Putting the Pieces Together

Jefferson County Literacy Coaches

Agenda

Expectations are a joke! Article study 4 Blocks in regards to “Tops and

Bottoms” Break-out sessions Sharing and

Reflection

One day in heaven, the Lord decided He would visit the earth and take a stroll. Walking down the road, He encountered a man who was crying. The Lord asked the man, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man said that he was blind and had never seen a sunset. The Lord touched the man who could then see and was happy.

As the Lord walked further, He met another man crying and asked, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man was born a cripple and was never able to walk. The Lord touched him and he could walk and he was happy.

Farther down the road, the Lord met another man who was crying and asked, "Why are you crying, my son?" The man said, "Lord, I work for the school system." And the Lord sat down and cried with him.

Choose one of the 4 articles to read. Take the

next few minutes and read it.

• Promoting Pleasure Reading: The role of models, mentors, and motivators

• Urgency and Instructional Time

• High Poverty Schools that Beat the Odds

• Instruction and Development of Reading Fluency in Struggling Readers

Those of you who read the same article form a

discussion group. (Discuss the main idea of the article.

Does it have any classroom implications? Do you agree with the

author?)

Come back to your original table and share the article and points of discussion at your table.

What 4 Blocks Can Look Like in the Classroom

• Tops and Bottoms

by

Janet Stevens

• Grade 3

• Unit 2, Week 4

• Tumblebooks

(jefferson-books)

What 4 Blocks Can Look Like in the Classroom

Working With Words

Consonant Blends is the targeted phonics skill.

• Word Sorts using spelling words

• Making Words lessons with simple and complex blends

• Onsets and rimes practice• Simply have students

search text with sticky notes to find targeted phonics skills and mark

What 4 Blocks Can Look Like in the Classroom

Guided Reading

Author’s Purpose and Predicting are the targeted comprehension skills.

• Guided Reading Four Blocks Style

• Scott Foresman Resource Page p. 224

• Explicit Skill Lesson

What 4 Blocks Can Look Like in the Classroom

WritingWriting focus is on feature story for newspaper.

• Follow writing prompt from Scott Foresman manual p.249h

• Make connections in their journal about the story (text to text, text to self, text to world)

• Favorite character in the story and why

• Self-selected topic with conferencing

What 4 Blocks Can Look Like in the Classroom

SSR- (Please don’t neglect it.)

• Janet Stevens Website (author’s study)

• Leveled readers from Scott Foresman

• Science Topics (i.e. climate, agriculture)

• Social Studies Topics (i.e. responsibility, business)

Please share your thoughts and ideas on Four Blocks in

your classroom.

Break-out!See Literacy Coach for time-

frame on when to meet back. Don’t forget your agenda!

Please share key points from your break-out

sessions with the whole

group!