Tackling BULLIES in School! A Teaching Resource and a FREEBIE!

Your school year has begun, and you have a new crew of students that you are working to learn more about every day!  You have created a seating chart, learned student names, taught those first lessons, and things seem off to a successful start.  Then out of no where, you get wind that things aren't as copacetic as you thought, your students are having issues and bullying behavior is under way.  What do you do?

I have found the first days of school to be magical, but quickly learn that negative peer interactions and strained friendships can derail a school day for my students before they have even gotten started in the classroom.  So I have armed myself with a few tools that I can utilize on the fly.

I have found that many of the novels I LOVE to share with my students incorporate bullying, which inspired this teaching resource. I want my students to 1) recognize bullying behavior, and 2) have tools to respond. These CHIT CHAT cards will encourage both of those goals.

While you don't have to read these novels, I have found various scenarios of bullying from popular novels and shared these scenes in order to generate discussion with my students through these CHIT CHAT CARDS. I want them to be able to identify bullying behavior and determine how they would respond if they were a witness or observer. Students will simply: read the scene shared on the card, discuss the scenario, and respond based on the focus questions on the chit chat cards.  You can utilize these with partners, small groups, or for whole class discussion.  You will have nothing to grade, but everything to gain in the positive peer relations you will help develop in your classroom environment.

 As a language arts teacher, bullying is a topic that also inspires strong feelings in writing.  Capitalize on that with these FREEBIE journal prompts.  

If you are looking for novels that incorporate bullying into the plot, check these out...

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Crash by Jerry Spinelli 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

The Lottery Rose by Irene Hunt

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

We can't change that bullying exists, but we can do everything in our power to help our students see the impact and work to change a bullying culture in a positive way.

Best of luck this school year!

A SNOW WEEK!

You know those movies and books like Adventures in Babysitting (I am dating myself) or Cat in the Hat, where the kids go on a wild adventure, but as soon as the parents' car pulls in the driveway, the kids are in their beds, no mess can be found, and the sitter is snuggled on the couch?!  That just about sums up my parenting week!  Minus the snuggled up on the couch part...I am standing at my computer relieved that it is Friday!

My husband went to Orlando on Monday morning for a business trip for the entire week.  On Monday, we drove him to the airport in a crazy snowstorm and he easily made his way to sunny Florida.   I say easily because he got to go ALL BY HIMSELF!  Of course he called to share that it was only "55 degrees" yesterday to which I responded in sub-zero, tundra of Ohio temps, "You are talking to the wrong lady!"

So here is a retelling of our sans daddy adventurous week...

Monday-drop lucky husband off at the airport, drive home watching cars fly past and spin out all over the highway, big kid goes sledding with friends and has a milkshake, big kid comes home and THROWS UP on the basement carpet, while gagging, I clean said carpet to the best of my ability while trying to help big kid navigate the stomach bug for the rest of the night.  Showers, books, shows, bed!

Tuesday-NO SCHOOL! Wahoo!  Schedule Stanley Steemer, Stanley Steemer cancels, big kid has fever, sister and little brother get geared up and shovel, with bucket in hand (in case of more vomiting) we race to Walgreen's for carpet cleaner, Ring Pops (for the littlest), more laundry detergent, and Gatorade, big kid begins feeling better, I scrub carpet until my hands are raw, off to Potbelly we go! Showers, books, shows, bed!

Wednesday-NO SCHOOL! Bummer!  Little kid swimming lesson cancelled, big kid has no fever and hasn't thrown up since Monday night, Stanley Steemer cancels due to cold temps, big kid, sister and little brother help shovel, friends come over to play, I must get out of this house, off to Panera and Target we go!  Showers, books, shows, bed!

Thursday-NO SCHOOL! Lord help me!  Re-scheduled little kid swimming lesson cancelled, my running buddy comes over with her girls to watch my three kiddos so I can go run on the treadmill, come home, feed 6 kiddos lunch, have friends play for the day, MUST GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE, off to the mall we go, Sbarro for dinner! Showers, books, shows, bed!

