My class is very excited about the new movie "Dolphin Tale." In science, we've been discussing how scientists can use a model to help them investigate their questions and variables.
Here are a few resources I've either found or created that you can use to support reading, writing and science through ideas from the movie "Dolphin Tale."
Power Point that can be printed or shown on an Activeboard/SmartBoard
Science Worksheet to go with Scientific Method and Power Point
Writing Prompt to go with Power Point
Scholastic Resources
Winter's Tail
Hope you enjoy!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Memorable Moment # 11: Name Changes
My parents christened me with a first, middle and last name when I was born. When I got married, I took on my husband's last name. In spite of these facts, my student's want to bestow new names on me each year. In the past few years, I have been all of these:
"McFly"
"Ms. Yogurt"
"Mrs. Yo-yo"
"Yo"
And let's not forget, my personal favorite:
"Ms. Oder"
I really do shower. The last one was a result of a child's speech impairment, not my personal hygiene habits.
picture references:
http://johnlmalone.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/marty-mcfly-the-flea/
http://www.storeitfoods.com/yogurt_maker
http://freebornobiterdictum.blogspot.com/2011/05/time-for-yo-yo-to-recoil.html
http://www.shorelineenvironmental.com/odor-elimination.html
"McFly"
"Ms. Yogurt"
"Mrs. Yo-yo"
"Yo"
And let's not forget, my personal favorite:
"Ms. Oder"
I really do shower. The last one was a result of a child's speech impairment, not my personal hygiene habits.
picture references:
http://johnlmalone.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/marty-mcfly-the-flea/
http://www.storeitfoods.com/yogurt_maker
http://freebornobiterdictum.blogspot.com/2011/05/time-for-yo-yo-to-recoil.html
http://www.shorelineenvironmental.com/odor-elimination.html
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Reading Throughout the Day
Some of you know I've recently switched teaching pre-schoolers with disabilities to teaching third grade students with disabilities.
In Florida, third grade is a "high stakes grade level." Children who do not pass the reading section of our achievement test face a mandatory retention.
My assistants and I are working diligently to help our students develop and improve their reading skills. We have a few systems and procedures that we have in place to help our students maximize reading opportunities throughout the day.
In this post I'll list our systems and procedures, and then in future posts, I'll explain in more detail how we specifically address each item.
1) Guided Reading Groups led by the teacher using district adopted curriculum materials (for my district this is Harcourt StoryTown)
2) Scripted Phonics lesson led by a classroom assistant using SRA Reading Mastery materials
3) "Book Buckets" that include individual leveled readers from ReadingA-Z and a reading log. Update: In December of 2011, we added some chapter books to this time. For more information, see this post.
4) Sight word practice. We store this in our book buckets and simply write targeted a sight word on an index card, hole punch it and collect them on a binder ring.
5) Shared poetry using poems from curriculum materials and other supplements.
6) Shared reading focusing on robust vocabulary and focus skills such character, setting, recalling details, etc.
7) Accelerated Reader using individualized goals and reading levels.
8) Read aloud chapter books.
9) Read aloud grade level short stories led by a classroom assistant.
10) Reading "choice time" activities (popular songs with lyrics..karaoke style, Boggle, Boggle Jr, Spell It Puzzles, Bananagrams, Scrabble, Scrabble Jr, etc).
* For more details on how steps 1, 2, 6 and 9 look in the classroom, visit this post.
We've just started our third week of school and I feel as if we are really starting to move with our reading groups and instruction. It took us a bit of time to finish assessments, formulate groups, and teach our students procedures for each of the areas we've attacked.
Hopefully, by the end of the year, we'll be able to report some good growth in our students' reading skills. I say "we" and "our" with intent because it require a team effort between the students, their families, my assistants and me!
In Florida, third grade is a "high stakes grade level." Children who do not pass the reading section of our achievement test face a mandatory retention.
My assistants and I are working diligently to help our students develop and improve their reading skills. We have a few systems and procedures that we have in place to help our students maximize reading opportunities throughout the day.
In this post I'll list our systems and procedures, and then in future posts, I'll explain in more detail how we specifically address each item.
1) Guided Reading Groups led by the teacher using district adopted curriculum materials (for my district this is Harcourt StoryTown)
2) Scripted Phonics lesson led by a classroom assistant using SRA Reading Mastery materials
3) "Book Buckets" that include individual leveled readers from ReadingA-Z and a reading log. Update: In December of 2011, we added some chapter books to this time. For more information, see this post.
