Books in Verse- a Fun Option for Young Readers



Have you tried books written in verse with your students? These types of books have been around for a while but they seem to be gaining traction this year. Why are these books so hot right now? Readers are always looking for something new and these sure are. The books are often quick and easy reads which make them more accessible to busy children, parents who are doing the read alouds, and a great way to get reluctant readers interested!

If you look at the books written in verse out there, they are also really diverse. The narrators and content covers just about anything you can think of.

In order to help  you get started with types of books,  I have a few suggestions for you and some details about each book, including rough suggestions of what age level the books would be appropriate for. Of course with any book, teachers or parents should always look at it themselves to determine if it is appropriate for a specific child. Check out these selections and let us know if books in verse are in your library!

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech has been out for a while. The narrator of the story is a young boy who learns to use poetry to express himself. It makes for a great read aloud or for students in grades 3 and up.

 
 The Crossover by Kwame Alexander just won the Newbury. It is the tale of twin brothers and deals with issues such as the brother's new girlfriend, their relationship with their father sibling rivalry and all the ups and downs of playing basketball. Some of the verse has an edgy quality that would appeal to kids and sounds similar to rap lyrics. This is a book for older kids though, as it does have a sad ending so maybe try it for ages 10 and up.



  A good read for animal lovers or those who want to start a discussion with youngsters on community and relationships is Little Dog, Lost. There are several different things going on with the plot - a dog who needs an owner, a boy who needs a dog, and a neighbor who needs a friend. This is a great read aloud and I would say would work as one for ages 6 and up and maybe as independent reading for ages 7 or 8 and up, depending on the child's reading level.


  Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger This one is great for children in grades 1-3 as either a read aloud or independent reading. The story consists of poems of different forms to describe the day of fishing, and has fun illustrations to boot. Kids who dont know much about fishing will still enjoy the style and the story of a boy who is excited for his day fishing until he realizes his little sister is going to tag along too!

 
The Cat on the Mat Is Flat is another fun take on books written in verse. It is a beginning reader's books and consists of seven short stories. They are humourously illustrated and have gotten many a reluctant reader excited. They would probably be good for ages 4-8.





Words with Wings by Nikki Grimes is the tale of a girl whose parents separate after which she has to go to a new school. Grimes is a wonderful writing and the story comes alive. The girl, Gabby, has an understanding new teacher who helps her get her thoughts in writing and a new word of possibilities opens up. This would be a good read for students in grades 4 and up (maybe third grade depending on the student, their reading level and if they were going to read it alone or experience it as a read aloud.


Thank you and happy reading!







Why Thematic Teaching Just Makes Sense

Thematic teaching deepens understanding, increases interest, and improves retention of content. Check out this post for more information

No matter what stage you are in your teaching life, you probably would agree that making connections across your learning improves retention of content. Children, especially struggling students, need extra exposure to the challenging content presented in science and social studies, and when students are reading about, writing about, working with, and creating about the content topics, most keep the information long term. 

Last year, I was given the flexibility to select the materials I used with my students, and I decided that I'd focus on the content areas as I planned my lessons (like the old days). The difference between the "old days" and the present though was in how I worked with the content. I used a variety of materials including informational articles, reader's theater, picture books, chapter books, and poetry...all on the similar topics to build a theme, and with all of these, we used interactive notebooks, close reading, anchor charts, written responses, and graphic organizers. Teaching students to think deeply is the core to each and every part of the ELA block, and since I taught just the ELA block, it was really important to know the standards taught during the remainder of the day in order to keep with the theme.

So...what are the advantages?

I did a little digging, and after reading a few articles, this is a cumulative list from the reading. 

With thematic teaching we get these positive results...