Friday-NO SCHOOL! For the love of all things holy, I am hanging by a thread!  We head to Recreations, a local indoor play place, THANK YOU STANLEY STEEMER for coming and making that awful smell go away, sister plays at her friends' house, big kid plays with friend, little kid napping, on our way to pick up daddy!

We made it!

It was an exhausting week!  I have always had an incredible respect for single parents who do it all, on their own, all of the time, but after spending EVERY WAKING MOMENT with my kiddos this week due to snow and cold temps cancelling school, I am even more grateful for my husband! Would you believe that I am actually looking forward to running 14 miles on the treadmill tomorrow?!  Training calls and the snow continues to fall!

Hope you had a warmer and less adventurous week!

Jumpstart January Blog Hop and $50 Target Gift Card Giveaway

My Lesson Delicatessen friends and I wanted to make sure that you were set and ready to get back in action with your students, so we are giving you the Jumpstart January Blog Hop and GIVEAWAY.  Follow through each of our 10 posts for an AMAZING FREEBIE, personal blog giveaway, and at our final stop, enter to win our $50 Target gift card giveaway and find the links to all of our $1 deals! 

My January always seems like a bit of a blur...the students come back from the break tired, but excited, and I need to get them right back into the swing of things because we have a TON to accomplish!  In order to meet their needs to share, along with my needs as a persistent teacher, we begin with writing.

Jumpstart your January with Me...in 2015!  This self-relection writing resource will engage your students and encourage them to get right back into the swing of things.
 
When my students return from the winter break inspiring them can be very overwhelming tricky.  They have been out of the school routine for just long enough to need redirection and motivation.
In addition the school year is almost half over, and I want to engage my students and get them thinking about what they are hopeful to accomplish in this New Year, but remaining time of the current school year.  I often refer to my students at this point in time as 6 ½ graders!  So I created this Me…in 2015! resource.

Directions...
This writing resource is a tool I print out for each student, hole-punch, and help them navigate through to complete.  It is a tool that we then place in our writing binders as a reflection of what we hope to accomplish. Grab it here and check out the other great uses...

Here are a few more perfect ELA resources to Jumpstart January in your classroom for only $1...

 

  

Enter my giveaway and then check out another amazing FREEBIE from my Lesson Deli friend, Karen, and the other grab and go resources from my other teacher friends.  Best wishes for 2015!

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Should WRITING be a FOCUS when students are STRUGGLING and only tested in READING?

When people ask me what I do I tell them that I am a 6th grade reading and language arts teacher.  I think some people want to chuckle at the thought that I am "teaching" 6th graders to read, but it is in fact what I do!  Likely what you do as well, if you are reading my blog! 

I don't know about you, but I think I have taught one year out of FIFTEEN, where the majority of my crew has been on-level or above.  The other FOURTEEN years have been spent bridging COLOSSAL gaps and helping students find strategies to become successful readers and navigators of text.  ...and it is a challenge! With this great challenge comes the idea that something has to give.  How can you get kids where they need to be as readers AND make sure they are successful WRITERS?

I have heard some say that they shy away from the writing component in order to meet student reading needs.  As a teacher-mom, I always fall back to the "What would I hope someone would be doing for my child?"  ...and that thought makes me work a bit harder and step it up that much more to make sure I am doing everything in my power to make my students successful readers AND writers.

So here is what I do to work to make the reading and writing components go hand-in-hand:

1. When we are working our way through a novel, I create novel units where my focus is having my students answer extended response questions and really honing in on making sure those responses: cite evidence from the text, answer all parts of the question, utilize correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Click the image below for a sampler of a novel unit I created for Maniac Magee.  You will find a few extended response questions as well as a journal prompt for post-reading work.

