Category: Children

No Blue Moon Blues Here!

With it being the Super Blue Blood Moon, I didn’t have high expectations for today’s lesson. However, I was pleasantly surprised. We covered comparing and contrasting using the Three Little Pigs by Barry Moser and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka.  Monday I read the Three Little Pigs aloud, then Tuesday I read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Today each student drew a Venn Diagram in their writing notebook and filled it out independently. Next, We played musical partners. I played Happy by Pharrell Williams as the students walked around with their writing notebook. Once the music stopped the students had to find a partner to share with. We played about three rounds then came back together whole group to make a classroom anchor chart of our Venn Diagram.

They did so well, and even came up with a few that I didn’t think of!

 

Of course with my afternoon class, the fire alarm went off as soon as we started the anchor chart. But, hey if I’ve learned anything from the last 7 years of being in a classroom it’s to be flexible!

Synonym Hearts Match!

I noticed this week my third graders are still struggling with synonyms. To review, I wanted to add some extra activities into my station rotation. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I decided to make my own matching game. I plan on having them cut out, match, and glue the synonym hearts onto construction paper.

Then, they can include the new synonyms in their stories when they rotate to the writing station.

Here is the link to the Synonym Hearts Match! 

 

A Week of Bedtime Stories!

Bedtime stories are my favorite part of the day. I love the connections and memories I make with my sweet little. But, lately she wants to spend more time choosing a book then actually reading. Starting today, we are picking out the books for the week. Hopefully this will save some time during the weeknights and we can make it to bed on time! I love her choices.

 

Sunday: Esme the Emerald Fairy by Sarah Creese and Lara Ede. I ordered this one for my new niece, Esme, but Quinn decided to make sure it’s acceptable for her.

 

Monday: Press Here by Herre´ Tullet. Interactive and fun!

 

Tuesday: Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs retold by Mo Willems. This one introduces some awesome vocabulary words.

 

Wednesday: Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton. It goes well with her starting prek this year.

 

Thursday: The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson. The illustrations are beautiful and its a wonderful read aloud.

 

Friday: How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? By Jane Yolen. It really is a perfect bedtime story!

 

Saturday: The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton. Princess Pinecone and her pony are the best!

I can’t wait to see what she chooses next week.

Books for Teaching Persuasive Writing

One of my favorite units to teach is persuasive text/writing. There are so many wonderful books that display persuasive writing. One of my all time favorite series is the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. My son and I have read Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the bus every night for over three years. Some other wonderful books to include in this unit is:

 

I like to have these books displayed around the classroom during the two week unit. I also have a tiny obsession with Oreos, so I use the Oreo to introduce persuasive writing. Here is my anchor chart. Please let me know if there are any awesome books I need to add to my list.

Books Every Child Should Read Before Leaving Elementary.  

I can still remember sitting in Mrs. Watkins 3rd grade class hanging on to every word as she read aloud James and the Giant Peach. Like the mouth wide open mesmerized, completely engulfed into the story. It was the moment I fell in love with reading. Rather a teacher or parent, there are some books that every child needs to read or hear. Here is a list of books that every child needs to be exposed to before heading off to middle school.   

 

“Give me a dollar or I’ll spit on you.”

That’s Bradley Chalkers for you. He’s the oldest kid in the fifth grade. He tells enormous lies. He picks fights with girls, and the teachers say he has serious behavior problems. No one likes him—except Carla, the new school counselor. She thinks Bradley is sensitive and generous, and she even enjoys his far-fetched stories. Carla knows that Bradley could change, if only he weren’t afraid to try.

But when you feel like the most hated kid in the whole school, believing in yourself can be the hardest thing in the world. . . .

  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio  I’m not going to lie, we all had a few tears in class, but my students were hooked from page one.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.

Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there’s no delete button. She’s the smartest kid in her whole school—but no one knows it. Most people–her teachers and doctors included–don’t think she’s capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows . . . but she can’t, because Melody can’t talk. She can’t walk. She can’t write.

Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind–that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice . . . but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.

 

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

 

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules from “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public”—in order to head off David’s embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, it’s her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

 

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? He really just likes to liven things up at school — and he’s always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he’s got the inspiration for his best plan ever…the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn’t belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there’s nothing Nick can do to stop it.

 

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, art, and hope.

The One and Only Ivan features first-person narrative; author’s use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).

 

One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie.

 

Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . .

Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle – that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

 

At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t and bullies her mercilessly. The class feels terrible when Wanda is pulled out of the school, but by that time it’s too late for apologies. Maddie, one of Wanda’s classmates, ultimately decides that she is “never going to stand by and say nothing again.”

