Understanding characters can be tricky! Learn my favorite strategies for helping students master character traits and changes.
Help your 1st grader develop of love for reading with these 20+ first grade read aloud chapter books! These stories will help their imagination soar.
Teachers should still implement read alouds in their virtural classroom Learn how to make it easy to read to students remotely.
Learn about the importance of SEL and 11 essential ways that teachers can incorporate social-emotional learning activities into the classroom today.
I recently blogged about the books I read in August and September as we focus on illustration, print concepts, and characters. As October rolls around we focus on setting and story elements and I wanted to share some of my FAVORITE picture books I use to teach these skills: Owl Moon by […]
Hey there! Jen Bradshaw here from TeacherKARMA.com Teachers, can you believe that you actually have to tell your students to THINK WHILE THEY READ? Reading is Thinking Resource has the perfect anchor chart for working on: predict infer visualize make connections question the text summarize Grab your FREEBIE over at Teacher KARMA. Best wishes! Jen Bradshaw You Might ... Read More about READing is THINKing – Comprehension Anchor Chart
It’s Poetry Month! Or should we say…Poet Tree Month? Those familiar with that homophone know that it is a delightful reminder that April is the perfect timing to break out your writing utensils and creative minds and serve up poetry that Shel Silverstein would be proud of! If you need a little inspiration or find yours
The Unlikely Homeschool is an online, faith-based site full of ideas, organizational tools, and printables for the busy homeschooling mom.
Improve knowedge of vocabulary words with spelling practice from VocabularySpellingCity. Our engaging phonics games for kids help students become spelling masters.
Improve motivation, focus, and conventions in writing by introducing QR codes in the classroom!
Ok, just because I've been gone from 'blogging land' doesn't mean we haven't been working hard in 4B. I've definitely been documenting a lot of what we've been doing! To start, it was clear to me that our old way of peer conferencing just wasn't working. Kids seemed to be goofing around, not really helping each other, and it was a waste of everyone's time. It frustrated me when most of my one-on-one conference time was spent managing unruly PEER conferences. I knew something had to change. I decided to revamp our workshop so that our peer conferences would hold both the author and the peer more accountable AND work on our 6-traits language. I introduced our 'new' method for peer conferencing using this anchor chart to document our process. After students finish drafting, they are to grab a 6-traits peer conferencing sheet and assess themselves by circling all the descriptors for each trait that they feel match their own writing. Mind you, we did a lot of whole-class practice with scoring writing based on the 6-traits criteria so students would feel comfortable doing this process on their own (and being HONEST!). Through our mini-lessons we've learned that it's possible to have high scores in some traits but lower scores in others. That's how we grow! Here you see Devin circling where he thinks his writing falls on our 6-traits rubric. (Note: The link to the 6-traits peer conferencing sheet above will bring you to an even more updated version than the one shown in this blog posting! Just FYI!) Here's another student assessing her own writing after she's drafted. This student has finished assessing her writing using our rubric. She decides on a final number score and circles it to the left of the descriptors. Then it's time to meet with a peer. (We have a peer conference sign-up sheet in our room which helps students know which other students in the room are also ready to peer conference.) Here you see this author reading his story to his peer. After he's done reading, he will explain to his peer the scores he gave himself and why. It's important for the peer to listen carefully to the author because it will soon be her turn to assign a score to this author for each trait . On the lines on the rubric, she will write to explain the scores she gives him. The peer needs to follow the following sentence stems in his/her scoring response: * I give this a writer a ___ because... * This writer needs to work on ... This process requires peers to truly work together, hold each other accountable, and it gets the kids using our 6-traits language a lot more. The second sentence stem helps the writer establish a goal for what to work on when revising! To see more of this peer conferencing process, watch a clip of us practicing this stage! Our focus lately has been on the trait of organization. We've been looking thoroughly at different beginnings and endings of both student and published writing. Here is our anchor chart documenting what we noticed! In other Writer's Workshop news, these are a few additional anchor charts we have in our room to help keep our writing organized. This anchor chart reminds us of powerful words to use to spice up 'said'! In reading we have been working hard on purposeful talk.This is so very important to the social construction of knowledge in any classroom! It's essential to teach students purposeful talk behaviors before even considering literature discussion groups (LDGs). The majority of kids talk like...well, KIDS! So, if we expect kids to talk like mature young people about different texts they read, we need to explicitly teach them how! Talking about Text by Maria Nichols is a great place to start if you're interesting in learning more about purposeful talk behaviors. I taught each of the behaviors individually through two separate mini-lessons - one day to explain 'hearing all voices' in a concrete way (without text), and a second day to practice 'hearing all voices' using text. Then I taught 'saying something meaningful' in a concrete way without using text, and the next day we practiced 'saying something meaningful' using text , and so on. Eventually all of the purposeful talk behaviors kind of blended together and kids started to discover that we often need to use all of these things at the same time in order to truly talk purposefully about anything! We did a lot of practicing, and I've been taping students in this process. Here is a clip of students practicing their behaviors while they talk about their families. (We had read a few books about different kinds of families to foster a safe environment to celebrate the fact that we all have different kinds of families!) We also had students practice their purposeful talk behaviors while discussing their best or worst memory in school (which helped warm up their brains for a timed writing activity we did during writer's workshop). Here is a clip! As a class, we watched these video clips to analyze our body language and other purposeful talk behaviors. I think taping and analyzing is a very effective way for students to learn how they should look and sound in an LDG. 