Two Birds With One Stone

         I hope everyone is enjoying this pre-Thanksgiving week!  I, for one, will be enjoying two birds this week.  One that my husband smoked for our camping trip and one that my niece will be cooking for the first time ever on the big day!  So it is very fitting that last week I thought of this title, and then never got to write it!  It’s about shades of meaning and how to attack this skill in two subjects, instead of just in one!

            Let’s start with a question.  Have you ever taught something with “cute” words?  I mean, really “cute”, so “cute” that, after awhile, they start making you a little sick!  I believe this is because these “cute” words aren’t true to what kids need to know.  The word I am currently “sick” of is “Sparkle Words”.  Let’s face it, what does this really mean.  Oh, I know what it means.  It means to go in and find weak words and replace them with stronger words, making your writing “sparkle”.  But do kids deserve more than a word that doesn’t really match something in reading!  There is, after all, an exact reading term for this very concept.  It is a term they are now (or should be) learning in lower grades with the influx of Common Core.  Let’s, then, make it really count and call it what it is in writing also-Shades of Meaning!  And, so I did! 

            I started out with redirecting them through a Power Point to our slide show on Roald Dahl and author’s purpose.  We specifically talked about his ability to write exactly opposite of what he wanted to say to his teachers! 

Imagine that, an author who was clever enough to trick his teachers into thinking he couldn't write!  We also looked specifically at some of his word choices and talked about what thesaurus are.

 I explained that the shade of meaning, or intensity of the word, helped to strengthen his writing.  To show them what I meant by intensity, I showed them a large paint chip from Wal-Mart’s paint section that has all of the intensities of blue on the chip in circle form. (These are from Better Homes and Gardens Paint)  We focused next on one particular sentence: 

And she was mad! ( Page 37)

Using the thesaurus, we first picked out the definition that matched the sentence on page 37-Wait, can it be true-THIS IS READING!-and then tried out a few.  I showed them how we would build an intensity continuum and we charted out mad.  And, low and behold, we found “seeing red” as one of the most intense word choices!  A great example of how idioms are an intense shade of meaning!  Isn’t figurative language a standard in READING vocabulary in Common Core (and, not to mention, NGSSS)?  Are you starting to see what I mean?  Why keep calling them words like “sparkle words” when you can get more bang for your buck!  Shall we move on?

           

            I then turned it over to the kids.  I gave each group a sentence from Charlie and the Chocolate factory with a word underlined on the page.  They needed to find 4 more words in that shade of meaning that grew in intensity.  It was amazing. They went at it and really enjoyed talking about how the words grew stronger but didn’t change the meaning. One group lost their way in the fact that they picked the first four words they came across.  I worked with them to “shop around” a little and soon, they had gathered some pretty intense words.  Continuums were created, and we were on our way!

            Next, I gave them a word with multi meanings-wait, isn’t that READING!- and had them 1.  Find their meaning and 2.  Organize them by intensity.  This was from my Shades of Meaning 8 Pack.  Once they created their intensity continuum by simply ordering them on their desktops, they shared out with the class.  After that, they completed the form provided in the pack for the word “good” that their group had.  And just like that, we were on our way to creating stronger sentences in our writing from something that matches a reading skill!

            But we weren’t finished!  Next, I gave them a weak word from a website I found.  Can I find it now, of course not!  There are tons of them out there to use though, so find what works for you!  As partners, the students worked on two words. They were given the directions to find 5 “weak” words, because the one I gave them was the WEAKEST, 5 strong words, 5 stronger words, and 5 intense words.  

This was the only way I could think it through that made sense to them.  I do need to work on this particular thought.  Anyways, they went to town and created word lists to match their weakest word!  I reminded them that they would be sharing these with the class, and to be prepared, but they weren’t prepared for what came next.

            A gravestone, some tears and a whole lot of saying goodbye!  Many of you have probably heard about burying words, putting them away from use, but have you ever had an actual funeral.  We did.  I “cried” and everything.  Once the kids got into it, it was pretty humorous.  They cried loudly over each word as I announced its death and put it on the gravestone.  They then “eulogized” their word by sharing their stronger choices.  I wrote them on the paint chip circles that are now hung our Shades of Meaning bulletin board.  

As we go further along, I will be creating lists of ways to make their writing come “alive” next to our tombstone and shades of meaning continuums.  This will include similes, metaphors, alliterations, etc.  that I post on flowers.  I thought that would be a nice way to show how their writing will grow by using intense word choice.

