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Treasure Hunt to Find, Identify, and Draw Objects that are Various Colors

5/21/2014

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     Hello everyone.  As I sat thinking about a topic for my blog today, the beautiful day outside was calling my name.  So, I thought, “why not write about a lesson outside?”  Well, to be honest this activity can be done anywhere, inside or out.
     The idea is to get young children to notice and identify things that are various colors.  It is like a treasure hunt.  And, who doesn’t like a treasure hunt.  And, if it is a beautiful day, like today is for me, I propose you take the activity outside.
     This lesson can be done in a variety of ways.  You could have a clipboard and pencil for each child.  Then, have the children draw the things that they see in the correct spaces.  Or, you could all just go for a walk around the schoolyard, or house, or town; whatever is safe and realistic to do.  While you are walking, have children point out the different things that are the various colors on the chart.
     If you can’t make it outside, don’t fret.  This activity can be done anywhere.  Give each child the recording chart and have him or her look around the school, the room, or the house to find, identify, and draw the various objects that fit into the chart.  Another possibility would be to give each child a book and have him or her flip through the book to notice objects that are the various colors from the chart.
     When the children are finished drawing each item, help them label the objects.  If they are to the point where they know most of the letters and letter sounds ask them to try labeling their own objects.  If not, then, dot the word for each object so they can trace the letters in the word.  Don’t forget to have them color the objects!


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     Don't forget the current contest to win one of my children's books or a free hour of online tutoring!  For more information, see this blog post.

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An Old Time Reading Activity

10/30/2013

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     Hi everyone!  Today I decided to recreate an activity page that I did for my brother years ago, when I was first teaching him how to read and spell.  I was only like seven or eight at the time.
     This is a simple match the word to the picture activity.  It can be used as part of a spelling or reading lesson.  Here I drew simple pictures.  And, I mixed up the labels for the pictures on the right hand side.
     Why did I choose to show you this activity?  I did it for a few different reasons.  
     First of all, I did it to give you some insight as to the type of activities I used to teach my brother reading and spelling when I was a young child.  Apparently a teacher gave me similar activity at one time.  I enjoyed it, so I thought my brother would enjoy it as well.  What a wonderful way to tell that it is an effective tool... have a child spontaneously give the same activity to her brother in "playing school."
     Secondly, this activity is fairly easy to do.  And, you don't have to be an artist in order to do it.  When I was little, sometimes I would give blank squares and have my brother even draw the pictures.  And, today, there is clipart that can be easily used at home.  I did this in Photoshop, but back then I did it with pencil and paper.  Sometimes, I would turn it into a coloring activity as well and have my brother color the pictures after he was done the matching.
     Finally, this activity in an example of something that can be done together with your child.  I had a homeschooling mom tell me once that she wanted to wait until she could buy a curriculum until she taught her children.  But... there are things you can do without a curriculum.  Learning doesn't always need a curriculum.  Learning can be a spontaneous, spur of the moment sort of thing.
     The point is... the most effective teaching is when you make the subject fun.  It isn't the curriculum you choose.  It isn't something that has to be complicated.  Sometimes the motivation to learn is to spend some quality time with a loved one.  You don't have to be perfect at teaching, just willing to try.

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     Please remember that you still have a chance to get a copy of Clarinda Cloud donated to your favorite elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor.  I have already given the hint that this photo was taken in Franklin County, Vermont.  Yes, "Clarinda Cloud" is on a tractor.  The tractor is at a place that sells many pumpkins.  Any idea where it might be?  That is okay... even if you don't, please comment with the name of the elementary school, library, daycare, or children's counselor you would like to receive the book.  (Please, U.S. addresses only at this time.)  I will donate one, even if nobody knows the answer.  Good luck!  Thank you!

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How Many Words in a Word?

6/26/2013

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     As I have said before, summertime learning is very important.  Are you looking for a fun summertime activity to help reinforce spelling, reading, and vocabulary skills?  I have one that can be done pretty much any time and any place.  Get a piece of paper and put a word or phrase on the top.  Then, have your children see how many words they can create using only the letters in that word or phrase. 
     There are many ways you can vary this activity.  You can make it a game.  If you have more than one child, you can see who gets the most words.  Or, you can do it with your child and based upon age, you have to get double or triple, etc. the amount of words your child creates.  Make sure to go over the words with your child and correct (or have your child correct) any spelling errors.  That is part of the learning process.
     I have used this activity in the classroom as an activity for students to work on if they finish their other work before others.  I have also created an entire lesson around it.  I have discussed strategies of getting the most words.  For example, once you make a word, see if you can add different endings to it like "s," "er," or "ing."  Or, another strategy might be to find all the rhyming words to the word you create. 
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     Okay.  Here is your challenge.  I have a paper, shown to the left, that has the word "transportation" on the top.  Using the letters in the word "transportation," how many words can you create?  To make this even more exciting, I have another challenge.  If you find the most words, you comment, and you have a friend (someone new) comment on the blog, I will send the book of your choice (one of mine) to the school or library of your choice.  (Right now, I can only open this to United States' addresses.)  Please make sure the person who comments is someone you think would enjoy the site.  Thank you.

