Today, we learned about several Literacy Strategies I am anxious to use in my own classroom. Here's a quick list of my favorites for reference...
To help develop vocabulary:Mind Mapping, Story Impressions, Word Family Trees, Using Morphemic Analysis to Define Words
To help with brainstorming:
Alphabet Chart, Anticipation Guide, Charachter Quotes, K-W-L Charts
To help with collaborative learning:
Connect Two, Different Perspectives, Paired Reviews
To help with promoting discussions:
B/D/A Questioning Chards, Discussion Web, Follow the Characters
To help with personal responses:
Author Says/I Say, Double-entry Diaries, First Person Reading
To help encourage writing:
Proposition/Support Outlines, Power Notes, Quick Writes
To help with representing graphically:
Analogy Charting, Concept/Definition Maps, Pyramid Diagram
To help with building study skills:
Chapter Tours, Magnet Summaries, Question-Answer Relationship
Summer Jenkins Middle Level Teacher (Grades 4-8)
Booneville Bearcats!
Go Booneville Bearcats!!!!! Once a Bearcat... Always a Bearcat!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Adaline Falling Star Booktalk
Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osbourne
Summary:
This story follows the adventures of 11 year-old Adaline Falling Star Carson, daughter of famous scout Kit Carson and an Arapaho Native American. After the death of her mother, Adaline goes to live with her father’s relatives who treat her harshly because of her half-Native American heritage. While there she pretends to be a mute and only befriends the family’s female slave.
Adaline eventually runs away when she believes her father is never going to come back for her. The novel takes a turn as Adaline leans heavily on both her Native American customs and her Christian spirituality to help her on her journey. She eventually meets a companion who surprisingly saves her life.
My Opinion:
This story was very well told and is full of imagery. The tone is dark yet hopeful. The author takes the true elements of a piece of history and transforms it into a gripping tale of what possibly could have been.
This story would work well for middle school students. It contains themes of racism, slavery, agriculture, spirituality, etc. Readers of this book may be interested in learning more about Kit Carson, a famous scout in the Old West, since the book centers on his real-life daughter.
The book can be discussed with students to show what life was like in those times for Indians like the Arapaho, and for white settlers in the area. Students might want to research the Arapaho to find out more about how they lived and what they believed.
I would recommend this book to be used while teaching these areas of Social Studies: Native Americans, Determination and Perseverance, Discovery and Learning, Runaways, Westward Expansion, Families and Social Structures
Summary:
This story follows the adventures of 11 year-old Adaline Falling Star Carson, daughter of famous scout Kit Carson and an Arapaho Native American. After the death of her mother, Adaline goes to live with her father’s relatives who treat her harshly because of her half-Native American heritage. While there she pretends to be a mute and only befriends the family’s female slave.
Adaline eventually runs away when she believes her father is never going to come back for her. The novel takes a turn as Adaline leans heavily on both her Native American customs and her Christian spirituality to help her on her journey. She eventually meets a companion who surprisingly saves her life.
My Opinion:
This story was very well told and is full of imagery. The tone is dark yet hopeful. The author takes the true elements of a piece of history and transforms it into a gripping tale of what possibly could have been.
This story would work well for middle school students. It contains themes of racism, slavery, agriculture, spirituality, etc. Readers of this book may be interested in learning more about Kit Carson, a famous scout in the Old West, since the book centers on his real-life daughter.
The book can be discussed with students to show what life was like in those times for Indians like the Arapaho, and for white settlers in the area. Students might want to research the Arapaho to find out more about how they lived and what they believed.
I would recommend this book to be used while teaching these areas of Social Studies: Native Americans, Determination and Perseverance, Discovery and Learning, Runaways, Westward Expansion, Families and Social Structures
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Last Word Game Follow-up
As you know, I don’t have my own classroom just yet, so I had to find a creative way to try out my game. I have a friend who teaches Geography in a local middle school so I modeled my game around her learning concepts and class objectives.
I’m not sure if the students had raised interest levels because I was a “visitor” and they were on their best behavior or not, but every student seemed to be very attentive and involved.
The first group was a little resistant to lay down their subject card, probably due to fear of the unknown, but by the time the second group had their turn they couldn’t wait to throw down their card and start the game. In fact, two boys out of group two almost had a wrestling match while grabbing for the timer.
Even though it is still quite early in the year, and the students haven’t even touched on some of the subjects, I believe they did very well. There was one instance, however, that no one in group three could name anything from the first subject cards they drew. I had each of the students redraw and start the round from scratch.
If I were using this in my own classroom, I believe I would be a little more selective in which subject cards I was using at a particular time of the year. The majority of the subject card should be things the students have already covered in class, and only throw in three or four subjects they would be covering very soon. The game could then be used as a review and a preview of things to come.
I’m not sure if the students had raised interest levels because I was a “visitor” and they were on their best behavior or not, but every student seemed to be very attentive and involved.
The first group was a little resistant to lay down their subject card, probably due to fear of the unknown, but by the time the second group had their turn they couldn’t wait to throw down their card and start the game. In fact, two boys out of group two almost had a wrestling match while grabbing for the timer.
Even though it is still quite early in the year, and the students haven’t even touched on some of the subjects, I believe they did very well. There was one instance, however, that no one in group three could name anything from the first subject cards they drew. I had each of the students redraw and start the round from scratch.
If I were using this in my own classroom, I believe I would be a little more selective in which subject cards I was using at a particular time of the year. The majority of the subject card should be things the students have already covered in class, and only throw in three or four subjects they would be covering very soon. The game could then be used as a review and a preview of things to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)