Month by Month Reading and Writing for Kindergarten |
The Teacher's Guide to the Building Blocks |
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sho - Hello everyone
Erin - How is everyone's year going so far?
Barbie/K/WI - hectic!
di - great... I have a new job as an in-class model
Erin - What does that mean, Di?
sho - what is an in class model?
di - well, I work with two teachers that are the classroom teachers
di - and help the lowest children in their rooms. I also screen the incoming K children
Erin - Are you modeling Building Blocks?
Barbie/K/WI - how many kids?
sho - Why do they call you a model?
di - 36 in both classrooms right now
Barbie/K/WI - oh my!
Paulie - his tacey
Erin - 36 in each, or combined?!
di - I kind of float...the third teacher between the two classrooms
Paulie - oops I meant hi stacey
sho - I got ya!
stacey - hi I'm new to chat and all day K, any help is appreciated
Paulie - 36 with no aide?
Paulie - why so many?
Erin - We had a staggered start to K, and this week is our first full week. Our name activities are a big hit so far!
di - 18 children are in each Kdgn
Erin - Phew, Di
Barbie/K/WI - good Erin!
sho - Tell us about your name activities?
Ron - I teach in an all-day K--I like the extra time it allows
Erin - Just the beginning BB activities -- Picking a child, writing their name, cutting it up, reassembling, doing a cheer -- that's about it!
Erin - For now...
di - One classroom uses bldg blocks, the other does not. Interesting!
Barbie/K/WI - I've got 19 AM and 20 PM and trying to fit everything in and just beginning BB too!
stacey - 17 kids, we've been building a name ecah day
Sid - Ron Have you taught half day before?
Ron - no, I've only taught full day.
Barbie/K/WI - lucky you Ron!
Sid - I have 24 am and 25 pm no aide but splitting classes beg. of oct.
Erin - This is my first year doing BB, too.
Ron - I have heard other 1/2 day K teachers say there's just no time for much.
Barbie/K/WI - so Sid, they are getting a new teacher to take some of your kids?
Paulie - I have the hardest time staying in here when there is a chat soemthing always happens . . .
Sid - It is tough getting it all in. Everything seems rushed
Erin - lol, Paulie -- I just got my kids in bed before coming online!
Paulie - I taught full day and 2 sessions of half day I like full day because there is so much more time to do things
stacey - i am also required to teach Signatures anybody else?
sho - How is that going Stacey?
Barbie/K/WI - never heard of Signatures stacey
Sid - Yes we will have 4 sections of 18/19 instead of 3 sections 24/25
Erin - My kids are so tired by the mid-point of the day, that it's nice to have the second half to allow them to be kids and play!
Barbie/K/WI - how did you manage to get your district to hire more teachers
Ron - Do your students have free choice time daily? I'm struggling to fit that in, but feel I should give more down time.
Sid - Barbie do you mean cursive?
Sid - PARENTS!!!
Paulie - hi waterworks
Barbie/K/WI - and I feel right now my kids have a lot of free time right now so I can assess them, we cut back on the free play as time goes on
Paulie - what is free choice time?
Erin - Ditto, Barbie!
Sid - WE also have a free classroom.
Barbie/K/WI - Stacey, you said you have to teach signatures, I don't know what that is. Can you explain please?
stacey - Signatures is a Harcourt Brace Curic. lots of unrelated themes and literature...prefer BB
Barbie/K/WI - ok, I see
Rita/KY - Stacy, we have to teach Scott-Foresman. It is very difficult to fit in with other things.
Erin - I do most of my BB activities in the morning, then have Centers just before lunch. When the finish their work centers, they have free choice. After lunch, it's projects, math exploration, and play.
Barbie/K/WI - we adopted Harcourt Brace in 1995, none of us liked it!
Paulie - If you have BIG books and lots of little leveled books u don't need a reading program in K if you use BB
Barbie/K/WI - I agree Paulie
I_Luv_K - Rita, how do you handle handwriting? I have Scott-Foresman too.
Sid - Does anyone know how to open a coconut. I am reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and want to open a coconut for my students to see.
