A Learning Experience

Books for Reluctant Readers, Part II: Third-Fourth Grades

March 13, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Welcome to a new series on finding books for reluctant readers! This four-part series will be divided by grade level, from kindergarten through sixth grades. by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

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There is a plethora of fantastic kid lit for children ages 8-10. In fact, I take it as a personal insult if I ever hear a child in third or fourth grades say that they hate to read. Nonsense! They just haven’t been introduced to some of these outstanding books, below. This list contains a book for nearly every personality and reading preference out there; I promise! (Tip: This might be a good list to share with parents or send home for recommended summer reading.)

Favorite Titles:

The King’s Equal by Katherine Paterson
Gooseberry Park by Cynthia Rylant
Skylark by Patricia MacLachlan
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Stuart Little by E.B. White
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Tucker’s Countryside by George Seldon
Chester Cricket’s New Home by George Seldon
Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Clearly
Ramona Forever & Ramona’s World by Beverly Clearly
Skinnybones by Barbara Park
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
Because of Winn-Dixie by Katie DiCamillo
A View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Frindle by Andrew Clements
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Series/Authors:

Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard
Cul-de-Sac Kids series by Beverly Lewis
American Girl series by Susan Adler, et al
Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald J. Sobel
Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Cooper Kids Adventures series by Frank Peretti
Trailblazer fictionalized biography series by Dave and Neta Jackson
Any books by:
• Laura Ingalls Wilder • Bill Myers • Beverly Cleary • Andrew Clements

Next in the series~ Part III: Fifth Grade Book Picks

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Books for Reluctant Readers, Part I: Kindergarten-Second Grade

March 10, 2010 · 5 Comments

Welcome to a new series on finding books for reluctant readers! This four-part series will be divided by grade level, from kindergarten through sixth grades. by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

Leave a comment on this post and be entered to win a $20 School Box Gift Card. One comment from this post WILL win!

I firmly believe that every child can and should love to read. If you have a reluctant reader on your hands, the key is to connect him or her to the right author or book.

Here are some great picks for your youngest readers:

I’ll Always Be Your Friend by Sam McBratney

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobell

The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble

Hedgie’s Surprise by Jan Brett

Mr. Pine’s Mixed-Up Signs by Leonard Kessler

Poppleton Everyday by Cynthia Rylant

Series/Authors

Marvin Redpost series by Louis Sachar

Arthur books by Marc Brown

Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish

Cul-de-Sac Kids series by Beverly Lewis

Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Any books by: Dr. Seuss • Cynthia Rylant • Syd Hoff • Eric Carle

Next in the series~ Part II: Third-Fourth Grade Book Picks

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How to Use Those Parent Volunteers!

March 7, 2010 · 3 Comments

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by Sandra Jacoby

In most classroom, the teacher to student ratio is 1 : 25…or maybe even 1 : 30. If a teacher is really lucky, she may have an aide’s help for brief intervals during the day, but essentially, as teachers, we are on our own with our students. Which can leave us scratching our heads at the end of the day, asking: Did I really meet the needs of ALL of my students? Chances are, you will always feel like one of them could have used an extra boost.

This is where classroom volunteers come in.

Extra Support for Struggling Students

Having a classroom volunteer during the school day is helpful on so many levels.  They can read to the students or help them with homework or projects, allowing the teacher time to work more closely with students who need some extra support.  Of course, the teacher is still responsible for everything that goes on in the classroom; volunteers aren’t babysitters. But chances are good that the class will be more productive and better behaved with extra adult supervision while you pull students aside for extra guidance.

More Opportunities for Social Interactions

A class volunteer can provide more than just academic support; students can benefit from his or her presence socially, as well. Plan games or interactive activities for the time with the volunteer–activities like an outdoor scavenger hunt during science or group work on a messy project. These activities might seem overwhelming or “more trouble than they’re worth” when you’re alone, but they’re much more manageable and enjoyable with an extra adult around.

Every Parent Makes a Great Volunteer

Any parent willing to be in your classroom is going to make a great volunteer. Never turn away a qualifying parent, but rather, provide structured ways they can help. Be sure you have a specific plan for what they will be doing in the classroom so that they feel productive and you feel in control of your class. These days, it is especially great to have male volunteers.  So many children today are lacking positive male role models–particularly in an educational setting.  If you can recruit a daddy or two, more power to you!

