deb/2/MI - How long have you been doing four blocks
MsAt - I just started this fall and I teach 1st
deb/2/MI - I teach teachers four blocks and I teach second graders. This year's group is more like 1st grade though
deb/2/MI - where are you located?
MsAt - I teach in Onio
deb/2/MI - I did some training in Sylvania Ohio
deb/2/MI - I am in MichiganMI
MsAt - I have been doing alot of reading and trying things on my own!! I enjoy it but have lots of ?s
deb/2/MI - Ohio is encouraging four blocks right?
deb/2/MI - what are your questions? I might be able to help
MsAt - Yes,
MsAt - I feel comfortable with the words block but have ?s about guided reading
deb/2/MI - that seems to be the primary area of concern with first grade. What story are you doing next week
deb/2/MI - maybe we could figure out how a week's worth of lessons here tonight
MsAt - That's the problem, we were given baskets of books and told to us these!!!
deb/2/MI - You don't have to pick a story or two for the week? The books are great for ssr time. What books did you use this week for guided reading?
MsAt - Are you suggesting that I use 1 book for the whole class?? Like Elves and Shoemaker
deb/2/MI - yes exactly
deb/2/MI - guided reading is supposed to be a whole class opportunity for everyone to focus on comprehension
MsAt - We only have 2 days of school this week so maybe I can work on after Xmas break. I will be using the Mitten
deb/2/MI - Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way is a great book to help
deb/2/MI - The Mitten. Day 1 -- picture walk, read the book to the kids, talk about story elements
MsAt - I will get this book. I already have 4blocks
deb/2/MI - Day 2 -- The Mitten -- set purpose -- what order did the animals get into the mitten?
deb/2/MI - Day 2 -- as you read or the kids read (depending on their reading level and the book's level) -- could be shared reading, reading together.... have them focus on the set purpose
deb/2/MI - After reading, make a list of the animals as they got into the mitten as a whole class
deb/2/MI - britt, we are discussing guided reading in first grade, specifically using the Mitten by Brett
Britt/1/IL - I just did the Mitten
Britt/1/IL -
Britt/1/IL - We turned it into a short, simple puppet type show
deb/2/MI - what were your set purposes, what did you do with the book?
Britt/1/IL - My purpose was sequencing
Britt/1/IL - I went on to Jan Brett's website and got copies of the animals
Britt/1/IL - we blew them up and colored them, then glued them to popsicle sticks for puppets
MsAt - were the animal pictures BIG?
Britt/1/IL - no, they were probably an inch or two big...
deb/2/MI - Another math related activity is to take a knit mitten and guess how many unifix cubes will fit, then record the guesses, we also count by 10s and 1s with the number who went into the mitten
deb/2/MI - britt - be specific, what did you say to "set the purpose"... As you are reading today I want you to think about...
deb/2/MI - Were the kids in small groups, or partners or what for the puppet show? Did they perform for everyone else or just practice? Did they spend more then a day?
MsAt - do you have small groups too and centers??
Britt/1/IL - I want you to think about what order the animals went into the mitten, and how did the order determine what happened at the end
deb/2/MI - no, that's f and p guided reading (small group guided reading) we use whole group guided reading in four blocks
deb/2/MI - My centers are at a SEPARATE time from 4 blocks
Britt/1/IL - The kids were split into groups of four for the puppet show, the practiced for about 4 days, and were going to perform for the Kindergarteners
Britt/1/IL - a snow day, and it had to be postponed until after Xmas break
MsAt - when do you help the low ones if you don't have small groups?
deb/2/MI - very cool project though -- to be specific, did you read the story to them on day one? What specifically did you do on each of the four days... set purpose, how did they read, what class discussions after reading....
deb/2/MI - I pull a small group of kids after lunch during centers, but it is extra, not instead of comprehension lessons
Britt/1/IL - I read the story on day one, and then listed the animals in order, with childrens help.
deb/2/MI - also the low kids get lots of help and practice during ssr time
Britt/1/IL - ow kids also get Power Reading, but like Deb, if I do anything, it is in addition to.
