My Journey

My Journey

                                                                             

I created this blog for my Reading and Literature class.  Each week I reflected on the readings, presentation and/or projects.  In my posts, I wrote about something I felt strongly about about as a teacher that I wanted to share it with others.  Many of my posts contained activities, lesson ideas, and/or books that I have used in my own classroom.  As a final project, we created an online e-folio.  I put a lot of effort into this "live binder" to reflect on what I have learned this semester.  The most challenging aspect of this class for me was the learning of new technology.  I love my SmartBoard and my ELMO projector in my classroom, but most of the technology in this class was brand new to me!  I was overwhelmed and frustrated  at times trying to learn how to navigate and use this technology.  During this semester, we had the opportunity to work with animoto, vimeo and other tools.  Although I now have more experience in technology and definitely more knowledge, I wouldn't say I am comfortable with most of it yet.  I am grateful that I had the opportunity to learn more about technology, so that I may be able to share it with my students.  

I have enjoyed reading my classmates blogs, I have made comments on several of their blogs, but are providing links to four of them.

Victoria’s blog

http://mbr2r.blogspot.com/2014/10/storytelling-strategies-i-would-use-in.html?showComment=1417468803370#c7903230159305007186

Trina’s blog

http://linkstoliterature.blogspot.com/2014/11/connecting-literature-study-and-writing.html?showComment=1417471394555#c5046680629930014157

Nicole’s blog

http://lovingchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2014/11/weektopic-11-reading-and-class-review.html?showComment=1417471940992#c6657340722326262682

Lindsay’s blog

http://lindsaybordonaro.blogspot.com/2014/11/deepening-comprehension-through.html?showComment=1417479044766#c7011612859054689482

Poetry Project

Poetry Project

Reference:
Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row.        

I loved this project. Our goal was to experience the creative process in any form involving poetry.  I decided to use one of my favorite poems "The Giving Tree".  I created a diary from the point of view from the point of view of the "tree".  I hope you enjoy it!


Click here to view my Prezi

Historical Fiction

Historical Fiction 

The genre of historical fiction in the field of children’s literature
includes stories that are written to portray a time period or
convey information about a specific time period or an historical
event. Usually the event or time period is about 30 years in the
past.

In historical fiction, setting is the most important literary
element. Because the author is writing about a particular time in
history, the information about the time period must be accurate,
authentic, or both. To create accurate and authentic settings in
their books, authors must research the time period thoroughly.
They must know how people lived, what they ate, what kinds of
homes they had, and what artifacts were a common part of their
lives.

Historical fiction books—whether they are picture books,
transitional books, or novels—may have characters who are
either imaginary or who actually lived during the time period.
Settings also may be real or imaginary. The plot events may be
documented historical events or they may be fictional. If they are
fictional, it means that the author created the events for the
telling of the story. The fictional characters, settings, and plot
events must be portrayed authentically as if they actually could
have happened.

Why use historical fiction in a classroom?

Textbooks provides facts.  Historical fiction will enrich students knowledge, it illuminates time periods and helps provide emotion to history!  It will generate curiousity and interest in a p articular subject.  It introduces children to characters who have different points of view.  It promotes multiple perspective.

Tips for Choosing Good Historical Fiction

There's an abundance of historical fiction in libraries, catalogs, and bookstores. To help select the best, use the following criteria and check out the resources listed below.
Criteria
The historical fiction you choose should:
present a well-told story that doesn't conflict with historical records,
portray characters realistically,
present authentic settings,
artfully fold in historical facts,
provide accurate information through illustrations, and
avoid stereotypes and myths.