2.  I utilize, create, and/or develop end of novel projects that give my students an opportunity to write narratives in order to work on fictional writing.  Pictured below is an end of novel project for Crash by Jerry Spinelli.  Students had to complete an entire organizer with story elements and then determine the one character they wish they could spend more time with, and what they would do with that character if they could be transported into the novel.  They must write three different narratives about three different things they did with that particular character.  They then illustrate each narrative and it gets turned into a "book" titled, My Day With..."

3. We focus on journal writing twice a week.  After we journal, we share our work with a partner for Read to Someone or we share it aloud to the whole class.  My favorite is when a student stops mid-sentence after reading a mistake, says, "Hold on!" to fix that error, and then goes right on reading what they have written so the class can continue to enjoy their journal response.  Here is a sample and a resource that I created because I could not find any journaling tool that contained topics/prompts my upper elementary students wanted to respond to...

So these are a few of the ways that I keep the writing CONSISTENTLY happening in my classroom.  While we do formal writing with brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing, this is the way I make reading and writing go hand-in-hand!  I DO believe that struggling readers need to work on writing because good readers, write and good writers, read!  I would love to hear about any tools you utilize and how reading and writing are most effectively taught in your learning environment.

Common Core Journal of the Week Prompts Power Point-Encouraging Student Writers

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Student writers begin each school year at varying levels and with differing enthusiasm for writing. With the incorporation of common core standards, students now have even greater responsibilities as reflective and responsive writers of text. Last school year, my team and I worked to incorporate a reading/writing intervention/enrichment time into our daily schedule twice a week in order to enhance student reading and writing.  We knew that taking some additional time to focus on our student readers and writers would greatly benefit them in the long run.  

I HEART motivated writers!

As I provided different writing topics, projects, and assignments for my students, I realized just how little many of them wanted to write.  Upon giving instruction, modeling, and getting students ready to begin their work, I was confronted with the same question, "How long does this need to be?"  I HATE that question!!!  I realized that I needed to do my part to inspire my students a bit...So I generated 40 different journal prompts that I believed would motivate my student writers.  Here is a sample entry from the power point.

My purpose for creating this teaching tool was to provide my students with high-interest prompts that encourage enthusiasm for writing, so I would no longer be attacked with the above question.  I utilized the BING, BANG, BONGO strategy to develop my students' paragraph/essay writing and we began tackling journal entries with thoughtfulness, detail, and organization. 

 

If you are looking for a tool that gets students motivated to write, incorporates common core standards for grades 3-8, and offers rubrics for teacher/self-evaluation, check out this resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Happy New Year! A Resolution Essay Organizer FREEBIE!

Happy New Year! While I know many school districts went back to school this Monday, we have been back in school since January 2nd! At this point in the school year, I love to take the time to challenge my students to think about their work so far and where they hope to be by the end of the school year.  To incorporate the start of the new year, we work on goal-setting and we resolve to do things that will help us to be an even better version of ourselves.

I started the week-long writing assignment discussing commercials students have been seeing a great deal of on TV.  Many confirm they have seen lots of commercials for gym memberships and weight-loss companies.  I ask them why they think these are so "in your face this time of year?" and they were able to respond that "with the new year comes people setting goals to become better."

We created a brainstorm cloud where students listed ways they could improve upon themselves.  Some were very forthcoming and willing to share things that they thought needed improvement.  Examples were: practicing harder, putting more effort into school work, listening more to a parent, being more responsible, etc.  We discussed the difference between setting a goal versus achieving a dream.

Next students decided on the three things they wanted to work on, starred them on their brainstorm cloud, and got to work on their organizer.  We tackled the topic sentence first, so students understood how they needed to begin the task of organizing their writing.  I helped them through this by modeling with my three resolutions: saving more money, being less quick-tempered, and saying only respectful things about others.  
 