  • Connected learning...It helps students understand connections and how to connect
  • Focuses the class on a deeper understanding of the content.
  • Extends topics beyond surface learning.
  • Allows more variety with teaching methods
  • Helps students experience many different ways of learning.
  • Keeps students engaged through making learning activities fun/variety
  • Teacher is able to be creative, authentic, and original (as well as the students)
  • Allows the teacher multiple ways to assess learning
  • Teachers can integrate all subjects and use literacy within those subjects which increases the amount of reading students complete.
  • Utilizes collaborative and cooperative learning and works well with Project Based Learning and Genius Hour
  • Students share the same learning goals and all are given the feeling of importance.
  • Creates a community of learners
  • Technology in the classroom is very important to dig deeply into the theme.
  • Compacts the curriculum
  • Time savers- teaching multiple subjects at one time
  • Students apply their learning in real world experiences.

With that long list, are there disadvantages?

Although the list of advantages is long, there are a few disadvantages to consider. After all, we must look at the needs of each and every child in our classroom and recognize that not everyone learns exactly the same way. Differentiating our teaching is required within the thematic framework if it isn't working for some of your students.
For some, interest in the topic may not be a match, and when it's not a match, motivation will dwindle.
  • Students could become bored with one theme
  • Students might show low motivation or a lack of interest interest
With the curriculum, one of the most important reasons to teach thematically is for students to make connections across the curriculum, but if they are absent, they might struggle with making those connections. Other curriculum issues includes...
  • Finding appropriate resources and enough resources to prepare students appropriately can be an issue, especially if other teachers are teaching the same content.
  • Also, some standards may not work into the themes chosen causing missed content.
  • Teacher planning and prep time may be increased due to gathering materials and creating materials to fill curriculum gaps.

Interested in trying a theme?

Each week on my blog, Comprehension Connection, I host a link up called Thematic Thursday where I pull together resources on a specific topic. Some may work well for your standards and some may not, but even if you do not teach with a full theme across all subjects, you might enjoy using a collection of themed resources to accompany your school's curriculum, a basal story, or just to increase motivation with a topic your students love. This week, the theme is...Wild West. I hope you'll stop by, check out the resources I've pulled together, and maybe link up some of your favorites (free only please) or even websites you've enjoyed.

Thematic teaching deepens understanding, increases interest, and improves retention of content. Check out this post for more information

Thanks so much for dropping in today. If you have suggestions for themes I should add to the schedule, by all means, let me know in the comments, and until next month...happy reading!

Halloween Books for Kids

Hey there everyone! It's Bex from Reading and Writing Redhead. I am here today to share some ideas for Halloween themed literature you can use in the classroom, suggest to students for their library visits, or share with parents.  And I wanted to be sure to cover books for students through at least elementary school or perhaps evening for middle schoolers! Of course we all know books for students of a certain age can be appreciated by much older or younger children too. Some of the books I read to second graders are aimed to much younger readers and some are advanced chapter books. So treat my age recommendations as just that- recommendations! If the books are new to you, read them yourself first before you decide what direction to go in with them. You can find these books at your local library or click for more information about each book before you decide.

Lets  check out some ideas for the very youngest of children up to about kindergarten.
The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by Elizabeth Mills- The counting in this Halloween version of the famous book goes from One Spooky Bus to Ten Goofy Ghosts. Kids will be singing this one all month!

Spooky Pookie by Sandra Boynton- This cute book has Pookie the pig trying to choose a Halloween costume! Awesome for very young babes and preschoolers.

Little Owl's Night by Divya Srinivasan - While this is not technically a Halloween book, lots of classes do owl units during October so I thought it deserved a mention. Its a cute twist on a bedtime story. Little Owl doesn't understand why anyone would want to miss the full moon. He ends up getting to sleep as the sun begins to rise. Great for babies-preschool.

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson - this fun story includes a witch who loses her hat, then lets a bunch of friends on her broom one by one and has kids wonder if there will be room on the broom for anyone else. It would work for preschoolers- grade 2.

The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry is a cute little twist on the Itsy Bitsy Spider and would be great for preschoolers.

Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O'Connell - in this story a witch moves into a ghosts' house and has to scare them off one by one. It is also useful if you are trying to find a book to make some math connections. This one would probably be appropriate for preschoolers-grade one.


