Elem-English

PLEASE INSERT INTERACTIVE RESOURCES UNDER APPROPRIATE STANDARDS AND GLE'S:

The following website, Reading Rockets, contains strategies and techniques for teaching reading. It has a section on help for reluctant and struggling readers. The site includes a list of reading blogs, webcasts, podcasts and videos. http://www.readingrockets.org/?gclid=CLnTzvKAsZQCFSQdagodqxm5uA [|525Session6 Ppt Presentation]
 * Exceptional Reading Website**

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Reader's Theater: This year we will be using Reader’s Theater to improve the students reading abilities and foster their love of stories.In a Reader’s Theater, children re-enact a passage of a book or one in its entirety.Instead of memorizing their lines like a play the students read them.This improves both their [|sight reading] and their [|fluency].The best part about it is that they enjoy themselves and do not realize that they are practicing.They just have fun reading their roles with flair.We will use these Reader’s Theaters in a variety of ways.Sometimes we will incorporate them with a curriculum unit.Other times we will spend an extended period of time rehearsing, planning and performing one for our Kindergarten buddies.By the fourth grade the children will choose a book and create their own Reader’s Theater.We’ll let you know of upcoming performance dates.

Still unsure as to what it is? Check out this video of a first grade classroom's Reader's Theater production of City Mouse, Country Mouse:


 * Writing Workshop:** I firmly believe that good writing comes from the heart. Teachers often assign writing tasks without giving serious thought to whether or not the writing has meaning to the writer. As a follower of [|Nanci Atwell] and her Writing Workshop series, I have always tried to attach personal meaning to my students' writing assignments. There should be a sense of ownership that goes along with writing in order to ensure that the writer is invested in what she/he is writing about. One of the best places to start is with a [|Heart Map]. Students fill in an outline of a heart with all the things that have meaning in their lives. The heart map is kept in their writing folders and is taken out and added to often. When asking students to write, you can then have them refer to their heart map for inspiration.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=a8ce66358eb576b8912c&page=1&viewtype=&category This podcast models how to use Literature Circles. The different roles and guidelines are clearly explained and a visual example on how to conduct a Literature Circle is provided. Literature circles support reading development and incorporate reading, writing, and communication skills. Differentiated instruction and cooperative learning are two main components in this activity. [|www.yourdictionary.com] Online dictionary to support vocabulary development. Students can use this to access words they are not familiar with. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2296964586740852623&q=kid+interviews&total=718&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1 This video is a comical interview that will interest students and promote the proper way to interview. This can be shown as an example of an interview and the children can discuss what was good and bad about the interviewer and the person being interviewed.

[|Story Line Online presented by the Screen Actors Guild] The Screen Actors Guild Foundation is proud to bring you Storyline Online, an on-line streaming video program featuring SAG members reading children's books aloud. Each book includes accompanying activities and lesson ideas.

http://www.weeklyreader.com/ Keep up with current events, activities and games.

http://www.eduplace.com/tales/ On line mad libs, practice parts of speech.

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/

http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse/

http://www.starfall.com/ Primarily designed for first grade, Starfall is also useful for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and second grade. Starfall is also useful as an ESL and special education resource.

Fun writing games from RAW, "A guide to developing better reading and writing skills." Highly recommended: Lenny Henry, a great comedian, leads students through an interactive writing exercise. GLE structures of Language, W-3-1-1, W-4-1.1,, W-5-1.1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/raw/index.shtml?survey=no&url=www.bbc.co.uk/raw/index.shtml&site=raw&js=yes

Scholastic Sandwich. Creating a complete story is like building a sandwich, lettuce and condiments included! GLE structures of Language, W-3-1-1, W-4-1.1,, W-5-1.1 http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/sandwich.asp

From NCTE International Reading Association, " Character Trading Cards tools... can be used with characters in a book students are reading or as a prewriting exercise for students who are writing narrative stories. " GLEs for Writing 3-8, "Showing Understanding of Ideas in Text." W-3-2, W-4-2. http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=56

Need to write a biography but can't think how it should be organized? Let the bio-cube lead the way! "Creating a Story Line and Applying Narrative Strategies" GLE W-3-4, w-3-5. http://readwritethink.org/materials/bio_cube/

Concrete Poetry Online http://www.wild-about-woods.org.uk/elearning/concretepoetry/ Creating concrete poetry is as easy as choosing a shape, then clicking and dragging words from a variety of word banks, organized by subject. Shape you want isn't there? Draw your own. Word you want isn't there? Add your own. When you finish, type your name (or web-safe pseudonym), give your poem a title, and print!

Poetry to Laugh About http://www.gigglepoetry.com/ Funny poems for children (does have ads at the top, but those I've seen are age-appropriate)

Story Making, Seuss Style http://www.seussville.com/ Choose your bandwidth (high or low), then enter the Seussian world of learning, disguised as play. My favorite: Click "Playground," then "Seussville Story Maker". Choose a background (setting), characters, music, and text (you type it!) for scenes 1,2, and 3.

Game Goo- Language Arts Games http://www.cogcon.com/gamegoo/gooey.html Bold graphics and lively audio accompany these games about topics such as synonyms, antonyms, poetry, sentence word order, fact vs. fantasy, and more.

BookFlix http://auth.grolier.com/login/bookflix/login.php This is a paid service but you can get free one month trials. Each presentation consists of a video of a storybook (weston woods) and a non-fiction book with highlighted read along. There is a good selection of topics and genres and there is a decent amount of "books" in Spanish. Each pairing includes literacy based games and lesson plans. The kids are engaged and entertained.