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The Teachers.Net resources concerning The 4-Blocks framework are extensive.
No where else will you find this level of support and formation designed to help you successfully bring
The Four Blocks Literacy Model to your classroom.
4-Blocks Literacy ChatBoard
Sifting and Sorting Through the 4-Blocks Literacy Model
Mary K&1 - Tonight's discussion is concerning "Making Words" in the 4-Blocks way
Sabrina/AR/3 - how do you make a lesson up for the Making Words part?
deb - I have my kids do making words twice a week.
snowbum - Great book by Patricia Cunningham called "Making Words" has some great lessons in it
deb - Making words is easy. you give the kids the secret letters then have them spell words.
suz/tx/3 - Making Big Words is good for 3rd grade
Linda - Please give example of making words.
Tex/3 - CTeach, the 4 blocks are not for Kinder. There is a building blocks program for Kinder.
Mary K&1 - snowbum, can you give an example?
Sabrina/AR/3 - what is Making Big Words - is that different?
Jan/AR - I used Making Words when I taught first grade....can you give an example of how I could use this in Kindergarten?
suz/tx/3 - making big words is another book
Sandy/K/MO - you can do something like guess the word too
snowbum - I use the cuningham book alot. For ex: if the "secre" word is snowman, each child would get a set of letters to make that word not knowing that 'snowman' is the final word
CTeach - Does anyone know about the kindergarten 4-blocks model, or should I just use the web site listed earlier?
Mary K&1 - Do you have the kids make words that in one way or another have something in common?
deb - sabrina you pick a big word and keep it a secret from the kids
Tex/3 - Like we were reading the big book Chicken Little in summer school. Then I had the kids use the letters i,e, ck,hnc to make words. we made nice, ice.
Kathy/5/IA - I use Making Big Words - I believe it is for Upper Grades - but I don't have my book right here with me. I teach 5th.
snowbum - Then you work on giving your students smaller words. IE; 2 letter words made from that word, 3 letter words, on up until finally they try to put their letters together to make the 'secret; word
Sandy/K/MO - CTeach kdg. is month by month reading and writing
JJ - In addition the the Cunningham books, I recently came across another book by Judy Lynch titled Easy Lessons for Teaching Word Families published by Scholastic. I understand Ms Lynch got approval from Pat C This is a great first step for kids new to making words, I think.
deb - Making Big Words are for the older kids, even Jr. High kids
Sandy/K/MO - http://www.teachers.net/4blocks/column.html making words
Kathy/5/IA - My 5th graders love the word block!
Sandy/K/MO - http://www.teachers.net/4blocks/article32.html
Sandy/K/MO - there it is... article 32.. words
Tex/3 - snowbum, I feel silly assigning some of the F&P centers to 3rd graders.
snowbum - I teach 1st and my kids also love the making words block, especially trying to figure out the "secret" word which somehow relates to something we are studying
snowbum - Tex, I guess with 3rd graders it would be a bit more difficult. I teach 1st and they work well other than the fact that it takes forever to teach them how to use the centers
Tex/3 - Did we explain it well enough?
deb - Mary K&1 -- yes
Sabrina/AR/3 - I understand how it is used, but how do you choose the words?
Sandy/K/MO - what kind of activities do you do with the word wall?
suz/tx/3 - i want to relate my making words session to my spelling pattern for the week
Kathy/5/IA - The books making words have the words or you can choose your own.
Tex/3 - Sabrina, there are books, but it's fun to choose a word that goes with what you are studying. Like we did words made from chicken after reading Chicken Little.
suz/tx/3 - how do you come up with the little words from the big word?
deb - 4 blocks does not support F&P centers
snowbum - I choose words from the cunningham book based on things we are studying in class (chickens was our word when we studied animals) and/or skills that we are currently working on( something with an -er ending etc)
Tex/3 - And I used an anagram engine from the internet to come up with the words. I just did a search for anagrams..and found a site that made all the words that could be made from chicken.
suz/tx/3 - oh, cool, tex
Kathy/5/IA - You can either find the little words within the big word yourself, or there are some anagram finders on the internet. Also the little Franklin Spellers help.
Linda - Tex/3 where is this site?
Sandy/K/MO - Tex... can you post that site please?
deb - In 4 blocks you teach 4 separate blocks:
snowbum - Wow Tex, what a great resource, do you happen to have the URL???
