Oh! The Many Writeabilities

Images of My Classroom's Reading Center

2009-04-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am grateful to the Brown's for their incredible gift to our students in providing this nice carpet for our reading center! The kids have loved stretching out and cracking open good books! Thank you....Mr. and Mrs. Brown...from Carpet One of Northwest Arkansas!

Springtime, Blackberry Winter, Allergies, and Standardized Testing...ugh!!

2009-04-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ok...these are just a few of the "big" events in my teaching world right now! What is stressing me out the most? Standardized testing would be the answer, since I take it as my personal report card every year!! I believe that I have placed more focus on the teaching of Reading and vocabulary this year, more so than any other year. I am anxious to see what impact...if any...it will have for each of my students. In year's past...I have placed a lot of focus on writing/language arts...but, this year it has been with great importance in writing and greater importance in reading....we will see when those results come in!!

Guess Who? I'm a Blast From Your Past!!

2009-03-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Students were involved in a large biography writing task for the past month in third grade. The culmination of this project ended after students had been assigned for their latest book report, to read a biography of their choice. The final task after the written report was complete was presenting in full costume their person's biography. Our students did a fantastic job. See if you can identify some of these famous people from our past in American History.

Authenticating the Curriculum; Learning Becomes Real!

2009-03-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Speaking of Civil War War-ships... It is incredible when the material that you are teaching is authenticated by what happens to be in the nightly news! Example...my third graders have been deeply submerged in the study of the civil war in their social studies curriculum. At the same time we have been reading two novels about the Monitor and the Hunley. The Monitor was the first iron-clad warship used in the civil war. The Hunley was the first submarine used by the navy during the civil war. Both stories are mysteries about the discovery as to why the two vessels sank. Both have in recent years been searched for and partially excavated from the ocean floor. The exciting part for my students was the authentication just this week of an article in the news about a recent discovery of the remains of another war-ship off the coast of Galveston. Evidently it was uncovered by the most recent hurricane Ike. My students were thrilled to read the article. It is further proof of the many stories related to the civil war that they are reading and learning about.http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/03/09/Wreck_of_Civil_War_ship_found_in_gulf/UPI-27101236616212/

For Great Book Recommendations...

2009-03-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

You can't beat Esme!! I glean so much each week on titles that I've never seen. I also enjoy reading about books that I am using throughout the year with my own students! It is always neat to see what other ideas are being used to incorporate great children's literature across the curriculum!!

The PlanetEsme Plan: The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf: TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES (PICTURE BOOK)

2009-03-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

The PlanetEsme Plan: The Best New Children's Books from Esme's Shelf: TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES (PICTURE BOOK)

The Cat in the Hat Pays Visit to our Classroom Today!!

2009-03-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the characters created by my students...as promised! We had great fun when not only did we get a visit by one of Dr. Seuss's helpers who read to the kids, but also the Cat in the Hat made a special appearance! It was great fun for all! Who knows...we may have a Dr. Seuss in the making...Keep inspiring those kids!!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!!

2009-03-01T18:35:00.000-08:00

In celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday, my third graders have been emersed in a ton of Dr. Seuss books within the last week. Our week came to a halt with the reading of Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! Students were then instructed to create a character of their own who might debut within a Dr. Seuss book. Using "collage" technique, students created some very interesting characters. In fact....stay tuned to see some photographs of their creations. It never ceases to amaze me what children can do with their imaginations! Not only did they create interesting characters, but as a writing enthusiast...of course I had to tie this art project to their writing. They had to add clever text to their pictures. We will conclude this unit by creating our own class Dr. Seuss book! What a blast!!

Strategies for Thinking about What We're Reading

2009-02-27T18:08:00.000-08:00

My students are learning so much about how to really "think" about what they are reading. Through the reading program "Foundations and Frameworks" students are taught to use strategies, while they read, that incorporate questioning and visual tools to reflect on what they are reading, and organize the information in such a way that they won't forget what they have read. After completing the novel "The Miraculous Journy of Edward Tulane," students are creating what is called "intellectual art." This is an opportunity to illustrate all of the tools they used throughout the novel unit, as well as incorporating tools that they have learned throughout the year that help them organize their thoughts and the text from the book.

Writing Across the Curriculum

2008-11-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

If you are like me as a writing teacher...you are always on the hunt for literature that connects the subject you are teaching and your student's writing. This website is great for connecting Social studies and writing. This gal has alot of ideas for teaching the subject as well as picture books and chapter books for children based on the subject. I just had to recommend and promote her!

www.carolhurst.com

Fall in Northwest Arkansas

2008-11-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

Finally Back!

2008-11-14T17:47:00.001-08:00

Well, it has been an extremely busy Fall, ya'll! This is my favorite season!! I have simply been covered up and drowned in a new approach to teaching reading...and it's great! My school is giving it a trial run...with the intentions of adopting it completely after all of us have been fully trained. It really teaches kids to "think" about what they are reading. I must say...that it is powerfully effective! Through the combination of questions as well as graphics to organize the "picked a part" story, students are compelled to "get" what they are reading. It was amazing to see the light bulbs going off in their heads...as seen on their faces...while discussing and finding the problem, climax, and resolution of this week's well loved story...Lon Po Po, a Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. After working through the "plot-line" visual graphic...students understand how the author thinks while planning out a narrative piece. I believe it is going to make them stronger writers in the end...I am loving it!!

Great Virtual Tours of Classrooms

2008-07-20T17:53:00.001-07:00

If you are like me....you enjoy taking a peek into other classrooms just to see what other educators are doing in the way of management and set-up. I don't feel that any of us ever "arrive" in regard to our teaching or our classrooms. I hope that you will find this as useful a site as I have!! Just go to this website: www.angelfire.com/stars3/education/primaryed.html#thirdgrade

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

2008-06-10T19:52:00.001-07:00

Great Children's Author (ages 8-11 years)

2008-06-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

We adopted two new books in third grade this past year. Kate DiCamillo was a hit with both of her books: Tales of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journeys of Edward Tulane. I have to say that the kids absolutely loved both of these books. The characters were endearing. Students couldn't wait for our novel time each week. We spent Friday afternoons reading through the novels. Since our normal reading curriculum occupies the better part of our week, we save our Friday afternoons for putting the curriculum away and just diving into our good novel study. Not only is the time spent reading, but students are also engaged in related activities (i.e. vocabulary, character webs, comparison/contrast of characters, etc...) I would highly recommend both of these books for novel studies.

Can you Guess Who I am Portraying?

2008-02-13T12:02:00.001-08:00

Welcome to My New Blog!!

2008-02-13T11:40:00.001-08:00

I am anxious to share what my students are currently doing in third grade. If you are like me, I am always thrilled to find out what other teachers are trying and implementing within their classrooms on a daily basis. My students are writing biographies on the historical figures whom they are learning about in the Social Studies curriculum. I believe that it is critical to tie my writing across the curriculum with the core subject areas: Social Studies, Science, and Reading.