Persona Poetry

I believe that poetry is a powerful tool in any classroom not only for self-expression but also as a research method.

In this article we were introduced to the idea of creating person poetry in which we put ourselves into the shoes of a given character. In essence students would be given the opportunity to research a given topic and would then be allowed to create  persona poetry relating to that particular topic. I believe that the idea of creating persona poetry within a classroom is an excellent idea because it gives students an opportunity to showcase their learning in a creative environment.

Although the thought of introducing persona poetry to students is a great way to get their creative juices flowing it is important to remember the hard work that goes into modeling and creating persona poetry. To introduce the concept of persona poetry to students it is important to marinate them in this particular type of poetry and introduce mentor texts. The most important aspect for students is for teachers to demonstrate this type of poetry to students. This allows for students to see the thought process and the work/research that goes into creating persona poetry.

I found that the ‘assessments’ included in this article/powerpoint were eye-opening to the amount of learning that can take place in creating person poetry. The idea of having students create pre and post vocabulary is a great tool to be used to check their understanding and comprehension of the research topic. I also believe that as educators it is our job to inspire our students and their creations, therefore, it is necessary to publish their work in a hands-on-manner that can be viewed for years to come and that they can be proud of.

Reciprocal Teaching and Discussion Director

Reciprocal Teaching

In ‘Reciprocal Teaching’ we are referring to an instructional activity that takes place in the form of a dialogue between teachers and students regarding text. The dialogue is structured by the use of four strategies – summarizing, question generating, clarifying, and predicting. The teacher and students take turns assuming the role of teacher in leading this dialogue. Before reciprocal teaching can be implemented and used correctly with students they need to have been taught the four strategies in reciprocal teaching. In this particular type of teaching each student is given the job of either the summarizer, questioner, clarifier, or predictor. These students will then read a small amount of text and do their part to interpret and ask questions according to their job. This particular strategy encourages students to think about their own thought processes, keeps them actively involved in their comprehension and teaches students to ask questions that aid them in comprehension.

Dialogue Director

In ‘Discussion Director’ our job is to involve the students in a group by thinking and talking about the section of the book you have just read. You are going to ask questions that really help the students in your group think about the reading. Your questions should require students to discuss their interpretations of the text and connect background experiences and knowledge with the text. You want all students involved in the discussion and talking about issues that come up during the reading. Also, it is very important that students understand that their contributions to the discussion are important and valued. In this particular type of strategy a student is the leader of the discussion within a classroom. This individual conducts the discussion with the rest of the class by generating questions from the text for students to respond to and answer. In the ‘Discussion Director’ the leader is to ask a variety of different questions including problem/solution, compare/contrast, cause/effect and fact/opinion. Although this particular strategy is student led if difficulties arise a teacher may jump in to aid students in their thinking.

Breaking Down Words to Build Meaning

The importance of teaching children the meaning behind a given set of vocabulary words is regarded to many as the most important knowledge we can offer to children. In teaching children the meaning behind a given set of words they will come to understand that they can use the meaning of simple words to decipher more complex words. In this article we are reminded as educators of how important it is to teach students a multitude of vocabulary and how this knowledge can be used to aid them in their understanding of more complex words they may encounter in the future. The example given in this article with the word ‘popularity’ is an excellent example of how students can use prior vocabulary knowledge to understand a complex version of the same word. I thought it was fascinating to see that both a native English speaker and a native Spanish speaker were both able to decipher the word ‘popularity’ using their prior knowledge in regards to the word ‘popular’. When looking at the future instruction that we can give to students in order to help them understand complex words and their meaning I believe the greatest tool we can give them is to allow them to read a multitude of texts including different genres. I believe that this is the best way to aid students in vocabulary because by allowing students to delve into the word of literature we are exposing them to new vocabulary and meanings of words not previously known. When thinking about how we, as educators, can aid students in vocabulary instruction I think of the Multi-Text Study. In using a Multi-Text Study we can incorporate vocabulary instruction to all levels of readers in a classroom. However, it is important to remember that all students in a classroom will not  be on the same reading level, therefore, we must scaffold the lower level readers with a variety of different texts that aid them in their knowledge and comprehension. Another way in which we can aid students in their learning and understanding of vocabulary is to engage them with shared readings. In using a shared reading activity educators will model the instruction of strategies that can be used to decode vocabulary (Re-reading, Looking at the root word, etc.) and in doing this the students will be able to see another person’s thought process and how they go about deciphering any given word. By engaging students in the shared reading experience educators model their own thought processes giving students an example of how they can go about decoding words and using their prior knowledge to understand the meaning of any given word they encounter.

Integrating Instructional Level Books

If we all think back to our days of round robin reading we could probably remember the student who struggled with reading and did everything possible to not have to read in front of the class. In fact we might have been the student who prayed not to be called on. When reflecting back on my own reading experiences and the experiences of others I hate to think there were students that did not enjoy the act of reading. This is a feeling that I hope no one student every feels when sitting in a classroom and in order to accomplish this goal I feel as though it is important to accommodate all students and their particular reading level. In order to make sure that all students needs are met it is important to supply all students with a variety of different texts that adhere to the particular reading level they experience. It is important that as a teacher we are aware of an expansive list of texts that can be used to aid students in their comprehension of the material at hand. As a teacher we must then create activities to accommodate all students and their reading levels. Even more important than accommodating the text levels for each student is conducting an IRI. In conducting an IRI we can assess each students reading level in order to better accommodate in their individual needs. Therefore, it is important for educators to assess the reading level of each and every child and accommodate reading texts in order to suffice the students learning.

