Graphic Organizers

I found a set of graphic organizers I had tweaked, tweaked them some more and decided to post them on my blog. They'll eventually be on The Teaching Oasis. They're centered around the 8 reading strategies I'm required to teach by my school district.
 

Do you think you will use these to have students respond to their reading?

Giveaway: Guided Reading

Students return to school in about 2 two weeks. I feel like I'm back in college and cramming for an exam. I'm trying to finish all my professional reading and bring to life all these ideas that are swarming around in my head. FYI: Pinterest is not helping in this endeavor, since everytime I log on I pin another "something" for me to make and implement in my classroom!

I learned about Guided Reading in college (shout out to Chowan Univeristy!) Last year my school did a book study on The Next Step in Guided Reading by Jan Richardson. I look forward to implementing more of her ideas next year. She also has tons on Online Resources to go with the book.

I happen to have an extra copy of the book and would love to give it away to someone who might find it useful. Just leave a comment on this post (I do have to approve them so it might take awhile to show up) with your favorite guided reading activity and your email address. I will use a random number picker on Tuesday to select our winner!

My Blog Turns One!

Wednesday my blog turned one years old! So much has happened this past year... I transferred to a new school and taught a new grade level (one with standardized testing), I was diagnosed with an Ovarian Teratoma and had to have that removed and I got engaged. It's been one roller coaster of emotions!

I wish I had more time to blog more and I will try to make that a priority but I'm so busy. I'm taking a night class, working on third grade materials, trying to plan a wedding and hopefully getting my health back on track. After the teratoma I was diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids which is apparently very common, so now they are trying to treat those symptoms.

But enough about that... to celebrate my blog birthday I created these Reading Response Flipbooks. I think they would work for grades 2-4. Let me know what you think!

Reading Response Flipbooks

Picture Perfect Science

I just finished a two day institute on Math, Science, Technology and Engineering at the MathScience Innovation Center in Richmond, Virginia. Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberry were presenters at this conference. They are the authors of these books...
1- Picture Pefect Science
2- More Picture Perfect Science
3- Teaching Science through Trade Books


I had an opportunity to look through all the books and they are all amazing! I even purchased two of them and I don't even teach science! I teach Social Studies to two classes and my partner teaches the science. But as you know, I love to integrate childrens literature into my lessons, so this is a great way for me to reinforce our science standards through my reading lessons. They give you a lower and upper elementary book option (or use them both), a detailed lesson plan, and the cutest reproducibles!

They actually modeled a few of their lessons during the keynote address and their breakout sessions. The first activity they did was called Loco Beans. It used the book Lucas and His Loco Beans and we completed an investigation with Mexican Jumping Beans. Then they did a lesson on magnets with That Magnetic Dog. The lesson called Turtle Hurdles was the best. They used the books Turtle Bay and Turtle, Turtle Watch Out. They incorporated reading strategies during the read aloud (questioning, synthesizing), then we played a turtle survival game, we identified natural and human events that harm and help turtles.

My partner (the one who actually teachings science) bought the Picture Perfect Science book and I bought the other two. If I had to recommend just one book, it would be... Teaching Science with Trade Books. It comes with 50 lessons on how to use 100 childrens books to teach 1- Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science 2- Physical Science 3- Life Science 4- Earth and Space Science. You may be able to find these books cheaper on Amazon or other various sites.

So... what's your favorite book to teach science with?

Earth Day- Operation Conservation

I woke up this morning with a text from my fiance saying "Happy Earth Day." Random but sweet, I had totally forgot it was Earth Day. I'm currently reading Ready Freddy Save the Earth to my students.

In the past I've read Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg, Earth Day Horray by Stuart J. Murphy, The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, Curious George Plants a Tree by H.A. Reys and Our Class is Going Green by Mrs. Nickles K Class.

I thought I share a little something to celebrate the occasion.
Earth Day

There are many more activities on my website
http://www.mswinston.com/my_holidays.html

I also found this freebie
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Earth-Day-Mini-Unit-Freebie

What do you do to celebration Earth Day?

Independent Reading Menus- Fiction Books

I've been working on these for months now and I've finally got them finished. I created 10 Independent Reading Menus with before, during, and after activities. Suitable for 2nd-4th grade.

I've decided to offer it on my blog for $5. After you purchase these set of menus you will automatically entered to win the Nonfiction Independent Reading Menus that I'll be giving away on my 30th birthday... next week! Just reply to this post with the number of days you have left if school and your email address.

Dr. Seuss Project

I bought this project from Unique Teaching Resources over a year ago and never used it. http://www.uniqueteachingresources.com/character-body-book-report.html When I found out I needed to do some sort of Dr. Seuss project to be displayed for Read Across America Week I knew this would be perfect.

