Author Committee Survives!

Literacy Strategy of the Week

Tic-Tac-Toe Notetaking Grid

A few years ago I learned about this strategy from Valerie Sprague.  My students are still learning how and why it's necessary to take notes when are searching for info and they find it.  They tend to want to skip this step.

This tool works really well for all classes.  I put a template for younger students and one for older students on our staff room fridge.  It's neat because they can cut these out and place them in piles for their topic paragraphs.  I learned about another neat idea where the kids sketch an idea in the middle square and add notes about it all around! 

More ideas--------------> http://freeology.com/graphicorgs/tic-tac-toe-note-taking-form/

Technology and the CCS

http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2013/04/01/what-common-core-standards-mean-for-media-specialists/


This article came across my Facebook page this morning.  I immediately thought:  Our Action Plan for Literacy seems to be hitting the nail right on the head.

What do you think? 

Breadbox Poppy 

Would you like some seeds?  Leave a Comment :-)

Literacy Strategy of the Week!

Quick Writes

• This strategy helps our kiddos develop writing fluency and reflection skills...where I hear true learning takes place.  
• Terrific tool for informally assessing what your student actually is thinking about your lesson.
• 2-10 minutes in length
• Open-ended prompts work well.

Examples:
1.  Math:  Describe the difference between a factor and a multiple.
2.  Science:  After studying erosion... How does erosion change the surface of the earth.
3.  Social Studies:  How did humans use natural resources during the Stone Age?
4.  Phys. Ed.-  Describe the correct form for doing a push up.
5.  ELA:  What is a decision your character had to make which had significant consequences for them?

More info on p. 68  of Thinkquiry Toolkit!

MCLP Literacy Leadership Conference: April 2013

Hi Val, Cheryl, Renee, Megan, and Jen,

Please share 2-3 of your big take-away's from today's experience.

This is SOME team!  Thank you,  Megan, Renee, Valerie, Cheryl, Jennifer!!  We missed you, Rebecca and Jenn.

Our work today will make its way to every staff member as soon as we can arrange a time.  Stay tuned.

Our Literacy Team has reflected on our 2012-13 Literacy Action Plan by using an MCLP rubric to assess literacy across the content areas.  We're "mostly" there.  Based on our assessment using the rubric, we have listed these as possible topics for next year...our 2013-14 Literacy Action Plan:

Assignments:

• Assignments which require higher order critical thinking about content:  using Performance Tasks from Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium AND using these released items as exemplars for creating our own (Text, Task, Standards).
• Develop a plan for bringing more technology opportunities to K-5: i.e.  Buddy Grades and Projects which allow for presenting researching findings;  Planning 6 week units for each grade with IT support; getting an iPads into K-5 students' hands.

Research:

• Big need!  We hope to plan opportunities for all teachers to  regularly use a variety of print and electronic texts as sources of content info in addition to textbooks.
• Big need!  To implement consistently opportunities for all students to routinely conduct research and draw conclusions based on critical evaluation and synthesis of multiple sources.

Literacy Strategy of the Month: The Frayer Model

I found a wicked friendly idea for using the Frayer MOdel!

I will place a copy of the idea in mailboxes!!  This is one we need to be using grade 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8.  Leave a Comment for eligibility in the drawing...coming soon!