Can I be really honest with you? Don't judge me, but I really hated teaching reading, writing and grammar during my first few years of teaching. I dreaded my ELA block every day. I found it boring to teach! I LOVE to read and write, but I felt like my lessons were causing my
What is a reading mini-lesson? Find out the key components of reading mini-lessons and how to get started using them in your classroom. Plus download the FREE planning forms!
Reading is at the center of every English Language Arts instruction, Whether it is happening as a whole class or independently, there is little students can learn or practice without reading first. This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about reading strategies for whole class, small group, and independent reading. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the frequency and purpose of their use of whole class, group/partner, and independent reading. Teachers also shared strategies for keeping students engaged in each type of reading. Read through the chat for ideas to implement in your own classroom.
Teaching reading is a juggling act, but that doesn't mean you have to do it all! Find out what you don't have to do when teaching reading!
Planning vocabulary activities that are meaningful and engaging can be challenging. Here are some ideas with a freebie to get started!
Welcome to Phonics Friday! My plan is to post every Friday with some fun Phonics based activities and ideas. With a holiday weekend next week and being in Vegas the week after that, I’m not promising consistency (at least for the next couple of weeks). But I do plan on posting more ideas for you …
This summer, after attending a reading workshop, I've made it my goal to amp up and improve my guided reading and shared reading instruction. With this in
Tooth Trouble is ideal for practicing retelling stories with primary students along with several other comprehension skills. Find out how to use this mentor text and download the free anchor chart!
When I first started teaching (back in the Stone Age J ), my reading instruction time had 2 parts. Most of the time was spent in whole-class skill lessons. Then, I'd listen to my high, middle and low groups read aloud. I've learned a lot about teaching reading since then! Also, the pendulum of reading instruction has swung from teaching totally whole-class to total individualized reading instruction. Like most things, somewhere in the middle is best. There is a need for both whole-class, small group, and individualized reading instruction. That’s why a reading block needs whole-class instruction, guided small group lessons, and individual activities. (You can read this blog post to learn about the basics of a literacy block.) During whole-class instruction, there are three elements I think are essential; focused lessons, using a common text and setting goals/expectations. These elements form the framework for my whole-class lessons. Typically, I decide on the skill or strategy I want to teach in the focused lesson, choose the piece of text, and then set goals or expectations for the rest of the literacy block. Focused Lesson The focused lesson is the main instruction time of the whole-class lesson. It can focus on reading strategies, skills, vocabulary, phonics, word study, reading behaviors or expectations, fluency, genre characteristics, etc. How do I know what to teach? You might have a district-mandated curriculum or adopted reading textbook that outlines all of your lessons. If that’s the case, then teach those lessons. But, if you have more flexibility, deciding what to teach is the first step. I begin by mapping out the standards for the year. Filling out a Year-at-a-Glance planning page for the reading standards I need to teach helps keep me on track. (See the bottom of this post for resources that will help with the planning. ) Then I move on to looking at the student data that's been gathered through formal and informal assessments, checklists, and observations. Using the Year-at-a-Glance plan and the student data you’ll want to teach focused lessons that address the needs of the majority of your students. What types of focused lessons should I teach? Most focused lessons can be put into three categories; expectations, strategies and skills and literary analysis. I’ve put together a very short list of ideas. You can use this as a starting point and build your focused lesson list from here. You’ll soon find that this list could be endless. ØThe lessons on expectations focus on student behaviors and responsibilities. These lessons are usually covered during the first few weeks of school, but refresher lessons will probably be needed throughout the year. Here are a few topics for these focused lessons: •getting out and putting away materials •respecting the learning of others •work quality •how to write a journal response •choosing “just right” books •giving a book talk or review •how the class library is organized •caring for materials •transiting from small groups to centers ØStrategies and skills focused lessons focus on the standards you need to teach. Here are a few of the broad areas you would cover in this category: (Your lessons will probably be much more specific.) •Phonics, example- words with the long a sound, ai, ay, a_e, eigh •Punctuation, example- how a comma placement affects the meaning of a sentence. •Word Study, example- affixes change the meaning of words, treat, mistreat, treatable •Comprehension, summarizing, using a SWBT organizer •Text structures, example- how to use a glossary, index, and table of contents •Fluency, example- using voice tone to express a character’s emotion ØThe third category of focused lessons is literary analysis. These lessons focus on different genres and understanding the techniques authors use when writing different genres. Here are a few examples of focused lesson topics: •Story elements, example- how the setting affects the plot •Text organization, example- problem/solution organization of fiction stories •Word choice, example- how words set the mood of the story •Genre studies, example- characteristics of a specific genre •Responding to literature, example- how a character made you feel Common Text When teaching your whole class, you need to have the same text for all your students. There are a few exceptions, which I’ll explain later. This text can be a textbook or literature study book they each have, individual copies of an article, poem or workbook, text shared by two students, text projected onto your whiteboard, or a big book that all students can see. I also include a read-aloud book or text as a common text. Why? Having this common text gives all students the chance to interact with the lesson. They’re all seeing the same text and hearing the same discussion. Are they all mastering the skills/strategies at the same time? Of course not, that’s the purpose of small groups and independent activities. Whole-class instruction is when I introduce skills and strategies, mastery will come after students have more opportunities to use them in their independent reading tasks. Where? In most classrooms, there are really only two places you can meet with your whole-class; on the floor in a meeting area, or having kids stay at their desks or tables. The location will change depending on several things. •What text is being used? If you’re displaying the text on the whiteboard and that is closer to the student desks, then you’ll meet there. If the text is a big book or a read aloud, you’ll probably meet on the floor in your meeting area. If the students are in pairs to share a text, that might work in the meeting area or at their desks. •What will the kids be doing? If they will be doing much writing during the lesson, then I usually like to keep them at their desks. Although, clipboards and composition book journals can be written in when they’re seated on the floor. •How is their behavior? I’d like to say that all of my classes have been able to show model behavior when I’m teaching, but that would be a lie. There have been days, seasons and sometimes whole years when my group of kids just can’t focus when we’re gathered in our meeting area on the floor. No matter how much time we spend modeling behavior and setting expectations, some groups of kids just can’t handle this less structured