Cozy Corner

Here's a picture of my Cozy Corner.  The kids love it!!

(Even the boys!)

Monday's Mission

   I'd like to start off by apologizing for my lack of posts recently.  This did give me my idea for today's post:  Motivation!!
   We need to motivate our students!! I had a teacher tell me she always sounded excited when beginning a new story in class, even when she knew the story was boring.  She does a lot to motivate her students.  When we choose to be excited about lesson we are teaching, our students get excited.  So, that's our goal.  Make lessons exciting!
   Motivating students is easier said than done.  How do you reach your students?  How do you come up with enough ideas to motivate all students?  To me, that's the issue we face.  One way I choose to motivate students is offering rewards.  I have designed reward coupons that cover a variety of different things.  My goal is to have something that all of my students would want. (Reward Coupons)  Praising students is another way I choose to motivate my students.  My question for you is:  How do you motivate your students?  Please leave your response in the comments section.  The first person to respond will receive a free copy of my Reward Coupons (make sure to leave your email address).

Happy Teaching!!

Wednesday's Web of Knowledge

         This is a website designed to provide students with a fun, engaging way to write.  Best of all, it’s FREE!!  Students get their own login information, and are able to write a book.  You can have writing competitions, in which students are able to judge the work of others.

         There are two options on writing.  You can select a topic from the website or you can insert your own topic. Once the topic is assigned, students login and begin writing.  The class can work together to write a book also.  Each student writes a chapter for the book, and then everyone votes on the chapter to be used in the book.  This enables everyone to participate in the book writing adventure. 

         Once the book is complete, the book can be viewed online (with a special code) and is also available for purchase in the soft-cover form.  This site is a great way for to incorporate technology into writing.  The great part is students enjoy being on the computer and sometimes don’t even realize how much they learn.

         

Classroom Pictures

This is a picture of my How We Get Home Cutouts.  It's hanging on the wall next to my door.  For the picture, I didn't write the bus numbers or student names.  After I took the picture, I wrote the bus numbers and placed my clothes pins on the cutouts.  The kiddos love it!!

This is a picture of my most recent bulletin board, Astronomical Analogies.  Notice the bag of stars.  Those are the words my students use to fill in the analogies.  I used dark blue paper with border that had Earth on it.

Monday's Mission

         Narrative Elements-Those great things that make up stories.  Although my students can tell me what characters, setting, plot, etc. are, they have a hard time identifying those aspects in a story.  Go figure!!! What we may think is simple our students have difficulties with. 

         I have taught narrative elements in several ways, and decided I would share them with you.  The first one, I kind of came up with on my own.  (I’m very proud of myself!!)

1.     I created a PowerPoint outlining what the narrative elements are.  I used  Little Red Riding Hood as my sample story.  (This was chosen due to        student familiarity and the fact that I had some really cute clipart for it!)  So, I retold Little Red Riding Hood to my students, and used my clipart to show visuals of each of the narrative elements they are required to know.  After going over this with students, again, I gave short stories that I found.  My students then worked in small groups to identify the various narrative elements.  When they took their benchmark assessment, I found they did better because of the more direct approach.

2.    I found this idea on the Internet.  This lesson was more creative than the previous one, and I found not as many students understood what it involved.

                  *Materials:

                           -Apron

                           -Large cooking pot

                           -Stirring spoon

                           -Where the Wild Things Are

                           -A copy of the cover for Where the Wild Things Are

                           -Index Cards (LOTS)

                  *Lesson:

                           -I started the class wearing the apron and stirring my pot.  In the pot, I placed index cards with different narrative elements written on them. I explained to students that like a good soup, all good stories must have certain ingredients. I then had students give their own definition of each narrative element.  Afterwards, I read Where the Wild Things Are to my students.  They then worked with a partner to write down the different narrative elements we focused on (characters, setting, plot, theme, etc.).  After students were finished, I had them place their “ingredients” in the pot.  After “stirring” the ingredients together, I pulled out the cover of Where the Wild Things Are.  While my students certainly enjoyed this, I had to reteach the skill using a more direct approach.  I believe this is a good lesson to serve as an introductory to narrative elements. 

In the comments, share how you choose to teach narrative elements. 

Super Saver Saturday

         Today’s FREE product is one that I have not posted to Teachers Pay Teachers yet.  It is a reading strategies poster set.  These can be displayed in the reading center or throughout the room.  They serve as reminders to students on what to do while reading.  I hope you enjoy them!!

Wednesday's Web of Knowledge

         Sorry I missed yesterday’s post.  It was my son’s birthday, so the day was completely devoted to him. 

         Wednesday’s Web of Knowledge feature is:

         If you’re like me, you’ve spent hundreds of dollars purchasing books for your classroom library.  The Classroom Organizer enables teachers to keep track of all your books.  The site also has an app.  You simply scan the barcode on the back of the book and it will automatically load it to your library.  Occasionally, scanning the barcode does not work.  When that happens, all you need to do is type in the ISBN number and the book should come up.  I spent a few hours at the end of last year inputting all my books.  I find that it is a lot easier to keep up with what I have.

         Now, the great part about it is you can also input your students’ names and they can check books in and out.  They simply click on their name, type the book title in, and click on either check out or check in.  This allows students to borrow books, and you’ll always know who has them.  

Monday's Mission

         As some of us begin implementing the Common Core Standards in our classrooms, others still have to focus on their state standards.  I am one of those teachers.  In my district, we are not implementing the ELA Standards until next year; however, I still feel as though my students should be learning them now.  My personal decision is to continue teaching the Tennessee state standards, and implement Common Core when possible.  When creating lessons and bulletin boards, they focus on both sets of standards.  While it is not always easy, my goal is to prepare my students for success outside of my classroom.  That means they are not only learning state standards, but Common Core standards also. 

         Our mission is to educate our students and prepare them for success outside of school.  I believe that by introducing my students to Common Core now, they will be better prepared for the next grade.  My question:  How are you teaching the Common Core Standards in your classroom?

Happy Teaching!!!