Friday, October 2, 2015

Everything You Need to Teach Point of View



Each year, my students struggle with point of view.  They seem to understand the difference between first person and third person, but the concept of limited and omniscient points of view is challenging.  They also have difficulty understanding the impact that the point of view has on the story.  Therefore, I created several resources that help students master this difficult standard.  I pulled some free resources from my Point of View Mega-pack to share with you.

1.    I assess what my students know before I begin the unit with this Point of View Pretest.


2.   Then we move on to direct instruction.  I like to create engaging, narrated PowerPoints, which can easily be converted into videos.  Students sit at the computer with a pair of headphones and watch/listen to the lesson  Students complete a note-taking page as they go through the PowerPoint so that I can ensure they are paying attention.  
Double Bonus: I don't have to repeat myself each class period, AND my students told me that when they listen to my voice over the computer, it is easier for them to pay attention to the instruction  SCORE!



3.   After teaching the unit, I give them this Post-test.  It truly helps me gauge what the students learned.


My entire Point of View Unit is available here.  In addition to the aforementioned items, it also includes the following:  (Each item can be purchased individually.)

Point of view Poster Pack in English and Spanish


Point of View Bellringers and Exit Slips –Includes links to these videos, as teachers act out a scene from different points of view.

Comparing Points of view-Students read the same story from different points of view.  They tell me that this assignment really helps them see the difference between the points of view.  This will lead to them being able to discuss how the point of view of the story affects the plot.  Read the version of the story from the first person point of view in this blog post


Point of view game-Students use the computers to play the point of view game.  This is great practice for helping them recognize the different viewpoints.  Read more about the game in this blog post. 


Point of View Analysis: All Mixed Up-The author of the story got several different points of view mixed up! Students will enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out the story and correcting it.  This is the assignment that I give at the evaluative level.


By the end of this unit, my students have a good grasp of point of view and are better able to analyze the impact of the point of view on a story.


Teacher Spotlight Winner
Retired educator and counselor, Patricia Keefe


This week's teacher spotlight winner is Patricia Keefe. Here are Pat's own words:

I retired June 1, 2015 after 43 years in teaching.  I am currently writing grants for a foundation and enjoying retirement.  I was a guidance counselor for two decades and taught English in grades 6 through 12 during different periods of time.  I was also a High Ability enrichment teacher in K-8, a Title I Coordinator, Drug Free Schools Coordinator, High Ability Coordinator, and Corporation Test Coordinator. I coached Academic Teams, advised yearbooks and newspapers, sponsored a school-wide writing contest, coached problem solving teams, and managed an after-school program.

My passion is writing, and I am a teacher consultant for Indiana University Southwest in the National Writing Project group there.  I used that passion to teach writing in my classroom.  I integrated writing and technology in a flipped classroom environment.  I started Writer's Corner in March and plan to continue adding lessons about writing that I loved teaching and that engaged my students. My goals were to encourage them to write with voice and passion and to become lifelong readers. Someday I may pull all my lessons together in a digital book format, but for now, I am organizing them in TPT to save current writing teachers a great deal of time.

I have written poetry for many decades and someday may compile a poetry book. I also enjoy writing short stories, historical fiction, and am working on a young adult book describing the aftermath of a fictional school shooting. I have written a children's book column for my local hometown weekly newspaper for twenty-five years. I learned much about my students through their writing and they told me things about themselves they would have never disclosed in a class discussion.

I love getting "in the zone" when I am writing and creating characters. Sometimes it is hard to bring the story to an end because I have become so attached to the characters that I don't want to end my relationship with them yet. Writing is hard work and involves a lot of revision, sometimes cutting out parts of something that I have written which I love, because it is not working with the entire piece. I am blessed to be part of an online writing group that shares writing once a month with each other and to have a dear friend who is a great peer editor. We help each other and we work very well together. We each help make each other's writing more awesome.



YOU can enter to be featured on my blog as well!  If selected, you will win a $5 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers.  Simply fill out this form. That's it! No gimmicks or tricks.  I believe very strongly in highlighting and honoring the achievements of others.  Winners will be notified via e-mail before the post goes live.  

And in case you missed it, here are last month's freebies from several teacher-authors.  Have a great weekend! 




Friday, September 4, 2015

My Confession + Text Connection Resources

I have a confession to make.  I am a perfectionist. (Big surprise for anyone who's ever been around me, right?-Lol.)  This character trait may be a dream for my employers, but at times, it's made me a difficult person to live and work with.  (Colleagues, family and friends, you know this is the truth!)  I demand perfection of myself and expect it, in the form of behavior and effort, from my 7th grade students.  