Mary K&1 - What Do I Do with My Spelling Books? - http://www.teachers.net/4blocks/article10.html
deb - In 4 blocks you teach 4 separate blocks:
Tex/3 - http://www.easypeasy.com/anagrams/
deb - THere are about 5 making word lessons in each Month by Month PHonics for ______ your grade level. It gives you all the little words in an order that you can read them off.
karen/PA - We use the Rebecca sitton spelling program. Does anyone else use that? I'm going to try to use her word list for my word wall.
Sandy/K/MO - spelling words less is best http://www.teachers.net/4blocks/article24.html
tina 2fl - I just got a spelling book I ordered from the Indiana four blocks Literacy Alliance
deb - You can pick a big word from the index looking for a certain spelling pattern or you can pick a "theme" related word.
karen/PA - A problem that I can see is where to put my word wall. Many people have said that they put it above their alphabet. Is that too high for the kids to see?
suz/tx/3 - tell me about the book tina
snowbum - I've been told that your word wall should be at eye level
Tex/3 - I have cabinet doors where I want to put mine.
snowbum - or at a level that kids can go up and find, point to and touch a word
deb - just remember to only put words on the wordwall that are high frequency words and/or have a common spelling pattern
karen/PA - Having a wall big enough will be a problem in my room.
suz/tx/3 - i put mine on a chalkboard across the back of the room (i don't use that board)
Sandy/K/MO - a couple of teachers took part of their chalkboard to use for it
Ellen - I agree..finding wall space is so difficult
Tex/3 - so I guess I teach compound words, contractions, etc through the word wall activities...correct?
tina 2fl - suz, It tells you how to do spelling for the 4 blocks using word wall words\
snowbum - It's amazing where you can find the space to put a word wall. I have an open concept classroom and only have 1 wall. Had to be creative but found a good spot for it
AKP - Last year, I used an old cardboard science fair backboard. (the kind that has the two smaller sides that fold inward on each side.)
deb - The words on the wall should be somewhere that the kids can see them, notice color, size, and glare.
suz/tx/3 - tina, does it follow along with month by month phonics?
karen/PA - Rebecca Sitton spelling only has 30 core words that 1st graders need to be responsible for. How many words would be a good number by the end of the year?
deb - The book that Tina mentioned is NOT endorsed by Cunningham, Sigmon, Hall
Eve/SC - in primary grades, about 110 words for ww
Sandy/K/MO - Karen I was surprised but Sitton has 10 for kdg.
deb - I am not saying the book is wrong, just not endorsed by 4 blocks
suz/tx/3 - the spelling book we HAVE to use has word families and patterns
karen/PA - In the book Month by month Phonics- there are such great ideas for beginning of the year lessons using your students' names.
AKP - karen, what grade? Or is it the same with each month by month book?
suz/tx/3 - i want to put one example of the word pattern on my word wall ech week; does that make sense?
Tex/3 - The word block games: guess the covered words, making words, wordo, word wall riddles, be a mind reader...any more? Anyone have anymore to keep kids engaged?
karen/PA - I think I will be using Month by Month Phonics for 1st Grade as my "Bible" those first few months. I'm new to first
deb - Several 4blocks mailringers have said that Sitton and 4blocks works well together
deb - suz/tx/3 that makes perfect sense!
tina 2fl - So if the spelling book I have is not endorsed by Sigmon, Cunningham and Hall does that mean it's no good to use?
MSmith - I use an example of a word pattern each week from our spelling which is mostly word families. Works great.
Eve/SC - one of the teachers at our schoolo "invented" a new game for Words blocks. It is kind of like Wordo, but the children make Bingo by filling in the spaces with words they can make from specified word families
Bev - Do you use Is there a good website for ordering these professional books?
Mary K&1 - How to order from Apples 'N' Acorns - http://www.applesandacorns.com/order.htm if you are not sure of what you want, just send them an email and ask - mailto:appnacorns@aol.com
deb - I used the month to month book as my bible for second all year!
Sandy/K/MO - www.amazon.com here at t.net has these books
Tex/3 - site for anagrams http://www.easypeasy.com/anagrams/ helpful for making words
karen/PA - When I decided to use the 4 Blocks I decided to take one block at a time and make everything I needed this summer. I think I have the working with words block about done. Anyone have any ideas for things to do?
AKP - I am new to 4 blocks. Are the month by month books part of 4 blocks??
