Tuesday, September 27

Nonfiction File Folder Project

So this is NOT my original idea! I got this from a 4th grade teacher are my last school. After I review nonfiction text features with my third graders they will each get a file folder (I have already premade 25 file folders and divided them into 8 sections) a sheet of directions and a nonfiction book. I love the Scholastic Vocabulary Readers! I have them for all the topics and they are perfect for my lower readers. After modeling the project the students will be left alone to complete it. Here's a sample of a completed folder.















Here are the directions along with a rubric. Do you think you'll use this project with your students? I'd love to hear your feedback!
 
Apparently the project has been archived on Scribd, I have uploaded it on GoogleDocs as I cannot keep up with the requests to email the document.


Monday, September 26

Teaching Nonfiction Text Features

So this week I'm teaching my third graders about nonfiction text features. Beth Newinghams blog has been very helpful (http://blogs.scholastic.com/top_teaching/2011/03/my-march-top-ten-list-nonfiction-reading-resources.html) she has a set of nonfiction text feature posters that are awesome and free!

I'm also using a flip chart from Scholastic to introduce each feature.
SCHOLASTIC TEACHING RESOURCES WIPE OFF FLIP CHART INTRODUCTION TO NONFICTION WRITE ON

At the end of the week my students will begin a Nonfiction Text Feature project that I can't wait to share with you guys.

How do you go about teaching nonfiction to your students?

Tuesday, September 20

Dr. Seuss Poster Winners

Well the giveway is over... check your email, you might be a winner!

Saturday, September 17

Giveaway

So I've reached more than 300 followers and it's time for another giveaway! This time I'm giving away Dr. Seuss themed Reading Strategy Skills and Posters (I've blogged about these posters before http://jessicaywinston.blogspot.com/2011/07/apple-themed-reading-skills-and.html).
So if you would like to win these posters for your classroom, follow my blog and leave a comment with your email address and I will pick a winner on Tuesday, September 20th.

Tuesday, September 13

Revisting Positive Postcards

So I blogged about this back in July (http://jessicaywinston.blogspot.com/2011/07/positive-postcards.html). Now that school has been in session six days, I think I'm ready to get started. So at first I was going to send home three per month until I had gotten to all students. Well I've since decided to mail eight a week for the next three weeks. Then mail 4 a month starting in November. That means that each child would recieve two postcards this year. So I just finished writing my eight postcards to my new third graders. Can't wait to see the reaction I get.

Saturday, September 10

Survived the 1st Week!

It has been an exhausting first week of school but I'm loving every minute of it! I love my new school, my new teammates and my new third graders! One thing I've learned this week is that a good teacher is a good teacher regardless the school or grade! But I must say that my biggest fear is that I won't teach math effectively. So I've really been following my school systems curriculum framework for math. The first 3 weeks of school is spent reviewing addition and subtraction strategies and properties of addtion. So I used the posters they created(I had to make them cuter) and began teaching. I shared them below, please share your favorite method for reviewing addtion and subtraction facts!


Addition Strategy Posters

Subtraction Strategy Posters

Addition Properties

Sunday, September 4

Meet and Greet

So it's been a week since Irene hit Richmond and there are still people without electricity. We had an abbreviated teacher work week, we had to cram 5 days worth of meetings, professional development and classroom pret into 3 days. I will be going in on Labor Day to do lesson plans. I met 16 of my 26 third graders on Friday and this is what I had waiting for them.

Magic Confetti
I got this idea from Ms. Fiorini of Second Grade Locker Room . I have several versions on my classroom website.
This year I decided to make a card for the confetti. I used my Cricut Expressions Create a Critter cartridge to cut out a bookworm and apple. I used My Pink Stamper School Days  'Welcome Back' Stamp, blank cards, poems, small craft ziploc bags and hollywood confetti to match my theme, bought it from Oriental Trading.


 Thanks for Poppin in!
Pretty self explanatory. I created a 2x4 label with Thistlegirl Movie graphics and I stuck it to a bag of popcorn.