Reliable Resources
Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies, compiled annually since 1972 by the Children's Book Council in cooperation with the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). This is the most reliable list I've found. Careful attention is paid to authenticity and historical accuracy. Single copies cost $2. Send a check and a self-addressed, stamped (3 oz.) 6-by-9-inch envelope to the Children's Book Council, 568 Broadway, Suite 404, New York, NY 10012.
Social Studies and the Young Learner, a quarterly magazine published by NCSS, features a regular column on books appropriate for elementary social studies and suggestions for use. To subscribe ($15/year), contact the National Council for the Social Studies, 3501 Newark St. NW, Washington, DC 20016; (202) 966-7840.
An Annotated Bibliography of Historical Fiction for the Social Studies, Grades 5-12, by Fran Silverblank, published by Kendall/Hunt for the National Council for the Social Studies, $14.95; (800) 228-0810.

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving 

Every year around this time, I read this book to my fourth grade class.  I look forward to reading it each year.  It is a true story about an inspirational woman named Sarah Hale. 

In addition to moving President Lincoln to action, Sarah Hale was the first to urge equal education for American girls. She was the first to start day nurseries for working women, the first to suggest public playgrounds, and the first editor of the first woman's magazine in America.

Hale authored two dozen books and hundreds of poems, including the best known nursery rhyme in the English language: "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

And perhaps the most remarkable part is, she did it all after she turned 40. 

ReadWriteThink.org  provides an excellent lesson to use with this book:

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving 

Literature Circles

Are you new teacher?  Have you been teaching for many years and have heard wonderful stories about using Literature Circles in your classroom.  readwritethink is an excellent resource to get you started.  The link below will provide you with:

1. Preview of the topic
2. Standards (click on grade level)
3. Resources and Preparation 
4. Lessons Plans

Here's how to get started: 

Literature Circles: Getting Started - ReadWriteThink (readwritethink.org)

Literature -based Instruction - Read Aloud

There are many ways to structure literature-based instruction.  One way is reading aloud.  There are many benefits to reading aloud in the classroom.

Our textbook, Literature and the Child, (Galda, L., & Sipe, L. (n.d.). Literature and the child (Eighth ed.). provided us with a list with reasons for reading aloud;

• Introduces new vocabulary
• Displays interesting sentence patterns
• Presents a variety of forms of language
• Shows various styles of written language
• Develops a sense of story, poetry, or exposition
• Motivates children to read more
• Provides ideas for student's writing
• Enriches student's general knowledge
• Models the sound of fluent reading
• Adds pleasure to the day

I believe that read-alouds reach their highest level of potency when they 
are based on a careful balance between fiction and nonfiction—exposing 
learners to the language forms and structures of the many different text 
types they need to control as a reader. The language of a set of directions, an 
informational poem, a Seymour Simon description, and a newspaper all differ 
dramatically from the language of a novel or picture book. If we are to empower 
students as readers of all the texts in their world, we must ensure they have 
ample opportunity to listen to and reflect upon the broadest possible range 
of text types. Read-aloud weaves a rich tapestry of wonder and thoughtful 
reflection that gains strength and momentum when built upon a wide range of 
subjects and differing text structures.
— Linda Hoyt, Author of the Interactive Read-Alouds: Linking Standards, Fluency, and
Comprehension series (Heinemann)

Here is a list of online resources in choosing read-alouds:

International Reading Association 
Choices Reading Lists: 
www.reading.org/resources/

Booklists.aspx
Featuring annual Children’s Choices,
Teachers’ Choices, and Young Adults’
Choices reading lists.

Jim Trelease’s Home Page: 
www.trelease-on-reading.com
Read-aloud expert Jim Trelease
provides many suggestions for
reading aloud to children of all ages.

Read Aloud America Recommended 
Books: readaloudamerica.org/
booklist.htm
Suggested read-aloud titles for
infants through high schoolers.

Storyline Online: 
www.storylineonline.net
Celebrities read children’s books
aloud

Here are some of my fourth graders favorite read-alouds that I have used over the years:


Chapter Books 

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate
DiCamillo




Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Roald Dahl








Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh



The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by
C.S. Lewis








Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner








Stuart Little by E.B. White

Non-Fiction Text Features and Structures

Today in class a group presented information on non-fiction.  I loved this video they presented and will be sharing it with my fourth graders.  Thank you for sharing!

