Before I start, does anyone else think this shark's mouth is totally photo-shopped? I've watched my fair share of Shark Week episodes and I've never seen such a happy shark. Ever. When you're looking over your district's instructional calendar, do you sometimes think, "This doesn't quite make sense. Are they kidding?" I know they didn't ask for my opinion, but sometimes I scratch … [Read more...]
Teaching with Toys in Your Writing Workshop
The writing workshop is one of my favorite times of the day. It's sometimes a real challenge to teach writing to children who are only six years old, but when they finally let go and just put it all out there, it's so courageously fun. Their transformation from the beginning of the year to the end is amazing. What was once pretty unreadable in August becomes a small work of art and suddenly … [Read more...]
Book Talk: Little Dog Poems
April is National Poetry Month. I know, I know ... "It's only February. What is she talking about? Can't I just get through Valentine's Day?" But some of you are super planners ... the kind of planners that know what the next 8 weeks look like ... and I wanted you to have time to find this book: A teammate of mine introduced me to this book years ago. (Thank you Michele … [Read more...]
What Do You Do with an Idea?
I know it's Wednesday and I missed Book Talk Tuesday, but sometimes you just have to jump when the inspiration strikes. And I've been struck. I have a LOT of books. It's what I collect. See? And this isn't even the half of it. There are dozens tucked away in baskets, bins, and drawers. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I'm reminded of a civics project my daughter is doing in high … [Read more...]
When 1st Graders Write Reviews
Last month, my first graders were learning how to write reviews... reviews of toys, movies, and books. But it wasn't quite as easy as I thought it would be. I found they were accidentally slipping back into what they knew well as writers. Some children were unintentionally writing personal narratives or informational pieces, particularly how-to pieces. I realized these were traps that were easy … [Read more...]
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