Amazing Expository Text Resource

Need high-interest expository text for your tween students?

Look no further than Tween Tribune... an awesome site full of high-interest current event reading articles targeted at this age group. These short articles are amazing. My students love them.

Check it out for yourself...there are so many articles to choose from.

Hope you enjoy!

Reading Test Prep

After looking at reading benchmark data from my two classes, I saw a need to give some test prep instruction to my struggling readers. I have introduced the following test strategy to all students, but are only recommending some students to use it. I have told my other students to feel free to use the test strategy, only if it has proven beneficial for them to do so.

This is what I've instructed my struggling students to do before looking at any test question:

1. Read the text. If you didn't understand it the first time then reread for clarification.
2. Next, analyze the text to discover the genre.

For fiction texts, ask yourself:

• What's the author's purpose?
• What are the most important parts of the story (summary)?
• What's the story's theme?

For non-fiction texts, ask yourself:

• What's the author's purpose?
• What are the most important parts of the text (summary)?
• How is the text organized?

We have five school weeks before our state testing, and I am hoping that this will help some of my students who seem to be struggling. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Liebster Award

Thank you, Emmy from Day Dreams of a Student Teacher for passing the Liebster Award to me.

The Liebster Award is given to up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. I am to now award 5 blogs. And they are:

1. Polka Dot Owl

2.  Life is Better Messy Anyway

3. Middle School Survival Guide

4. The Joy of Literacy

5.  Fabulous in Fourth

Go check out some awesome blogs!

Classroom Mascot... How cute is he?

Meet Spike, our classroom mascot. I first fell in love with the idea of a classroom mascot from Angela Bunyi years ago. I found this particular plush doll from a local teacher store. He's called an UglyDoll. There are so many cute ones out there.  We've had Spike in our classroom for two years now, and my students absolutely love him. For Valentine's Day, Spike received a card from almost all of my students. He reminds us of important events, reteaches important concepts, and always has a kind word. The kids know that I have a terrible memory, so I always forget birthdays...but Spike never does. He's a lifesaver. Did I mention that I teach 5th graders? 


My students aren't too old for dolls, and I bet yours aren't either.


Keep Smiling...it's Friday!

Reading Response

Writing about reading is a great way for our students to show us that they're actually reading. I recreated an anchor chart that I found on Pinterest and added a model response for my students to imitate.




Keep Smiling,

Literature Circles

I am a big fan of literature circles because they keep students active in reading and discussion. Students who are more reserved when it comes to reading, open up. There is accountability in having to read to material in order to discuss with your circle members. Though it takes some modeling and guided practice at the beginning, it is an awesome way to keep readers reading and thinking.


Here are some literature circle forms free for good use!

Enjoy,

Small Group Reading Instruction

I am constantly differentiating my instruction to meet the needs of the children in my classroom. The only way I know to do this is by working with my students in small group. I am fortunate to have an aid in my classroom during a small portion of my day to assist in meeting with small groups.

Here is a quick schedule of my reading block:

• 30 minutes Whole group reading instruction
• 20 minutes Guided Reading Group 1 /Aid pulls Guided Reading Group 4
• 2o minutes Guided Reading Group 2
• 20 minutes Guided Reading Group 3
• 10 minutes Reflection

While I am meeting with my guided reading groups the other students are doing the following:

• Independent Reading/Response
• Participating in Literature Circle Groups
• Computer programs such as www.achieve3000.com or www.compasslearningodyssey.com
• Occasionally students will work on our interactive smart board to play Lakeshore Interactive Reading Games
• Complete independent reading practice over whole group mini-lessons/reading strategies

Planning and implementing this type of instruction in the classroom takes time, effort, and planning. If you are planning on implementing Reader's Workshop into your reading block, I recommend starting with the following reading material:

Guiding Readers and Writers Grades 3-6 by Fountas and Pinnell

Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey

Making the Most of Small Groups Differentiation for All by Debbie Diller

I've currently been reading Debbie Diller's Making the Most of Small Groups Differentiation for All. There are so many resources and great ideas inside, but one of my favorites is her Guided Reading lesson plan forms. She has lesson plan forms that target instruction for your students that need phonics instruction, comprehension instruction, fluency instruction, phonemic awareness instruction, and vocabulary instruction. The lesson plans help you target the individual needs of each guided reading group.  I am attaching a plan form that I have created that I find helpful in planning my small group instruction.

Enjoy,

Hello, World!

Throughout my years of teaching, I have been inspired by the many teacher blogs out there on the web. I've learned many valuable bits of information from all of you wonderful teachers and have implemented so many of your ideas into my classroom. So I thought, why not give blogging a try myself? So now I'm giving back with some ideas of my own that I've used in my classroom. Here it goes...

Let me start my first post by introducing myself. I am a fifth grade reading, language arts, and social studies teacher at a Title I school in the Houston area. I love my job. I absolutely love my job. As far back as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a teacher. As a child, I taught my barbies and dolls. When I was a teenager, I volunteered at my church to work with the younger kids. It's what I love, and I can't imagine doing anything else. That being said, it's not always easy. Today was proof of that. Today was our school's Valentine party. The day our students get to show their friends and teachers how much they care for them, right? Well for some, that's exactly what happened. But for others, not so much. Needless to say, today was a bit rough. But I still love what I do. I try to always teach through the rough spots while still keeping a smile on my face. Hints the name teachingwithasmile.com. I have to remember that some of my students do not go home to a place where they are nurtured and treated with respect. I try to always level with them with a calm demeanor and with a smile. Sometimes it's harder than others, like today. This is my first year teaching fifth grade, but I've taught fourth grade for three years. I've taught all four years at a Title I school, and I completed my college internships and student teaching at Title I schools as well. I work with a mixed ability group of kiddos. I have the opportunity to work with students that are english language learners, students with special needs and gifted students, and students everywhere in between. I am constantly differentiating my instruction to meet the needs of my students in the classroom. Small group instruction is so very important. This is where I like to spend the majority of my teaching.    I'll soon be posting some information and sources that I've found helpful in implementing small group reading instruction...Check back in soon!


Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope this website proves useful to you, and I hope you find the inspiration that I have found in so many of the teaching blogs out there. It's not always an easy job, but what a rewarding one!


Keep smiling,