SLANT Box

Better late than never I always say!

In September I was part of the SLANT Box for the first time.  It was a great experience to get to know two different teachers while having an excuse to shop for someone else ;)

My partner that sent me a box was The Caffeinated Teacher, Raye.  She is an ESL teacher in Michigan who sent me a great box of goodies.  Unlucky for Raye, the first box she sent me got damaged in the mail. Thank you USPS.  But she is so sweet and quickly prepared a second box and shipped it so fast.  As a school librarian who ships weeded books regularly to those in need I actually understood, I have gotten those notices from USPS a few times.

My SLANT box:

The theme for the month was things you forget and I always forget little office supplies or do not order enough so this was the perfect box.  The binder clips have already been put to use and there are jelly beans in in the container under the flower that I have broken into. As an elementary school teacher, I always love soap so that was such a nice touch.

Thank you! Take a look at The Caffeinated Teacher, she's awesome.

I did not get involved in SLANT box for October but I hope to remember to get involved for November

School Violence Awareness Week in NJ

It is School Violence Awareness Week in New Jersey this week.  My elementary school is focusing on Peacemakers instead of school violence which is perfectly age appropriate.  The students and staff are dressing up all week long to show unity. 

Today, Monday, we are wearing team jerseys to "Team Up Against Bullying" (I am wearing Ravens)

Tuesday, is blue for "True Blue Tuesday"

Wednesday is "Peacemaker Pink Day"

Thursday, Be a Peacemaker – Wear white today

And Friday, I’m a “jean-ious.” I stand up for a friend against 

bullying. Everyone will wear jeans.

During the week each classroom votes on a peacemaker; a student in their classroom they feel has the personality and qualities of a peacemaker and they make these great outlines of these the child to hang in the hall (photo to follow)

In the Media Center, I'm almost always mid-project and do not become a part of these themed week except to dress up.  But this year, I am not mid project with THREE grades! I was so excited I must have started to plan about 4 or 5 lessons but ended loving one and plan to do it with Kindergarten, First, and Second Graders. 

First we will read parts of People by Peter Spier. After the students will compare and contrast their me and their teacher.  They will start with what they see and already know about us and then we will share some of our favorite foods, colors, and sports. We will focus on things that make us different and point out that we still get along and teach together nicely every week.

Students will then pair up and compare themselves to their partners. After I will use some of All Things Apple in 2nd's inference pictures.  The students will color in the character to look like them and then draw 3-4 things around it that make them special.

My example is digital but the students are going to do draw theirs with crayons and color pencils.

Award Winning Books

First and second graders are learning about books that have won awards.  At their age we are focusing on Caldecotts and Theodore Giesel Award winning books.

First we defined what it takes to win a Caldecott.  Students learned a new word, distinguished. I read "Kitten's First Full Moon" by Kevin Henkes aloud and we watched "Interrupting Chicken" by David Exra Stein on youtube. We took closer looks at the illustrations of "Extra Yarn" illustrated by Jon Klassen, "A Ball For Daisy" by Chris Raschka, and "A Sick Day For Amos McGee" illustratd by Erin L. Stead. (Take a look at the Amazon widget at the bottom for all the books I highlighted)

After the students looked at the illustrations of 40+ Caldecott Award and Caldecott Honor books.  In the second grade students were split into two teams and first had to put 20 of the Caldecott book in proper order based on their call number.  After looking through all the books, they chose their favorite and tried to mimic the illustrators style of drawing.  These came out amazing!

Download the worksheet here

The following week we looked at books that won the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award and Honor.  Unlike the Caldecott, we focused on the words and the pictures.

We read "I Want My Hat Back" by Jon Klassen and "Are You Ready To Play Outside" by Mo Willems.  We took a look at "Bink and Gollie", "Ling and Ting:Not Exactly the Same",  "Mercy Watson, Goes For A Ride", "Hi Fly Guy",  and "Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas".  

Students picked a single sentence to type into Tux Paint and draw a matching picture.  While our typing skills are not strong, it was important for students to understand the words are as important as the pictures when it comes to wining to be awarded a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.

Wendy Pfeffer is Coming!

