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Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
You Can Do it
I CAN Do It!
You are very special, and I want you to know,
I loved being your teacher; and it's hard to see you go.
Though our time together this year, has come quickly to an end,
I will remember you forever, my dear second grade friend.
As you continue your journey, you will learn and grow,
Please carry these words I give to you, wherever you may go:
Always do your best, no matter how hard it seems.
And if you do, I promise, you will reach your dreams.
Remember to tell yourself, "I CAN do it", because I know you can;
Think of all you've learned since school first began.
But I am so proud of you for all that you have done.
You will continue learning as you move from grade to grade,
Keep in mind and think about the progress you have made.
If you feel like giving up - - keep trying, you'll make it through.
I know this, for not too long ago, I was a student just like you.
I had special teacher who taught me something, too;
And throughout this year I've tried to teach it to you:
Always believe in yourself and know that it is true;
You will see, you can do anything you set your mind to.
So, as time goes by, you may forget certain things about the second grade
Like the stories we read and the games that we played
But there's one thing I hope you remember your whole life through,
It's to know that you CAN do it, and Amba believes in you.
Part of a script performed by lower elementary students
Step Mother: It is getting dark and you kids look tired. Take a nap and then we will go home.
(The animals pick up crumbs as they exit. Meanwhile stage hands bring on THE FIRE as Hansel and Gretel enter and lie next door to it, asleep. Gretel is the first to wake. Her whisper-shouts...)
Gretel: Hansel….! Hansel…! (Waking Hansel)
Hansel: What is it, Gretel?
Gretel: Stepmother-she’s gone! She left us alone in the forest. I am scared.
Hansel: Don’t worry Gretel. The bread crumbs will show us the way back home.
(Hansel look around the area by the fire, then looks across the stage to discover the bread is gone)
Hansel: Oh no! The bread….is gone. The animals must have eaten them up.
Gretel: Hansel I am scared we will not see our dad again.
Hansel: Yes we will Gretel. We will find the way.
(Next we find an appropriate way to show the children wandering aimlessly about the stage-hopelessly lost in the forest. The passage of time is marked by a tick-tock percussion instrument. At the point of exhaustion, can no longer walk or stand up. Stage the posture: kneeling? Seated on hands and knees? Other? When the tick-tock stops…)
Gretel: Hansel I am so tired.
Hansel: Me too Gretel
Gretel: Let’s just rest for a little while...
Hansel: What is that?
Gretel: It looks like a
Hansel: giant cake…
Gretel: Oh look is this a cookie?
Hansel: It is a cookie mmm its delicious have a bite.
Gretel: Oh my goodness this is wonderful taste this.
Hansel: Oh I hope no one gets angry- but
Both: I am so hungry
Hansel: I think I could eat the whole house.
Witch: Nibbling Nibbling like a mouse who is eating my whole house?
Hansel: (Drop their cookies) Oh my sister and I are so sorry
Gretel: We were just very very hungry.
Witch: (licking her lips) Oh dear children- it is ok. I love to have nice children to gobble…ch... I mean to well heh heh
Come in Come in and my you are kinda skinny. I would love to make you nice and fat! (Arms around enters the house)
In the witches house
Both kids at the table with food pilled high-
Witch: Now come along- eat it all up. If you want more I’ll get you more.
Hansel: I wish we could take some home for father
Gretel: Maybe she will help us get home but I don’t think she sees too well.
Witch: Now off to bed- tomorrow I will tell you my plans. (Pointing to wrong child) Little boy you sleep over here and little girl you sleep here.
Hansel and Gretel go to sleep.
Witch tip toes in and locks Hansel in a cage.
Wilson Terms and Rules
Diagraph Blend: A consonant diagraph combined with a third consonant that makes its own sound.
Example- shred, lunch, throw, depth
Diagraph: Two letters together to form one sound.
Example- sh, ch, ck, th, wh, ph, qu
Base Word: A word that can stand alone.
Example- Bug
Suffix: An ending that can be added to a base word.
Example- bug + s= bugs, pit +s=pits
Blend: Two or more consonants together each making a separate sound.
Example- sk, st, ft, sp, dr, tr, pl, fl, fr, pr, gr, bl, br, lk, lf and lb
Closed Syllable: The vowel sound is short. The vowel is followed by one or more consonants (closed in). The syllable can have 1 vowel.
Example- cup, it, pest, stump
If the word ends with 1 vowel that is immediately followed by an l. s or f. Double the consonants.
Example- hil-hill, mis-miss, puf-puff
Welded Sounds: 3 letters that have individual sounds but are close together and hard to separate.
