Must Read Mentor Text Linky--Social Studies with a FREEBIE!

It's Sunday and time for Collaboration Cuties Must Read Mentor Text Linky!  Today's topic is Social Studies, so it's a perfect time for us to share some texts we used this past November that we did not have time to blog about...

Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Live of a Pilgrim Boy  and Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters were excellent texts for helping our students understand the roles and responsibilities of Pilgrim boys and girls.  The knowledge gained from exploring both texts was then compared to the roles and responsibilities they have today.  The two texts were perfect for reading aloud because the vocabulary and readability of each is "above" most of our students' independent reading levels.

The following outlines the activities we used before, during, and after the read alouds:

Before Reading:

Essential Question:  We presented students with an essential question that guided their exploration of both texts--How do your rules and responsibilities as a child today compare with a Pilgrim boy or girl?

Previewing Text: Identify title, author, and genre.

Anticipation Guide: Students independently completed and we shared out as a class.  This was a means of getting students thinking about key ideas related to the essential question.

Roles & Responsibilities Sort:  Students worked in groups of 2-3 to complete a roles and responsibilities sort.  Students had to work collaboratively and come to a decision where to place each card.

Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Scale:  Students completed this vocabulary activity using the Think-Pair-Share format.  Students rated their knowledge, paired with another students to share their knowledge, and then we shared our knowledge as a class.

During Reading: 

Roles & Responsibilities Reflection: During read alouds, we tied our pre-reading sorting activity to what was presented in the texts.  Connections were made as students discussed their lives in comparison to that of a Pilgrim boy or girl.

Revisiting Knowledge Rating Scale: We stopped to discuss words included on the knowledge rating scale and related our knowledge to how the words were used in context.  Students discovered that several words had multiple meanings.

After Reading:

Roles & Responsibilities Re-Sort: Students worked in small groups to complete the sorting activity we did before reading.  This was a means of reflection and assessment as students used the knowledge they gained from read alouds.

Revisiting Anticipation Guide:  As a class we discussed our misconceptions, things that surprised us, and some stereotypes that were shared about boys and girls.

Essential Question Graphic Organizer: Students self-selected two aspects of life (e.g., chores, school, clothing, etc.) and compared their life to that of a Pilgrim boy or girl.

Writing: Students completed graphic organizer was used as a guide for writing an informational/comparison essay.

 Pilgrim craftivity used to hold student writing by A Cupcake for the Teacher

Please feel free to download the activities/materials we used HERE--It's FREE!

Thanks to Collaboration Cuties for the opportunity to link up! Visit them to read about more social studies mentor texts...

All the best for an enjoyable week!

Coming to You VERY Soon from the Land of Cold and Snow--BRR!

Well, we have not had as much snow and cold as we have been hearing about in the northeast--BUT we do have some frigid temps and flurries heading our way VERY soon... 

In keeping with the fine forecast, I figured it would be a perfect time to share a few chill items!

Winter Opinion Writing

WOW! I was surprised at the number of kids in my class who LOVE winter!  The kids created opinion essays about winter--and they create snow friend glyphs to house their writing.  They love stopping to reread their classmates writings when lining up after restroom breaks. I resized and adapted this wonderful Snowmen At Night Glyph create by The Glyph Girls on TpT.  We will be graphing with our glyphs when we return from winter break.  Looking forward to it!

Ginger Kids Mental Math

I put together some mental math materials for my kids before break. They provided for some rigor AND fun.  We will be reviewing this mental math addition strategy when we return from break, and we will move on to using the open number line to add and subtract with greater numbers.  

We will review with Snow Friends Mental Math, a new product available in my TpT store...

 

Nonfiction Snowman Glyph

Can't wait to provide this at-home nonfiction snowman glyph project for the kids in January.  This will be the third year our second graders will be doing this project.  Nonfiction text features and student interests are the focus. It comes complete with step-by-step directions and an assessment rubric. Kids love this frigid friend!

 

Stop back tomorrow to learn about your chance to win a chillin' winter teaching resource each day next week!

Until then...

All the best--

Odd and Even Math Center FREEBIE & New Graphics!

Just a quick post tonight to share a free math center and some new graphics...

Head on over to my TpT store to download Candy Corn Odds & Evens!

Courtney was in need of some simple Halloween graphics, so I whipped some up for her.  You can check them out in my Graphics by Sarah Beth TpT store...

 

Here are some other goodies I created...

Friday is just around the corner! Enjoy the rest of your week...

The Potato Chip Champ -- A Champion in More Ways Than One!

Just read a post over at Digital: Divide & Conquer yesterday, and I loved how Matt used the work LINKTACULAR when he was linking up with several bloggers! So I will use his wonderful term and call today's post linktacular as well...

Linking up with Head Over Heels for Teaching for Spark Student Motivation Saturday, Collaboration Cuties for Must Read Mentor Texts, Principal's Principles for Motivation Monday and First Grade Buddies for Motivate Me Monday...

Here goes... This is a CHAMPION story in more ways than one!