meeting area for very long. So, we sometimes spend more time at our desks than I’d like. What? What text can you use? This question is easy. . . anything! The type of text, of course, will depend on the objective of the lesson. Don’t limit yourself to the district mandated reading text. Although they have great stories, articles, and poems, I think kids need to experience as many different genres of text as possible. Here’s a short list of possibilities: -literature or novel studies -poetry -newspapers -content area textbooks (science, social studies, and even math textbooks) -copies of travel brochures -menus -online articles -fairy tales, folktales, myths, legends -picture books -plays -how-to instructions -owner’s manuals These genre stickers will help you keep your class library and resources super organized. They're editable, so you can type in the specific genres you need. Click on the image to download your free set. Earlier I stated there is an exception to students each having a copy of the text being used in the lesson. This might happen if you’re using a specific type of text but have different copies. Examples: travel brochures, how-to instructions, menus. Even though students may have different copies, each one will have the same features you want to discuss in your lesson. Setting Goals and Expectations My whole group time always ends with a class goal or expectation. I want my students to take something from the lesson and apply it right away. I send the kids off by assigning a short task that relates to the goal/expectation. To keep the kids accountable, I check on these goals or expectations at the end of the reading block. This accountability check will vary, depending on the task I’ve assigned. The accountability check should match the task. If the task is an action or behavior, then the accountability check can be a partner share or group discussion. If the task is written then the accountability check can be reading the journal entry or note card. These tasks and accountability checks are meant to be simple and quick. The kids will have other reading tasks to accomplish during the literacy block so I don’t want to add too much to their workload. One of my favorite ways to check on students is with thinkmarks. These are bookmarks with a reminder or tips about the skill or strategy I want them to implement. They keep the thinkmark with them as they read and then write a response either on the back of the thinkmark or in their response journal. To give thinkmarks a try in your classroom, you can download this little freebie! Here’s a chart with example focused lesson topics, goals, the assigned task, and accountability check. This is a very, very short list of ideas. Hopefully, it shows the variety of tasks and accountability checks. The point is for kids to immediately practice. or try out, the focus of the focused lesson. Helpful Resources: The Ultimate Literacy Block (Editable) Planner is free! Click on the image to become one of my email friends and I'll send it to you right away! Planning is a whole lot easier with this planner. There are so many pages that will help you keep your teaching life totally organized! Pages include calendars, monthly planning, weekly planning, small group planning, record keeping and so much more. Click on the image to preview the planner in my TpT store. Thinkmarks are amazing! You can use them in so many situations. They give the student a little tip or reminder and help them focus on a recently presented strategy. Accountability goes way up when readers use thinkmarks.
Yesterday I was working one on one with a student during Recess. Normally I don't like to keep students in during recess, but this particula...
I love using interactive lapbooks in the classroom. They are fun to create, engaging and can be used throughout the year to review skills taught. I finally completely my Lapbook Bundle and I am happy to share the lapbooks included with you. Whether you think your learners will enjoy creating all of the lapbooks, if you
Literature and Nonfiction Reading Skills Interactive Lessons for Upper Elementary and Middle School English Language Arts. Common Core
Do your first graders struggle with which punctuation mark to use or forget to put a period at the end of their sentence? Mine do too! Thankfully, this play-based and fun hands-on literacy center is a great way to review types of sentences and ending punctuation marks. Students will love reading the simple sentences and sorting the "chips" by missing punctuation marks (period, question mark, exclamation point). For additional independent practice or to assess the skill, a digital Boom Card™ version is also included. For added fun, I love storing the different types of sentences in an empty chip container and having my first graders sort the sentences into bowls labeled with ending punctuation marks. This Punctuation Literacy Activity Includes: ✅ 44 "chips" with simple decodable sentences (color and ink-saving versions) to sort by missing end punctuation marks ✅ Punctuation Posters (period, question mark, exclamation point) to hang or use as optional sorting mats ✅ Directions for student use ✅ Teacher Tips ✅ Punctuation Practice Recording Sheets (color and ink-saving version) ✅ Blank chips to add your own sentences ✅ A self-correcting digital version designed for Boom Learning℠ is now included! ⭐⭐ When you purchase this product, you will receive two PDFs, one has a link to the digital Boom Card™ version, and the other is the traditional printable literacy center.⭐⭐ Check out the Preview for more details, including a link to a playable sample on Boom Learning. ***************************************************************************************************************************** Want to know what other teachers are saying? ❤️ "This is a very fun center that the students love. They play it every chance they get! It helps them be able to identify the different types of sentences because they were struggling with this concept. Great resource." ❤️ "Great graphics, easy prep, students and administrators love it!!! :)" ❤️ "Love that this is a unique and hands on center to help my students who are working on ending punctuation. They enjoyed it and I love the fun center as well." ❤️ "I love that how versatile this resource is. It can be used for so many things. I love that you can use a center or remediation or to supplement a lesson! Great resource." ***************************************************************************************************************************** ❤️ Bundle & Save 25% ❤️ Grab the Punctuation and Types of Sentences Bundle which includes: ⭐ Watermelon Punctuation Center ⭐ Pizza Punctuation Center ⭐ Chip Punctation Center & Boom Cards Looking for additional first grade literacy activities? Here are a few of my favorites: ⭐ Highlight and Record Phonics Word Work ⭐ Napkin Book Writing Prompts for all seasons ⭐ Elementary Sight Word Sandwich Literacy Center ***************************************************************************************************************************** ❤️ I strive to make my products the best they can be and love hearing from you. If you have any questions please email me at [email protected] and I would be happy to help. ➜ P.S. Want to be notified when I add something new to my store? Click here :) If you download this product don't forget to leave feedback so you can earn credits towards future purchases. Thank you! Enjoy! Kayla ***************************************************************************************************************************** ⭐ Important information about Boom Learning℠ ⭐ ✅ To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. ✅ You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (play provides instant feedback for self-grading Boom Cards). Fast Play is always a free way for students to engage with Boom Cards decks. For additional assignment options you'll need a premium account. If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. Read here for details:http://bit.ly/BoomTrial. ✅ If you choose not to stay on a premium account after your free trial, you will still be able to assign all your Boom Cards to as many students as you see fit using Fast Play pins (which give instant feedback for decks that are self-grading).
