Reading Strategies Book - Goals 5 &6

This week I'm linking up with Teaching Little Miracles again for the summer book study, The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo.

I have so been looking forward to this part of the study. Goals 5 and 6 begin to focus on comprehension. As a middle-to-upper elementary teacher, comprehension strategies are what I NEED. So, let's begin!

Goal 5: Supporting Comprehension in Fiction - Understanding Plot and Setting

I loved so many strategies from this goal that I cannot include them all in my blog post ( I don't have the time and you don't want to read a novel). So here are a few that I really took note of.

I love the visual included with Strategy 5.4 Uh-oh...Phew and will definitely be replicating it for my classroom.

I think it would be great to have this as an anchor chart that stays up on the wall. Then we can use sticky notes to jot down parts from the read aloud we are doing and stick them on to the Plot map.

Another great strategy from this goal is 5.14 Chapter-End Stop Signs. Having students stop and jot at the end of a chapter is a great way to help them focus on the main events of that chapter and see how they tie into the bigger story.

I think this would be great for students to keep in a reading notebook. Then they could refer back to it in book club to guide their discussion.

Goal 6: Supporting Comprehension in Fiction - Thinking about Characters

There were really two strategies that jumped out at me from this goal. The first one was 6.5 Ready, Set, Action! I know she says this strategy was for lower levels of reading (F-M) but I can see it being helpful (and so much fun!) at any reading level. I love the idea of having students taking turns being the "director" that guides the student reading aloud to read with the right tone/ inflection/ emotion.

The other strategy that stood out in this goal was 6.18 Complex Characters. I think I will have a list of character traits displayed in my room this year for students to refer to, or have a smaller handout that students can paste into their readers notebooks like this free download from Mrs. R. This is another great strategy that can be used with read alouds, as Serravallo suggests "Consider creating a wall in your classroom where you hang photocopied covers of past read alouds with character webs or a list of traits below." I can see me reading aloud to the class, and us stopping to discuss and add to our character traits web as we do. I can't wait to get started with this strategy!

Y'all, I get so excited every time I stop and think about how I'm going to use these strategies in my classroom! I am especially looking forward to being in a regular class this year, where I can do daily read alouds with my littles! These two goals seemed to bring up read-alouds a lot as I was thinking through them, so tell me: what are your favorite read alouds for third or fourth grade?

The Reading Strategies Book - Goals 3 &4

This has been a BUSY week! It was my first week trying to implement an organized to-do list from the 40 hour teacher work week (more info here), so of course there was something that popped up EVERY DAY that required my attention before I could even start on my list. You know, like the day I heard "Honey, why are the garbage bags all wet? Is the kitchen sink leaking?" Why yes, yes it was. And yes, I spent 45 minutes cleaning out from under it before I could tackle my to-do list. Oh the joys.

On top of that, I only have one week of summer left before pre-planning starts. EEEEK! I am super excited that I get to teach fourth grade this year. I already know most of my kiddos (and have taught them Bible/ History for the past two years), so I know they're going to be an awesome group. But as excited as I am, there's always that feeling that I should have done "more" during the summer to prepare, and I'm left cramming in as much as I can at the last hour. Regardless, I know it's going to be an awesome year!

Ok, on to the book study.

Goal 3 : Supporting Print Work

I have to say, I was pretty happy to see so many familiar strategies in this section. I was a second grade teacher for 6 years, so I have spent a lot of time working with students in this area.

One strategy that stood out to me was 3.5 Be a Coach to Your Partner. I love the idea of having students coach each other as they take turns reading aloud. With the teacher as  a "ghost partner" (whispering prompts to the listening partner when they need help) I can see this strategy being a hit. It would definitely need modeling and class discussion, but I think it could help all students.

Something else that stood out in this section was strategy 3.6 Try, Try, Try Again. I like how Serravallo refers to these strategies as a "Reader's Toolbox" that students can draw from when they are having difficulty with a certain word or passage. I think someone with more time/ creativity than me could take that idea and run with it. I'm thinking cute cut-outs that represent different strategies: a hammer to represent strategies that help "hammer out" difficult words; sandpaper for smoothing our fluency, etc. It could work, right?

Now, on to my favorite goal from this week:

Goal 4: Teaching Fluency

I found so many things in this goal that I think will be useful to my up-coming fourth graders. In strategy 4.5 Say Goodbye to Robot Reading, Serravallo uses the phrase "scoop up a few words" to help students read phrases rather than word for word. To me this is like sprinkles on ice cream. If you have a bowl of sprinkles, you don't pick one up at a time. You get a whole scoop of them, and sprinkle them on. In the same way, students can "scoop up" a few words at a time as they are reading.