Example- ang-fang, ing-ring, ing-sing, ong-song, ink-pink, ank-bank, unk-junk, onk-honk.
Editing Checklist on each child's Language Arts, Science and SS notebooks
1. Name and Date
2. Sentences make sense
3. Beginning Capital letters
4. Ending punctuation (.?!)
5. Circle misspelled words
6. Capital letters for names and places
7. Stays on Topic
Examples of writing Prompts
In Goin' Someplace Special, Patricia McKissack writes about a young girl, Tricia Ann, who is on her way to a special place… the library. For Tricia Ann, the library is a friendly place that she looks forward to visiting. Is there a special place that you like to visit? Why do you like it? It doesn't have to be far away, it could be in your own backyard, or down the street, or wherever. The important thing is that this place, and maybe the people there, are special to you. Tell us all about it and/or draw a picture if you like.
Have you ever lost a tooth? Not just lost it from your mouth, but really lost it and didn't have it to leave under your pillow for the tooth fairy? Imagine that you have lost your tooth, can't find it anywhere, and don't have it to put under your pillow. Write a letter to the tooth fairy explaining your situation and how your tooth got lost. See if you can persuade the tooth fairy to leave something under your pillow even though you have no tooth to place there. Include descriptive details about your tooth and where your tooth went missing — just in case the tooth fairy decides to look for it!
Letter to the library Teacher
Dear P,
It’s been a pleasure working with you for the last two years, bringing my first grade and then second grade class to the library.
The children looked forward to coming to the library once a week; they enjoyed selecting books that they would later read in class. The library class helped reinforce skills and the content areas we were learning in class.
For instance when we were working on Story Maps and understanding characters, setting, problem and solution, you recommended books by Pollaco, Arthur Lobel and Eric Carle.
When we were working on Greek Myths you read books about Theses, Odyesses and Cyclops. When we were studying geography you reinforced map skills by showing our students a globe, encyclopedias that had information on the continents, pictures of the oceans, river and lakes. You also read, how I found myself on the map, that the students enjoyed and then you asked them questions that helped us assess student understanding.
I think my students really benefited by coming to the library. They learnt to respect books, by turning pages carefully. We learnt about what students were interested in from hamsters, to puppies to star wars, history and planets.
Thank you for all your support and help to make learning creative, interesting and fun!
Regards
Teaching the Basic Parts of a story
Beginning
Middle
End
Characters (Who)
Setting (Where, When)
Action (What Happens, Problem)
Conclusion (End)
Curriculum For the Year 2009-2010
Curriculum for Room 1010
Teacher: Amba Singh
Co T
eachers: Daphne Rivera and Lorena Williams
Subject:
Teacher: Amba Singh
Textbook/Read Aloud Series: Houghton Mifflin Big Book Series
Picture Books Read Aloud
Flannel Board Stories
Decoding Skills: A multi-sensory instructional format is utilized through both the Wilson Program and the Merill Linguistic Reading Program. The Merill Linguistic Reading System is a highly structured sequential basal reading program. It systematically teaches sounds according to spelling similarities/rhyming patterns. The Workbook reinforces vocabulary and comprehension skills.
The Wilson Program is a reading intervention program which increases the ability to read and spell words by using letter/sound cards. The student learns to “tap out the sounds” of the word. The letter/sound cards are manipulated to form words.
Methods Used: Small groups and individual pacing: usage of letter cards, teacher prepared word cards, games and worksheets.
Targeting Strengths: Challenge/spiral the student’s higher critical thinking.
Targeting Weaknesses: Wilson Program and Merrill Linguistic Program: Additional reinforcement will be given to students at their own learning pace.
Teacher Read Alouds Brainstorm ideas using graphic organizers. Students will be asked to retell main events in sequence. Story pictures will aid the students in retelling and sequencing the story.
Printing: Instructional Format - “Handwriting Without Tears”. Sequential learning order is to print upper-case letters/ Lower-case letters/ words/ sentences using correct letter formation.
Homework: Monday through Thursday. Homework will consist of phonics work, spelling, grammar, reading or writing.
Parent’s Involvement: Please read a story to your child (15-20 min.) Daily.
Subject: Math
Teacher: Amba Singh
Textbook/Series: Math Advantage, Harcourt Brace
Math Advantage, On My Own Practice
Math Advantage, Take Another Look-Reteaching
Methods Used: Small groups and individual pacing.