This week, we took a group of 7th graders on a field trip for some team building activities, but things didn't go perfectly.  The students' behavior didn't meet our expectations.  Many of us were left extremely frustrated.  The following day, during our team meeting, a few of the teachers commented that it was good that things didn't go perfectly, as it was an opportunity for growth. 


Students figuring out how to undo the human knot during our recent team building day

What insight! I honestly never looked at it this way! I will keep this in mind the next time things don't go the way that I'd like them to go. 

My free resource for this week is a Text Connections poster.  The chart is sized at 24 x 36, making it the perfect anchor chart to display in your classroom as students work on the important comprehension strategy of making text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. 
Size: 24 x 36-Display this anchor chart to help your students make text connections


This anchor chart perfectly corresponds with my Making Text Connections Interactive PowerPoint. The PowerPoint features the following:
-Narrated slides that explain the reading voice and thinking voice
-An explanation of the three types of text connections
-Examples of the connections
-Questions students can ask in order to make the connections
-A passage with optional read-aloud and think aloud
-A graphic organizer for student use
-Grading Rubric and scoring scale
-Text connection book marks 

Download your free preview HERE..  The Interactive PowerPoint is available for purchase HERE.

Teacher Spotlight

Amanda Nix, 8th grade math teacher
Congratulations to Amanda Nix, my teacher spotlight winner for the week!  Amanda has been teaching math for five years, and understands the importance of building relationships with students and having some fun!  

Why did you become a teacher? 
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. I had some incredible teachers throughout my own educational experience, and I wanted the opportunity to have that same impact in the lives of others. I have always loved math and I wanted to share that passion with others in a meaningful way.
What, as a teacher, is one thing you're proud of and would like to share with others?
I am proud of the style I've developed with classroom management and relationship-building. It can be difficult at times, especially for new teachers, to find a balance between having fun and maintaining rules and routines. With mutual respect as the foundation, my class has become an enjoyable combination of structured activities and moments of silliness.

What is something you do with your students that helps build relationships? 
I work with an amazing team of eighth grade teachers. They love to find fun, interactive ways to connect with students and to develop a strong sense of community.  Annually in October, Advisory groups compete in a mummy competition.  Students select an individual in their group to "mummify," then spend time working collaboratively and problem solving as they plan their strategy and theme.  On the day of the competition, students execute their plan by assembling the costume.  All groups gather to cheer for one other and engage in some friendly competition. I am looking forward to the competition, which will be here before we know it!  Maybe this year, my group will even take home the trophy. :)




Amanda is on social media, and she also has her own TpT store entitled Free to Discover.   Click the links below to find (and follow!) her. 

YOU can enter to be featured on my blog as well!  If selected, you will win a $5 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers.  Simply fill out this form. That's it! No gimmicks or tricks.  I believe very strongly in highlighting and honoring the achievements of others.  Winners will be notified via e-mail a few days before the weekly post.  

And in case you missed it, here are last week's freebies from several teacher-authors.  Have a great weekend! 







Thursday, August 27, 2015

Friday Freebie and Teacher Spotlight-Annotating the Text-FREE direct instruction videos included


Having a child of my own has reiterated a couple of truths:


In years past, I've been guilty of teaching a concept and then simply moving on to my next standard or lesson without giving my students regular practice applying what they learned  This has been detrimental when it's time for state assessments.  I don't know how many times I've said, "We covered that earlier this year.  They should know it."  Yes, it's true that we covered it, but without time to continually practice and review, students will forget. 

This year, I decided that I will give my students adequate time to practice applying the skill of annotating as they analyze complex text. One way that I'm doing this is by providing them with Kelly Gallagher's article of the week and class time to analyze it. (Thanks to my friend and colleague Nick Trottier for reintroducing me to Gallagher's work.)


An example of student work
Earlier this month, I used direct instruction videos to teach my students how to annotate the text. 



They now spend class time  working with a partner to read and analyze the weekly article. They use think marks to hold their thinking and then write a one page reflection that demonstrates their understanding.  

This was a free download in Just a Primary Girl's TpT store.
Click the image to go to this product in her store. 
Regular practice with annotating the text will help students hone their skills so that they greatly improve upon their reading comprehension. 

This worked so well with my students, so I'd like to share my direct instruction videos, the article used to teach this skill, the writing frame, and a sample of student work with you.  You can download all of this here in Google Drive. *Don't forget to swing by Just a Primary Girl's store to grab the Think Marks document that I used with my students.  IT'S FREE!  Show her some love and leave a bit of feedback.

