Inspiration...I think not, Unbelievalbe...absolutely!


This week as I was getting my hair cut, another stylist walked into the salon with her 11 year old daughter. My stylist turned and asked why she wasn't in school...this is the unbelievable part...the kids and teachers had that day off because the district doesn't have enough money! Wait, it gets better...they have had 1 day off a week since the start of school and this will continue for the next 17 weeks! It is not the same day every week, it is a different day (making it very difficult for parents to find daycare for these kids on these days). When I got home I looked up the district website and the calendar shows these days as "Local Holidays"... Unbelievable!

There are 14 schools in that district, so very small (compared to the district I am associated with) and they don't have enough money to have their student go every day to school...Unbelievable!

How is this supposed to work? Will this one day off a week continue for the rest of the school year? Are the teacher's still responsible for teaching the same amount of work as a regular 180 day school year? Will the teachers still be held responsible for their students test scores? Is this what is going to happen in other districts when funding and budgets are cut to the point of not having enough money to have school everyday? Unbelievable!

Anyway, as much as I look forward to holidays, I think having a 4 day school week is not something I would be excited for, especially in today's economy, the governments need for numbers and fall guys and the public's scrutinizing eye. I feel bad for the teachers and sad for the students...Unbelievable!

 


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ABC & 123 Activities inspired by Owen by Kevin Henkes




 Owen is starting kindergarten and he must practice is ABC's and 123's. With the packet I created your little Pre-K's and Kinders can do the same. I have created a variety of ABC and 123 cards that are Common Core aligned and will keep your students busy practicing their letters and numbers. Here is a look at all of the different cards that come in the packet.












http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ABCs-123s-Activity-Packet-inspired-by-Owen-by-Kevin-Henkes


Keep counting!!


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Thumbs up Thumbs down Thursday #4


Another Thursday, another Thumbs up Thumbs down post. Read here for the back story of why I started this.


Thumbs up to my husband that got his long overdue promotion to manager in a major corporation. We are so excited!!

Thumbs up to all the kinders and firsties that know how to tie shoes and help their fellow classmates that don't know how to tie their own shoes. It is so cute to watch!

Thumbs up to Mrs. Cooley at First Grader at Last for the great blog post Our Community Map. Her kids did such a great job and you can tell how hard they worked. Thanks for sharing this with us :)


Thumbs up to Hope King at Second Grade Shenanigans for posting A Peek at My Mad Scientists. This post made me smile, it was so fun, super cute and the kids looked like they were having so much fun while they were learning...the best kind of lessons!


Thumbs up to the Lesson Plan SOS for the great post Go Bananas for These Freebies. There are so many great ideas that result in fantastic display of the kids work. I just love the napkin idea...genius!



 
Thumbs down to this darn cold I got over the weekend! Everyday I am getting something new and I don't seem to be getting better...ugh!!

Thumbs down to the people that throw their cigarette butts out their car window! Don't they know it is littering? Don't they care? My question to them is, "If you don't think it is littering (which one person said to me that it wasn't) then why do you not throw them down on the floor in your car, instead of street?"

Thumbs down to all the people that think basing a teacher's salary on test scores is a good idea. Don't they get that there are many other factors involved with a test score? Did they look at what the district is making them teach? Did they look at the parent involvement? Did they look at the student's ability to take tests? Did they look at the conditions the district is making the teacher teach, like class size, resources available, etc? Did they look at value of an education in the house the child comes from? I could go on and on and what I don't understand is if these are obvious to me why are they not obvious to others?


Your turn to share :)

Best,
1

Owen by Kevin Henkes - Teaching Ideas





Let me hear a Woot! Woot! and a see a fist pump if you love Kevin Henkes! He has the greatest characters going through the most identifiable problems. Owen is no exception. He is about to start kindergarten and must give up his blanket. Owen doesn't want to give up his blanket and Ole' Mrs. Tweezers (the nosy neighbor) is insistent that he does. His parents try all the suggestions that Mrs. Tweezers gives but it isn't until Owen's mother comes up with the best idea of all! Your students will enjoy this story, and some might even identify with Owen and his reluctance to give up his blanket.

This book has so many great teaching opportunities: life lessons, reading skills and strategies and writing. I hope you find a new idea below to help create a wonderful lesson using Owen by Kevin Henkes.