Once we established our topic sentence, I showed students that my BING paragraph would be all about saving money, my BANG paragraph would be all about being less quick-tempered, and my BONGO paragraph would be all about saying only respectful things about others.  I have to share that my students loved hearing the stories behind my resolutions and were very enthusiastic about helping with with the three strategies to achieve each of them. In addition to having three strategies, each paragraph needed to include an opening sentence-introducing the resolution and a concluding sentence-bringing the paragraph to a close.  

After the modeling, students began working independently as I moved around the room.  I was so thrilled to see how enthusiastic they were about writing to achieve their personal goals.

Day 2: We discussed what we did the previous day and got to work on our introduction and conclusion.  Some may find this strategy backwards-I have have found that it can be tricky for students to find a place to begin.  With each of their body paragraphs completed, I explained that now they simply have to grab the reader's attention, and then bring the work to a close.

I gave the example of crime shows.  Often the writers open the show with a person dead on the sidewalk to grab the audience's attention, so you are hooked and don't want to change the channel.  They got it, so we began working together to create a "hooky" introduction.  They agreed that asking questions and using exclamations would hook a reader.  We created a model and did the same for the conclusion.

For the conclusion we discussed how we are bringing the piece to a close and sending the reader on their way.  This is NOT the time to share new information, but instead give the reader the chance to reflect on what we have shared.  Again, they got it and were on their way! The students completed their organizers and were ready to draft.

Here are a few pics of my students drafting...

Yesterday I had the chance to have writing conferences with them.  They signed up for a conference once they completed their draft.  My focus in conferencing was: mechanics-CUPS-capitalization, usage/grammar, punctuation, spelling.  Lastly, we discussed organization and the use of transitions in their sentences. Students re-wrote their drafts and will be publishing them on the laptops tomorrow.  I will share a few examples of these final pieces soon!

While students are at different levels in their writing abilities, this is a writing strategy that they will find useful through their college years. In addition, it can be modified for multiple uses: friendly letters, persuasive pieces, and expository writing where directions are given.  I would love to hear about the tools you utilize to enhance writing in your classroom settings.  Happy 2013!  May you work to achieve all of the resolutions you set out to accomplish!

Tell Me Something Good...

I linked up with Rowdy in First Grade http://rowdyinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/ for my FIRST linky party ever.  I love the spirit of this blog and thought I could share many good things going on both at school and at home.  Here are just a few:

At SCHOOL: School is in full swing-students are into their routines, we are reading one of my favorite novels, Hunger Games, and we have a number of exciting 6th grade related things to work on over this next week-from student-led conference portfolios to our 2nd Annual Pumpkin Day that involves all kinds of math related activities that come with the carving of a pumpkin.  I LOVE working with my team and allowing our students to work together.  Here are a few pics of last year's event before, during, and after pumpkins were carved!  I am SO excited for Friday to get here!

The pumpkins awaiting their demise...

Students in the midst of carving after figuring out the cost of supplies and writing checks to purchase their pumpkins.

Proud 6th grade pumpkin carvers.

At HOME: My son was in the hospital a few weeks ago for an infection in his lymph nodes-we had a 4-day stay at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.  I am loving that he is back to perfect health and complete normalcy in his crazy 6-year-old boy playfulness.  He is tackling friends in the front yard, riding his bike as fast as he possible can, and just sweet as can be.  I LOVE that!  Here are some pics of my son, daughter, and husband doing fun fall, pumpkin things:

Brennan with his perfect pumpkin.

My sweet family.

Brennan loving every moment of "snuggling" with a python.  YUCK!!!

I love having the chance to reflect on the great things happening, so I am always grateful when something stops me in my tracks to do just that!  It makes me excited for the days, weeks, and months to come, but also reminds me to take time and just enjoy these great moments as a teacher and a mom.  I can't wait to hear about all of the "Good Things" going on with my blogging friends!  Your turn to link up!  If you don't have a blog, feel free to leave a comment about something good happening at school and something good happening at home. I LOVE GOOD THINGS! 