Another great strategy (and a way for me to actually use all those lower level books I have) is 4.7 Warm up and Transfer. Just as you have to walk before you can run, or stretch before exercising, this strategy has students start with a book that is below their level. This way they can practice reading fluently with words they already know, then transfer those confident skills to an at-level book. Genius!

One more strategy that stood out was 4.15 Warm-Up Phrases. This is one I had never heard of before, but it makes total sense. If students spend time practicing sight words, why not spend time practicing phrases that appear regularly in reading? Again, genius! I will definitely be practicing these Fry Instant Phrases with my students this year.

So what did you think of these two goals? Any favorites? Any surprises? Let me know in the comments below.

The Reading Strategies Book - Goals 1 and 2

Crystal, over at Teaching Little Miracles, mentioned how she seems like a hermit during the summer. All I can say is girl, I am with you! It takes SO MUCH EFFORT to make myself look decent and leave the house during the summer. I really do cherish these "hazy, lazy days of summer."

Anyway, on to the book! Goal 1 was interesting to me, but as an upper elementary teacher, it doesn't help me much. However, as a lead teacher of lower grades I did file these ideas away to mention as needed to those who have emergent or pre-emergent readers.

Goal 2: Focus, Stamina, Building a Reading Life

OH MY WORD! There were so many strategies that I found myself nodding my head to and saying "Yes!" as I read. So many of the strategies are things that I do myself as a reader, but would never have thought to explicitly teach to my students.

Three strategies that I plan on definitely using this year are:

2.20 Reflect on the Past, Plan for the Future - I think I will use this idea with an "in class only" reading log. This way, students will be more likely to accurately record what they read. I'm always suspicious of reading logs that are done at home. Did they REALLY read that many pages in that amount of time?

2.23 Set Page Goals - I love the simplicity of this strategy. My thought is to have students jot directly onto the sticky notes as they come to them and later add them to their reader's notebooks.

2.27 Hear the Story - This one really got to me. Again, it's something I do as a reader that I would have NEVER thought to teach as a strategy. Helping students to not just SEE what they are reading but to HEAR it through the narrator/ characters voices is a great way to get them engaged and keep them reading.

Something else that stuck out to me in Goal 2 was from the introduction. I love the idea of using an "engagement inventory" to track how well students are engaging with their reading. I am SO grateful that the author offers this and other files mentioned in this goal for free too! They are located on a blog post by the author found here Jennifer Serravallo: Focusing on Engagement

I plan on using the engagement inventory on the very first day of school.

So far I am really enjoying this book. I absolutely cannot wait to see how these strategies help my students focus on their reading, build stamina, and develop a reading lifestyle.

Iced Chocolate Coffee

The other morning I made a pot of coffee. I made my cup up as usual by putting a good amount of vanilla creamer in, adding coffee, and stirring. I knew something was off with the first sip. Checked the bag of coffee and, lo and behold, I had gotten a bag of dark roast. 

So what does one do with a pot of super strong coffee? Stick it in the fridge for iced coffee later, of course!

After spending some time on Pinterest, looking for the perfect recipe for iced coffee/ frappes, I decided to come up with something of my own. It turned out so good, I immedietly made myself a second one!

Here's what I did:

First, I mixed a good tablespoon of cacao powder with hot water. This makes it a creamy paste and it won't be gritty in the final product. 

Then, using my Tribest Personal Blender, I mixed the cacao paste with coffee, milk, and agave nectar. When mixed, this concoction becomes super frothy and delicious. Finally, I added a few ice cubes and mixed again. Delicious! 

For the second iced coffee, I added a crumbled Oreo in with the ice. I probably won't do that again. The cream part didn't mix in that well and ended up being cold, greasy climbs. Blech!

Here's the recipe (sans Oreo):

• 6 oz cold, strong coffee
• 4 oz milk ( I used 2 %)
• 2 T cacao powder + enough hot water to make a paste
• 2 T agave nectar
• ice cubes (use as many as you want to get the thickness you desire. I use just enough to make it super cold without making it too "icy")

First, stir together cacao and hot water from the tap. Next, add coffee, milk, cacao paste, and agave to your a blender. Blend well. It will foam up and become beautiful. Finally, add in ice and mix to desired consistency. I like adding the ice last, as I can mix the other ingredients really well without shredding the ice to nothingness. 

That's it! Here's what it looks like:

Sorry for the crap quality. I was fighting horrible lighting and the desire to drink my coffee ASAP. 

Don't you just love the foamy/ creamy top that's created when you blend milk and coffee together? It's something magical....

My Earliest Memories

That's me there in the center. The one leaning awkwardly to the left. I've always had to be different I suppose. 

While looking over a list of "questions to ask your spouse" this morning, one caught my eye. 

