Show Me: Read and Think Alouds for a Flipped Classroom

I began using ShowMe, a wonderful app for the iPad, about three years ago. At first I used the application to demonstrate, review, or introduce concepts to my 7th graders.

Shortly after using it I realized how valuable this tool can be for a reading teacher. Since the application records voice as well as written work it is perfect for use during student created think alouds or fluency testing.

Lately I have found a new way to use the application. This year I have many students that struggle with reading. Many lack the motivation to read, but several also have trouble comprehending grade-level text. These students need to have someone read aloud the text for them while they are decoding the words. 7th graders hate to be pulled out of the classroom, ostracized, or made to feel different. How could I aid the students without them leaving the classroom. ShowMe to the rescue!

Using ShowMe I recorded myself reading each chapter of the book. Then I uploaded them and shared them with the world! I give every 7th grader a QR code with the link to the novel's ShowMe. Simply with a smartphone, iPod touch, or iPad and a pair of headphones or earbuds students can listen to the chapters with think-alouds embedded in the audio and visual recording. Students are seeing success and being independent.

Here is my example with the novel The Acorn People---> http://bit.ly/mskreadtome

Here is what the stickers looked like. I used the Avery label template that is free to download.

Actively Learn for Active Readers

 While attending ISTE 2013 in San Antonio I was introduced to an online tool that will revolutionize the way I approach online reading. Actively Learn is an online tool that allows teachers to create classes and provide students with an online interactive reading platform. EVERY teacher can use this tool (and SHOULD use this tool).

How It Works: 
1. Upload an article from online, PDF, or select a pre-loaded piece of text from the Actively Learn Library.
2. Annotated the text for your students using video clips, photos, phonetic spelling, or definitions.
3. Add questions that help students comprehend the text. Identify the common core standard addressed by the question.
4. Assign the article to all or one of your classes.
5. Students access the article and answer questions.
6. Teachers go back and rate answers 0-4 and add comments for students.


Features that I love about this platform include: 
1. FREE!
2. Create classes
3. Library pre-loaded full of literature and resources for teachers.
4. Ability to upload articles from online or PDF resources
5. Ability to request a piece of text be uploaded.
6. Flexible developers willing to listen to teachers and make the best experience for students.

I highly recommend trying this Web 2.0 and letting me know your thoughts!

http://www.activelylearn.com/

Student Gallery: Book-Based Art

 

At the end of the 2012-2013 school year I began to imagine my future classroom. At the middle level I think it is important that students have the ability to play with different extended curricular options such as art, industrial tech, computers, speech, and drama. One of the first rotations that my 7th graders participate is an art unit.

Students spend six weeks create phenomenal art pieces using clay, watercolor, oil, colored pencils, and media collages.



Melding my two loves of reading and artwork my students and I created a "Student Gallery" in my classroom in which students created artwork based upon their favorite books/series that they read in 7th grade. Some recreated the cover art while others went above and beyond by copying favorite passages and creating anime art to represent the characters. What a creative bunch of students!

All of my students featured in the gallery were excited to see their work on my walls at the beginning of the school year. I look forward to seeing my student gallery grow each year!

Evernote for Lesson Plans and Sharing

Hello...My name is Jenna...and I am an Evernote-aholic. I will go on record as saying that Evernote is

one of the best tools out there for educators. With school starting up in a few days I thought I would share with you how I use Evernote to make my life easier.

Before Evernote I had:

1. Binders
2. File cabinets
3. Lost paperwork
4. A home computer and a school computer in which what I needed was inevitably on the other one

i.e. a teacher's worst nightmare. 

Now I have: 

1. Increased communication with coworkers
2. Easily searchable documents, worksheets, tests, quizzes, and lesson plans
3. Access to my work from anywhere

Last year I decided that I would try using Evernote for lesson plans. Best.Decision.Ever. I set up my Evernote account and started organizing my life. I made a notebook entitled Lesson Plans 2012-2013. In the notebook I typed up all of my lesson plans on an easily made chart that included the standard, tags about what was going on that week, materials I needed, explanations of what I was doing, and what I was assigning as homework. 

If you are like me you download things, have them on Pinterest, or stacked in binders from college in your closet, but how do you search through all of the crap to find the nugget you are looking for? This summer I took some time and converted all of my old tests, worksheets, and paper goods into PDFs. Then I uploaded them to Evernote. EVERYTHING is searchable. So if I have a student struggling with similes and metaphors I can go into my Evernote account, search "similes" and all of my practice examples will pop up in seconds. 