Every year my school organizes a Family Reading Night. An author comes and speaks to families that come come back at night. Volunteer teachers welcome them back with a variety if activities to accompany the author's presentation. 

Each family is out in one of two groups. The first group meets the author and sees their presentations while the second group does our other activities. The art teacher plans an activity, the music teacher sings and tells stories, and families read books together in the library. After 45 minutes, the two groups switch.

Families can order books to be signed and the even is always a big hit!

This year, with the big push towards non-fiction books I looked for a local non-fiction and came across Wendy Pfeffer. Wendy writes books such "the Longest Day","The Shortest Dat", "From Seed to Pumpkin", "Sounds All Around", and many more. Here is some more information about here: http://www.author-illustr-source.com/wendypfeffer.htm

I am very excited for Wendy Pfeffer and started a display to get the students excited too. 

DOT Day and MORE

Last week I celebrated Dot Day with the Kindergartners.  We started out reading and discussing"The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds.


After We discussed what the words 'dot' and 'day' meant.  The students looked at a Google Map and we talked about what the word 'international' meant.  Some students shared stories about themselves or families traveling to some of the countries I pointed out.

This was only my second week with the students and their first time taking a book home, so I created a quick worksheet for them to create their very own dots and take home.  They absolutely LOVED creating their own dots and asked to create more.

To learn more about Dot Day go here: http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/

First grade:

First grade read the story "Miss Brooks Loves Books: (and I Don't)" by Barbara Bottner.  If you have never read this book, you are missing something.  The librarian loves books and does many things such as dress up for reading time to let the kids know about her love for books.  When she asks the kids to choose a book they love and dress up for the class during Book Week, the main character and narrator cannot find a book she loves, she hates all books.  Then, she finds Shrek. 

Second grade:

Each year I start second grade out with "coloring the library". The students enjoy the activity.  They get a map and we color it section by section.  It takes at least two classes to describe the books in each section and color the map.  We end with the Reference Section and use a dictionary to define the word "variety".  We discuss the definition and how it applies to the library.  Once complete, students are required to select a variety of books when they are choosing books to take home.  While I hate to limit what they can and cannot take home, I like students to be introduced to different kinds of books and the library is the best place. 

We also break and read  "Stella Louella's Runaway Book" by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Third and Fourth Graders  continued their QR hunt.

**My post is 9 hours later than planned thanks to these guys**

Kevin Henkes LIVE!

Today was a special day for one of my second grade classes.  At 2pm EST, School Library Journal had a Live webcast with one of my favorite children's author's Kevin Henkes.  So, I scrapped my planned lesson, read "Owen", my favorite Henkes book, and we tuned in.

<

He was entertaining, no surprise. While talking he showed pictures of himself and his family. He explained his inspiration which is great for young kids, and even showed and shared letter children had written to him. My students loved seeing what other students wrote to him.

Luckily they archived it.  head over to School Library Journal to check it out. http://www.slj.com/2013/07/webcasts/kevin-henkes-exclusive-webcast/

First Week

A BIG "Welcome Back" to the students.

Each year I hold off my major rules and procedures until week 2.  The students' classroom teacher and each specials teacher is inundating them with their own rules and procedures so I wait a week and go over my rules once they have settles in a little.  I understand one should set the expectations up front, but I do fun activities with my students the first day.

Kindergarten: I read "Read It, Don't Eat It" by Ian Schoenherr.

Many Kindergartners cannot sit for very long on the carpet and this is a quick fun read. We start with "Give Me Five" from Teachers Pay Teachers user D Conway in which I call 5 Finger Sitting. I focus on 5 Finger Sitting with my Kindergartners so I can refer to it as they progress through the grades.  We count off as they adjust themselves to be in proper position.

After the color a picture to hang on their  fridge so they can remember what day to bring their books back.

First Grade: I read "Never Let A Ghost Borrow Your Library Book" by Karan Casale

The students laugh although some of it is over their head. They complete one of the activities you can find in my packet found on Teachers Pay Teachers.  The students also go home with a bookmark.

Second Grade I will write about next week as they are still doing their activity.

Third and Fourth Graders are telling me the rules using QR codes.  You can read about it in an earlier post, here.  They are having a lot of fun!