Paulie - Rita are u using the new edition of SF? I am on a curricuulum comm and we liked it
Rita/KY - Our problem is that our program is county mandated, so every teacher at every school must teach the exact same thing. It is even on our report cards.
Erin - I saw recently a huge "catalog" of books by Gay Su Pinell, I think, giving the reading level of many popular books. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
Barbie/K/WI - Sid, I saw a post on that about 2 weeks ago
Ron - Erin, I also do BB and Animated Literacy in the a.m., along with daily journal "writing," then math and specials in the p.m. We also rest about 30 minutes daily.
Rita/KY - Paulie, we adopted three years ago.
stacey - trying to fit it in, but do not love or even like it. I'm used to developing curic more like BB
I_Luv_K - My husband came in and did it for us...hammer a nail into 2 of the holes--one for air and one for the liquid
Paulie - Put the coconut in an old pillow case Hold a fat screwdriverdriver on it and hammer it
Rita/KY - I Luv, I do handwriting as a separate subject.
Barbie/K/WI - I got something from our reading recovery teacher like that I think Erin, it was copied off
Ron - We have Guided Reading books and also used the Pinell book to level those not already leveled.
I_Luv_K - How do you like SF?
Erin - The book I'm thinking about was at least an inch thick.
I_Luv_K - I hate that it has lines! My kids just aren't ready for that and it seems to throw them off.
Rita/KY - For example, we are working on the letter S. So we practice writing it in the afternoon. I don't worry about it being perfect at this point.
Sid - Is a coconut a fruit?
Erin - Our first grade teachers want us to do more reading with the kids, and my K team is really resisting it. I'm the only one doing BB, so I'm on the fence!
Ron - I've had the kids just write on small marker boards early in the year to get the stroking before actually working in a book.
Rita/KY - Ron, I do that too. Each of my kids has their own marker board and marker. They love them.
Erin - I can't get my kids to start at the top when writing! They are so used to pushing "up" with their pencil.
stacey - baby's crying be back soon!!! Thanks
stacey - baby's crying be back soon!!! Thanks
Rita/KY - Mine too, Erin.
Barbie/K/WI - Erin, don't you feel like switching grades with the 1st grade teachers for the 1st month of school so they can see how young our kids are when they come in?!
Erin - YESSSS!
Barbie/K/WI - All mine want to do is play!
Rita/KY - Barbie, one of our first grade teachers is teaching Title One this year. The beginning of the year in my room was a real eye opener for her.
Erin - I forgot how squirrely they are at the start of the year!
Ron - Our district requires K kids to be reading at a guided reading level B by the end of the year
Sid - Barbie and Erin I would love some of the admin to try it for the first 2 weeks of school
Rita/KY - She comes in to work with small groups. It was hilarious the first couple of weeks, watching her!
Paulie - in a developmental K they should play
Ron - For some this year, that seems like quite a leap!
Rita/KY - Ours are expected to being reading at first grade level at the end of kindergarten, also.
Sid - Has anyone seen Chip Woods book Yardsticks?
Erin - We're supposed to be aiming for a Reading Recover Level 2. That's fine for most, but some of my kids just don't "get" it yet, and I don't think anything I do would help them. They just aren't ready YET.
Barbie/K/WI - does anyone send book bags home with their students with leveled books? We are starting that this year
Barbie/K/WI - not me Sid
Rita/KY - I am going to do that this year, too. My daughter's kinder teacher did that and it is great.
Ron - We do, but not until after the first of the year (after we've studied all letters and sounds)
Erin - No, Sid
Paulie - what is yardsticks about?
Nance - How do you do the book bags?
Paulie - kids learn to read usually by third gr I don't think they should be pushed just encouraged
Barbie/K/WI - we got a grant and our Reading Recovery teacher ordered them
Erin - Exactly, Paulie. That's why I love BB-- the multi-level program is great for all.
Rita/KY - Barbie, how are you going to do the book bags?
Barbie/K/WI - other wise we thought we would include the price in with their fees and then the bag could follow them to 1st grade
Sid - It talks about what we should expect from young 5's and old 5's. H talks about age levels up to 12. I think.