            So, here’s the bigger picture and how I am killing two birds with one stone. Next we will  go over the question stems for shades of meaning for reading tests.  That means I can now write test questions based on shades of meaning and they will get it.  I can now go through the figurative language pieces for their writing.  I can tie it to how writers use figurative language to strengthen their work and how they should too.  I can show them how those question stems work!  It’s all connected; it’s all one strand!  It is now open season for this word work!  Take a shot at it; I think you will like it!

           

Weekly Content 5+ With A Fist Pump!!

            This week I had a number of things I had planned to talk about and something else has yet, again, sidetracked me.  But sometimes, you’ve gotta share!   Today I was home with my youngest who wasn’t feeling well.  I tend to overuse Facebook on days like this, and that’s where I saw this:

I'm working on Science daily 5. I am asking for input on the rotation. Do you allow each group in to each station daily? Please help!

That totally got my interest.  I had to find out more! I had to get my oldest going and get him to school!  That’s a half-hour away and that means think time-and think I did! 

            Before I left the house, I was able to discover what the Science Weekly 5 was.  I went to The Science Penguin and took a quick glance:

http://www.thesciencepenguin.com/p/what-is-science-weekly-five.html

From that quick glance, I then found this link to her freebie that explains more.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Science-Weekly-Five-Start-Up-Kit-229542

And, from there, my brain started ticking away.  I know enough about the Daily 5 to be able to make some serious reading/content area connections.  The Daily 5, in case you haven’t heard of it, is a reading system that allows you to hit all areas of reading work every day.  I have done a modified version in the past and just haven’t gotten there since I have taught 4^th grade.  I find that I am really teaching and they are busy enough with the literature we are doing, that I just can't get to it.  It is an awesome program, so if you want to learn more, I highly suggest getting the book and reading it through. 

As I was driving, I began to make some serious decisions.  What did I want it to look like?   Who would be doing what?  What would I be doing?  How could I make this content area worthy and hit everything I need to hit?  How will I know what the kids are doing and cover content?  How would I give a test?  And, then, BAM-just like that-I also realized how this would help when I’d be working with my RTI groups!  Oh, how great this day is!  Success!!  Without further ado, here it is.

1. There would be 6 rotations instead of 5.  The 6^th rotation is the +.  It is only for the kids that are not participating in RTI.  They are doing the extra assignment while I am working with the small group kids.  They can work on any of the Weekly 5+ during this time.

            2.  The areas would be Social Studies comprehension, Partner Reading/Listen to Reading Science Text with comprehension, Teacher Time, Team Work Time (this will be project based), Vocabulary, and + Time.  

      3.  Yes, it covers both areas.  Let me restate that -YES! (with a fist pump) That means I’ll get through more curriculum at a faster paces than I currently am.

            4.  YES! (Fist pump) I can still do projects and experiments because now it will be interwoven with the rest of the items and I will meet with kids in small groups to help guide their understanding when we do this!

     5.  YES!  (Fist pump) I can give tests.  This will be the teacher rotation for the week all on one day!  So, technically, they are still working on a rotation, just all at once.  And when they finish, they are able to go right back to work on one of the things that they have for the week-steady flow of work! 

     6.  YES!  (Double fist pump) I’m covering READING SKILLS this way! 

            7.  YES!!  (Triple fist pump)  I get multiple grades for each subject, each week now!  Oh, I could just sing at this point!  Hallelujah! 

Oh, dear Fourth Grade Friend, you have no idea how you blessed me today while I drove my child to school.  So what did I do when I got home????

            I wrote it up!  Here’s a quick peek at what I’ve got going!   This is the poster that I will print out and laminate for my room. It will be the overall guide for the kids for the week.

These are the plans for week one.  That’s right-next week!  I'm totally excited!  Look at that-Science AND Social Studies!  That means grades folks, and you know that’s what we are always looking for!!! 

Each week, I'll just take this off the poster and add the next plan of action!  How great is that! 

For those of you from Florida, the reading comprehension is the sheets from Florida Then and Now.  I got so excited about this, I charted out the comprehension for the rest of the year-yes, I did!  That’s how you spend a day with a sick kid who’s watching TV all day! (Oh, I did 2 loads of dishes, graded 4 sets of papers, did 4 loads of laundry-no folding till after this, and made 2 batches of Pillsbury biscuits, 2 batches of corn bread, and 1 loaf of beer bread for my youngest school’s luncheon tomorrow.  Please don’t ask me how-I’m still trying to figure out how I was that efficient today!)

