Searchlight: See the Strategy in Action

The University of Texas at Austin has a great site that includes web videos of the instructional technique that is being taught.

Celebrate! Creative, Student-friendly Interactive Boards in the WFP

At the beginning of the school year, Ms. Fonteno challenged Westbury schools to make every space of the school a learning place. Now, every elementary in the WFP boasts of creative, interactive bulletin boards that address TEKS, focus learning, create common understanding, and make sure that hands-on learning happens everywhere in the building. There are over 50 great photos of the work in the slide show below.


I really enjoyed snapping the photos, and admired the ingenuity and creativity of so many talented teachers and students. (I'm working on improving my snapshot skills).

I'd love to give each teacher personal credit for their work. If you designed a board displayed, please send me your name.

Submit photos directly to me, if you have an interactive board to add to the Westbury Feeder Collection.

View Album

Get your own

Mind Map: Where are your thoughts going?

Mind mapping is a great way to access prior knowledge and make connections. Students love the combination of visuals and text.

Interactive Bulletin Boards

Hi WFP Educators:

I've had so much fun exploring and clicking photos at our campuses. It's taken a lot longer then I anticipated to get these in an album. There are also a lot more photos from other schools. This is just a start! http://picasaweb.google.com/evanauke/InteractiveBulletinBoards02?authkey=mq2pzZ-aYG8#

Interactive Bulletin Boards

Neuhaus in Your Pocket

You'll love this site that has all of the Neuhaus techniques at your fingertips: http://www.readingteachersnetwork.org/

Thanks to Tinsley for sharing!

Choose a Chart Homework Activity

Thanks to Tinsley for sharing this chart-paper-sized homework idea:




Michael Moore’s Choose-A-Chart:
http://www.geocities.com/mrmooresclassroom/caclanguage.html
(He writes these on chart paper, laminates, and then sends home with the students. The students bring back with their original work. You can modify for whatever skill they need to work on.)

His math ideas:
http://www.geocities.com/mrmooresclassroom/cacmathpage3.html


For more info on how he handles homework in general please see his website:
http://www.geocities.com/mrmooresroom/chooseachart.html

If you want to improve student engagement in the class and at home, here are Doug Reeves 5 Top Tips for doing just that (he writes about homework menus on #2 here):
http://www.middleweb.com/mw/resources/reeves_fivetips.doc

Planning Board Materials

Here is a great planning tool for using reading strategies before, during, and after reading:http://cis.pasco.k12.fl.us/criss/pages/plans/LesPlan.pdf

HFW Vocabulary Lists for Standardized Tests

The Tampa Reads High Frequency Word list has the most essential vocabulary to perform on standardized tests by grade level and week: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749477.

4th Grade Writing Resources from Austin ISD

Austin ISD has a comprehensive writing camp available online: http://www.austinschools.org/matrix/treeview/demoFrameset.html

Remember to cover the following prompt topics: Favorite Things, Friends, Places, Someone Special, and Time. Look in the folder titled Writing Camps for materials.

Smart Board, or Computer-Based Power Point

Thanks to the 4th grade team at Bell for introducing the Jefferson County Schools Powerpoint Collection: http://jc-schools.net/ppt.html

This great collection covers all subjects.

The Writing Academy Order Form

I know all of the teachers who attended the Writing Academy Training were interested in the curriculum. To order click here to download the form: http://www.twa.net/order.htm

Reading Assessment Anyone?

Want to target instruction and get a very accurate picture of a student's reading ability? Use this searchable database by SEDL.

http://www.sedl.org/reading/rad/database.html

Compare and Contrast Project Criss Srategies and Marzano Strategies

Here's a link to the Marzano/Criss Matrix:
http://www.hsdist88.dupage.k12.il.us/dist88/staffdevel/Marz-CRISS%20ordered.pdf

This has Criss strategies divided by before reading, during reading, and after reading:
http://cis.pasco.k12.fl.us/criss/pages/plans/LesPlan.pdf

Readers and Writers Workshop in Action

Visit Jennifer Myers class in California...via video. Here's a space full of great videos of student conferencing, mini-lessons, and settting norms in action.

http://quest.carnegiefoundation.org/~dpointer/jennifermyers/workshopapproach.htm

Supplemental Reading Programs Reviewed by FCRR

Florida Center for Reading Research has a fantastic page outlining reading programs.