Britt/1/IL - The purpose of Guided Reading is for comprehension
Britt/1/IL - On day two we retold the story, and decided on parts
MsAt - when do they learn all the new words? during word block??
deb/2/MI - Britt, I will give you credit, but I am going to type this Mitten lesson up and post to the ring. Keep telling me the info for day 2 3 and 4 please
Britt/1/IL - On day three we decided on the lines each student would say, and started practicing
deb/2/MI - vocab words are learned in guided reading
Britt/1/IL - We also reviewed the order each day
deb/2/MI - words to help with spelling (and reading) are learned in working with words
Britt/1/IL - On day four we practiced....
MsAt - sorry deb for interrupting your conversation w/Britt but you are helpful
deb/2/MI - Did you have the kids actually reading the book, multiple copies or just a big book or a read aloud? Did the kids write their own parts, or just say their parts?
deb/2/MI - MsAt, no problem, I teach 24 add kids who all talk to me at once all day!!!!!!!!!!!
deb/2/MI -
Britt/1/IL - brb, pizza delivery man is here
MsAt - I guess I am a little skeptical about this guided reading whole group. I used a series for the past 5 years teaching whole group and lost many of the bottom kids.
Britt/1/IL - I have to say MsAt...I came into teaching first grade only using 4blocks
Britt/1/IL - so I dont know any different...I am having a hard time convincing my collegues to switch to this method
deb/2/MI - the thing with whole group guided reading is that it is NOT the only reading every day. I teach reading four times a day
MsAt - no i did not have any training just a workshop on literacy last summer. I have been teaching for 20 years and am willing to learn
Britt/1/IL - they also use F & P...but I can attest, and many others can as well, I can see such improvements in my students, and my students show the biggest improvements amongst the first grades
Britt/1/IL - it does take a lot of trust and faith
deb/2/MI - guided reading is a time to spend on comprehension. Many teachers (NOT saying you, of course!!) don't really teach comprehension. They say they do, they think they do, BUT comprehension is only taught to the kids who can read. If you compare it to science in first grade, you don't wait for the first graders to read at the end of the year to teach science lessons, you teach science from the first week
MsAt - I have seen alot of progress in word recognition with word block. I feel most comfortale with and enjoy teaching this area
Britt/1/IL - I try to explain it this way...there are four areas of literacy we all teach children, or at least are supposed to teach
deb/2/MI - During guided reading, you set a purpose, then divide your kids into whatever grouping you need to for the kids to read a particular book depending on their reading level.
MsAt - i am guilty of not teaching comprehension to the lower ones. I was too intereted in building vocab
Britt/1/IL - writing (writers workshop), reading for self, fun, on level (SSR), phonics, word families (Workign with Words) coomprehension (guided reading)
MsAt - when you divide your kids into grouping is this another time during the day??
deb/2/MI - For example, we did gingerbread man this week. The first day, I read them a story, they came up with the key story elements. It was very whole group based. The next day we read another version. I set the purpose to find the key elements again. They read with a partner. The lowest three kids read with my support
Britt/1/IL - lol, Deb, I think we are doing the same lessons
deb/2/MI - the third day, I found a really EASY gingerbread man story from a 1960 basal series. ALL the kids COULD read it alone. They looked for the characters and key elements again, but this time independently... how they read, depends on their reading level and the level of the book, BUT everyone is reading and dealing with comprehension
Britt/1/IL - I did the same thing, except on the third day they read with partners
deb/2/MI - Many 1st grade teachers I know still have a period of their day when they group by ability.