Nance - Do you send the books home weekly? What kind of bags do you use?
Erin - Fees?
Rita/KY - I really want to do more with BB but our principal kind of discourages it.
Ron - once we've started guided reading groups, the children will take a book home 3 or so times per week as homework along with a "5 Times Read" card that their parent has to sign and then return all of it to school the next day.
Paulie - interesting book Sid
Barbie/K/WI - we are assessing our children this Friday and then after conferences we will start having students choose leveled books to take home
Erin - How about 4's, Sid?
Rita/KY - Ron, that is how I plan on doing book bags, too.
Paulie - they do guide reading in BB?
Rita/KY - I have two 4's this year.
Sid - I son't stat leveled books until jan. I may not start until latter this year.
Rita/KY - No, one of them turned five this week. So I only have one four now.
Erin - Not that I know of, Paulie.
Paulie - I thought it was shared reading and pretend reading
Erin - Six of my fifteen are four still.
Ron - Paulie, the BB and guided reading are just all components of the language arts program at our school.
Sid - yes rin I believe it has 4's don't have it home to look at it. It is a very good book.
Barbie/K/WI - I guess ours can take home a book whenever they return one, it's all so new to me!
Rita/KY - I have several that are closer to six this year. It is amazing how much "older" this group seems.
Paulie - and predictible books where it is shared
Paulie - am confused
Erin - I thought that Big Books are guided reading for BB.
Nance - Has anyone found a good list of predictable books?
Rita/KY - I have trouble fitting in predictable charts. How do you all do those?
Paulie - Inside a barn in the country is a wonderful predictable book
Paulie - when u read a big book that is reading TO
Sid - predictable charts - every other week
Paulie - rehi stacey
Nance - I do them while the other kids are in centers. They can't sit for everyone to contribute to a predictable chart.
I_Luv_K - Me too...if I do them during our reading time I can't get all my rdg. stuff done
Ron - Shared reading with predictable books is also done. I really like Joy Cowley books.
Erin - I split up writing the chart. If they are restless in the morning, I do some in the afternoon. Then, I finish it the next day.
Paulie - what does Cowley write?
Barbie/K/WI - so true Nance!
Erin - We did our touch-reading of our first Pred. Chart this week. It was so cute seeing "be the teacher"!
Rita/KY - O.K that was what I was wondering. I just can't fit them in with all the other reading in the morning. They get really restless too. So, I guess I will start doing so many at a time.
Ron - Joy Cowley writes wonderful predictable books: Mrs. Wishy-Washy, The Meanies, The Birthday Cake, she's awesome!
Paulie - hi rhonda
Nance - This is my first year with BB so I'm constantly looking for books and nursery rhymes to use.
rhonda - hello room
Rita/KY - Well, its bedtime around here. Goodnight, all!
Paulie - o yes I had forgotten the author have read those
Barbie/K/WI - good night Rita!
Nance - goodnight Rita
Erin - Don't forget The Jiggery! sp?
Paulie - Littel red hen is a good predictable book
rhonda - hello, i teach 1st
Erin - I'm spending all my Scholastic points on Big Books this year. (famous last words)
Sid - Joy Cowley - Wright Group/McGraw Hill. Love them
Nance - Thanks Paulie, Do you have many big books?
Paulie - do you use BB in first gr?
Paulie - yes I try to keep getting more each year but when most cost about 20 dollars it is hard
rhonda - just at the very beginning....a bridge
Paulie - o
Nance - I have big books, but have found they're not predictable.
rhonda - our K teacher is beginning to use it
Erin - I think you have to get the right ones, Nance.
Paulie - the repeated patterns are predictable in botht he oens I said Little Rd hen and also Inside a barn In the Country which is also a rebus rhyme
Nance - I know, but I wish there was a list of good predictable books somewhere I could use for a reference
rhonda - what about writing in K
Erin - The Wright Group is the best source I've seen.
Nance - we're using Kid Writing
rhonda - i hear Kid writing is good for k-1
Erin - The other big books are good if you are just going for the Shared Reading Experience -- lap reading mimicry.
Nance - I could spend all day on lang. arts!
