Category Archives: Literacy

Transformation Baby Steps

By Kalan Gott

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The Hungry Caterpillar is a well know children’s book documenting the days of eating precede a caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly. Not only is it a cool book because of the pictures (and that tiny hole in the food on each page that shows you where the caterpillar ate), but because I’ve decided it is a metaphor for a child’s relationship with reading. Just so you all know, I didn’t ask Eric Carle about this metaphor.  I’ve just decided it is a thing from watching my 8 month old daughter begin her relationship with books. Like the caterpillar, she is hungry. Yes, of course, for actual foods. But also for books, letters, language, and the delicious cardboard they are printed on. Even though she is just knawing at the pages right now (literally so hungry for knowledge that she is eating the pages of the books), she is already starting to play with turning the pages, looking at the pictures, and laughing at the onomatopoeia. I am excited to see her blossom (not into a butterfly- that would be too Kafkaesque) into a reader who engages with the words and stories of fabulous writers. For now it is baby steps, but one day…

Lesson Planning for Zambia

By Pat Kelly

Visas, immunizations and packing aside, traveling to Zambia for A to Z takes planning. I’m talking about lesson planning. Having the opportunity to teach a few lessons while I am there is something I’m taking seriously. Therefore, I have been looking at children’s books with a different eye than I usually do as a book gatherer for our organization.

patchSearching for multicultural picture books, I came upon numerous stories which will bring universal messages to children at the schools we will visit. The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy tells the tale of a girl and her grandmother piecing a quilt over a year’s time. After reading this story to the children, I will have them draw on a quilt square a picture or design of their choice. Later, we will have a basic sewing lesson to piece the squares into a wall quilt.

 

 

61T4ymYNvsL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_I will read All In a Day by Cynthia Rylant early one morning to a class. It will give us a chance to have a conversation about the potential a new day holds and the patterns our days have. A writing activity will be the final piece of this lesson, as the children write about their days and the patterns in them.

 

 

whoever-you-areMem Fox’s Whoever You Are will make a grand read aloud with its’ global family illustrations. Students will share what they see in the pictures and make connections. Creation of self portraits will culminate this lesson along with a paragraph each student writes about him or herself. These will be compiled into a class book.

 

 

 

All supplies and materials need to be taken with us as we head to Zambia next month. Even the scissors and tiny needles have to be thought out and packed. While the space and weight of what we carry is limited, our ideas and creativity aren’t.

Zambia, here we come.

Profound Poetry… by an 8th Grader.

By Koriann Lance

Many teachers out there can attest to the countless emails that are sent sharing ideas and bits of text that went over well in classrooms. As a teacher, it is a blessing to get these kinds of emails, as we can spend hours hunting for the best text to share with kids. At times, I do admit that I throw the email into a folder and save it for the weekend when I can get a chance to read through it and see how I can best utilize it. But today-today was a different story.

When I opened my email, I found an email passed along sharing a very different kind of text. The the title of the email caught me off guard. It was entitled “Pretty Awesome Poem.” Okay, I am a sucker for a good poem, so I entertained the email and opened it up, rather than immediately filing it for my weekend pleasure. This poem, unbeknownst  to me, was written by a 14-year old boy and has gone viral.

I shared it with my students today – the same day I opened the email.  I needed my students to hear the message from this boy who is wise beyond his years, yet so young in age. This poem is a reminder to all kids that they can do…they can be…and they will! But we have to help them get there. We cannot give up on them, even if they have given up on themselves!

I could go on and on…and on about the message of this poem, but I don’t want to take away the pleasure of having your own “AHA” moment. Enjoy! And more importantly, pass it along!

Click here to read the poem for yourself!

Six Word Memoirs

By Koriann Lance

This week, I presented one of my favorite class projects: the six-word memoir! This task is exactly as it sounds. Students must share their life story in 6 words, no more, no less.

For a preteen to create a memoir of only six words in length that can encapsulate their life is quite a feat! I realized how difficult when creating my own, but here it is:

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I love this assignment for so many reasons. First, they have to surmise what is most important to them at this point in their life. They must then choose the most powerful words to get this message across. And then comes their favorite part – finding the picture and creating the visual display that will make their message pop! But my favorite part? Learning more about what my students hold dear.

The finished product of my students’ memoirs becomes a slideshow compilation to music selected by my students. This is on display for parents to see at our school’s Open House. The reactions are always priceless!

Step up to the Book Buffet!

By Mal Keenan

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When helping a reader pick out a book, I often feel like I’m working a buffet line- trying to offer the student a variety of choices.  “Realistic fiction is always a good Go-To.  Nonfiction is what some kids really love.  How about something in the Sci-Fi genre?  Have you read a mystery this year? Ever try Historical Fiction? You know… Graphic Novels are all the rage right now and fantasy is super fun.  What sounds good today?”

