I helped plan and run a family literacy night at our school last week. It was a great success and a lot of fun. We had classes for families, a "book walk" (like a cake walk but the winners got free books) and a library open house. There were free cookies to decorate at the end. It was a great celebration.
Here are the notes from the class I taught about reading aloud to your children and shared reading. There is a lot more I could have said, but this is a good summary:
Benefits of reading: (Why read aloud?)
In a research article, titled What Reading Does for the Mind, the following benefits were found for reading:
*You become a better reader.
*You have a larger vocabulary.
*It usually improves your spelling.
*It increases your knowledge about the world and your practical knowledge (day to day living).
*It improves your ability to speak and communicate.
*It increases reading comprehension.
*It can improve IQ and make you smarter.
*It slows the process of aging and decreases memory loss.
Plus, reading is FUN!!! And reading together with your child helps them be more successful in school but also strengthens your relationship with your child.
How do I read aloud?
**Read in your native language.
**Have your child sit close to you.
**Choose a book that you’ll both enjoy (perhaps take turns picking.)
**Stop after a few pages to talk about the book:
*What is happening? Who are the characters?
*What’s your favorite part so far?
*Talk about words your child doesn’t know.
*Would you act like that character?
*Could that/would that happen in real life?
*Has anything like this happened to you?
**Kids are never too old to be read to.
**Picture books are valuable even for older kids who can already read.
**Make it fun! You can use voices. You can act out a favorite part. But most importantly, don’t try too hard to make it educational… Enjoy being with your child sharing a book. The learning will happen naturally.
What is shared reading?
Shared reading is when an adult and child read out loud together. This most often occurs when reading a favorite book that you have read together many times. Young children will often naturally begin to chime in the parts they know.
Why do shared reading?
Shared reading is fun!
Shared reading can help your child understand what they are reading. If they are not working too hard to sound out the words, it allows them to focus more on what the story or poem means.
Shared reading is also a great way to lend support to your child if they are trying to read a book that is just a little bit hard for them. You read along with them and provide help.
Shared reading is also a good tool to work on building fluency. As you read aloud together, your child will try to read at the same speed that you are. You will need to slow down a little and read in chunks (3 or 4 words at a time). Model for them what good reading sounds like and they will try to copy you.
Examples of shared reading:
*Reading a poem or nursery rhyme aloud together.
*Having your child chime in on a repeated line in a story. For example, in the Three Little Pigs, they might read along with you the lines: “Little Pig, little pig, let me come in.” “Not by the hair of my chinny-chin, chin.”
*If your child checks out a book from the library or brings home a book that is just a little bit difficult, you could read aloud a paragraph or page and then have then share read it with you.
*On homework papers, you might share read the directions.
“You don’t have to read every day—only on the days you eat.” --Proverb
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
100th Day of School
Our 100th day of school was January 27, 2011. We had fun celebrating.
We practiced counting to 100 by 5 and 10. We talked about how many dimes, pennies, nickels and quarters equal 100 cents.
Kids found different ways to group objects into 100. For example, they made 10 groups of 10 blocks and 2 groups of 50 paperclips. They put teddy bear counters into 5 groups of 20 and beans into 4 groups of 25.
Students also wrote a story about what they thought they would look, act and feel like when they are 100. We turned these into a darling, funny class book!
In addition, we made a class book of 100 things we are grateful for. There are 24 kids +1 teacher = 25 people. So each of us wrote 4 things we are thankful for.
We also looked for words that equal 100 cents if A = 1 cent, B = 2 cents and so on.
We read a couple of great books including: 100 Hungry Ants by Bonnie MacKain and Elinor Pinczes and 100 Days Of School by Trudy Harris and Beth Griffis Johnson.
Some other ideas that we didn't have time to do this year were:
to do 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups, 10 jumpropes, 10 spins, and so on until we had done 10 different activities.
Have a list of items that students could buy that cost $2, $5, $10, $20, and $25 and let students create a list of what they would buy for exactly $100.
Practice reading our 100 second grade high frequency words.
Measure to find things that are 100 centimeters (1 meter) long.
Measure to find things that are 100 paper clips long.
Turn the number 100 into a work of art (using collage to create the number or by writing the number 100 and then drawing designs to turn it into a picture).
We practiced counting to 100 by 5 and 10. We talked about how many dimes, pennies, nickels and quarters equal 100 cents.
Kids found different ways to group objects into 100. For example, they made 10 groups of 10 blocks and 2 groups of 50 paperclips. They put teddy bear counters into 5 groups of 20 and beans into 4 groups of 25.
