29 June 2012

In Pictures and In Words {Part 2}

In Pictures and In Words is divided into two sections: The Foundation of an Illustration Study and Illustration Techniques.  With fifty different techniques, Katie Wood Ray has done a magnificent job at breaking them into five clusters.  Cluster One: Ideas and Content; Cluster Two: Precision and Detail; Cluster Three: Wholeness of Text; Cluster Four: Tone; Cluster Five: Layout and Design.  

In Chapter Seven, we will explore Ideas and Content.  Each technique is written with a predictable format...

1. Something to Notice: one sentence statement about the illustration.  

2.An Illustration Example: "something to notice" and book recommendation with an example.  

3.An Understanding for Young Writers and Illustrations: a short discussion with guided questions.  

4.An Idea for Trying it Out: Suggestions on how to implement technique with students.

5. A Writing Connection: Helps make the connection between writing and illustrating. 

The authors of Teaching the Qualities of Writing wrote, "At its most basic, writing relies on the writer's ability to generate ideas.  Even before a writer thinks of shaping, ordering, or detailing those ideas, she has to gather them in her mind".  To write well, ideas are needed.  

Ideas and Content has 12 techniques.  I've created classroom posters to align with the techniques to give students a visual during their independent writing.  I will need to purchase additional clipart to complete techniques 11 and 12 BUT will revise the document when the additional posters are created!

 Click Image to Download Posters!

If you download, I'd love that you comment and let me know!  =D
And Don't forget to link up with Mrs. Wills!!




25 June 2012

Daily 5: Chapter 2

There are six principles essential to implementing Daily 5...  

TRUST.  This principle develops as mutual respect between student and teacher is formed.  The start of my school year begins with district anchor lessons and goals of building positive behaviors in reading and writing.  Through these lessons, my students will gradually sustain more control of their learning.  With each lesson introduced, students will activate their schema and rely upon their previous learning experiences to have confidence in their newly acquired skill.  

I've worked to incorporate balance in my district anchor lessons and Daily 5...

CHOICE.  The only choice I've provided students would be literacy tubs adapted from reading Debbie Diller's Literacy Stations.  Each tub has a variety of scaffold activities for student to choose from.  This is called a controlled choice.  Students are still assigned a station to attend and rotate throughout the week.  I love the idea of choice as presented in Daily 5.  I'm still working on putting all the pieces together but found a few wonderful ideas through pinterest and wanted to share...

The idea pictured below can be used with the Captain Kid posters.  I can start the year with controlled choice and slowly release control as routines are established and trust is mutual.  

Response to Intervention Website


The next picture is linked to the how-to post.  You can learn how the poster was created and how the poster is used.  I love this concept because it incorporates meeting with the teacher.  She has offered her icons as a free download.  =D

Fabulous Flamingos in Second Grade

The next picture is my favorite.  I love using the smartboard as an option for students making a choice about their learning.  Once independence has been established and trust is mutual, I can see opening up this decision with 'big kid' technology.  The only problem presented would be the use of the board as an option for word work.

Tales from a K-1 Classroom



Just as I was going to publish this post, I found a wonderful files free for you!  Mrs. Meacham provides lots of freebies, pictures, and a smartboard file (pictured below) on her website.  Yay!


Choice begins with students understanding their plan for the day with five important questions. What are my goals in reading and writing?  Whom will I work with?  What will I accomplish?  What was I working on yesterday that I want to continue?  

Purpose + Choice = Motivation

COMMUNITY.  The concept of building community is not foreign to me.  I'm big on creating a sense of "family" and work to understand my students in and out of school. One of my favorite books to help build character and routines at the start of the year is Seven Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey.  We learn through our reading  that accountability and synergy is key for success!

SENSE OF URGENCY.  Humans are ingrained to ask why?  I was speaking to my colleague who says her two year old ask why so many times that she runs out of answers.  Getting results from students comes when we create a sense of urgency in learning by explaining why we do things. When students understand the reason behind the task then they become motivated and won't let anything get in the way of their success. 