What are Text Features?

Text features are to non-fiction what story elements are to fiction.  Text features help the reader make sense of what they are reading and are the building blocks for text structure. So what exactly are non-fiction text features?

Some Common Text Features within Non-Fiction

Captions: Help you better understand a picture or photograph
Comparisons: These sentences help you to picture something {Example: A whale shark is a little bit bigger than a school bus.}
Glossary: Helps you define words that are in the book
Graphics: Charts, graphs, or cutaways are used to help you understand what the author is trying to tell you
Illustrations/Photographs: Help you to know exactly what something looks like
Index: This is an alphabetical list of ideas that are in the book. It tells you what page the idea is on.
Labels: These help you identify a picture or a photograph and its parts
Maps: help you to understand where places are in the world
Special Print: When a word is bold, in italics, or underlined, it is an important word for you to know
Subtitles: These headings help you to know what the next section will be about
Table of Contents: Helps you identify key topics in the book in the order they are presented

Text Features and Comprehension

The recognition and use of text organization are essential processes underlying comprehension and retention. As early as the third grade, students are expected to recognize expository text structures.  The ability to identify and analyze these text structures in expository texts helps readers to comprehend the text more easily and retain it longer. To achieve better results, it is highly recommended to introduce and work on text structures in the order prescribed in what follows.

The 5 Most Common Non-Fiction Text Structures

1. Problem/Solution

The author will introduce a problem and tell us how the problem could be fixed.  There may be one solution to fix the problem or several different solutions mentioned.


2. Cause and Effect

The author describes something that has happened which has had an effect on or caused something else to happen.  It could be a good effect or a bad effect.  There may be more than one cause and there may also be more than one effect. (Many times, problem/solution and cause and effect seem like “cousins” because they can be together.)

3. Compare/Contrast

The author’s purpose is to tell you how two things are the same and how they are different by comparing them.

4. Description/List

Although this is a very common text structure, I think it’s one of the trickiest because the author throws a lot of information at the reader (or lists facts) about a certain subject.  It’s up to the reader to determine what he thinks is important and sometimes even interesting enough to remember.

5. Time Order/Sequence

Texts are written in an order or timeline format. Real life examples: recipes, directions, events in history

In our Reading and Literature Class we discussed books that have been challenged and banned.  I was researching Patricia Polacco for an author/illustrator presentation and found this video.


Patricia Polacco, the prolific children’s book author who wrote In Our Mothers’ House answered NCAC’s questions about the objections which have recently been raised in Davis County, UT. Complaints have centered around the non-traditional nature of the family depicted in the book and the fact that the family has two moms.

Literature in the Lives of Young Readers

In chapter 2 of our textbook, Book Buddies are discussed to shape a community of readers.  Mentoring younger readers is a common strategy schools use to build community across grade levels. In addition to the social stimulation, well-planned Book Buddy sessions can serve as a learning point for students.

My fourth grade students are Book Buddies with kindergarten students.  The Scholastic site offers ideas and lessons on how to implement cross-age book buddies.  My first step was to meet with the kindergarten teacher to assign each student with a buddy and discuss how often we would meet and the best day and time.  Then we met the kindergarten students in their room for a snack and to get acquainted with one another.  The next step was for me to to teach the students about mentoring.  Here our the goals listed from Scholastic:


Create a student-friendly definition for “mentor”
Identify Traits of Success that a mentor displays
Describe how they will be a mentor to their primary Book Buddy
Examine literature of emergent readers
Categorize types of common primary literature (i.e. wordless, pattern, alphabet, number, rhyme, etc.).
Write a book about themselves using one of the identified types of literature
Utilize the writing process when writing the book
Apply the “Traits of Success” when they read their story aloud to their Book Buddy

Our first project is to create a book about themselves as a gift for their new primary grade book buddy.  Before we begin our books, we first examine literature of emergent readers.  Then I have the students categorize books into types of literature common for primary readers. (i.e. wordless, pattern, alphabet, number, rhyme, etc.)  The next step is to write a book about themselves using one of the identified types of literature, utilizing the writing process when writing the book.