'Keeping the lines of thinking alive' is a tough concept for many youngsters. Sometimes what happens is that students take turns talking, but they don't really build on what the person before them said. In other words, they don't really DISCUSS, they just share and listen. We applauded the first group in this clip because they had good body language and were respectful as listeners, but we discovered their conversation needed to be more 'alive' by asking questions and making connections to each other's ideas and thoughts. Mrs. Pierce and I taped ourselves doing a weak LDG and a strong LDG. As we watched each example, we used dots and lines to 'map out' our conversations (see chart below). In the weak LDG, we discovered Mrs. Pierce and I shared a lot of individual thoughts. The thought started, and then it stopped. There was really no discussion about anything we said; and Mrs. Pierce wasn't even looking at me during part of our time together! How rude! ;) In the strong LDG example, we mapped out a lot of dots and lines that were connected because we took each other's ideas and built on them. We truly discussed the text to dig deeper. We introduced several conversational moves for students to use to help get their voice heard in a conversation. Students also have these conversational moves on a bookmark that they keep in their LDG books. After we learned the respectful ways to speak and act when discussing with others, it was time to teach our kids how to flag their thinking. This is a crucial step to holding a successful literature discussion group because it allows the kids to track their important thoughts while reading so they have ideas for discussion the next day. Here are the 'codes' we use to track our thinking on post-its. We encourage students to use one of our codes to categorize the kind of thought they have and then write a few words to trigger their thought. This helps them when they get into a discussion group; they'll actually have pinpointed ideas to discuss! Students kept a chart in their Thoughtful Logs with all of our codes on it for easy reference. Here's a clip of our students as they practice flagging their thinking for the first time. The next day, students put all their new learning to the test. We put them in small groups to discuss the text "Slower Than the Rest" which is a short realistic fiction story out of Cynthia Rylant's book Every Living Thing. On another day, we used a high-interest two-page non-fiction text about leeches to continue practicing flagging our thoughts. Here's a clip of our kids flagging their thinking just after we modeled it during our mini-lesson. Below are some pictures of the kids' flagged thoughts. In addition to purposeful talk, we've also been studying the historical fiction genre. We've read several mentor texts, including Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner and Dandelions by Eve Bunting. Our first round of literature discussion books are all within the historical fiction genre. Here are a few of our historical fiction LDGs hard at work: Dear Levi: Letters from the Overland Trail Scraps of Time: Abby Takes a Stand The River and the Trace (I think I put my finger over the microphone at minute 2:00!) Oftentimes, historical fiction books will have a flashback in them. One group's book, called A Scrap of Time: Abby Takes a Stand by Patricia McKissick, has a flashback that occurs towards the beginning of the story. I photocopied some of the pages to try to explain this technique during a whole class mini-lesson. In the first section of the book, three grandkids are spending time with their grandma in her attic. They find an old menu and ask their grandma why she saved it. Chapters 1 through 12 flash back to 1960, where 'grandma' is just 10-years-old, living in Nashville, Tennessee at the time of a lot of civil rights protests. The menu is from a restaurant where a lot of sit-ins took place. Through the flashback a reader learns all about life during the 1960s. In the final section of the book, a reader finds him/herself back in the present - in grandma's attic, where the three grandkids ask their grandma some questions about her life during the sixties. There was also another flashback in the story Dakota Dugout by Ann Turner. We also read The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris VanAllsburg as an example of a flashback in a fantasy book! In other reading news, here is a picture of the anchor chart that stored all the non-fiction text features we've learned. In social studies, we've been studying the economy of the five U.S. regions. Students have been reading small sections of non-fiction leveled readers to summarize a product or industry that is important to each region's economy. Students are typing up their summaries and we're calling those summaries 'articles' as they each create a magazine of our economy. Through this project, students have learned to: * Summarize main ideas * Center and left-justify their cursor * Use the tab key to indent * Change font size, color, and style * Bold, underline, and italicize * Safe image searches * Copy and paste * Cite their picture resources Here is the inside of one student's magazine. Next week we will be using this site to create magazine covers! Lastly, we had a chance to meet with our second-grade buddies earlier this month. We split the buddies up into two groups and one group stayed with Mrs. Adams to play holiday bingo. The other group was with me in the computer lab. Buddies used this site to play a variety of math and English games. One of the most popular games to play was called 'Story Plant' where students could click on different leaves to create the beginning to a unique story. Depending on what leaves were clicked, you would get a different combination of characters, settings, problems, etc. The computer generates a beginning to a story that the kids can print off and finish during writer's workshop! Have a wonderful weekend!