There are more thoughts that I have.  I know there will be some work throughs.  I haven’t even read through The Science Penguins suggestions yet.  I know they will help.  I’m just, plain, fist pumping excited about this!  I’m hoping you might like this too!  It is a totally different way to think about the content areas!  Thanks again Fourth Grade Friend!!!

Off Topic

Today I want to write about something unexpected, something that I think all teachers go through from time to time that we just don’t see coming.  This weekend, I held a baby.  A beautiful, almost year old, baby.  She was beautiful and she was sweet.  She laughed and ate bacon from my hand as her brother and sisters worked on a craft project.  I even gave her a nick name.  And then I found out. I found out her father was a former student.  That is not a typical story, but the next part is.  Her father is in trouble.  He isn’t home and won’t be, for a while. 

With the onset of modern technology, we have the ability to be “around” our former students.  We get to watch them grow up and have real lives.  Before I go on, I do want to clarify.  I am not “friends” on Facebook with any former students who are not over 18.  Once they are adults, I will follow them.  This is, after all, part of being an adult.  I am friends with one of my former teachers, the one who probably impacted me the most in my life.  I can never thank her enough for simply doing her job.  It was that very passion that more than likely lead to mine.  And she is but one of the 6+ elementary teachers that spoke into my career and helps still, to this day, guide what I do.  Being friends with these now adult former students is an opportunity to do the same thing.  I write them “Happy Birthdays”, “Keep studying”, “Congratulations”, and more recently, “Oh, should I spoil all this fun and tell you that you only fill in a little box on "real" lesson plans!”  I have also written, “Your baby is beautiful.”  And that where this post is leading me.

With all those wonderful things that students do, I think seeing some of them become parents is amazing.  It is, after all, the most amazing thing a person can do.  And this little baby, she is a part of me.  I know that sounds “weird”, but how many times do we meet former students and we go right back to that moment, right back to knowing that kid and loving that kid, even though they are adults.  We hear about their lives and take pleasure in knowing what they are doing.  Yet, presented before me is a struggle in life.  I think we forget that former students struggle. But, it won’t change my feelings the day I do get to see her dad, because he’s coming home.  I will hug him and tell him the same things that I would tell one of those students who’s lives seem to be together, “Your daughter is beautiful.”, “Her mother loves you and wants what’s best, “  and “I don’t care what you have done, I care about you!”   So, I think that’s the thing that I’m taking away from this opportunity.  Strugglers are still ours, they still matter to us.  And, more importantly, we might be the only ones in their childhood life that do.  When you see that adult students, just ask yourself, what really matters.  Right now, to me, that’s simply to love that child where they’re  at, even when it is not the pretty picture we hope it to be. 

It's All About the Costume!

      Halloween, fun and candy galore!  It is also a time killer-waiting for the party, waiting, in my case, for the parade that my school holds.  What’s a teacher to do?  Especially when you have, based on your own opinion, a boring costume.  As a team, we went with simple-dice.  White shirts, black dots-done.  I put mine on with double sided tape for easy removal.  On my way to work, I decided that I would, simply, change my white shirt.  I would use the black dots in a different way-I would turn myself into a ghost.  That got my brain thinking, and here’s where it lead.  With all that down time, my boring white shirt, and kids who couldn’t concentrate long enough to do anything “standard” worthy, I decided to let them create the rest of my costumes for the day!  Out came the construction paper and scissors.  But, more importantly, their creativity.  Below is the sequence of my costumes for the day!

Here's the dice!  Kids also came up with dominos.  

This was my favorite.  The cat, including the stripes!

I called him the horned man!

This was Mike Wazowski's cousin, Bubba!

This is the girly ghost costume!

This is a monster made of a variety of different animals, from sea turtle to dragon!

The ghost duck!

And, the grand finale.......

A No Homework Pass Coupon!  How could I give them homework with a costume like this!

     I’m definitely going to work my costumes around this idea from now on.  It solved so many problems with the day and let the kids have fun and pride in something they created.  Other kids spent the rest of the day wearing the costumes that the kids made for me and one ended up on the wall, as a permanent reminder of the opportunity to step out and create something just, plain fun!