Exciting Writing

Well, I am in the midst of a very exciting writing project with all 80 of my 5th graders.  There will definitely be more to come, but in preparation for the project we have done some really fun activities!

We were trying to make our writing more exciting so I decided to come up with an acronym to help the students when revising and editing their writing.  While Jurassic Park is not one of MY favorite movies...it kinda scares me a little bit...who doesn't like dinosaurs?  I mean come on...they're pretty cool!

After lots of practice with the acronym of F.E.A.R., we are slowly but surely developing some pretty awesome writing pieces that are nearing the publishing process!

Below are the slides from the PowerPoint that I created to help the students with making their writing more exciting...

In going forward with this project all of the students had to write a personal narrative about something that happened to them, using the theme of disparity or equity.  After writing a first draft of their narrative, the students had to use F.E.A.R. in order to make their stories more interesting.  It is my belief that if I am going to require the students to put so much effort into a project, it is only fair that I expect myself to do the same.

While in the midst of creating my own narrative, I was reminded of just how much I love writing stories.  It's something I've always loved, but it's become increasingly more difficult in each passing year to use my imagination the way I used to.  My writing lately has been more therapeutic than anything, but it was so much fun to use my imagination to write my personal narrative.

Here's my story, based on something that actually happened to me in high school...hope you enjoy!

The Big Trip by: Ms. Christian

It was a day just like any other…or so I thought.  I got on the bus and went to school just like I did every other day.  I traveled to and from my typical high school classes and waited anxiously in my last period class for that final bell to ring.

It certainly seemed to me that it was becoming a pattern that year for me to spend the last five minutes of my final class, strategically planning just how I would meander my way through the chaotic afternoon hallways known as Donegal High School.  And since this happening was most definitely a reoccurrence, of course I spent those final, and crucial moments of class this day contemplating my fate as it pertained to my ability to make it successfully out of the school.

While my high school was by no means a gigantic school, actually it was quite the contrary; the hallways in the afternoon were oftentimes a sight to behold.  I guess they could also be considered a sight to fear and dread…it all depended on the afternoon. In my opinion, venturing into the DHS hallways at the conclusion of everyday was more like being cast in a horrific scene of Steven Spielberg’s epic movie, “Jurassic Park”.  It was a jungle, a dark, scary jungle full of hungry dinosaurs traveling every which way.  This certainly always made it very difficult to reach the bus that would unknowingly leave without all of it’s precious cargo if it had not all made it into the vehicle within 5 minutes of the final school bell.

So, to say that the end of the day was a stressful time for me, well, that would be an understatement.  It did not help one ounce that my bus, bus D2 to be precise, was the first bus in line, therefore…the first to leave.  Did it help at all that my 4^th period class was all the way at the other end of the school from where the buses waited for us? 

No…it certainly did not help in the least!

Well, on this specific day…the day that was supposed to be like any other…

it was DIFFERENT!

It took everything in me this day, just to make it to the front of the school.  There seemed to be more “dinosaurs” than usual.  While I have, and always will have more timid, herbivore-like tendencies, if I was going to make the bus that day, my inner carnivore would have to come out!

And so it did…

All of a sudden I started pushing and shoving my way through the mess.  My heavy book bag was no longer hanging from both my shoulders, but rather it was swinging from one arm, acting as a barrier between the vicious beasts and myself.  It was when I finally made it to the front door of the school that I saw my bus’s lights turn on and I knew that Ms. Kitty must be starting the ignition preparing to pull away.  If I missed the bus…I would be stuck in the land of the lost, and I was not going to let that happen.

My dinosaur instincts decided to kick in that moment, and I do believe that it was then that I was able to channel my inner velociraptor.  My legs started moving faster and my gate ended up resembling that of a predator stalking it’s prey.  I was going to catch that bus if it was the last thing I did!

As I saw Ms. Kitty open the bus door for me, the trajectory of my quick moving feet continued as I ascended the steps into the belly of the big yellow “dinosaur”.  I decided to save Ms. Kitty and the rest of the kids the frustration of waiting on me any longer, so if anything, I picked up the pace as I ran up those steps!

BAD CHOICE!

With my book bag still dangling from just one shoulder, a complete loss of equilibrium caused me to lose balance, and it was then, that the unthinkable happened to me…

I tripped over my foot, and it seemed that everything from that moment happened in slow motion.  My book bag, that was full of about twenty-five pounds worth of books, decided to take flight.  Like a terrifying pterodactyl, it soared over my head and I knew right then and there that, I was in trouble.  I mean, I wouldn’t expect anything less from a frightening pterodactyl than to land in the lap of an unsuspecting spectator.  I just wish that it would not have been sweet, little, harmless, Ms. Kitty.  What did she ever do to deserve such a stunning surprise at the end of her workday?