Teacher Spotlight

Liezel with her daughter

This week's Teacher Spotlight winner is Liezel Pienaar.  Liezel has been teaching biology, chemistry, and physics to upper middle and high school students for 13 years.  (In my eyes, this makes her a genius!)  She has a degree in Biochemistry, but decided to go into the classroom instead of working in a lab.  She is so glad she made that move. Here's more from Liezel. 

Why did you become a teacher? 
I love Science but I could not see myself working in a lab everyday. I needed a creative outlet as well. After completing my degree in Biochemistry I decided to get my teaching qualification. Best decision ever!!
I love everything about teaching Middle School and High School Sciences. The students are amazing, funny, creative, etc. The subjects are interesting and fun. I try to do as many practical sessions as possible.

What, as a teacher, is one thing you're proud of and would like to share with others?
I have ex-students who are now at University and they still IM me with questions! I love the fact that they are still thinking of me and that they think that I can help them. :)

You can find and follow Liezel on Facebook and Instagram..

YOU can enter to be featured on my blog as well!  If selected, you will win a $5 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers.  Simply fill out this form. That's it! No gimmicks or tricks.  I believe very strongly in highlighting and honoring the achievements of others.  Winners will be notified via e-mail a few days before the weekly post.  

And in case you missed it, here are last week's freebies from several teacher-authors.  Have a great weekend! 





Monday, August 24, 2015

Incorporating Fluency Practice in Upper Elementary and Middle School




Our school year has gotten off to a fantastic start! Students are working hard and teachers are in good spirits.  It's going to be THE BEST YEAR EVER!

As a mom, I think about what I want my sweet Naomi to have in her classroom when she goes to school.  She's only 2 years old, but I want her teachers to do whatever they can to make sure that she experiences success. 


My sweet girl

I apply this same concept to my classroom.  Now that I have a child of my own, I see my students differently.  They are all someone's baby.  Parents want their children to be successful, and the children want to be successful as well, so it is my job to provide them with the right tools.

With that said, I was THRILLED when my friend and colleague Monique Nowak introduced me to MindPlay, a computerized reading program that assesses students and puts them right at their current level so that they can improve on their phonics, reading fluency, and comprehension.  However, that thrill turned to disappointment over the per licence price tag.  It just wasn't feasible to have this program.  I knew my middle school students needed work with fluency and comprehension, and they needed as much practice as possible reading on the computer since many of the tests they take are computerized.  After searching it out, I decided to create my own fluency program using PowerPoint.  

Click the image above to go to your FREE download!

Within this program, students select a speed and read a story before the words disappear off of the screen.  This research-based method for building fluency (and reading stamina!) trains the students' eyes to move from left to right and back  while also building automaticity, which is one of foundations of reading comprehension. 
My MS students working on the fluency program in my computer center

After completing the fluency work, my students respond to 14 multiple-choice questions and receive immediate feedback of correct and incorrect answers with explanations.  They can also click on the built-in hints if they are stuck on a question. My students LOVE this manner of reviewing our fiction standards and have commented on how they are able to read faster over time.

You can pick up the individual story here, or purchase my entire Fairy Tale Edition here

Of course I'm having a giveaway!  One teacher will win my entire Fairy Tale Edition, which sells for $45 in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Enter up to SEVEN TIMES for your chance to win.  Good luck!

P.S.-Stop by on Fridays for WEEKLY FREEBIES from teachers of all grade levels.  Here are the Friday Freebies from last week. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway







Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Best Year EVER!



After a day of long meetings, many of us stayed late in order to put the finishing touches on our classrooms.  Others arrived at school earlier than usual to make sure that everything was ready to go.
This is me-Finally finished setting up my classroom at ~7:00 p.m.  There were other teachers still in the building when I left.  That's DEDICATION (or craziness---you decide!)

My Classroom-I started with Learning Centers on Day 1---more to come about that in a later post

The floors gleamed with pride, eagerly awaiting the footsteps of 1500+ students yearning for knowledge. 
First day of school-just seconds before the doors were opened to welcome students for the new year


The doors opened, and the students streamed in with smiles on their faces.  They were happy to see their friends and teachers from years past.  They were looking forward to a new school year, and deep down, they believed that this year would be different.

And here come the students!

 This would be the year that they didn’t get suspended for fighting or fail their classes due to incomplete assignments.  This would be the year they mastered the standards and passed the state exam(s).  This would be the year that they would either participate in extra-curricular activities or support those who were on teams. They came in determined to make this the...