Students also wrote a story about what they thought they would look, act and feel like when they are 100. We turned these into a darling, funny class book!
In addition, we made a class book of 100 things we are grateful for. There are 24 kids +1 teacher = 25 people. So each of us wrote 4 things we are thankful for.
We also looked for words that equal 100 cents if A = 1 cent, B = 2 cents and so on.
We read a couple of great books including: 100 Hungry Ants by Bonnie MacKain and Elinor Pinczes and 100 Days Of School by Trudy Harris and Beth Griffis Johnson.
Some other ideas that we didn't have time to do this year were:
to do 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups, 10 jumpropes, 10 spins, and so on until we had done 10 different activities.
Have a list of items that students could buy that cost $2, $5, $10, $20, and $25 and let students create a list of what they would buy for exactly $100.
Practice reading our 100 second grade high frequency words.
Measure to find things that are 100 centimeters (1 meter) long.
Measure to find things that are 100 paper clips long.
Turn the number 100 into a work of art (using collage to create the number or by writing the number 100 and then drawing designs to turn it into a picture).
Series of Chapter Books
As per a parent request, here is a list of chapter book series that many second graders can read and enjoy. Of course, there are many other books that your child may like and not all second graders are ready for chapter books (which is okay).
Early Chapter Books
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant
Magic School Bus Chapter Books by Eva Moore and Ted Enik
Arthur Chapter books by Marc Brown
A little harder chapter books:
Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline
Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osbourne
Jigsaw Jones by James Preller and R. W. Alley
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney
Early Chapter Books
Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant
Magic School Bus Chapter Books by Eva Moore and Ted Enik
Arthur Chapter books by Marc Brown
A little harder chapter books:
Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline
Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osbourne
Jigsaw Jones by James Preller and R. W. Alley
A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy and John Steven Gurney
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Landmarks and Symbols of the US
We have been studying symbols of the United States, along with a few important landmarks.
Here's just a taste of what we've learned about:
The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem, was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, during the War of 1812. He wrote it while on a British boat, watching to see whether the British would overtake the Fort or whether the US would win that battle. He was overjoyed to see the flag still waving the next morning and to know the US had won the battle.
Our flag is made of 13 red and white stripes. These represent the 13 original colonies. The fifty stars represent the 50 states. We also talked a little bit about how to care for the flag and that it reminds us of the freedoms we enjoy.
The pledge was originally written by Francis Bellamy to celebrate Columbus Day. Several changes have been made to the original pledge (the original pledge said: I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.) The pledge is a promise to stay true to our country. We talked about how to say the pledge correctly.
The Constitution and Bill of Rights are an important document that explains the government. They give laws and explain who has power within the government. They also explain the rights that we have as citizens.
The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom. In the past it was used to announce important meetings and also to help bring the North and South back together again after the Civil War.
The Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is our national bird. It isn't really bald, but because most of its feathers are black and its head is white, it looks bald from a distance. The bald eagle was chosen as our national bird because it is strong, lives a long time and looks so regal. It reminds us of the strength of our nation.
Some of the landmarks we have learned about are:
The Statue of Liberty: a gift to the US from France
US Capitol in Washington D.C.: This is where the Senate and House of Representatives meet to make the laws for our nation.
The White House: This is where the President lives.
The Lincoln Monument: A beautiful monument created to remember our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, and his Emancipation Proclamation which ended slavery. He was the President during the Civil War.
Washington Monument: To remember our first President, George Washington.
Mount Rushmore: Mount Rushmore is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Four of our presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) are carved into the mountain.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the largest suspension bridges in the world. It was the largest when it was built in 1937. It is a beautiful bridge and a symbol of San Francisco and the US.
Take this quiz about Landmarks
Check out this tour of Famous US Landmarks.
Here's just a taste of what we've learned about:
The Star-Spangled Banner, our national anthem, was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814, during the War of 1812. He wrote it while on a British boat, watching to see whether the British would overtake the Fort or whether the US would win that battle. He was overjoyed to see the flag still waving the next morning and to know the US had won the battle.
Our flag is made of 13 red and white stripes. These represent the 13 original colonies. The fifty stars represent the 50 states. We also talked a little bit about how to care for the flag and that it reminds us of the freedoms we enjoy.
The pledge was originally written by Francis Bellamy to celebrate Columbus Day. Several changes have been made to the original pledge (the original pledge said: I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.) The pledge is a promise to stay true to our country. We talked about how to say the pledge correctly.