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A Lesson to Introduce the Lesson of Word Choice (gr. 3-6)

4/24/2013

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     I am taking an online professional development course on "The Six Traits of Writing" in order to renew my teaching license.  On of my assignments was to write a strategy, tip, lesson that had to do with the course content.  So... I thought I would share what I wrote here:


Here is a lesson I would do for word choice:

     Before the lesson started, I would write a poorly descriptive passage.  It might be something simple like, “I live in a small house in the country.  At the beginning of the lesson, I would tell the students that we were going to explore the importance of word choice as I pass out drawing paper and crayons/color pencils/markers. 

     I would say that great authors use just the right words in their writing.  Those words make it easy to create pictures in our mind and feel like we are right in the story.   The better the author is at using just the right words, the closer the readers will get in seeing the same picture in their minds.  I would explain, “We are going to experiment with using just the right words today.  I am going to read you a description I wrote of where I live and I want you to draw it.”  Then, I would read the above description.  I would tell them to put in as much detail as possible to show a great picture of what I read.

        After students have finished their drawings, I would gather them together to share what they have drawn.  We would look at each drawing and discuss the wide variety of drawings.  I would ask guiding questions about why the pictures were so different and what would have helped to make the pictures look more alike.  I would ask if they had a clear picture of where I lived in their mind or if they had to do some guessing to create the picture.

     Together we would create a better descriptive passage based upon the students’ feedback and ideas during the discussion.  I would write the new description on chart paper.

     Once the description was rewritten to be more clear and descriptive, I would read it to the students again.  I would have them turn over their paper and draw another picture.  We would then share them again.  They should be closer to being the same picture this time.

     To follow up, I might even bring in a picture of my home to discuss how close we got in our rewritten description.  I might hide the rewritten description and ask students to write a description based upon the picture.  Then, have them share them and ask students to share something they liked about their peers’ descriptions.

*This lesson would probably work best for grades 3 through 6.  However, it can be modified to work with any grade. 

 

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Factor List: A Helpful Learning Tool

4/10/2013

1 Comment

 
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     A factor list is a great teaching tool.  You can do so many things with it and start some wonderful conversations about patterns and high order thinking.  You can also teach basics with a factor list as well.  Not only that, but it is a great reference tool.
     Here, I have provided the first page of the factor list from one to one hundred.  What fun would it be for you if I provided the entire thing?  Although, if there is enough call for it, I will make it available either for free or for a small fee.  Just let me know if you are interested.  Thank you.
     Anyway, I will tell you how to create your own or have students create their own.  What I do is number four pages one through one hundred.  (That makes 25 numbers on each page.  This can also be done in two pages with two columns on each page.)  Then, it is just a matter of counting off.  I start with the ones and go down the rows.... one, one, one, one, one, one..... and on and on.  (All the numbers have one as the first factor.)  Then, I start with two and on every second number put a two... all the way to one hundred.  Then, I start with three and on every third number put a three.  
     If you are doing it with a class, it might be a good time to talk about prime numbers.  Help the students to see that two and three only have two factors.  Maybe have them guess how many prime numbers there will be between one and one hundred.  Ask how they came up with their guesses.  Maybe ask if two other consecutive numbers will be prime numbers and ask why or why not.
     Then, I go onto to four.  I start with four and put a four on every fourth number.  This goes on and on until the whole factor list is filled out.  
     To me, this is the most organized way to create the factor list.  It can be done by just writing the factors for each number.  However, it may be easier to miss a number that way.  Although, it might be fun to do it one way during one class and the other way during a second class to compare.  Find out which way the students found easier.
     The factor list can be used in talking about LCM (least common multiples) or in discussing GCF (greatest common factors.)  It can be used for discussing composite and prime numbers, or even multiplication and division facts.  Yes, these are basic facts.  Yet, the higher order thinking comes in the quality of pre-questioning you pose, like in the case of how many prime numbers between one and one hundred.  Have students try to find patterns with the factor list.  Another good pre-question that may be interesting is to ask students which number will have the most factors and how they came to their conclusion.  Some students may guess that the higher the number the more factors it has.  But... as they will see, that isn't necessarily the case.
     Don't feel rushed through a lesson like this.  It has so many skills it can address and reinforce.  It is worth while to take your time as long as you present it in a way that holds the attention of your audience. 


Please, Tell Me Your Thoughts

     I would like to know your thoughts.  Was this helpful?  What other skills would you like me to address?

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    Jodi Desautels

         Jodi Desautels is a wife and mother.  She is a life-long learner, educator, author, illustrator, crafter, creator, and photographer.  She lives by two rules:  "The Golden Rule" and "Live. Laugh. Love."

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