And so, my colleagues and I are on a mission to make this THE BEST YEAR EVER as well!  We have plenty of team building activities and field trips planned for the year.  Our professional learning communities have come together to create a positive working and learning environment. 
The seventh grade teachers minus me---I'm in my favorite place-behind the camera

This week's freebie

One thing that I'm doing to make this the best year ever is running a Secret Student Program.
I discussed the ins and outs of the program in an earlier post.  I started it this school year, and once again, it's been a big hit!.  This program works well for students of ALL grade levels.  Consider giving this a try if you are looking to improve upon your classroom management and help your class run a bit smoother.


Click the image to go to the product

Teacher Spotlight



This week's teacher spotlight winner is Debbi Kapp. Debbi has been working with young people for over 30 years and feels passionately about being a positive role model for young people. Let's hear from Debbi in her own words.

Why did you become a teacher? 
My own teachers were great models for me. I always wanted to follow in their footsteps--but make it more engaging and successful for all kids. I was so excited by my Reading classes as an undergrad and felt they really taught me HOW to teach social studies and ELA I have taught on a reservation, in a big public district, and in a small charter. I am currently substituting and have the best of both worlds--teaching and being with kids without homework :)

What, as a teacher, is one thing you're proud of and would like to share with others?
I was most proud when parents TOLD, "You got __ to love to read!" It is so rewarding to connect kids with the amazing YA Lit that's out there.

You can find and follow Debbi on Teachers Pay Teachers and on Pinterest

YOU can enter to be featured on my blog as well!  If selected, you will win a $5 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers.  Simply fill out this form. That's it! No gimmicks or tricks.  I believe very strongly in highlighting and honoring the achievements of others.  Winners will be notified via e-mail a few days before the weekly post.  

And in case you missed it, here are last week's freebies from several teacher-authors.  Have a great weekend! 








Friday, August 14, 2015

Friday Freebie and Teacher Spotlight




I hope that this has been a fantastic start to the school year for those who have started. It is my goal to bring you a Friday Freebie at the end of the week, just to make your day a little sweeter.  I'd also like to take a moment to highlight some of the achievements of fellow teachers.  This Proverb states that iron sharpens iron, so when we take time to appreciate and learn from others, we become better!

Image retrieved from http://postmodernpatriot.com/?p=273


Friday Freebie

Our schedule is a bit confusing this year.  The order of our classes is a little different (periods 1, 2, 8, 7, 3--according to what's written on the schedules) so my community leader, Mindy Sarlea, wisely decided to call each class a Block (Blocks A, B, C, and D) instead of a period.  I already had my numbers posted, but I had to change them to letters.  Instead of digging out my bulletin board supplies and hunting for the correct letters, or worse yet, going to the store because I didn't have any more As, I opened up this file, printed as many copies of only the letters I needed, and put them up in my room. (I even had students cut them out for me!)   This was so convenient and a fantastic time saver, so that is why I am making my Letters, Numbers, and Symbols Pack this week's Friday Freebie!  Download, save to your teacher computer, and enjoy!


Teacher Spotlight


Image retrieved http://e-devotion.blogspot.com/2012/07/honoring-others.html




This week's Teacher Spotlight winner is Chevin Stone.  Chevin is a science teacher at Gavit Middle School and also serves as the school's tech liaison.  Chevin has helped me in my journey towards becoming a better teacher by taking time out of her busy schedule to teach me about a Flipped Classroom.  She worked hard to launch The Gavit Educator and tirelessly provides the staff with professional development over Google Drive.  Let's hear from Chevin in her own words.



What is your name?
Chevin (rhymes with seven) Stone

What grade(s) and subject(s) do you teach?
8th Grade Science

Why did you become a teacher?
I come from a long line of teachers (4 generations at this point) and was told NOT to become a teacher. So I got a degree in Occupational Safety and Health and worked for many years in both the public and private sectors making lives safe for people. Part of that job involved adult education and training.

After getting laid off YET AGAIN, I was working as a parent volunteer in the school my children attended at the time and was hired to be an instructional assistant. It was then that I decided to go back to school.

For how many years have you been teaching?
12 years

What, as a teacher, is one thing that you're proud of and would like to share with others?
I'd like to think I"m proud of everything I've ever done. Teaching isn't a job, its a passion. Helping students, regardless of their age or station in life, to find meaning in the world around them isn't easy. When that light comes on and they "get it"... its something the teacher should be proud of; knowing they helped a student to embrace a concept, becoming comfortable with learning, and gaining a greater understanding of the world around them.

You can find and follow Chevin on social media.





Would you like to have an opportunity to be featured on my blog?  Click here to fill out the short form.  
If selected, you will win a $5 gift card to Teachers Pay Teachers!   






Have a FANTASTIC and RESTFUL weekend!