 

It was so difficult to choose my top favorite. Did I leave yours off the list? Leave me a comment so I can add it to my classroom library.

Top 15 Favorite Christmas Books

Looking for ideas to do with your children over Holiday break? Read a book together. Read alouds can lead to so many wonderful discussions with your children. Here are my top 15 favorite Christmas books.

-Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story by Cynthia Rylant -¨Every year at Christmas a rich man rides a train through Appalachia and throws gifts to the poor children who are waiting, in order to repay a debt he owes the people who live there.¨

–How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss -“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot . . . but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!” Not since “’Twas the night before Christmas” has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. This heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit will grow even the coldest and smallest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, and his story is the perfect gift for young and old.¨

-Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus by Chris Plehal – ¨In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote the New York Sun to ask a simple question: Is there a Santa Claus? The editor’s response was a stirring defense of hope, generosity, and the spirit of childhood. His essay has been reprinted countless times since, and the phrase “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” has become part of American Christmas lore.

Based on these actual events, Yes, Virginia is the story of a little girl who taught a city to believe.¨

-Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco -¨When a leak ruins the sacristy wall in his father’s church, Jonathan Jefferson Weeks thinks Christmas Eve service will be ruined. Luckily he and his father find a beautiful tapestry, perfect for covering the damaged wall and giving the church a festive look! But then, an old Jewish woman recognizes the beautiful cloth. Her discovery leads to a real miracle on Christmas Eve.¨

–Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco-¨It’s not easy being Welcome Comfort-a foster child always moving from home to home and getting picked on by the kids at school. Even Christmas, the most wondrous time of the year, isn’t so wondrous for Welcome, since he has no family, no presents, and no Santa Claus. But when Welcome meets Mr. Hamp, the school custodian, he finally finds a friend. And when Christmas comes around, Welcome is taken on an extraordinary adventure that changes his life forever.¨

–How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky- ¨Have you ever wondered what Santa did before he was Santa?
When Santa was young and needed a job, no one was looking for a man in a red suit to deliver gifts on Christmas. So Santa tried just about everything — from a chimney sweep to a postman to a circus performer. But none of these worked out. It wasn’t until he met a group of elves who helped him use all his special talents, that Santa was able to find his dream job.¨

–How Santa Lost His Job by Stephen Krensky- ¨Santa has the best job he can think of — brining presents each Christmas to children all around the world. Every year he prepares for his trip: He trims his beard, takes a bath, gets dressed, and packs up his sleigh fort he long night ahead. But there are always a few unexpected delays that make things a little hectic. Muckle, one of the elves who helps Santa, thinks he can come up with a more efficient way of delivering the toys — a method that won’t involve Santa at all.¨

–Cobweb Christmas The Tradition of Tinsel by Shirley Climo- ¨All her life, Tante had heard tales about marvelous happenings on Christmas Eve. Animals might speak aloud. Bees might hum carols, or cocks crow at midnight. Tante wished she could witness a bit of Christmas magic, too.

Everybody loves Christmas at Tante’s. The old lady decorates a wonderful tree and makes certain to have something for all who come to visit, be it the nearby village children or the shy animals of the pine forest. The only creatures Tante overlooks are the spiders she has swept out of her cottage while cleaning. But the curious spiders want to come inside and see Tante’s tree, too. When a midnight visitor lets them into the old lady’s home, they unknowingly spin Tante the very gift she has longed for–a gift that has inspired the draping of tinsel on Christmas trees ever since.

This Old World tale about the warmth and wonder of Christmas will leave children enchanted with the magical possibilities of the season.¨

-An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco-¨The Stowell family is abuzz with holiday excitement, and Frankie, the youngest boy, is the most excited of all. But there’s a cloud over the joyous season: Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and Pa hasn’t returned yet from his trip to Lansing. He promised to bring back the oranges for the mantelpiece. Every year there are nine of them nestled among the evergreens, one for each of the children. But this year, heavy snows might mean no oranges . . . and, worse, no Pa!¨

–The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston- ¨This unforgettable tale, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney, has become a seasonal classic-a touching and joyful story about courage and the power of family.¨

-The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson- ¨Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.¨

-The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel- ¨This “new classic” Christmas story brings together two great traditions: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the neighbor-helping-neighbor program of Habitat for Humanity. Opening in Depression-era New York City, The Carpenter’s Gift tells the story of eight-year-old Henry and his father selling Christmas trees. They give a Christmas tree to construction workers building Rockefeller Center and celebrate together. Through the kindness of the construction workers and neighbors, Henry gets his wish for a nice, warm home to replace his family’s drafty shack. He plants a pinecone from that first Rockefeller Center Tree. As an old man, Henry repays the gift by donating the enormous tree that has grown from that pinecone to become a Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. After bringing joy to thousands as the Rockefeller Center tree, its wood will be used to build a home for another family in need.¨

–Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh- ¨Olive is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she realizes “Olive… the other Reindeer… I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer!” So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join the their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need. Colorful graphic illustrations accompany this zany dog story from the well-known author and artist team, Vivian and J.otto Seibold. Adorable Olive and her hilarious adventures are sure to make anyone’s Christmas merry.¨

–The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola- ¨In Mexico, the poinsettia is called flor de la Nochebuenao flower of the Holy Night. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside.

This Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl’s unselfish gift to the Christ Child. Beloved Newbery honor-winning author and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator Tomie dePaola has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for Christmas. His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful.¨

–How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss- ¨When Santa’s knocked out cold by a Jack-in-the-Boxer’s walloping punch, deli owner Murray Kleiner reluctantly agrees to take his place. The suit doesn’t fit, Murray smells a bit like pickles, and there’s no way he can remember the names of all those reindeer. But with the help of a pushy elf and an eager-to-believe young boy, Murray finds out that even though he’s not big enough to fill Santa’s suit, he’s got more than enough heart to get the job done.¨

 

Our Journey with ADD/ADHD.

As parents we are constantly worried and second guessing ourselves over just about every decision we have to make. I knew early on that my oldest son was not your textbook child. I could never anticipate how he would react to any situation. It took me much longer than I like to admit to take the next step. The thought of labeling him was heartbreaking to me.

Most toddlers can easily be redirected and distracted. That was not Owen. He would have the biggest meltdowns over the smallest things. I vividly remember one of his worse tantrums was because I turned the car off when we came home and the song on the radio was not over. I now know that it was not him purposely being defiant, but a sign of his OCD-Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

His impulsiveness and emotional outbursts were the hardest to deal with. He knew right from wrong, and yet he would immediately react to a situation. Then, he would get so upset with himself after he regained control and calmed down. We would talk and reflect on how to handle the situation next time along with consequences. Yet, the end result still remained the same. He was frustrated with himself as much as we were with how to help him. Everything we tried did not make a difference.

I had numerous conferences with his 1st grade teacher. He would get so emotional in class, not finishing work, not staying in his seat, could not stop one activity to move to the next, etc. All I could say was I don’t know what to do anymore. I was completely opposed to medication. I just knew he would be a zombie and everyone would see it as me taking the easy way out instead of disciplining my child.

Then it happened, I watched him get so overwhelmed and upset that he repeatedly started punching himself in the face. In that moment, I realized that I needed help. We could not continue down the path we were on.

The next day I called his pediatrician. After questionnaires, surveys, and conferencing with him, she determined that he is ADHD/ADD( attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and OCD. Together we set up an intervention plan for him. Adequate sleep, better nutritional habits, more time outside, coping strategies, and medication were all topics of discussion. He is now on the lowest dose of medication and the goal is to teach him self coping strategies wean him off medication by the time he enters middle school.

¨Treatment includes, first of all, education.  MAKE SURE the child and parent understand this is not a “deficit disorder,” but rather a condition that can be associated with tremendous success.  I have millionaires and billionaires in my practice.  There are numerous Academy Award winners who have ADD, Pulitzer Prize winners, CEO’s, Nobel Prize winners, Generals, Admirals, world class chefs, and leaders in every field who have ADD.  The real disabilities are shame, fear, and believing you are a loser.¨ -Ned Hallowell.

Ned Hallowell is a child and adult psychiatrist and the founder of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, Mass., and New York City, and was a member of the faculty of the Harvard Medical School. He is the author of a number of books, including, with co-author John Ratey, “Driven to Distraction,” “Answers to Distraction,”and “Delivered from Distraction.” He also co-authored, with Peter S. Jensen, “Superparenting for ADD.”

I wanted to share our journey to encourage any parent that may be struggling with this to please call your pediatrician. Answers are so much better than not knowing. I went to a conference with Owen’s second grade teachers Thursday and it was such a drastic difference from the year before.  We had nothing to talk about because he’s overall doing well, so I cried happy tears all the way home.

¨To be clear: undiagnosed and untreated, ADD can ruin a life.  It can ruin school, ruin childhood, ruin a career, ruin a marriage, ruin everything.  The prisons, the halls of the addicted and unemployed, the multiply divorced, the depressed, and the people who attempt and complete suicide, all are over-represented by ADD.

But, so are the people who change the world for the better: the entrepreneurs, the entertainers, the innovators, the visionaries, and the creatively gifted in all fields.¨ Ned Hallowell