Ju...Ju...Jumanji!!

Here I am...sitting in front of the computer when I should be tackling my always growing to-do list but instead of attempting to further modify a unit assessment...I'm much more motivated to play around in blog-land. I have a half-hour before the Mister comes home from work and we snuggle in to watch Paranormal Activity 3. Staying up late on a school night...bad form, I know.

Today was a test of teaching flexibility and adjustments. One of my regular paraeducators was out today and unfortunately, my favorite of the two since she supports me during my Reading block and is phenomenal with my kids. Since having started my Chris Van Allsburg author study, I've modified some of my literacy center activities to support this unit and unfortunately, without my regular para support...I had to tweak my centers and later ammend my afternoon lesson. 

Not being familiar with the book Jumanji, my supported-writing center soon revealed that my students were retelling and summarizing wrong/inaccurate events. I realized this was partly due in fault to my own lack of over-planning (in the event of an absence/substitute) and a indicator that my students were still struggling to comprehend the basic story elements of 'Jumanji' as well as being unable to retell the story accurately.

So...this afternoon, I quickly shuffled some things around and dived further into Jumanji and completed a Before/After Reading worksheet I created. We defined instructions and why this word is important in the context of Jumanji looking at the events that unfold when Peter and Judy play the game. I highlighted the importance of reading ALL of the directions, how the word 'and' is crucial in Judy's winning the game, and the use of all capital letters in the game isntructions indicating important details. We took this a step further and analyzed the last two paragraphs identifying what Mrs. Budwing (Danny and Walter's mother) was really saying and the implications of such. With some role-playing and overly dramatic gesturing on my behalf, we made predictions about the future of Danny and Walter. Perhaps they'll leave the jungle for outer space? ;)

I sent my kiddos home with a Story Map worksheet and encouraged them to complete it as best they could. They've been consittently struggling with identifying problem and solution and I'm hoping with repeated practice and more and more examples, they will finally be able to recognize this story element in their future reading.  I am eager to see what information they retained from today's immersion in Jumanji and what may need to be revisited before we dive into Zathura. *fingers crossed*

BuRnt RasPbeRRy Rice...

Today I re-learned the importance of reading directions and following them to a T. I also discovered the dangers of multitasking when given the first mistake. Inspired by Sunny Days in Second Grade's word finder shakers - I had brainstormed several themes and categories that I could use with my students and wanted to make it a weekly activity during their daily literacy centers.

So...I got the necessary materials [see the Unplug Your Kids tutorial here] and made my first batch of colored rice last night.

Batch #1 - using Neon Blue, Green and Purple...

I quickly learned that: A) this was WAY easy and fun... and B) I needed more rice! I decided to whip up a new batch today (with double the amount of rice). Here's where it quickly went downhill - the directions say to put the rice in the oven at 200 degrees to burn off the alcohol and dry the food coloring. Well, we already had our pot roast i the oven and not one to waste any time, I decided to put the rice in anyways (at 350 degrees). For all you science nerds and/or pyromaniacs...I'm sure you can guess what happened next.

The victims of my mistake...burnt raspberry rice...

KABOOM! The higher temperature + increased alcohol content due to more rice = enough force and pressure to blow the oven door wide open, slamming it down and scaring everyone in the kitchen.

Unfortunately, I did not witness this event [further multitasking -- I was holed up in the basement laundry room putting in another load]. However, my husband was able to provide me with an award-winning dramatic reenactment triggering flashbacks to 'Rescue 911' starring William Shatner. Oh, how I miss that show. But - I digress.

Lesson to Self: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS read the directions carefully and FOLLOW THEM.

Lesson to Teacher Self: Incorporate this into Jumanji-Zathura discussion and the importance of following directions. Compare the cause-effect relationship of the children who did follow the instructions versus that of those who didn't.

Batch #2 - an even sweeter shade of purple...and turquoise

Batch #2 - Raspberry! minus the burn victims...

All things Allsburg...

This week I began a Chris Van Allsburg author study with my class. I recently discovered that the 5th grade highlights him as an author within their study of the science fiction genre. [Being a long-term sub + having just moved back to this state + no provided hands-on curriculum + modifications to meet my student's needs = lesson planning isn't as prepared as far ahead as I'd like...] Thanks to several online resources and OneExtra Degree and her awesome Allsburg author study for inspiring several activities/lessons! :)


Having a self-contained group of students allows me some liberties with my lessons and not having to adhere to the scheduling and deadlines that the 5th grade classes necessarily follow. And thus, my plans to drown *cough* immerse my students in all things Allsburg while incorporating as many of the other content areas as possible. We will be doing CVA-inspired reading, writing, science, social studies, and math...My students had some familiarity with Van Allsburg and two of his books: Two Bad Ants and the Garden of Abdul Gasazi during Read Aloud with the school librarian.

I had my students visit Chris Van Allsburg's website and complete an Author Study Info Sheet for their notes; I supplemented a completed copy of key events and books published (including publication year). Using this, they were provided an Author Study Timeline to complete -- which, much to my dismay...they struggled with. After a mini-lesson on time lines, dates and chronological order = smallest to biggest numbers, I tweaked my original Info Sheet and created a Timeline Sort which I will have my kiddos attempt during Literacy Centers.