The Constitution and Bill of Rights are an important document that explains the government. They give laws and explain who has power within the government. They also explain the rights that we have as citizens.
The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom. In the past it was used to announce important meetings and also to help bring the North and South back together again after the Civil War.
The Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is our national bird. It isn't really bald, but because most of its feathers are black and its head is white, it looks bald from a distance. The bald eagle was chosen as our national bird because it is strong, lives a long time and looks so regal. It reminds us of the strength of our nation.
Some of the landmarks we have learned about are:
The Statue of Liberty: a gift to the US from France
US Capitol in Washington D.C.: This is where the Senate and House of Representatives meet to make the laws for our nation.
The White House: This is where the President lives.
The Lincoln Monument: A beautiful monument created to remember our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, and his Emancipation Proclamation which ended slavery. He was the President during the Civil War.
Washington Monument: To remember our first President, George Washington.
Mount Rushmore: Mount Rushmore is in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Four of our presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) are carved into the mountain.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the largest suspension bridges in the world. It was the largest when it was built in 1937. It is a beautiful bridge and a symbol of San Francisco and the US.
Take this quiz about Landmarks
Check out this tour of Famous US Landmarks.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Productive Thinking
In ELD, our wonderful ELP (gifted/talented) teacher comes in once each week to work with my group. We have been learning about productive thinking: coming up with many, varied, and unusual ideas. Our ELP teacher has done a number of fun things to get students working on being creative and using productive thinking. Today's activity was no exception.
First, she had students brainstorm a list of things that are circular. Then she showed how 2 or more circles can be combined to make a snowman, a stoplight and so on. Then she gave them the productive thinking task. She gave them a paper with four shapes. They were to add to these shapes to create pictures. They were to try to come up with several ideas and then choose the idea that they thought would be the most unusual and different. Many of them had some similarities, but there were so many creative ideas. Here are just a few examples of what they came up with:
The four original shapes:
The students' creations:
A toothbrush with toothpaste, a fish, a slingshot and a crayon
the flag (this was a very popular choice) and bowtie
I thought this was so clever. This student used two of the shapes to create a creature or robot. Sorry it is upside down.
cake (also upside down. Sorry!) door, bow and arrow
barbell, rainbow
German flag, dinosaur, design, and a girl looking at herself in the mirror
What clever children!
First, she had students brainstorm a list of things that are circular. Then she showed how 2 or more circles can be combined to make a snowman, a stoplight and so on. Then she gave them the productive thinking task. She gave them a paper with four shapes. They were to add to these shapes to create pictures. They were to try to come up with several ideas and then choose the idea that they thought would be the most unusual and different. Many of them had some similarities, but there were so many creative ideas. Here are just a few examples of what they came up with:
The four original shapes:
The students' creations:
A toothbrush with toothpaste, a fish, a slingshot and a crayon
the flag (this was a very popular choice) and bowtie
I thought this was so clever. This student used two of the shapes to create a creature or robot. Sorry it is upside down.
cake (also upside down. Sorry!) door, bow and arrow
barbell, rainbow
German flag, dinosaur, design, and a girl looking at herself in the mirror
What clever children!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Spooky Reads
Here are a few Halloween reads that your child might enjoy:
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Gris Grimly... cute, clever story, creepy/fun illustrations
The Little Green Witch by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, illustrated by Martha Alexander... a Halloween remake of The Little Red Hen...with a fun twist at the end.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler... a witch keeps making room on her broom for friends...until the broom snaps in two. Then they have to come up with a plan for the best broom of all.
A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Harry Bliss... A little witch and little girl both show their bravery.
The Halloween House by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Jon Agee...A counting back book (from 10 to 1) with rhyming and all your favorite Halloween creatures.
CinderHazel... The Cinderella of Halloween... by Deborah Nourse Lattimore... I love clever remakes of fairy tales... and this Halloween Cinderella is sure to delight... Cinder Hazel is the messiest Cinderella of all.
The Witch Next Door by Norman Bridwell (author of Clifford)... Some neighbors don't want a witch living next to them... so the witch casts a (kind) spell on them.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything... Lovely repetitive book with a great ending.
Boris and Bella by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Gris Grimly... cute, clever story, creepy/fun illustrations
The Little Green Witch by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, illustrated by Martha Alexander... a Halloween remake of The Little Red Hen...with a fun twist at the end.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler... a witch keeps making room on her broom for friends...until the broom snaps in two. Then they have to come up with a plan for the best broom of all.