Keeping this in mind, I guess I felt it my duty to save her from the alarming, flying, dinosaur known as my book bag.  As I reached to snatch the attacker, however, it was to my humiliation that I lost my footing yet again.  Instead of restraining the culprit, I became the culprit of a very serious matter that would not become evident until much later.  As if still in slow motion, I then collapsed on top of my book bag which was yes…on top of Ms. Kitty.

Of course I wanted to spare her the pain of me, and now the squished dinosaur, laying on top of her; but at the same time I had no desire to go take my seat on the bus.  I knew that all of the students, including my brother and his friends would be laughing at me after the ridiculous sight that they just witnessed, but even though it was bound to be a moment of despair, I grabbed my book bag and with my head down, found my way to the closest empty seat.  While I only had to endure the humiliation for a five-minute bus ride, it was probably the longest five-minute bus ride I have ever taken.  Little did I know that at the end of the day, my humiliation would not be complete.

Remember how I said that I was definitely a culprit of a much bigger crime than the one that everyone witnessed on the bus that day?  Well, I guess it’s safe to say that older people bruise easier than those who are younger, for the next morning when I gingerly stepped into the bus, Ms. Kitty was sporting a fairly large shiner on her eye.  Whether her black eye was a result of her Jurassic attack or not, I’ll never know, but it was safe to say that everyone had assumed it was a battle wound from the frightening battle the day before…

All I know, is that battle is one from which I have never fully recovered, and I will never forget the day the dinosaurs came to DHS!

"What it was, was...a fresh start..."

The man who "introduced" me to good old Sheriff Andy!  I miss you Pappy John, and while I wish you were here, I know you were smiling down on me today!  Thank you for helping to make my lesson a success and if you see Mr. Griffith in Heaven, tell him "thanks" too!

Well, it’s a new school year, and all I can say is that…I’m exhausted!  While last year proved to be a thoroughly draining year of many ups and downs… I can already tell that the exhaustion I am going to experience this year will be that of satisfaction and not grief.  If I am being completely honest, most of my summer was spent worrying that this year might be just as emotionally traumatic as last year was in the end.  I was terrified that this year might be like when you turn on the TV to watch your favorite show, only to find that it’s a rerun.  Even after an AMAZING first week of school last week, I’ll be the first to admit that much of my long weekend was spent contemplating the possibility that it might have been a fluke, a rift in reality, an illusion.  After today however, even though it is only the second week of school, I am certain that my outlook has changed so therefore my experience as a teacher will change as well.  Confidence is no longer something that I feel I am reaching for in the distance, but a tool that I will always have ready…tucked preciously right inside my pocket.

It felt great today, to be back to my creative self…as far as teaching is concerned!  I was fearful that with the new Common Core Standards and the way that my county decided to implement them this year, that creativity would be a thing of the past for me, but when I saw that my ELA lesson today not only worked with Common Core, allowed the students and I to have a little fun, and received praise from the principal…well all I can say is that I was a happy girl!  I hope this makes you smile as much as it made the 80 5th graders and me smile!

Our first literacy unit revolves around the 5 non-fiction text structures.  Since the first week was spent completely discussing and learning procedures and expectations (I didn’t let the pressure I felt to “get started” last year let me neglect this key component this year…reason 1 why this year WILL be so much better than last), it was not until Friday that I was able to introduce the first text structure: descriptive non-fiction.  I used the book Of Thee I Sing by President Obama to introduce this text structure on Friday, but today, I wanted to have a uniquely engaging activity to review the characteristics of descriptive non-fiction.  While nothing pleases me more than to be able to read aloud to the students everyday…I took a hiatus today in order to let someone else do the sharing.  Having been "introduced"  to this person by my Pappy John (I would always go over to Pappy's house to watch TV), I have been a fan of this North Carolinian since I was in 3rd grade, and when I was thinking of interesting examples of descriptive non-fiction…this American sheriff came to mind!

If you haven’t guessed yet…I’m speaking of the incomparable Andy Griffith!

Now you may be asking yourself, “How can Andy Griffith, in any way, shape, or form, be associated with descriptive non-fiction text?”

Take a listen for yourself…and tell me if you can hear the details…the descriptive language…the sensory illustrations…in Sheriff Taylor’s famous interpretation of one of the most American and non-fictitious pastimes of all time!  Please take a moment to listen and smile just like my students and I did today…  

Friendship Transcends all Species...