Learn for easy lesson ideas you can use for teaching theme to your students in upper elementary.
what are effective reading comprehension strategies to help readers and struggling readers in your upper elementary classroom? this reading strategies list will help guide your reading instruction
This is a long post but it is so worth reading if you are struggling or want to improve the way you teach literacy to your students with significant disabilities. In the short time I have been doing this I can already see the benefits and wish I would have started this sooner. Teaching reading and writing to our students with significant disabilities can be tricky. You may often think, do they get this? Is this worth my time? How do I get them to interact if they are non verbal? No worries, I have had these same thoughts until recently. I attended a training at my local ISD and left feeling so inspired. Before diving into this I want you to know I have 11 students on my caseload. I have 3 students who I use this method with and it takes about 45-60 minutes a day. All 3 students are non verbal. One has a communication device, can spell and will hold a writing utensil for 5 minutes or longer. The other 2 students do not have a communication device, cannot yet identify letters and before starting this literacy approach would not hold a writing utensil independently. My other students are readers and writers (to some extent) and this literacy approach is not appropriate for them. This was a picture I took at the conference I went to. Sorry the quality is terrible but it is a good way to figure out if your student(s) is an emergent or conventional reader and writer. Here is how I incorporate literacy into my classroom for my students with significant disabilities. Start by reading this book. After reading the book you will see that reading and writing are split into "4 blocks" (Shared Reading, Shared Writing, Independent Reading, Independent Writing). Here is how I incorporate the blocks into my day/week. Shared Reading: I start each session with a shared reading. It is a great way to get the kids engaged and excited about learning. You can use any book you would like. I use the same book for 1 week. I have access to the Unique Learning System Curriculum which is awesome but not required. Once you have selected your book it is important to figure out how your students are going to interact with you. If they do not have a communication device you will have to create something to help them engage in the lesson. This is why Unique is awesome....they have a communication board at the end of all of their books :). I print a communication board for all of my students (even the ones with communication devices) and place it in front of them. As you can see these are not anything fancy. I don't even laminate them. I simply print them on regular paper and put them inside of a gallon size baggie. While reading the pages it is important to remember the acronym "C.A.R." to maximize student engagement. The "C" stands for Comment. A comment is something as simple as Ahh! or Wow! or in my case with our book last week Yum!!. The "A" stands for Ask. Ask your students a question about the page. Such as "Do you put lights on your tree?", or "What do you put on your tree?" Then wait......and maybe wait.....and wait some more for their response. The "R" stand for Respond. This is your opportunity to interact with your students. See what answer they pointed to. Even if the answer is incorrect, the goal is to have the students engaged. So if you ask "Do you put lights on your tree?" and they point to turkey on their communication device, make a joke of it. "You put turkey on your tree? That is funny!". Then repeat this with every page. Try asking a variety of questions or if you have a student who is working solely on yes/no questions ask them those. This is your chance to get your students engaged. As I said before I read each story for 1 week. I try to ask the same questions everyday. That way my students become familiar with the answers and can feel successful. The only thing I do differently is review the vocabulary on Monday's and Wednesday's. Shared Writing: For the shared writing portion you do something different everyday. -Monday: You have your students "write" their sentences. Make sure to have a common sentence starter. I tie this into the story we are reading so that the students get more familiar with the vocabulary and they can use the same communication device. I make a chart and write who "wrote" each sentence. When writing the sentences it is important to line all of the words/sections up (don't mind my first sentence....it is a little off and bothered me all week!!). Tuesday: Reread and Work with the sentences. I have a pointer and read each sentence to the students. Make sure to say who wrote each sentence when reading them. Look at the kids and make sure they know you are reading their sentence. I then select something in the sentences we want to focus on. This week we worked on writing the word My. I start by saying what we are going to work on. All of my students have their own paper and the staff member working with them has the writing utensil. All of my kids use skinny markers at this time. I show the students how to make the letter. I then break it down and we work on it section by section. The students then make the letter using the hand over hand approach EXCEPT....the students hand is over the adults hand. This way the students can feel how you are moving your hand instead of their hands being restricted when your hand is over theirs (try it....you will see what I mean :)). Wednesday: Cut up sentences. Write the students sentence on a sentence strip. If you have students who are working on typing they can type their sentence and then use that to cut. When writing the sentence make sure to have an adequate amount of write space in between words. Students will then be asked to cut apart their sentences. My students all have support with this however they are expected to let the adult know where the sentence is supposed to be cut. The purpose of this is to have your students learn that the white space is separating words. Sometimes we have accidents....which is OKAY!!! This is a perfect time for a teachable moment. Simply let them cut it and correct them....then tape the words back together. Once the sentence is cut have them put it back together. I give my student a model to follow. Thursday: BE THE SENTENCE. Write the words of the sentence on separate pieces of paper and hand them out to the kids....and maybe adults if you have more words than students. The students will then rearrange themselves (or your will help them) to form the sentence. You may need to have a model available and A LOT of patience for this lesson!!! Friday: Make the book. Use the sentences the students cut up on Wednesday and make a book. You could also make this on the computer if your students have goals in that area....mine don't so we not only use this time to re-visit our sentences but work on our fine motor skills. Have the kids look up pictures on the internet to match their sentence. You could also have kids bring in pictures (since you will know what their sentence is on Monday...they will have time). **Yes my little guy is holding a glue stick all by himself!!!!! Independent Reading: After your direct reading and writing instruction students should have the opportunity to do independent reading. This can look different for every student. You can have kids read on the iPad, read adapted books OR even read the books you made during previous weeks. Build your students stamina. I will admit during this time my staff or the iPad "voice" is reading to my kids. However....my students pick what they want to read. You could use some of the following sites for books online: Raz-Kids, Book-Flix, News-2-You (Free app if you have the online subscription), Storyline Online (free), and our new favorite Tar Heel Reader (free)!! Independent Writing: You're probably thinking, how the heck are my students going to be able to write something. This is probably the hardest part of the whole process. It is hard because it requires A LOT from the kids. However, it requires a lot from you and your staff too. You have to insure that everyone sticks with this....you can at times think "Why are we doing this?", "Will this ever happen?". We start by making sure every student has access to the ENTIRE alphabet and CORE vocabulary. This can look different for each