primary kids - there is so much for middle school kids to gain from this remarkable man.  

I think I am going to put this quote up in my class tomorrow, and have my students discuss it.  Then I am going to have them do just that...look at life from the wrong end of the telescope!  What will they come up with?  It should be fun to find out!  

One of my favorite Dr. Seuss reads for older kids is "The Sneetches."  What a great lesson, and such fun characters! 

Here's a little excerpt from it:

Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars. 

The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars. 

Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small. 

You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. 

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches 

Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.” 

With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort 

“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!” 

And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking, 

They’d hike right on past them without even talking. 

In the past, I have divided up the verses among my students, had them practice reading with expression and fluency.  Then they made a page with their verse and their own illustration.  We put these together into our own book, which the students read aloud.  It was fun, and we had a great discussion as the the message of the book.

Dr. Seuss also has some amazing inspirational quotes to use in the classroom.  One of my favorites is:

There are just so many Seussified things to do with your class - I think I'll try a different one each day this week!  How about you?  Are you Seuss Inspired?

Friday Afternoon With Time to Kill

It's Friday afternoon and the rain is pouring down.  Inside my classroom, my students are vibrating from the novelty of the rain (Southern California - very dry winter) and the weekend soon to come.  We are finished with our academics, and it is no time to start something new.  What am I going to do with the afternoon?

It's time to pull out an oldie but goodie that I haven't used in years...

I have each of my students pull out a piece of paper and I ask them to write the title of a story that they would like to write.  Some students know exactly what they want to say, while others look around in confusion.  "Just write a title,"  I say.  It doesn't matter, anything you want.

As soon as everyone is ready, I ask them to pass their paper to the person on their right.  I tell them to read the title and begin writing.  This is the beginning of the story, so their job is to introduce characters and setting.  We want to get to know their characters, so they need to include character traits into their writing.  I let them write for about three minutes, then I asked them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils.

With all pencils down and eyes on me, I explain that we are going to pass the stories to their right again.  This time they will need to read everything that has been written and then they will continue the story.  Their job is to continue establishing characters and setting, then introduce a problem.  Again I let them write for about three minutes before I ask them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils. There is a lot of giggling erupting.

We pass the stories again, now the giggling becomes gleeful.  The kids are loving this activity, and they are enjoying the interactive writing.  This time the students need to make sure that a problem has been introduced and then they need to begin to build suspense.  They want to add events and details that compound the problem or add to the situation.  It seems no one can write without a giggle escaping every now and then.  At this point, I extended the writing to five minutes, because the kids were so in to it!

With the next pass the students were asked to build the suspense to the climax of the story.  The classroom is silent except for the sound of pencil scratching on paper and the occasional "te he" or "sigh".  They have so much to say, no one is looking around the room or staring off into space.  They have a story to write!

The next pass is the final one before the students get their own paper.  They need to make sure that the story has reached its climax and then they need to begin writing the resolution.  All lose ends need to be tied up, all questions answered.

Finally, the students get their own story back.  The giggling when they read their own stories fills the room.  Their job is to clean and fix their stories in anyway they want.  Edit, revise, etc.

Then we shared some of the stories.  So many wanted their stories read aloud, but there were only time for a few.  I told them we will continue to share them this next week whenever we have time.

As we venture into Common Core waters, it is important to remember to dust off some of those oldies to keep the joy in learning!

More Blogging with my Class!

In previous posts I talked about using a Weebly blog with my class, and even put up a sample of some of the discussion that was taking place among my students.  Both my students and I have really been enjoying incorporating the blog into our curriculum, and Weebly just makes it so easy!

So, I got the other fifth and sixth grade teachers at my school started on Weebly blogs of their own. They are having the same success that I have enjoyed, and they are so happy that I got them started on these!  It really is a great tool to use with upper grade elementary students.

As much as I enjoy the online discussion, I wanted to give my students an assignment that only I would see.  I wanted them to write two good paragraphs answering two different questions.  Here are the two questions that I asked:

In your opinion, what does Cole need to do to become invisible.  (I asked this question before we read chapter 23 where Cole realized the answer himself)  After we read the chapter, I added:
What did Cole learn about being invisible.  In what way was your idea similar to what we found out in the book?

What do you think Cole needs to do to heal?  (After reading chapter 23, I added the following)  What did Cole learn from his dance of anger?  In what way was your idea similar to what we found out in the book?  Is Cole on a healing path now?  Will this continue?

I wanted well written paragraphs with good support for their opinions and ideas, so I really didn't want them to see each other's work.  I also like the paper free aspect of the blog. Lucky for me, Weebly offers a solution!  I assigned the questions to my students and put up an Assignment sheet for my students.  The students typed their responses and them uploaded them to the blog.  These were sent to me in an email!  How easy is that?

One thing that I found was that some students were unable to upload, because they were using an ipad or similar type device.  What works for these students is a Contact form.  They can type their paragraphs right into the box, and that is sent to you in an email as well!  Something for everyone!

Just one more thing that I love about blogging!
Give it a try!  You'll love it too!

Have I peeked your interest?  Want to know more?  Here are a few links for previous posts about blogging.

Online Discussions With Blogging

Blogging in the Classroom