"What is your earliest childhood memory?"

The first picture to flash in my mind was me as a young child, sitting in a high chair at a restaurant. Apparently I was hungry, as I was banging my spoon on the highchair demanding food. 

Then I remembered a dream I had of my grandpa, my dad's dad. It was not long after he passed away (when I was five) that I dreamed of Papa Mason. In my dream, I was out and about in town and came across Papa. I took him back home with me, and we all had a cookout to celebrate the fact that I had found him. Then, I remember we got in the car and drove him back to where he had been found. I begged him to let me go with him, but he told me that I couldn't go where he was going yet. 

I've often wondered why I had this kind of dream about him. I was only five when he passed, and I don't really have any memories of the man himself. I remember what he looked like. I remember being in the hospital with family when he passed. I remember my grandma scolding me for coloring on the newspaper before he had a chance to read it (Yes. I colored on newspapers. You kids with your fancy coloring books don't know what you're missing!). But I don't have any memories of spending time with him, except for in that dream. 

Then I turned in my thoughts to an earlier time. Before I started school, I spent time with my dad during the day. He worked nights, and mom worked days, so he was an early version of a "stay at home dad." I fondly remember spending our afternoons together. We would watch My Favorite Martian and Flipper.  Then he would spread the old quilt on the floor and would lay down with me for my nap (and his I suppose since he worked all night and took care of me during the day). 

At some point, I spent my before school days with the above mentioned grandma. I have LOTS of memories of spending time with her, though most of them involve her telling me what NOT to do. A fact which probably says more about me as a child than it does about her as a grandma. I was NOT to climb on the kitchen cabinets. I was NOT to color on Papa's newspapers until he had a chance to read them. I was NOT to go down to the old barn/ shed by myself. I was NOT to slide down the pole (antenna stand) that stood so temptingly close to the edge. So many NOTs!

The year of the big March Blizzard, 1993. I"m in the middle (again) , the one in the red jacket standing behind my dad. 

Most of my elementary years are somewhat of a fog, but I seem to remember having had a certain knack for innocently replacing one word for a completely wrong, and sometimes inappropriate, word. For example, I remember watching a news report about bad weather headed our way, then running through the house screaming, "Daddy! Daddy! A tomato is coming!!!" 

Another time, I remember overhearing a neighbor kid say a word that, in my brain, translated to a picture of the StarSHIP Enterprise. Imagine my surprise when I was scolded for using the word at the dinner table that night! Apparently it didn't mean the same as SHIP at all...

Those are my earliest memories. What are yours? Do you recall anything from your childhood that you look back on and laugh at now? Please do share in the comments below. I can't wait to hear from you!

--Miranda

Baby, Baby, Baby (You know you sang it in the annoying voice of THATperson.)

Now before you even ask, no. The answer is no. I am not preggers.  But it seems like everyone else is lately. Therefore, I have been busy. Busy knitting tiny, adorable little things: hats, sweaters, bunny buddy blankets, you name it, it's been on the needles.

I love knitting baby items. They're so cute! And so tiny! And did I mention CUTE? And talk about instant gratification! I started a baby cardigan a little over a week ago and it's already mostly finished!

Speaking of which.....

The Newborn Vertebrae pattern, by pekapeka patterns,  is simply genius. I first heard about it on the Electric Sheep podcast (which is FABULOUS by the way). After checking the pattern out on Ravelry, I could not stop thinking about it until I had dug through my stash and gotten it on the needles.

What makes this pattern "genius" you wonder? Having spent my fair share of time around newborns, I can attest to just how much "stuff" ends up dribbled down the front of whatever adorable outfit they happen to be wearing. Milk. Slobber. Spit Up. You name it, it will find its way to the front of a little one's clothing. But not on this cardigan. You see, the Vertebrae cardigan DOESN'T HAVE A FRONT! Huh? What? It's a back that wraps around the sides and has sleeves. That's it. (I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.)

The other reason this is so great, is that it keeps baby's back and arms all snuggly during tummy time.  Here in Georgia, it never really gets THAT cold (with the exception of this past winter's "Snowmageddon"). So a little cardigan, knit out of lightweight cotton is appropriate during any season. In summer, it keeps the AC chill at bay. In the winter, it's a perfect layering piece with a long sleeved onsie.

I'll post a finished picture when I get there, but here's what it looks like for now:

I've am knitting it out of some KnitPicks Comfy in the Planetarium color way. All that's left for me to do is the ribbing on the sleeves and the button band. Which will have no buttons. I can't wait to finish this!

Enough gushing. Let's move on to something that has actually made it off the needles.

