Thursday, September 1, 2016

Reading Strategies Goal 11: Understanding Vocabulary and Figurative Language




Welcome to our book study of The Reading Strategies Book:  Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers by Jennifer Serravallo! I am joining forces with some other fabulous teacher bloggers to discuss the reading strategies we come across in this AMAZING professional text!  If you missed my first post about this book study, you can find it here, along with a suggested way to set up your book for easy reference.

You can also find my thoughts and ideas on other goals in this book below:


Goal 1: Supporting Pre-Emergent and Emergent Readers   
Goal 2: Reading Engagement   
Goal 3: Supporting Print Work  
Goal 4:  Fluency
Goal 5:   Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Main Idea and Plot
Goal 6:  Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Characters
Goal 7:  Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Theme  
Goal 8: Supporting Comprehension in Non-Fiction - Main Idea  
Goal 9: Supporting Comprehension in Non-Fiction - Key Details   
Goal 10 - Supporting Comprehension in Non-Fiction - Text Features



This goal is all about improving comprehension by helping students to understand vocabulary and figurative language.

Study after study has linked a reader's ability to understand vocabulary and language in text to their reading comprehension.  Research has shown that in order for students to truly understand what they read, they must be able to understand 95% or more of the words in the text.

Because vocabulary is so crucial, many schools and teachers have rushed to implement vocabulary programs.  However, Serravallo points out that research suggests that most vocabulary learning occurs unconsciously through normal reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities.  The best way for teachers to support vocabulary growth is "by creating a classroom in which children read  a lot are encouraged to notice when words are news, learn strategies for figuring out what those words may mean, and are encouraged to use those words when they write and speak.




There are several ways to determine if this goal is right for your students.  One way is to use a standardized grade level vocabulary assessment. Flocabulary has grade level lists here.   

You could also ask about unknown words in linger passages to see if students have the ability to read for clues and details to infer the meaning of the word.  Students who don't know a lot of words, or don't have the skills to figure out meaning will benefit from this strategy.




Focus Strategy 1: Retire Overworked Words

We have probably all noticed the words that our students tend to use over and over again.  When they describe their characters as "nice", or how they had "fun" over the summer.  You may have wondered how to break your students of this habit, and if you have, this strategy is for you!


I love that this strategy not only benefits their reading skills, but also their writing skills as well.  

Using this strategy, you tell the student that they need to notice when they choose these overworked words, and then stop and say, " What do I really mean here?"  They should then revise their language to be more specific.  Instead of saying a character is nice, they might ask themselves what things the character does that makes them nice.  Perhaps they go share their toys, or go out of their way to make a new student feel welcome.  In these situations, the character might be better described as generous or compassionate.

When I use this strategy, I try to have a character trait list available to help students pick better word choices.


Mrs. R has a free one available here.





Focus Strategy 2: Insert a Synonym

This strategy asks students to insert a word that they know would fit the sentence when they come to an unfamiliar word.


For example, if a student encountered the word furious in a sentence, but didn't know the meaning, they could replace that word with a word that might make sense.

"When her best friend grabbed her toy, she was furious with him."

The student would ask themselves what word might make sense.  How would they feel if their friend grabbed their toy? Mad? Angry?




Focus Strategy 3: Word Part Clues - Prefixes and Suffixes

This is a strategy that we use often in third and fourth grade because we study prefixes and suffixes.  In this strategy, students use word parts they may already know to determine the meaning of an unknown word.  I have a word wall for upper elementary kids that focuses just on these word parts.






Remember, we are only picking and choosing some of the strategies to share with you - there are so many more great ones in this section as well as the rest of the book!



If you would like to purchase the book mentioned above, you can find it here.



Other books by this author that I LOVE!






This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love. 

If you would like to link up your own blog posts about this book, feel free to do so in the linky below!

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Oriental Trading Teacher's Wishlist and Giveaway

Back to School can almost feel like Christmas for a teacher!  All of those new supplies and boxes of new supplies!  I definitely felt like it was Christmas when my boxes from Oriental Trading came!



Do you want to take a peek at what was inside?



Tons of math supplies!  Dice have always been a favorite with my students!  I love to use these large dice for whole group activities.


We have already used the Operation Dice for mental math during the first few weeks of class, and the kids LOVED it!  I will be using these in small groups and for games throughout the year as well.  I love that you can easily differentiate by picking which operations the students work with!






