Background Music

There was always one time of year you could walk into my classroom and hear music...Christmas!  Christmas music seems to be the one genre that everyone can agree on, at least for a time.

I was reflecting on this as I was going through notes from Linda Hoyt's workshop this summer (Can you tell what I've been reading from the last couple of posts?).  Linda shared a picture book with us while music played in the background.  Afterward, she talked about the benefits of adding music to stories and the brain's ability to retain details and memories when more than one sense is engaged.  I made a note to try this with Christmas music and an anchor story I had written for students that shows the different structures of nonfiction text.  So many of my Christmas songs are without lyrics and...well...I have so many to choose from.

Try adding music to one of your read-alouds, and if you do, let me know how the kids respond!

Angie

Linda Hoyt had many words of wisdom this summer.  One that has stuck with me is her idea of Power Writing.  She shared the power in having kids write in short, 5 minute "bursts" during each segment of the school day.  Much like exercise, with power writes, kids build up the stamina to be able to give written responses and reflections in all topic areas.  There are many research based benefits to this kind of writing including:

• increases in content retention
• immediate application of academic vocabulary
• thoughtful reflections on learning while it's still fresh
• helping students gain control over writing

Linda also reminded the teachers this summer that we must also convey the very clear message to kids that we are doing Power Writes because:

• Kids and teachers are readers.
• Kids and teachers are thinkers.
• Kids and teachers are writers!

We have the power to think and the ability to share that through writing.  There are so many opportunities to Power Write in the next few weeks.  Let me know if you try this with your GT/Advanced kids or your classrooms.  But remember, much like exercise, it'll take a few days before it's comfortable!  :-)

We are so thankful to work with such a great group of teachers on behalf of Middleton's kids.  Thanks for all you do.  Have a great holiday!

Angie and Nicole

Frindle - New Activities for the Learning Targets

Third Grade Advanced Reading Intervention Teachers - Check out the Strategies and Anchor Charts page for lots of new links to activities for the consequences/implications, character inference, and plot learning targets.

Have a great weekend!

Consequences and Implications Anchor Chart

I've been spending a good amount of time thinking about the instruction that our advanced readers receive and what will support you in that process.  Here is one of my attempts to support you with a new anchor chart for Consequences and Implications.  As I was writing and developing it, I was considering how we could distinguish the difference between a consequences and implication for 3rd graders in a context that they could understand.  Calvin and Hobbes have provided a few examples.  :-)  When I researched this lesson with Nicole's 3rd grade advanced readers it was Red Ribbon Week.  That was a great connection since RRW is all about considering the implications of swe hope kids never take. 

Please let me know what you think.  Let me know if it looks like something you can use and I'll email you the Powerpoint version which has transitions.  

Consequences and Implications Anchor Chart