Why Reinvent the Wheel?

Some teachers have spent hours/days/weeks creating the perfect lesson and here is a website that shows them off.  You'll have to pay for some of these great finds, but they can be well worth it.  You might even see someone you know on there. (wink wink)

Click on the picture to access this great website...

Teach For America...What do you think?

I had a conversation about this with a dear friend, just last week, about this program.  She works for a very well respected university where students are encouraged to join such a program.  We discussed how they return after a year or so and discover the difficulties in which a teacher faces every day.  Some continue on to join the profession, when it was not their initial intent to do so, while others leave with a feeling that they have made a difference. 

Click on the picture to read the article.  Click on the next picture to read about the program from their own website.  As a teacher in a Title I school, you should be aware that these programs exist, know that they are being funded by the government, be informed of this movement.  No matter what your opinions are, you should be informed. 

ELA Reporter

This great resource was shared by our fabulous county coach.  Click on the pictures to check out the Sept-Nov 2011 issues.  These issues provide us with free updates, from the state of Georgia, as to the progress of the common core standards.







September 2011 Issues



October 2011 Issue



November 2011 Issue

 

December 2011 Issue



 

 





Gift Bag Books

Check out this website.  It teaches you how to turn a gift bag into a book!

What's Hot and What's Not 2011

Common Core Webquest Sites

http://www.corestandards.org/


www.gadoe.org/CCGPS.aspx


www.commoncore.org/free/


www.americaschoice.org/commoncorestandardsresources


http://www.parcconline.org/


http://www.fldoe.org/


Here are just a few good ones.

Dropout Rates 1972-2009

What are we going to do about this?

New report: Dropout rates five times higher for poor students

Wonderopolis is Wonderful!

Check out this website! I wonder who thought of this!!

 

Choice Literacy has shared an article of how this can be used in the Intermediate Classroom.  Check it out!

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1417.cfm

Podcast with Amy Buckner/Choice Literacy

The Big Fresh:
"The way out of a slump for some young writers begins with trying different genres. In a new podcast, Aimee Buckner talks about the value of integrating more nonfiction reading and writing into student notebooks:"

We've had some conversations about how to start incorporating more nonfiction reading and writing into our workshop.  During Lester Laminack's visit, he referred to Aimee as a great source for our school. I hope you can glean some great ideas!

Lucy Calkins' Resource Site

Take a look at this great resource site created by Lucy Calkins and a her team.  This website includes writing samples, reading assessments, common core curriculum resources and ideas for best practice teaching.

We're Off to See the Wizard!

This article provides great ideas of how we can link great literature and movies. Just another way to get our kids to read!

Great Writing Resource Site!

What a great resource to dig deeper into writing.  Check out the Mentor Text icon!

Lester L. Laminack's Website

Here is a link to our presenter on Monday and Tuesday.

Keeping "House" in a Literacy-Rich Classroom

This article, by Ann Williams, has a lot of great ideas in which you might use to encourage students to have more leadership within your literacy room.  I have to say, my fav is the map with the pins...great idea.  These are great ideas to use during those "oddball" times in the day.  Happy Reading!

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1210.cfm

Response to Lit Tech Links!

Here are the website links to those sites we talked about during our PLT meeting this week...

Graffiti Wall: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/graffiti/index.html

Word Clouds: http://tagul.com/  or http://www.wordle.net/create  or http://www.tagxedo.com/

Book Covers: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/bookcover/

Memory Bag: http://www.mrsrenz.net/pdf/bookprojects/memorybagdirections.pdf

Letter to Friend: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/letter_generator/

Put Your Name On The Board!

http://mrspripp.blogspot.com/2011/01/put-your-name-on-board-tale-of-why-i.html

This article may reflect how you might be feeling about how to start the year and the behavior management ideas that you've put in place.  Perhaps use her thoughts as a jumping off point as to what you may keep or change in the upcoming year in regards to discipline.  Happy Reading!

Matching Students to Nonfiction Texts in Grades 3-6 (BOOKLIST)

Professional Article (week 2)
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1057.cfm

More nonfiction! This article discusses several authors/books available to our "tweens" that uses a blend of fiction and nonfiction.  Perhaps this article will lead you, in a fun way, towards teaching with more nonfiction.

Word Spy!

This website is a fun way to explore new words and their meanings. This might be a neat way to talk about how words come about in our language and have a little fun at the same time.

What Messages Do We Give Students with Our Classroom Library Design? by Franki Sibberson

Professional Article of the Week: 8/13/11
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/1011.cfm

Differentiation

Found this website from NJ and thought it had a lot of great links that help to explain differentiation.  Enjoy exploring!

http://www.eht.k12.nj.us/~jonesj/differentiated%20instruction/1%20DI%20Homepage.htm

Likeable Links

Here are just a few that I know you'll want to have handy!

Reading Street
Remember, for you it is your badge and your "password."
For the munchkins, it is their student id and "education."



Tagxedo

Do you remember this cool website?  You can form a word cloud from anything you write. Just keep in a .txt file to transfer all your information.  It's a great way for students to "publish" their work or even as a word splash with new vocabulary from taught concepts.

Busy Teacher's Cafe

This is a fun website that gives some good ideas from running records, reader's theater, literature circles and more. 

Yay, you made it! I'm so glad to see you! Come in and make yourself at home.  This blog is here to help support you in what you do everyday. Let me know if there is anything I can add to make things easier for you.