This weekend I plan on revisiting my CVA Unit plans and making some much-needed revisions and modifications. I hope to put together some more worksheets and Allsburg-themed center activities. What's worked for you?? Suggestions???

You know....you know?

Have you ever found yourself telling a story or introducing a new concept to your students and found your respective audience returning with the blankest of stares???

You quickly realize you’re in uncharted territory and you try everything: rephrasing your original comment or example. You find yourself saying, “you know – it’s like <insert example here> and still…NOTHING. Soon you’re engaged in an impromptu game of Pictionary-Gestures mash-up attempting any and all way to illustrate your once simple concept. Still nothing?! Next you’re grabbing every item in sight and are soon surrounded by a makeshift fort of “examples”.

Despite unpacking your adjectives, synonyms and role-playing…your students soon take on the appearance of confused puppies: heads tilted to the side, glances from you and the objects to their peers with slight grins forming. They’re thinking, “Okay…you’ve gone and lost your mind and I have NO IDEA what you’re talking about.” Finally, as a last resort, you turn to the great technological gift of the gods...Google. Five minutes...ten...a half hour passes and you've concluded an impromptu sidebar lesson on <insert previously unknown concept here>.

My teaching days often include the previously described scenario. I've planned and outlined a lesson with multiple activities, highlighted crucial talking points and identified real-life meaningful examples when possible. BUT - like much of the other aspects of my life, I forget to account for the ultimate in Murphy's Law in the land of teacher-dom: lack of prior knowledge. Call it a sign of getting older...but the things we experienced in our childhoods are becoming non-existent for today's students. Factor in a lack of personal experiences at home, a lack of communication (for families speaking in different languages, if at all), a lack of previously learned concepts....overall, these missing pieces combine to create a black hole in which information is sucked into with little chance of retaining or recalling.

Hence...my love for Google. Yes, there are several search engines on the Internet and pictures can be located almost anywhere...but Google has been my savior when attempting to communicate in the absence of word recognition, experience and/or comprehensions and familiarity. While my 'itinerary' has been thrown off schedule, I have learned to embrace these temporary derailments and the challenges to seek out a new route to our final destination...with the addition of a formerly unknown but now much-needed detour...

Thanks to Google for clarifying the following concepts/vocabulary for my students (and myself, when trying to decipher their comments):

1. Board Game -- we googled EVERY board game site and images...a student's concept of games was only that of Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3. "You mean...those are real?"
2. The Twizzlers' height bar at Hershey's Park -- started out with a student stating...."Six Flags", "red", and "candy". He was trying to tell me that he had been to Hershey Park and could ride the rides with the Twizzlers' height.
3. Hotel -- several students did not recognize this word nor my descriptions of places where you sleep when you're not at home. "No, we sleep at home." "When you went to the beach...where did you sleep?" "I slept in a bed." "Whose house?" "I don't know..." "Did Mom and Dad pay money to sleep there?" "No, it was free. Wait, I don't know." and so on...

"Those Who Can't Do....Teach"

When I'm asked by non-teachers what "I do" for a living, the responses I get to "I teach" often fall into three general categories: A) those who exclaim, "oh! wow... good for you," and clearly have some concept of the amount of time, love and effort we put into our work; B) those who cry, "your job is so easy...and you get summers off, it's so unfair" to which I often respond, they give us the summers off so that we can retain our sanity; and C) those who smirk and retort with, "what did you do before? oh well, 'those who can't do, teach".


There are a lot of quotes or familiar sayings I enjoy and even endorse, but this is not one of them. Anyone with common sense should easily recognized how flawed this statement is.   Quite simply, how does one expect a job to be completed correctly if the individual is uneducated and/or unable to complete the task.  Even more so, how can one expect the individual teaching to earn any amount of respect if his/her skills or lack thereof are obvious to the naked eye.


For those who need further convincing, here are some prime examples of teaching jobs that quickly dispute this antiquated claim:

1. Driver's Ed - For starters, we drive on the right side of the road...and that sign is Interstate 95, NOT the speed limit.
2. Medical School Professors - Remember this one when you're lying in a bathtub filled with ice and less one kidney.
3. SWAT Team Instructor - Do you really want to be taught to dismantle a bomb by someone who may or may not have remembered which specific wire should be cut? I'll ask again in 30 seconds...
4. Scuba Diving Instructors - Overlook the small detail of oxygen to nitrogen ratio and pretty soon, you'll be "sleeping with the fishes".
5. Acting Coaches - Where would our Hollywood Hunks and Starlets be without the proper coaching and theatre instruction...actually, cancel that. Bad example.

All kidding aside, the reason I became a teacher has nothing to do with my inabilities but instead, my abilities paired with my passion for sharing my gifts and a love for learning. I have always felt that being a teacher is not something to be taken lightly or done on a whim. Despite the stress, the long hours, the low pay...there is a sense of satisfaction and pride when all is said and done. I only hope that years from now, when someone asks, "What do you do?" and I reply, "I teach," that they respond without pity and instead smile and say, "you rock".