Well, to say it's been a while since I posted would be an understatement!  The fact of the matter is that the stress and anxiety that comes with being a first-year teacher has really gotten to me the last few months, and I haven't been as motivated and gung-ho about creating the lessons that I usually enjoy creating.

Well...this past week, we were reading a TIMES for Kids article about unlikely animal bonds, which is something that always touches my heart when I read an article or see a documentary about these peculiar animal friendships.  Not only do the tales about multiple animals coming together against the odds just melt my heart, but the stories about the powerful connection between animals and humans are always the ones that push me over the edge, and before I know it the teardrops are rolling down my face.

My students also seem to really enjoy these types of stories, for I have shared many of my favorites with them already (including my all-time favorite, the story about Nubs the dog and his best friend the Marine...I cry every time I read that picture book hahaha).  After my students and I had read the TFK article which mentioned the dynamic duo of Owen the Hippo and Mzee the Tortoise (which I had also read to them previously), I could see that the topic of animal bonds was something about which the students were also extremely passionate.

In reading this week, we are slated to discuss the importance of describing relationships between characters in a story, and what better way than to practice this through reading some of these great stories about the relationships between animals, and the relationships between animals and humans!

I have pictured some of the books that we will be reading this week below.  The story of Christian the Lion is one of my favorites, and the book "Stay" is one of my new favorite books about the bond that can be shared between humans and animals.  If you have not read any of these books, you should...and if you are a sucker for animal stories like I am...you might just want to have a box of Kleenex handy :-)

This is a must-read!!!!!!!!! And the foreword by "Because of Winn Dixie" author Kate DiCamillo is beautiful!

While some of the groups are reading the picture books, one of the groups during Guided Reading each day will have the opportunity to view a PowerPoint that shows some examples of other animal friendships.  At the end of the PowerPoint, students will have their own chance to write about one of their unlikely friendships, and while they do this, they can listen to some famous songs that speak of friendship.  Of course I have included James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend", and the classic Golden Girls theme "Thank you for Being a Friend", and with my love of Disney, I also included "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story, and "When You're the Best of Friends" from Fox and the Hound.  Lastly, I included one of my absolute favorite songs, that seems to fit all of the stories that we are reading this week.  After you view the PowerPoint slides...you'll find out what it is...

All of the backgrounds for the slides were obtained from the Vera Bradley website.

Yes...Michael Jackson's "Will you be There" has been, and always will be, one of my favorite songs...not just because it is featured in one of my favorite movies...Free Willy, but because it speaks of the true meaning of being there for someone!

The Pink Panther meets the Purple Panther...

Some of my favorite "colleagues" and the President of our awesome Alma mater.

As we are preparing to take benchmarks next week... YUCK ... I thought that I would develop a PowerPoint to introduce our last math concept.  In order to show the students how to work with algebraic principles and observe constant rates of change, I decided to use a topic about which the students seem to love to pick my brain...

High Point University!!!

So many of my students desire to attend my Alma Mater someday and, I hope that many of them do!  I cannot imagine what my life would have been without HPU, so I thought I'd incorporate it into our math practice for this week.

A Seussical Week...

Since it was Dr. Seuss' birthday this past week, we spent the whole week celebrating the imagination of the famous poet!  Well, of course we spent the week discussing his importance during our literacy block, with Guided Reading centers that revolved around "The Lorax"...my personal favorite, but we also spent some time with Ted Geisel during our math time each day this past week!

My Lorax fingernails this week resulted in many of my girls asking me if I could paint their nails too!

Math, ever since student teaching last year, has become my favorite subject to plan...with math..."oh the places you can go..."!  While it took me a great deal of time to create each center, the Dr. Seuss theme was a hit!  With a binder for each station (each binder included activities which cooperative groups could complete together and then write their work on the sheet protected pages with an Expo marker, as well as math practice sheets that they could complete once they had finished the activity in the binder).

The Lorax center seemed to be everyone's favorite because I incorporated data having to do with the actors who have loaned their voices to the new animated Lorax film.  I mean...what fifth grader doesn't get excited when Taylor Swift and Zac Efron (and Betty White was a huge hit too) are the focus of their math center...come on now!!! Hahaha!  While acquiring the data for this center definitely took a great deal of research and time...I'd say that it was "time well spent"!

The following images are the slides that I created and then printed for the Lorax center!

We ended our Seussical week by going to Ms. Johnson's and Ms. Stewart's first grade classes to read them some Dr. Seuss books.  Both Ms. Johnson and Ms. Stewart are also first-year teachers, and the partnership that we have set up amongst our classes is really great!  The first-graders are planning to come and read to us next time!