Curriculum- Some of the topics covered Addition, Subtraction, Word Problems, Solid and Plane Figures, Count by 2, 5 and 10. Money- Add Pennies, Nickels, Dimes and Quarters together. Time to the hour and half hour, Measurement - inch and centimeter ruler, Calendar Months and Days in Sequence, Fractions- halves, fourths and thirds and Multiplication.
Targeting Strengths: Challenge/spiral the student’s higher cognitive thinking.
Targeting Weaknesses: In recognition of his or her own learning pace, additional reinforcement will be given. Repetitive modeling cues, breaking concepts down into smaller sections and a variety of concrete materials will be used to heighten interest as the same skill is reviewed. A variety of manipulative like Blocks, Shapes, Straws, Unfix Cubes, Clocks, Coins, Number Line, 100 chart and multiplication tables.
Homework: Monday through Thursday.
Parent’s Involvement: Check Homework, Flash Cards, Math Games
Social Studies, Science and Health
Teacher: Amba Singh
Textbook: Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Harcourt Science
In addition Picture Books Read Aloud
Targeting Strengths: Challenge/Spiral the student’s higher /critical thinking.
Targeting Weaknesses: Breakdown of information, hands on activities.
Social Studies Topics Our country of many people, differences in communities, map and globe skills, Country study,
Science Topics: People, Plants and Animals grow and change, Habitats for plants and animals, the Solar System and Weather.
Health: Hygiene, Healthy Eating, Brushing Teeth, Sleep and its importance, Fitness and Exercise.
Method used: Students brainstorm ideas on topic from past experiences. A mini lesson is presented to explain new concepts and clarify understanding. This is followed by a read aloud based on the topic and then a hand on activity such as creating collages, drawing and labeling or working on an experiment.
Notebooks: Vocabulary, diagrams, facts.
Trips: Based on student interest we will be taking class trips and visits to the library to learn more about the topics we are covering. We are going to the Queens County Farm (October 15th).
I am working on organizing a visit to the Children’s Museum in
Homework: Worksheets based on topics covered in the classroom on Tuesday and Thursday.
Parent’s Involvement: Periodically will be asked to send in materials for projects.
Wilson Program: A reading intervention program which increases the ability to READ and SPELL words by using the following:
Sound Cards
Word Cards
(Student manipulates cards in order to “tap out sounds” and read words.)
The student is explained the section for instance if we are doing diagraphs, I say today we are learning about two letters that make one sound, like Sh.
This is followed by practicing words containing Sh, by manipulating the sound card to create words read out by me.
These words are then written down in the student’s notebooks.
This is followed by student reading a sentence (using controlled text-words learned by the student) and then writing it down.
As an adjunct to this program, Merill Linguistics” is utilized as reinforcement. Merill focuses on students reading words in sentences with similar patterns for instance the Cat is in the Hat.
The Writing Process: The procedure for the writing process is as follows:
Prewriting
Ÿ Gather Ideas
Ÿ Brainstorm
Ÿ Use Graphic Organizers
Ÿ Research
Ÿ Imagine, Dream, Explore the possibilities
Writing
Ÿ Write a rough draft or “sloppy copy”.
Ÿ Write, write, and write! Let your ideas flow.
Ÿ Include lots of interesting content.
Revising
Ÿ Add ideas, words or phrases.
Ÿ Remove ideas, words or phrases.
Ÿ Replace frequently used words.
Ÿ Rearrange what you have written to make it better.
Ÿ Support your ideas so your reader really understands what is going on.
Editing
Ÿ Does the story flow?
Ÿ Correct the spelling.
Ÿ Correct the grammar.
Ÿ Correct the punctuation.
Ÿ Use the proper format.
Publishing
Ÿ Write your final, corrected, perfected copy.
Ÿ Number the pages.
Ÿ Staple pages together.
Ÿ Include your name and date.
Editing Checklist for Language Arts and Handwriting
Class Rules R2 Raising Responsibility
Level D Independent
Level C Cooperating
Chose Again
Level B Bothering
Class Rules
We listen to each other
Hands are for helping not hurting
We care about each others feelings
We use I care language
We are responsible for what we say and do.
Responsibilities
Be where I belong
Do my assignments
Be kind to others
Parents Support
Please read with them or to them every night. Visit the library and Museums frequently. Please limit the amount of television and video games. Please check homework to be sure they are following directions. Provide, whenever requested, supplies for science experiments.
Thank you.
Hello,
things have changed for the blogger and she is now in her third year of teaching. She taught as a classroom teacher at the elementary level. She taught first, second and third graders. She is now working at a private school in Manhattan as a focus teacher, teaching middle and high school students.
This blog will focus on research and also direct experience that she has gained on her journey.
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