One of the best features is that I can upload attachments such as power points, PDFs, tests, worksheets and quizzes and link them into my notes. Then, I can email or share the notebook with my co-teachers, principal, and para and they have access to all of the documents as well.  In Evernote you have the ability to share lessons and materials with people via email or create a public link. In the activity feed individuals following the lessons can see changes in the activity stream. Therefore my co-teacher will know if I change a quiz from Wednesday to Tuesday. 

If you are interested in using Evernote for lesson planning my template looks like the following: 

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman Book Review

Book Title: Whirligig

Author: Paul Fleischman

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Date of Publication: 1998

Summary:

•      Brent Bishop is sent to the four corners of the country in order to make amends for a bad decision. His Herculean task--- to create four whirligigs and place them in Maine, Florida, California, and Washington.  His wind-operated toys inspire others and bring hope to four people who find solace in their comfort.

What did you like about the book? What did you dislike?

•               Likes: The story, pieced together through the eyes of those who find the whirligigs, is cemented by Brent, a teenager struggling with his conscience. The voice that Fleischmann breaths into his character is realistic and current. With so many students struggling to fit in I think many of my students would connect with Brent’s need to feel accepted.

•               Dislikes: The drinking scenes might be a bit young for my 7^th grade readers, but it is appropriate for a young adult audience.  

How could I use this book in the classroom?

•       Making Connections (p. 5-10): Start on the bottom of page 5 “Write down where you’ll be,” said his mother.  End at “It was Chaz.” On page 10.

o   Think Aloud: Stop at the top of page 7. To understand Brent’s behavior I have to make a text-to-self-connection. I know that when I’m new to a group I want to try to fit in. To fit in I usually wear clothes similar to what the others wear, listen to the same music, etc so that I can make friends more easily. I bet Brent is pretty nervous and doesn’t know what to do since he can’t sit still and can’t decide what to wear.  He’s pretty self-conscience. Stop on page 10. To understand Brent’s frustration and anger I’m going to have to make a text-to-self connection. I know that Brent was very nervous about going to the party and had taken a lot of time picking out his clothes. Then, his friend forgot to tell him about the dress code. After all the time he spent trying to fit in, he’s going to stand out like a sore thumb. He must be frustrated, not just angry at his friend. 

"Blind Dating" Books in the Classroom

In order to find inspiration for the first days of school I decided to visit my local public library. I love to read a great book right before schools starts in order to have a book to recommend to all students at the very beginning of the year. Today though I was inspired by a book display right inside the front door. It was titled "Blind Date a Book." 

While I had heard of the concept I wondered how I would translate it into my classroom. I worried students wouldn't be interested. Boy I underestimated the allure of the unknown! So many students judge books by their covers.  This display would be an interesting way to have some of my more reluctant readers delve into a book based on nothing but interest alone. 

My idea is to wrap my favorite reads of the summer in wrapping paper. Then, I would place a sticky note on the front of the book with the setting and a short description of the conflict in the story. Students that are having a tough time finding a book could complete a "blind date" instead of pacing the library

racks.

What intrigues me is how I would sustain the blind date books throughout the year... My gut tells me to let the students take the lead. If they complete a blind date book, during our book blessing time on Fridays they would get the chance to unveil the blind date book and tell the class a little bit about the book. Then it would return to the shelves in order for other students to get a chance to read it. Then, that student could pick a book that he/she has read in the past and write a post-it not description. I would then wrap that book and add it to the blind date book area.

I can't wait to try this experiment in my classroom!

Reboot by Amy Tintera

Book Title: Reboot

Author: Amy Tintera

Genre: Science Fiction

Date of Publication: 2013

Summary:

•      Wren Connelly died five years ago. 178 minutes later she woke up faster, stronger, and lacking human emotions. Trained as a super-soldier Wren hunts down and tracks humans that have disobeyed the law. When she chooses to train a new reboot named Callum Reyes, a lowly 22, he world is turned upside down. She uncovers an experiment that threatens all reboots.

What did you like about the book? What did you dislike?

•  Likes: The world Tintera creates is a unique dystopian society in which people control reboots through fear and corruption. The fast paced nature of the book, as well as the interesting characters, propel this book to one of my top reads of the summer.