I ordered this addition graphing game because my students always could use more practice with coordinate planes, and I loved that this would be hands-on practice.




I am also excited to use the Who Spelled The Beans Games in small groups during Word Work Time.





Oriental Trading has a ton of amazing borders!  No matter what your theme or classroom colors, you are sure to find ones that will fit beautifully!



I used the lime green dots one to pretty up my white boards.  I can't wait to change out my boards throughout the year with the others as well.

Red  Dots on Chalkboard

Doodle & Dots  

Black and White Chevron


The box behind the borders has this Fadeless Weathered Wood Paper Roll that I had planned on using on a bulletin board, but unfortunately some carpeting delays left us with only a few days to get our classrooms together.  This is on my later list right now.



Did you know that you can start your own Teacher's Wishlist at Oriental Trading?  You can share it with students' families or pull it out when you are gifted with unexpected school funds to spend.  Last year I was given an Oriental Trading Gift Card from a parent at Christmas time and it was such a blessing!  

I have shared my own wishlist with you in case you need some inspiration.  You can find it here.  I would also LOVE to see your wish lists!  You can never have too much teaching stuff!  Right?!

And... you can get a head start on turning that wish-list into a have it list because some of my blogging friends and I are giving away a $25 Oriental Trading Gift Card!





GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $25 Oriental Trading Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by:  Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher), 






Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 9/8/16 and is open worldwide.



Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers! 



Disclosure: I was given the products above at no cost to me from Oriental Trading to facilitate this review.  However, all opinions and thoughts are mine.


Friday, August 26, 2016

An Apple for the Teacher $25 Teachers pay Teachers Gift Card Giveaway Aug 26, 2016


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by: Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher), 




Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 9/2/16 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thursday, August 25, 2016

Reading Strategies Goal 10: Supporting Comprehension in Nonfiction - Text Features




Welcome to our book study of The Reading Strategies Book:  Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers by Jennifer Serravallo! I am joining forces with some other fabulous teacher bloggers to discuss the reading strategies we come across in this AMAZING professional text!  If you missed my first post about this book study, you can find it here, along with a suggested way to set up your book for easy reference.

You can also find my thoughts and ideas on other goals in this book below:


You can also find my thoughts and ideas on other goals in this book below:

Goal 1: Supporting Pre-Emergent and Emergent Readers   
Goal 2: Reading Engagement   
Goal 3: Supporting Print Work  
Goal 4:  Fluency
Goal 5:   Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Main Idea and Plot
Goal 6:  Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Characters
Goal 7:  Supporting Comprehension in Fiction Theme  
Goal 8: Supporting Comprehension in Non-Fiction - Main Idea  
Goal 9: Supporting Comprehension in Non-Fiction - Key Details




This week, my friend, Kristin Muse from Samson's Shoppe is writing a guest post for me. 



 Here are her thoughts:




Supporting Comprehension in Nonfiction
Getting the Most from Text Features

This goal is important to young readers because text features are a big part of reading nonfiction text. Text features help students to read, navigate and understand what they are reading. Text features help to support the main idea of the text by including relevant information, adding to the ideas or helping students navigate through the reading. There are numerous types of text features; graphs, illustrations, diagrams, charts, maps, photographs just to name a few. Many teachers already understand the importance of text features but studies show that students need to do more than simply identify the feature. Students need to be taught how to use these features to gain more information. Students should be able to identify the feature but more importantly, be able to understand the purpose and function of the text feature.

Determining if This is the Right Goal for Your Students:

Ways to determine if this is the right goal for your students include:

ü        What level are your students reading on?

o   Below level N – text features support the main idea
o   At level O – text features begin to give additional information
o   At level Q – text features become more heavy; they may include their own main ideas and details
o   At level U – readers need to be able to explain how the text feature relates to the main text
ü How to assess?
o   Ask questions when conferencing
o   Stop and jot
o   Respond to questions
o   Look at student writing
o   Listen to student conversations
ü Gauge where your students are from your assessment. Think about their reading level and what they can/cannot do. Is the student
o   Ignoring the text features?
o   Able to identify the text feature?
o   Able to identify and name its purpose?
o   Able to explain what the feature is teaching?
o   Able to make connections between the meaning of the text feature and the text? 


