I learned this vocabulary strategy a couple of years ago and my kids love being the detectives and figuring out the rule!
Present kids with 5-6 clusters of three words from whatever story or novel you are reading. See if students can figure out the rule that ties them together. Let them guess a few times before revealing the rule.
Examples:
bonnet, corset, hankie (things you wear)
emigrants, marmalade, silhouette (3 syllables)
hurricane, tornado, flood (disasters)
Your clusters of words probably won't be this different, I just wanted to give you an idea of what you could do.
Some other ideas for rules are plural nouns, places, jobs, etc...
What vocabulary strategies or activities do you use in your classroom that kids find entertaining?
Teaching Relative Location
Being at a Title I school is tough. Most of the kids have little knowledge about where they live, many don't get the support they need at home, and most of them have never even been outside their own little towns. It breaks my heart. I took a few students to the movies last year as a reward, and two out of the three said they had never been to a theater. I almost cried. I showered them with popcorn and soda until their little hearts were content.
Last week, we began reviewing where we live. We reviewed the continents and oceans (which many of them couldn't recall from second grade--I've got my work cut out for me...), we talked about what continent we live on, what country we live in, and which state, county, and city we live in.
Since third grade focuses on South Carolina history, I really want them to have an understanding of our state, what it looks like, WHERE it is in relation to our country, our continent, and the world. We looked at the shape of South Carolina and brainstormed a list of things it looks like. They said a triangle, pizza, a pie, an eagle head, an ice cream cone, etc...You get the idea.
Then, I had them get in groups of three or four and make a tableaux of South Carolina. Here is what they did.
They did such a good job! After this activity, I had them take a sticky note and draw a picture of SC without looking at a map. Inside the picture, they had to write two things they learned about our state. We still have a lot of work to do understanding our relative location, but I am ready for the challenge! I have a bunch of eager children and I'm going to give them everything I can!
Last week, we began reviewing where we live. We reviewed the continents and oceans (which many of them couldn't recall from second grade--I've got my work cut out for me...), we talked about what continent we live on, what country we live in, and which state, county, and city we live in.
Since third grade focuses on South Carolina history, I really want them to have an understanding of our state, what it looks like, WHERE it is in relation to our country, our continent, and the world. We looked at the shape of South Carolina and brainstormed a list of things it looks like. They said a triangle, pizza, a pie, an eagle head, an ice cream cone, etc...You get the idea.
Then, I had them get in groups of three or four and make a tableaux of South Carolina. Here is what they did.
Blog Awards!
I've been procrastinating posting about my blog awards, mainly because I didn't want to have to think of stuff to post about me and who else I think should get an award! Selfish, I know. Anywho, the Caffeinated Teacher has given me the Amazingness award and Confessions of an Untenured Teacher has bestowed on me the Versatile Blogger award.
I need to:
A) Thank the people who gave me the award.
B) Share 7 things about myself.
C) Pass the award to 15 others. (I'm gonna narrow this because I'm giving out double the awards!)
A. Thank the people!
First of all, thank you both so much for thinking of me! My goal when I started this thing, was to just be a resource for teachers who are looking for ideas and strategies to use in their classrooms. These awards make me feel that I have accomplished this goal or at least am well on my way!
B. Share 7 things. (Well....you asked for it...7 things you never wanted to know about me!)
1) I have a freakish fascination with the show Monsters Inside Me on Animal Planet and have also become hopelessly addicted to Big Brother Season 12. I know, shame on me, right?
2) I eat grape jelly on my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches. People say it's weird, but I just think they don't know what they're talking about!
3) I am petrified of death by a killer asteroid and Bloody Mary.
4) I want to go on a tornado chase, which is ironic since my chances of dying in this situation are exponentially greater than death by a killer asteroid and even greater still that that of Bloody Mary.
5) I once asked a bum for money. Needless to say, he was none too thrilled. Yeah, I know I'm horrible. I can't explain why.
6) I recently convinced myself that there was a person hiding in my bathroom closet after my make up bag slowly fell over into the sink. (At the time, I didn't know it was my make up falling over). I'm not kidding though, I laid frozen in the bed for like an hour...
7) I have an obsession for Tudor history. I love me some "Tudors" on Showtime. I read all the books I can. I just find Henry and his wives fascinating!
C) Pass it on!
The Versatile Blogger Award goes to:
Babbling Abby
Classroom Confessions
Following the Footsteps
Is Our Children Learning?
Sneaker Teacher
The Amazingness Blogger Award goes to:
First Grader....At Last!
Notes From the School Psychologist
Regurgitated Alpha Bits
Science Notebooking
Teacher Stuff: Tales From a First Grade Teacher
I realize that some of these people may have already received these awards, but these are some of my top teacher friend blogs!
I need to:
A) Thank the people who gave me the award.
B) Share 7 things about myself.
C) Pass the award to 15 others. (I'm gonna narrow this because I'm giving out double the awards!)