Shared Reading

The concept of ‘Shared Reading’ is an essential component in any classroom where students are found. As a child I experienced ‘Shared Reading’ in schools and it was a helpful tool that I still use today. Unfortunately, when the concept of ‘Shared Reading’ was introduced many times these introductions were done only once rather than multiple times. The use of ‘Shared Reading’ in the classroom is a powerful tool when used correctly and efficiently by those in charge. When reading aloud to students we can not only model effective reading and understanding but we can show students the use of context clues, word parts and resources to name a few. By exposing students to the multiple tools that can be used during the reading process we can only make them better readers. In my personal experiences I have not only witnessed ‘Shared Reading’ but have incorporated it into the time I spend with students. The use of ‘Shared Reading’ in the classroom keeps students engaged throughout the entire story. It is also a great tool to use to introduce new vocabulary though the use of context clues and word parts. The ‘Shared Reading’ used with students in the classroom can also aid them to understand the importance of delving into the subject matter rather than skimming the surface. By investigating the text and the story the students will take away a greater amount of context and knowledge that they can use in the future to aid in their thinking and reading.

Pirates…Argh

Pirates in Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction – A Twin-Text Unit of Study

In this unit plan students are introduced to a piratical theme in a unique introduction which includes music, books, photographs, maps and other piratical artifacts. This is an interesting manner in which to introduce a piratical theme of study but it is one that will intrigue and interest the students during the entire learning period. As students enter the room and begin to delve into the piratical artifacts they write down what they notice in their journal. They take this journal and expand on their first entry by creating a KWL (What I Know, What I Want to Learn, and What I Have Learned).  This unit also includes a twin-text unit of study with ‘Pirate Diary – The Journal of Jake Carpenter’ and What If  You Met a Pirate’. This twin-text unit study allows for students to learn information using books that differ greatly from one another. The difference in genres allows for students to see how information can be displayed and taught in different contexts. This piratical unit and the activities used to engage students will not only enhance their learning in regards to pirates but the Social Studies curriculum.

Swashbuckling Adventures on the High Seas – Classroom Activities for a Unit on Pirates

In this activity students begin by creating a DED (Double-Entry Diary) with ‘Pirate Diary – The Journal of Jake Carpenter’ and ‘What If I Met a Pirate’. In creating a DED students write factual information in the left column and leave the right column to write reflections and personal responses to the information found in the left column. In this unit the students are also given the opportunity to research a famous pirate and create a wanted poster. In order to compile the information necessary to complete this activity the students create a Data Retrieval Chart. This chart will help students to organize their thoughts in order to create a realistic wanted poster for a famous pirate of their choice. These activities will engage students in the piratical theme by using a variety of curriculum strands (Social Studies and Language Arts). The handouts included with this article are great resources for both the students and teachers to use to organize their thoughts and ideas.

Internet Workshop and Blog Publishing

In this article I was exposed to the idea of closely integrating both Social Studies and Technology in order to engage students and the learning process. To many individuals the idea of incorporating technology into the classroom is a daunting task but with the information included in this article the use of technology becomes quite simple. In order to successfully incorporate technology in the classroom this article includes advice that every teacher should take advantage of including the bookmarking of informational websites in order to use limited instructional time efficiently and to have a list of kid-friendly websites and search engines that can be easily navigated by students. In this article the idea of creating a classroom blog is a tool that can be used by teachers, students and parents to publish and view work created by all parties. The classroom blog also allows each person to view the work of one another and comment and offer advice. Personally, the idea of incorporating technology was a somewhat frightening idea but after hearing the advice of fellow teachers I feel as though I could create and navigate a classroom blog with little to no error.

Never Forget

May we remember the day

that changed our world.

May we bless the people who lost their lives

and the tragedy their families suffered.

To the people who lost their lives

and those that live each day fighting for our freedom.

This day will not be forgotten.

Minilesson

Here is the mini-lesson. Enjoy!

Mini-Lesson

Poetry

Where I’m From…

I am from wide open spaces,

where woods cover the earth

and trees reach towards the sky.

A place where I could roam free

and discover pathways to old times.

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I am from a place where books create mountains

and are meant to be conquered.

I am from hard work and determination

where the odds pay off if you just try.

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I come from a stage

where all eyes are on me.

Where all my hard work paid off

and where I was always meant to be.

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I am from family get-togethers

where laughter takes over

and where love is born.

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I come from old wisdom

where I learned the way to a mans heart

and the ever so needed southern charm.

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I am from old sayings

that if you believe anything is possible

and will take you to the far stretches of the earth

and where all things are possible if you just imagine.

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I am from memories

that I will treasure for a lifetime

and keep always in my mind.

My Name

REBECCA

The name Rebecca comes from the Hebrew name Rivqah meaning ‘a snare’ in Hebrew. This was the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century.

There are 666,817 people in the United States of America with the first name Rebecca. It is statistically the 73rd most popular first name. There are 25.962 people in the United States of America with the last name Hinkle. It is statistically the 1,449th most popular last name. There are 56 people in the United States with the name Rebecca Hinkle.

There is a somewhat funny story to the name I was given or in this case not given with the help of my parents. My older sister, Leah, always wanted a little sister so when she found out that dream was going to come true she decided that my name should be Abigail. She wanted to name me Abigail because it sounded similar to Alligator which was her favorite word at the time. Her ultimate dream however was cut short as my dad told her that over his dead body would his daughter be named Abigail. Therefore, I must take this moment to thank my dad for standing up for me as I would have hated to go through life knowing that I was named after an alligator.