student depending on their cognitive abilities. I have 2 students who have access to the alphabet and CORE words but only one at a time. I have another student who is able to look at the entire alphabet at once and has access to all of the CORE vocab and tons of fringe vocabulary. I then tape their paper to the desk. Trust me.....tape is your best friend!!!! Students then tell us what letter they want by flipping through, shaking their head when we get to a letter etc. We then give them the writing tool and let them go. It is so important that you do not form the letters for them. This is INDEPENDENT writing time. I do have my staff write what the letter is supposed to look like next to their letter just so we know what they are trying to say. When kids are picking letters I try to relate them to words. For example: "Ohh, you picked L, maybe for lion or library or even Liam." These writing pieces may look like scribbles to most but to everyone in my classroom these are the students work. These pages show the 10 minutes they put into writing for the day. These markings show the student was able to look at the paper for 2 seconds or hold a marker for 5 seconds without throwing it. Even though this may be the hardest part of the process to believe in, it is by far my favorite. But just like in every classroom mine is not perfect....we too get frustrated and like to throw things. Don't get mad. They are just markers. The student can pick it up after they write. I store all of the students work in a folder and pull it out everyday when we start our lesson. What are your thoughts about this literacy approach? Will you give it a try in your classroom? Do you see the benefit? Follow my blog with Bloglovin
This pack is filled with FUN and creative activities your students will surely love! This is a robust book companion pack using Troy Cumming's fantastic book, Can I Be Your Dog? Activities are designed for independent, small group and whole-class instruction; perfect for reading and writing stations! Create your own class pound with the dog craft pattern, and extend your students' comprehension with 2-3 weeks' worth of engaging printables. 15 unique activities have been differentiated to meet students' abilities, allowing everyone to experience success! PACK INCLUDES 41 PAGES OF LEARNING: Arfy’s Prior Knowledge and Reasons (4 levels of differentiation and answer key) Why they said “No” (worksheet and answer key) All about Arfy (3 differentiated versions) All about Mitzy (3 differentiated versions) Setting and Characters Class Survey Story Map (2 levels of differentiation) Retell the Story with a Story Map Arfy Craftivity (2 templates and photo instructions) Story Structure (2 versions) Problem and Solution (2 versions) How did Arfy Feel? (2 levels of differentiation in 3 versions) How did Mitzy feel? (2 levels of differentiation in 3 versions) Arfy and Mitzy Venn Diagram (2 levels of differentiation) Map of Butternut Street (2 levels of differentiation)
When I first started teaching (back in the Stone Age J ), my reading instruction time had 2 parts. Most of the time was spent in whole-class skill lessons. Then, I'd listen to my high, middle and low groups read aloud. I've learned a lot about teaching reading since then! Also, the pendulum of reading instruction has swung from teaching totally whole-class to total individualized reading instruction. Like most things, somewhere in the middle is best. There is a need for both whole-class, small group, and individualized reading instruction. That’s why a reading block needs whole-class instruction, guided small group lessons, and individual activities. (You can read this blog post to learn about the basics of a literacy block.) During whole-class instruction, there are three elements I think are essential; focused lessons, using a common text and setting goals/expectations. These elements form the framework for my whole-class lessons. Typically, I decide on the skill or strategy I want to teach in the focused lesson, choose the piece of text, and then set goals or expectations for the rest of the literacy block. Focused Lesson The focused lesson is the main instruction time of the whole-class lesson. It can focus on reading strategies, skills, vocabulary, phonics, word study, reading behaviors or expectations, fluency, genre characteristics, etc. How do I know what to teach? You might have a district-mandated curriculum or adopted reading textbook that outlines all of your lessons. If that’s the case, then teach those lessons. But, if you have more flexibility, deciding what to teach is the first step. I begin by mapping out the standards for the year. Filling out a Year-at-a-Glance planning page for the reading standards I need to teach helps keep me on track. (See the bottom of this post for resources that will help with the planning. ) Then I move on to looking at the student data that's been gathered through formal and informal assessments, checklists, and observations. Using the Year-at-a-Glance plan and the student data you’ll want to teach focused lessons that address the needs of the majority of your students. What types of focused lessons should I teach? Most focused lessons can be put into three categories; expectations, strategies and skills and literary analysis. I’ve put together a very short list of ideas. You can use this as a starting point and build your focused lesson list from here. You’ll soon find that this list could be endless. ØThe lessons on expectations focus on student behaviors and responsibilities. These lessons are usually covered during the first few weeks of school, but refresher lessons will probably be needed throughout the year. Here are a few topics for these focused lessons: •getting out and putting away materials •respecting the learning of others •work quality •how to write a journal response •choosing “just right” books •giving a book talk or review •how the class library is organized •caring for materials •transiting from small groups to centers ØStrategies and skills focused lessons focus on the standards you need to teach. Here are a few of the broad areas you would cover in this category: (Your lessons will probably be much more specific.) •Phonics, example- words with the long a sound, ai, ay, a_e, eigh •Punctuation, example- how a comma placement affects the meaning of a sentence. •Word Study, example- affixes change the meaning of words, treat, mistreat, treatable •Comprehension, summarizing, using a SWBT organizer •Text structures, example- how to use a glossary, index, and table of contents •Fluency, example- using voice tone to express a character’s emotion ØThe third category of focused lessons is literary analysis. These lessons focus on different genres and understanding the techniques authors use when writing different genres. Here are a few examples of focused lesson topics: •Story elements, example- how the setting affects the plot •Text organization, example- problem/solution organization of fiction stories •Word choice, example- how words set the mood of the story •Genre studies, example- characteristics of a specific genre •Responding to literature, example- how a character made you feel Common Text When teaching your whole class, you need to have the same text for all your students. There are a few exceptions, which I’ll explain later. This text can be a textbook or literature study book they each have, individual copies of an article, poem or workbook, text shared by two students, text projected onto your whiteboard, or a big book that all students can see. I also include a read-aloud book or text as a common text. Why? Having this common text gives all students the chance to interact with the lesson. They’re all seeing the same text and hearing the same discussion. Are they all mastering the skills/strategies at the same time? Of course not, that’s the purpose of small groups and independent activities. Whole-class instruction is when I introduce skills and strategies, mastery will come after students have more opportunities to use them in their independent reading tasks. Where? In most classrooms, there are really only two places you can meet with your whole-class; on the floor in a meeting area, or having kids stay at their desks or tables. The location will change depending on several things. •What text is being used? If you’re displaying the text on the whiteboard and that is closer to the student desks, then you’ll meet there. If the text is a big book or a read aloud, you’ll probably meet on the floor