4c: Communicating with Families with an Open House Video (NEW VIDEO

4c: Communicating with Families with an Open House Video (NEW VIDEO

I have updated my Open House video!

I like using an Open House Video for 3 reasons:
1) Parents can get a better idea about what happens in our classroom if they can see it.
2) I only have 8 minutes with each set of parents and I don't want to forget to tell them anything.
3) Parents that are unable to attend Open House can watch the video on my website from home.

You can read about and watch my old Open House Video here: Open House Video 2012.

What a clever use of technology!  I am subscribing to this blog that I just found.

Setting Instructional Outcomes with Augmented Reality in the Classroom

WOW - this is quite cool.  Check it out. Kids would love this teaching tool!

Jane E Pollock helps us reflect on our Interactive Notebooks

Here is a visual reminder of the format for the Interactive Notebook.

Planning for critical thinking and the 9 high-yield strategies is key for the teacher. Using an Interactive Notebook then insures that the students are engaged at a high level too.

Here is a visual you can use.

Writing --- Grade level examples from the CCSS

Here are some good student writing samples from the CCSS. These are helpful for teachers to review as grade level teams to determine the proficiency the CCSS is looking for as well as to share with students and use in your mini-lessons as examples. Kathy

Samples of Student Writing (Appendix C) These student writing samples have been annotated to illustrate the criteria required  to meet the CCSS for particular types of writing - argument, informative/explanatory text, and narrative - in a given grade.  Some of the samples were written in class or as homework; others were  written for on-demand assessments; still others were the result of  sustained research projects.  Where possible, each sample includes information  about circumstances under which it was produced. Samples/Teaching Points - Achieve the Core Scroll all the way down for all the goodies - samples, teaching helpers CCSS Opinion/Argumentative CCSS Informative/Explanatory  CCSS Narrative

Feedback is Valuable...........New Blog Look

Thanks to several people's comments that they are enjoying the blog but find the background neat but making it hard to read the blog.  Here you go with a new look.  Kathy

ELA in Science, Social Studies and Technical Subjects

Just found this cool ELA website that makes looking at the ELA for Disciplinary Literacy a bit easier to do.  Thanks to North Carolina!      ELA-Science, Social Studies and Technical Subjects

Working with Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers - What a Great Day!

Here are some quick resources related to the many topics we discussed today!  I sure had fun hearing about all of your work, your reflection today was inspiring and your care for your students rang strong.

Not all of you were able to see these, so I am sharing all of them with everyone!

Blogging with your students is really key.  Trying todaysmeet.com  might be your first step!  Way to go Teri for trying this.  It will be exciting to see what your student will write. Here are some more ideas too.

NCTM's virtual manipulatives library  was a quick share on the way out.  There are so many great ways to use these in math center work or with your instruction!

Don't forget the website with the cool ELA tool - the tool that helps you differentiate your ELA instruction easier (I won't say easily!)  I am looking for one for math right now.

Shirley talked about the Marzano graphic organizer templates for text structure.  Here they are.

Here is the video that I shared with Grade 1 on close reading with "The Hungry Catepillar".

What a day of sharing!  It sure made my day!