Recruit Early and  Often

The easiest way to recruit volunteers is to post a sign-up sheet at the beginning of the year (during orientation or open house), where parents can note that they’re interested in volunteering. Then, don’t be afraid to call or e-mail them to ask for help!

Since it’s obviously well into the school year right  now, you can still recruit volunteers. Send home a note with a detachable bottom portion that says: “We could use a helping hand in the classroom!” Then, list several areas of help that parents can check, such as: reading to students, having students read to you, assisting during projects or art time, accompanying us to the playground, cutting and posting bulletin board materials, and helping students while they work at their desks.

Remember, you may be the only adult in your classroom, but this doesn’t mean you have to go it alone! You have a whole brood of parents who love their kiddos and would gladly lend a hand if they knew you needed help.

Sandra Jacoby is a teacher in Texas who enjoys the challenges and rewards of teaching her pre-kindergarten class.

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100 Days Celebration Ideas!

March 2, 2010 · 2 Comments

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You have completed 100 days of school! Your students are well on their way (if not already there) to being able to count to 100 with no help at all.  Now, how do you make a day out of it?

Here are a few (not quite 100 :-) ideas for pre-K and Kindergarten teachers to celebrate this grand accomplishment:

  1. Make hats with a giant 100 on them for everyone to wear all day.
  2. Invite a 100-year-old person to your celebration as the guest of honor.
  3. If you don’t know any centurions, have a staff member dress up as an elderly person during your fete and share some researched facts about our country 100 years ago.
  4. Send home a zip-top bag and instruct the parents to help their children count out and collect 100 small items from around the house to fill the bag. Examples: uncooked rice, beans or pasta; coins; Q-tips; spare buttons; paper clips, etc. Display the returned baggies in the hallway or on a bulletin board for all to see!
  5. Send home a note, asking the parents to help the child bring in a photograph and/or name and age of their oldest living relative. Cheer for the child with the relative closest to 100!
  6. To follow up all of the 100 Days hoopla, invite all of the children to dress as dalmatians tomorrow…to celebrate day 101!

Adapted from ideas submitted by Sandra Jacoby, a pre-kindergarten teacher in Texas.

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Gotta Love Facebook

February 27, 2010 · Comments Off

Eleven years ago, I took the helm of my very first classroom. On that first day, I stared into the faces of 23 fourth-graders and knew, unequivocally, that I had found my calling.

Since that day, those students have gone on to graduate and attend college, but I have been able to reconnect with many of them via Facebook. It has been wild to see their (graduation!) photos and hear about their (college!) experiences. And it’s even better to get messages like this one, which I received from one of my precious former students this week:

I can’t tell you how much I love Facebook in moments like this so that I can fill you in on things :) I am doing a senior “my life” project for a class, and one of the things that we needed to have in our power point were people that have influenced you in your life, and you were one of the people I put in the power point!

I will always credit you as the one who taught me how to read…not just read the words but to comprehend what it is that I am reading, and to actually enjoy reading! Without your amazingly creative reading activities I don’t know when I would have ever learned HOW to really read.

You also helped me grow. 4th grade was still a “blooming year” for me; I was at the school for my first year and I was scared, but you were the perfect person that God placed in my life to help me learn how to reach out. Not only did you introduce me to friends the first day at lunch, but you also helped me and [several of the girls] become such good friends for so long. Also, you helped me learn how to reach out and ask questions when I didn’t understand, and to be ok with the fact that I didn’t understand something. Raising my hand was the hardest thing for me to do for a while :).

Sooo, this extremely long message is basically to say thank you. Thank you for being that special person that God made you to be, I will forever be thankful for all the many many things you taught me. I am truly blessed to have been taught by you!

Yes, I’ll admit it. I teared up a bit (okay,  a lot) when I got this message. Because, as teachers, we put in so much, don’t we? And there’s no such thing as overtime, is there? But this is why we do it. This is what makes it all worth it. This is why we teach.

by Elizabeth Dondiego Cossick, M.Ed.

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Part III: Assessing Your Wax Museum

February 24, 2010 · Comments Off

Recently, we posted about a great culminating activity for a biography or history unit: A Wax Museum! Now, it’s time to talk about how to grade this project.

So, your students researched historical figures, wrote biographical sketches, created costumes,  and recited their sketches during a successful “Wax Museum.” But now, how do you devise a numerical grade from all of this activity?

