Wordless Wednesday

I am joining Miss. DeCarbo at Sugar and Spice for her Wordless Wednesday Linky.
Come join the fun!
WordlessWednesdayLinkyPic



What picture book is this from?

photo-2
signature
2

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle - Teaching Ideas



How does this tiny seed turn into such a big beautiful flower? Author Eric Carle takes us on this little seed’s journey as it travels from its seed pod to its final resting place. Carle then gives us a peek into how this seed transforms, starting with its roots and ending with its beautiful petals and the loss of its own seeds. Along this journey the reader is witness to the trials and tribulations that other seeds and plants have in their own travels and transformations.

The illustrations are creatively painted to bring us up close and personal into the lives of the many seeds that leave the pod. Your students will delight in the artwork, as well appreciate the creative way Carle informs and explains the life of a tiny seed.
Below is a list of reading skills, strategies and ideas you can use to create a meaningful lesson, one that not only has your students discovering information on the life of a tiny seed but also using a beloved book for learning and practicing these important reading skills/strategies.

Because the book is so wonderful, I have created a skills and strategies packet to go with it, but please keep in mind, it is strictly for finding, using and practicing reading skills and strategies and not a word find, life cycle “companion piece” to the book.


Reading level: 3.2
Theme: life cycles, habitat, garden
Genre: informational

Suggested Vocabulary: Autumn looms
Reading skills and strategies:
  • purpose for reading – to learn the life cycle of a plant
  • author's purpose – inform {evidence} the author explains what happens to the tiny seed in each season. The author explains about all the different things that could make a seed or plant die. The author explains where flower seeds come from. All the things the author writes about informs the reader of plants and how they grow.
  • organization
    • Sequence – the book is written in seasonal sequential order explaining the whole plant life-cycle.
  • classify & categorize – classify seasons, categorize things that happen in those seasons
  • compare & contrast – the different seasons.
  • fact & opinion{facts} the tiny seed cannot grow in the hot dry desert. The tiny seed is so small the bird does not see it. The rain waters the tiny seed. The tiny seed turns into a big flower. {opinions} All children pick flowers. The wind always blows seeds over the ocean. Nothing ever grows in the desert because it is too hot. Tiny seeds always produce big flowers.
  • main idea & details - {main idea} The book is about the life of a tiny seed. {details} The tiny seed sails through the sky. The tiny seed settles into the ground for a long winters nap. The tiny seed grows into a great big flower.
  • normal
  • story elements - list title, author, topic, organization, KWL
  • summarize main idea – {author} Eric Carle wrote {book title} The Tiny Seed {author’s purpose} to inform its readers {statement about topic} of the life cycle of a plant. {at least 2 detail} Carle tells its readers what happens to a seed during each of the 4 seasons as well as when it lands in the hot dry desert. He also explains that a blanket of snow covers the seed like a soft white blanket during the summer.




Here is a list of skills and strategies included in the packet. The reason for the number of pages is because they are differentiated so you can accommodate your students’ needs.

* Asking Questions - 6 pages
* Author's Purpose - 3 pages
* Compare and Contrast - 6 pages
* Fact and Opinion - 3 pages
* Main Idea and Details - 4 pages
* Predict - 3 pages
* Sequencing - 19 pages
* Story Elements - 1 pages
* Summarize - 1 page
* Classify and Categorize - 5 page
* Author vs. Illustrator - 10 pages
* Genre - 4 pages
* Label It! - 4 pages

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Reading-Skills-Strategies-inspired-by-The-Tiny-Seed-1222804


Happy Spring!
 
0

Five for Friday–Finally!

