Slice of Life #1

Ruth and Stacey host Slice of Life on their blog, Two Writing Teachers, every Tuesday.  Head on over for some fantastic posts!

Confession:  I am a lurker.  I have spent months (years?) lurking around Slice of Life posts.  I am the kid in my classroom who never has anything to write about.  I love to read.  I love people who write.  But, writing is so hard for me.  This summer, Christopher Lehman visited my school district.  He told us, "the single most important thing we can do to help our kids write is to be a writer ourselves."

**cringe**

In an attempt to live the life of a writer, I started this blog.  I decided to write about books because that is where I am comfortable.  I LOVE to read books.  I know things about books.  I like to motivate others to read books.  I think I have done a good job, and I now have some "writer's life" type things to share with my students.

BUT today is different.  As I went about my business after school, a SLICE OF LIFE post came to me!  So here it is...my first Slice of Life.

Running.
Running is my nemesis.
I used to be good at it, really good at it.
I spent years of my life running...
around the bases on the softball field,
up and down the soccer field,
from Start to Finish around the track.
I used to be good at it, really, really good at it.

But now, not so much.
Recently, Joey and I have taken up running again.
We should do it.
We need to do it.
We are slowly getting back in the groove, together.

But today, he's not home.
In the car, I think
I'll get home and do a quick run.
But then the traffic hits.
And I start yawning.
Oh, and I forgot I have to return an overdue library book.
(The Day the Crayons Quit).

I get home.
There is no one to push me.
I could just sit down.
I might just sit down.
But I don't.
I lace up my shoes.  I'll do a quick one.
I head out.
And
start
running.

And it's hot.  So hot.
I think my car said 90 degrees.
I'll make it quick.
My legs move faster.  I feel better.
Maybe I'll go farther I think.

I pass the spot where we turned yesterday.
I go up one more street.
I could turn around.
I want to turn around.
But instead, I run up the hill.
When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.
Halfway up, I might die.  I think I am dying.
When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.
I am barely moving.  I'll stop at the top.
When I get to the top, it will all be downhill from here.
I
finally
make
it.
It's all downhill from here.

And I don't stop.
I run down the hill...
turn right at the light...
down some more...
cross the bridge...
and I've done it.

I smile the rest of the way home.

Solve It Your Way: Which Type of Ball Can Roll The Farthest?

Last week, I wrote about some of the big ideas that I wanted to explore with my class this school year. Some words that floated around in my head included:  creativity, open-minded, thinking, inquiring, cooperation, risk-taking, perseverance.  I want my classroom to be a place where each child feels comfortable trying new things and knows that they will be supported no matter what.

One of the activities I started our year with was "Solve It Your Way".  I read about Solve It Your Way this summer on one of my favorite blogs, A Year of Reading.  The premise behind this project is that kids are given a question...and that's about it.  We give kids time to think, ponder, chat, discover, and reflect on the question.  Then they try some experiments.  Then they come back together and talk about what worked and what didn't.

I thought this fit in perfectly with our "theme" for the year.  Here's how my classroom approached Solve It Your Way:

Since it was the first week of school, I thought this would be a great project for me to observe how kids worked together and what they knew about putting together projects and experiments.  I put my kids into 5 random groups.  I put the question up on the board:  Which Type of Ball Can Roll The Farthest?

I gave groups several minutes to chat.  Then we came back together and we looked at the Questions to Ask Yourself part of the website.  From that point on, groups had time to brainstorm and plan.  Here are some of our brainstorming charts:

The next day, the kids came prepared to experiment.  I never imagined the sheer volume of balls that would enter my classroom.  Everything from the smallest marble to a plethora of bouncy balls to baseballs to water polo balls to soccer balls to basketballs to an enormous pink I don't even know what kind of ball.

We went out on the playground armed with yardsticks, tape measures, clipboards, and of course all of our balls.  Right away, it was interesting to see where each group gravitated.  Most groups wanted flat ground.  Several groups were interested in how the balls would roll on different terrain:  grass, mulch, dirt.  Despite our discussion about how one of our challenges would be pushing each ball with the same amount of force, only one group decided to use a ramp (the twisty slide on the playground).

The kids spent about 45 minutes experimenting and gathering data. 

After our experiments, we went back inside and debriefed.  We talked about how scientists use their data and results to draw conclusions.  We also talked about how scientists reflect and think about what they would change the next time they tried an experiment.  The kids made some posters about their process, results and conclusions.  

This was such a fun project.  We are looking forward to spending time each month Solving It Our Way!  

First Week Read Alouds

You can probably tell by the lack of posts recently that I have started school again.  Every year I think, "Oh, it's not such a big deal to start back.  It'll be easier this year."  But going into my 12th year teaching, I put just as much, if not more, effort into planning and preparing for those first few days.  The first few days of school scare me more than any other days of the year.  I am a creature of habit.  I crave routine.  And there is NOTHING routine about those first days.

But now, I've gotten through it.  I actually have to say that these first few days were some of my best ever.  Despite being a creature of habit, I always want to find the newest and most interesting activities for my kids to set off the school year.  This year, I did several new things that worked out really well.  I thought I'd share some of these activities over the next few days.

This summer I made an effort to read more picture books.  I went well over my book-a-day goal due to this fact.  I wanted to start the year thinking about working together to be creative, open-minded, risk-takers, inquirers, and thinkers.  I chose three picture books for the first three days that revolved around this theme.