A rubric is the best assessment for this activity because you can grade students on a variety of criteria and provide ample feedback–easily. For a great Wax Museum rubric, click here.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this creative idea for bringing characters to life for your students!

Up next on A Learning Experience: Our favorite children’s book picks!

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Characters, Part II: R.I.P. Boring Book Reports

February 18, 2010 · 1 Comment

Bring Books to Life with a Wax Museum!

This is part two in a multi-part series. For part one, click here.

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(Ideal for 3rd-7th grades, but could be adapted for older or younger students)

Gone are the days of dry, dull, coma-inducing oral book reports. Why assign boring rote assignments when you could foster excitement and build positive associations with reading by just making a few creative tweaks? The Wax Museum, for example, has all the great qualities of a traditional oral report–responding to literature, writing a summary, practicing public speaking–but without the drudgery. And it will have parents (not to mention your principal) singing your praises. In fact, the local paper might even show up (it did for ours!).

Here are the easy steps to pull off this super impressive book response:

1. This project works best as the culmination of a biography unit. The students begin by selecting an on-grade level biography or autobiography to read.You will probably want to approve the students’ choices, to ensure they’re appropriate. It also works best if students select different people, but if you end up with four Harriet Tubmans, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, sometimes students can pair up when appropriate (Orville and Wilbur Wright, for example).

2. Allow time in class and outside of class for students to read their biographies. (Mini-lessons might include characterization, author language, non-fiction writing conventions, flashback, plot, setting, or proper nouns, point-of-view.)

3. Use modeling to teach students how to write a slam-dunk summary of their subject’s life– in first person point-of-view! (You might also introduce timelines as a good pre-writing activity). Be sure to include a catchy intro, sound middle, and interesting conclusion. Paragraphs should be around seven to 10 sentences long for third-grade and higher.

4. Students can use the writing process to write their summaries, and then they can begin to work on memorizing them.

5. Help students brainstorm costumes and simple props…because they’re about to become their subjects!

6. Practice, practice, practice. Give students plenty of time to read and recite their paragraphs in front of your class.

7. Pick a date for the museum and announce the event to the school. Invite parents and younger classes to tour your museum (younger students get a total KICK out of seeing George Washington come to life!) See if you can hold the event in the school’s gym or another large room, to allow for enough space.

8. On the big day, arrange your students in a ring around the room, with as much space in between each student as possible. Have them make a “button” (construction paper) with their subject’s name on it. Instruct them to freeze (in a realistically maintaibable pose…or with their arms at their sides, looking down at the floor). When the guests enter the room, they will walk around and tap the “button” with their feet. The “wax” students will then come to life, recite their life summary, and then refreeze when done.

Voila! You just made reading exciting and memorable for your students…with absolutely no yawn factor!

Next Post in this Series: How to Assess the Wax Museum

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Characters, Part I: Keeping a Character Chart

February 12, 2010 · 2 Comments

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by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

Sherlock Holmes. Huckleberry Finn. Captain Ahab. Anne (with an “e”). These characters shaped our childhoods, our educations…and, on some scale, our lives.

Book characters are like immortal friends, aren’t they? I will admit it, I am often sad when a book ends and my time with those friends is over.  (Well, maybe not so much with Captain Ahab…but definitely with Anne!)

Yes, characters are what connect us to books. If you want a child to love reading, introduce her to a character worth loving. And if she’s never found one she loves, keep trying!

I remember when I taught fourth grade, one of my students was a particularly reluctant reader. And then, one day, he actually carried a book out to RECESS. To READ. I almost passed out. What brought about this sudden change? He was introduced to…wait for it…Captain Underpants. Hey, whatever works.

So, the next time you sit down to read a book with your children or start a novel with your class, take a little time to talk about the characters. Here are two ideas to help you do so:

  1. Have a Character Conversation. Ask probing questions that will lead to a deep discussion about characterization. Here are a few to get you started: What would it be like if that character rang your doorbell and came to dinner? Would you want that character for a friend- why or why not? Are you like that character in any way? How are you different?
  2. Keep a Character Chart. Have students keep track of who they’re meeting while they’re reading by charting character names, descriptions, and sketches. For a graphic organizer for this idea, click here.