Sandy/K/MO - and links to them off of the 4 blocks site
deb - not necessarily, however it is good to know they don't put the 4 blocks stamp on it
Tex/3 - Oh yes....the game with the cards...with the onsets and rimes... is that a word block game?
Eve/SC - The month by month phonics book supports the Words block
karen/PA - AKP- the month by month phonics books are written by Cunningham.
Sandy/K/MO - Karen... if you go to the 4 blocks site... they have suggestions and I know there are lessons in the lesson exchg.
Kathy/5/IA - What type of things did you make this summer for the word block, Karen? I'd like to get some things prepared also.
deb - apple N acorns here on teachers.net has all the books
tina 2fl - The month by month books are very helpful in implimenting the working with words part of 4 blocks.
deb - month to month books are part of 4 blocks. THey are the bible of the working with words block
karen/PA - Thanks Sandy- I am on the mail ring for 4 Blocks and i will be searching through the lessons too. It is just a bit overwhelming- so much to do.
goobers51 - I'm new too--what's the 4 blocks site?
AKP - What is the best book to buy to get started from the ground up with 4 blocks for 1st??
Praline/3rd/LA - Don,t forget to go to Amazon through a TNet link so that TNet can get a percent the sale.
Sandy/K/MO - I know Karen feeling that way too
tina 2fl - Has anyone looped grade levels with a class and used 4 blocks both years?
goobers51 - and for 2nd
deb - I made all the guess the covered word sentence strips and laminated them. I left the name section blank so I can fill in the kids names in the class
Tex/3 - AKP I think Teachers Guide to the 4 blocks is good. As well as the month by month.
Eve/SC - Some of the things that our teachers have prepared for next year are the teacher letter cards and sorting and transfer cards for Making Words lots of other things too
Tex/3 - Guess the covered word sentence strips?
Eve/SC - Yes, a teacher at our school looped from 3rd to 4th and used 4 blocks both years.
deb - the game changing hen to fox is another great working with word game
kay - In 1st grade we played a game with make a word. I put all of the letters in a baggie and gave 1 to each group. they had to make as many words as they could. one day we made 70 words and the kids LOVED it.
karen/PA - Kathy- I have my class roster, so I printed each of my student's name on the computer- cut around the names9 tall letters,etc.) and mounted them on different colors of construction paper. I made all my letters for Making words. I used the set iin the bac
Sandy/K/MO - http://www.teachers.net/mentors/4blocks/
tina 2fl - I need to get busy on guess the covered work strips.
Tex/3 - how does that game go? change hen to fox? Is it good for 3rd?
Eve/SC - One of our teachers made a Guess the Covered Word chart for each of the units that she will be teaching this next year.
Sandy/K/MO - http://www.teachers.net/4blocks/column.html
Mary K&1 - How to order from Apples 'N' Acorns - http://www.applesandacorns.com/order.htm if you are not sure of what you want, just send them an email and ask - mailto:appnacorns@aol.com
karen/PA - I used the set in the Making Words book. I made 50 of each letter and put clear contact paper on them so the children could use them for making words.
tina 2fl - I am very excited to get "my" kids back next year. They will already know how to do a lot of the 4 blocks activities.
Sandy/K/MO - here is the link for lessons and Deb has put several here :-) http://www.teachers.net/cgi-bin/lessons/sort.cgi?searchterm=4+Blocks
Kathy/5/IA - Is there a non-glare clear contact? Or is there only one kind?
karen/PA - I bought a container at Lowe's Hardware store for holding all my letters. I think it was originally meant for screws, etc. It had plastic drawers. It works well.
Tex/3 - In he past I have cut post it notes in half making sure both sides are sticky, and let their kids make their own letters for making words. (duck) It's easier for me than keeping up with ones I'd have to take up. Of course I have 3rd graders who can write the letters well.
Kelly - I have been having some problems getting lessons, anyone else with this problem?
kay - What have the results been as a result of using 4 blocks? My school starts next year.
deb - Hen to fox is a game in the second grade month to month phonics. change hen to pen pen to pet to pit to sit to six to fix to fox. If you have made these changes correctly, you have changed a hen into a fox.
tina 2fl - I bought some shoe bags from the Dollar Tree Store. I store all my letters in the pockets. You can hang them up and see through the clear plastic.
