Bright Ideas Blog Hop - Informational Writing Bracelets

I just love this blog link-up!  It is my absolute favorite.  It makes me want to go in and start completely revamping my classroom from the inside out.

I'm SO excited to share this idea with you.  I love it, my kids love it, and the biggest thing is that it HELPS THEM WRITE!  We've been working on writing informational books lately.  Getting first graders to give lots of details is sometimes a struggle.  They aren't quite sure what all to write about.  Although we read lots of mentor texts, share the pen, and use graphic organizers to plan our writing, some of them still can't quite understand what they need to do.  I came up with a quick little reminder for them when they sit down to write.  This is really going to help them at the end of the year on their end-of-year writing assessment!

I give you...

Informational Writing Bracelets!

Supplies Needed:

-Black pipe cleaners
-Pony beads in the following colors: green, white, orange, brown, blue, yellow, and red
-Scissors

Each color bead represents a different sentence that goes into their paragraph/book.  In the end, the students end up with 7 sentences!  It's just a quick and simple reminder of the information they need to include.

We created an anchor chart to help the students learn to remember what each color bead stands for.  I have it hanging in our room so they can easily refer to it if they need a quick reminder.

It's such an easy thing to put together and use!  I got all of the supplies at Hobby Lobby.  I distribute them at the beginning of each writer's workshop and then collect them when we are done.  The kids want to take them home so badly, but I know I'll never see them again.  ;)  They'll be so excited when I send them home at the end of the year!

Let me know if you end up trying this and how it works out for your students!  :)

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An InLinkz Link-up

Informational Writing and the Debut of My Guided Reading Binder!

Tomorrow is FRIDAY!  Hallelujah!

This week we've been working on our informational writing.  I am LOVING this unit, and so are my kiddos!  We've spent all week exploring features of informational text and diving into the world of nonfiction.  They are so excited to start writing their books!  Getting my firsties to understand that an informational book is more than just a couple sentences is pretty tough.  So we made a web/bubble map.  It is the start of a 5-sentence paragraph!  They put their topic in the middle and then 5 facts about it in the different extending bubbles.

My girls are writing all about puppies, flowers, swimming, and all things girly.  My boys however...all things boy, that's for sure!

For this sweet little fella, I had to majorly scaffold for him.  He is one that really has a hard time picking things up.  He had his idea, but couldn't quite comprehend anything beyond his topic.  I wrote down some questions/phrases in his bubbles to help guide his thinking.

I will continue to share things as we progress through this unit!  I'm so excited I can hardly take it!

I want to take a minute to introduce you to my good friend, Stephanie.  She has just opened a store on TPT and she is working her tail off!  I know a LOT of you use my Reading Street products.  I would LOVE to do the kindergarten units, but I don't have the time or energy.  Grades 1-3 are keeping me plenty busy!  Stephanie asked if she would be stepping on my toes if she created kindergarten packets for RS.  I said, "Heck no!  PLEASE go right ahead!  Then I won't have to worry about it!"  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE creating stuff for Reading Street, but it's soooo time-consuming.  Stephanie is SO talented and funny!  She has a creative mind and enthusiasm for her kinders.  If you love my RS products, I HIGHLY encourage you to check out her store.  You will not be disappointed!  I mean, if I taught kindergarten, I would totally be using her stuff in 2 seconds flat.  It is adorable, it's practical, and it's meaningful.  It will make your planning so much easier!  She is creating as she goes and will eventually have packs to correlate with all of the Reading Street stories.  So check it out and follow her so that you can be informed as she keeps adding!!!!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO STEPHANIE'S STORE!

One last note, I know many of you have been DYING to get your hands on my guided reading plans.  I had e-mail after e-mail, comment after comment, Q&A after Q&A asking if I would please share my template.  The wait is over, friends!  I finally got it done!  You can snag it in my TPT shop!!!!!

Have a great weekend!!!!  Don't work too hard!  ;)

Writing Workshop and some exciting stuff!

In the past, I've really struggled to teach writing.  What is suggested in our Reading Series...well...I just don't like it.  There's no logic to it really.  It's like someone throws feathers up in the air and you just catch what you catch.  I've tossed around different things.  Tried a few things here and there.  And I'm all about logic.  Systematic.  RELEVANT.  Nothing drives me more crazy than randomly teaching my firsties something that has no rhyme or reason or sense to it.  They don't get it and neither do I.