A few weeks ago we had a gentle introduction to Shakespeare . We continue now with a read aloud to learn more about Shakespeare and the Elizabethan England. We are lingering in this era because there is so much to be learned, so much to be savored. &a
Research shows that children who read the most read the best. If you want to help your kids read better, you need to encourage them to read more. It's not
Find science of reading aligned lesson plans, intervention strategies, curriculum for K-2 teachers, and a little bit of life in and out of the first grade
Laura Candler explains the benefits of reading aloud to students regardless of age. Read about book suggestions and tips for effectively reading aloud.
Excellent read aloud books for fifth grade. These are all books that I have read aloud and are perfect for reading aloud at home or in a classroom.
Teaching a narrative nonfiction unit in the upper elementary grades is so engaging with mentor texts and paired passages!
Read aloud is a great addition to any homeschool. You don't have to do all the reading yourself, but use audiobooks instead.
Today I want to share more of my top picks for living books on the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The titles I'm sharing today are appropriate for fourth
xix p. 1 l., 430 p., 1 l. 21 cm
(please note that this post includes affiliate links. Read my full disclosures here.) Reading aloud is a chance for families to connect...
Here are some excellent Read Aloud Books for the whole family. All our favorite family read alouds from the past year of reading.
In this post, I use simple charts to show the differences between these important literacy routines!
Welcome to Part 2 of our Character Study! You can read up on Part 1 HERE! Our Analyzing Character Unit is in FULL swing in our classroom. We started by discussing the different types of characters in our books. Since we’ve had many read alouds and read a lot of mentor texts this year, it […]
Are you looking for the best read alouds for 6th graders? Find highly recommended 6th grade read aloud book for your 6th graders.
Give each students two cards, agree & disagree. Read aloud a controversial statement, and have each students hold up hisher paper stating whether they agree or disagree. Choose one stud
If you are looking for free online read-aloud websites, I have just the list for you!
