Close Reading That Sticks

Are you integrating close reading lessons into your ELA instruction?

I began this year very enthusiastic about doing close reading lessons with my students. I attended a summer academy to learn about it, and I did a lot of research to ensure that I was implementing it correctly and effectively. 

The idea of having students write notes while they read a complex text sounds obvious to experienced readers like you and me, but we've had our whole lives to develop that understanding. Kids love writing on sticky notes, so I knew their engagement would be high, but that alone doesn't guarantee success. The Common Core is now expecting eight and nine year olds to analyze a text with expertise. It's not that easy; they aren't sure where to start. 

I had done a few lessons initially but felt like my students had no real direction without my guidance at each step. While that makes sense for early lessons, I didn't feel like they would be able to be independent with reading closely. And that's the whole point of any reading lesson, isn't it?

I had seen some reading strategy bookmarks on Pinterest, and even some great text marking bookmarks. But I felt like these were too extensive for third graders just learning how to "read to learn." Sometimes it's best to start out with the basics, and grow from there. 

That was the inspiration for me to create simple bookmarks with clear visual cues to help my students use sticky notes when they're reading closely. 

I noticed a difference immediately! Before using my bookmarks, my students understood "reading for the gist" the first time, but their second and third reads were not as focused without a game plan. Their bookmarks solve that problem. It gives them a clear and definite guide to what to write using sticky notes, and keeps the process simple. 

Close Reading Bookmarks in Action! 

Focusing on four main areas, and consistently using the same visual cues, my students are better able to analyze a complex text, breaking it down into its most basic ideas. The bookmarks make an abstract concept tangible, and break the process down into more manageable tasks.

I'm excited again about doing close reading lessons with my students. And that's a great feeling, indeed. 

I'd love to know how you've found success doing close reading lessons in your classroom! 

Have You Ever Done A Book Talk?

Book Talks are an excellent way to engage your students in reading books they otherwise would have no interest in reading. 

It's a perfect "filler" activity for transitions, and will help settle your students down from an energetic activity like recess. 

The process is simple, and takes no more than five minutes of class time, so you can implement it at any point during the day. Once your students know what to expect from a Book Talk, they won't want to miss it! 

Here's how it works: 

I read aloud an interesting or mysterious excerpt from a chapter book that piques my students curiosity and leaves them wanting to read more. I stop reading at the "good" part, without giving away what happens. Anyone who's interested can take the book back to their desk for their next book. 

Let's face it: We all judge books by their covers. It's human nature. But teachers know that a book's cover doesn't always live up to the story inside. We know that, but not all kids know that.

A Book Talk is a great way to get kids past judging a book by its cover! 

Try it! I think you just might get "hooked"! 

Have You Met Sweet Maggie Moo?

For anyone who follows me on Instagram, you know that I am a fur mama. Since my own two daughters are off to college, my sweet boxer Maggie (often referred to as Maggie Moo) and sweet pug Chloe (lovingly referred to as Poo) are the focus of my attention.

We got Maggie when our girls were nine, which, in theory, is a great age for them to take responsibility for a pet. But, I'm a bit of a stickler for doing things MY way, so I ended up doing all the dog walking. And dog feeding. And dog washing. 

You get the picture.

Needless to say, I bonded pretty strongly with Maggie, and she with me. 

She was the best puppy. She learned to ring the bells hanging on the doorknob to let us know she needed to go outside. She slept quietly in her crate. She was the perfect pet. However, one day, while my attention was on something else, Maggie dug up a tree sapling I had just planted.

I brought this up with my daughters’ school principal (who also owned two boxers), and she recommended a play buddy for Maggie. I wasn't sure I wanted another large dog, so we go a pug instead.

Well, there is a big difference in a boxer and a pug, and it’s not just the size!

I was worried Maggie, having so much energy, would hurt such a tiny puppy (and Chloe was TINY!).

I had nothing to worry about, apparently. Chloe’s sharp puppy teeth protected her from any potential harm, and Maggie’s maternal instincts kicked in immediately. She looked out for her new “baby” in every way.

Now they are truly best buds. Where one is, the other follows. They find trouble together, too. But I’m so grateful they get along so well.

They also follow us around the house. Stop short, and risk having a dog bump into you! I can pretty much guarantee that they’ll hang out with me during my workout.

Maggie is a bit neurotic, and stresses out when we pack for vacation. We have to have a dog-sitter come because one time Maggie refused to eat at the kennel and lost 10 pounds in a week. She also truly hates having her photo taken, and I am forced to trick her into sitting and looking at the camera.