A. Thank the people!
First of all, thank you both so much for thinking of me! My goal when I started this thing, was to just be a resource for teachers who are looking for ideas and strategies to use in their classrooms. These awards make me feel that I have accomplished this goal or at least am well on my way!
B. Share 7 things. (Well....you asked for it...7 things you never wanted to know about me!)
1) I have a freakish fascination with the show Monsters Inside Me on Animal Planet and have also become hopelessly addicted to Big Brother Season 12. I know, shame on me, right?
2) I eat grape jelly on my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches. People say it's weird, but I just think they don't know what they're talking about!
3) I am petrified of death by a killer asteroid and Bloody Mary.
4) I want to go on a tornado chase, which is ironic since my chances of dying in this situation are exponentially greater than death by a killer asteroid and even greater still that that of Bloody Mary.
5) I once asked a bum for money. Needless to say, he was none too thrilled. Yeah, I know I'm horrible. I can't explain why.
6) I recently convinced myself that there was a person hiding in my bathroom closet after my make up bag slowly fell over into the sink. (At the time, I didn't know it was my make up falling over). I'm not kidding though, I laid frozen in the bed for like an hour...
7) I have an obsession for Tudor history. I love me some "Tudors" on Showtime. I read all the books I can. I just find Henry and his wives fascinating!
C) Pass it on!
The Versatile Blogger Award goes to:
Babbling Abby
Classroom Confessions
Following the Footsteps
Is Our Children Learning?
Sneaker Teacher
The Amazingness Blogger Award goes to:
First Grader....At Last!
Notes From the School Psychologist
Regurgitated Alpha Bits
Science Notebooking
Teacher Stuff: Tales From a First Grade Teacher
I realize that some of these people may have already received these awards, but these are some of my top teacher friend blogs!
Science Notebooks
We have been setting up our science notebooks this week. I saw someone's blog that had the students cut out science pictures and glue them to the cover of their notebooks to make a collage and so I stole the idea! So glad I did! They turned out awesome! I had a ton of leftover student National Geographics and Scholastics and they went at it!
Here are a few--
Here are a few--
Then, for the first activity in the science notebook, I asked all of the kids to draw a picture of what they thought a scientist looked like. (One girl asked me if her scientist could be a girl? Well, of course! Sooo cute.) After they drew their picture, they were then asked to write down any words or phrases that described what a scientist does. We shared as a class and came up with things like experiments, read, study, discover, create, ask questions, mix things, potions (haha), observes, etc...
I then asked them some of the following questions:
1. Do you observe things around you?
2. Do you ask questions?
3. Do you ever create things?
4. Do you study?
They sould start to realize that they ALL do these things, therefore everyone is a scientist! I Here are some of their drawings:
This one is supposed to show the scientist making an accidental explosion! HAHA I love these kids!
Do you use a Science Notebook? If so, what activities do you put in them?
Here are a couple of great blogs about science notebooks.
My Science Lessons Blog (Great blog for lessons)
Science Notebooking (I totally love this one!)
I survived!
First and foremost, I survived the first day back to school with the kiddies! **3 cheers for Ginger** Only 14 showed up on my doorstep out of the 16 I was supposed to have and that, unfortunately, only means one thing...I will be inheriting all the new kids. Ugh. But, my class was lovely, and sweet and I heart them already!
The worst part of my day was the afternoon dismissal, which was a huge honking nightmare and took almost an hour to get ALL the little car riders into their cars and gone!! I guess that's what happens when you test out a new method on the first day! Generally speaking though, the first week always takes longer than usual so I am hoping our new plan of action improves throughout the course of the week.
Second, I recently recieved two blog awards which I will hopefully get around to spreading by this weekend, because I just don't have the time to sit down and do it this week being the first week of school and all!
My feet hurt, my brain is disheveled from all the "what's to come" thoughts swimming around in my head, and I am utterly exhausted from today (but in a good way). I will try to post a few times this week, but we will see how much energy I have!
**Note to self and others -- Do not wear even the slightest high heels on the first day back to school. Bad idea. Very bad.
That's all the wisdom I can muster today.
The worst part of my day was the afternoon dismissal, which was a huge honking nightmare and took almost an hour to get ALL the little car riders into their cars and gone!! I guess that's what happens when you test out a new method on the first day! Generally speaking though, the first week always takes longer than usual so I am hoping our new plan of action improves throughout the course of the week.
Second, I recently recieved two blog awards which I will hopefully get around to spreading by this weekend, because I just don't have the time to sit down and do it this week being the first week of school and all!
My feet hurt, my brain is disheveled from all the "what's to come" thoughts swimming around in my head, and I am utterly exhausted from today (but in a good way). I will try to post a few times this week, but we will see how much energy I have!
**Note to self and others -- Do not wear even the slightest high heels on the first day back to school. Bad idea. Very bad.
That's all the wisdom I can muster today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)