Tips, Titles and Tools for Teachers
Resources to Support Remote Learning
It's been a while (more than a year!) since I've shared a newsletter with you. As you are supporting your students remotely, I've been thinking ... how can I support you?
On April 1st, I read this fantastic post on the Two Writing Teachers Blog: Doing vs Being: A Mind Shift for Quarantine and Beyond. I've reread this post a few times. I don't know about you, but I'm a "doer", someone in a constant state of list making and doing. This post reminded me of the importance of being present, but the author also captured the perfect image (see below) of how many of the things you are "doing" allow your students to "be" supported, loved, listened to, and provided with a sense of safety during these challenging times.
Over the past month, I've been collecting resources, quotes and blog posts without a real purpose. A few weeks ago, I had an "ah ha" moment, I can try to support you by occasionally sharing some of these resources through my newsletter format. It's hard to keep up with e-mail, so I thought that putting these resources in one place might be easier. It seems like there's a constant flow of ideas coming our way every day! I hope you can find some new ideas and resources in the writing camp videos, the sample math menu boards and the awesome virtual library collection that I'm sharing with you this week.
I hope you take time during vacation to just unplug and relax. You deserve this break!
Take care,
Shelly
Writing Camp with Ranger and Hoppy
K-1 Writing Camp with Ranger and Hoppy
The videos in this collection have already been organized into writing cycles. I think these writing cycle lessons would be fantastic to share with our writers!
Writing Camp with Ranger and Hoppy ~ Grades 2-5
Jen Allen shared some great tips with me on how to organize this video series for our students. In Waterville, they are working to build weekly writing cycles (similar to the format for K-1) using Tammy's videos to help support and engage their writers.
Build Math Minds Through Choice Boards
Chelsea McLellan shared these awesome choice boards with free access! These boards include many of the thinking routines that we have discussed over the past few years including, Which One Doesn't Belong, Would You Rather...?, Open Middle and card games from Acing Math One Deck at a Time.
I highly recommend using these math boards to share with your students as an extension or as part of your weekly grade level team options!
Build a Virtual Classroom Library
This weekend I saw on Twitter that Claire Landrigan (Stenhouse author and literacy consultant) has created an incredible virtual book room organized by topics, strategies and reading levels. All of the books are on Epic. Check it out!
She also shared a great idea of creating a virtual classroom library through Google Docs! For more information, Claire shared another blog post of resources on how to create your collection with a virtual book room.
You could use the book collections that she's created or adapt her organization system to organize your own classroom library for your students! A second grade teacher (Mrs. Karasek) took Claire's idea and created a Google Doc of book series on Epic to recommend to her second graders. If you are interested in playing with this idea, let me know... I would love to help!
If you find a fantastic resource, please send it my way! I would love to add it to my collection. Take care and stay in touch!