Looking for a good book to share with dear old dad this Father’s Day? The UW-Madison Libraries’ Father’s Day Reads board on Pinterest has lots of good ideas: Picture books that c…
Grade 3 Ontario Social Studies unit: Early Canada 1780-1850 for new 2023 social studies. The unit includes photos of artifacts, mapping connections, research organizers and more to cover the Ontario Curriculum. IMPORTANT UPDATE!* *Now updated for 2023 curriculum changes!!** Slides version updated as well! Student pages are included in google slides! Previously: March 7, 2021 a large portion of the unit was changed. Please reprint and discontinue use of the previous version. This item is frequently updated, so please check back frequently for further updates! Now Includes Google Slides!* DID SOMEONE SAY *DIGITAL*! Newly updated!! Select student pages are now included for use with Google Slides! 150 Interactive Slides to help with virtual learning! Check out the preview VIDEO for digital samples and details. (Please note: some pages, teachers notes and others are only available in the PDF). Student ready (locked text) and Editable (unlocked where allowed/possible) options provided. DIGITAL UPDATE redownload to get the goodies! Force Copy Links are on page 3 of the PDF*. Included you will find: Unit Overview: A unit overview explains key learning goals, assessment tips, differentiation, lesson sequence, materials needed and teacher notes. Perfect to help you plan out your unit in a snap! Intro Activities: Question prompts, partner talk cards and conversation ‘cootie-catcher’. I’ve also included information for a ‘time-line’ to help students create an understanding of this time period. Read Alouds & Videos: A variety of read alouds and videos are suggested with follow up activities and discussions to help your students understand how successfully the Indigenous People of Early Canada were living before the settlers arrived. Some information about Indigenous way of life, beliefs and history are included. Also, a read aloud about a Black Loyalist Community has been added. (Please note: many of these books are available through the author's official YouTube which are linked, but some do require finding a copy of the book. Copies of the books are not included with this file. That would be against copyright and unethical). **I have added read-aloud and video suggestions for Treaties and Wampum Belts to accommodate the new 2023 curriculum changes! The other points were already included in the previous unit materials!** Early Settler Animated Shorts: Using films created by the National Film Board (free to watch), I have created a follow-up activity for each video which focuses on comparing life in early settler times to life today as well as some key elements of daily life. Period Pieces Paintings: A variety of art pieces from 1780-1850 are provided for students to view and analyse. Two discussion prompts and a reflection sheet are included. Mapping: 3 student friendly maps are included as well as a 'making connections' response page as well as a general 'mapping reflections' sheet. Extension activities for discussing 'push and pull' factors for settlers is included. Questioning & Research: With the inquiry focus of the new curriculum, students are expected to ask questions and research in a variety of ways to find answers and make connections. I have provided some anchor charts, a Q-chart, samples of our “Question” brainstorm sheets and ‘Big Questions”. Students will work in small groups (4 or 5 students) to research some of the questions on their chart and the ‘big question’ associated with their topic. NEW: More structured graphic organizers are provided to assist students who need additional support. Research Product- Kiosks & Brochure: To share their research findings and connections, students will create a ‘kiosk’ in their groups using the foldable templates and create a brochure to go with their kiosk. Artifact Exploration: Pictures of artifacts and definitions to match are provided as well as a "what this may be" sheet and a "comparison to now" activity to consolidate their learning after the activity. Artifact Final Project: Students ‘create’ an artifact and exhibit for our ‘classroom museum’ and write a written piece about their artifact. Planning sheets and a sample success criteria checklist is provided. **DIGITAL GOOGLE SLIDES NOW INCLUDED!*** I try to update my items as quickly as possible when I can, but I cannot commit to unlimited lifetime updates of units. I will do my best, but I am a full-time teacher and mom to a young child. Please note that the purchase is for the CURRENT curriculum (as of August 2023). If future updates are made, they will be added as a 'bonus', but I cannot commit to lifetime updates. Thank you for understanding :) If you feel something is missing or you have an idea for an addition I'd love to hear from you, please note not all requests/suggestions can be accommodated. My email is [email protected] *This unit was updated with consultation from 3 Indigenous Education Experts to help ensure the material, language and photos included are culturally sensitive and in alignment with the truth and reconciliation commission Canada expectations. I strive to ensure that the unit is sensitive and accurate. Of course, please check your board's specific instructions as they may differ. Also, please consider your classroom community of learners and the specific backgrounds of your students as well as your level of comfort with the topics when discussing sensitive areas such as the racism found in Early Canada. There are many activities to pick and choose from, so there should be plenty of options to suit your classroom. Please pre-read all texts and view all videos before showing them to your students to ensure they work for your situation. Board expectations can vary as do expectations from community to community and family to family. Please exercise extreme caution in discussing the traumatic events of the past. If you are not sure about an activity, please check with your board's Indigenous Education Liaison or Admin. As always, tailor these to your class and seek input from local Indigenous groups, Elders, and other important voices as you teach about these important topics. * If you are looking for more grade 3 social studies for the 2020 Ontario curriculum, check out my Living and Working in Ontario Unit Or for guided math activities, check out my Ontario guided math bundles for all strands! For sample report card comments for this unit, click here Thanks for stopping by: ~Tina's Teaching Treasures Inc.
No David by David Shannon is a classic book to read in kindergarten. Here are free No David activities, videos and book ideas listed all in one place.
DC Life Magazine for cultural events, style and beauty tips and analysis for Washington's philanthropic and culturally conscious. Discover all of DC
Looking for 3rd grade books? Take a look at these top 3rd grade read aloud books, including chapter books, picture books and mysteries
Understanding characters can be tricky! Learn my favorite strategies for helping students master character traits and changes.