The Aviatrix hat, by Justine Turner,  has been in my queue for quite a while now. I always loved the style, and after reading the pattern, I couldn't wait to get started. While most hats are knit in the round this one is shaped by starting at the back, and using short rows to form wedges up and across to the front. Then you pick up stitches on either side and knit the ear flaps/ strap. It's a quick knit, only taking a couple of evenings to complete.

And here's the finished product!

It's kind of hard to tell, but the button that I dug out of my grandma's button stash is the perfect burnt orange color that looks awesome next to the dark teal. 

And that's it! I did finish a few other things, but alas and alack I did not take photos before giving them away. *Hangs head in knitterly shame* 

(Sarah, if you're reading this, think you could snap a few photos of the bunny buddy for me when you get back in it's vicinity? That would be super duper!)

Thanks for making it to the end of this kinda long post. Leave a comment and let me know what you think! Do you knit? Sew? Stitch? Craft? Are you working on a project that you just absolutely love? Let me know about it in the comments thread below! 

Can't wait to hear from you!

Keep it real!

Miranda

What I Wish Present me could Tell Past me about In-Between Me (or, What I Learned During my First Year of Marriage)

         As a bride to be, I could often be found gazing dreamily into the distance, imagining just how perfect my life would be "once we were married."

• Once we were married, I would be happier. 
• Once we were married, I would  be with my husband ALL THE TIME! (this seemed like HEAVEN at the time)
• Once we were married, I would be busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. He would walk in from work, rush to my side, and tell me how glad he was to be home, how much he loved me. Birds would sing. The sun would shine. The house would be immaculate. 
• Once we were married, life would be perfect. 

Boy, was I wrong. Now, don't misunderstand me. I have LOVED spending the last year getting to know my husband. We have laughed together (and, let's face it, occasionally AT each other), shared inside jokes, cooked together, spent time being lazy together, and simply enjoyed each other's company. But, dear reader,  life has been faaaaaaaar from perfect.

And so, I began thinking. What do I wish I would have known before we tied the knot? If I could travel back in time, what would present me tell past me that would help in-between me?

This is the list, in no particular order, of what I learned during my first year+ of marriage. The list of things I wish I could email to past me.

1. He's not going to talk your ear off every evening. In fact, some evenings, he will barely speak at all. This is OK. You already knew this about him. Find another way to deal with your need for communication. You will learn to appreciate his quite spirit. This aspect of his personality makes him an EXCELLENT listener.

2. He will patiently listen to all of your complaints. He will let you cry on his shoulder when you've had a rough day. He will not try to fix it. He will just be there. You will love this about him.

3. He will fix your flat tire at 9 o'clock at night. Even though he's worked all day and is tired. Even though he's had back pain for the past week. He will do it without complaining. Be kind to him. Watch how your words sound. Think before you speak.

4. You will not fall asleep together every night. You're two different people. You have different habits, different schedules, and different internal clocks. This does't mean that he doesn't love you. This doesn't mean that he doesn't want to spend time with you. It simply means that he's not sleepy! Put your big girl panties on and deal with it!

5. He is not a mind reader. If you need something, ask for it. You don't think less of anyone else when you have to ask them for help/things. Why should it be any different?

6. Having to ask for what you need does not, I repeat, DOES NOT in any way lessen the giving of it.

7. Sometimes you will just need a hug from him to make everything all better. Refer to numbers five and six.

8. Do not listen to the lies of the enemy. Learn to recognize what thoughts are not your own. Over-thinking will be the cause of 90% of your problems.

9. You are not "just" a glorified housekeeper. You are not "just" his personal chef. You are not "just" his maid. You are his wife. He loves you. He chose YOU! Never forget that. If you start thinking otherwise, see number eight.

10. You will adopt two awesome kittens together. They will destroy things. They will cause messes. They will steal your heart.

11. He will love the kittens.

12. You will love that he loves the kittens as much as you do.

13. It's OK to spend time apart. It's healthy to spend time apart. You will want to spend time apart.

14. Take time for yourself. Do what you enjoy. Let him do the same.

15. He will not make you happy. It's not his job. Find your happiness in Christ.

16. He will not rush to your side the second he comes home from work. He needs time to chill. Go to him. Hug him. Tell him you're glad he's home. Then give him some space. You'll both be happier.

17. Your house is never going to be immaculate. See number ten.

18. The laundry is never going to be "done" again.

19. There will always be pee on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. Learn to avoid it or clean it up yourself.

20. Life will NOT be perfect. It will be messy. It will be hard. It will make you cry, scream, and want to pull your hair out. But it will be good. It will be blessed. And you will be glad you chose this life with him.

P.S. He will cheat at Words with Friends. You will have no proof. But you will suspect it with every fiber of your being. ECHE? How is that even a word???