MsAt - i guess i'm not spending enough time on 1 story. I read gbread man 2 weeks ago but only spent 1 day w/it
deb/2/MI - I read 8 different versions in all, we made a huge chart showing the differences and similarities of g man
Britt/1/IL - I dont group by ability MsAt, like I said, my low ones get Power Reading help...plus when the kids are reading in partners or small groups, I am walking around and guided their reading
deb/2/MI - MsAt, repeated readings is where you can build the comprehension for the lower readers and fluency of your lower readers also
MsAt - do you have a reading recovery teacher or extra tutoring for the strugglers
Britt/1/IL - that's a big part of it MsAt, we spend at least 2 days on one book...at least...
deb/2/MI - We JUST started reading recovery, but that is only in first and only 4 kids
MsAt - thanks you 2 have answered and given me lots of help
Britt/1/IL - we have a power reading/reading recovery teacher
Britt/1/IL - same here Deb...its my lowest four that go
MsAt - my problem is I have no rdg recovery or tutoring. they're all mine
Britt/1/IL - I am lucky that I get that help
deb1 - britt, will you clarify day 3 and 4. Did you set a purpose for The Mitten specifically? Did you have a single copy, multiple copies, big book?
MsAt - yea britt you are lucky those bottom ones are the ones I worry about the most
MsAt - Hey Lisa where are you from??
Britt/1/IL - all the blocks are easier t o adapt to the "old ways" of teaching (I hope I dont offend anyone with that comment)
Britt/1/IL - Guided Reading seems to be the one that goes against the norm the most
Lisa/1/NC - MsAt -- my assistant runs an Early Success group daily for 6 of my strugglers -- and I have several others who go to other small group help
Britt/1/IL - I had a single copy Deb, so when I read it, I read it aloud
Lisa/1/NC - MsAt -- I'm in Winston-Salem (home of 4Blocks)
deb1 - MsAt, I have found that my lowest kids make incredible progress. Last year I had a EMI kid (IQ 58) who went from reading at a .9 to reading at 3.2 in ONE year
Britt/1/IL - I had two purposes that was set on days one and two
MsAt - Lisa how long have you been teaching 4 blocks
Britt/1/IL - One was to think of the order of the animals
Lisa/1/NC - this is my third year using 4Blocks
Britt/1/IL - pn day two when we reviewed the story, retold it, we discussed what would happen if the order was different
deb1 - Britt, thanks, I set a purpose every day, that's why I was asking for you to slarify
deb1 - clarify... oops!
Lisa/1/NC - MsAt -- I have a child who went from level 3 RR to level 26 just since August
Britt/1/IL - no problem...you are the one I go to the most for help Deb, and you probably dont even realize it...lol
MsAt - ess where are you from?? What grade do youteach
deb1 - britt, that's very NICE to hear!!! Are you going to leadership?
MsAt - Lisa that's great!! THis is my first year using 4 block so I will have to wait and see what they results are
Britt/1/IL - ummm...apparantly not..I dont know what that is lol
deb1 - Did the kids write out their parts or just talk about them and practice orallly?
deb1 - Leadership Conference in Jan in NC, but it is full now....
Britt/1/IL - We talked about them, decided as a group, and wrote it on chart paper and posted around the room
Lisa/1/NC - you'll be amazed MsAt at the results that you will get -- my first year was incredible -- never thought I'd see the huge improvement that I had seen -- but I am again
MsAt - I have a hard time staying focused on one story for too long!!
Britt/1/IL - is the leadership conference for veteran 4blockers?
deb1 - I find the kids really benefit from saying to them daily, The set purpose for reading today, or we are going to read this today because or I want you to pay attention to ...
Lisa/1/NC - well Britt....there is always the regular 4Blocks conference here in Winston-Salem on Feb. 10
deb1 - Britt, yes and school leaders
Britt/1/IL - MsAt, that was one obsticle I had to overcome too
MsAt - any 4 block conferences coming up near Ohio
Britt/1/IL - I get bored with one book too quickly, and I always have SO many books I would love to do if I had the time
Britt/1/IL - I am going to see Pat C for Guided Reading in February
deb1 - I don't spend a week on the story (the basal way!!!!!!), I spend three days on a story reading it for three different purposes
Lisa/1/NC - MsAt -- check Pat's website -- http://www.wfu.edu/~cunningh/fourblocks
Britt/1/IL - MsAt, two days on one story, three days on another..right Deb?
