Where Have I Been?

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. It's be an unbelievably busy last couple of weeks trying to get ready for school to begin. 

I went to a conference earlier this week sponsored by The American Reading company. They will be sponsoring our school this year which is super exciting! Andrea Givens was one of the speakers and she was absolutely amazing. She talked a lot about the CCSS and what we need to do to make "little experts" out of our students. I'm looking forward to learning more from her and the rest of the staff this year. Here's a link to their website in case you are interested in reading more about them. They are very accessible people. Not to mention if you'd like to partner with them, name Mary H Wright as a referral school and we can get free books (shameless plug!)

The American Reading Company

I met with Candace, my partner in crime this year to set schedules and work out kinks before our newbies arrive. One of the things I still need to work on are creative center ideas. I'll spend the rest of summer vacation surfing the web to look for some good ideas.

Another thing I'm really excited about is this new book I am reading: The Art of Teaching Reading by Lucy Calkins. If you have never read this book you have to get up right now and go to Amazon and buy it! I'll even give you the link to make it easier!

The Art of Teaching Reading by Lucy Calkins

It is for my Celebrating Reading class, and I can NOT put it down. It's a pretty thick book but Calkins does a fabulous job of making it accessible and it truly is an easy read. I've finished the first section and I have a couple nuggets of truth to share with you.
1. Reading can be a form of therapy for students.
2. Reading is a lifestyle, not just something you do in life.

Just Right Books

I've been looking through some of my books this summer trying to figure out which ones I want to take back with me to my 1st grade room. It got me thinking about how I structured my classroom for reading and I wanted to share.

First, I started off looking at data. Data should drive all instruction, so if you don't currently do that, seek out someone who can help. It will forever change the way you teach.

I use the data to determine where students were at the end of the previous year. It also helps me know where to begin testing for the Fall. I begin labeling book baskets with their name and reading level. Then I fill the baskets myself for the first time. I teach the students where to look for books on their level and the procedures for checking out books. It makes things easier since every book in my classroom library is leveled. I tell students to try to read books that are one level above, and one level below as well. It worked really well in my classroom this year and the students were motivated to read more and sort of competed with themselves to move through reading levels.

I made this reading leveled book list that students used to pick out books from the library. You can get it from my TPT store.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Leveled-Book-List-170002

What works in your classroom?

Apps Right Now!

I've been hard at work today on a presentation I am doing at a workshop for our district at the beginning of the school year. It's about how we worked with iPads last year in our school.

One of the things I worked on was create an aura with Aurasma. I created a 3D aura on the cover of one of Micah's books. Now we can scan the front of his book about trucks and a 3D red truck will appear. I can't wait to show it to him!

The other thing I worked on was an iMovie trailer. I'm so excited about it. It's up on my youtube page. Click the link below to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-erP1ZXvTCk

Every time I work on this presentation I get more and more excited about next year! Anybody doing anything interesting next year to get ready?

UTC Conference and QR Codes

The last 2 days I have been at the UTC Conference in Greenville. It was a great time! I learned so much and it makes me want to get busy figuring out how I am going to use them in my classroom.

One of the biggest things I took away from the conference was using QR codes. These babies can be used to do SO MANY THINGS!!! You could use them to send home videos of the students on parent newsletters, send kids to specific kid friendly websites for research, give your personal information to parents at open house, have students go on a QR code scavenger hunt, record yourself reading a book and so much more! I can really see myself using these guys next year. 

Below is a QR code I generated at qrcodes.kaywa.com  This takes you to a youtube video where Tim Tebow read Green Eggs and Ham.

These QR codes are going to be so much fun to use next year. What would you use QR codes for in your classroom?

Shhh! Whisper Phones!

Five years ago I taught first grade for the first time. One of the ideas that came from my Master Teacher was Whisper Phones. At that point, the school bought these cool little headsets for the students to use. They worked. The class whispered when they read and I couldn't hear all of the chatter in the room when I was doing small groups.

When I left for the green pastures of 3rd grade, I had to leave those babies behind.

Now that I am going back to first grade, I thought about those cute little whisper phones. I knew I had to find a cheaper way to do whisper phones. I finally found out how to make whisper phones with PVC pipes.

First, my trip to Lowe's...I bought 2 pks. of 3/4" PVC elbows, a 5' PVC pipe 3/4" in diameter, and decorative Duck Tape. We tried to get the people at Lowe's to cut it for me, but they said they couldn't (even though I know that they can.) Enter my father-in-law, contractor by day, superhero by night. He cut the PVC pipe in 4" sections for me. So now I have a 4" sections and 2 elbows to make my whisper phones.

Now is the easiest part of the entire project. Just snap 2 elbows on each end and you're done. You could hot glue the ends on, but I chose not to. They are pretty snug.

I put this decorative Duck Tape around the handle to hide the ugly writing on the pipe. This was the hardest part of the project. That Duck Tape did not want to cooperate with me!

 It matches my classroom which is decked out in animal print.

And I can't forget this cute tub that I am currently storing them in! Compliments of my wonderful sister-in-law.

I can't wait for my little ones to use these whisper phones this school year. What are you working on or creating for the next school year?

Jackpot!

I've hit the jackpot! No, not the lottery. The jackpot of reading tools. Ellen Kleine may be my new favorite person. Her website is an awesome place for reading teachers. If you consider yourself a reading teacher, jump on over and explore. You'll want to clear your calendar for the next few hours if you decide to explore. You will get lost on this site! You've been warned! :)

http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/tools.htm

Words, Words Words.

Today was a long day. My son's daycare is having a 4th of July party and we are bringing blueberries. I decided to be smart and pick my own blueberries. I found this little place called Blueberry Hill nearby. It started to rain while I was picking my blueberries, but I still had fun. And it was low-cost so I that made me happy.

Anyway, once I got home there were many questions about next year. Since summer school is over I have plenty of time to think about next year. Since I will be teaching 1st grade again, I wanted to think about ways to help them with fluency. I want them to have lots of practice.

I started thinking about an activity I learned about back when I was teaching 3rd grade. Before I go any further I have to say that most things I use in my classroom are the ideas of others and I just adapt them for my own tastes. I learned about this at a conference with a reading interventionist named Jamie and her workshop was AWESOME! This activity came from her using this guy:

and these guys:

Each student gets a file folder with the first Fry list and a graph. When I first begin this I have them work in partners. I guess for older students you could have them just do this solo. I give them 1 minute to read the list. Partner 1 will read the list as fast as he/she can without making a mistake. Partner 2 just listens for mistakes and write down the number missed. At the end of the minute, the students counts up how many they got correct and colors it in on the bar graph. Then the partners switch roles.

 I like this activity for several reasons. 1: You have instant data about accuracy and fluency. 2: Student hold each other accountable and they are able to become a little more independent as well. 3: As students complete each 100 list, the next 100 is added. That means this activity is differentiated and can keep students engaged. and 4: Students build fluency and a bank of known sight words.

So what activities do you use to build fluency?

Here I Am!

I'm beginning lots of new adventures this year. First of all, I just got accepted into the University of Missouri (Go Tigers!). I also get the opportunity to teacher 1st grade again. I haven't taught 1st grade in years so this is going to be a pretty interesting journey. I'm super excited about all the things that I am getting the opportunity to do so I wanted a place where I could share all of the great things I am learning. Join me on this adventure. I know we will learn lots of things along the way!