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Gann/K - Anyone here who is already doing Building Blocks?
Terri F. - I do parts of bb, but I'm hoping to do better this year
Gann/K - Hi naneb
Terri F. - do you already do BB gann/k?
Gann/K - Terry F., I did a tiny bit of it last year, 1/2 day, and then had an extended medical leave. This year, we are going all day every day. I have been to a BB conference, and have got a lot of their material.
Terri F. - I would love to go to a conference of theirs. I'm just using the books now
Gann/K - Hang in there. I am fairly new at this. I only logged on [shy] because there was no one in here.
Terri F. - you're doing great, don't worry
Gann/K - It was a one day conference by Elaine Williams. Really good.
Gann/K - thanks
Terri F. - did you already have the books before the conference?
Gann/K - Are you on the Building Blocks mailring?
Gann/K - Yes, I have been reading and reading and reading.
Terri F. - I try to get on it, but it never works....
Terri F. - How much was the conference?
Gann/K - I am sorry because it is really valuable.
Gann/K - I think $150.00.
Terri F. - sounds very reasonable....
Gann/K - You also get a book with the conference price.
Terri F. - a book they pick for you or can you choose one because I already have Month by Month and the teacher's guide
Gann/K - The book is the BB guide.
Gann/K - Lisa, do you use Building Blocks?
Terri F. - gann, what new things did you get from the conference that weren't in the book?
Lisa/K/Md - I started it last year. I hope to implement more this year.
Terri F. - you sound alot like me lisa
Gann/K - I'm not sure there was much new. Hearing how she did things and seeing samples which she talked about made it much more clear.
Lisa/K/Md - I like the name activities and morning message. I did journals all year instead of modeling the first half.
Gann/K - Hi dumbstruck. Love your name!
Terri F. - I hoping to do more with predictable charts this year
Gann/K - My small group loved the predictable charts. I wished that I had had more time with them.
Terri F. - I love the name activities
Lisa/K/Md - We did lots of predictable charts but need to do more of the follow up activities.
Terri F. - dumbstruck, do you do BB in your class?
Gann/K - I will also be doing Kid Writing, so I will start writing the first week. Some of the people on the mailring also do that.
Lisa/K/Md - I was amazed at how quickly my kids learned to write their names and friends' names correctly using the name activities.
dumbstruck - BB? what is that
Terri F. - I have heard a lot about Kid writing
Terri F. - dumbstruck, this chat is for Building Blocks
Gann/K - About how time each day did you need for the name activities, Lisa?
Lisa/K/Md - I haven't bought Kid Writing (yet). I want to get comfortable with Building blocks first.
Lisa/K/Md - Probably about 30 minutes in the very beginning, and 10-15 towards the end. We got a lot faster.
Gann/K - Lisa and Terri, do you teach 1/2 day or all day?
Lisa/K/Md - I teach half day. How about you?
Terri F. - actually, neither if you can believe that...I teach extended day
Gann/K - Are you planning to begin the names the first day?
Terri F. - I did last year with no problems
Lisa/K/Md - I start the name activities on the second week.
Gann/K - OK. There are so many types of Kdg now. Do you like Extended Day?
Terri F. - I LOVE IT! I get extra teaching time, but don't have to worry about handing out snacks or having naps
Gann/K - This year, we are beginning all day every day. I am sooooo excited.
Lisa/K/Md - I would love to have all day!!!
Gann/K - We had an Extended Day program, but it was to boost up low scoring students - 2 afternoons a week.
Terri F. - This will be our 3rd year of extended day
Terri F. - Ours is extended day for all every day
Gann/K - I know, Lisa. I have been advocating all day for 18 years!!
Terri F. - dumbstruck, do you teach kindergarten too?
Lisa/K/Md - You're going to get to know you students so well and do all the enrichment activities that we never have time for.
Gann/K - Terri, don't you love having so many fewer families, conferences and report cards?
Gann/K - Exactly, Lisa.
Gann/K - Our enrollment
dumbstruck - ohhhh, I dont know what building blocks are.
Terri F. - I still don't get everything in that I want
Lisa/K/Md - Our county now has 4 full day classes. I keep hoping my school will get selected.
Gann/K - OOPS!
Gann/K - Our enrollment "appears" to low also
Terri F. - when I taught 1/2 day, I only taught one session daily- the rest was prep, helping other teachers, helping in the office
dumbstruck - i dont teack K, it taught 5th grade last year, 6th next year
dumbstruck - Is this room just for K
Gann/K - Wow! That sounds pretty cushy. You must have liked that also.
Terri F. - dumbstruck...for tonight it is
Lisa/K/Md - Building Blocks is a balanced literacy framework for kindergarten by Patricia Cunningham. See http://www.teachers.net/mentors/buildingblocks/ to see what Building Blocks is all about.
