Giveaway?...I'm in!!!

Amanda over at Teaching Maddeness has reached 100 followers in just ONE week!  She is having a phenomenal giveaway.  Her blog is WAY cute and best of all I've already gotten some great ideas!  Quick!  Click the link, check it out, and enter!

Together for Our Kids,Denise

Daily 5 Book Study! Woo Hoo!

I know!  I know!  I admitted earlier that I've never really stuck with reading or implementing the Daily 5 (or too many of the other 50+ teacher books I've purchased), but I HAVE scanned them very closely and several, several times.  Three years ago I even purchased a membership to their website.  Well, I'm one of THOSE people that sort of believes in "Signs".  My good friend is moving grade levels and she's only teaching Math & Science, SO she gave me her Daily 5 stuff before school ended. Then, a principal from another school was telling me how her campus along with another elementary are implementing the Daily 5 K-4.  Then, I saw there was a Kinder book study that already started on the Daily 5. NOW I see there is a primary book study that starts MONDAY the 18th.

OK!  I really want to be PREPARED, MOTIVATED & GUNG HO to go full throttle with Daily 5!  The more people that join in on the study...the more interesting info I get.  Win-Win!!

Here's the info Lory's Page: Daily 5 - Primary Grade Book Study

Get Reading!!

Together for Our Kids,

Denise

Student Treasures

This year was my fourth year to do Student Treasures with my class.  We actually do it as a grade level.  We don't have to, but we always choose to.  We pick a common theme, which always seems to center around "Saving the Earth".  Each student writes a page and illustrates a page to go along with their writing.  When it is finished, the teacher packs it up and mails it in.  Each student is able to purchase the hardback class book for $20.  The teacher receives one for FREE!  There is are 2 parts that are a bit time consuming on the part of the teacher.  1.  The "final" writing and illustration needs to be done on the special paper provided by the company.  It's a glossy paper, so it needs to be written on with markers.  Because I have 2nd graders, I have them write their finished product with pencil and then I go over each one with a black, thin marker.  After they finish their illustrations, I also go back with the same marker and outline some of the objects just to make them stand out a little more.  2.  In order for the correct picture and writing to be side-by-side, the student's drawing has to be on the back of another student's writing.  No matter how many times I model and say this, I still hear a lot of, "This isn't my paper!"  or "I have Sophie's!  Who has mine?".  

Anyway...it always works out in the end and the results are fabulous!  I'm the biggest procrastinator in my grade level to get this done and even though we give ourselves plenty of time to do it...We are always turning it in at the last minute.  Each year we do it again and the students love reading the books that the other classes before them have written.  

Here are some examples from this year.  The book on the left at the top of the photos was done by my son and his friend in 4th grade this year.  The book on bottom of the same photo was done by my 2nd grade class this year.  The photo on the right is just a sample page of what a student did.  

I am pretty proud of the great job my kiddos did!  Check out their website, Student Treasures.  I promise you will love the end results and be so glad you put in the time.

Together for Our Kids,

Denise

Guided Reading & Balanced Literacy...What do YOU DO??

Out of all of the subjects I teach in 2nd grade, I have to say that my strongest subject is Math and next is Science.  Maybe because they are the most interesting to me and I can get really enthusiastic about it.  The ELAR block is my least favorite and so I am always trying to work on making it more interesting to me.  I just can't ever get a "flow" going.  I stress out a bit because I know that this is the most important subject at this age.  My students always show a lot of growth and they do very well on their district assessments.  I can get my students where they need to be and get them to really love reading.  I LOVE read alouds and all the modeling of what a good reader should do.  I love talking to the students about what they're reading and why they chose that book.  I love doing all kinds of fun Reading Response activities that go along with the books we read.  BUT.....and this is a HUGE BUT...I get so bored with the direct teaching of strategies, the word work, the phonics, and the writing.  Probably bored with it because I'v never really been taught the strategies that I need to teach.  ANYWAY......because of my lack of interest, every summer I venture out and try to find some book or workshop that will get me excited about TEACHING reading.  I think that if I can get my students a little above where they should be by the end of 2nd grade, imagine where they could go if I was excited and had self-confidence that what I was teaching them was exactly what they need.  Self-confidence--that's the word I was looking for.  Not so much "BOREDOM" or "LACK OF INTEREST", but self-confidence is what I'm lacking when it comes to the Reading/LA block.