First, we read On a Beam of Light:  A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne.  We talked about living a life that was filled with wonder and thinking.  We talked about asking questions and how to find the answers.  We talked about how some questions may not have answers and that is okay too.

On the second day, we read Mr. Flux by Kyo Maclear.  We talked about the importance of trying new things and being open to ideas that might be different from ours.  We also talked about how we are all awesome just the way we are :)

On the third day, we read Papa's Mechanical Fish by Candace Fleming.  This book led us into discussions about never giving up, growing ideas by collaborating with others, and revising our thinking.

After we had read all three books, we made a chart of the things we had learned that we can carry with us for the rest of the year.  Here were some of our ideas:

* A brilliant invention can come from anyone at anytime.
* Never give up on the things you want.
* Talk to others and share ideas.
*Any goal can be conquered when you put your mind to it.
*It's okay to be different.
*Change can be a good thing.
*Be unique.
*Be yourself.
*Keep reading, wondering, thinking.
*Be curious about the world around you.

I think those are some great reminders to have posted in our classroom this year!

Our first novel read aloud is Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein.  I think we will be able to continue our discussions about problem solving and working with others as we read that book as well!

Have you read and enjoyed any of these books?  My students and I would love to know what you think!

Picture Book 10 for 10

A Mix of Fiction and Nonfiction Picture Books That Fifth Graders Love

Today I am joining Picture Book 10 for 10 for the first time! I have read and enjoyed these posts the past couple of summers. I am excited to share books I love to read in my fifth grade classroom. Head on over to Cathy Mere's blog, Reflect & Refine, or Mandy Robek's blog, Enjoy and Embrace Learning to see what books other people are reading and loving right now!

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran

This book is one of my favorite read alouds.  I read it each year when we talk about writing memoir.  It reminds me of playing with my sister when I was little.  We had a huge yard, with huge trees.  And, therefore, tons of leaves in the fall.  We would rake paths and create a town, complete with a jail if anyone would run too fast on the streets.

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

 

This is an obvious choice (along with its companion This Is Not My Hat).  But, it’s true, my fifth graders could listen to this one over and over again.  I personally love the second book even more than the first.  That little fish gets me every time.

Animals should definitely not wear clothing. by Judi Barrett

Laurel Snyder, author of Bigger than a Breadbox, read this book to my class when she Skyped with us for World Read Aloud Day. I had never heard of it, but my kids were screaming with laughter. And it truly is hilarious. Who doesn't want to see why animals should definitely NOT wear clothing???

Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosell

I mean, come on, who doesn’t love saying Tikki Tikki Tembo’s name! If you don't know, it is Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo!  My class always loves trying to say his name along with me.  It’s always a favorite for sharing with 1st grade buddies after we read it in class.

The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg

This is a book with a main character you love to hate.  Monsieur Bibot is selfish, rude, and cruel to his poor pup.  Kids are always confused for a moment, but then love the twist at the end.  And I do too!  

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

First off, anything Peter Brown does is AMAZING.  This is a quiet book about how one person can make a difference.  It leads to great discussion about doing your part to care for our environment.  But more than that, it’s just a great story with wonderful illustrations.  Love, love, love this one!

If You Lived Here:  Houses of the World by Giles Laroche

A wonderful nonfiction book about how people live around the world. I love the collage illustrations of all of the different homes. Each page has a paragraph that starts with, "If you lived here, you..." It tells why this house worked well for the people who built it. Under the paragraph are fascinating facts about when and where these homes were built and what they would be made of. It is a great mentor text for hybrid (narrative/expository) nonfiction.

My Librarian Is A Camel by Margriet Ruurs

This book is a great companion to If You Lived Here.  Kids love to see how things work in other parts of the world.  This books shows how kids around the world get access to books. In the northern regions of Canada, kids can request books via email or phone and a library far away will mail them books to keep for 6 weeks. In Finland, a boat brings books from one island to the next. In Kenya, camels bring books to remote villages. Another great hybrid non-fiction mentor text. After reading the information about the books, there is a box or two with a map and more information about that country.

Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins

This is a quiet, but hugely powerful book.  I think you can hear a pin drop when I read it aloud.  This book shows kids a range of animals...those that are currently endangered, those that we will never see again, as well as those that we are slowly bringing back from extinction by raising awareness.  Amazing illustrations and another great mentor text for weaving narrative nonfiction with facts.

Balloons Over Broadway:  The True Story of the Puppeteer of the Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

I love sharing a book that shows creativity at work.  Kids have all seen the huge balloons in parades, but they don’t think about how the balloons came to be.  In addition to learning about Tony Sarg, the collage illustrations are fabulous.  Lots of kids pick this one up afterwards to examine the pictures up close...every time you look, you see something new. This book won the 2012 Mock Caldecott in my classroom.

Oh Rats!  The Story of Rats and People by Albert Marrin

Confession:  I haven’t actually shared this book with fifth graders yet.  But I am adding it because I think it is going to be a huge hit with them!  I read this book this summer and reviewed it here.  Anyone who thought they knew a thing or two about rats (or anyone who never wanted to learn a thing or two about rats) will learn a ton in this slightly creepy book.

Whoops, I think I shared 11 books.  I’m sure no one will mind!