"When you are teaching kids to write, you're teaching them to think. Writing is the window through which all thinking starts." -Sheryl Block

Hello Readers!

This week I want to talk about creative writing and the publishing of student work. In fifth grade, we do a lot of writing! From narrative pieces to expository pieces, my students are constantly working on a writing assignment. It is wonderful to have the 1:1 technology in my classroom, so each student can type their final piece on Microsoft Word and ‘publish’ their work. However, this trimester I wanted the kids to feel like true published authors.

My students have recently completed writing their expository pieces about the adaptations of a self-selected animal. With non-fiction text, there are many distinctive text features that I wanted my students to explore. Using the electronic platform, Story Jumper, each of my students created an e-book complete with photographs, captions, a table of contents, a glossary, an index, headings, charts, diagrams, bolded vocabulary terms, etcetera. The site is very interactive and user friendly. Each student had their own username and password, so their book was protected from unwanted editors. The coolest part is the realistic display. The e-book has pages that actually flip and you can hear the sound as each page is turned. The one negative of using this site is the company charges you to print your book. It costs around three dollars just to print it from the website to your personal printer. On the positive, there is an option to order paperback or hardcover versions of your book from the company. Several of my students and their families purchased their written creations and the books are beautiful keepsakes.

Another writing piece my students have been working on is writing text to go along with wordless picture books. My school is using a program called Write Brain Books to encourage the students to write creatively using the age old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words.” In my class, the students are paired and are collaboratively writing the book. We have worked on character development, story mapping, and descriptive word choice as the partners draft their stories. Once the students finish drafting and editing, they will type their book online and we will send away for a published version. Every class in school is working on this project, so in June we can have a school wide author’s celebration!

            The writing block has become one of the favorite parts of the day for my students. They are actually asking for more time to work on their Write Brain Books! I love the students’ excitement and enthusiasm from writing for an authentic purpose and task! I cannot wait to see the finished products!

Above: One of my student's published, hardcover non-fiction books on toucans created on Story Jumper.

Below: Table of Contents from one of my student's non-fiction texts.

Above: Drafts of Write Brain Books.

https://writebrainbooks.com/

Until Next Time,

~A

We Like to Move It, Move It!

Hello Readers!

            This week I want to talk about movement breaks and their valuable role in the classroom. In my district, we are lucky enough to have a Student Support Specialist who helps teachers and students make schooldays successful. During a recent professional development day, our specialist shared with us the benefits of taking whole class mindful moments. She demonstrated yoga poses, breathing exercises, and suggested programs that can easily be applied in the classroom.

One of the strategies she talked about was GoNoodle.  I was already familiar with the website, but I always thought it was for getting the wiggles and energy out. To my surprise, the site has expanded and now has activities sorted by energy level. After learning about the new options, I use the website for both raising the energy level and lowering the energy level depending on the goal I am trying to achieve. My personal favorites have become the “Get Chill” and “Get Focused” videos. They are perfect for after recess and lunch. My students benefit from having the opportunity to bring their energy level from a whopping 10 down to a more classroom appropriate level of a 4 or 5.

Another method I have been experimenting with are “Yoga and Mindfulness Practices for Children Card Deck.” There are more than fifty different movement activities that can be performed in the classroom to make children more aware of themselves. I love the fact that the cards use a five step method and that there are options for both out of seat and in seat activities. My students are big fans of the yoga poses. Mountain pose and Warrior are two of the common positions we practice. I have found these activities easy to incorporate into our daily routine and very beneficial in getting students to calm their bodies so they can focus on their breathing and the way their body is reacting to different stimuli.

Beyond the benefits for the students and their learning, I too have experienced personal perks. I find that the afternoon is the most challenging part of the day. The students are generally in an after lunch slump and they begin to either shut down or ramp up. While the students are performing the yoga poses or following along with the GoNoodle video, I participate right alongside them. After the activity, I feel calmer and regain control of my actions and reactions. It really does help me to refocus and have a more successful afternoon. Who can argue with results like this?

Until Next Time,

~A

https://www.gonoodle.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mindfulness-Practices-Children-Card/dp/1683730186/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489864390&sr=8-1&keywords=yoga+mindfulness+card+deck

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!!

Hello Readers!

        This week my class and I celebrated one of my favorite days of the year…Dr. Seuss’ Birthday!!! He is one of my favorite children’s authors and I love to share his creativity with my students. This year being the first time I’ve had my own classroom, I went with a big celebration. Although my students are in the fifth grade, I truly believe that picture books and Dr. Seuss are for all ages!

My students started the day with a treat bag of goodies at their seats. The Target Dollar Spot had Dr. Seuss themed pencils, bookmarks, and erasers that I just couldn’t resist buyingJ The room was decorated with cut-outs from Oh the Places You’ll Go in addition to The Cat and the Hat bulletin boarder and a “Grab Your Hat and Read with the Cat” poster on the classroom door. Every Dr. Seuss book that I own was displayed in my reading corner. I greeted my students at the door with a smile on my face, a striped red and white hat on my head, and a t-shirt that said, “Teacher of All Things.”

Throughout the day, the celebration continued. During my reading block, the students played the role of detectives as they read alibis and tried to determine which Seussical character committed the crime of messing up our classroom library. They worked independently and in pairs to sketch the crime scene and use context clues to determine a guilty suspect. In the end, students presented their case courtroom style using evidence from the crime scene and information from the alibis to prove their claim. I have never seen my students so actively engaged in using context clues, text evidence, and creating an argument. I will definitely be using this activity next year and searching for similar activities to incorporate throughout the school year.

The entire fifth grade read aloud one of Dr. Seuss’ lesser known titles, Daisy Head Mayzie and worked on complimentary activities. We used the story to discuss theme and the students worked on a project to demonstrate their understanding. Each student received a daisy cut-out. They wrote one of the themes from the story in the center and were then asked to find five quotes (one for each of the petals) from the story to support their theme. This activity made for an adorable bulletin board!

At the end of the day, my students enjoyed watching the movie, Horton Hears a Who. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day!

Until Next Time,

~A



Link to Dr. Seuss Mystery Activity: http://libraryeverything.blogspot.com/2013/03/seusstastic-mystery-in-library-revealed.html