For those familiar with the Secret Stories- Cracking the Reading & Writing Codes with the Brain-in-Mind! my name might sound familiar! I'm Katie Garner, author of the Secret Stories, and have been brainstorming with Deanna the past few weeks about this shared blogging endeavor! These "Secret Sessions" will be posted both here and on the new Secret Stories BLOG. Click for the Secret Stories "Awesome Anchors" Pinterest Page A handful of times each month, ... continue reading...
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The Recess Queen Activities & Lesson Ideas
The Recess Queen activities & lesson ideas for your kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Reading aloud to students is an important component of balanced literacy. During read alouds, the teachers are doing all of the decoding work which frees students up to do all of the thinking work. Students are able to focus all of their attention on enjoying the story and comprehending the text. Providing the students with opportunities to discuss the text with others and write ... continue reading...
How to Start Teaching Writer’s Workshop in Kindergarten & First Grade
Do you struggle with how to get started? Writer's Workshop in kindergarten and first grade classrooms is one of the most powerful components. In Writing Workshop in kindergarten and first grade, students are encoding words that come from their thoughts and feelings, which is a much easier skill than decoding. Successful writers become successful readers! So, how do you get started? The answer is simple. Just jump right in!! I usually start at the beginning of the ... continue reading...
Writer’s Workshop for Kindergarten: 5 Easy Steps
During my travels and presenting at conferences around the country there is one question that I'm most often asked, "HOW can I teach my kids to write ?" Many teachers are intimidated by the thought of teaching writing, and they often ask, "Where do I begin?" The answers to these questions are really quite simple. Model what writing looks and sounds like and provide your students with opportunities to write each and every day. Each ... continue reading...
The Lion & the Mouse: Chapter 8 Book Study
Chapter 8 is about noticing "precision and detail" in writing (illustrations). Katie describes the way Bob Graham illustrated his characters with such detail that the "scenes seem authentic..." Even the details of the mother in his book, Let's Get A Pup include the mother's tattoo and nose ring. In this way Bob Graham included "memorable small and unusual details that readers would not necessarily know or even imagine."(p 132) Katie states that being precise in the detail is ... continue reading...
Illustration Techniques: In Pictures and In Words
Welcome back to the second week of our book study which covers the 50 illustration techniques that demonstrate "Good Writing" I have to give a shout out to Deedee Wills for working so hard to get this book study up and running! Katie Wood Ray does suggest book titles, but merely as a way to introduce these illustration techniques. She recommends searching your current book collection and reading these books with a new eye... the eye of an illustrator/writer. Each illustration ... continue reading...
Leonardo the Terrible Monster Reading Lesson Plans for K-1
Leonardo the Terrible Monster reading comprehension lesson plans with student response activities. Print and teach lessons to engage your students in reading! Leonardo the Terrible Monster This story by Mo Willems is one of my favorite stories to read, especially in October around Halloween. If you are not familiar with this book, it is about a monster named Leonardo. Leonardo is not a scary monster, no matter how hard he tries! He does some research and thinks he finds the perfect little ... continue reading...
FREE Spine Labels for Binders: Getting Organized!
This is a throwback post that I did awhile back about getting our Guiding Readers units organized. Since this post, I've had quite a few requests to make matching spine labels for the Writing and Math units. So HERE YOU GO! Sorry, it took me so long! We also have a Free Year-Long Curriculum Map for Kindergarten and First Grade. (Scroll to the bottom of this post to grab the map and spines) If you want to read the throw back post carry on! If not, Happy Organizing. ... continue reading...
Engaging Readers: Getting it ORGANIZED!
Hey There! Happy Hump day! We've had a few questions about how we organize our new Engaging Readers units so I thought I'd do a quick blog post to show you! These are the supplies I used to organize mine. I used a 1" binder sheet protectors Binder pocket (one pocket holds all four books) ziploc baggies Clear packing tape Printables for the spine and fronts of sheet protectors click HERE to get yours. First, I put our cutie patootie cover (thanks to ... continue reading...
Common Core Standards Organization and Wishy Washy!
I've had a lot of questions about how I organize my Common Core Standards and Essential Questions. I display them on posters which are hot glued to ribbon. The standards are attached with velcro so that they are easy to change in and out. (Please excuse the bad picture above. The standards shown are from the 1st grade set. Notice that the clipart images match the standard and that the essential question clipart also matches. This helps the little ones who can't read understand the ... continue reading...
Oceans of Fun!
I got up bright and early this morning and drove 2 hrs. in search of the perfect wedding dress for my daughter Taylor. SUCCESS! But, I'm one tired mamma so this is going to be a super quick post! We just started our ocean unit. Nothing gets boys excited more than sharks! (okay...maybe dinosaurs...but they still LOVE sharks too). We used interactive writing to label the parts of a shark. Comparing sharks and whales. Schema Chart Writing ... continue reading...
Inferring with Primary Students: The Case of the Missing Toy Sack
Inferring with Primary Students: Christmas Inference Detectives Activities for Kindergarten and First-Grade Inferring with Primary Students: Kindergarten and First-Grade Inferring is an important comprehension skill for young readers to have and I love giving them lots of practice with this skill. We infer each week with the story we are reading, but I also like to give them opportunities to infer outside of the text. Inferring is just putting clues together and using that voice inside ... continue reading...
The Gruffalo Lesson Plans | Reading Comprehension for K-2
The Gruffalo lesson plans for K-2. Engaging 5-day lesson plans with differentiated reading response, vocabulary, sentence study, and a craft for this fun story! The Gruffalo A clever mouse outsmarts some woodland animals who want to eat him with the story of a Gruffalo. Little does he know, a Gruffalo is real and loves to eat mice. Your students will love this award-winning story! Through our engaging lesson plans students will strengthen their reading comprehension skills and have fun ... continue reading...
Book study: In Pictures and In Words
Hey Friends! Nothing says summer like, book study! Woo-Hoo...I love diving into a great book that will help me learn and grow as a teacher. So put down your copy of Fifty Shades of Gray ;) and grab this book! This year we will be diving into Katie Wood Ray's Book, In Pictures and in Words. I'm so excited to participate in this book study with all of my bloggy friends. Who better to help me think more deeply about this text than you guys? When does it start? On June 22nd, ... continue reading...
Book Study Part 1: In Pictures and in Words
Deedee Wills kicked off our book study and she did such a great job that I just want to add a few little snippits. By sharing some pictures of student writing from my classroom. One thing that really stood out to me in this book is the idea that it is OKAY to slow down and take our time. Writers don't have to jump right in and start writing "words" to create meaning. Each time they pick up a pencil or a crayon they are making meaning through their illustrations. I'm excited about really ... continue reading...