•  Dislikes: I wish Reboot would have been written in two different perspectives: Wren and Callum. This way I would be able to see the differences in perspective between a new, low numbered reboot, Callum and a tenured reboot with a high number, Wren. In this way I would be able to see the differences between the two perspectives.

How could I use this book in my classroom?

Round and Flat Characters (p. 1-9), (201-202):

• Explanation: In the first chapter of Reboot we meet Wren and Ever. Wren is focused on during the first few pages in which she is described as a cold human hunter. Ever is described on page 8-9. Her personality stays consistent throughout the book. Wren, though, changes and transforms as evidence on pages 201 (last sentence)-202 (…felt a blush cross my face).
• Think Aloud: As a think aloud I would have the students create a timeline. On the left students would write down descriptors that describe Wren at the beginning of the book (cold, inhuman, killer, strong, cocky, etc). Then, on the right hand side words that describe her on page 201-202 (awkward, insecure, flirty, goofy, fun). Then, in the middle of the diagram students would predict what would have happened in the rising action in order for Wren to make this change. Do you predict that Ever would make these same changes as a flat character? 

Golden Sowers 2013-2014

As I finished up my Golden Sower Bulletin board today I couldn't help but think about the amazing titles that have been chosen this year! For those of you that don't know what the Golden Sower award is... it is the student choice award for Nebraska. There are three categories: primary, intermediate, and young adult. These books qualify for the young adult category (grades 7-9).

This year was the first year that I have read ALL of the titles before the school year started so I thought I would rank the titles based upon my experience with the books and see how they fared with the student voting in the spring.

Here is the bulletin board from my classroom. The picture in the middle was done by Peter H. Reynolds to depict the Golden Sower Award. 

1. Legend by Marie Lu--- (Science Fiction)
2. Michael Vey: Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans (Science Fiction)
3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (Historical Fiction)
4. Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Historical Fiction)
5. Payback Time by Carl Deuker (Mystery/ Realistic Fiction)
6. Matched by Ally Condie (Science Fiction)
7. After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick (Realistic Fiction)
8. Dark Life by Kat Falls (Science Fiction)
9. Epitaph Road by David Patneaude (Science Fiction)
10. Red Cell by John Kalkowski (Realistic Fiction/ Adventure)

I had the privilege to read for the selection of the 2014-2015 Golden Sowers. I anxiously await the verdict on which 10 books have made the cut! Hopefully I'll find out soon!

Revamping My Reader's Notebook (ISN)

Yesterday I put together my teacher model of my reader's notebook (ISN). Last year was my first time using interactive notebooks. While it was definitely a learning experience I enjoyed the sense of ownership my students felt towards their reader's notebooks. I struggled to find ways to use the reader's notebook each and every day though. My goal for the 2013-2014 school year is to make my reader's notebook into our classroom Bible.

This summer while looking for ideas I found many different blogs, websites, and pins with great ideas for the reader's notebook. Some of the following helped me shape my re-vamped reader's notebook.

• Everybody is A Genius
• Mrs. Hester
• Following My Heart to First

After sifting through the materials available I finally narrowed it down to techniques and strategies that would work for my 7th grade readers.

I struggled most with the overall organization of the notebook. I finally settled on three different sections along with a glossary:

1. My Reading Life
2. Reader's Journal
3. Mini-Lessons

My Reading Life will consist of personal information about the students growth, goals, and books he/ she has read throughout the year. 

Reader's Journal will be a place for students to write about their reading. After reading a book students will choose two prompts to facilitate a reflection on the student's reading. 

Mini-Lessons will be lessons that are facilitated throughout the year. KWL charts, notes, and reading strategy work will be located in this section. 

Each section is divided by tabs (found at Walmart... $3.00 for 48 tabs) as well as a separate table of contents. I found that one table of contents was very difficult for students to locate information. This should allow students to easily peruse through their notebooks. 

Here are a few pictures of the organizational structure of the notebooks. 

The Reading Log makes up a majority of the "My Reading Life" section of the ISN. There is an additional two pages for students to log the books that they read throughout the year.

The Reader's Journal is the second section of my notebook. This section will be full of students writing about what they are reading. Students will write a minimum of one page on two of the twenty-two prompts listed on the explanation page. I look forward to reading what students write!

In the cover of my ISN students will keep track of their reading goals for this year. While we have to use Accelerated Reader (AR) which sets goals for students based upon their reading readiness level, I have my students set a personal goal as well such as "I want to read a biography and an autobiography this quarter" or "I want to read 10 books this quarter."