4) Sight word practice. We store this in our book buckets and simply write targeted a sight word on an index card, hole punch it and collect them on a binder ring.
5) Shared poetry using poems from curriculum materials and other supplements.
6) Shared reading focusing on robust vocabulary and focus skills such character, setting, recalling details, etc.
7) Accelerated Reader using individualized goals and reading levels.
8) Read aloud chapter books.
9) Read aloud grade level short stories led by a classroom assistant.
10) Reading "choice time" activities (popular songs with lyrics..karaoke style, Boggle, Boggle Jr, Spell It Puzzles, Bananagrams, Scrabble, Scrabble Jr, etc).
* For more details on how steps 1, 2, 6 and 9 look in the classroom, visit this post.
We've just started our third week of school and I feel as if we are really starting to move with our reading groups and instruction. It took us a bit of time to finish assessments, formulate groups, and teach our students procedures for each of the areas we've attacked.
Hopefully, by the end of the year, we'll be able to report some good growth in our students' reading skills. I say "we" and "our" with intent because it require a team effort between the students, their families, my assistants and me!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Math Facts: Free Interactive Game Online
I found a new-to-me website for practicing math facts. It's a basic "drill and kill" type of game, but it is simple and clearly presented. It also gives the user options of using different operations and different sum/difference totals. Check it out:
Harcourt Basic Facts
Harcourt Basic Facts
Monday, August 1, 2011
Big Changes.......
It has been a busy, busy summer.
In addition to all of the typical summer school and summer vacation activities, I decided to transfer schools and grade levels. I will actually be teaching at the neighborhood school that I attended myself as a kindergarten student!
In the fall I will start teaching a class for third grade students with varying exceptionalities. And, although, I will miss my pre-k students and assistant terribly, I'm looking forward to the change.
photo courtesy of Chris Campbell on Flicker CC, "Top Of Antique Bell" http://www.flickr.com/photos/cgc/
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Including Samuel
This blog post recently came across one of my list serves. I found it worth sharing again.
Take a look:
Including Samuel
Take a look:
Including Samuel
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Memorable Moment #10: "Embarrassing"
SCENE: There's an assembly in the cafeteria during my class's breakfast time and my assistant's hip has really been bothering her, so we ate breakfast in the classroom. (This involves getting breakfast and taking the meal roster back which is a lot if walking, so I told her I would do that.)
BUILD UP: We're potty training a little girl in my class, so before I took the meal roster back, I told her to go potty. She went in and I'm in the classroom. I hear her shout "Mrs. Y., I pee!" I hear several thumps of the roll of toilet paper and know that she is taking too much. I went in and see her with a mound of toilet paper by her on the floor. As we clean up, a piece gets stuck to her shoe. She tries to shake it off, but it doesn't come off. So we're giggling and she's trying to get the toilet paper off her shoe and I tell her "Oh Gosh, you don't want to have toilet paper on your shoe, that's so embarrassing." She giggles and tries again but it doesn't come off. So we talk again about getting the toilet paper off her shoe because we don't want bathroom germs in the classroom. She giggles and says "Embarrassing" and finally gets the toilet paper off her shoe. We wash up, she goes to the playground and I go to return the meal roster.
PUNCH LINE: I get to the cafeteria (which is about as far across campus from my classroom as you can get) and the cafeteria manager says, "Michelle, what do you have stuck to your shoe?"
Yep, that's right, I had toilet paper stuck to my shoe....
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Manuel de Los Santos video
My husband found this link in his wanderings online.
He thought it would be of interest to me....he was right!
I think this is an amazing story.
He thought it would be of interest to me....he was right!
I think this is an amazing story.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
National Geographic Website
My school is inundated with caterpillars right now. With so many natural, incidental learning experiences available, this is a perfect time to implement our life cycles unit.
National Geographic Kids has many great resources to also support this theme. Of course, in addition to bugs and butterflies National Geographic also has many other topics addressed too. Check them out!
Creature Feature: Monarch Butterflies
What in the World: Bugging Out!
National Geographic Kids has many great resources to also support this theme. Of course, in addition to bugs and butterflies National Geographic also has many other topics addressed too. Check them out!
Creature Feature: Monarch Butterflies
What in the World: Bugging Out!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
More Sea Life Resources
Since I live in South West Florida, a unit on sea life is particularly meaningful to my students and there are many opportunities to extend with real life experiences.
We have a field trip to Mote Marine Aquarium planned in March. I took my class on this particular field trip about 4 or 5 years ago. This year we are going to participate in the lesson about sea turtles and will actually get to make squid "popsicles" and then feed the turtles in the aquarium.