Gann/K - dumbstruck, Building Blocks is a balanced literacy program, developed for kindergarten as a precursor to 4_Blocks.
Terri F. - sort of...didn't like the teacher I had to work with
:o) - Hello...Are we chatting up BB?
dumbstruck - ok. well, Ill look at the site, good night all
Gann/K - How long have you guys been teaching Kdg?
Lisa/K/Md - Terri your day sounds great. Are you in California?
Terri F. - hi there :O
Gann/K - Night, dumbstruck
Terri F. - yep, BB
Lisa/K/Md - Hello
Terri F. - lisa, yes I'm in california (Bakersfield)
Gann/K - Hi,
Terri F. - good night dumbstruck
:o) - This will be my 2nd yr using it. How about y'all?
Lisa/K/Md - Bakersfield. Are you planning on attending Victoria Smith's (from KinderKorner) workshop? I bet you would get lots of Building Block ideas.
Lisa/K/Md - My 2nd year, too.
Terri F. - my 3rd
Gann/K - OOO! I love KinderKorner.
Lisa/K/Md - Me, too!
Terri F. - lisa, I want too, but just can't afford it after getting our electric bill
Gann/K - My 2nd year, but I only "dabbled" last year.
Terri F. - I love kinderkorner too, it's such a great site!
:o) - I love KinderKorner too. Victoria is great...but she posted recently that she's not a big fan of BB
Gann/K - :o Any advice for us?
Terri F. - oh, I didn't know that...does she come to tnet often?
Lisa/K/Md - I'd love to go to the workshop but it's way too expensive from MD?
:o) - She didn't like the idea of following abook to tell you exactly what to do. But I think we all take it and make it ours
Terri F. - oh yea, I couldn't afford to buy all those big books they suggested- so I just used the ones I had already
:o) - I'm going to set a goal of more predictable charts for this year. They are great but sometimes I just didn't have time to fit it all in
Terri F. - I'll be right back...I have a cranky baby who is ready for bed....
Lisa/K/Md - ok
Gann/K - Are you all day, extended day, 1/2 day?
Gann/K - See you , Terri F.
:o) - all day
:o) - but we do have specials and we also have Spanish each day
Lisa/K/Md - We don't have a lot of big books. Any idea of where to buy them at rasonable costs?
Gann/K - No, it seems that the really good ones are all expensive.
:o) - I make a lot of my own big books al la KinderKorner
Lisa/K/Md - I think I'll be doing the same...
Lisa/K/Md - I wish I had purchased a printer that could make poster size prints!
Gann/K - I have noticed several places talking about making their own big books. Is it really difficult? Lots of time?
:o) - It's really kind of neat. You work with it all week and then the kids can have a small copy for themselves
Terri F. - ok, I'm back
Gann/K - How long does it take to create, etc?
Gann/K - How is the baby, Terri F.?
:o) - I just blow blacklines up on the school copier. 155% usually does it, sometimes 200%
Terri F. - better now...she's cutting new teeth and nothing makes her happy these days
Gann/K - Have you tried "freezing" wet wash cloths?
Lisa/K/Md - Are you talking about the class made books with the kids putting their sentences in correct word order?
Gann/K - Now - I'll get back to BB............. 8)
:o) - Nope. I do those too. I'm talking about books for shared reading
Terri F. - we have some frozen teething rings, but it's a temp fix...finally yesterday we saw the teeth so I'm hoping for an end soon
Terri F. - you can make big books with your computer
Gann/K - Do you laminate these Big Books?
Terri F. - If it fits, I'll laminate anything!!!
Gann/K - How do you do this, Terri F?
:o) - I haven't but I probably could/should
Gann/K - Do you do Shared Writing to create the Big Book stories?
Terri F. - I have been making an alphabet big book this summer. I just print out a picture at 8 1/2 by 11 size. The I print out the words, cut apart, glue into book
Lisa/K/Md - We haven't done a lot of shared writing other than the Morning Message. Hi Dee.
Dee - Hi this is my first chat here
Terri F. - That's one area I'm really lacking in...making class books
Gann/K - You picked a good night. Do you do Building Blocks, Dee?
Lisa/K/Md - I made some large alphabet song books after seeing Susie Haas and Dr. Jean. They're wonderful for those kids who need the daily repetition.
Dee - This will be my first year as a certified teacher
Gann/K - Are you guys getting lots of pink numbers logging off a lot? Weird.
Lisa/K/Md - yes
Terri F. - I was just about to write that very thing !!!!
:o) - The predictable charts make it easy to do class books.
Dee - I was doing 4blocks, balanced literacy and WL
Lisa/K/Md - We didn't do that last year, but plan on doing that this year.
Terri F. - I hope to set up a structure for myself this year so that I will do more predictable charts and class books
Gann/K - I made a few class books from predictable charts the little time I had last year. I loved it. So did the kids.