Chloe will sit and model all day (mostly because she’s hoping we’ll give her a treat!).

Maggie is ten now, and Chloe is nine. All the information says that boxers don’t typically live longer than a dozen years. I love my fur girls to the moon and back, and am so grateful for all the time we’ve had together so far!

Now enter the giveaway below for your chance to win an Amazon Gift Card and a gift certificate to Teachers Pay Teachers.

Also, don't forget to hop on over to the other fabulous posts of others who have linked up to see how they use pets or a pet theme in their classrooms! 

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Pass the Paper!

  

We played a game on Friday that the kids got a kick out of, and -- BONUS! -- also got a science review in the process. 

I divided my class into three groups and had them line their chairs up, one in front of the other, all facing forward. I designated a leader for each, and gave each team a clipboard with the review sheet for our next unit test. It included both multiple choice questions and fill-in-the-blank statements. 

After displaying the Google timer on the SMART Board and setting it for five minutes, I handed each team leader the clipboard. 

Each member of the team completed one answer of his choice before passing the clipboard to the person behind him. It's then her turn to do the same. 

Play continues until either a team finishes the entire review sheet or the time is up. The game is short to keep students' interest piqued, although the amount of time is determined by you. I tally the results afterward, and the team with the most points is the winner. 

I like this kind of team game because it doesn't put unnecessary pressure on any one student. I make sure the review sheet includes a wide range of questions for each student to answer. Plus, teammates don't know who answered which question. The game is best for content areas, and can be used in all grades!

Winners earned Class Dojo points and Holey-Moley Hole Punches, although a little bit of competition is enough incentive for many kids! 

Duct Tape for the Win!

It's official: my students have used up all their pencils. Not bad, though, making it all the way till March! Rather than just handing out pencils, I'm assigning each student a specific pencil. This way, if I find one on the floor, I know who's not taking responsibility for their own materials, and there will be an end to the arguments of whose pencil is whose. 

I simply cut approximately four inch long pieces of duct tape, then split them in half to create thin strips. I wrapped them around each pencil near the eraser and secured the adhesive sides together. I trimmed the rough edges for a cleaner look, and finished up by writing each student's assigned number on the duct tape. 

My plan is to have them show me their nub of a pencil when they need a new one as evidence that they've taken care of it. It's never too early to learn responsibility for their things! 

Online Lesson Planning

From what I can tell from Instagram, my school year started off as crazy as everyone else’s: back to school classroom prep, getting to know you activities, beginning of the year assessments, launching Daily 5 and CAFÉ, as well as guided math, data collection and analysis… oh, and lesson planning, too.

So many teachers are passionate about their planners, whether they’re lesson planners or life planners. I was once one of those teachers (I am a list-maker at heart, after all).

But as we continue to move into the digital age, I have let so much of my dependence on pencil-and-paper become less of a necessity. So much so that I can easily carry my iPhone, hereafter referred to as My Life, around with me in a 6”x1.5” purse. If I can’t do it with My Life, I won’t do it.

I can even post on my blog using an app.

I should mention upfront that I realize digital lesson planning is not for everyone, which is why we’re all unique (see what I did there?). If you’re intrigued by the notion of online lesson planning, keep reading. If your heart is set against it, you can stop right here. I’m not trying to convince you, but merely make you aware of its possibilities.

I used to keep a notebook by my bed and vanity so that I could jot down notes to myself as I thought of them (my memory has never been very good!). Now, I simply use My Life to send myself an email, create a Reminder, or add my ideas to my Notes app. #mylife

The same is true for lesson planning. As adorable as so many lesson planners are, I felt encumbered by its very existence. I’d have to bring it with me to my meetings, along with my laptop where I could access my Google calendar that I’ve been using for a few years now. It would come home with me, and then back to school again. I used a three-ring binder for my planner so that I could easily remove or move any pages, but that meant it wouldn’t fit in my laptop bag. #plannerfree

Another disadvantage to a paper planner is if I planned too far ahead, and an unexpected event interfered somehow, I’d have to readjust my plans manually. Not fun. My motivation for long-term planning went way down, but my stress at not feeling prepared went up. #aintnobodygottimeforthat

I now use the website Planboard to write, organize and share my lesson plans. I have tried other sites, but this one is intuitive to my needs. I will share out its features in detail in a later post, but first I’d like to introduce you to the idea of online planning.