As teachers and parents, we need to remember what hooks one reader might not be what another reader wants. And as a teacher and parent, I have to remind myself that my fourteen year old is really enjoying a combination platter of sci-fi, realistic fiction, and fantasy, while my younger son is all about the shorter, nonfiction, high interest reads about rock climbing, surfing, and fighting forest fires. Taking the time to peruse the buffet of books at the local library or bookstore will pay off. It’s worth the time to ask questions and help kids to make the right choice.

Life Lessons from Kid President

By Koriann Lance

I love YouTube! And this love was further reaffirmed this week when a colleague passed along a video that she shared with her students called A Pep Talk From Kid President.” Now, perhaps you are familiar with this outspoken Kid President, but this was a first for me. And I have to tell you that Kid President is one smart cookie!

Kid President reports right away that we all need a pep talk! Okay, who couldn’t use one – and one from a cute kid like this? But the depth of his message goes farther that I had expected.

He questions his audience “What if Michael Jordan quit?……”What if he quit when he didn’t make the team? He never would have made Space Jam……And I love Space Jam. What will be your Space Jam?”

I have to admit it. I have never seen the movie, but I don’t believe it was a blockbuster hit. It really doesn’t matter anyway because to this kid, it meant the world! That’s the point. Kid President gets the big picture – DON’T GIVE UP! DON’T QUIT! You never know what you are capable of if you quit! As a teacher I preach this every day, but as an adult viewer I took a moment of reflection myself….

What is stopping me, or any of us for that matter? Nothing.

The more important question:  What will be your Space Jam?

Sharing Student Success in Springfield

By Mal Keenan

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This is the first slide in a presentation I’m giving tomorrow with fellow teacher Jason Brogan at the Illinois Reading Conference. The annual conference is a fantastic opportunity to hear authors speak, listen to teachers share their classroom successes,
and learn from experts like Atwell, Wilhelm, and Fisher & Frey. The slide represents
our focus everyday which is reaching apathetic, alliterate adolescents, Triple A, through
literacy instruction. Journaling, book clubs, and inquiry groups are essential tools,
keeping students motivated and engaged. Reading aloud everyday is another powerful
tool that helps foster discussion and gets students involved. Along with student work,
sharing our imperfections, letting them see who we are, and making ourselves more
vulnerable and human builds trust and commitment among the young teens. Some
would say middle school kids are the hardest to teach and reach – I disagree – they want
to do well, but need to know we will show up with scaffolding to support their learning,
and encourage them as these adolescents take more responsibility for their academic
success.

A Box of Books. Who Knew?

By Mal Keenan

There is power in a box of books.

Books can make a difference in a child’s life and within his community.

Books can raise reading levels and graduation rates. Books can help solve old problems and create critical thinkers.

As we continue to grow our organization, books remain at the center. We will always be working to get books onto shelves, into homes and classrooms, and in the hands of impoverished children.

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Books.

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“When I think back on all the refugee camps I visited, all over the world, the people always asked for the same thing: books. Sometimes even before medicine or shelter- they wanted books for their children.”
-Mary Anne Schwalbe, Founder Women’s Commission for Refugee Woman and Children

Blogging in the Classroom: 10 EASY Ways to Get Your Kids Writing!

By Koriann Lance

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Blogging has become an invaluable part of my class routine in the past few years. I never knew when I started blogging that I would learn so much about my students – academically and personally. It may seem overwhelming to some, as technology/social media can scare teachers away, but I challenge you to try reaching your students in a different way – a way that is second nature to them: the blog.

Last summer I signed up to teach a session at our district technology conference. In my session, “Oh My Blog”,  I shared ways to utilize a blog. So, here are ideas to to ponder. Again, I challenge you to try something new and perhaps out of the box. After all, if we are asking our students to work hard and try new things, shouldn’t we?

1. Getting to know your students as individuals (informal teacher feedback)

2. Gaining content area background knowledge from students – This is a great idea before starting an upcoming unit in class!

3. Sharing writing ideas. Kids love telling others what they are going to write about!

4. Posting research – Students share out credible sources and collaborate for class assignments.

5. Arguing your position – What kid doesn’t like a good argument?

6. Constructively Criticizing others – This is a hard skill, but one that students need to learn for the real world!

7. Holding book clubs – When you can’t meet with all of your book clubs, you can always catch up with their conversation through the blog.

8. Collaborative note taking – This is another great way for student to share what they learned in class by posting their own notes. This also helps out students who were absent! (Might be best for older grades, especially high schoolers).

9. Community/Home interaction – Have a guest blogger or ask parents to join in your conversation.

10. Reflection – Share their thoughts/feelings on the term or set goals for the future.