Ron - I model writing every day, and right now we're really working on the illustration, and getting some kind of mark on the page to tell their story. Maybe two of my kids can hear beginning sounds already, but most just make squiggly lines for their writing and then we "teacher write" underneath so we know what their story said.
rhonda - i could too, nance
Nance - we just started Kid Writing this year. I'm hoping for great results!
Ron - what is Kid Writing?
Paulie - There are many predictable books The Jacket i Wear in the snow is a rebus predictable book also so is The Three Pigs I think we should all post our predictable books and authors to the BB chatboard
Nance - some of my kids keep drawing the same thing
Erin - If you consider hammering away at listening skills and following 2-step directions language arts, then we DO do it all day!
rhonda - is "Kid" a Stenhouse publication
Erin - Good idea, Paulie!
hottie - hey reita r u from allen
Nance - Kid Writing is a book that you can order through the Wright Group.
Barbie/K/WI - Is there just the one book?
Nance - Great idea, Paulie!
Nance - yes
Barbie/K/WI - ok
Ron - Does it give lesson ideas?
Paulie - Then if everyone contributes we can compile them and add them to the Lesson bank at teachersnet
Erin - There's My Brown Bear Barney, too
Nance - Yes! It's written in very teacher friendly terms
rhonda - do you keep their papers in a folder
laura/md - is anyone else having trouble in 1/2 day fitting it all in?
Ron - What kinds of skills are we talking about--is it a precursor to the six traits?
Barbie/K/WI - I've asked this before, but do you have to order the book through the company or can you find it in a teacher store?
Barbie/K/WI - YES LAURA!
Robbie - I lost the conversation while I went to check. There is a list of Predictable Books and Predictable Charts by Theme in the Building Blocks Lesson Plans
laura/md - i have a very young group
laura/md - cool
Erin - Predictable books, too? I thought it was just charts. That's good to know.
Barbie/K/WI - how many in your classes?
rhonda - our k is 3/4 day
laura/md - just drawing the special friend takes a long time
Robbie - Yes both
Sid - Goodnight! with 4 students a day I need my rest.
laura/md - i have 19 and 16
Erin - cool
Paulie - hmmm my wtiting is not appearing
Robbie - It looked like there were quite a few books. They are listed first.
Ron - me too! One parent told me that the preschool teacher said there was a 50/50 chance that her child would do alright in K--she went ahead and sent him!
Barbie/K/WI - Im at 19 and 20
hottie - does any one know which county rita is from kentucky
Sid - ooopppsss - 48 students a day
Paulie - where is this lesson plans site for BB?
laura/md - they are very cooperative and seem to enjoy everything
rhonda - hi madi
laura/md - just takes a long time
Madi - Hi all
Erin - I have a lot of young kids because they get services and experiences in school that they wouldn't otherwise.
Barbie/K/WI - Ron, what do you do when the parent is convinced the child belongs in K?
Paulie - I was wondering about 4
Robbie - It's on teachers.Net.
Madi - I too have trouble getting all of the BB components in a 1/2 day
Paulie - do u ahve the url for that page Robbie?
laura/md - paulie, go to the bb charboard and click on bb lesson plans
Nance - He'res the websight for Kid Writing http://www.wrightgroup.com/cgi-bin/catalog/productinfo.cgi?project_number=2572
Ron - I was honest with the parent that her child was very young. But it's ultimately the parents' decision and we just do our best to get them where they need to be!
Erin - BB Lesson link http://teachers.net/cgi-bin/lessons/sort.cgi?searchterm=Kindergarten
laura/md - ron, i have 5 with dec bdays and 5 in nov
Barbie/K/WI - good answer Ron!
Erin - Oops -- no -- its http://teachers.net/cgi-bin/lessons/sort.cgi?searchterm=Building Blocks
Ron - wow--and you have two half-day classes? You have your hands full, huh?
laura/md - i am trying to do kidwriting and bb (and math and art and singing)
rhonda - before i go, i want to say that i admire you great k teachers
laura/md - thanks
Madi - laura, I know it is sooooo hard
Robbie - I left here by clicking on Teachers.Net in the top left corner. From the home page I clicked on lessons, them on BB. They are listed at the bottom of the page.
