If You Give a Kid a Pencil

By Colleen Harrell

CTWP Summer 2012

About Me• Born and raised in New Braunfels.

• Wonderful and very intelligent

son. Noah• Come from a large blended

family.• Recently married 1 ½ years ago.• Have 2 lovable and spoiled dogs.• Have been teaching for 3 years.• Masters in Reading Education.• Future goals are to continue in

education but work in more reading intervention areas.

Where I Teach•Marion ISD •80.38 Square miles located in Guadalupe County. Campuses are off of HWY 78 which is 4 miles from I10.•Estimated population for district is 5,000. (1,100)•District borders: Seguin ISD, New Braunfels ISD, Shertz-Cibolo-Universal City, ISD, Comal ISD, La Vernia ISD, and East Central ISD.•Approximately 1,300 students.•60% white, 38% Hispanic.•Krueger Elementary –Primary Campus•2 Elementary, 1 middle school, 1 High school.•Title 1 School

My Classroom

• Fun, structure, and a

little bit crazy at times.

Philosophy

I believe a classroom should be a safe and nurturing environment where students can gain knowledge, responsibility, and to learn to become self-managing citizens. Reading and writing should foster creativity and help give children a voice. It opens up a world of new experiences.

Theories Lesson is Based On:Vygotsky’s on scaffolding:

“In scaffolding a unique type of internalization or “getting it” will occur for each student. This process occurs when a student will be asked to perform a task that has some meaning to the student and with assistance, will complete it. While this task may be difficult to perform, there is a support system available from the teacher. This support system will ultimately allow the student to solve the problem.”

(Powell & Kalina, 2009. p 244)

Reader response

“The protocols provide indirect evidence about the student’s evocation, the work as experienced, and reactions to it. Such research requires a coherent system of analysis of students’ written or oral reports.”

(Rosenblatt, 2004, p. 1394)

Activity Overview• Purpose: Mini-lessons are designed to

give students a foundation for generating IDEAS and FORMATION for writing sentences based on published literature. Mini-lessons allow a variety of skills to be reinforced with flexibility.

• Modifications:whole group, small group,

individual, ELL, struggling readers, struggling writers.

• Time Constraints: 10-20 minutes per day.

Flexibility in time depends on your objective(s) and ability of students.

• Subjects: ELA and other core subjects

depending on text chosen.

• Technology: Smartboards, electronic

readers such as kindles/ipads/nook computers for published work.

Areas Activity Addresses

SPELLING

Phonics

Phonological awareness

Invented spelling

High frequency words

Weekly/past weeks words

LANGUAGE

Sentence formation

Punctuation

Oral language

Word order

Grammar/conventions

(nouns, verbs, etc)

READING

Genre

Reading comprehension

(sequence, character setting, etc.)

Read alouds

Vocabulary

Fluency

Prior knowledge

Handwriting

Higher level thinking (through

questioning)

SOCIAL SKILLS

Peer groups

Collaboration

listening

OTHER CORE SUBJECTS

-Depends on text chosen.

It is a Daily PROCESS

1. Teacher states day’s/week’s objective.

(Objective can be the same for the entire week or it can change daily)

2. Teacher reads several pages each day the discuss.

(book is completely read by Friday)

3. A student orally dictates a sentence.

4. Whole class repeats sentence several time.

(so they remember what they are writing)

5. Sentence is written on board. (interaction/ help is encouraged)

6. Sentence is edited as whole group.

(it is ok to make mistakes. Mistakes are good)

7. Sentence is written individually. (each student writes on own paper)

8. Illustration is done to represent sentence.

(picture matches sentence)

9. Close lesson.(questioning, summarize, etc).

10. Reflection and sharing at end of week.

(whole group, partners, etc)

Setting• You are 6-7 years old.• We have been in school several weeks/months. In

other words it is still fall and you have NOT had Thanksgiving break yet.

• You are in my first grade classroom room 105. (Restrooms located across the hall).

• Your teacher is amazing and already set up a comfortable environment where risk taking is valued.

• You know the classroom rules. First time rule is broken is a warning. Second time it is broken it’s a color change.

• It is Monday (before lunch) so you are alert and ready to learn.

Activity- Step 1• Choose a regular size or

big book.

• Book choice can be determined by concepts being taught, core subjects, student choice, social skills, etc.

Activity- Step 2Materials include:• Lined paper with numbered sections for illustrations.• Book• Individual student “stars”. (graphic organizer with

reminders of what to look for when self checking.)• Pencils• Crayons/markers• “Hook” item(s)

*******Writing paper may be collected each day after completion of the mini-lesson or students can put it in their “work in progress” folder

located inside their desk.*****

Activity-Step 3

• Schedule a time.

Typically a bout 10-20 minutes per day.

Step 4: Mini LessonsMonday• Determine text used.• Activate prior knowledge through

discussion.• State objective(s). • Teacher reads several pages• Discuss text.• Student is called on to dictate a

sentence.• Class repeats sentence• Teacher models how to write it on the

board (make mistakes)• Class edits in whole group.• Students write/copy• Students illustrate • Close lesson

Tuesday• State objective: • Teacher reads several pages• Discuss book• A student is called on to

dictate a sentence.• Class repeats sentence• Student writes sentence on

board• Class edits in whole group.• Students write/copy• Students illustrate sentence• Close lesson.

Wednesday• State objective(s): • Teacher reads several pages• Discuss book• Student dictates sentence• Class repeats sentence• Student writes on board• Class edits• Students write own sentence

(either same or different).• Students illustrate sentence.• Close lesson.

Thursday• State objectives

• Teacher reads several pages.

• Discuss book

• Student dictates/repeats their own sentence.

• Pass paper to neighbor and help buddy edit.

• Student illustrate sentence.

• Close lesson.

Friday• State objectives.• Student reads several pages.• Discuss book.• Student dictates sentence.• Repeat sentence. • Student writes on board.• Class edits.• Students expand/elaborate

more about text (2-3 more).• Students illustrate.• Close lesson with reflection on

back and sharing.

Step 5- Reflection/Sharing

• AKA Author’s Chair• Done on Fridays (after book is finished)• Reflect on the your feeling of the book.

What parts did you like? What was something funny? Did anything make you feel confused? What would you ask the author? Etc.

• Share your writing with your neighbor or share in whole group.

Conclusion

• Writing is more than just the grammar, mechanics, and words on a page. It gives voice and foster communication for the writer. This lesson is intended to help serve as a foundation for ideas and sentence formation.

Questions For Demo Reflection

• Do you find that this is something helpful to use with your students?

• How could you modify this lesson for your students?

• If you think this is applicable to your grade do you understand the purpose and demonstration enough to effectively teach it to other professions? If not, what would you like me to clarify?

Reference

• Powell, K.C. & Kalina, C. J. (2009) Cognitive and social constructivism: Developming tools for an effective classroom. Education, 130(2), 241-250

• Rosenblatt, L. (2004). Theoretical models and processes of reading: fifth edition.