in your meeting area. If the students are in pairs to share a text, that might work in the meeting area or at their desks. •What will the kids be doing? If they will be doing much writing during the lesson, then I usually like to keep them at their desks. Although, clipboards and composition book journals can be written in when they’re seated on the floor. •How is their behavior? I’d like to say that all of my classes have been able to show model behavior when I’m teaching, but that would be a lie. There have been days, seasons and sometimes whole years when my group of kids just can’t focus when we’re gathered in our meeting area on the floor. No matter how much time we spend modeling behavior and setting expectations, some groups of kids just can’t handle this less structured meeting area for very long. So, we sometimes spend more time at our desks than I’d like. What? What text can you use? This question is easy. . . anything! The type of text, of course, will depend on the objective of the lesson. Don’t limit yourself to the district mandated reading text. Although they have great stories, articles, and poems, I think kids need to experience as many different genres of text as possible. Here’s a short list of possibilities: -literature or novel studies -poetry -newspapers -content area textbooks (science, social studies, and even math textbooks) -copies of travel brochures -menus -online articles -fairy tales, folktales, myths, legends -picture books -plays -how-to instructions -owner’s manuals These genre stickers will help you keep your class library and resources super organized. They're editable, so you can type in the specific genres you need. Click on the image to download your free set. Earlier I stated there is an exception to students each having a copy of the text being used in the lesson. This might happen if you’re using a specific type of text but have different copies. Examples: travel brochures, how-to instructions, menus. Even though students may have different copies, each one will have the same features you want to discuss in your lesson. Setting Goals and Expectations My whole group time always ends with a class goal or expectation. I want my students to take something from the lesson and apply it right away. I send the kids off by assigning a short task that relates to the goal/expectation. To keep the kids accountable, I check on these goals or expectations at the end of the reading block. This accountability check will vary, depending on the task I’ve assigned. The accountability check should match the task. If the task is an action or behavior, then the accountability check can be a partner share or group discussion. If the task is written then the accountability check can be reading the journal entry or note card. These tasks and accountability checks are meant to be simple and quick. The kids will have other reading tasks to accomplish during the literacy block so I don’t want to add too much to their workload. One of my favorite ways to check on students is with thinkmarks. These are bookmarks with a reminder or tips about the skill or strategy I want them to implement. They keep the thinkmark with them as they read and then write a response either on the back of the thinkmark or in their response journal. To give thinkmarks a try in your classroom, you can download this little freebie! Here’s a chart with example focused lesson topics, goals, the assigned task, and accountability check. This is a very, very short list of ideas. Hopefully, it shows the variety of tasks and accountability checks. The point is for kids to immediately practice. or try out, the focus of the focused lesson. Helpful Resources: The Ultimate Literacy Block (Editable) Planner is free! Click on the image to become one of my email friends and I'll send it to you right away! Planning is a whole lot easier with this planner. There are so many pages that will help you keep your teaching life totally organized! Pages include calendars, monthly planning, weekly planning, small group planning, record keeping and so much more. Click on the image to preview the planner in my TpT store. Thinkmarks are amazing! You can use them in so many situations. They give the student a little tip or reminder and help them focus on a recently presented strategy. Accountability goes way up when readers use thinkmarks.
You probably know the main components of a lesson. You may even be required to write them all down in your lesson plans. Whether it's a lesson you've created from scratch or a plan laid out in your curriculum's teacher manual, whether it's a lesson you've done every year since the beginning of everything (you know, an oldie but a goodie), or one that is fresh and new, these four ideas can help you teach it more effectively. I'm not here to list the obvious. These ideas may not be generic, but they are rooted in solid, effective teaching practice. Ready to amp up the way you teach? STOP TALKING One day a few years ago I lost my voice. Woke up and it just wasn't there. Too much work to make sub plans, so I trudged into school, not sure how I was going to get anything done with my class when my throat was raw and I couldn't talk. It turned out to be one of the most productive days students had in awhile. And it wasn't because I gave them a bunch of work to do while I sat at my desk sipping hot tea. No, no. I just had to get a little creative with my delivery. I remember during my math mini-lesson, instead of verbally teaching, I wrote it on the doc camera for students to read. I couldn't write down every single thing I would have said, so I was forced to boil things down to what was really important. I also gave more responsibility to students. Instead of me explaining how to work through a problem, I had a student take over. We instituted a simple set of signals to help communicate certain things: a ding of the bell meant to pause so I could point something out; a flash of the lights prompted students to check the screen for a written direction. I'm not literally telling you to teach silently. But I do want you to make your words matter and to remember that an effective delivery doesn't always consist of you talking and students listening. I often catch myself rambling or taking a tangent too far and remind myself of that day when students learned a lot without me saying a thing. BONUS TIP: Use the volume of your voice to your advantage. Don't get stuck thinking, "What I'm about to say is really important, so I better say it really loud to make sure everyone hears it." The key is to have students tuned into what you're about to say. Then you can say it in a calm voice. And sometimes, raise your voice, even when it's not necessary. The last thing you want is a colorless voice that becomes wallpaper. MAKE IT KNOWN You may already write objectives into your lesson plans, but do students ever know what the objective is at the outset of a lesson? Putting an objective into student-friendly language, and making it known to your class, does a few things. It shifts away from a "one single keeper of knowledge spewing forth information" mentality toward one in which everyone is heading in the same direction. Plus, having a student-friendly objective posted and visible gives you an anchor to refer back to, a measuring stick to check with, a reminder to what the focus should be. I call these student-friendly lesson objectives learning targets. I start with a target symbol and then write the target as an "I can" statement that tells what the student should be able to do by the end of the lesson. For me, I've found learning targets to be most helpful when they are (1) simply said, and (2) actionable... where students can show to me and to themselves that they've hit the target. BONUS TIP: A side benefit of using learning targets is the built-in focus it gives you as you move through a lesson. Still, sometimes there are other key moments to your plan you want to be sure to remember and to get right. I like to jot down a short list on a sticky-note of these points... sometimes just a trigger word or phrase for a certain transition or question I wanted to include. The sticky note serves as my little cheat-sheet to help me stay on track. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? Oh, the dreadful, pointless question... "Does that make sense?" I'm as guilty as anyone for asking it, but what does it accomplish? We explain something to the class and then we ask them if it makes sense. The majority of students lack the self-confidence to admit in front of their peers that something doesn't make sense, and many students want to please you so badly that they will agree to anything. Let's try to cut down on how often we ask students if what we just said makes sense. Instead, ask students to show you that something does indeed make sense, through a formative assessment. You might have students write/do/solve something with whiteboards/markers, or have students engage in a quick turn and talk while you circulate and listen in, or maybe use an exit slip. BONUS TIP: Use your learning target to help you focus your "check-in" on what really matters to the lesson. PLANNED UNPREDICTABILITY Routines have their place, don't get me wrong. But an element of unpredictability to a lesson creates instant engagement (or re-engagement). In a way that still makes sense to what's at the heart of the lesson, try to add something students wouldn't expect. It could be as simple as a different location where students sit (e.g. bring them to a gathering area on the floor; have them swap seats with someone halfway through; etc.), incorporating a unique task or scenario, or changing the way in which students perform a task (e.g. with a partner; in a notebook; through a drawing; etc.). We're often taught that a lesson's "hook" is a perfect spot to do something surprising in order to engage students. Let's just be sure that we don't assume that a tidy little hook will carry students' engagement through the entirety of the lesson on its own. Be mindful of particular students who may not be as successful with the unexpected. Students who rely on order and predictability benefit from (and deserve) a "heads-up" about something that might throw them off track. BONUS TIP: If everything about a lesson is unpredictable, your pacing and focus will suffer. Train students on certain procedures to help cut down on wasted time. For example, you might have a designated spot on your board, outlined with a rectangle, where the page number is posted of whatever textbook is being used during a particular lesson. Find lots of other time-saving tips in my Steal Back the Minutes! post. * * * Let these ideas give your whole-group instruction a boost. And for easy, practical ways to differentiate your whole-group instruction, check out my post HERE.
Whole class novels are still an important part of an English curriculum. Check out this blog post about Teaching Whole Class Novels.
How do you keep your students engaged and motivated throughout your lesson? Do you have any special techniques to make keep your students interacting throughout? We know that just calling on one student who raises their hand is not the best way to create learning for everyone. Active engagement is critical. Below, I have compiled my top five strategies for active engagement throughout a lesson. (a.k.a. Turn and Tell, or
Hi there! It’s Deb Hanson from Crafting Connections, and I’m going to share a free context clues lesson with you today. This lesson is arranged in a similar way to a character traits lesson that I shared with you last year! If you do decide that you want to try this activity with your students, be sure to click on the image below. The cup labels and sentence strips for this lesson are available in the FREE download. I almost always start my ELA units with a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the topic. Therefore, on the first day I would show my Context Clues PowerPoint to my students, and this lesson would occur on the second day of the context clues unit. To start this lesson, I would use an anchor chart to review the five main types of context clues. After distributing a white board, marker, and eraser to each student, I would present five plastic cups by spreading them across a table or chalkboard tray. As you can see, the cups have been labeled with the five types of context clues, and each cup is assigned a number. I also have the small strips of cardstock printed and cut apart. These strips contain short sentences with underlined words. Before I begin reading the sentence strips, I will explain the sequence of the activity: I will place one of the strips beneath a document camera and read the sentence aloud. Students will attempt to use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined word. They will jot down a simple definition on their white board. They will also document which type of context clue they used by writing a cup's number on their white board. Students will discuss their answers with a partner. If students wish to change their answer at this time, they can certainly do that. As a class, we will discuss the meaning of the word, and the type of context clue provided.** We will drop the sentence strip into one of the cups. **It is important to note that context clues can often fit into multiple category types. For example, a context clue could fit as both a definition and a synonym. Furthermore, according to your students' language levels and background knowledge, different students may use different strategies to determine the meaning of an unknown word. For instance, a student who does not know the meaning of the provided antonym may have to infer to the best of his or her ability. In terms of deciding which cup to drop the sentence into, you may want to let the majority determine your class's final answer. After we work through all fourteen sentence strips, I conclude the lesson by having students add a context clues page to their interactive notebooks. Students glue the title and the magnifying glasses into their notebooks, and then they write their own sentences that show examples of each of the five types of context clues. If you have time, hop over to my blog, where I explain how I use two published books to further analyze how context clues are used in books. If you are looking for additional resources for teaching context clues to your upper elementary students, feel free to check out the following resources. I have placed my bundle images here, but all of these items are also available for individual purchase. A Context Clues Bundle designed especially for students in 2nd and 3rd grade: A Context Clues Bundle designed especially for students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade: Thanks for stopping by today! FREE Newsletter! Blog TpT Store Instagram Facebook Pinterest My YouTube Video Pin for future reference:
When you think about baseline testing or beginning of the year testing, do you include listening skills? Back to school is a hectic time of the year. Adding one more thing to your to-do list may not be something you want to do. Once you see the impact listening skills have for your students' academics and behavior, you will be happy to add another thing to your to-do list. Do you have a "Listen Lizzie" in your class? Lizzie interrupts your reading group lesson to ask how to complete her center assignment. Lizzie does not line up at the end of recess. Transitions are difficult for Lizzie. Lizzie refuses to clean up when you ring your bell that it is time to cleanup. Lizzie often needs redirected during your lessons. Poor listening skills can sometimes be misinterpreted as willful or not making good choices. Some students' behavior and "choices" in the classroom will improve when you add listening activities to your lessons. It is helpful to schedule a conference at the beginning of the year when you have a "Listen Lizzie". Frequent ear infections during the toddler years is common with the "Listen Lizzie" student. If you've ever had an ear infection, you know that it can affect your hearing. An ear infection is similar to hearing with your head underwater. You can hear noise, but not the actual words. You may turn towards who is speaking, but not know the meaning of the words. You may even look for gestures or other body language to help you. --Please note, this is my personal theory and observations. Children learn to follow multi-step directions in the toddler years. Toddlers with frequent ear infections do not develop these important skills. A parent with more than one child may notice a difference in their child's listening skills, but not always. Parents may not realize the impact of listening skills until their child is bringing home notes and/or a teacher requests a conference. There are activities your student's parent can do to help your "Listen Lizzie". Parent Tips: Before giving your child directions, ask him/her to look at you. Say the direction(s) in short, simple sentences. Tell your child to repeat