Ms. Nancy Online

Share narrative writings and discuss. If students haven’t completed this writing, they should do so immediately. See last week’s entry for specific instructions.

Persona poem:

• Think about the masks you made in Ms. Carla’s class
• Writing a persona poem is like wearing a mask; you become some other person or thing and write about what that is like

Oral reading of Timber Snake by Marilyn Singer: notice the word choices and the sounds that are created by these words.  (Handout)

Some ideas to help you start: imagine being the thing or animal. What is life like for you? What are some of the things you like or dislike? Do you make any sounds? Do you have any exchange with other animals? What is it like to be an elderly person or a baby? What about a character from a nursery rhyme or fairy tale? Have you thought what it would be like to be Peter Piper or Cinderella’s ugly step-sister? Think about what it would be like to have an unusual profession (worm farmer, window washer of skyscraper, game show host).

Everybody worked hard in class today and we did the following:

• Discussion about the writing journals–date everything, demonstrate the difference between relating a series of events and thinking/reflecting about what happens during your day
• Ideas in your journal are the seeds of future writing projects
• Emergent writers can get help from their “secretaries” if necessary
• Write as often as possible; writers practice writing

Sharing of progress on wish poem project. The recordings are happening now and the kids are enjoying hearing their own words. I collected illustrations for wish poems if they were finished. Have your artist fill up the paper. Down with white space!

Discussion of timeline project. Where is your own story in it? Students should pick out an event that is important and create a story around that event. The best stories will have an attention grabbing introduction, a clear middle, and a conclusion that includes a lesson learned or a statement about why the telling was important. Emergent writers can draw their story and have parents take dictation to accompany illustrations. The best stories will reveal something of the heart of the writer.

The conference I attended in Palm Springs excited me to get your kids writing even more than they already do. The sponsoring group is California’s “Computer Using Educators,” so of course, the orientation is not only making students computer literate, but finding ways to make learning more effective by using computers. There are two areas in particular where I want to start moving: podcasting and digitales. I think both will enhance our homeschooling world and give the kids more opportunity for genuine writing.

Podcasting is just a broadcasting medium that uses the computer as the vehicle. Wouldn’t it be great if all the kids in all the homes could benefit from what your 3rd grader learned about whales or germs or Indians? Or what about the benefit of having a recording of the first book your child read? If nothing else, the grandparents in Michigan or Florida would love it.

Another medium I learned about is digitales, a way for kids to tell the story of their own lives using a multimedia format. Everybody has a story to tell and there is meaning in all that happens to us. Writers think and talk about that meaning. I think your students know they have a voice that must come through their writing. This is another way to express that voice.

So as soon as I get all my paperwork finished, I’m diving into the tools to make this happen. The conference made me wish I was younger and not so obviously a “digital immigrant.” The “natives”–my children and yours–that have grown up in a digital world get the technology end so much more intuitively. I have to work at it.

All that aside, I hope the kids are writing in their journals. There is a place for paper, pencil and a regular time to reflect in writing even in the digital age! And remember, the best writers are readers. Do you have a DEAR (drop everything and read) time carved out for your child (and you) during the day?

Class activities:

• Observe the “pirate lady” and discuss how writers use all their senses to make text come alive. Do a quick write of your observations.
• Poems–continue oral presentations
• Poems–read poetry written this week. (Students were reluctant to share and class was squished into a little room because of rain. We will be reading next week.)
• Explain acrostic poem and model examples.
• Brainstorm about yourself.  Write an acrostic about yourself, using either single words or complete thoughts.
• Sound concepts mentioned: alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia

Homework: keep working on any unfinished projects, write in journals as much as possible, and write acrostic and be ready to read it next week.

Class went as follows:

• Opening activity: quick write describing person that walked through class quickly
• Share progress on alphabet books
• Poetry–what is it? Share examples. Focus on enunciation, projection, eye contact and expression.
• Read Blake poetry–The Tyger, The Lamb, The Sick Rose and discuss. Poet is looking at something and asking how it got that way.
• Writing: write a poem in which you are talking to a beautiful and mysterious creature or creation and you can ask anything you want because you speak its language. The creature can answer you if you want it to. If you have lots of questions, you can ask a question in every line of different creatures. It does not have to rhyme.

Class activities were as follows:

• opening activity–writers observe carefully; students reveal by silent walking across the stage whether they are a prince or a pauper
• follow-up on alphabet book–sharing of the product; finish books by the end of February and save for display at Project Fair in May
• reading/writing journal: date every entry. Record thoughts before they slip away! This is your idea book and your way to reflect about what you observe or think about.
• Reading: both groups should finish books by February 14. If you need more time, talk to me so I can renew books.
• Using the format of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, students will construct their own books, practicing cause and effect reasoning, sequencing, complications and obstacles, circular story
• For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, For want of a shoe, the horse was lost, For want of a horse, the rider was lost, For want of a rider, the message was lost, For want of a message, the battle was lost, For want of the battle, the war was lost, For want of the war, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horse shoe nail.

Homework: Read, read, read! Write in journal as often as possible. Finish alphabet books. Write a circular story and illustrate it (optional). Write out your favorite poem and bring it to class next week. Be ready to read your poem.

I’m sorry this class report is late; it’s been a busy week. Here is what we did:

• speaking exercise–focus on inflection at the end of the sentence to indicate punctuation; your voice goes up if it is a question and drops if it is a statement
• sharing of alphabet books–students are in various states of completion; the hope is that they would be completed by the end of the month
• mini lesson on simile and metaphor; students should recognize the difference
• “Because of Winn-Dixie” group was read the first four chapters and given a writing assignment to create a list about someone in their family like the one in chapter 4. In addition, read the next two chapters at home.
• “Out of the Dust” was discussed with the students–a few students have already completed the book; make sure your student has an opportunity to see the mini video on the dust bowl (connect to last week’s log); writing assignment is to imagine that you are the main character writing a journal entry 10 years after the end of the book. What is happening?
• I will collect writings on Thursday.

Thanks to the parent teachers, we had a great class with plenty of help for the little people. I will attempt to publish a weekly update so you know what we did in class. Here was the day:

• rhythm sticks–syllable review
• student introductions–focus on voice projection and eye contact
• read a wide variety of alphabet books, noticing unifying themes
• brainstorm themes students could use for their own alphabet book–trains, bugs, England, fun things to do in California, plants, the Renaissance, oceanography, anything you are already studying and want to review
• start writing and be ready to share next week; it is not expected that the whole book would be written in one week, but it should be finished by the time of the project fair; students are allowed to co-author a book if they agree on a theme; younger students can use the template, but they don’t have to; any size or shape book can be made. http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson982/template.pdf
• pass out books: “Because of Winn-Dixie” for younger kids and “Out of the Dust” for older students; parent alert: both books are easy reading but deal with difficult issues–death, desertion, alcoholism, poverty; no assignment was given in class, but we will start discussing them next week; students who read the first three chapters will be more than ready for class. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4411769998751922010&q=Dust+Bowl