At the beginning of September, Tara at 4th Grade Frolics shared a wonderful text she was using with her fourth graders--The Potato Chip Champ by Maria Dismondy.  I was immediately taken with the story and asked her if it would be appropriate for second graders.  Indeed, it was!  I hopped on amazon.com and ordered several copies so I could share it with my students...

The last couple of years, I have used A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon for a dual purpose--to teach students about character traits and as a character ed lesson about how important it is to be yourself and to like a person for who he/she is.

This all changed when I discovered The Potato Chip Champ by Marie Dismondy, a story of kindness and a perfect text for learning about character traits.  I read the text aloud to students (more than once), and then some students reread the story in smaller groups.  Let me say that the responses from students were heartfelt.  Many thoughtful comments were made throughout the read aloud and afterward.  When asked to share a lesson/moral that the author was teaching us, we heard--kindness rules all, it's about who you are, etc.

Tara at 4th Grade Frolics also shared Maria Dismondy's website in her post, so I went over and checked it out.  I found a wonderful unit created by Runde's Room to accompany the story.  I especially liked the potato chip bag activity that included a bag template and questions about the story printed on potato chips.  My kids LOVED this!  Not to mention, their responses to the questions were spot on! 

Students also generated a HUGE list of character traits that could be used to describe both characters, and they had to give evidence to back up their inferences before we would add a trait to the list.  Finally, students paired up, chose a character (Walter or Champ), chose four character traits to best describe the character, and came up with a reason to support each trait.  This was done in the form of a character web. Download a copy of the character web template here ! Template is for legal sized paper and frames clipart courtesy of KPM Doodles.

I cannot say enough how this story MOTIVATED my students. At times, I have overheard students talking about the story, now almost two weeks after reading it the first time.  When parent visitors came, the story was one of the first things they shared--in detail along with the lesson.  I have heard from many, "I LOVE that story!"  Even more importantly, I believe the story has motivated my students to show the kind of kindness that Walter showed in the story.  I think it is truly rare when one story is adored by all and creates such an excitement for reading... 

Looking for a story that will motivate your students--I believe this one will!

Well, it did not stop there! Champ is a lover of potato chips, and so is my class.  When I brought the bag of question chips out, many asked if they were real chips!  Regretfully, I had to answer with a "No" that was followed by a resounding "AAW." The weekend after reading the story, I was talking to my husband about it and decided to pick up some chips at Walmart during our Saturday errands.  It was an easy math connection--a potato chip taste test!

As you can imagine, the kids were PUMPED!  They tasted like real champs! We surveyed, collected data, and created a graph.  I will also post these templates for you to download when I return to school on Monday...

 

Wow! What a fabulous time had by ALL!  You MUST pick up this book, if you haven't already.  It has made an entrance into my top ten of all time. Thanks to Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for sharing, and a HUGE thank you goes out to Marie Dismondy!

Fly on over to these wonderful blogs to read more! Monday's linkups will be active tomorrow...

 

Smiles for a wonderful week!

Monday Made It, a Freebie, & a GIVEAWAY!!

It's Monday Made It with 4th Grade Frolics! Sharing a couple Made Its from this past week...

 

Made Its: Place Value Cubes & Activities

Why use place value cubes? 

Unlike regular dice or playing cards, place value cubes repeatedly show values vs. a single digit.  In this way, students are continuously reminded that each digit that makes up a number, such as 4, has a specific value (4, 40, 400, etc.).  You may have seen these dice sold on the market... I purchased a set online many moons ago when I taught fifth grade.  They were wonderful because the dice represented place values from ones to millions. BUT I only bought two sets because they were quite pricey.  When I decided to teach second grade, I found myself using 1/3 of the die—still loving them—but wanting more.  That's when I went online to see about purchasing foam blocks to make sets myself.  I found some great ones and was off and running! I could now customize the cubes for my students' needs and make as many as I needed for MUCH LESS than buying them pre-made.

Here are some place value cubes I made to add to our collection next year...

Want to make your own place value cubes?  Download the FREE directions here!

You can also purchase my brand-new Place Value Cube Activities for Grades 2-3 in my TpT store for just $2.50--until the end of the day Friday!

An Awesome GIVEAWAY!

Enter the giveaway below to win 50 foam place value cubes (for you to customize) AND my Place Value Cube Activities Grades 2-3!  TWO lucky winners will be drawn!! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 Smiles! :0)

New Product & MORE Great Giveaways!

Just a quick post today to show you a new product I just listed in my Teachers Pay Teachers store--Meet Me! Getting to Know Me Color Cube. Great for back to school! NO, NO--not rushing to head back to school, I just had time to finish it up and list it this week... :0)

AND here are some MORE fab giveaways!  Fly on over to Learning with Mrs. Brinn to participate in her one-year blog anniversary giveaway and stop over to First Grade In Foxwell Forest to participate in the Summer Creations Clipart & Font Giveaway!

Finally, there's still time to become a follower and participate in our 100 Followers Giveaway!

Click here to learn more!