A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Harry Bliss... A little witch and little girl both show their bravery.
The Halloween House by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Jon Agee...A counting back book (from 10 to 1) with rhyming and all your favorite Halloween creatures.
CinderHazel... The Cinderella of Halloween... by Deborah Nourse Lattimore... I love clever remakes of fairy tales... and this Halloween Cinderella is sure to delight... Cinder Hazel is the messiest Cinderella of all.
The Witch Next Door by Norman Bridwell (author of Clifford)... Some neighbors don't want a witch living next to them... so the witch casts a (kind) spell on them.
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything... Lovely repetitive book with a great ending.
The Benefits of Picture Books
I'm part of a children's literature group on Goodreads (which I love!) and links to a NY Times Article were posted there. The article talks about how and supposedly why picture book sales have been declining. I say supposedly because while I think there is some truth in what the article says, I think the article was very slanted and only considered one possible reason for the decline. Anyway,if you want to read the article here's the link: NY Times Article
I want to point out a few things. First, the parent who was quoted in the article was misquoted and has written a response explaining her position and telling more about her children's reading lives. Second, I think the article was written in an alarmist method. I don't know that looking at one year of sales is enough to say that picture books are no longer popular. And even if sales are declining, I don't think they can necessarily use that to draw the conclusions that they did. But it did make me think that I would like to share why I think picture books are valuable.
After reading the article as well as two responses to it, I wanted to share my thoughts. You might also want to read this link for someone else's views on why picture books are valuable...as well as to find information about many great children's books: Book Moot
Here's what I said about the article on Goodreads:
"While I still find the article a little sad, I guess I like to focus on what I can control. I certainly can't control how other people choose to spend their money (and I can't afford to buy enough picture books to personally make much of a dent in picture book sales! :)) but I can read aloud great picture books to my students and my children. I sometimes blog about my favorites and review them here on Goodreads. I also sometimes pass especially good ones on to other teachers. And if those of us who love picture books do those things then we'll raise a generation of kids who love picture books and see the value in them."
So, in no way am I trying to get kids or parents to stop reading chapter books. I love chapter books, and my daughter is thrilled to be reading chapter books now. But I would discourage pushing kindergartners and first graders to read chapter books...if they are ready and they choose them, that's okay, but I would keep a big emphasis on picture books. And I would have my kids keep reading picture books as long as they are willing and I would read picture books aloud to them until they are at least 8-10 years old. Here is why:
**Picture books cover a wide range of genres. Often once kids begin reading chapter books, they get hooked on a series or specific genre of book. This is not bad...in fact in many ways it is good. But you can often get children to read a picture book from a genre that they might not take the time to read in a chapter book. This exposes them to many new ideas and ways of seeing the world.
**Picture books contain amazing illustrations. Exposing children to great artwork engages their brains in a different way and is enriching.
**Picture books contain beautiful language. Few children reread chapter books over and over, but kids fall in love with the language, rhythm and cadence of well-written picture books and these books are read over and over. Repeated reading of well loved books increases vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, understanding of text structure, etc. OH and perhaps most importantly, it leads to engagement and enjoyment!
**Many picture books actually contain more difficult vocabulary and concepts than early chapter books and beginning reader books.
** Reading picture books aloud builds family togetherness, bonding, etc. It leads to great discussions and strengthens love and builds an eagerness for reading. Honestly, as a teacher (and a parent) if I could get every parent to do one thing it would be to read to their kids.
**Picture books come in a wide range of levels. Some are aimed at very young children but some are truly aimed at preteens, teens and even adults. I can literally say that many picture books have brought me to tears.
A few examples are Thank You, Mr. Falker and Junkyard Wonders, both by Patricia Polacco as well as She Taught Me To Eat Artichokes by Mary Kay Shanley and illustrated by Paul Micich.
Not only have picture books caused me to cry, they often make me laugh. I love rewritten fairy tales with a modern twist or fun new perspective. I'm writing a post on my other blog with some of my favorites listed.
And want to get in a holiday mood? NO matter whether the approaching holiday is Halloween, Christmas or the Fourth of July, there are darling picture books to get you in the mood. I fill my classroom and home with holiday books and it adds to the excitement.