Hopefully these ideas will have your kiddos toting their books out to recess in no time…even if it’s only to see George and Harold’s principal strip down to his skivvies.

Look for the next article in this series on characters: Bringing Characters to Life Through a Wax Museum.

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What You Need to Know About Teaching Boys

February 6, 2010 · 2 Comments

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by Elizabeth Cossick, M.Ed.

We’ve all heard someone use this lovely little adage as an excuse for obnoxious behavior: “Boys will be boys.” Cringe! Why would being a boy excuse poor choices?

Well, apparently, there may actually be some truth behind this oft-misused little quote. Research supports that, as a whole, males often have more aggressive temperaments and shorter attention spans than girls. So, while this still doesn’t excuse naughtiness, it might help to explain it.

Below are five other facts about boys that every educator should keep in mind:

1. Multi-tasking. A girl’s corpus callosum (the bundle of nerves that connect the right and left brain hemispheres) is significantly larger than a boy’s. Some researchers think this may explain why females can multi-task better than most males. Boys tend to do better with short lists (1-3 items) of tasks to complete in consecutive order.

2. Just the Facts, Ma’am. On the whole, boys like to memorize facts. If you’re not sure if this is true, just ask any 8-year-old how many different types of dinosaurs there are. In the classroom, harness this strength by providing opportunities for boys to memorize information and then teach the facts to other students. Boys are also often motivated by becoming an “expert” in an area of interest.

3. Need for Speed. Physically, boys often have more energy to burn than girls. Recess in the younger grades is especially important to boys, so don’t take it away as a punishment unless absolutely necessary. (Girls, who tend to be social, also benefit from recess, so this guideline applies across the board.)

4. Show, Don’t Tell. Boys on average tend to be more visual and kinesthetic than most of their female counterparts, so supplement auditory lessons with visuals and manipulatives.

5. Time Out. Boys often need more wait time before answering a question, more processing time when listening to oral instructions, and more completion time to finish an assignment.

Okay, so obviously this list provides generalizations that cannot possibly describe every boy on the planet; personality and disposition may trump any one of these points. Still, it’s wise to note that girls and boys often have different learning needs. So, as you plan your lessons and set up your classroom, just remember that, yes, boys will be boys. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

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Using “Hangman” to teach writing…creatively!

January 31, 2010 · 1 Comment

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Getting your kids excited about writing

by Sandra Jacoby

I have been extremely lucky this year in that I have a classroom full of kids who will just write, draw, cut and paste all day! Unfortunately, we all know this is not the norm; many times it is hard to get kids motivated to write.  But just today, I was reintroduced to a way to make writing exciting and challenging for kids of all ages…using the classic game of hangman!

Higher Grades

In high school, middle school, and even upper elementary, hangman can be used to introduce the topic of the assignment and build excitement and anticipation about writing!  Just think of a topic, spell it out in blanks on the board (Wheel-of-Fortune style), and then have the students guess letters until the topic is revealed. This will work if the topic is 10 words long or one word long. To get students even more motivated to write, allow a student to lead the game by calling on classmates to fill in the blanks.

For more advanced classes, have the students each create a topic they would like to write about and put it in a jar at the beginning of the school year.  Approve the topics, and then, when it is time for a new writing prompt, allow a student to draw a topic from the jar and set up the hangman game on the board.  This encourages freedom and ownership, which students of all ages appreciate!

Elementary

In addition to writing lessons, hangman can also be used as an original way to practice spelling words. Instead of just hearing the word and putting the letters in order (as in a spelling bee), hangman allows the children to see the letters come together to make the word. This way, they practice visualizing and analyzing the order of the letters.

Primary

Set up the game in front of the class on the chalkboard or on a sheet of paper in front of a small group.  Use your students’ names or your name or simple words that go along with your theme of the week.  You can help students guess letters by giving them a sound of one of the letters used.  For example, give the students /s/ and see if they can guess S.

You could also play using the alphabet.  Students can give you all the sounds they know, and you put the letters in the appropriate places. For sounds they repeat or make up, they get an arm or leg!

Do you have a creative way to get your students excited about writing? We’d love for you to share it with a comment on this post (and be entered to win a $20 School Box gift certificate)!

This article was submitted by Sandra Jacoby. Sandra graduated from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in December, 2008, with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. She currently teaches pre-kindergarten in Fredericksburg, Texas.

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