I am finally on the ball enough to get a Five for Friday done, and I don’t just mean on Friday, I mean at all! I finally have 5 things worth sharing…I think?!?!

five for friday new

Since I am still on Spring break I have no “teaching” pictures Smile

five for friday new 1

Last weekend we were in the California desert for a little dirt bike riding (I actually didn’t do any riding because I had leg surgery done the week before) so I sat around and enjoyed baked in the heat and wind. Here is a picture of me and my puppy enjoying that wind.

photo-2

five for friday new 2

While in the desert I did bring my laptop to get some work done, but unfortunately, in the middle of one of my projects my computer decided to hibernate and go into FATAL ERROR mode. I panicked for just a bit and then just kept my fingers crossed that I could get it home and retrieve some of my files, which thankfully I was able to do. I took the computer to get fixed and thank goodness for the extended warranty, they have to replace the hard drive at no monetary cost to me. The tech guy was also super happy that they didn’t have to worry about data retrieval because I was able to save what I needed at home…yay me! I have no pictures to document this death, I was hoping that if I just kind of ignored the whole thing that it wouldn’t really be true…no such luck!

five for friday new 3

photo-3

The weekend in the desert was a little bitter sweet, you see, the last time we were there was last Easter and my mom was with us alive and well. We thought about her, cried for her and “Cheersed” (sorry I know that is not a word but that is what we did) her. The sky was full of unbelievable clouds, and beautiful sunsets, the kinds that make you think about those you’ve lost and think that they are there watching over you.

five for friday new 4

photo-4

Since it was Spring break, I talked my dad into helping me with my DIY project. The chimney on my house was painted the same color as the house…boring! I really wanted to have it be brick again. So instead of stripping it we just painted it. It only took us 2 days probably a total of 5 hours (and I made my kids help paint, which they were not very thrilled to do). I think it looks great, just like real brick! All it needs now is a mantle and some artwork. This weekend we are going to get our patio ready for the season, I have a great patio table that will sit right in front of it, it really is a great outdoor living space!!

five for friday new 5

Today is my last day of Spring break (for one of the schools I work at, for the other school we don’t go back till May 6th) so I decided to lay in bed with a  cup of coffee and catch up on some blog reading. When I went to go get another cup of coffee I came in to find this.

photo-5

That’s it, that’s my Five!

Enjoy your weekend!!

signature

4

An Operation of Cooperation Giveaway Winners

I would first like to say that I am sorry I did not post these on Sunday when the giveaway ended, but my hard drive crashed on Sunday and I have been dealing with that...ugh! It is not fixed yet, but I hope by the end of the week to have everything fixed!!

I would also like to thank everyone that participated in the giveaway and becoming a Picture Book Teacher's Edition follower as well as pinning or posting about this giveaway. It really is a wonderful book and I know the two lucky winners will love it.

So without further ado...
 Sara and Suzzanne, please check your email. 

Happy Reading,

0

An Operation of Cooperation by James McDonald - Teaching Ideas


An Operation of Cooperation by James McDonald is a wonderful book about teamwork and cooperation. A brother and sister have a fort to play in but when Sami cannot get into it mom must step in to help the two figure out what to do.

Mom tells the two a story about a dream like place where islands float around in the sky with only one person living on each island. When two islands finally get close enough the kids that live all alone on their island want to get together to play and keep each other company. But unfortunately neither kid is willing to give up their one and only swing. When the islands start to float away they finally decide that together, with each of their swings they connect their islands. Working as a team they come together to become one.

This story that mom tells helps Sami and Thomas realize what they must do so that each of them can get into the fort. Together they come up with a plan that will help Sami get into the fort. After all, isn’t it more fun to have someone to play with than to just play by yourself?

This book is absolutely wonderful and is a great story demonstrating what cooperation and teamwork is all about. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend this book for your classroom library.

I was contacted by Rebecca at House of Lore Publishing and she has graciously offered two books for a give away. Following the review that I did you will find the Rafflecopter entry form and if you are the lucky winners you can use the following review to help you create a meaningful lesson using this book.

For more information on this book and other great books and poems visit the Rainy Day Poems website.

If you have this book, or are the lucky winner I have created a Problem/Solution Freebie to go with it. Whether you use my freebie or want to create your own using the below reading skills, strategies and ideas, I know you and your students will love this book!

