Sneak Peek at Questioning/Main Idea

Last week we were working on asking questions and determining the central message in fiction stories.  Here are a few posters to show you how we introduced the skill. More to come soon!

 

 

 

Button-Poppin' Proud!

Okay so I know my post title sounds a little goofy but I just didn't know any other way to say what I was feeling. My parents used to tell me they were "button-poppin' proud" when I did something really amazing as a little girl...well now it is my turn to have those same feelings...except I get to have them for my daughter AND my students!!!

This week we had our first Student of the Month award.  Not only did my own little girl (who just started kindergarten) get chosen, but three of the students in my class also were chosen!!! You can't beat that!! So proud of all of their hard work...keep it up!!!

 

My baby!!!

 

My students!!! :) 

 

Nevaeh- Nominated by me :)

Austin- Nominated by Media (Mrs. Hunt)

Kirsten- Nominated by Art (Mrs. Smith)

 

We Love PBS!

Joyce Bullock is a proud PBS school (Positive Behavior Support).  We work very hard to implement school-wide behavior plans so that all personnel can participate in encouraging and rewarding our students for doing the right thing. We have a set of school rules called the ABC's.  The letters stand for; Act Safely, Be Responsible, and Caring and Sharing.  As an added bonus, our students can earn class "charms".  Any adult who notices our class making the right choices (whether it be walking to lunch, being on-task when they enter the classroom, or showing acts of kindness in the hallway, playground, etc.) can give our class a charm.  We just reached our first benchmark of 15 charms. With this, the class earned the chance to play Plinko. We won a class Pickle Party! Here is a pic of the kids with their pickles last Friday. I can't wait to see what we win next time!!!

 

Exploring Point of View

So before I start this post I have to say...I am SO LUCKY to be writing this to you while enjoying this amazing view! We had a much needed family vacation this weekend. Time spent with the ones I love always refreshes and re-energizes me for the upcoming week!

 

Okay...with that said, the kiddos have been working so hard over the last few weeks wrapping up our unit on story elements and exploring point of view.  We did this through a mini-unit on Fairy Tales.  Here are a few of the activities we did.

 

To start out we discussed character traits. I explained that authors and illustrators work together to create a character that looks and acts a certain way. We discussed the difference between identifying what the outside of a character looks like and understanding what the inside of a character feels like. The students drew pictures of themselves and labeled the outside and inside with words that described them. These are a couple of examples. 

 

 

After completing several activities on character traits we began exploring how identifying those traits can also help us understand a character's point of view.  I showed them posters that included signal words for 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person.  Because understanding point of view can be tricky for young readers, I decided to use text that would be familiar to the students to introduce the skill.  I explained that we would be reading familiar fairy tales and identifying the story elements (characters, setting, plot), and the character's point of view.  I modeled this by reading Cinderella and completing a story map as a class. Over the next few days, the students broke up into groups and received their own "Fairy Tale Folder."  Inside each folder was a task that was differentiated for that group.

 

 

Differentiated Tasks: All groups read their fairy tale and completed a character trait splash web. They wrote six words that described the main character in the story. They then chose one of those words and wrote a sentence justifying their answer with text-based evidence.  For example, one of the members of the Goldilocks team wrote: I know that Goldilocks is naughty because she went into their Bears' house without asking.  When they were done, the groups had their own activity to complete. Below is a list of the stories and activities. 

 

 

Group 1: The Three Little Pigs

Task: Read your story. Identify the story elements and write/illustrate a sentence telling your favorite part. Read your sentence to the class and show them your illustration.

 

 

 

 Group 2: Jack and the Beanstalk

Task: After reading the story, write your own version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Make sure to include characters, setting, and plot. Read your story aloud to the class.

 

 

Group 3: Little Red Riding Hood

Task: Read the story. Complete a story map identifying the story elements and main character's point of view.  Make a poster identifying the characters, setting, problem, and solution in the story. Show your poster to class and explain your writing/illustrations. 

 

Group 4: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Task: Read the story all the way through. Then, assign parts to each person in the group. Perform the fairy tale to the class as a reader's theatre.  Generate questions to ask the class when you are finished performing the fairy tale. 

 

 

 

 

More student pics...

 



 

 

 

In addition, we also read some mixed-up versions of fairy tales. We compared the main characters and discussed how the point of view changed between the stories.

 

 

 

There are many other versions that the students didn't get a chance to read in class. You can check out many of these at your local library. Here are a few suggested titles:

- Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!

-Snow White Was So Forgetful!

-Trust Me, Jack's Beanstalk Stinks!

My Super Second Graders!

Okay, I am FINALLY going to get around to posting some of our beginning of the year pictures.  To say that these first three weeks have been anything but crazy would be a total lie. Between getting to know all my new students, learning routines and procedures, and finishing up beginning of the year testing, I feel like we've been running a marathon! Now is when the good stuff starts. Things are starting to settle down and I can't wait to see what the year has in store for us!

 

So, with that said, I thought I would post some of our back to school pics to give you some highlights of how our year has started out....

 

After the students are gone for the day I pick three people who I think did a good job, tried extra hard, or just needed a word of encouragement. I write a little note on the picture frame and set it on their desk for them to find when they come in the next morning. I let the kids keep it on there for the whole day so that their friends, classmates, or anyone that comes into our room knows they have been caught doing something good.  I found the frames at Walmart and added scrapbook paper to the inside. The clear part is great for writing with dry erase markers and it is made of plastic...no glass! (Act Safely is one of our school rules after all! ;) )

 

 

One of the other things I am trying for the first time this year is the number system. Instead of labeling everything with student names, I have assigned each student with a number. That way I can keep track of class lists, book boxes, and behavior easily. I took pictures of each child holding their number and made a class master list for subs (and for myself!)  These were a few of their pictures. I thought they turned out cute!!

 

During the first week of school we made something called, "I Can" journals.  These are used across all subject areas for reading response, math journal prompts, and science observations. I printed the kids' pictures and glued them on the cover. They got to decorate the words "I Can" and we put that on the back. I explained to the class that "I can't" doesn't exist in this classroom. Everything is possible if we just try hard! The bottom photo is of one of the student's responses using text-based evidence... a HUGE new part of Common Core. You can get this as part of my text-based evidence unit on TpT by clicking here.

 



 

 

 

We also did a lot of work with the story, Enemy Pie. We used this as a starting point to discuss classroom rules, text-based evidence, story structure, and character traits.  The students worked so hard that I wanted to reward them with their own enemy pie! They loved it!

 

We also had a "Birthday Girl" last week! Sweet little Bailey brought in cupcakes for the class. We had her special day celebration on the playground during recess. 

 

Last but not least, we have had three amazing Star Students so far. Unfortunately, I only got one of their pictures but I wanted to give a big congratulations to Rance, Ashley, and Jestin for being the first three of our 2013-2014 school year. Keep up the good work!

 

More to come soon....!