End of the Year Chaos Control- A Reading Camp-In Freebie!

This is the time of year that I can NOT stay organized!  We have so many papers and deadlines flying at us that I am just holding on for dear life!  Anyone else feel this way? Must.Keep.Swimming!

Most years I do our big pirate unit, but with being so pregnant and packing up to take leave next year, I just couldn't do it! I wanted to be more simple this year.  Behavior wise, I also think it was the best possible decision.  It makes me sad- the kids really love it and look forward to it!

Our last day of school is Thursday.  Both Wednesday AND Thursday are early release days so the children are, um, quite excited!  We were just told  on Friday that we needed a second DRA of the opposite genre for students to have passed that level (for example a fiction and a nonfiction).  This was news to many of us so we scrambled today to find independent activities for the students while we tested.  Add that to the fact my co-teacher was pulled out of the classroom and it was adding up to be quite a day!!

BUT we prepared and it actually was a pretty good day. I wish I had taken pictures, but I am waddling around so much hoping to see my feet at the end of the day and my camera was a WHOLE 5 feet away.  Sigh.  Tomorrow.  Pictures.  I promise!

We declared today Reading Camp In.  Yes, camping in- not out.  Out is very hot and I do not like hot lately!

Kids brought in pillows and beach towels.  They could either lie ON the towel or cover up with the towel.  Kids spread out throughout the classroom and got cozy with the towel, pillow and book box.  They LOVED this!

Then after the read a story in their book boxes they created a reading s'more.  This was a quick craft I made that reflected the standards for this nine week period.  Students had to identify a fiction book first, then record the character, setting, problem and solution.  Then they had to identify a major event or challenge and how the character responded.

Click here to hop on over and get your s'more freebie!

Recounting Fables FREEBIE!

Part of the second grade Common Core standards is recounting fables and fairy tales.  We have actually have already done a bunch of work with fairy tales and were ready to move on to fables.  I created this anchor chart to share with them.

Do you like my picture cheats?  I was too tired to draw so I just Googled some images...shhh  ;).

We watched this short video on United Streaming about Aesop.  The part about Aesop was very short  (1 minute) and was the perfect length for adding information to the anchor chart above!

The next day we watched  The Tortoise and The Hare from the video above and I modeled how to write a recount on the Promethean board about the Tortoise and the Hare.  We did skip the section on point of view because I hadn't taught that yet and wanted to go into more detail.

To get a free copy of this file click here.

I will go into more detail about teaching point of view later in the week- I need to take some pictures! :)

1st Grade Math Review

We've *finally* reached that point in the year where we are reviewing everything we've learned so far.  I've found that even the kids that "get it" need reminders about skills when they come up again- especially the skills from way earlier in the year that haven't really been built on as new things have been learned.  An ongoing spiral review is a great way to keep those skills fresh in students minds and ensure they really did master those skills.

I recently created a set of spiral math review of the 1st grade Common Core standards.  I had previously created one that reviewed some of the K and 1 standards so this is a good complement to it.  It also includes some money counting (pennies, nickels, dimes) even though they aren't explicitly in the standards at that level.  If you want to check it out and try some pages of it for free, click the pictures below to come over to my blog.

Prefixes, Suffixes, and a FREEBIE!

Over the last few weeks we have been doing a LOT of work with prefixes and suffixes!  My kids are recognizing them in their reading and writing (don't you just love when that happens!?!?).

We watched the Brainpop Jr on prefixes.  I love Brainpop Jr and am very lucky our school provides a membership.  It is FANTASTIC and we use it to introduce EVERYTHING!

I also found these two really cute Between the Lions videos focusing on the prefixes un- and re-.  Beware- they are from YouTube.  I know some schools block it :(

We brainstormed together as a class and made these anchor charts.

Click on over to get your suffixes freebie!

Persuasive Writing and the Common Core - 6th. grade

Persuasive writing, TCRWP and the NJ ASK test

So, here we go...the NJ ASK is three weeks away and we have (at last)  begun to prepare.  This year, I am linking the ASK prep to Common Core State Standards in every area of our Language Arts test, and using the standards to build charts and strategies.
Here's what the Common Core has to say writing standards for sixth grade:

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1a Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1b Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1d Establish and maintain a formal style.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented.