Reading level: 2.4
Theme/subject: Cooperation
Genre: general fiction

Suggested Vocabulary/phrases: amiss, fray, blue (feeling blue), bleak, bore, paced about, fling, bad snare, dread, drifting, entangle, passed like ships in the night, reeled, bread crumbs left on a trail, threw forth, gracefully, crafted a plan, engineer, combined, fared, mastermind, concede, cooperation


Reading skills and strategies:
  • Asking questions - {possible questions before} I wonder what the book is going to be about. I wonder why there are islands floating in the air. I wonder what an operation of cooperation means. {possible questions during} I wonder why the kids are living on the island by themselves. I wonder if they will be able to connect their swings. I wonder what the kids will do now that they can be on each other’s island. {possible questions after} I wonder if the floating islands are real. **Remember to have your students answer/reflect their questions.
  • Author's point of view – Third person. Be sure to find 3 pieces of evidence to support this (they).
  • Author's purpose – entertain {evidence} The author wrote the story in rhyme. There is no such thing as floating islands. The kids would never be allowed to be by themselves on floating islands in real life. All these things make the story very entertaining.
  • Beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Thomas could climb into the clubhouse but Sami couldn’t. {most important event from middle} Mom told a story about two kids cooperating. {most important event from end} Sami and Thomas worked together to figure out a way for Sami to get into the clubhouse.
  • Cause and effect – Why was Sami pouting? Because Thomas could get into the fort and she couldn’t. How come no one could play in the place that was far away? Because they all lived on islands alone. How come the kids didn’t want to throw their own swing? Because the swing was their only fun and they were afraid of losing it. How come the islands were drifting apart? Because neither of the kids would throw their own swing. How come Sami could not use the rope? Because she was just too short.
  • Character analysis - describe Thomas. Describe Sami. Describe mom. {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • Character changes – In the beginning Thomas didn’t care that Sami couldn’t get up into the fort but by the end he understood and helped Sami be able to get into the fort. The kids in the story started by not wanting to give up their own swing but soon changed their thinking. They realized that once they drifted away they may not see each other again so they both decided to use their swing so they could connect.
  • Classify & categorize – Classify activities: things to do alone and things to do with help or a partner.
  • Compare & contrast – Compare and contrast Sami and Thomas. Compare and contrast the Sami and Thomas to the kids on the floating islands. Compare and contrast something you and your brother or sister did together to Sami and Thomas’s fort “project”.
  • Connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Having a fort. Not being able to do something that your brother or sister could do. Being alone and not having anyone to play with (the kids on the islands). Not wanting to give something up for fear of not having it anymore (the swing). Working together to get something done. Coming up with a great idea that will benefit everyone (the idea for the stairs). {possible text-to-text connections} any book that deals with teamwork and or brothers and sisters working together.
  • Main idea & details - {main idea} The main idea of the story is that working together as a team makes things better. {details} When the kids on the islands worked together and used each of their swings they were able to connect their islands. Thomas and Sami came up with a plan to help Sami get into the fort. Together Sami, Thomas and their dad build a staircase.
  • Plot - the turning point or climax in the story was when mom was finished telling her story about the kids on the island working together to connect their islands.
  • Predict – What do you thing the story is going to be about. What do you thing an operation of cooperation mean? What do you think Sami and Thomas will do to help get Sami into the fort? What are the kids on the island going to do to so they can play together?
  • Problem & solution - {problem} The problem is that Sami cannot get into the fort. {solution} They worked together and decided to make stairs so that it would be easier for Sami to get into the fort.
  • Sequencing – Thomas and Sami’s fort was finished. Thomas could use the rope to get into the fort. Sami was sad because she couldn’t get into the fort. Mom told the kids a story about kids on islands that sail. The kids on the island were alone. They bumped into each other. They wanted to play with each other but neither wanted to use their own swing to connect them. The islands started drifting apart. They agreed that they must both use their swing. They tossed their swings and they tangled together. They slowly pulled the islands together and planned all the fun they would have. After hearing the story Sami and Thomas worked together to figure out how to get Sami in the fort. They ran to their dad and told him the plan. Together the three of them build stairs. Thomas and Sami were happy having worked together so they could play together.
  • Story elements - list title, author, characters, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
  • Strong thought – What could Thomas have done or said instead of telling his mom that it wasn’t his fault that his sister Sami couldn’t climb the rope.
  • Summarize - {someone} Sami {wanted} wanted to go into the fort {but} but she couldn’t use the rope {so} so she was sad. {then} Then mom told Sami and Thomas to story about two kids working together to they could get together and play. Thomas and Sami {finally} finally understood what they needed to do so that Sami could get into the fort as well.
  • Theme – Two heads are better than one.
  • Visualize – Sami and Thomas had a brand new fort to play in. Visualize what your fort would look like.


