reading workshop video

Create a Reading Workshop With Tips From Beth Newingham

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Teaching Prepositions

I found the greatest lesson thanks to Lesson Plan SOS ! (fantastic blog)
http://lessonplansos.blogspot.com/2011/10/ghost-hunt-writing-activity-with.html
            It was a Tootsie PoP ghost hunt!
Actually, it was an incredibly fun -over-the-top- preposition activity.
First I gave out 3 lollipops to each of my students.
Then 3 paper-towels (cut in half) you can use tissues also.
We tied the tissue on with a piece of yarn.
After that the students drew a little face on each with black marker.
Next I let them hide the 3 ghosts in the classroom.
Then they wrote where they hid the ghost on their worksheet using prepositions!
                        (also from lesson plan sos so cute)
Finally I let them find other ghosts & write about where they were hiding
                      ALL while using prepositions!
Seriously, this was a fantastic lesson! The students were SO happy!
     I guess my hours of blog stalking was worth it this week!
              Here are the worksheets I used from Lesson Plan SOS!

 

The students wrote sentences like:

Mia's ghost was hidden inside of the Narrative Procedure basket that was on a shelf in the library .

I found Jessica's ghost sitting on top of the globe.

Ariel's ghost was hiding in front of the Kevin Henkes book that was sitting the ledge to the right of the blackboard.

Me on The Map

As we wrap up our first social studies unit,

 I was thinking about a culminating activity

and 

    something cute and clever for the bulletin board 

(parents are coming soon).  

I found a great video click below

How Adorable is the VIDEO?

There are a few variations of how to put it together on Pinterest!

http://k2printables.com/map.htm

I was just thinking about how I would spend my birthday coupon
from anthropologie ? http://www.anthropologie.com
Here are a two things I am obsessing over! (of course I can't get BOTH coats-..)
 ..but..They are both so amazing.... Which one should I choose?

my newest award...

 Two of my favorite bloggers awarded me the  Blog on Fire award: 
A BiG thank you to  Maria and Rebecca!  
I am supposed to tell you SEVEN things about myself and send the blog award  to 7 other blogs that are on fire!      
1. I will be celebrating a BIG birthday soon & In an attempt to change my look...(maybe look younger)
2. I changed my hair color from-blonde to brown to a horrible reddish & I'm still so unhappy.
    (not fun to have hair TrOuble)
3. I have always wanted a CHANEL bag...
4. I love these blog awards, new followers & comments. (hint,hint)
5. I am so happy that my new bunch of 3rd graders are AMaZinG! (love them)
6. A new favorite show of mine is Homeland on Showtime with Claire Danes.
7. I have two beautiful kiddies who I love spending every second with, and an  
    adorable, patient, husband -who- I have been driving absolutely crazy with my hair drama (sorry)!
                          
                                   

I am sending the BLOG on Fire award to these HOT blogs:

http://stepintosecondgrade.blogspot.com/
http://asurvivalguidetomiddleschool.blogspot.com/
Ladybug's Teacher Files
3rd Grade's a Hoot

http://cardigansandcurriculum.blogspot.com/

Charmed In Third Grade

Little Miss Momma

My-Favorite...

I'm linking up with swimmingintosecond.blogspot.com and sharing... 

My Favorite read a loud - Charlotte's Web.

  
then....


I love reading Testing Miss Malarkey to the 3rd graders around test time!

summary:

 The new school year brings standardized testing to every school and Miss Malarkey's is no exception. 
Teachers, students, and even parents are preparing for THE TEST-The Instructional Performance Through Understanding (IPTU) test-and the school is in an uproar.
 Even though the grown-ups tell the children not to worry, they're acting kind of strange. 
The kids are beginning to think that maybe the test is more important than they're being led to believe. 


Kids and adults alike will laugh aloud as Finchler and O'Malley poke fun at the commotion surrounding standardized  testing, a staple of every school's year.

Instyle trend report! These BLOGS are GO-TO shopping spots!

Scarves...The perfect accessory!

It's getting a bit chilly in the morning, & I'm not ready for a jacket yet, so I'll just throw on a scarf..
It's  my favorite accessory a big colorful scarf, how about you?
(plus it has been brightening up my newly very dark Brown hair)
I have dozens...when I need major retail therapy and it's not quite pay day yet..(they are very inexpensive)
buying a new scarf is certainly the way to go! I found this cute HOW TO on pinterest:

H&M.com

Regular Pric

Writing Workshop

Things have been going pretty well in writing workshop! 
 I see evidence of  my students using their VOICE in writing! (I'm more excited than you can imagine) 
I'm sure it has a lot to do with my devotion to
 modeling & using mentor texts,  
 (which was a personal goal of mine this year!) 
 I have to thank Kevin Henkes for creating amazing characters for me to model..I feel like LILLY has become part of my family...
I reference her about a zillion times a day!   
So..my students are generating ideas,
 using voice and now my next  
BIG dilema !!..Staying Focused! ugggg.. 
I've decided to intertwine reading test prep and writing workshop!
My class is trained to understand what the story is 
"mostly about' by looking at the title, while reading.
so.. I have begun to teach my students.... 