Of course, we also support this unit with many classroom experiences. I have found a few new resources to share:
Fern Goes for a Dive (free, animated read aloud story)
Fern Goes to Hawaii (free, animated read aloud story)
Mermaid Lullaby
Seashore Tap and Type
You can find other Sea life resources that I have gathered at this post, this post, this post and this post.
We have a field trip to Mote Marine Aquarium planned in March. I took my class on this particular field trip about 4 or 5 years ago. This year we are going to participate in the lesson about sea turtles and will actually get to make squid "popsicles" and then feed the turtles in the aquarium.
Of course, we also support this unit with many classroom experiences. I have found a few new resources to share:
Fern Goes for a Dive (free, animated read aloud story)
Fern Goes to Hawaii (free, animated read aloud story)
Mermaid Lullaby
Seashore Tap and Type
You can find other Sea life resources that I have gathered at this post, this post, this post and this post.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Literacy and Art and a Gentle Reminder
Have you ever had one of those days when the stars and planets are aligning to make sure you "get the message?"
I had one today.
My class is in the middle of a camping theme. They have been having a grand time playing in tents, singing around our "campfire," pretending to roast marshmallows, pretending to grill hamburgers, reading by lantern light, etc.....all of the play based experiences you would expect to find in a preschool classroom.
The shared reading book we have been reading this week is called "The Camping Scare" by Terri Dougherty. It's a simple book with great picture-to-text relationships and good illustrations that show many of our targeted vocabulary words.
In our art center today, we had out large sheets of black construction paper, the scrap bin, scissors, markers and glue. The children were encouraged to make a camping picture as an extension of our other play experiences and the literature we have been reading.
One child took his turn at the art center and began snipping very small pieces of the scraps. I looked at what he was doing and asked him what he was planning on making. He tells me he's making a tent. (This is clearly NOT a tent...in my mind...it is tiny pieces of paper. In my head, we were going to have a great creative experience where the children could cut out shapes of their choice to create figures of tents, etc and then use the markers for the finer details.) Well, I let him continue with his art project and he continued snipping the tiny pieces of paper. Good thing!
It turns out, he used those tiny pieces of blue paper to glue an outline of a tent, then collaged the brown ones to make logs for a fire, the orange ones for the flames and cut a large purple rectangle and used the markers to draw a "friend sleeping in a sleeping bag." It was fantastic!
Clearly, we (as teachers and parents) need to remember that children (even young children) are individuals with their own creativity, thoughts and ideas. I'm so glad that this particular child gave me an experience that serves as a gentle reminder that there are times that children need to have the space and freedom to communicate their thoughts and ideas in the way that they determine rather than with what we impose.
I had one today.
My class is in the middle of a camping theme. They have been having a grand time playing in tents, singing around our "campfire," pretending to roast marshmallows, pretending to grill hamburgers, reading by lantern light, etc.....all of the play based experiences you would expect to find in a preschool classroom.
The shared reading book we have been reading this week is called "The Camping Scare" by Terri Dougherty. It's a simple book with great picture-to-text relationships and good illustrations that show many of our targeted vocabulary words.
In our art center today, we had out large sheets of black construction paper, the scrap bin, scissors, markers and glue. The children were encouraged to make a camping picture as an extension of our other play experiences and the literature we have been reading.
One child took his turn at the art center and began snipping very small pieces of the scraps. I looked at what he was doing and asked him what he was planning on making. He tells me he's making a tent. (This is clearly NOT a tent...in my mind...it is tiny pieces of paper. In my head, we were going to have a great creative experience where the children could cut out shapes of their choice to create figures of tents, etc and then use the markers for the finer details.) Well, I let him continue with his art project and he continued snipping the tiny pieces of paper. Good thing!
It turns out, he used those tiny pieces of blue paper to glue an outline of a tent, then collaged the brown ones to make logs for a fire, the orange ones for the flames and cut a large purple rectangle and used the markers to draw a "friend sleeping in a sleeping bag." It was fantastic!
Clearly, we (as teachers and parents) need to remember that children (even young children) are individuals with their own creativity, thoughts and ideas. I'm so glad that this particular child gave me an experience that serves as a gentle reminder that there are times that children need to have the space and freedom to communicate their thoughts and ideas in the way that they determine rather than with what we impose.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Play based writing
I have found a lovely, photo based blog entry on supporting writing skills through a play based curriculum.
Check it out. Jenny's preschool classroom writing experiences (indoors and outdoors) are fantastic!