So this year I've combined a few things and come up with something that is actually working for once.  Hey, that's what teaching is all about, right?  Try something and if it doesn't work, try something else.  Tweak.  Adjust.  Experiment.

So here's how I have my schedule arranged.  Every morning after announcements and lunch count and the daily "chores", we do our "writing workshop" for 30 minutes (I wish I could do longer, but alas, the schedule does not allow it).  I am telling you, Deanna Jump and Deedee Wills have been a GODSEND.  I am not kidding you.  It has been such a great thing in my classroom and the best part is that the kids LOVE IT.  They get SO excited about writing workshop.

If you haven't checked it out, here's the link: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Through-the-Year-Unit-1-Aligned-with-Common-Core

Then I've kind of/sort of incorporated the Daily 5.  Unfortunately, I do not have a big enough block to do The Daily 5 five times in one day.  So it's kind of a modified version.  Anyways, those of you familiar with The Daily 5 know that one of the components is Work on Writing.  For this, the students have several options of what to do.  They can:

-Write in their journal (their choice OR a pre-written topic).
-Make a card.
-Write a report.
-Write a book report.
-Write a letter.
-Write a list.
-Write a story.

They choose.  I have drawers on our writing table with everything already copied.

Inside each drawer is an idea list and a template sheet.  I laminated them and put them in the drawers for reference.  The letter list actually has an example on the back of how to format the letter so they can see the proper way to date it, address it, write it, close it, and sign it.

These are the journals I have for my students.  I found these binders at Odd Lots for somewhere in the neighborhood of $0.80 a piece.  I put a cover page and several blank journal pages inside.  The journal pages are from Journals Through the Year by Rachelle Smith.

Blank pages are already in their binders.  They can add pre-written prompts if they have a hard time thinking of something to write.

Here are some of my firsties during Work on Writing!

Making a card...

Writing a report on weather...

If you're interested in the drawers full of writing goodies, you can pick it up at my TPT shop!

A couple more notes before I head to bed...

1.  I now have a Facebook page!  If you look to the right, you will find a link to "like" my page.  I'm a Facebook junkie, so don't be surprised if you see an update pretty often on there...and I LOVE to chat, so you might see lots of opportunities to chime and converse in some teacher talk!  ;)

2.  I have to give a shout-out to my school.  We are "officially" rated an EXCELLENT SCHOOL DISTRICT!  The only one in our county!  Woo-hoo!  :D  Hard work, dedicated teachers, community/parental involvement, and a love for our schools has brought us success!  Congrats to all those in the Pleasant Local School District in Marion, OH!

Writing Workshop Giveaway!

Oh. My. Word. Y'all...it is seriously 2:15 A.M.!!!!! I got on a roll with finishing up my Writing Workshop Packet and I could. not. stop. And here we are...after 2 a.m.... Am I the only one that turns into a night owl during the summer? I think in the past week or two I haven't gone to bed before 1 a.m. Tonight is clearly the winner of my late nights. *Sigh* But I seriously have to show you what I just finished...

   

This is all you might ever need. It's got everything I could think of. Common Core correlations with posters. Bulletin board posters. Labels for tubs or drawers. Idea posters. Planning sheets. Primary and intermediate friendly templates. 6 different writing projects (letters, lists, cards, stories, book reviews, & reports). And the best part? It's K-5 friendly. Head on over to my store and check out the preview if you need a better look. I'm putting it on sale for $7 for the next couple days. 

 Buuuuttt..... I'm going to do a giveaway! I'm tellin' ya...it pays to follow blogs in the summer! :P 

 You have two ways to enter. You can enter once for each item below: 

 1. Follow my blog, leave a comment, and tell me if you're a night owl or morning bird. Don't forget to leave your e-mail address! 

 2. Follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers, leave a comment on my blog, and tell me your plans for the weekend. Don't forget to leave your e-mail address! 

 As for me, we've already established I'm most definitely a night owl. This weekend I have a wedding reception to go to for a fellow teacher. Other than that, RELAXATION (and sleeping in :P). 

 I will pick a winner randomly on SUNDAY NIGHT! I will keep the discount until Monday night in case you don't win ;). 

 Happy Friday!