Eve/SC - looping has many advantages - one of them being that you will have already taught your procedures; this also is one of the advantages that we have seen in doing 4 blocks across grade levels
Kathy/5/IA - Could you explain the "Guess the Covered Word" activity? I'm not familiar with that. What book is it in? I do have most of them, just haven't gotten through them all.
erin - Tex that's a good idea, I'll have third too
MSmith - I have too Kelly Cant figure it out
karen/PA - Kathy- I used a non glare contact paper. But the letters that i covered were just small ones that the kids will make words at their desks. But the contact will help them last longer.
Mary K&1 - kay, the people who have been using 4-Blocks are reporting very good results through the mailring
deb - laminating the Making words is really not necessary. Nice but not necessary. My unlaminated ones have lasted through 3 years of classes!
deb - Kathy I will in a minute my third grade needs his bedtime story
Kathy/5/IA - I got the "new" words from Carson-Dellosa to replace last years set. Thought I'd try the clear contact on them instead of laminating.
karen/PA - Kathy- Guess the Covered Word is explained in TheTeacher's guide to 4 Blocks.
Eve/SC - I have 4 years of data on the students at our school. Our 2nd graders just ended up highest in our district.
tina 2fl - That's exciting, Eve!
Kathy/5/IA - WOW that's great, Eve. What type of data are you collecting?
Tex/3 - My regular third graders loved "be a mind reader", but my summer school...low, going into 3rd graders hated it. Maybe because it was too hard?
Sandy/K/MO - Kathy it is also explained on the site... the articles
Kelly - Kathy, you will like guess the covered word, it works well with the upper grades also
kay - Fantastic Eve! Isn't it nice when a program really works? So many of them don't.
Eve/SC - We truly believe we will see this pattern follow our students up through the grades. We are using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test..
Kelly - Tex, maybe with the summer school kids, you need to give easier clues??
tina 2fl - Anyone have to use open court? We are getting it for 1st next year. I am using it in my summer school 2nd grade. Not crazy about it.
Kathy/5/IA - Good ... Kelly ... always looking for new stuff for my upper grade kids!
karen/PA - Does anyone use anything special for the children to make their words in on their desks- charts, folded paper, etc. or do they just lay the words on their desk? Any good ideas?
Tex/3 - Kathy, don't know if it's right. but I used poetry. I chose a word to cover with two stickies. I covered all but the first sound..onset with one, then covered the onset with another. I made sure the stickies were about the same length as the covered word. We read the poem then listed guesses what the word could be. Then I took off the top sticky so they could see the onset, and eliminated guesses, or made more guess that fit the onset.
Kelly - Kathy, have you done a lot with MxM for upper grades?
Kelly - Tex, neat idea..I am going to try that next year!
kay - Karen I used card stock. It seemed to work well without lamination or contact.
tina 2fl - Three of our 1st grade teachers are going to try four blocks next year. Hope they can find a way to use Open Court and still do true 4 blocks.
Tex/3 - I think 3rd grade probably needs MXM for 3rd and the upper grades.
Tex/3 - Kelly, that's how the Guess the Covered Word game goes.
Kelly - Karen, some people laminate construction paper cut in half for a mat to lay the words on
Kathy/5/IA - Yes, I've used MxM for the upper grades. I did get it late in the year ... I'm looking forward to following it better next year.
deb - I just had my kids put the letters on their desks
suz/tx/3 - tex, i wondered about buying mbm for upper grades too
karen/PA - kay- I'm not familiar with card stock- what is it? Does it just lay flat on the desk or do you make pockets in it for the kids to insert their letters? I may call it by another name.
deb - What is MXM
kay - has anyone done the guided reading, writing or self selected reading?
Kelly - card stock is just heavier paper
Sabrina/AR/3 - cardstock is index card thickness of paper
Tex/3 - Suz, I think we need it.
karen/PA - A friend of mine had her father make trays ( kind of like you use in Scrabble)
Eve/SC - We have done all 4 blocks at my school for 4 years now
kay - Crd stock is heavy paper like cards are made of. It is sturdy.
Kelly - you can also make trays using heavier paper
Kathy/5/IA - Month by Month for __________ grade books (MXM)
tina 2fl - Anyone find that trying to use pockets for the making words lessons is distracting to the students?
Annette - I got some of the stuff that goes under a rug to keep it from sliding. You get it in the contact paper section at Target, etc. Cut in to strips, and you have a non-slide surface!
suz/tx/3 - i'm making letters out of poster board, cut w/ellison die cut into 1 inch squares - should last a while
Tex/3 - Wow, Eve, and there hasn't been a movement to do something different yet? Remarkable.
deb - kay -- I do all 4 blocks, many of us do, What is your question?