Test prep can be so dry and boring...unless, of course, you are the good people at the Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project, who have done amazing work to make teaching everything a rich and interesting experience. Last year, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the TC February Institute, where many workshops focused on persuasive writing.  One of the innovative things I learned about was the use of videos in Reading and Writing Workshop - and especially how to use videos to lay the groundwork for persuasive writing.  Enter the Great Chocolate Milk debate!
I learned that we could use news clips and dairy industry videos to introduce claims and counter claims about  serving  chocolate milk with  school lunches: good thing? bad thing?   Well...listen to both sides, decide and then use the evidence to  write to persuade.  Brilliant! What better way to get my kids to sit up and pay attention to persuasive writing mini lessons than to serve it up with chocolate milk?!
I took lots of notes during my workshop at TC, but Lucy and her team are so generous with their work - it is also available online for teachers everywhere to delve in and give it a try.  I took a little bit from here, a little more from there and here's how it all went down in my classroom today:
We began by brainstorming about what persuasion is all about in the first place, and charted or thinking.  I found this little clip to reinforce those basic ideas before we moved on (my kids loved it):

Then we charted the bare bones of a persuasive essay in our Writer's Notebooks:

Next, we reviewed how we would use  "boxes and bullets" to sketch out a plan of  action:

Finally, we got to the part my kids were waiting for: The Great Chocolate Debate....we used our notebooks to note information on both sides of the issue (Yes, serve chocolate milk at lunch! No, do not serve chocolate milk at lunch!), and then we watched the videos very closely:

That's all we had time for...but tomorrow is another day, and we hope to write our first drafts using our notes from today.  My kids were psyched not to have to write another persuasive essay on homework or school uniforms...and although I'm pretty sure I can already guess the stance they will take tomorrow (chocolate milk all the way!), I am also pretty sure that will enjoy the writing process all the more because...hey, who doesn't like chocolate milk?! 

FYI: This is a link to work that Mary Ehrenworth has done on persuasive writing using the chocolate milk theme.  This is also on the TC site - which, as I have already said, is amazing.

Sight Word Ice Cream Scoops

It's Michelle Griffo from Apples and ABC's!  I wanted to share with you how I organize and test kids on their sight words.  In Kindergarten, the students have to read common sight words (ELA-Literacy.RF.K.3).  There are so many different ways to test the kids and get them to memorize the words.  I want to show you the strategy that I use (which I learned at my first year from my mentor teacher).  

At the beginning of the year, I organize the sight words in order, by the words that I want them to know first.  I usually start with the color words, and then move on to "I, see, a..."  Once I have the words organized, then I put them into different "color groups."  I have the kids memorize the words by the different groups.  Once they have the color set memorized, they can move to a different level.  

The way I motivate them to move along the color lists is by giving them a construction paper ice cream scoop for each level they pass.  They get really excited when they get their ice cream scoop, and it is a great way to share their progress with them.  I keep each student's chart in a bound book, so they aren't hanging on the walls.  

We use our word wall, by placing each set of words on the wall as I introduce them.  I give the parents and students a monthly reminder of what color they should be focusing on.  Some are below that goal and some are way above.  

The students get tested on their words weekly, and I send home a progress sheet so the parents know what words they missed.  

Thanks for letting me share!  Come on over and visit me anytime at Apples and ABC's!

~Michelle Griffo

"Sounds" Fun!

Spring has finally sprung and students are finally on their way with their learning!  It is amazing how in the spring what you have been teaching just seems to start coming together and the students are getting stronger in their skills.

For kindergarten, and even my first graders that had been struggling, they are getting so much better at hearing sounds in words.  Yay!  So now is the time to put all those skills into practice and get them good and solid!  For my first graders that are in RtI interventions, now is the time to be sure they have got it and can show it!

My students just love working with these type of activities.  I am sure yours do too.  There are 6 different center activities in all to give your students extra practice to show they know their stuff!  

This pack of literacy centers will help you cover these common core standards:

Kindergarten:

K.RFS.1 b- Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print- recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters

K.RFS.2 b, d- Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds- count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words, isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in 3 phoneme words

K.RFS.3 a, b- Know and apply grade level phonics and word analysis in decoding words- demonstrate basic knowledge of letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary or most frequent sound for each consonant, associate the long and short vowel sounds with the common spellings for the five major vowels

First Grade:

1.RFS.2 a, c, d-  Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds- distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single syllable words, isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in spoken single-syllable words, segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds

1.RFS.3 c, e  - Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words- know final-e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds, decode 2 syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables

The centers included are short vowel scrambler, long vowel (using silent e) scrambler, beginning sounds, middle sounds, ending sounds and syllable counting and graphing.  They are great to use as centers or small groups.  Or like I mentioned above, I love using these types of activities with my RtI intervention groups. 

I hope these can help you and your students out!  It is amazing how fast the year has gone and how quickly we will be sending them on to the next grade.  I am feeling the pressure to be sure everyone is ready and their learning solid. I always feel that I need more time!  How about you??

Click any of the above pictures  or here to be taken to my store if these center activities will help you out.  Thanks for letting me come visit with you again!  Drop by sometime and see me!