Focus Strategy 1: Cover Up Then Zoom In

 One strategy Serravallo discusses in this chapter is applicable to all levels of readers. Students use a sticky note to cover an image on the page. After reading the text on the page, they think to themselves, “What is this teaching me so far?” After determining their new knowledge, students’ undercover the sticky note and then ask themselves, “What new information am I gaining from this feature?” I like this strategy because it builds upon students’ ability to question and determine importance. 




Focus Strategy 2: Bold Words Signal Importance

This strategy is appropriate for reading levels F-Z+. Students look at the bold word to see if they already know it. If they don’t they try to use context clues to determine the meaning. Once they have a definition they review the sentence again and explain the fact with a new understanding of the word. This strategy helps students to synthesize information and monitor for meaning.  Here is a sample Anchor Chart from Life in 4B








Focus Strategy 3: Why a Visual


This strategy works best with students at reading levels G-Z+. When students encounter a visual, they stop and think, “What information is this visual giving me? Why is it important to the information in this section?” Some prompts that you can give your students to assess this strategy are:
·       What did you learn from the picture?
·       Why did the author choose to put this picture on this page?
·       What can you learn from this?


This book has so much information and is a great read for any teacher, at any stage in your career. Please review the book on your own for many more strategies to use with your readers. 

Remember, we are only picking and choosing some of the strategies to share with you - there are so many more great ones in this section as well as the rest of the book!



If you would like to purchase the book mentioned above, you can find it here.




Other books by this author that I LOVE!





This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love. 


If you would like to link up your own blog posts about this book, feel free to do so in the linky below!





Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Win an HP OfficeJet Pro 6978

One thing about teaching is that you do A LOT of printing!  There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a print job when you run out of ink!  Well, it can be worse if it also happens to be 9:00 PM on a school night!  

Thank goodness for Insta-Ink, this has no longer been a problem for me!  I put the first batch of ink into my printer and they mailed me a new set shortly after.  They keep track of how much ink I use and send me new cartridges before I even know I need them.  In addition, this ink lasts for a really LONG time, so I rarely have to even change it out!
Save up to 50% on Printer Ink Replacement with HP Instant Ink! Receive the 1st Month Free - Sign up Now!

I love the Insta-Ink program so much, that I decided to host a giveaway for an HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 so that you can share in the happiness!





GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: HP OfficeJet Pro 6978

Giveaway Organized by:  Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher), 




Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 9/3/16 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Sunday, August 21, 2016

Tieks $40 Gift Card Giveaway

Back to School means back on your feet, and that often means pain and discomfort!  No Bueno!  Tieks are a comfortable and stylish alternative for keeping your feet comfortable during a long day of teaching.  

If you have been wanting to try them out, but were worried about the cost, or you just need a new pair, we have got you covered!



GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $40 Tieks Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by:  Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher)



Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 8/29/16 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers!





Friday, August 19, 2016

Harry Potter Sorting Ceremony for Back To School and Giveaway!


The first week of school is in the books for me!  I am exhausted, but it was a great week, and I have an amazing group this year!  Today I am sharing how I put my students into table groups this year, and I have a giveaway for you if you stick around until the end!

Since we have a Harry Potter theme in our classroom this year, we used a Sorting Hat Ceremony to put the students into table groups.





I gathered the students to the carpet where I had a giant luggage case similar to the ones that the Hogwarts students brought to school.


Inside the trunk was baggies filled with white play dough.  The kids didn't know it at first, but we had put food coloring in the middle of each ball of play dough.


Each student took their turns wearing the sorting hat.  I took a picture of each one and then they chose one of the bags of play dough.



I LOVE that this one was wearing an owl shirt the first day of school!  Perfect for the theme!

Then they squished the bag of play dough until it changed color revealing their "house placement".  I used the bags because I didn't want them to get the food coloring everywhere!


We have a Slytherin!


And a Gryffindor!

The kids absolutely LOVED this!  AND... bonus... NOT ONE kid complained about being in the groups they were put in.  Usually I have students complain if they don't sit with their friend or if they feel "boy-trapped".  Not one peep this year!  They trusted the Sorting hat's judgement!

They will stay at these tables for one quarter when I will switch it up a bit.  They earn house points for their team just like in the book.


Whether or not you have had your first week back or not, I am sure you could use a $25 Teachers Pay Teachers gift card to help you prepare for the upcoming year!  Thanks to some of my blogging friends, you can win one now!


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $25 Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card

Giveaway Organized by:  Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher), 




Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter. Giveaway ends 8/27/16 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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