Eve/SC - We do the making Words lessons with the students making the words on place mats
kay - deb I have just ordered a book on it so I am not really well versed but is it complicated to do ?
tina 2fl - You can get a large pack of white card stock paper from Office Max in white and colors for about $6 a pack. They would be able to make the letter cards for you also.
Kelly - deb, and I want to thank you for all of your posts on the mail ring and lesson bank good ideas!
deb - Eve, it must be wonderful to have all school support
Kathy/5/IA - I tried having my upper grade kids use ceramic tiles last year for making words ... I have them take out the number of tiles needed and then use dry erase markers (blue and red) and write one letter per tile. I use that shelf liner stuff so I don't hear the tiles on the desks!
suz/tx/3 - yes, deb, you have really inspired me :o)
Annette - Does anyone assign the making words at home activities?
Tex/3 - Kathy I bet they like that. Better than my post it notes. hehe
deb - kelly thanks! you are very welcome
Eve/SC - Our support has been at the school level. All of our teachers in grades 1 and 2 have been 4 blocking for 4 years. The upper grades are beginning to get a real good handle on this instructional delivery system.
Dollie - Guess the covered word lesson is an activity where the teacher writes some sentences or a paragraph related to something students are studying or a topic of general interest.Select one word per sentence and corver that word with two torn sticky notes, with the first part covering all the beginning consonant letters up to the vowel. Read each sentence and have students make three or four guesses about the missing word without any letters revealed. Write down these guesses. Remove the sticky note that covers the beginning letter(s). Erase any guesses which are no longer possible and have students make additional guesses for the word that both make sense and have all the right beginning letters. When the students cannot think of any more words that meet both criteria, reveal the rest of the word and see if the correct word was guessed. This is from the month by month phonics book
deb - kay, not hard to do join us on the mailring too
Tex/3 - Eve, do you do the words block all year long? I'm afraid my students will get tired of the games. but maybe not.
tina 2fl - Annette, I want to do that next year. I want to have the parents do a making words activity at open house also.
Sandy/K/MO - our first grade teacher sends the letters/words home after she has finished for practice.
Kathy/5/IA - One of the area "Flooring" places sold me about $200.00 worth of tiles for $15.00 ... I find you can get a lot from the public when you mention it is for "phonics" ... they seem to like that word!
Annette - After having done making words for second grade, I'll have to get used to smaller words now! :)
Eve/SC - Yes we do words and all the other blocks all year. There is plenty of variation within the words blocks in the kinds of activities; so the students do not get bored.
suz/tx/3 - kathy, could you use vis a vis markers on the tiles too?
Annette - How many days a week do you guys do a making words lesson?
toni - I have put a lot of $$ into manipulative letters ( sponges, beads, ect. ) does anyone else use these types of things during working with words?
Eve/SC - we do making words 2 times a week in 1st and 2nd grades
Bonnie - What do you use tile for
Tex/3 - I did it once a week in summer school.
Kathy/5/IA - Yes, I'd think you could use vis a vis markers, but the dry erase comes off faster when the lesson is over.
tina 2fl - I do one a week. We do the sorting activities the next day.
Sabrina/AR/3 - most of you use the activities in the MXM books, then, right?
Eve/SC - yes, definitely
deb - toni, they would work definitely
Kathy/5/IA - I use the tiles for the making words (just like you would with the individual card stock letters)
tina 2fl - I love the Month by Month books
Annette - We have one second grade teacher who won't make the individual letters. She always uses the "disposable" take home page, has the kids work with those little things, then they throw them away!! I can get her to make a set of the real letters for the kids to use.
deb - one thing that helped the bored problem was waiting to introduce an activity until I got to it in the month to month book.
Annette - That month to month book is great,.
karen/PA - I'm a bit mixed up, Are guided Reading and Shared reading both covered in the guided Reading block. I always thought they were different. Is the Guided Reading more small groups in leveled books?
ltaylor - Has anyone ever tried giving the students a ziplock bag with all the letter they might need? I tried this second semester after I went throught the lessons and figured out how many of each letter they might ever need. I would put my letters in the chart
Eve/SC - The Guided reading block and Self selected reading block are 2 separate blocks
deb - MXM information please. d-smith@cybersol.com or post it to the mailring PLEASE
Kelly - ltaylor, I have seen that done in a second grade...it went well
Sandy/K/MO - 1taylor that's how our first grade teaches does it
Tex/3 - Karen, in 4 blocks, Guided Reading might include Shared Reading. And Guided Reading MAY include small groups, but not all the time, and not all ability grouped.
