Welcome 2015-2016

Tonight is Open House at Salt Creek Intermediate School. Welcome to all our students and parents. The start of each new year is an exciting time and I am looking forward to another great year. Stop in and say hello. On Tuesday come to Reading Workshop ready for the best year ever!

A Year in Pictures

D.A.R.E. Essay

You Need More Than Spellcheck

Spell Check is a great tool that helps all writers produce cleaner writing. However, writers still need to proofread their own work. The picture below shows . . .

The Best Way to Get Stronger

Image from @Grammarly

Want to be a Better Reader?

Image from @rgowgreene

Will It Be You?

Reading Workshop students, will you take a minute today to say something to make someone else's life better? Before you say yes, think about when and where this will happen. Thank you for taking the time to share some of yourself for another.

Want to Read a Mystery?

Take a Grammar Test

Are you a grammar expert? Take a test and prove it!

Grammer Monster Tests

Are You a Winner?

Image from @lara_nikai

Is This You?

Image from @BookNerdParadis

I Have Trouble With What to Write

I had this conversation about poetry with a student:

Student:  I have trouble with what to write.
Me: Really?
Student: Yeah, I don't know what to say.
Me: You like sports a lot, right?
Student: Yeah
Me:  How many sports poems have you been working on?
Student:  Two
Me:  So you have twelve drafts and only two are about sports?
Student:  Yeah
Me:  But you really like sports?
Student: Yeah, a lot.
Me:  Then why don't you write poems about sports?
Student:  I don't know.
Me:  If that's what you are interested in, that's what you should write about. You know, write about what interests you. Write about what you know.
Student:  Oh, OK.

Reading Workshop students, if you are struggling with what to write, maybe you need to give the topic a break and write about something that you find interesting.


Poem written by Shel Silverstein. Image from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/331296116310627083/

Hard Work

Image from @AustinFraserLtd

Revision

Poems are never finished. Eventually though, we just stop working on them.

Naomi Shihab Nye said:

If a teacher told me to revise, I thought that meant my writing was a broken-down car that needed to go to the repair shop. I felt insulted. I didn’t realize the teacher was saying, “Make it shine. It’s worth it.” Now I see revision as a beautiful word of hope. It’s a new vision of something. It means you don’t have to be perfect the first time. What a relief!      

Image from www.teacherspayteachers.com

Poem For A Grade

The Reading Workshop Poetry Rubric

Component	4/A	3/B	2/ C	1/D
Rhythm, Form Structure, Organization	Creatively uses poetic form. A natural rhythm and structure.	Structure and rhythm seem natural to the reader.	Structure and rhythm need revised for better understanding.	Unorganized structure and rhythm.
Content, Impact	The purpose of the poem is evident leading to a natural conclusion. The poem engages the reader.	Poem is developed with content that engages the reader.	Content is basic with only a hint of the author's intent.	Content is basic and undeveloped.
Word Selection, Word Usage	Word choice is exact, colorful, and interesting. Uses sensory details to help the reader see, hear, feel, and/or think.	Word choice is interesting with the use of sensory details.	Vocabulary is basic with a few attempts at improving word choice.	Vocabulary is very basic.
Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation	No errors and mechanics used as needed to fit with the poetic structure.	Minimal errors in spelling and mechanics used as needed for understanding.	A few errors in spelling and mechanics.	Errors in spelling and mechanics that interfere with reading.
Effort	Work shows an understanding of poetry and reflects the effort to create a special piece of writing.	Developed piece of work that is the result of revising and editing.	Basic piece of writing that shows a need of improvement.	Undeveloped without signs of editing and revision.
Created by http://www.thereadingworkshop.com

Why Kids Should Blog

Ten positive benefits of student blogging:

1.  Increased Communication Skills

2.  Develop and Improve Writing Skills

3.  Interact with Different People

4.  Improve Technology Skills

5.  Engage in Social Media

6.  Understand Online Social Responsibility

7.  Explore Hobbies and Special Interests

8.  Self Development

9.  Learn to Deal with Comments

10.Develop Social Skills for Life

Just click on the picture to see it full size.

Image from www.kidslearntoblog.com

Happy World Book Day

Revising Poetry

Take a piece of advise from Lee Bennet Hopkins in his poem titled, Dear Poet. Take one of your drafts, Reading Workshop students, copy it twice, and write three versions.

Dear Poet,

Do you want
to write a poem?

Forget it . . .
until
you have
rewritten it.

Make your poem
stronger
by
not
writing a poem

but
rewriting it
and
rewriting it
and
rewriting it

until--

what you
have
is
a poem
like
no
other
poet
has
ever
written--

or

rewritten--

before!

Poem from Seeing the Blue Between compiled by Paul Janeczko.

Do You Use Commas?

Why We Use Punctuation