Bone Soup by Cambria Evans is a tale of a little guy named Finnigin who is always hungry! He gets to a new town and no one will share their food with him. What will he do? If he stirs up a little magic, he must just create something good to eat.

The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing - great for kindergarten, first and second graders, this book in the Night Before series will get kids excited for Halloween and as a teacher I love the rhyming text!

Hallo-Weiner by Dav Pilkey is just awesome. I bought it back in 2007 and have taped and retaped it several times because the students can't seem to put it down. Its a cute story about a weiner dog who is teased for his costume but ends up saving the day (or Halloween night, actually). It appeals to kindergarteners-grade 2 or 3 I'd say.

The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson- this is the author of the well-known books The Best School Year Ever and the Best Christmas Ever. In this story, the six Herdman siblings always ruin Halloween by stealing candy and stirring up trouble - until the mayor cancels Halloween! Can it be saved?!

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Spears - a classic story that you probably already know. This is definitely for older children, perhaps ages 12-13+ and explores what would be like to be a young  girl in the 1600's who is suspected of witchcraft.

Zombie Chasers by  John Kloepfer -  Great for grades 5-7, this book combines silly and spooky as three kids try and deal with a zombie outbreak!

 So what is your favorite Halloween book to read? Let us know in the comments below.






Gross Books and Why I Use Them

Hi! It's Melissa from Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late. We just started a new literacy system with our Title I students this year from Fountas & Pinnell called Leveled Literacy Intervention. So far, I'm loving it! It's created to use with small groups daily and accelerate the process to reach grade level expectations. Every day, we read a new high-interest book on their instructional or independent level, and I've got to say they did an amazing job with these books.

But I'm not here to sell LLI because (1) it's really expensive and (2) you don't HAVE to have it in your class to help students reach grade level expectations. It's all about selecting books that students can relate to and read at their instructional or independent level. What I do want to talk about today is "gross books".


I have already read about poop multiple times this year (along with many other topics ranging from art, amazing heroes, and some really neat fictional books as well), and I'll be honest. I LOVE it! Why? Because it immediately hooks the students. Maybe it's just my kids, but they are fascinated with gross things. I do have a large number of boys in my program, so maybe that's why. But books like the one above are the kind of books they eat up!

One of the bonuses was that all of the books I have read this year about poop also talked about how it was somehow beneficial to us (in the book above, they used fibers from elephant dung to make paper).

I feel like too many teachers want to avoid these books or keep them out of the classroom because it's not "appropriate". Captain Underpants? I say if a kid can fall in love with reading through those books, then by all means, sign me up!

Does this mean that you can't introduce them or steer them toward "classier" choices? Absolutely not. Like I said earlier, we are reading biographies about really special people I've never heard of, interesting stories about art, and lots of other things. But if I give in occasionally to these "less-than-desirable books", then I have a better chance of getting them to at least attempt something else when the time comes.

And be honest, you're a little curious what's inside these books, too...


When Parents Ask: What Did You Do Today?



"What did you do today?"

I have heard about it from parents year after year.  I have heard about it from friends with kids year after year.  I have experienced it myself.  The dreaded answer to that question....

"Nothing."

The child comes home from school and they have absolutely nothing to say about their day.  Was it boring?  Were they not challenged?  Are they unhappy at school?  What is going on?

 I think that having this conversation with a child is very important. It promotes:
  • reflection
  • retelling skills 
  • vocabulary
  • language skills
 But it can be very frustrating when you hear day after day the same response, "nothing."  So how can we help our students be more responsive when this question is asked and how can we help parents get answers.

Asking the Right Questions

Now that I have two school age children, I have received the dreaded answer several times.  "Nothing"... "I can't remember" or even "Mom, it is the same thing everyday!"  Okay.  I know that none of these are true.  So I had to change my questioning technique.

I still ask each day "What did you do today?"  But if I don't get the answer I want, then I probe a bit further. 
  • What book did your teacher read?
  • What math game did you play?
  • Who did you play with at recess today?
My questions are more specific.  And sometimes the newsletters that are sent home can help me with this.  That leads me to my next idea...

