Book-a-Day Challenge 2013

Every year, I challenge my students to read more books than I do during the summer.  I challenge myself to read a book a day for each day of no school.  You can read a bit more here, if you like.  This summer, I have been a bit behind due to my East Coast Adventure.  Anyway, here is what I have read so far:

Happy Monday,

Hoki Stools + Donor Choose

Where is the summer going!?  My eyes burn when I see the school supply aisles.  I have made it half way through my book-a-day summer reading challenge.

Have any of you used Donor's Choose?  My roommate sent me a text telling me she was bored in class and was looking for things she thought my class needed.  Another teacher got a project funded for Hoki stools and after looking them up thought they would be perfect for some of my kiddos!  The bottom of the stool is rounded, allowing students to sit and move while working.  You can click the pic for more info...

Anyway, my project has been posted and I am very intrigued by the whole process!

If you want to help out...for the next 7 days donations are being matched dollar for dollar when you enter the code INSPIRE.  Click HERE to get to the project.

Wish me (and my classroom luck)!

Happy Sunday,

Filing Cabinet Treasures

I spent some quality time with my filing cabinets today....there is some stuff in there from 11 years ago.  A lot of things I have upgraded and have saved to a hard drive, so no need to keep them in my filing cabinet.  I did come across some things that I didn't really need to keep, but wanted to remember and maybe they will help you too.

An anchor chart for buddies-

 How to walk in line...and why-

Thinking and Reading

One year, while reading professional books, I would find inspiring quotes and share them with class.  We would discuss our thoughts about them and how they applied to our class.  I need to return to this.  Kinda reminds me of Tammy's Saturday Sayings.

A chart for text to text connections-

Get ready to read-

 Reader's Rights-

What readers do when they get stuck-

A chart for behavior during reader's workshop-

Tip for book choice-

Did you see me new blog lovin button?  If you are using blog lovin, feel free to follow me.  The amazing Barb over at Grade Onederful (the tree on her blog header is one of my favorite designs) and Ruby Slippers Blog Designs is so good at technical bloggy stuff that I do not understand and magically makes things appear:-)

Reese has been such a great summer companion....what is she going to do when I return to school!!!?

Throwback Thursday 3 Types of Readers

It is time for another throw back Thursday.  Link up with Cara for more past blogging gems. 

After my week at the Teacher's College, my brain is full of reader's workshop ideas.  However, before the real reading work can begin students have to practice and know what they are expected to do.  So I am re-sharing one of my favorite lessons for reading behaviors.

Originally posted on January 7, 2011

Today we did one of my favorite lessons....3 Kinds of Readers:  Engaged, Dutiful, or Pretend Reader lesson.  It is amazing how the reading environment changes after this lesson.  Why I waited until January to pull it out, I don't know!  I start out by showing kids pictures of people reading and attach the words dutiful, engaged, and pretend to the pictures as we look at them.  Then I choose three students and send them into the hall.  They decide which reader they want to be and return to class.  The rest of us watch and study them, to see who is who.  We repeat this process a few times....they don't get tired of it!  Then we start our first session of Reader's Workshop....no one (seriously, not one student) is off task.   We made a chart about what each of the readers does during read to self.

 Then we made our own chart (sorry for the glare) 

Engaged reader is thinking, "I like this book.  It is cool."  The dutiful reader is thinking, "I don't like this book, but she told me to read it."  The pretender is thinking, "I like dogs."

And then we acted out what each of the readers would look like during read to self. 

Here are some pictures with class justifications for how the studied and labeled each reader.

Pretend-just flipping pages of book...not really reading
Dutiful-doing the right thing at the right time
Engaged-got a smile on her face, she is "with" the book

Engaged-ignoring the distracted person next to her, finger is following words
Pretend-daydreaming...staring off into space....seems to be on title page
Dutiful-kept reading, but would turn to check out what neighbor was doing

Pretend-not sure what he is doing with book
Dutiful-reading, but kept moving around
Engaged-was laughing out loud at something from the story

Happy Thursday,

Back Home...Warning Picture Dumping

The past couple of weeks have been amazing.  I missed my bloggy friends....all 2000 of the posts I didn't get to while on the East Coast.  My friend Jenny found a fairy door while I was gone....so jealous.  She is also having ginormous giveaway you should check out.

Anyway, this post is the site-seeing part of my adventure.  Beware picture overload following.  I flew into LaGuardia and then drove to Cooperstown.   Such a fun city...especially if you are a fan of baseball.  The Hall of Fame was fascinating.  Baseball details everywhere, along the hallways, in the decor...

 Lots of Dodger collections

Shoes of  PeeWee Reese...my favorite Dodger player (and the reason my new puppy is named Reese)

 Some statues of famous players....Jackie Robinson...

 The Hall of Fame-

 A room dedicated to baseball in the movies-

 And children's literature about baseball.  (I think I have quite a few of these in my own collection.)

The next day was Boston.  We toured Fenway, saw the Red Sox win later that night.  Went on the freedom trail and experienced all kinds of history!

The actual game was nuts!  My dad and I tried to keep score but people get up and down constantly so that was kind of tricky.  The stadium hums...I don't know how else to describe it.  It isn't loud, unless something exciting happens, but the whole game it is like a current of humming.  And the choral singing of Sweet Caroline was a highlight of the whole trip!

We went to Concord and saw Lousia May Alcott's house.  I have such great memories from Little Women.  Very neat stop!

Then we went to Valley Forge...so much history there.  I need to reread some Ann Rinaldi for some history review.  We did a speed tour of Valley Forge and really needed a lot more time!  Also I apparently only took one picture while there.

From the Rhode Island detour...I think this is the Capitol.  Beautiful state!  I need to return and do some exploring there.

Then onto Philadelphia (with a quick detour in Rhode Island to say we had been there)  We were only here for a few hours.  Just time for the Liberty Bell and a cheesesteak.

And finally back in New York. 
World Trade Center Memorial-I so expected this to be somber and silent....like Pearl Harbor.  It wasn't, people everywhere like they were at just another tourist spot.  However the memorial was very interesting to see and the museum will showcase even more from the tragic day.

Views from the Staten Island Ferry-

Metropolitan Museum of Art...so cool since recently reading From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Finally saw Newsies!  It was amazing as I hoped it would be.  Live theater has always been one of my favorite things...it is even better when it is attached to a movie watched so many times the VHS tape quit working.

The New York Public Library was probably one of my favorite New York sites.  And the current exhibit was all about children's literature.  #booknerd  Every library needs lions and gold drinking fountains.

Honus Wagner's SUPER RARE baseball card was on display.

The Children's Literature Exhibit-

The original Pooh Clan-

Madeline

THE Newberry Medal

Mary Poppins and the magical umbrella

Eric Carle painted paper

Of course Mo was part of the show!

 We went to a Mets game on the 4th and avoided the fireworks crowds.

Stay tuned for the academic part of the trip...

Happy Wednesday,