Erin - Right back at ya, Rhonda!
Nance - So am I, Laura!
Ron - thanks, rhonda.
rhonda - you make my job as a 1st grade teacher easier when you provide the literacy instruction
laura/md - i have to change my schedule around to accomodate when i get an assistant
Nance - it's nice to hear that Rhonda!
Barbie/K/WI - Laura, do your kids go to Phy Ed and Music, Library and Computer Lab too?
rhonda - i'm sure i'll "see" some of you back on the 4 block mailring
Madi - Does anyone here "integrate" science, soc. science, etc.??
Madi - Does anyone here "integrate" science, soc. science, etc.??
laura/md - not yet
laura/md - yes madi
Madi - I would love to, but not quite sure how to go about it all
Ron - yes, it's about the only way to get it all into the day for me!
Nance - we're trying
Madi - I know it is probably complicated, but can you give me some sort of idea where to begin??
Erin - Time for bed; Good night , folks
rhonda - 16 year old HAS to have the computer. bye
laura/md - we will get 15 min of media a week and probably 1/2 hour of another special every other week
laura/md - I take them to computer lab myself
Paulie - http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/2565.html is the list of books nursery rhymes and theme predictable charts
laura/md - thanks paulie
Paulie - It has a huge list so no need to reinvent the wheel I was not even aware of that site
laura/md - madi, it depends on your curriculum
Nance - Thanks, Paulie! I can't wait to check it out!
laura/md - we read about sci and ss, then have math and writing centers that relate to the topics
Paulie - You can integrate science and social studies when u study about famous scientist
Paulie - Nance it looks like a wonderful resource
Paulie - t is at the very bottom of that page on that url
Madi - Basically, I have used my science curriculum as my theme and I've related the big books, charts, etc to that but, I just don't know where to fit in soc. science, I guess
Nance - Great! Thanks for the url!
Madi - o.k. silly question, is everything integrated "all" of the time?
Paulie - you get lots more taught if you integrate
Paulie - no question -- if ASKED -- is silly or stupid
Nance - In a perfect world, but sometimes there are things I like to read just because they're good literature!
Ron - I just try to choose read-aloud books and activities that we complete during language arts based on our science and social studies curriculum. So for instance, if life cycles is in our curriculum, I might read books about caterpillars and butterflies, have a real caterpillar in the room, and complete some art project in the room about butterflies. I can't always integrate everything, especially math. Sometimes it just doesn't work out to keep the theme all day.
Paulie - you can integrate math with everything
Madi - ok thanks, I feel a little better about how things are going
Madi - its difficult to integrate math though if your "stuck" to a curriculum guide
Paulie - in the life cycles one you could have them make a little book with ordinal numbers first this happens, next or second etc
Ron - Paulie--do you use a math series?
Madi - we are expected to go through our EM guide page by page
Paulie - I lvoe integrating math with literature toook a 3 week class every day alld ay from UCLA one summer about it
Barbie/K/WI - bedtime for me too! bye all!
Nance - Madi, so are we!
Paulie - well I used to but not teaching this year
Paulie - what is EM guide?
Nance - Every Day Math
Paulie - o of course lol
Madi - Nance, do you find that you almost "have" to do it seperately rather than integrating it?
Paulie - well math is everywhere so you can teach integrated math even if that is not what u r on in the guide
Madi - EM = Everyday Math (Chicago Math)
Nance - Yes, I do it in the afternoon...I have all-day K
Madi - I wish I had all day K
Nance - Madi, I could never go back to half-day...I couldn't get it all done!
Madi - We are soooo frustrated trying to convince our superindendent that we need it!
Paulie - Half day is certainly a challenge
Paulie - at one school I taught K at they were going to consider extending to 1:30 I say that is ridiculous
Madi - Thanks for all of the info., gotta go now
Nance - our parents pay tuition for the second half of the day
Paulie - night Ron thanks for the lead on P books
Paulie - I guess our hour is up well I learned a couple things
Paulie - I am going too bye see u next time
Nance - Thanks again for the book and chart information!