I need a routine that flows.  It needs to be a routine that I'm happy with and fits my style.  I've started the Daily 5 and the Cafe books two summers in a row, but never really finished.  This summer I am reading
Balanced Literacy Essentials by Parr and Campbell and Guiding Readers by Lori J. Rog.  I've also been chosen to preview The Primary Comprehension Toolkit by Harvey & Goudvis for grades K-2.  To top it all off I was also chosen to go to a workshop at the beginning of August for Balanced Literacy and C-scope (which is the curriculum my district & state use).

So...What do you do during your Lit block?  What does your routine look like?  Having you taken pieces of different ideas?  What have you done to "further" yourself with phonics, and teaching writing and reading strategies?

Also....Is or has anyone else used the Comprehension Toolkit and what did you think about it?  Has anyone read either or both of the books?

Lend me your feedback...please.

Together for Our Kids,
Denise

I'm Comin' Out!!!

Out to the portables that is!!!

OK...y'all were such a TREMENDOUS help with my questions about the Mac.  (Which by the way I got the 13" Macbook Pro and I LOVE IT!!!!)  I need more advice...I'm moving out of the building and into a portable classroom--you know the "shacks", the "cabins", and my favorite since half of my grade level is inside and the other out--the "Porto-Pod".  In the building I had tons of storage and counter space.  In the portable I don't really have any.  If you've been "ousted" outside, what cool tips do you have to share with me about room set-up, organization, classroom management, etc.  HELP!  I'm coming to y'all--the EXPERTS!

Thanks a Billion in advance!!

Together for Our Kids,

Denise

MacBook Pro or No??? (and sappiness for 4 great blogs)

Well…I heard the crickets chirping oh so loudly at my last questioning post.  I get that I don’t have as many followers as the absolutely fantastical Step Into Second Grade blog.  Or the “just as the name implies” Sunny Days in Second Grade blog.  And I just can’t forget the very first blog and website I found that had to do with 2nd grade--Mrs. Bainbridge's Class blog.  These ladies are an inspiration to me and I dream of one day being as creative.  These 3 ladies make it into my classroom at least once a month.    I can’t forget Kate over at Innovate, Create and Relate with Kate blog it is a super cute blog with some really good teacher tips.  Kate was also so sweet and joined my site not once, but TWICE!!!  (SSHHH!!!!  I know it was by accident.)  OOOPS!  Back to the original topic---I’m assuming nobody has heard of Espresso Elementary.

My next question.  I really need some advice on this---I KNOW you’ve heard of this product.  Should I get a MacBook Pro or No?  I’ve researched and researched.  I rested and then I researched some more. 

The CONS to buying a MacBook…

• I really WANT one, but I don’t really NEED one. 
• I have a great desktop (not a Mac) which has a really large monitor so I can view (and read, cut, & paste) at least 2 pages very easily at the same time. 
• The MacBook is quite an investment. 

The PROS to buying a MacBook…

• I can put grades in, do lesson plans and research (stalk and steal ideas from several blogs) while waiting an HOUR before my sons’ football or soccer games even begin.
• I have a 19 year old daughter (who is still at home—don’t get me started) and two boys that are 13 and 10 who are doing many more projects on the computer for school (and who  know more than I do about technology now and they are always messing up improving my computer so that I am always having to learn new ways of doing things.)
• I have heard that Macs are so easy to use.
• This laptop will be ALL MINE.  No sharing OR borrowing!! 

Your help would be SOOO appreciated.  If you have a MacBook, which do you have?  Do you love it?  Do you use it more than your desktop?  Do you have 13 inch or 15 inch?  Do you have 500GB or 750GB or RAM? 

Thank you in advance,

Denise

Espresso Elementary???

Help!  I have been asked to review Espresso Elementary for my school district.  It’s supposed to be a “one-stop-shop” for all your lesson resources—videos, games, extensions, matches up to your state’s curriculum—yadda,  yadda,  yadda—you know—the MAGIC PILL.  I believe it’s based in the UK and it covers ELAR, Math, SS and Science.  Is anyone familiar with it or even better—does anyone use it?  I would love to know how you use it with your class?  Is it something that you use a lot?

I sometimes tend to get overly excited when it comes to school related finds---know what I mean?  The first time I look at it I just know it’s going to meet ALL my needs and make my school days so much easier!  Then after day 2 or 3 I’m going right back into what I’ve always used and then 3 months down the road I’m thinking, “Oh yeah!  I forgot about this.”  So help a fella teacha out!  I would love to hear your opinions, comments and ideas!  You all ROCK!!

Together for Our Kids,

Denise