I know that reading chapter books feels like a rite of passage for many kids. So, here in my home, what I do is let my second grader read aloud to me from her chapter book and then she and her sisters each pick a picture book for me to read to them. When we go to the library, they can each check out one chapter book but up to 8 or 10 picture books. I certainly don't think you should make a child read picture books, but every child loves to be read to. As a teacher, I have read aloud picture books to kids in first grade up to sixth grade. And in fact, I've seen a junior high teacher read aloud picture books to kids...and that teacher had them enthralled, on the edge of their seat and eager for more! So what I'm hoping is that as parents, we keep reading and buying and checking out picture books. We are the models for our children. If we fill our homes and our lives with great books...both picture books and chapter books, our lives will be richer and so will our children's lives.
I want to point out a few things. First, the parent who was quoted in the article was misquoted and has written a response explaining her position and telling more about her children's reading lives. Second, I think the article was written in an alarmist method. I don't know that looking at one year of sales is enough to say that picture books are no longer popular. And even if sales are declining, I don't think they can necessarily use that to draw the conclusions that they did. But it did make me think that I would like to share why I think picture books are valuable.
After reading the article as well as two responses to it, I wanted to share my thoughts. You might also want to read this link for someone else's views on why picture books are valuable...as well as to find information about many great children's books: Book Moot
Here's what I said about the article on Goodreads:
"While I still find the article a little sad, I guess I like to focus on what I can control. I certainly can't control how other people choose to spend their money (and I can't afford to buy enough picture books to personally make much of a dent in picture book sales! :)) but I can read aloud great picture books to my students and my children. I sometimes blog about my favorites and review them here on Goodreads. I also sometimes pass especially good ones on to other teachers. And if those of us who love picture books do those things then we'll raise a generation of kids who love picture books and see the value in them."
So, in no way am I trying to get kids or parents to stop reading chapter books. I love chapter books, and my daughter is thrilled to be reading chapter books now. But I would discourage pushing kindergartners and first graders to read chapter books...if they are ready and they choose them, that's okay, but I would keep a big emphasis on picture books. And I would have my kids keep reading picture books as long as they are willing and I would read picture books aloud to them until they are at least 8-10 years old. Here is why:
**Picture books cover a wide range of genres. Often once kids begin reading chapter books, they get hooked on a series or specific genre of book. This is not bad...in fact in many ways it is good. But you can often get children to read a picture book from a genre that they might not take the time to read in a chapter book. This exposes them to many new ideas and ways of seeing the world.
**Picture books contain amazing illustrations. Exposing children to great artwork engages their brains in a different way and is enriching.
**Picture books contain beautiful language. Few children reread chapter books over and over, but kids fall in love with the language, rhythm and cadence of well-written picture books and these books are read over and over. Repeated reading of well loved books increases vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, understanding of text structure, etc. OH and perhaps most importantly, it leads to engagement and enjoyment!
**Many picture books actually contain more difficult vocabulary and concepts than early chapter books and beginning reader books.
** Reading picture books aloud builds family togetherness, bonding, etc. It leads to great discussions and strengthens love and builds an eagerness for reading. Honestly, as a teacher (and a parent) if I could get every parent to do one thing it would be to read to their kids.
**Picture books come in a wide range of levels. Some are aimed at very young children but some are truly aimed at preteens, teens and even adults. I can literally say that many picture books have brought me to tears.
A few examples are Thank You, Mr. Falker and Junkyard Wonders, both by Patricia Polacco as well as She Taught Me To Eat Artichokes by Mary Kay Shanley and illustrated by Paul Micich.
Not only have picture books caused me to cry, they often make me laugh. I love rewritten fairy tales with a modern twist or fun new perspective. I'm writing a post on my other blog with some of my favorites listed.
And want to get in a holiday mood? NO matter whether the approaching holiday is Halloween, Christmas or the Fourth of July, there are darling picture books to get you in the mood. I fill my classroom and home with holiday books and it adds to the excitement.
I know that reading chapter books feels like a rite of passage for many kids. So, here in my home, what I do is let my second grader read aloud to me from her chapter book and then she and her sisters each pick a picture book for me to read to them. When we go to the library, they can each check out one chapter book but up to 8 or 10 picture books. I certainly don't think you should make a child read picture books, but every child loves to be read to. As a teacher, I have read aloud picture books to kids in first grade up to sixth grade. And in fact, I've seen a junior high teacher read aloud picture books to kids...and that teacher had them enthralled, on the edge of their seat and eager for more! So what I'm hoping is that as parents, we keep reading and buying and checking out picture books. We are the models for our children. If we fill our homes and our lives with great books...both picture books and chapter books, our lives will be richer and so will our children's lives.
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