The Literacy Teacher's Playbook

Welcome Back!  Thanks for joining me again this week to talk more about how to actually use the assessments that you are doing in your room.  I am all about getting more bang for my buck, so I am really enjoying that this book allows me think about what I am already doing and using that to better inform my instruction.  

This week we will continue to work our way through chapter 2 - which was SUPER long, so I split it into two sections.  We will talk about other assessments you may use and how you can TRULY use that data!

Running Records
Nothing in this section was a OMG moment for me.  However, it was a reminder that I need to do more of this - especially for my more emerging readers.  I need to be able to figure out how they are word solving - Does it look right?  Does it make sense?  Does it sound right?  When do you all do your running records? And how often?  I want to make a plan - that way I am more likely to stick to it!

Conversation
Going to be honest here - Not sure that I am going to be looking at transcripts of my student's talking to each other.  However, I do think that I would be able to use some of the ideals listed in this chapter and use them while I am listening in on students read and talk in partnerships.  

Writing: Narrative
We use the Lucy Calkins revised writing program and the corresponding rubrics - However, I think I like these "look fors" better.  They are clearer and more to the point.  More specifically, I feel like they are written for a typical first grader - not the strongest student.  

Here is a peek of her suggestions for structure - from page 76.

In addition to focus, she also has sections on elaboration, focus, and conventions.  

One other note - she suggests only looking at writing completed in the past 2-3 weeks, so you may not be able to look at all genres of writing at one time.  This is because student's writing changes as they learn, so you want the needs assessment to be current. 

Writing: Engagement
Remember a few weeks ago, when I was SO excited about the engagement inventory?  Now we can talk a little about how to analyze it.  Look at the time on task, but also the volume of writing.  Try to see if the student has a process - is the child using any/all of the step in the writing process?  Once these questions have been answered, you can plan next steps for the kids!

Writing: Informative
This section is similar to the narrative section focusing on focus, structure, and elaboration. 

Take a peek at the elaboration section. 

We have always taught informational text writing in our own way - an animal research project, but this year we will be changing gears to follow Lucy's plan.  I am hoping that I will enjoy those writing lessons as much!

Writing: Opinion
I don't know about you, but opinion writing in first grade was new to me two years ago and while I have made HUGE gains in my teaching of opinion writing, I still sometimes struggle with getting kids to add details to their reasons.  

Again, the charts for opinion writing include focus, structure, elaboration, and conventions.  

Take a peek at the elaboration chart.

Reminding myself of the "ideal" is always helpful!  Maybe I am sometimes expecting too much!! :)  They are only 6 and 7.  

Thanks for joining us again this week!  Please don't forget to enter our Rafflecopter Giveaway - You have 2 AMAZING teacher-authors to shop from - WINNER's CHOICE from both - WOO HOO!!

Also, keep on hopping - There are a bunch of other teachers who are excited to share with you their thoughts on this chapter!

See you next week!

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Digging Into - My Literacy Block

 I hope you are all out for summer vacations by now and are relaxing into your summer routines.  I know that I am!  I am just getting back from a weekend at my parent's beach house!  Which is AMAZING, however, it does not have wifi!  Hence why this post is coming to you a little late!  There is only so much time I can spend at Dunkin's on a Saturday morning! ;)

This week we will be talking about literacy block organization.  I have lots to say about my literacy block - mostly good.  My district is pretty strict with the organization of the literacy block for grades 1 and 2, so as far as timing goes I have VERY little flexibility, but as far as content goes I have MUCH more leeway!  We don't include our writing block in the literacy block.  That comes in the afternoon - a separate 45+ minute chunk.  The literacy block I will chat about today is a 90 minute chunk in the morning - including Guided Reading, phonics, focus lessons, word work, reader's response, listening center, poetry, and independent and partner reading.

 In our 90 minute block, we begin with 15 minutes of whole class phonics instruction.  We use the FUNdations program.  While I don't love the whole class piece of the program, I do like the scope and sequence.  I have made TONS of games and practice packs to go along with the first grade curriculum and am working on the Kinder and 2nd packs this summer!  I use individual white boards to make the lesson more interesting and interactive.  

The second 15 minutes is a focus lesson. This is where the strategy/skill is introduce through an interactive read-aloud and discussion.  This lesson sets kids up for the reader's response work that they will be doing next.

The next chunk is slightly more confusing.  For the following 60 minutes, I take reading groups and kids are working independently.  There are 3 20 minute stations to rotate through.  I have 5/6 reading groups depending on the needs and levels of my kids.  Here's where you may start to hate me...Our district provides an AWESOME literacy aide to each of our classrooms for 40 minutes!  That means 5 groups can been seen each day!  When I have 6 groups, that means that my highest readers are seen less, but they are more able to respond deeply to books, so they use 2 stations a week for that.  

While kids are with me we are doing the usual guided reading work.  However, some of my neediest learners need more than 1 20 minute session with me.  They may get a second guided reading session focused on phonics/sight words/fluency/comprehension/etc.  Usually this group is my most needy or maybe the 2 most needy groups. If I have an especially needy group of beginning readers or if I have an ELL room (which I usually do), I also can get support during reading group time from an ELL teacher or aide.  They often give the second dose of reading instruction.  

So, what is the rest of the class doing?  Here is the board they follow...

Stations here may include independent reading, partner reading, listening center, reader's response, poetry, and word work.  All of these stations can be differentiated based on the group's needs and skills they are working on. 

 Honestly, I wouldn't change much.  If you read my post last week though you would know that I do really want to make sure that kids are learning to use the strategies and skills we are working on whole class and in guided reading when they are reading to themselves or with a partner.  I would like to find a way to squeeze that in there, but I am still without any LIGHTBULBS...feel free to chime in in the comments with your suggestions!

For once, I have some GREAT products that you could use in your literacy block!  If you use FUNdations for Grade 1, I have practice packs, games packs, and spelling lists/practice that go with the program.  Even if you don't use the program, the games packs and spelling lists/practice work on HAVE TO KNOWS for grade 1, so they will be TOTALLY appropriate! Check them out in my store - HERE!  Also, I have JUST uploaded my MEGA games pack - 14 grade 1 games packs - That's over 80 games!  Get it 50% until Monday 6/30 at 6pm!  Find the set HERE!

Make sure you click through the rest of these amazing literacy ideas - More to think about for next year!! :)

See you next week when we talk about The Beginning of the Year!

Keep 'Em Buzzy Blog Hop - Crafty Learning With the Kiddos

Happy summer!!  

I am excited to again be participating with the amazing Teacher Tam in her monthly blog hop. This month we are focused on fun at home craft learning. 

You may be a homeschooling momma (or daddy) or maybe you are home with the little ones for the summer. Either way, I wanted to share a FUN way for your kiddos to pray ice almost any skill. 

WARNING:  This can get a bit messy. You wil notice I took the mess outside on the lawn to limit cleaning!!

To begin you will need to get foaming shaving cream, washable paints ( we chose blue and yellow but you can choose as many ad you plan to use), q-tips, a cookie sheet, ( this one is old and not used for cooking anymore.  I forgot spoons  and bowls but you need those too!

I sprayed the shaving cream into two bowls. One for each color. 

Pour in paint and mix!

Spread a thinish later on a cookie sheet. 

Using either fingers or qtips draw letters, numbers, words, math equations - whatever you want!!

 Of course save some time at the end for playing!!

Keep hopping along - Next on the hop is Teacher Tam.  Don't click on the picture though for some reason it will send you back here!  EEK - HTML and I are clearly fighting!!

 Click HERE to get to her post!