the direction before he/she begins. You will begin by giving one-step directions. Example "Lizzie, bring me your take-home reader." Once your child is successful following one-step directions over an extended time period, add another step. Continue adding steps when your child shows improvement. Remember, this is a skill. Like any skill, your child will need to practice. Think of at least one tangible, measurable thing you can ask your child to do each day. Then ask your child to do it. Example: Set the table One step direction: Lizzie, please put these plates on the table. Two step directions: Lizzie, please put these plates on the table. Then put the forks on the table. Three step directions: Lizzie, please put these plates on the table. Then put the forks on the table. Last, take the salt and pepper shakers to the table. There are activities you can do with your class that will help your "Listen Lizzie" plus strengthen all of your students' listening skills. Listen & Draw - FREE lesson All Listen & Draw Lessons Listen and Draw is a 20-30 minute whole group lesson that you can use to test and strengthen your students' listening abilities. The only supplies needed are the worksheet, a pencil, and crayons. You will read the directions telling students what to draw, one step at a time. You will read the directions 2 times before you go to the next step. Students need to listen closely to what you are saying so they will know what to draw. Students who do not listen closely will not have that part of the drawing in their picture. After listening to your directions, your class will write a sentence(s) about the picture. This is also a good writing sample to show growth throughout the year. Recommendations: Beginning of the Year: Give your class Listen & Draw lesson. Save this lesson for their portfolio to show parents at conference time. Show Growth: At least once a month give your class a Listen & Draw lesson. Hopefully, you will see growth in their listening skills and writing skills. Conferences: If listening skills are an issue, share the Listen & Draw lessons with your students' parents. R.T.I.: You can also use these for R.T.I. Sub Plans & Inside Recess: Use these for inside recess and your sub plans. You and your sub will appreciate how your class is quiet for this lesson. Read stories about listening. Ask your librarian if your school has the books below. You will be happy to see that it is easier for your students to learn when they are good listeners! Listen & Learn Listen Buddy Howard B. Wigglebottom: Learns to Listen Sources to make my blog post graphics can be found HERE. Click HERE to read my blog's disclosure statement.
Engaging vocabulary review Ideas & activities that can be used with K-5 students! Five fun & collaborative vocabulary instruction ideas.
Story elements can be a blast for kids with these free graphic organizers and worksheets for character, setting, and plot.
Boost phonemic awareness effortlessly with phonics toolkits, empowering learners with essential skills for reading and language development.
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Here is entry number three in my whole group games series. This entry contains a lot of story telling techniques that kids seem to love, and that are sure crowd pleasures for me! But first, here is my favorite whole … Continue reading →
Let’s talk, shall we? As many of you already know, I have a passion for Reader’s Theater. It is, hands down, THE BEST WAY I have found to practice meaningful, purposeful, and engaging fluency practice in my classroom. Now. You might be thinking what I first thought when I heard about Reader’s Theater. So the ... Read More about Reader’s Theater in the Primary Classroom (with a FREEBIE)
Help students break the reading ‘code’ with these games for teaching themes in upper elementary.
Unit 4 Lesson 18 Where Does Food Come From? This unit is meant to supplement your teaching of the HM Journeys story "Where Does Food Come From?" Items can be used for whole or small group instruction, literacy workstations or guided reading. Included: p.3-7 Words to Know/Vocab. Word Cards p.8 Spelling Word Cards p.9-13 Words to Know/Vocab. Word Sentence Practice/ Word Mapping/Anchor Charts p.14-15 Spelling and Vocab. Anchor Chart p.16-21 Building words with Vowel Pairs ai, ay p. 22-28 Food for You! Long a Word Sort p.29-36 Contraction Anchor Chart On the Farm Contraction Match p.37-40 Multiple Meaning Words Anchor Chart and Activity p.41-42 Author’s Purpose p.43-47 Where Does Food Come From? Sorting Activity p.48-54 Comprehension Questions for Where Does Food Come From? and Writing Prompts
Analyzing writing curriculums, planning writing workshop and teaching writing lessons can be overwhelming. You might think, how am I going to fit everything in and produce successful writers? Where do I start? What skills do they need? This post will share the 7 BASIC WRITING LESSONS that every teacher should teach! With this basic knowledge, students will be able to perform other writing assignments more effectively. The following skills are not only effective in upper elementary, they are often needed at the middle school level for review or the primary level for differentiation. So yes, every teacher should teach them! If you start with these 7 fundamental skills, it will set the expectations for your writing lessons and assignments throughout the year! Frequently Asked Questions What are the basic skills and what order should I teach them? Sentence Structure 1. Complete Sentences Lesson for complete sentences 2. Fragments Lesson for fragments 3. Run-ons Lesson for run-ons Paragraph Writing 4. Topic Sentences Lesson for topic sentences 5. Relevant Details Lesson for relevant details 6. Transition Words Lesson for transition words 7. Closing Sentences Lesson for closing sentences How much time should I dedicate to teaching these fundamental skills? I recommend one day for each skill. If you spend a whole writing block for each skill, students will benefit from the practice. How do I teach each skill? First: Start with an anchor chart explaining the skill. (See each lesson link above for effective anchor charts.) Second: Provide examples. Students can share examples too! Next: Students should take notes. I love using Interactive Writing Notebooks to take notes. Research supports the use of interactive notebooks through studies on multiple intelligences, the brain and note taking. Here are a few videos to Set Up Interactive Writing Notebooks. Click photo for the Upper Elementary Version. A Primary Version is also available. Then: Identify the skill. Provide practice sheets and task cards for students to practice identifying the skill in sentences and paragraphs. Last: Apply the skill. Students should have the opportunity to write their own sentence or paragraph to apply the particular skill. What if I can't fit the lesson in one writing block? If you can't extend the days to complete them, there are other ways to get the whole lesson in. You can put practice sheets or task cards in a center, or you can have students apply the skill for homework or morning work the next day. What if my students, some of my students, or absent students can't do interactive notebooks? Make a small anchor chart to put in their notebooks with the same information! If you don't have a printable poster, take a picture of the anchor chart you used in class and print them off! I hope you found this post helpful and your students become successful writers this year! Connect With Me! TPT Store Facebook Pinterest My Blog
These characters and setting sort are a simple way for students to develop an understanding of character and setting identification with familiar stories. Included is a simple anchor chart to familiarize your students with identifying the concept of character and setting and a definition and examples of each. For the whole group sort, there are 3 different headers for ways to sort this that you can pick pictures from. You can have students sort character and not character, setting and not setting, characters- setting- and neither with 9 matching pictures for each concept in both color and black and white. Pictures included are 1 setting and characters picture from each of the following stores: Goldilocks, 3 Billy Boats Gruff, 3 Little Pigs, Chicken Little, Ugly Duckling, Town Mouse Country Mouse, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Hen. Also included are student sorts x 2 and practice sheets for identifying characters and setting.