There is ALWAYS something to write about...Sub needed for all 5 days!

While I know this is a teaching blog that mostly focuses on my students and teaching, I also find that I have the opportunity to share the events of my family and life through my own personal writings.  In addition, as I expect my 6th graders to keep Writer's Notebooks, I try to set a good example as a thoughtful writer and I keep mine in the form of a blog.  "There is ALWAYS something to write about" is kind of one mantra I share with my students.  Well here's a doozy...

Last Sunday night we headed to bed with one kid recovering from croup-the barky-coughing-that-sounds-like- your-child-swallowed-a-chiuhuahua-kind-of-cough and one kiddo seemingly recovering from a weekend of battling a stomach bug.  On Monday morning after a trip to the pediatrician-our week went from recovering to a bit CRAZY!

The pediatrician took one look at my son, Brennan, and told us that she needed us to head straight down to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital emergency room for what she believed to be viral meningitis.  As this initial diagnosis hit me, I began to tear up thinking, "This is what school districts send home letters to the parents of students to warn them about cases that have been found in their schools."  Oh dear!  While doing my best to keep my composure, as my son was in the backseat, I called my husband to share the news, "We are headed to the emergency room because the doctor thinks his neck pain is linked to meningitis.  I will call you when I have some news."

The entire drive down I am thinking, "We were just supposed to be going to the doctor to get an antibiotic and then go home and snuggle.  This was not in the plan for today."  The doctor thought that there could be some link to all of our playing outside, linked to mosquito bites, leading to West Nile, which can be an onset of viral meningitis.  Good Lord, I spray my kiddos with bug spray excessively, what have I missed?

The check-in at Children's was a little alarming-the doctor had called to let them know we were sent there, so they were ready for us.  My son was immediately issued a mask to wear over his mouth, and once in the room, everyone in contact with us wore a mask.  A little intimidating for a six-year-old, but he handled it like a champ.  Once in the room he was poked, prodded, and poked and prodded some more.  We were sent to radiology to get x-rays, to get an ultrasound, and finally it was determined six hours later that he did not have viral meningitis, but he had Lymphadenitis, and we would be admitted.

After some research and lots of medical terminology thrown our way-we learned that this is an inflammation of the lymph nodes caused by a bacterial infection.  It is triggered in six to eight-year-olds due to a gap in their throat.  It is treated by antibiotics or worse, surgery.  It causes great pain to the neck as well as limits movement of the neck.  90% of the time it can be treated with antibiotics, but 10% of the time, it will result in surgery to lance any sort of fluid pocket that has formed around the lymph nodes.  I do not think I have ever prayed so hard...

Four days and many doses of fluids and antibiotics later, my son was released from the hospital.  No surgery, just antibiotics for the next 7 days, a few follow-up doctor visits, and lots of rest and snuggle time.  I have always adored my son.  He is thoughtful, smart, funny, witty, clever, kind-hearted, athletic, and a joy to be around, but after this, I view him in a completely different light.  After four days in the hospital he says walking down the hallway, "I am really gonna miss this place.  The nurses are so nice to me."  Cincinnati Children's Hospital is an AMAZING place with amazing people, but I will not be missing it one bit!  He is one resilient kiddo and I am grateful to all that took such great care of him this week!  As a thanks, we have a Halloween bucket of goodies to bring to those superstar 6th Floor nurses.  Liz and Lilly, you were the BEST!

I am grateful for all of the extra snuggle time I got in with my sweet boy this week, which I will cherish, but I am most excited to be back home as a WHOLE family, and will be thrilled that my son gets to go back to school, and personally to walk back into school on Monday morning and return to our "normal life" routine.  What a week!  Special thanks to my Sharpsburg family for the prayers and thoughtful gift cards.  You have no idea how much your happy thoughts and support have meant this week!  Certainly, something to write about...

My brave boy learning to play pool in the activity center at Children's.