Let the Children Play
Check it out. Jenny's preschool classroom writing experiences (indoors and outdoors) are fantastic!
Let the Children Play
Visiting Kindergarten: Social Story
It's the time of year when, in pre-k special needs classes, we begin to think about the process of transitioning children to kindergarten.
This year, there is a little girl in my class with an interesting combination of strengths and challenges.
She has a good cognitive skills and a good ability to learn vocabulary and concepts through incidental learning. She has a solid base of kindergarten pre-academic skills (she knows all of the letters of the alphabet upper and lowercase, she can count to 15, she can identify 11 colors and 6 common shapes. She knows many beginning consonant sounds, has an awareness of rhyming words, can read all of the names of the students in class and reads approximately 10 sight words.)
She gets overwhelmed with new experiences and has difficulty transitioning to new activities (especially if it is in a different location on campus). She still needs staff support for potty training. Her fine motor skills are significantly delayed and she still needs staff support for many tasks that include visual motor planning.
We have decided to try to specifically address an area of strength with an area that is a significant challenge for her while she is still in pre-k. She is going to start going to a shared reading and phonics lesson with a kindergarten class for approximately 20 minutes a day. Since she has good cognitive skills and she does not need any staff support in our pre-k large group circle time, we are going to try to balance this with the challenge of accepting a new experience. We are hoping that she will become familiar with the kindergarten building, the kindergarten classroom and the larger group of kindergarten students. We are also hoping that our pre-k staff can go with her for a short period of time and then fade away so that we increase her independence and comfort in the kindergarten classroom.
To help her prepare for this, we have drafted a simple social story (you can download a generic copy here.) about going to the kindergarten classroom. She has a copy at home that her family has read with her for the past week and there is a copy at school that classroom staff have been reading with her too. We have also started walking past the kindergarten room and having conversations about visiting kindergarten on Monday.
We're hoping by layering in the staff support and also building on her strengths, she will begin to feel comfortable and be able to learn new skills in the kindergarten class.
This year, there is a little girl in my class with an interesting combination of strengths and challenges.
She has a good cognitive skills and a good ability to learn vocabulary and concepts through incidental learning. She has a solid base of kindergarten pre-academic skills (she knows all of the letters of the alphabet upper and lowercase, she can count to 15, she can identify 11 colors and 6 common shapes. She knows many beginning consonant sounds, has an awareness of rhyming words, can read all of the names of the students in class and reads approximately 10 sight words.)
She gets overwhelmed with new experiences and has difficulty transitioning to new activities (especially if it is in a different location on campus). She still needs staff support for potty training. Her fine motor skills are significantly delayed and she still needs staff support for many tasks that include visual motor planning.
We have decided to try to specifically address an area of strength with an area that is a significant challenge for her while she is still in pre-k. She is going to start going to a shared reading and phonics lesson with a kindergarten class for approximately 20 minutes a day. Since she has good cognitive skills and she does not need any staff support in our pre-k large group circle time, we are going to try to balance this with the challenge of accepting a new experience. We are hoping that she will become familiar with the kindergarten building, the kindergarten classroom and the larger group of kindergarten students. We are also hoping that our pre-k staff can go with her for a short period of time and then fade away so that we increase her independence and comfort in the kindergarten classroom.
To help her prepare for this, we have drafted a simple social story (you can download a generic copy here.) about going to the kindergarten classroom. She has a copy at home that her family has read with her for the past week and there is a copy at school that classroom staff have been reading with her too. We have also started walking past the kindergarten room and having conversations about visiting kindergarten on Monday.
We're hoping by layering in the staff support and also building on her strengths, she will begin to feel comfortable and be able to learn new skills in the kindergarten class.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Homecoming Queen: Teenager with Down Syndrome
This story recently came to me from two sources: A CEC SmartBrief and the parent of a child I tutor.
I think it's worth sharing again!
Homecoming Queen: Teenager with Down Syndrome
I think it's worth sharing again!
Homecoming Queen: Teenager with Down Syndrome
Free Interactive Holiday Sites
I found this site a few years ago. It was challenging to navigate and then go back and find the activities you wanted repeatedly. They have re-organized and uploaded many free interactive boards and activities. They have many that are appropriate for December holidays. They've done a great job! It's so much easier to navigate and find activities appropriate to skill or grade level.
TES iboard player
Here's a link to a post from a few years ago too. My students still enjoy these links!
Interactive Holiday Sites
TES iboard player
Here's a link to a post from a few years ago too. My students still enjoy these links!
Interactive Holiday Sites
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