Prefix Reading Passages FREEBIE Prefix and Suffix Reading Passages: THE BUNDLE Prefix Reading Passages Suffix Reading Passages How it works: -Your choice of using these reading passages as full pages or can be used for student comprehension notebooks. -These passages can be used in whole group, small groups, individual work, special education classrooms, intervention classes, homeschool parents, homework, etc. The reading passage focuses on: * Prefix Words * Reading Comprehension * Fluency * Vocabulary * Parts of Speech * Writing What is included? * auto- skill based reading passage (2 versions) * auto- Activity for students to decipher the prefix and root words. * auto- Writing Activity for each pattern (Students will write a sentence using one or more of the pattern word) * Language: Students will define prefix words from the passage. **MORE BACK TO SCHOOL PRODUCTS** Reading Passages: Skill Based Comprehension Notebook Monthly Word Work and Work on Writing for the ENTIRE Year Themed Common Core Posters Classroom Decor and Organization Themed Classroom Rules and Expectations Themed Word Walls Thank you for looking at this product! Teaching is a Royal Adventure As always, be sure to follow the store so you don’t miss anything. Follow My Blog Follow me on Facebook Follow me on Pinterest Follow me on Twitter Follow me on Bloglovin Follow me on Instagram
Your students will love these fun novel study activities for any book. Six ideas to accompany any book study in the elementary classroom.
If you are using Wonder in your classroom as a novel unit or read aloud, you need to check out our chapter by chapter questions. This is novel unit activity features over 290 discussion questions for the book Wonder by RJ Palacio. The purpose of this activity is for students to show their understanding of the novel through answering questions. There are at least two questions for every chapter in the entire story! Here is what you'll get: 13 pages of open-ended discussion questions to use with each chapter of Wonder. That is over 290 questions! There are many ways that you could use this with your students. You could ask these questions in small group, large group, or assign them individually to students. These questions get students thinking deeper about the novel and allow them to connect the novel to their lives. Prep is quick and easy... Just print out the chapter by chapter discussion questions and you are ready for a whole class read aloud, guided reading groups, or book club. TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID... ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Brandi A: My students really enjoyed this book. These activities helped me create engaging lessons and activities. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Crystal H: I used this with my book club students last year and they loved it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Elliot J: I used the discussion questions with the entire class and the students loved them! Click HERE for our 73-page Wonder Novel Study Unit!! Make sure to check out our other novel units! Novel Unit Custom Bundle That You Make: Pick 5!! Al Capone Does My Shir The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Bridge to Terabithia Chasing Vermeer The Devil’s Arithmetic Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone The Lightning Thief Maniac Magee The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Mudshark Number the Stars One Crazy Summer On My Honor The Red Pyramid Rules Running Out of Time Sarah Plain and Tall A Single Shard Sideways Stories from Wayside School Swindle Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing The Tiger Rising Tuck Everlasting The Whipping Boy The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones And click here for even more novel units like the ones listed above! Be the first to know about discounts, freebies and new resources! Click the green star to get email notifications about new resources and sales. Join our newsletter. Find our blog – Creativity in the Modern Classroom or follow us on Facebook. Copyright © Wise Guys All rights reserved by author. Permission to copy for single classroom use only. Not for public display. Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.
How do you feel when you hear the words main idea or main topic? Do you cringe or do you get excited? If I’m being honest, I used to completely tense up when this unit was up next because it’s a HARD concept for students. Not only was it really difficult for students to understand […]
These free phonics reading passages have it all: phonics skills, fluency practice and comprehension questions. Plus, students love them!
Practice doesn't always make perfect, especially when it comes to main idea! Students need lots of scaffolding with this difficult skill. And it's hard to find resources that provide good scaffolding, so do yourself a favor and download 3 of mine for free here!
This Superkids activity will have your little learners creating their own sentences from 3 different vocabulary words each unit. We spend so much time in whole group reading lessons discussing the vocabulary words and this gives them the opportunity to show what they have learned. It also gives them...
How to create a retell literacy center in kindergarten. Plus a list of 20 famous stories and retell props (with printables) to complete this center.
Novel studies are a fun way to teach reading to upper elementary students. It's a great way to expose students to a variety of literature.
This is a thorough set of class discussion and homework questions. The class questions can be used for the whole class or for reading groups. They are separated by chapter and can be placed on the board or given to the reading groups. These are questions only - there is no answer key. The questions ask the students to: *Analyze characters *Identify major plot elements *Explain cause and effect relationships *Draw inferences *Determine central ideas and details *Determine theme *Describe plot *Identify conflict and resolution