 "THE GOLDILOCKS RULE"-The title they use for writing should help their audience predict what they will be reading.  Titles may also help students self check their writing to stay on topic and not include irrelevant information.  They won't be able to use a title that's smaller than what they are writing about,  nor larger than what they'll address in their writing.
They'll want to choose a title thats "just right" (GOLDILOCKS RULE) 
for what they are dealing with.  

You may want to give them some examples of titles that are too big, too small,  and  just right!

                                                       Student wants to write about a lost cat:
                                                           *  Lost                    (too big)
                                                           *  My Cat               (too small)
                                                           *  Fluffy gets Lost  (just right)


I did not invent the GOLDILOCKS RULE, although I haven't heard of this before last week it is a lesson  taught for writers struggling to stay focused, from the Four Blocks Model! 

Harajuku mini line coming to Target November 13th!

  


                                      


 Gwen Stefani is getting ready to launch her mini Harajuku line at Target on November 13th! "Harajuku Mini is a dream come true. I've always wanted to do a cool children's fashion line inspired by the super cute and playful kids clothing you find in Japan," Stefani said in a statement. The whole idea is about being creative, expressing your own individuality and having fun getting dressed."  "Target has given me the creative freedom to design kid's clothing that is different than most anything you usually see out there with great quality, attention to detail and most of all, available at amazing prices," she added.  The clothing and accessories for babies, kids and tweens - including cartoon tees, zip-up hoodies, tutu skirts and ballet flats - will range from $3.99 to $29.99.

This photo is from lilsugar blogspot.com
Interview with Gwen is from Celebrity Circuit-CBS news

N 

                              

Nominate a Teacher

    

How has your favorite teacher inspired you? 
             Click on the Wonder Bread on the link below :
http://www.facebook.com/WonderBread?sk=app_263793393655025

Which pair of shoes are your favorite?

                     Favorite Teacher Shoes Linky Party

       Tonight I found a LINKY party that I just couldn't resist..

                        So I'm adding my favorite teaching shoes onto Casey's List!

 http://cardigansandcurriculum.blogspot.com/2011/10/favorite-teacher-shoes.html#comment-form

       I think it is a fantastic idea! Plus, I would LOVE to see all of your favorite shoes! :)
        What does this have to do with teaching? 

                                          Comfortable Shoes =

     Happy Teacher = Better Mood, Better Instruction, More Patience!

 

These Tory Burch Sally tan wedges are what you will see me in 99% of the time.

They are the perfect heel 2 and a half inch, perfect color, and can be worn with a dress, jeans, black pants or a skirt! I have to admit I have them in a few colors but the tan is my favorite!

                                         

 

So link up with me and let me know.....which pair you LOVE to teach in...

oh how I love pinterest!

TBA is having a pin board linky party....
It's  so COOL. We can see all of the Pins
our favorite bloggers have collected!
btw.. I am so in love with Pinterest.
 Now you can Check out the amazing boards,
 I've pinned from fashion to teaching and 
 a few in-between things that I couldn't resist.
       
http://pinterest.com/melissavecchio/

a peek inside the classroom

    The Classroom Curtains  YES! 

             I hang curtains in my -classroom-

  My super creative friend Stacy taught me How To.. 

                    oh.. about 16 years ago, 

              and I've been doing it ever since. 

   I love it, some people think I'm crazy..but..

It makes me feel happy about my home, away from home, 

every morning when I come in it makes me smile!

It is such an easy DIY that I had to share.

(plus I am procrastinating, I have lots of housework to do right now)

To make them, You Will Need To Buy a Few Things & Measure the Windows:

* First you need to buy a few plastic table cloth packages- I use 1 pack per window.
                      (rectangular)

* Get a color that matches your classroom.
              (so many fun colors at Party City)

* You will also need tension rods for inside the windows.
                 (any hardware store)

* Stapler and Scissor

                        first

  

Open table cloth package 

and lay it flat,  

cut on the pre-made fold line vertically.

Leave the fold on the top, 

so the tension rod fits   through.

                                                                                                                                      then

                                              

Take the stapler and line it up , 

then make a  staple line.

Remember the tension rod slips 

inside the seam you are making.

                                                            

                                     finally

.

Super cute and very inexpensive, curtains!

What I'm LOVING Wednesday

                                  

                   I'm linking up with Jamie from this kind of love

                to tell ya' about some of the things I'm loVing today....

                 cool weather outfits, Columbus Day, red hair,

                           pumpkin spice , Halloween Costumes,

          the entire free people catalog freepeople.com, family, friends...

                  .......and.....PINTER EST PinnIng!  pinterest.com

        


  
                                 

                                               

                          

  

Check out all the Dots on Turquoise products at www.creativeteaching.com

I was blog stalking again today (as usual) tommiestools.blogspot.com

Her blog actually is featured on the back of the creative teaching press catalogue. 

(yes i was shopping again)

I love the dots on turquoise products..I am in the middle of creating a new bulletin board, Tommie's Tools

had a few great ones on her blog that I was truly in LOVE with. Her blog is SO fantastic definitely check it out! 

The teachers who created these boards are equally as FANTASTIC! So inSpired!..