STAMINA.  I love the analogy that stamina needed for the Daily Five is much like the stamina needed for physical exercise.  Understanding students fatigue in reading is similar to that of a person working out for the first time.  I've worked on student accountability and stamina for the past few year.  The kids maintain their own data notebooks.  SO I'm eager to incorporate class stamina charts or personal stamina charts this year.  

Ms. Fiorini's Stadium: All Star Ideas

Teaching with Style

STAY OUT OF MY WAY.  Oh.my.goodness.  I never thought about my interruptions throughout their independent practice.  While building stamina, I would circulate the classroom checking the progress, encouraging through praise, and giving reinforcement for on-task behaviors.  I interfered with their personal growth as the children looked for my acknowledgement to sustain reading.  It's no wonder I had a wonderful class but challenges with subs. 

This chapter was enlightening!  I see many areas of focus for the 2012-2013 school year.  I'm eager to reinforce these positive behaviors in Kindergarten and grow with the kids as we loop back to second together. So my question for you... How would you incorporate the questions highlighted in pink above with Kindergarteners?

Don't forget to link up your Daily 5 Chapter 2 post.  I'm eager to read your reflections!  You are welcome to link if you responded to other parties about Daily 5 Chapter 2.  Please take the time to link the post and not your blog.

22 June 2012

In Pictures and In Words {Part 1}


My reflections are provided on each image below.  When you click the images, they will enlarge. OR  I've also given a direct link to my powerpoint in the image above!  








Don't forget to link up with Deedee Wills






And comment {at Mrs. Wills Kindergarten} to win this...


19 June 2012

Clever School Teacher Sets

I heart the Clever School Teacher. I previously posted about this website created by the fabulous Deedee Wills. I wanted to share a bit more. First, the sets you can purchased are arranged to align with comprehension strategies, genre studies, writing traits, common core standards (grade level/unit) and more!! Here are a few sets you can purchase for each category! Oh the excitement... 

Comprehension Strategies

Connecting K-2 set 1          Connecting K-2 set 2


Connecting 3-5 set 1



Inferring K-2 set 1               Inferring K-2 set 2

Inferring 3-5



Predicting K-2 set 1           Predicting K-2 set 2

Predicting 3-5



Questioning K-2 set 1    Questioning K-2 set 2

Questioning 3-5



Summarizing K-2 set 1      Summarizing K-2 set 2


Summarizing 3-5



Visualizing K-2 set 1     Visualizing K-2 set 2

Visualizing 3-5



Writing Traits

Ideas K-2 set 1                      Ideas K-2 set 2

Ideas 3-5



Organization K-2 set 1         Organization K-2 set 2

Organization 3-5



Voice K-2 set 1                  Voice K-2 set 2

Voice 3-5


Word Choice K-2 set 1      Word Choice K-2 set 2

Word Choice 3-5



Sentence Fluency K-2 set 1     Sentence Fluency K-2 set 2

Sentence Fluency 3-5



Conventions K-2 set 1         Conventions K-2 set 2

Conventions 3-5

Presentation

Each of the pictures above are a direct link to the actual set on Clever School Teacher.  The sets are packaged as a discount.  Under the set, you have an option to purchase books individually.  Now you can form the set with books you may already own!  NICE!!! 


Feel free to grab the code and place a Clever School Teacher Logo on your sidebar for a direct link to best book store on the web!

See image below for example...

<A HREF="http://www.cleverschoolteacher.com/Default.aspx?tabid=83&CATReferrer=15"><IMG src="https://www.cleverschoolteacher.com/Portals/0/LogoL_Ref.jpg" style="border-width:0px;" /></A>


OR you can choose...

<A HREF="http://www.cleverschoolteacher.com/Default.aspx?tabid=83&CATReferrer=15"><IMG src="https://www.cleverschoolteacher.com/Portals/0/LogoS_Ref.jpg" style="border-width:0px;" /></A>