'Tis the season! I am going to jump right into the good stuff this evening and share with you the the published work from my Christmas Persuasive Writing Pack. (If you're interested in reading PART 1 of our "Persuasive Writing Unit", which contains a freebie, the set up, and mini-lesson, click … [Read more...]
Status of The Class
Why reinvent the wheel, right? I tell you, some of the simplest things I do in my class tend to be the most profound! Do you need a way to get your kids excited about reading at home in less than 90 seconds?!? If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and read The Book Whisperer by Donalyn … [Read more...]
Halloween Coordinate Graph Mystery Pictures and a Photo Update!
Hello everyone! I'm here to share with you what we've been up to. We've really began digging deep into some great Readers Workshop lessons, and have even found time to start some fun Halloween coordinate graphing activities. I'm so excited about these Coordinate Graphing Mystery Pictures because … [Read more...]
Writing Long off Post-It Notes and Thanksgiving Mystery Pictures
I'm here to share a great lesson we did on expanding your thoughts and writing long off post-its. Before that, I want to share a quick update about my latest creation! My kids have been going crazy over my Halloween-Themed Coordinate Graph Mystery Pictures (see more HERE), so I thought I'd make a … [Read more...]
Currently October…
I'm linking up with Ms. Farley over at... ...for her Currently October edition! I swear I may tell my hunnie that we could use a maid and a grocery delivery service probably 42 times a day! Seriously! When I get home from work at like 6:30 p.m. some nights, the LAST thing I want to do is go … [Read more...]
Writing Workshop Jackpot FREEBIE & Halloween Persuasive Writing
Before I jump into sharing my Writing Workshop jackpot and freebie with you, I want to talk about my latest Halloween creation! We are finishing up our narrative writing unit (see below), and we are going to quickly move into writing to persuade, Halloween style! I have created this activity seen … [Read more...]
Anchor Charts Pictures Galore!
Today, I want to do a quick and easy "photo dump" if you will, to show you what we've been up to. I also am linking up with Clutter-Free Classroom's Snapshots on a Sunday! Here is an anchor chart I use when setting up Reading Workshop. We do a quick mini-lesson on caring for our books in our … [Read more...]
Accelerated Reader Freebie and Set Up
Our school is required to use Accelerated Reader. In order to make this mandatory program fun, I decided to throw away reading logs, and use AR point goals instead. I love giving students Accelerated Reader point goals because it encourages reading and holds students accountable by having them … [Read more...]
Let’s Dabble In a Little Reading, Shall We?!
I have tried a number of different literacy strategies, but I always fall back on the workshop model. I have tried the Daily 3, 4, and 5 (didn't like it). I have done lit circles, book clubs, reading workshop, guided groups, strategy groups, the WHOLE gamut. What works best for you all? I love … [Read more...]
The Art and Science of Teaching Posters and Rubrics – The Importance of Having Students Self Assess
This past year I started reading Robert Marzano's The Art and Science of Teaching to guide my instruction. So many aspects of that book spoke to me. I love the idea of having students use a four (or five) level rubric to assess themselves before, during, and after their learning of a specific … [Read more...]