First I read The Grinch, The Lorax, Yertle the Turtle and Cat in the Hat. Then we discuss the character traits of each character and then summarized the stories. I let them pick which character they wanted to do. Some examples are listed below.

Reading Marathon

This is another idea taken from a 4th grade teacher at my previous school and I love it! It's called a "Reading Marathon" and the students love it!

Materials: (for each child)
-white paper, folded into 6 sections- plain printer paper or white construction paper will do
-leveled text
-crayons, colored pencils, pencil

Time: about 90 minutes

Pass out a book(should be the child's independent level) and a sheet of folded paper to each child. Students may use books that they are currently reading. Explain that they will be participating in a Reading Marathon. Students should  complete each section in the time alloted.

10 minutes: Section 1- Make a new cover for you book. Color the cover, be sure to include the title and author.

10 minutes: students reading silently.

10 minutes: Section 2- Write three important details about your favorite character. Draw and color a picture of the character.

10 minutes: students reading silently

10 minutes: Section 3- Write a quick summary of the book part you just read.

10 minutes: Section 4- Draw a visualization from the book. Write a sentence explaining your visualization.

10 minutes: students reading silently

10 minutes: Section 5- Write 3 questions you've had about the book so far.

10 minutes: Section 6- Draw a picture and write a sentence about your book's setting.

I've done this a couple of times and I've been impressed with the results. I will try and figure out a "nonfiction reading marathon."

Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun

I LOVE this book! I read this book during the first three weeks of school while I was using childrens books to build character. Best of all, the author, Maria Dismondy http://www.mariadismondy.com/ , has an activity packet full of ideas to go along with this book http://www.mariadismondy.com/uploads/docs/Spaghetti-Readers-Guide.pdf.
It's about having the courage to be who you are, and children nowadays need all the encouragment they need in this area. It would also be the perfect Christmas gift for the child in your life how has or needs the confidence to be themselves!

Now for the awesome giveaway... I'm giving away a SIGNED COPY(from the author) of this book. All you have to do is follow my blog, and leave a comment including your email address, telling me how you would use it in your classroom. I will be choosing a winner on Saturday.

Remarkable Reindeer

So I'm thinking ahead to the shared reading units I want to teach in December. I want to do a unit on Reindeer. I have a class set of the Science Vocabulary Reader from Scholastic, Remarkable Reindeer. I also think I'm going to read the fiction book Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett. I have a trifold I made for the book here. But since I'm in third grade I thought I should step it up a knotch and came up with this activity packet.



Remarkable Reindeer

Hour of the Olympics

So now that I'm in 3rd grade, I'm no longer teaching Ancient Egypt and China. I get to teach Ancienct Greece and Rome! To go along with my Ancient Greece Unit I purchased a class set of Magic Tree House Hour of the Olympics. I then found this INCREDIBLE SITE http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading10/hour_of_the_olympics.htm that had vocabulary and questions to go with the unit. I simply copied and pasted them into a word document and created a literature packet. I think I will do this unit during shared reading. They'll have to read two chapters a day and complete the sheet that goes with it. Then I can use it as a reading and social studies grade:)

Hour of the Olympics

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.



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.


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?

Dr. Seuss Poster Winners

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

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.

September Books

Since my entire classroom library is sitting in my dining room waiting for me to wisk them away to school, I figured I do some more blogging about books to read. I've already blogged about books for launching reading and writing workshop, I've also blogged about mentor texts for reading skills and stratigies. Below are a list of my favorite September Books. Leave a comment with your favorite book!