If you have no time to create a lesson and pages to go with it, I have done that for you. I created a packet filled with comprehension, cause and effect, sequencing and characterization to use with this book - see below for details. And of course I have a freebie for you too :)

Reading level: 2.5
Theme: new life experiences
Genre: humorous fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: plunger, essential, vinegar

Reading skills and strategies:
  • asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what this story is going to be about? Is the little boy named Owen? {possible questions during} Why won't Owen stop carrying his blanket around? I wonder what the vinegar is going to do? I wonder what Owen's mother is going to do with the blanket? {possible questions after} I wonder why Mrs. Tweezers didn't say anything about the handkerchiefs? I wnder how long Owen is going to carry those handkerchiefs? **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
  • author's point of view - third person point of view. Find 3 pieces of text evidence to support your answer.
  • author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Owen is a mouse and he is talking. Mice don't carry around blankets. Mice don't go to school. Owen became invisible because he put his blanket around his head. All these things make the book very entertaining.
  • beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Owen had a blanket that he loved and took everywhere with him. {most important event from middle} Owen's parents tried to get him to stop taking his blanket everywhere. {most important event from end} Owen's mom had a great idea and cut Owen's blanket into small handkerchiefs so he could carry them in his pocket.
  • cause and effect - Why did Owen love his blanket with all his heart? because he had it since he was a baby. Why did Owen put Fuzzy in his pajama pants? because he did not want the Blanket Fairy to come and take Fuzzy away. Why did Owen's father put vinegar on the corner of Owen's blanket? because they were trying to get Owen to stop carrying the blanket. Why did Owen rub his blanket in his sandbox? because he was trying to get rid of the smelly corner. Why did Owen bury his face in Fuzzy and not stop crying? because his parents told him that he could not bring Fuzzy to school. Why did Owen finally stop crying? because his mom had a great idea, she cut Fuzzy into small squares so he could carry them in his pocket.
  • characterization - describe Owen {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • classify & categorize - things that belong at school and things that belong at home.
  • compare & contrast - You and Owen. Your special "thing" and Owen's blanket.
  • connections - {possible text-to-self connections} having a blanket or stuffed animal that you carry around all the time.  Having your parents try to take away your special blanket/stuffed animal. Wanting to bring something to school with you.
  • drawing conclusions & inferencing - How do you think the blanket made Owen feel? {text clues} Owen carried that blanket everywhere. Owen played with the blanket all the time. {what I know} I have a _____ that makes me feel safe when I am nervous or scared. {my conclusion} I think the blanket made Owen feel safe and happy.
  • main idea & details - {main idea} Owen has a blanket and he won't get rid of it. {details} Owen didn't leave his blanket under his pillow when his parents tell him a Blanket Fairy will come and take it and leave him a special surprise. Owen didn't care that one corner of his blanket was smelly, he just picked another corner. He started to cry when he was told he couldn't take the blanket to school with him.
  • plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Owen's mom had a great idea and started to cut and sew the blanket.
  • predict - What do you think the story is about? Why do you think Mrs. Tweezer's is telling Owen's parents about the Blanket Fairy? Do you think Owen will put his blanket under his pillow? What do you think the Blanket Fairy will leave Owen? Why do you think Owen is rubbing the smelly corner of the blanket in the sandbox? Do you think Owen is going to bring Fuzzy to school? What do you think Owen's moms good idea is? Why do you think Mrs. Tweezers didn't say anything anymore?
  • problem & solution - {problem} Owen's parents were trying to get Owent to stop carrying his blanket around. {solution} Owen's mother cut and sewed he blanket so it wasn't a blanket anymore, they were little handkerchiefs he could carry in his pocket.
  • sequencing - Owen had a blanket he loved. Mrs. Tweezers told Owen's parents about the Blanket Fairy. Owen didn't put his blanket under his pillow. Mrs. Tweezers told Owens parents about the vinegar trick. Owens father put vinegar on Owen's favorite corner of Fuzzy. Owen picked a new favorite corner and rubbed the smelly one in the sandbox. Owen's parents told him that he could not bring Fuzzy to school with him. Owen buried his face in Fuzzy and wouldn't stop crying. Owen's mother had a great idea. She cut and sewed Fuzzy into a bunch of handkerchiefs. Owen carried a handkerchief with him everywhere he went.
  • story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution. 
  • summarize - {someone} Owen {wanted} wanted to take his blanket to school with him {but} but his parents said he couldn't. {so}  His mom had a great idea {then} which meant cutting his blanket into many small pieces. {finally} Owen could finally take his blanket everywhere he wanted.
 PACKET


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Skills-Strategies-Packet-inspired-by-Owen-by-Kevin-Henkes
 $ PACKET $



PREDICTION ACTIVITY

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Predicting-Freebie-inspired-by-Owen-by-Kevin-Henkes
IT'S FREE!!