We try to meet once a week, Thursday or Friday afternoon for about twenty to thirty minutes.  Our sessions include reading and writing.  In the beginning of the year, it is the fourth graders who will read the book and most often the kindergarten will draw a picture to go along with the story.  The fourth grader will add the kindergarteners words or sentence to the drawing.  As the year and each student progresses, the fourth grader and kindergartner will take turns reading and by the end of the year, the kindergarten will read the book to the fourth grader.  Both fourth graders and kindergarteners look forward to our weekly visits.

Historical Fiction Powerpoint

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Contemporary/Realistic: Realistic fiction creates imaginary characters and situations that depict our world and society. It focuses on themes of growing up and confronting personal and social problems. This genre portrays characters coming to understand themselves and others.

Of all the genres in children’s literature, contemporary realistic fiction is very popular. Children  are interested in their own lives, and this genre is about “my life.” This is my world. This is how I live. This story is about a girl like me.

Here’s a short list of realistic fiction books that feature fourth- grade kids facing everyday situations.

Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing (series) by Judy Blume

Lexile: 470

Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever-increasing problem.  

Winners Take All by Fred Bowen

Lexile: 560

When Kyle fakes a catch, his baseball team goes on to win the league championship but

Kyle doesn't feel good about winning by cheating.

Because of Winn-Dixie  by Kate DiCamillo

Lexile: 610

10-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and

all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

Lexile: 610

Mourning the loss of his mother, 9-year-old David forms an unlikely friendship with

independent, quirky 13-year-old Primrose, as the two help each other deal with what is

missing in their lives.

Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

Lexile: 630

Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the

same class for 4th grade and as summer's end approaches, they battle it out through

lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars.

STAT #1: Home Court (series)

Lexile: 650

When an older group of boys start bullying his friends on the basketball court, Amar'e is

forced to step in and use his athletic ability and intelligence to save the day.

Almost all readers want to find at least an occasional title that reflects and confirms their lives. The lack of books dealing with specific cultures can draw protest from members of a group who desire to read about something close to home.  Because realistic fiction helps confirm our own membership in the human race, children’s publishers and authors continue to represent the spectrum of minorities present in the United States—racial groups, religions, stories from specific regions of the country—but not all bases have yet been covered.  It is important for teachers to make sure that we have a diversity of books in our classrooms to ensure all students feel represented.

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

Thought this was an interesting video to share.  Hope you like it!

Deepen Comprehension Through Storytelling

Deepening Comprehension Through Storytelling

The following post is based from research and ideas presented in the article below by Dr. Jane Gangi

While the read-aloud is standard practice in most literacy classrooms, storytelling is not.  Research has shown that students will deepen the comprehension when they are engaged in storytelling.  When Dr. Gangi asked a fifth grade class how storytelling differs from the read - aloud experience, students had the following responses:

Storytelling makes visualizing images easier and makes one’s own creativity more possible; it also fosters a deeper relationship between the teller and the listener.

Dr. Gangi shared her Storytelling Workshop in the above article.  She stated that from day one of the workshop, she wanted her students to see themselves as storytellers.  Dr. Gangi suggested that the below activities serve as prewriting activities as well.  I have selected a few strategies from Dr. Gangi’s article that I would like to use in my fourth grade classroom to strengthen my students storytelling skills.  

After reading all the activities, I thought the above activity would be a great one to introduce storytelling!  I believe the students will have a lot of fun sharing stories and especially coming up with made- up stories!  The activity below requires a little more time and work, but I believe students will also enjoy this one.  This activity would be a good one to use in the beginning of the school year, so that students can get to know each other better.

The above activity is a great quick activity.  It can be used in any grades, but thought it was simple enough to use even in kindergarten and first grade.

I do a similar activity as the one above but I am excited to try this version.