Newsletters

This may seem a little obvious because I think pretty much most/all teachers send newsletters to keep families up to date on what is going on in the classroom.  There are a few small things that we may be able to add to help our parents.
  • Specific book titles--this allows parents to ask questions about the exact book being read
  • Vocabulary words--this year I am including these specific words and asking parents to use them, too
  • Questions--last year I started listing some questions that parents could ask their students about the lessons that were occuring
  • Apps--I list one app or website that we will be using so that families can try it out as well
My newsletters are pretty short and sweet.  I try to make sure that I have a fair amount of white space so that they seem less overwhelming.  But I try to make sure that I put information in the newsletter that will provide parents with a springboard to conversations with their children.

Social Media

Another way to help our parents engage in these conversations is through social media.  This summer I learned about several teachers using Twitter and blogs to reach out to their families daily.  I really wanted to try this out and I decided to use the Remind app.

Remind is a free communication tool for teachers.  Parents can get the message through email, a text message, or the app.  It is very easy and quick to use.  The message can be a sentence or two, an image, or a voice clip. Once the account is set up by the teacher, parents choose to sign up for these notifications. 

With this app, I have been sending one image a day highlighting something that was done.  My hope is that this daily information will provide parents with information to ask questions about their child's day.   Here are some examples:




There are so many other apps and methods to this approach available to teachers; however, this one has been quick and effective for me this year so far.  I look forward to talking to parents at conferences about the impact that this has made on them.

 What do you do to help promote these conversations at home?






Turn and Talk: Making the Most of Collaboration

Talking is one of the most important skills for all students, but especially for early students.
I’m Cathy Collier, from
Cathy Collier’s The W.I.S.E. Owl and I’m a talker!  Always have been, always will.  My mother used to start parent conferences with, “I know Cathy talks too much, what else can you tell me?”  My very favorite high school English teacher used me in a vocabulary example, “Cathy is loquacious.” Yep, it means talkative. 
www.cathycollier.com

Get them talking.

One of the best ways to let children demonstrate their understanding in the content areas is to let them talk.  Of course, controlling the talking is the secret they don’t have to know.  Here are a few conversations your students can have that will let you know just how much they know.

Good Noise

Years ago I had a teacher assistant who would complain every day about the noise in the room.  I would constantly tell her, “They are 5.  It won’t be perfectly quiet for long.”  I’d also say, “They need to talk to communicate their thoughts.”  I kept trying to tell her there was a difference between noise and good noise.

Turn and Talk Better

We all do it, but do you know how valuable it truly is.  Make sure there is procedure for talking.  Make rules. 
1.     Get a partner.  Make sure they know WHO they should be talking to.
2.     Make sure they know what to talk about.  Set a purpose.
3.     Make it mandatory that both partner’s talk.  Give roles:  the talker and the listener.  Each   student gets a role on a popsicle stick.  They rotate holding the signs to share the talk.    You can also use the roles to have the students share their discussion with the class.

4.     Make them justify.  Hold the partners accountable for the “because…” part of the statement.  They can’t just give an opinion or a fact, they have to back it up.

Oral Projects

Students love talking…so letting them choose what to talk about can help you focus their attention to details.  One year, I had a monthly family project.  In the middle of the month, I sent home a template due at the end of the month to be displayed for the following month.  For example, half way through September I sent home a pumpkin for the students to decorate.  It was due the end of the month, to be displayed outside our door for the whole next month.  We spent the day they were due letting the students describe their project.

Let’s talk Social Studies and Science

A great way to get students talking is to link the discussion to a social studies or science standard.

            Magnets – According to Virginia Standards of Learning, our kindergarten students needed to understand the laws of attract and repel.  It can be a tricky concept for 5-year-olds to express.  After magnet play with several types of magnets, including a brief explanation of North and South Poles attracting and repelling, students are put into pairs with “sandwich boards” made of red and blue construction paper with “N” and “S.”  They need to have a conversation with each other to determine something that would help them be “attracted” to each other.  They also need to determine something that would make them “repel” from each other.  They share with the class the things that would attract (donuts, candy, ice cream) and those that would repel (bees, snakes, spiders). 