Happy teaching!

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Inspiration

This week as I wondered the halls I watched the kindergarten teacher and her 33 students walk in from recess. It was just the teacher, no aid, no parent, no help, with 33 kinders! They were in line and walking to class but the littles at the end were so far behind they were practically in their own world. I was inspired by her calm, firm role with all these kids. I decided to go in and help for a bit, she was going to play the name game with the kids.

They all sat in a circle and she passed out their little envelopes of names. There were a handful in their own conversations, one crying for his mom, some pulling their names out of the envelopes and still more looking and listening elsewhere. Between the two of us we got them all settled with their names out in front of them and she proceeded to pick letters. Some kids picked up every letter in their name when they had the one she called out, others were not listening, and still others were now playing with their envelopes instead of listening to the letters. 

A game that should have taken 15 minutes took 30 but in the end all the kids recognized the letter she called out to a letter in their name. Was it chaotic, yes, did it take too long, yes, was there learning and progress, YES! All because a highly qualified teacher was doing an amazing job in a situation the budget and district has put her in, a true inspiration.

I am once again inspired by the outstanding work of teachers!

Best,

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Adventure on Klickitat Island by Hilary Horder Hippely - Teaching Ideas


Adventure on Klickitat Island is one of my favorite picture books. It is written in rhyme, there is a teddy bear that talks, an adventure that the boy and his bear go on and in the end everybody works together to solve a problem, there is no better formula for a book! If you have not read this book, you really should, especially out loud to your students. Because it is written in rhyme, it is really a fun read. There are so many parts of this book that your students will connect with, it will quickly become one of their favorites. This story also lends itself to teaching incredibly well, just take a look at the skills and strategies that can be used.

Reading level: 2.6
Theme: friendship, teamwork
Genre: adventure

Suggested Vocabulary: snatched, crept, dinghy, pitched, loomed, clutching, deserted, pitiful, bedraggled, brambles, propped, wail, concocted

Reading skills and strategies:
  • asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the adventure is going to be? Where is Klickitat Island? {possible questions during} I wonder who is calling? Why are they going out in such a storm? I wonder who they are going to find on the island? How are they going to build something that fits them all?  I wonder what kind of shelter they are going to make?  {possible questions after} I wonder if the animals will keep that shelter they built? Why did the boy and Beary not stay till all the animals woke up. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
  • author's point of view - 3rd person. Have students find 3 examples from text to prove it.
  • author's purpose - entertain {evidence} Animals are talking. All the animals are working together. The boy's stuffed bear is talking. These things don't usually happen so the story was written to entertain us.
  • beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} The boy and his bear decided to go help. {most important event from middle} All the animals worked together to build a shelter so they could all be together. {most important event from end} Everyone was safe and warm and together out of the storm.
  • cause and effect -  Why did Beary jump out of bed? because he heard someone calling. Why did Beary and the boy decide to not stay in bed? because they couldn't be much help if they did. Why did they almost lose track of which way to go? because the waves pitched them high and crashed them low. Why did Beary and the boy almost cry when they saw the rabbit? because he was such a pitiful sight. Why were the deer, birds and otters so drenched? because they were out in the storm. Why were the animals not in their nests, burrows and caves? because they wanted to be together in the terrible storm. Why did the boy yell "Stop it!" to all the animals? because all they were doing was crying. Why did the eagle find the best sticks? because he was an excellent scout. How come the animals stopped being scared? because there was so much work to be done they were not paying attention to the storm. Why did all the animals cry "Hip hooray!"? because they were amazed at the home they just built. Why was the baby otter crying? because no one was sharing the blanket with him. Why did Beary and the boy go home before morning? because the storm broke.
  • characterization - describe Beary or the boy {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • connections - {possible text-to-self connections} A blanket that makes you feel safe. A stuffed animal that makes you feel safe. Being afraid of a storm. Working together to get something done.
  • drawing conclusions & inferencing - How were the boy and Beary feeling after they made it to Klickitat Island? {text clues}Beary and the boy were clutching their blanket. Their blanket makes them feel safe. They were clutching each other's hand. {what I know} When I hold my moms hand it makes me feel better. {my conclusion} I think the boy and Beary were a little scared when they got the island.
  • main idea & details - {main idea} The storm made the animals a little scared. {details} Beary and the boy clutched their blanket. None of the animals were in their nests, caves and burrows. The animals wanted to all stay together.
  • plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Beary and the boy came and they started making a shelter for them all to be in, to stay safe and warm.
  • predict - What do you think the adventure is going to be on Klickitat Island? What do you think Beary and the boy are going to do about the call for help? Do you think they are going to make it safely to Klickitat Island?  What do you think they are going to find on Klickitat Island? How do you think Beary and the boy will help the animals? Do you think their shelter will be big enough for all of them? Do you think their shelter will keep them safe and warm? Do you think the animals will keep the shelter they built?
  • problem & solution - {problem} The animals were scared of the storm and wanted to be together. {solution} They worked together to build shelter so they could all fit and be together.
  • sequencing - A big storm is coming. Beary hears someone call for help. Beary and the boy go to Klickitat Island. The boy and Beary find a bunch of  very sad and scared animals on Klickitat Island. The boy and Beary get the animals to work together to make a shelter. When the shelter is done they all go inside to get warm. Grandma Otter made food for all the animals. All the animals fell asleep. Beary and the boy went home before morning.
  • story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
  • summarize - {someone}The animals {wanted} wanted to be together during the storm {but} but their homes were too small {so} so Beary and the boy helped them make a shelter. {then} Then all the animals were safe from the storm and they {finally} finally all fell asleep.
Here is a differentiated problem & solution FREEBIE that you can use with this book.




