What type of book is this? What evidence
can we use to support our answer?
Why would the author write this book?
After the “housework,” you’ll get into those vocabulary words! I hope you ar getting more into your groove for this! Just a couple reminders/tips! Be sure you think ahead on which words you would like to turn and talk on and which words you want to do a simple raised-hand answering! Also, if you haven’t tried tabbing your pages…you ca do that too! I like to tab each page with a so that I won’t forget it (HA is this just me?) Below I will share the vocabulary words and their optional actions!
traffic- make lots of honking noises and look in distress
crawls- move your arms like you are moving slowly (careful here to not let kids actually crawl as this is a different version of the word)
wind- take one hand and motion it back and forth as if it’s going around corners
island- make a fist (island) and motion water all around the land
neighborhood- make a house with your arms
Yes, so as I stated above, I place 3-4 activities into each basket! Why do I do this? I like to offer the students a variety of games in their basket! This allows them an opportunity to “choose” which game they would like to play first and helps with “buy in” as they love being in charge of the literacy center basket! Yes, that is 16 or so activities. However, you will see in the pictures below that sometimes it is simply one practice sheet or a hands-on game that doesn’t take a lot of prep!
Q: My kids are not fully engaged in the LEARNING during literacy centers. How do I get the students to use the activities correctly and not play around?
Again, I feel this is really part of the “buy in” during literacy centers! It’s so important that we build it up… how they get to work on their during this time, they won’t need us (teacher) because they will be able to do it on their own! Modeling is also KEY! I try to take those few extra minutes and model the correct and wrong way the centers might be used! Will someone stick all the magnets on the back of the cookie sheet instead of the front? Possibly! So, model it that way and wait for someone’s gasp…. then explain how that isn’t the correct way! Then, model the correct way to play for all students to see!
Below I will be sharing with you my first set of literacy center basket!
BASKET # 1
Have a SUPER week and talk soon!
Just curious, for your writing lesson do you leave "I like fol." Up on the smart board for students to copy?
I'm guess you are asking for one of two reasons so I'll explain both. I model a sentence for every day of writing. At this stage of the year (within the first month) I do model write with the sounds students hear. They don't hear /a/ which is why it's /o/. The second part is do my students copy sentences of the board? No, I erase my model sentence after dismissing students to their tables or they'd all write my story 😉
Tara
If you want to email me I can explain more how I transition them into a sentence from labels! It feels like a step we take in quick sand! Ha!
Tara
Thank you so much for your response! I was thinking you probably erase it for that exact reason 😉 I have a group this year that just seems to need more modeling during writer's workshop so I am trying to give them that. But also want them to feel confident and successful on their own. I am slowing my pacing down for this group and it has me second guessing a lot of things. Thanks again for taking the time to respond!
Of course anytime! And I agree… every year is a little different! Have a super weekend 😀
Tara
Can you explain how you made the picture on your smart board? I got a smart board this year and I am not too good at figuring it out yet. Loved the lesson. Very helpful.
Here they are : )https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Freebie-Interactive-Whiteboard-Nonfiction-Writing-Starters-2117837
I just made them in powerpoint : )
Tara
haha! It is adorable! It reminds me of my childhood when me and my sister do duck tape boat racing. Those days were awesome. I will never forget my childhood memories. Thanks a lot for reminding me of my childhood. You are awesome!