            Reuse Something – Our kindergarten students also need to learn about natural resources to reuse, reduce, and recycle.  We always have a “reuse” project due at the end of the unit.  Students need to create something from something else that would typically be thrown away.  When they return their projects to the class, they need to tell the students what they “reused” and made into something new.  
Talking is one of the most important skills for all students, but especially for early students.

This student reused paper plates, a paper towel roll, an old CD (as the base) to create the game.

            President – What would they do if they were president.  I’ve seen it as a writing assignment for older students, but younger students can’t get their thoughts down on paper easily.  Let them talk about it.  You can have them dress up as a President for the Day.  They can tell you what they would like to do, if they were president.  Cupcakes for lunch every day?  Video games were mandatory?  You’ll love what they say.

Talk…use it wisely and it will make them wiser. If you'd like a copy of the talking sticks, click the link.






Writing Models for Younger Students

Hello, everyone!  It's Andrea from Reading Toward the Stars here with some writing help for young readers.

As I work with students throughout the day, I am constantly working to make sure they are getting every aspect of literacy instruction to help them get the full picture of all things literacy.

One easy way to help young readers learn to write is through models.  This may seem simple, but it is such a perfect way to introduce them to the conventions of writing.

I read a simple book with the students called Color It Blue from Scholastic.  After reading it, we made these books with other colors.

 The students first made a Circle Map to list some things that were the color they chose.

Then they used the book as a model to help them write and illustrate their very own books.

I love using this to help students understand the conventions of writing.  It is a simple way to help them gain insights into the conventions of writing with sentences and words.







5 Tips that will help you LOVE your Listening Center




Do you have these problems with setting up and running a Listening Center?

You don't have enough books.
It's too noisy.
You don't have the "fancy smancy" listening center that costs hundreds of dollars.
The kids fight over who is running the Listening Center.

Here are a few ideas that may help you have a more organized Listening Center.



Have teachers put their resources together.  Share your listening center books.  Our first grade team has done this.  We have a common area where we keep our books.  Luckily, we had a great parent helper organize our books for us.

She was WAY organized and would seriously come all afternoon almost every day last school year.  Honestly, it was like having a personal assistant at school.  We miss her!

Anyway, here is what she came up with.


They are put in order first by "theme" that goes through the entire school year.  Then, the rest are in alphabetical order.  When we check out a set of books, we put the clothespin with our name on the books that we are using.  This way, others can see where the books are at and I know quickly where I need to return them.  








For years, I had students listen to books without any headphones.   My listening center is in the hallway right outside the door so they could listen directly from the CD player.  Here's the problem:  They were always talking and goofing around.

I got a headphone jack this year.  I thought it was going to be expensive, but it really wasn't- I got one that has 10 headphone jacks.  I had ordered it out of a school supply magazine for about $25.



Here is one from Amazon that only has four.  



Have you ever looked at the prices of a "fancy smancy" listening center?  Ridiculous!  I use a Boom Box (yes, I just said Boom Box).  It does the job.  It has both a CD player and a tape player in it.  I think I got mine at Wal-mart about 10 years ago and it still works!




I have "leaders" at the listening center.  I put a list of the center groups at the listening center (laminated) and then I just put a black dot next to the name of the person who is the leader that day.  I just go down the list each time I put a new book into the listening center.  We practice "A LOT" how to be a leader.  They are in charge of getting the books and handing them out, putting in the disc, and they are the ONLY ones who are touching the CD player.  




I mentioned above that I didn't use headphones for years.  I do now.  It is SOOO much better.  Each student has their own set of headphones.  We keep them at their "bookshelf" that is next to their table groups where we keep a lot of the supplies.  When they go to the listening center, they grab their headphones.  It is now QUIET at the listening center.