Character Building
A Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue
Bully B.E.A.N.S.
My Mouth is a Volcano
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon
The Boy Who Wouldn't Share
Fill a Bucket
Have you Filled a Bucket Today?
HOw Full is your Bucket? For Kids
Do Unto Otters
Yes We Can!
The Recess Queen
Little Prickles
The Marshmallow Incident
Bullies Never Win
Jungle Bullies
Sweet Briar Goes to School
Sweet Briar Goes to Camp
Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully
Back to School
The Berestain Bears Go Back to School
Brand New Pencils, Brand New Books
Miss Malarkey Doesn't LIve in Room 10
Ready, Set, School!
A Fine, Fine School
What Teachers Can't Do
I Know an Old Teacher
Amelia Bedilia's First Day of School
My School's a Zoo
How do Dinosaurs Go to School?
Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale
Miss Nelson is Missing
Miss Nelson is Back
First Day Jitters
The Kissing Hand
A Pocketful of Kisses
A Kiss Goodbye
Marley Goes to School
Seasonal
Johnny Appleseed- Jane Kurtz
Johnny Appleseed- Alyse Sweeney
Johnny Appleseed- Jodie Shepherd
We All Fall for Apples- Emmi Herman
Fluffy's Goes Apple Picking- Kate McMullan
A Day at the Apple Orchard- Megan Faulkner & Adam Krawesky
How Do Apples Grow? Betsy Maestro
Apples for Everyone- Jill Esbaum
Apples- Gail Gibbons
The Apple Pie Tree- Zoe Hall
Clifford's First Autumn- Norman Bridwell
Leaves- David Ezra Stein
Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane- Victoria Sherrow
The Biggest Leaf Pile- Steve Metzger
The Falling Leaves- Steve Metzger
The Falling Leaves and the Scarecrow- Steve Metzger
Little Red's AUtumn Adventure- Sarah Ferguson
Wild Child- Lynn Plourde

Classroom Songs

I teacher online created some songs to help her students soar on standardized reading and math assessments. She also recorded a bully song that I really like. Check it out!           Ann Walner

Treasure's Trifold Giveaway!

So I'm in a generous mood at the moment and in honor of me being promoted to third grade :) I will be giving away the 2nd Grade Treasures Trifold Collection.

Some people have asked if I will make 3rd grade resources. Well there isn't a need to, Melissa Shaw from http://www.stageforlearning.com/thirddownloads.asp has tons of FREE 3rd Grade Treasures Resources! So I will be using them. If I do happen to create materials (and I probably will, I'm already thinking of making DRA practice packets for the leveled readers) they will be on my classroom website.

For a list of the stories I used for the trifolds click here. I did learn later that different states had different leveled readers.

So if you use Treasures and are a 2nd grade teacher all you have to do is 1-follow my blog 2- leave a comment with your email address. I will be choosing a winner on Wednesday night.

Books to Teach Reading Strategies

So I have a list of books for reading strategies listed here, but I thought I'd share the books that I actually use each year. Do you have an Ollies Bargin Outlet in your area? Well that is where I buy 70% of my books I use to teaching reading strategies with, most of the time it's not popular literature but it's great literature and the students haven't heard the story before! Leave a comment with your favorite teaching book.

Clarify:
The Emperor's Egg- Martin Jenkins
Deep in the Swamp- Donna Bateman
Making Connections: there are literally tons of books that can be used for making connections to self, world and text. Here are my ones for text to text connections.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs/Pickles to Pittsburgh- Judi Barrett
Too Many Frogs/What a Party- Sandy Asher
Amazing Grace/Boundless Grace/Princess Grace- Mary Hoffman
Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash/ Jimmy's Boa Bungee Jump Slam Dunk- Trinka Nobel
Visualizing:
The Gruffalo- Julia Donaldson
Lily Brown's Paintings- Angela Johnson
The Salamander Room- Anne Mazer
Questioning: again there are literally tons of books that can be used for questioning but this is my favorite it!
Tuesday- David Weisner
Predicting:
The Black Snowman- Phil Mendez
The Story of Ruby Bridges- Robert Coles
Lucky Pennies and Hot Chocolate- Carly Sheilds
The Frog Prince Continued- Jon Scieszka
The Nutty Nut Chase- Kathryn White
Seven Blind Mice- Ed Young
My Lucky Day- Keiko Kasza
Inferring:
Where are you going Manyoni?- Catherine Stock
Tadpole's Promise- Jeanne Willis
Sequencing:
When the Leaf Blew In- Steve Metzger
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain- Arnold Lobel
There Was an Old Lady Series- Lucille Colandro
Fact/Opinion:
Dear Mr. Blueberry- Simon James
Fluency:
Wolf!-Becky Bloom
Other:
Testing Miss Malarkey- Judy Finchler

Wordless Picture Books

So I've learned over the years to begin teaching a new reading strategy with a wordless picture book. I find that it works best with the following strategies...

• making connections
• questioning
• predicting
• inferring
• synthesizing
• summarizing(this is a key strategy using wordless picture books will enhance for your students)

Below is a list of books I use each year for various strategies.
Deep in the Forest- Brinton Turkle
10 Minutes till Bedtime- Peggy Rathman
Looking Down- Steve Jenkins
Carl's Summer Vacation- Alexendra Day
Tuesday- David Wiesner
Chicken and Cat- Sara Varon
Do You Want to Be My Friend- Eric Carle
The Snowman- Raymond Briggs
Anno's Counting Book- Mitsumasa Anno

I also found an artile here about them.