Eve/SC - MxM Phonics is published by Carson Delosa
deb - ziplocs were icky
ltaylor - If you have not read all the books or received the training it's hard to put it all together. Indiana is trying to write another grant to train more people and to continure to support the first round of trainees.
deb - I have 26 milk cartons one per letter
karen/PA - It seems they are calling guided reading what I always thought was shared reading (Big books, poems, etc.)
Mary K&1 - Is Shared Reading a type of Guided Reading - an easier level?
toni - deb, where do you store them?
Tex/3 - Shared Reading is like reading with a big book, where students are attending to text with teacher.
deb - karen, guided reading is comprehension activities
Sabrina/AR/3 - Shared reading is one way of doing Guided Reading
Eve/SC - Shared reading is one of the ways to have the student interact with the text during the guided reading block
ltaylor - What activities to you find most helpful during the Word Block?
Tex/3 - In 4 blocks, that could be an activity in guided reading.
Eve/SC - We have found most helpful the making Words and Rounding up the Rhymes
Annette - Last year I had kids pass out the letters from zip loc bags; then the "passers" collected them. This year I might try having the kids go up by groups and get their letters from a central letter "place". depends on the kids!
deb - They are the milk cartons from school lunches (little)
karen/PA - Flexible grouping is done in the Guided reading block, right?
deb - I stapled them together
ltaylor - I am going to start off my year with shared reading and nursery rhymes. This will give lots of time to teach phonemic awareness.
deb - there are two rows of 13
Eve/SC - Definitely, flexible grouping in Guided reading
toni - My assistant has really taken over our words block. He often uses green pudding instead of paper and pencil.
Mary K&1 - Eve, do you also have Reading Recovery in your building?
Tex/3 - Karen, in 4 blocks... SOMETIMES it is. Sometimes it's whole group,. Sometimes kids are reading as partners...lots of variety.
Annette - deb- you stapled the milk cartons together? How did that work?
deb - I keep the stapled together thing a ma bob on the heater in the back of the room
Eve/SC - Mary k &1, I do not have reading recovery
ltaylor - We do Reading Recovery in our building and our students were the most successful in the grade level.
toni - I may try that this year deb. I use baggies and they get torn alot.
karen/PA - 1taylor- I think Nursery Rhymes are a great choice for the beginning of the year.
Annette - deb-do you have the kids go by groups to get the needed letters?
deb - most helpful activity in word wall -- teaching the kids that if they can spell look, they can spell book hook etc
ltaylor - Do any of you ever team teach and do Four Blocks? We are going to try it this year. My partner and I have teamed for 15 years.
Eve/SC - Getting the letters for making Words assembled for each student is one of the biggest logistical challenges of the Words block. This is where we use our teacher helpers (kids who get to school early)
Tex/3 - Deb, I got to that one time in summer school. The kids' eyes just LIT up. They loved knowing they could spell those words.
Eve/SC - The students gather the letters and put them in envelopes
Mary K&1 - So RR doesn't seem needed if 4-Blocks is in full swing? Very interesting
deb - I stapled the whole thing together. Then I wrapped paper around the outside (a piece of butcher paper)
Tex/3 - No Reading Recovery is needed.
Tex/3 - I read that in one of the books, Mary K&1.
Eve/SC - We had to forego Reading Recovery because we just couldn't reach the number of students that needed help.
deb - Then I put masking tape over the staples
ltaylor - How do you handle sub plans for Word Block? I had the directions for each activitiy in my lesson plan binder. I also put a copy of a Making Words Lesson. Most subs could handle this with a little help from one of my teacher pleasers.
Mary K&1 - OK, thanks Tex :o)
deb - Let's say I was doing CLIFFORD. I would have the kids ... pass out the letters. I would say, Sandy come get the C ... Then I would hand Sandy all the c boxes, she would pass them out to everyone
Eve/SC - Reading Recovery - Our district didn't fund this; so money was a big issue
Sabrina/AR/3 - Sub plans are a concern for me too
Annette - Has anyone here used a portable word wall in addition to the real one? One that the kids take home and show parents?