Terri F. - dee, do you teach kindergarten?
Dee - I just found out last week I would be teaching Kinder again. It has been 2 years since I taught Kinder
Lisa/K/Md - Have you seen the current K Mailbox magazine? It has a cute name cheering booklet to go with the name activities.
Terri F. - dee, building blocks is different from 4-blocks
:o) - Are you in schools that support BB or are you all the lone ranger...forging ahead on your own?
Dee - How is it different?
Gann/K - lone ranger here.
Lisa/K/Md - The other K teacher and I plan together
:o) - I saw the Mailbox idea...cute!
Terri F. - out of 6 k teachers, 4 did BB last year.
Gann/K - However, my NEW principal has been quite supportive. She is encouraging me to get the video for the other K-teachers.
Lisa/K/Md - Building Blocks is for K only. 4 Blocks is for older grades.
Dee - Is it by the same people?
Lisa/K/Md - yes
Terri F. - building blocks isn't as structured I think from the posts I've read here at tnet
Lisa/K/Md - Building blocks is more developmentally appropriate.
Gann/K - It was designed with K-kids in mind instead of a tweaking of a program for older kids. I think that is a first!
Gann/K - How about you :o? Do others in your school do BB
Terri F. - The basic aspects include name activities, shared reading, predicable charts, and class books
:o) - I was the lone ranger but this year is supposed to be different. My grade level is very LOTW oriented. My AP was impressed with my end of the year results, wanted to know what made the difference. I gave her the books and a list of what a BB teacher should have to get started. We are supposed to have Staff Dev. in it next yr. I really hope she get the video for the start of the school yr. I want to see it but I don't want to spend the $$
Lisa/K/Md - And Morning Message
Dee - I hope to focus on my professional development in terms of literacy this year. In the past it was "survival" first and then later I concentrated on math.
Terri F. - what is LOTW?
:o) - letter of the week
Jenn/K/Indiana - Does anyone know where to get cheap letters to make names for the name wall and name cheer
Jenn/K/Indiana - Hello everyone!
Dee - Is the name wall like a word wall?
Terri F. - I write my with a marker on sentence strips or chart paper
Gann/K - Funny you ask. I just made a letters template on my computer.
:o) - I just write them on sentence strips
Lisa/K/Md - I use letter manipulatives (like the Lauri puzzles) on my overhead for the name cheers.
Terri F. - good idea lisa, I'm getting an overhead this year (finally!)
Lisa/K/Md - I love using the overhead. The kids are really attentive.
Terri F. - dee, yes it's the same. BB suggests names go on the word wall in k
Jenn/K/Indiana - Well, in my student teaching K class the teacher had magnetic foam letters that we put on the board to spell out the names then the student's name who we spelled handed the letters out then those students came up, sometimes we would mix the letters up and the students would fix it then we would do the name cheers, gimme a T, T gimme a O, O gimme a M, M etc
Gann/K - I had trouble with hand printing the letters to cut up last year. So, I hope to use the magnetic letters this year. I know the kids are supposed to see you model taking words apart.....but .... can I get away with it?
:o) - In K, according to BB a word wall that is dev. appropriate is a name wall. They also do environmental print displays and "Popcorn" words
Lisa/K/Md - I still like to write in front of them for modeling. I use the overhead markers to show them. Nice and big.
Jenn/K/Indiana - I have found them at Lakeshore however they are $25 for 26 letters and one would need at least 3 sets
Lisa/K/Md - Too pricey!
Jenn/K/Indiana - WOW I didn't think K kids would like the overhead
:o) - Could you print some out, laminate, and add stick on magnets
Dee - print the letters out on the computer, laminate them and glue magnets to the back
Lisa/K/Md - We used a popcorn word wall last year and my kids loved it! They really learned the words we introduced there.
Jenn/K/Indiana - Thats what I thought, they work really great but too $$$, especially for a poor first year teacher
Dee - Great minds think alike
:o) - Dee...good idea!
Jenn/K/Indiana - thanks guys
Terri F. - I didn't either, but I've heard a lot of teachers on the web talking about how well it works in their room- even as a center
Gann/K - The overhead also makes a super center. I start out with flannel pieces until I think they are ready for markers. Less supervision early in the process.
Jenn/K/Indiana - We used high flying words as airplanes
Gann/K - I think there is an overhead live chat in the archives.
:o) - We made the popcorn words into a game. The words are written on popcorn shaped pieces. I stored them in a popcorn box. There was also one word that said "pop!" If you got the pop you put back all the word you had collected that you read so far.
Lisa/K/Md - The overhead is great. Dr. Jean showed us how to use an index card to highlight letters, words, and sentences. We also do a lot of math intro. lessons on the overhead, as well as science (it's great for mixing color in clear containers).