http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Problem-Solution-inspired-by-Adventure-on-Klickitat-Island
IT'S FREE!!

Happy teaching!

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Thumbs up Thumbs down Thursday #3


Another Thursday, another Thumbs up Thumbs down post. Read here for the back story of why I started this.


Thumbs up for fall! We have had the worst heat and humidity but I think the weather pattern has finally broke and we are heading into fall...my favorite time of year!

Thumbs up to my husband for putting up with me for the past 20 years - today is our anniversary :)

Thumbs up to Marie from the Hands on Teacher for posting about a great science experiment she did with her class. Click here to see the post.

Thumbs up to Ms. Shope from Ms. Shope's Class for a great post about anchor charts. Click the picture to see the post!


 Thumbs up to Runde's Room for a fantastic blog post called Friday Art Feature - I am... The idea is so creative, if I had a classroom I would SO do this! (click the post name to see the incredible art).



Thumbs down to all the people that don't keep their doggies safely behind closed gates! In the past 2 weeks I have seen 3 little doggies run through busy intersections just narrowly making it. I even jumped out of my car to try to grab one of them but he was so skiddish he just ran the other way.

Thumbs down to the woman (who was on the larger size) wearing a short dress, bending over to get something from a bottom shelf - and no I wasn't at Wal-Mart! Please be mindful when you are wearing a dress, no one wants to see what you've got on underneath!


Your turn to share :)

Best,



1

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon - Teaching Ideas




A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon is a great book for teaching individuality, or being unique. I like to use the word unique because, to me, the sound of it and the spelling really make it a one of a kind word. This book really lends itself to showing students that it is okay to be yourself, to like things that other people may not like, to be good at something that other people may think is strange or different and to not worry about what those people think.

If you search for activities for this book, you will find plenty, but if you want to make your own, to fit with what you are teaching here is a list of reading skills and strategies and some ideas on what you could teach using this book.

Instead of creating my usual skills and strategies packet to go with this book, I took the character trait and created some activities that have to do with being unique, but first here is the information you will need for your lesson planning.

Reading level: 3.5
Theme: individuality
Genre: humorous fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: lima beans, fretting, impress, relieved, ointment, distraction, contagious, prodded, virus, bacteria, fungus, bizarre