Kelly - Eve, that is too bad...it is in our county and will be fully implemented in all schools this fall...can't wait!
ltaylor - My inclusion child did so well that the testing person said she was overachieving because of the rich enviroment she was in.
Eve/SC - Kelly, will it be fully implemented to serve all sutdents who don't meet readiness standard?
Kelly - question for portable word wall....do all of the students transfer the new words to their own portable word wall? I realize for first graders that might not be realistic in the fall
ltaylor - I am considering using a portable word wall for my students. Any hints or suggestions?
deb - Then to collect I have everyone leave the letters on their desks. NO one is allowed to touch them EXCEPT the collecting letter person. So Sandy would collect the C letters and she would bring them to me. It is amazing how much that little chore helps!
toni - Annette, I used portable word walls last year. But not for the purpose of taking them home. My students were so distractable that we NEEDED them.
Tex/3 - Kelly there are portable word walls in the bank of the month by month books to run off
Annette - Kelly-that's what I'm trying to decide. They write too big. Parent volunteers, maybe? I don't know.
Kelly - we give an assessment test based on Marie Clay, I believe the students will be selected based on those results...
toni - I used two manilla folders glues together and divided into 26 sections.
deb - I had my kids write their own portable word wall words and it was a disaster.
ltaylor - What have you used to have your students build words? I tried the folder holder in the Making Words book, but it was to short for several of the words. I observed a teacher that used the overhead for her letters.
Kelly - deb, what did you do?
jo - Quick question on word walls. This will be my first year to teach language arts and will be in a very small room. How large of a space is necessary? I'm teaching 5th
ltaylor - I'm using one whole wall.
Annette - I don't see anything in the back of the month by month book for portable word walls... the first grade book?
Mary K&1 - Thanks all for coming this evening. If you would like to continue talking, then by all means please do. As for myself, I must go now, it's 10:15 here.
deb - I used one file folder. I used portable walls because I have kids who have pull out in the afternoon (not my choice)
Eve/SC - Students will need to be able to see the wall from all points of the room. Upper grade students should be able to handle several "sweeps" with the alphabet.
Tex/3 - oh Annette, it's in my 3rd grade book. hmmmm
toni - There are some great resources for making protable word walls in F&P's Word Matters.
Annette - Ah... Thanks for checking. I'll get with someone who has a 3rd grade book/
Kelly - how did you solve the portable w walls not becoming a disaster, did you or a volunteer write in the words?
deb - kelly --- what?
jo - The only space I have is a large bulletin board. The rest is windows and doors. Do you think it will be large enough?
newteach - Itaylor, this coming school year will be my first year teaching. However, during my internship in a first grade class, the students built their words on a piece of felt type mat.
ltaylor - Toni, Thanks I have that book.
Eve/SC - Jo, that should be plenty of room
suz/tx/3 - i was thinking i could add the spelling pattern words i'm using to the ones on the portable ww in the back of the month by month phonics before i gave it to the kids
Kelly - deb, you had mentioned that the portable ww were a disaster when the kids wrote in their own words, were you able to solve this problem?
suz/tx/3 - i don't mind typing and running them off
newteach - I graduated from Coastal in May.
ltaylor - A friend of mine typed them to add each week and the students glued them down.
Eve/SC - newteach, maybe we know each other
jo - Thanks Eve. That will take care of bulletin board problems!
deb - suz/tx/3 let the kids pick the word to represent the spell pattern
deb - newteach, nice but not necessary
ltaylor - How big did you make your portable word walls?
deb - I wrote the words myself. It didn't take that long
suz/tx/3 - our book has words to represent the pattern, one of the activities is to sort by the pattern, using those words
Annette - deb-did you collect the folders on fridays to write the new words on? How did you manage this?
deb - bb board is what I used
ltaylor - I had a student teacher this past Spring and Four Blocks was hard for her. I hate not to take student teachers, but it takes lots of kid watching to do this program and they are usually overwhelmed with everything else.
Eve/SC - 4 blocks is a wonderful tool for new teachers - keeps everything so focused
newteach - I was lucky to do the four blocks during most of my practicums and my internship.
Eve/SC - newteach, wow how lucky for your students this fall
Christy/PA - newteacher what state are you in?
deb - annette -- I had them keep them on their desk until I put it in their desk. I wrote them in as they were working or at recess throughout the day I introduce the new word wall words...usually Tues
newteach - I am in South Carolina.
toni - Has anyone here tried to combine 4 blocks and building blocks. (or is that taboo?)
ltaylor - I work with student right before student teaching. Any suggestion on what and how much to share?