MsAt - you guys have been a great help!! Thanks
Britt/1/IL - I spent four on the Mitten only because we needed to practice, and it was a 4 day week
Lisa/1/NC - me neither Deb -- we read a story for about 3 days depending on the length -- then move on to another story
deb1 - g man as an example, I read different versions daily since much of the vocab was similar
deb1 - britt, exactly! You make adjustments to the story and to the needs of the students
Ess - I teach 4 grade in Sweden
deb1 - welcome ginn. Any four blocks questions
deb1 - sweden !! WOW!! Is it four blocks?
MsAt - do you work on work families?? I have been reading stories with short i words
Ess - no kids 11 yrs old
Britt/1/IL - Hey, I am Swedish...just went to a Lucia festival
deb1 - We are participating in Flat Stanley and a 100 postcard project and penpals
MsAt - We have been making lists and doing other activities with these
Britt/1/IL - I do that as part of the word wall MsAt
deb1 - word families would fit into the word block and making words
Britt/1/IL - I dont focus on particular vowel thought
Ess - Hello Britt where was that festval
Britt/1/IL - I redid my spelling program to accomodate 4 Blocks
Britt/1/IL - near Chicago
deb1 - what is the comprehension of the stories? Is there a problem and solution?
Ginn - I have introduced 4 Blocks to my fellow 2nd grade teachers and we are all using it in our classrooms this year. Now the first grade is interested so I'm going to give them an overview on our next Flex Day. Is 1st grade about the same as 2nd grade as far as the 4 Blocks model goes?
MsAt - we discuss problem/solution with these stories
Lisa/1/NC - Ginn -- pretty much so.....make sure they get the Month by Month Phonics for 1st grade
deb1 - When I teach beginning comprehension in four blocks, I say things like, what makes a story? The kids come up with a story needs characters (people or animals). So I say, today while you are reading lets pay attention to the people/animals/characters. Then we read (alone, small group, partner, whole group) it depends on the text and the reading level of my students, then after reading we discuss who were the characters
MsAt - month by month phonics has been a big help for me
deb1 - MsAt, so set your purpose, ask the kids what else makes a story, the characters have to DO something. Let's find out what the characters do in the story today.
Britt/1/IL - MsAt, I teach first, so you do a lot of whole class reading
Britt/1/IL - I only started doing partner and small group reading in the last month or so
deb1 - then of course the "do in the story" leads to problem and solution
Ginn - Are most of the activities the same in the Month by Month books for 1st and 2nd?
deb1 - My kids love partner reading. I just always have them sit hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder
deb1 - many are the same, but there are differences
MsAt - the formats are the same but the activities are alot harder in 2nd
Lisa/1/NC - MsAt -- it depends on your class -- I have been doing partner reading since the beginning of the year -- we just started playschool groups and 3 and 4 ring Circus
deb1 - It is worth the 17 dollars to buy the month by month for first grade if you are going to teach it to them.
MsAt - i do partner reading and small group/ They love to hear each other read
Britt/1/IL - Lisa, what books do you use at the beginning of the year for partner reading?
Ginn - I agree, I love my MBMP for 2nd.
deb1 - lisa, do you do the mitten by Brett? What are your activities?
Lisa/1/NC - I basically only have the basal
Ess - where was that lucia festival??
Britt/1/IL - Near Chicago
Lisa/1/NC - I'm in a new district this year -- the school I'm at doesn't have literature sets
Britt/1/IL - ok Lisa...we have old Silver Burdett and Ginn...I haven't found it to lend itself very well to guided reading
Ginn - I use our basal for Guided Reading. We adopted the new Scott Foresman series this year. It works really well with the 4 Blocks model.
Britt/1/IL - thanks for all of your help Deb, `in here and out there
Lisa/1/NC - we have Houghton Mifflin -- we are in the process of adopting a new series this year -- I think it'll be Scott Forsman
Britt/1/IL - sounds like a good series?
MsAt - I used Houghton Mifflin for the last 5 years and was not real happy with it
deb1 - bye see you in two weeks at the next chat
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