Jenn/K/Indiana - ok, I will be sure to check that out
Terri F. - I've been using a traditional word wall so far, but I saw some great pictures on someone's website that shows how to display in a similar popcorn fashion and take up less board space
Lisa/K/Md -
:o) - my typing is awful
Gann/K - We make overhead transparencies of our charts. Kids love to use them. They wash off so easily.
Terri F. - what a great word game
Lisa/K/Md - That's we did. We made a vertical popcorn bag and put the popcorn words randomly above it.
:o) - The kids LOVED this game. We talk about everyone being a winner because they all got to practice reading. I actually got observed when the kids were playing it...good thing they had learned to be good sports!
Lisa/K/Md - I got bumped off but now I'm back.
Lisa/K/Md - Has anyone bought the new predictable charts book?
:o) - Have you ever heard of letting the kids wear sunglasses when they use the overhead?
:o) - I have the new book
Terri F. - no, is it good?
Terri F. - sunglasses?
Lisa/K/Md - I'm wondering if it's worth the money.
Dee - do they have eye problems?
Gann/K - No. Is this for protection? Or, perhaps, because it is so cute?
Lisa/K/Md - Why wear sunglasses?
:o) - It is supposed to cut down on eye fatigue
:o) - And it's fun
Lisa/K/Md - True.
Dee - Is that the same kind of eye fatigue that you experience with computer screens?
Jenn/K/Indiana - Is the Month to Month book worth purchasing? I have the plain white bb book
Lisa/K/Md - I think so, Jenn, but there is some repetition between the two books.
Terri F. - jenn, plain white book? do you mean the teacher's guide? I like both the month by month and the teacher's guide. The month by month gives good chart and book suggestions
:o) - I'd get month x month. You can live w/o the predictable chart book. It does give many ideas and then suggestions for covers when making them into a class book
Jenn/K/Indiana - yes the teacher's guide
Lisa/K/Md - If you want to really want to implement Building Blocks, you should get the month to month book.
Jenn/K/Indiana - ok, i think I will buy it
Lisa/K/Md - Thanks.
Jenn/K/Indiana - what about the plan book
:o) - I have the m x m and the teacher's guide...both have something to offer
Jenn/K/Indiana - is it helpful as opposed to a regular plan book?
Gann/K - I have both also.
Lisa/K/Md - I bought the plan book. It is set up really nice.
Terri F. - I looked at the plan book...not quite sure the layout is quite right for me though
Jenn/K/Indiana - hmm, I have heard both of those opinions, i ordered it
Gann/K - I have the plan book on order. It makes me nervous to so ORGANIZED. gulp.
Terri F. - I did like the opptional sizing of the subject blocks
Lisa/K/Md - They also include a sample first week (maybe 2) lesson plans for the beginning of the school year.
Lisa/K/Md - I'm not that organized. That's why I bought the book. I thought it would help me remember to include all of the components.
Jenn/K/Indiana - well, I have only used a normal plan book in my student teaching, I thought I should start out with the formed book
:o) - The plan book has a checklist each week of BB components as well as a traditional plan layout. There are also samples and some explanations in the back
Jenn/K/Indiana - I agree Lisa
Gann/K - Good thought, Lisa. Now I feel better.
Dee - How different is the plan book from a regular one. I am going to set my plan book up on the computer.
Gann/K - S and s.g. are you still there? Do either of you teach kindergarten?
Lisa/K/Md - I haven't seen the book in a while (it's at school) but I liked the way you just fill in the blanks here and there instead of writing everything out. It still has large blocked area for your other subjects.
Terri F. - you are able to make your subject blocks any size you need, which comes in handy for centers
Terri F. - this summer, I went and adjusted my computer lesson plan format to better include BB
Gann/K - Well, I am encouraged by all this. Thanks all. Good night.
Terri F. - great chatting with you gann
Jenn/K/Indiana - Can anyone offer any advice for my first few days of K? I will be teaching full M&W and half F. The parents are coming in for the morning on the first day (we only will be going for 2 1/2 hrs)
:o) - g'nite
Jenn/K/Indiana - have a great yera
Jenn/K/Indiana - year
Terri F. - jenn, check out kinderkorner. Victoria has some great first week stuff there.
Lisa/K/Md - I'm going to have to log off, too. Good night everyone!
:o) - I jumped right into the getting to know you activities and school rules
Terri F. - I love reading The Kissing Hand the first day, and Miss Bindergarten Gets ready for Kindergarten on the 1st or 2nd day
Terri F. - good night lisa
:o) - bye lisa
Jenn/K/Indiana - thank you all for your help! have a great rest of the summer and a super year!
Jenn/K/Indiana - goodnight
:o) - I'm off too. Summer school in the AM
:o) - Good luck to everyone
Terri F. - good night everyone! It was fun chatting BB with you
Dee - Good night I enjoyed this and I'll be back.