Annette - Thanks deb. I want to use these to reinforce my words, and send home for "homework" activities sometimes.
ltaylor - Do any of your schools do building blocks? I would love to have more info to give our K teachers?
deb - 4 blocks isn't new. relatively... it was developed in 1989
toni - I am teaching K/1 this year. Last year's kinder assessments and new student testing show some REAL needs.
deb - Is Classrooms That Work an option?
Eve/SC - toni, we still continue to reinforce the 6 building blocks concepts with our early 1st graders
jo - Has anyone tried "Big Words" where you form words with letters that also form one "Big word"?
deb - the building blocks mailring is started
Eve/SC - jo, all of our making Words lessons are based on letters from the Big Word
deb - jo , yes we all do that
newteach - Eve, I did a practicum at South Conway Elementary. That is where I became familiar with the literacy program there. Is it similar in Georgetown?
ltaylor - Where do you find a little thesaurs that will help make your own words for Working With Words?
jo - Some teachers at a workshop I went to said that 5th complained that it was too elementary for them. I thought maybe they used too easy words.
Eve/SC - newteach, yes it basically the same
Eve/SC - Itaylor, MxM for Kindergarten talks about the 6 concepts that are worked on in K
Tex/3 - jo, on level 5th graders probably don't need word block every day. They probably need more ssr and writing
ltaylor - Have any of you watched the Four Blocks video? My administrator ordered it, but he hasn't called me to let me know if it is in.
Eve/SC - Itaylor, yes I have seen it. The 2nd video is better than the first. More animated
jo - Yes, but I'm getting a class of 5th graders that testing shows they are reading on 3.5-4.0 level. I figured I needed to go to basics and work up. I'm also a first year language arts teacher.
deb - There is a Making Big Words for upper grades available
jo - Is it "Intermediate" That is what I have, Deb. I was planning to use it, but wasn't for sure . . .
deb - There is MOnth to month phonics for upper grades that have a lot of good ideas.
Tex/3 - Jo, well then it won't be that easy for them. but they probably won't need it every day.
deb - Yup it's for you :)Jo
ltaylor - It takes time to get others excited. We started last year with 2 and now we are up to 9 teachers. I teach in a very large school. We have 9 first grades. This is a small class.
Eve/SC - enjoyed the talk; getting late - gotta go - see you next time
suz/tx/3 - we have 7 3rd grade classes
suz/tx/3 - so, deb, if my kids are good readers, i should spend more time in ssr and writing blocks?
ltaylor - I have some many people that buy into everything except no ability grouping.
deb - yes. don't forget the words altogether but this program was invented for 1st and 2nd graders to teach all 4 major ways of learning how to read
suz/tx/3 - so, work with words 2-3 times a week, incorporating spelling there?
deb - it takes time to change. The no ability grouping was hard for me too
suz/tx/3 - my principal supports whatever i do, so long as TAAS scores are good lol
jo - That is one thing nice about being the only teacher per grade, Tex, No one to compare to.
deb - give me an overview of your kids suz/tx/3
suz/tx/3 - most of the kids are at grade level in reading
suz/tx/3 - (based on what 2nd grade teachers tell me)
deb - I just don't argue with the head honchos...then I teach what my kids need
suz/tx/3 - but i will have some special ed and maybe esl kids, who will be pulled out for special classes
suz/tx/3 - we are looking for sp ed people always
Stacy - Are there any research projects going on that support 4 blocks?
deb - suz, the reason I ask is I am very hesitant to say don't do working with words, however, I don't think it needs the every day time once the kids really are reading.
deb - stacy, YES 4 blocks
suz/tx/3 - that's what i thought deb, 2-3 times a week to intoduce ww words, practice w/making words w/ our spelling pattern that week, etc
Tex/3 - Suz, I had very high level kids last year, and they liked making words. They weren't much into the word wall. They liked be a mind reader. But I cut the Word Block short. pretty much.
suz/tx/3 - i am used to using 45 min to 1 hour for ssr and writing
suz/tx/3 - each
suz/tx/3 - worried about fitting everything in ;-)
deb - tex, I argue when I can win! hee hee. I have been cautious about stating I am teaching 4 blocks because I don't want to be told I can't do it
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