Just as I carry My Life with me in my purse, I also carry My Plans around with me wherever I bring my laptop (which is just about everywhere). Which means I can do my lesson planning wherever I am, even if it’s in the dentist’s waiting room. Or at the DMV. #worstplacestowait

And when carrying my laptop is undesirable, I whip out my iPad, because, you guessed it, There’s an App for That! Planboard has an app that performs very similarly to the online version, so the platforms look the same. Moving between the two is not complicated. #itsnotcomplicated

For both methods, an internet connection is required, but keep in mind that I have My Life with me wherever I go. Did someone say Personal Hotspot? #easypeasy

One of my favorite benefits that Planboard offers is its sharing feature. I can print my lessons, create a PDF of them, or email them to a colleague. If you are lucky enough to know your sub’s email address, you can send her your lesson plans ahead of time. What could be more efficient?

I’ll post later on the specific features I’ve found useful on Planboard, but if you have a moment, check it out for yourself and tell me what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Back to School Must-Haves + A Giveaway!

I admit it, I’m a list maker. I’m not sure if it’s because I inherently like making lists, or that I have such a terrible memory that I need to make lists. Either way, I get through life making lists.

This post is all about my list of my favorite things for Back to School. Really, what teacher doesn't have a list of their favorite #b2s things?

I start my day – EVERY day – with a glass of chocolate milk. I crave chocolate, and this lets me have it without lots of guilt! And I just discovered almond milk, so what’s better than chocolate covered almonds for breakfast?

Teachers are on their feet all day, so a good pair of shoes is very important. But so is style, isn't it? I love these cheetah print shoes; they’re comfy and stylish!

I need to be organized at the beginning of the school year, or I’ll be off-track the rest of the year. I know this because I tried that once. It didn’t work. My entire classroom library and all of my texts are organized using Mrs. Dixon’s (from Teaching Special Thinkers) Chalkboard and Chevron pack. I love how it pops! This year, I’m using Tara’s (from Fourth Grade Frolics) Classroom Colors Plus Pink, Turquoise and Lime pack to decorate the rest of my classroom. I’m thrilled with the fact that I can organize my room in a way that makes it pretty AND functional!

Organization doesn't stop with my books. I haven’t splurged on an Erin Condren planner, because I've been so happy with my freebie planner from Tina’s Teaching Treasures. Everything goes in here. I love it!

Books, books, and more books! My most recent back to school must-have is my Daily 5 text, making its way next to my guided reading text from Fountas and Pinnell. I was new to Daily 5 last year, and I fell in love with it immediately. Guided reading is such an integral part of my reading program that I’d be lost without these two books. And more than half of my classroom library is made up of Scholastic books!

Like Mrs. Labrasciano, I am a bag-aholic. I collect bags. All kinds. I use different kinds of bag for different things. I have cinch bags, tote bags, book bags, backpacks. Small bags, large bags, medium-sized bags. Collegiate bags, chevron bags, museum bags. You name it. But my essential back-to-school bag is this one, a gift from a parent. It is the sturdiest bag I’ve ever owned, so it stands up to the test of everything that I store in it. And it literally stands up!

Many teachers love these pens and pencils. I won’t use anything else. Ever. Stubborn, yes, but I know what I like!

I can’t even imagine where I’d be without supportive parents and wonderful teammates. Although we work alone in our classrooms, this is not a profession in a vacuum. We continually look to our colleagues for support and advice (Teachers Pay Teachers, anyone?), and we certainly couldn't do what we do without the support of our students’ parents. A definite must-have!

Students need structure; we all know that. But many of us go about providing it a bit differently, depending on the needs of our students and our classrooms. I found two sets of rules that have served me well over the years, without fail. The first is my Classroom Rules poster. The focus is on RESPECT. I teach my students what respect is, what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what it feels like. It covers every possible infraction. I refer to the poster with a misbehaving student and ask, “Which rule are you breaking?” John Wooden’s Set of Three is another favorite of mine. Often times, I refer to this poster more than my classroom rules poster because kids are kids; they whine, complain and make excuses. I simply point to the poster. My students know they've been trumped.

You have to check out the other blogs {starting with Learning Lessons with Mrs. Labrasciano and A Classroom Full of Smiles} linked up for this fun Back to School Favorites linky! If you enter the huge giveaway, you’ll have a chance to win over $300 in Amazon gift cards! I’m pretty sure that’ll help you purchase some of your favorite Back to School Must-Haves! The more you enter, the more chances you have of winning!

I’d love to know: what are YOUR favorite Must-Haves for Back to School?

Amy

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