Data Analysis and Progress Monitoring Tools

Check out these great resources:
www.fcrr.org/pmrn (K - 3rd grade reading skills:
FREE)
􀂄 www.interventioncentral.org (charting student
progress over time in multiple subject areas:
FREE)
􀂄 www.edformation.com (1st - 8th grade reading
fluency, math, spelling, writing: $4 - 7.00 per
student)
􀂄 www.dibels.uoregon.edu (1st - 6th grade
reading fluency: $1.00 per student)
􀂄 www.wirelessgeneration.com (DIBELS with
handheld-to-Web synch.: $7.50 per student)
Project CENTRAL - projcentral@mail.ucf.edu
􀂄 Curriculum-based measurement training in reading
fluency, math, spelling, writing; survey level
assessment
􀂄 Online course - Applied Data Analysis for School
Leaders (contact Laura Hassler,
lhassler@mailer.fsu.edu)
􀂄 Florida Center for Reading Research - Valid and
reliable reading diagnostic measures
www.fcrr.org/assessment

Writing Stages K-2

This packet of Writing Exemplars for grades K-2 has concrete examples and descriptions of the stages of development. You can compare and monitor growth with your own students!

Writing Academy Huge Success

The Writing Academy Workshop was a huge success! We're looking forward to taking and posting pictures of the strategies at work.

Johnston Team Ready!

On Monday, August 4, 2008 I had a chance to meet and learn with the Johnston Middle School team. This year, they will be implementing Reader's Writer's workshop. (RWW) I'm looking forward to including lots of photos of their journey.

How Do I Manage Readers Workshop?

Thanks again to Beth Newingham for sharing her best practices. The Scholastic article, "Classroom Management in Reader's Workshop" gives some practical tips on keeping Workshop time, focused, managed, and productive. Ideas include rotating special spaces, creating a weekly checkout bag or book box, so student perusing doesn't take the place of reading, and pictures of sticky note Reading Notebooks! View more pictures on how to manage your classroom reading workshops.

How Do I Organize My Classroom Library?

Photos and Tips of Classroom Libraries


Veteran teacher, Beth Newingham has great pictures of how her classroom library is organized. There isn't a hyperlink, so once you enter the site, go to the left hand index, and click on Classroom Library. Once you get to the library, make sure to click on the link that says, "Click here to read more about how the books are organized and leveled!" There's lots of great photos. She includes information on how she levels books, as well as the templates she uses to label the baskets. Other great "to know's" includes dual book storage areas, magazine racks, as well as photos of the student bins for keeping track of the materials that they are working on.

Mandy Gregory, another top notch educator and internet poster, also provides practical information for setting up a classroom library, as well as the resources needed to make it happen.


Cataloging Books: Online and Offline Resources


Beth Newingham has a spreadsheet of her books that can be downloaded for free. Use the template to keep track of your own library collection.


Library Thing is an online cataloging resource, and includes reading level information, and connects you to others who have the same book. Take a tour! You can catalog up to 200 for free, or pay $25.00 for a lifetime membership.


Shelfari is another online cataloging resource and social networking site that revolves around books.


Leveling Books: What size do you wear?


Leveling Books is the same as sizing clothes and having students "try 'em on". As the teacher, we have to guide children to the "right rack". Growing children don't stay in the same size for long, and practicing readers don't either. Just as fashion trends come and go, so do students interests. This handy leveling chart shows the correlation between Guided Reading, DRA, and Lexile. Eduplace and Houghton Mifflin have also created a conversion chart that corresponds to Reading Recovery, and the Stage of Reader. Another comprehensive leveling chart that also includes the corresponding writing stage, along side the reading level, comes from the state of Utah. Looking to find out more information about what kids like? Ask them to pop on the internet and surf. Usually, they'll type in their favorite topic.

How do I elaborate?

Just add details and stir.

For real. So, where do details come from??? Yes, it's the question that students seem to have the most trouble tackling, and adding. You've read enough of the "and then, and then, and then" to know that they don't completely understand it. Here's how Steve Peha succinctly categorizes those "know 'em when I see em's" so students gets really get the point... elaborated.

1. The 5 W's
2. The five senses
3. Setting
4. Attributes-size, shape, color
5. Feelings

Steve Peha, the owner, writer, and teacher extraordinaire, has this and other easy-to-read, teacher and student friendly strategies in his PDF "The Organizers" with a one-sheeter called "The Writing Strategy Organizer" to help teachers and students do everything from pick a topic, to set the stage, and of course add details. If you can't hyperlink it the address is: http://www.ttms.org/. Click the headline in the green box called "The Organizers".

I would be remiss to not add the reading component to this, so if you have time try "Read Like a Reader; Read Like a Writer" too. Trust me. It's worth the extra click.

All Things Reading and Writing

Hello Fellow WFP Educators:

Welcome back from summer break! I've found a way to easily compile and share all of the great materials and ideas that come my way (thanks teachers, students, and Blogger). Look for the following coming soon:

• Lots of pictures of Best Practices in action, thanks WFP educators
• Ongoing compilation of tried and true (FREE) materials, sites, and links to help you help your students
• Ongoing writing reviews and assessments
• Review of reading status at each campus

I've attached some "flat coffee " and "flat donuts" so you can relax while reading. No calories and caffeine free.