Reading skills and strategies:
  • asking questions - {possible questions before}I wonder what made her striped? Is she sick? I think this is going to be a silly story because David Shannon writes silly books. {possible questions during} What made Camilla get stripes? I wonder why her stripes keep changing? What are specialists? I wonder why the old lady thinks she can cure Camilla? {possible questions after} What does eating lima beans have to do with getting a case of the stripes?
  • author's point of view - 3rd person point of view {evidence} have students find 3 examples that show 3rd person.
  • author's purpose -  entertain {evidence} David Shannon is the author and his other books are silly. No body has ever gotten a case of the stripes. How can someone turn into their bedroom. All these things are silly and make an entertaining story.
  • beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Camilla was too worried about what other people thought of her. {most important event from middle} Every time someone suggested something it happened to her: stripes, bacteria, virus, pills, her room. {most important event from end} The sweet old lady came in and asked Camilla if she liked lima beans. When Camilla finally admitted that she did the lady gave her the lima beans and Camilla changed back to her normal self.
  • cause and effect -  How come Camilla never ate lima beans? because her friends hated them and she wanted to fit in. Why did Camilla scream? because she looked in the mirror and saw the stripes. Why was Camilla relieved not to have to go to school? because she was afraid of what the other kids would say. Why did the Dr. say Camilla could go to school tomorrow? because she was not sick she only had stripes. Why did Camilla's stripes change at school? because the kids kept yelling out different shapes and colors. Why did Camilla turn into a pill? because that is what the Dr's gave her. Why did Camilla start to grow fuzzy little virus balls and squiggly little bacteria tails? because that is what the specialists guessed was Camilla's problem. Why were there reporters in front of Camilla's house? because they wanted to tell the story of "The Bizarre Case of the Incredible Changing Kid". Why did Camilla melt into her walls? because someone said she should become one with her room. Why did the old lady give Camilla lima beans? because Camilla lied about liking them and the old lady thought that if she admitted she liked them she could change back. Why did Camilla not care that the kids thought she was weird? because she ate her lima beans and never got a case of the stripes again.
  • characterization - describe Camilla {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • classify & categorize - Have your students classify and categorize different shapes. Camilla was covered with many different shapes because of the kids at school.
  • compare & contrast - Camilla and her classmates, Camilla and you, you and a classmate
  • connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Being afraid that people will laugh at you. Liking lima beans. Liking something your friends don't. Being weird.
  • drawing conclusions & inferencing -  Why do you think Camilla got a case of the stripes? {text clues} Camilla likes lima beans but wouldn't eat them because her friends didn't like them. Camilla wanted to fit in. Camilla worried about what other people thought. {what I know} I know that it doesn't matter what other people think. I know that having stripes that change is more embarrassing than saying you like lima beans. {my conclusion} I think Camilla got stripes because she wasn't true to herself.
  • plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when Camilla finally admitted that she liked lima beans.
  • predict - Why do you think Camilla got stripes? What do you think will happen at school? Do you think the specialists will help Camilla? Do you think the experts will help Camilla? Do you think Camilla will ever change back? What do you think the old lady will do to help Camilla? Do you think Camilla cares about what other people think now that she changed back? Why or Why not.
  • problem & solution - {problem} Camilla cared so much about what other people thought of her she got a bad case of stripes. {solution} Camilla finally changed back when she admitted that she liked lima beans.
  • sequencing -  Camilla was worried about not fitting in. Camilla put on a pretty red dress, looked in the mirror and screamed. Camilla got a bad case of stripes. Camilla's mom called the Dr. Camilla went to school and got teased and sent home. The Dr. called in specialists, they turned her into a pill. The Dr then called in the experts, they caused her to have virus balls, bacteria tails and fungus blotches. News reporters wanted to tell the story of "The Bizarre Case of the Incredible Changing Kid". An Environmental Therapist told Camilla to become one with her room, Camilla became her room. An old lady came to the door saying she could help. The old lady offered Camilla lima beans but Camilla refused them. Camilla finally said she liked lima beans and turned back into her old self.
  • story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
  • strong thought - the students might have strong thoughts as the experts and specialists come in and keep changing her.
  • summarize - {someone}Camilla {wanted} wanted to fit in with everyone so nobody would laugh at her {but} but she got a bad case of stripes {so} so all the kids laughed at her. {then}Then all these experts and specialists came to help but they couldn't so {finally} finally a little old lady came and helped Camilla change back by having her admit that she liked lima beans.
  Here is the "Unique Activities" activity packet that I created for this book.

Included in the packet is:
* Compare and contrast - 2 different sheets
* I am unique writing & coloring page
* I am unique folding activity
* Story Map folding activity
* A "unique" vocabulary card
* My favorite part of the book writing paper - unique because everyone might have a different favorite part.
* Patterning cards to practice patterns with recording sheet - unique because there are lots of different patterns
* Making number boards plus recording sheet - every number is unique
* Noun, Verb, Adjective, or ABC order cards plus recording sheet for each activity - because all words are unique


Preview pages of the packet.
 

Some of the completed activities from the packet


ACTIVITY PACKET
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Unique-Activites-inspired-by-A-Bad-Case-of-Stripes-by-David-Shannon

 Last but not least a shape sorting FREEBIE.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO DOWNLOAD



I have also created a True False Comprehension Game.

COMPREHENSION GAME
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/True-False-Comprehension-Game-inspired-by-A-Bad-Case-of-Stripes


Happy reading,

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