 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Problem-Solution-Freebie-for-An-Operation-of-Cooperation-by-James-McDonald-1201241
 IT'S FREE!!


Happy Reading!



0

When students walk the walk and talk the talk

I just recently posted about my fluency process which you can read about here.

My kids worked with partners. They took their job seriously.

They became a teacher.

They were an attentive student.

They learned from each other.

Here are a few pictures of teaching at its best.

photo-2

“Who is the main character?”

photo-3

“I think I am going to give you a 3 on expression because you need to sound more like you are talking.”

photo-4

“These are the words you are having problems with.”

photo-5

“You were a little too fast with your pacing.”

I was so proud of them.

signature

0

When a few simple words mean so much

I have this 4th grader that comes to me for both reading group and math group. He is my lowest reader and has just learned his 3 times tables. He is completely immature and he acts as if his sole purpose in the classroom is to make the other students laugh. Everything he does is disruptive and inappropriate. He is in trouble with his teacher every week if not every day. His teacher is constantly yelling at him. I can hear her in the hallway, outside of class, and I know exactly who she is talking to.

I love the kid.

In my room, he sits right next to me.

He helps me clean up after his group leaves.

He says thank you and have a nice weekend.

I ask him how his day is and what he did over the weekend.

We talk, we share stories with each other.

When he starts to act up I can just look at him and he refocuses and gets back to work.

We have a connection built on mutual respect and genuine like.

He works hard when he is in my room.

Working hard

I just found out, through one of our conversations, that he won’t be coming back after spring break. He is moving to another city. He is excited because he will be living with his older brother.

I have spent the past week thinking about him and his upcoming move. I am happy for him because he is so excited, but I am worried. He is so low and he doesn’t know how to be in a class without getting into trouble, I worry what will happen to  him at a new school with a new teacher.

Will they take the time to get to know him?

Will they just read his file and see that he is a trouble maker?

I am worried.

On Friday he came in my room looking for his pencil that he left, as he was leaving I called his name.

He stopped and looked at me.

I told him that I was sad he was leaving and that I was going to miss him.

He looked shocked, as if nobody had ever said something like that to him before.

He stared at me and said, “Thank you Mrs. Devoe” and then turned and left the room.

I wish him well and will think of him often. I hope someone takes the time to get to know him, I think they will really like him if they do. 

 It always amazes me how a few simple words can mean so much.

signature

4

Currently…behind

It’s that time again, that monthly reminder that time is just F.L.Y.I.N.G by. If you are like me and haven’t joined the fun click on over to Farley’s blog Oh’ Boy Fourth Grade.

april currently

ListeningHave you listened to this station? If not I highly recommend it. It is so good!

LovingI just cleaned my house and it always makes me feel so good!

ThinkingMy mom died 5 months ago yesterday. There are days that I am overwhelmed with sadness. I can’t believe that it has been 5 months and I haven’t talked to her. I still have her number on my speed dial and I stare at it wishing I could make that call.

WantingI am having some issues with the teachers at my new school. They seem to forget to respond to my emails, and to let me know when they are not sending their kids. I am always having to call for the kids or even to find them (sometimes they are in the computer lab, the library, PE, etc.) They also, as a grade level, eat lunch together in the classroom right next to mine, and they have yet to invite me. I am trying to be polite and visible and friendly but it is hard when it is not returned. Hopefully time will make it better.

Needing & hours and last dayOur school hours are 9:00 to 3:10. Our spring break is 4/9 to 5/5 and I am so looking forward to it. Our last day of school is July 25th. By July I am going to have to keep reminding myself of the long spring break we had because June and July are going to be very L O N G months!!

Happy April!

signature

7

April Top 10 Books - New Life Experiences or Changes


Spring is not my favorite season, but I do love the changes and rebirth that happens during this time. These changes always energize me and fill me with hope and excitement of what is to come. Because of this I chose New Life Experience or Changes as my theme for my Top 10 list. 

As I researched books for this list there were a couple of common themes that kept coming up, moving and starting school. Some of the books are tried and true and a few are new books to me. I hope you enjoy my list.











Happy Reading!


0