Martin Luther King, Jr.

During the month of January, we celebrate the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr. Each year, the students enjoy learning about him, and it occurred to me one day they may like a more hands-on approach. And it worked! 

Every year when it gets time for planning resources for January, I always pull out this Martin Luther King, Jr. resource.  I added a flip-book activity (hands-on approach) that already includes biographical information about Dr. King. There are writing activities included in flip-book for students to complete after reading the information. 

The picture above shows the front of three pages. The other three pages are on the back. I included directions on how to print and copy the flip-book. You can choose to staple or not to staple the book...your choice. 

I printed my pages on white paper because I wanted to use colored pencils; however, you can use colored paper if you prefer. Either look great! 

This is a great way for students to interact with their reading. They will read a section (Early Life, Eduction, Civil Rights, Contribution, and His Legacy), and then they will have an opportunity to respond to a question. There are places throughout the flip-book for students to color the images. 

There are tons of other resources to use in this unit. There are two reading passages. One passage has comprehension questions, and one passages has open-ended response questions. There is an informational writing prompt complete with drafting pages, student writing checklist, and rubric. If your students need practice with ABC order, there is a page for that, too. There is an acrostic poem, a classroom activity, and a word search puzzle in this unit. 

If you are searching for something to add to your resources, check it out HERE. 

How do you teach about Martin Luther King, Jr. in your classes? 

Descriptive Writing with Legos

When you think of writing, what stands out in your mind? Is it the words you weave together to create the perfect prose? Is it the revision process that seems to never end? Is it the teeth grinding type of memory? Or is it the wonderful feeling you get when you complete something that was completely fun? 

Teaching writing can be difficult at times. Motivating students to write can seem even harder. So, how do you get the students motivated to write? 

One tried and true writing lesson I have used is the Lego writing activity. The students absolutely love it, and they generate lots of talk in the hallway. If you have not used Legos or blocks in your classroom, read on. 

This activity is a collaborative group activity; students are divided into groups of three and assigned a job title/task to complete during the assignment. This keeps all students actively engaged and contributing to the overall product. The three jobs are recorder, designer, and contractor. 

After all jobs are chosen or assigned, I tell the students they have a super task to complete. They have to design and construct a functional item with the materials found in their group container. Not only will they just design and construct a functional item, but they will also have to write detailed instructions for other groups to be able to complete the construction of their item. Writing assignment sheets are passed out, and the students' eyes get bigger as they learn the materials are Legos (or building blocks, whatever you have on hand). 

Soon, it looks like an explosion of colors as the Legos go all over the floor and desks. I usually have to take a deep breath to regain my composure (I like order, structure, and neatness.), but it is definitely worth all of the mini-anxiety attacks I go through for them to really love the activity. 

Here is glimpse into the beginning of the assignment. 

Here, the students are making lots of progress, and the recorder is jotting down detailed instructions. 

This is a finished product from one group. It is a garage that houses a utility vehicle. 

If you are interested in implementing this activity in your classroom, click HERE. This resource provides teaching tips, writing assignment sheet, writing papers, rubric, and job titles. It is a lesson your students will remember for a lifetime!

How Would You Like a Freebie?

It's A New Year...FREEBIE

I am not sure when you return to school, but we are back at it on Monday. The students return on Tuesday. Here is a writing freebie that is super easy to implement into any lesson plans...plus all you have to do it print it out for each student. 

It includes a graphic organizer for the students think put their thoughts on paper, and then there is a writing paper where they use their ideas from the organizer to writing an organized journal entry. I have had this freebie in my TpT store for a year, but I just updated it to also include a template for the students to use in their interactive notebooks. You could really use this freebie as two separate writing entries for your first week back...with no stress or prep on your part. 

I would love to know when you are heading back to work. Leave a comment below and where you are from so we can see what everyone is doing. Happy Teaching this Year!!!

A Fresh Start

There will be no snow day for me today. It is cold, and I am typing this, the temperature is steadily dropping, but we will still have school. Today is a teacher workday, which is always good to have to get my mental focus prepared for the tasks I need to accomplish. 

As I begin the second half of this school year, I am blessed to work with such a wonderful faculty and staff. This year begin my journey as an Instructional Coordinator. While I honestly did not fully understand all the responsibilities this position would entail, I have learned a lot. And I mean a lot. I am thankful the faculty (and my dear friends) have been very patient with me on this journey. I know I still have a lot more to learn, but it has truly been a wonderful journey up to this point. 

In an earlier post I stated I would make my goals for this year public on this blog. I think I am ready to do just that...wait, am I? Didn't I say something about I was making them public so you would hold me accountable? Okay, that is your job. Hold me accountable this year. 

A New Year...A New Me

1. Be the best mommy ever...My little girl is five years old, and she is the best blessing I have received. In this fast-paced world, I tend to rush things, mainly her in the mornings when we are trying to get to school. I want to spend good, quality time with her...no television, computer, outside distractions...just our little family bonding and making memories. I don't want to miss out on anything. 

2. Be the best spouse I can be...We will celebrate our 8th Anniversary in April, and time surely does fly when you are having fun! I just need a reminder to be patient, kind, loving, and understanding. 

3. Be a good friend...In my walk of life I have made many acquaintances who have turned out to be some of the best friends anyone could ask for. I want to be a good friend and be there to listen (not talk...sometimes hard for me) whenever I am needed. 

4. Be the best at my job...I love education! I am constantly learning new things, and I try to broaden my experiences so I can be the best at what I do. Now, I know there is always someone who it better than me out there, but I want to learn from my mistakes and do what is the best thing for our students. 

5. Be healthier...I am not going to put a goal of how many times I want need to workout, but I am going to say I am going to make better decisions about what foods I eat. I am also going to exercise, even if it is just for a few minutes each time. 

I apologize for such a long post today! I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

If you have not already done so and you need a quick class starter, grab my It's a New Year Writing Activity...it's free! 

Writing through January

I have done a complete overhaul on all of my monthly writing bundles...in fact, I have not uploaded all of the months yet because I am editing all of them. However, the January Writing Bundle is up and ready for you! I think you will find these bundles are wonderful resources to have in your possession. 

In each writing bundle, you will find 20 journal topics for the month. The journal topics come in two formats: (1) two journals per page complete with a journal cover page to make into a booklet or insert into a binder and (2) cut-and-paste topics to add into a notebook. You choose which format works best for your classroom!

Also included are three essay prompts. There is one informational prompt, one argumentative prompt, and one narrative prompt. You will get a writing prompt page with an organizer for the students to organize their thoughts, writing papers, and a scoring rubric. 

Below are some pics of what you might find in the writing bundle. I hope you will check it out!

 

Click HERE for the January Writing Bundle

Fun with Expository Writing

Teaching expository writing, or informational writing as many refer to it, can really be fun for the students! Some of the most memorable lessons have come from writing lessons in my middle grades classrooms throughout the years. And if you can get middle school students excited about writing, well, miracles have taken place! 

What is expository writing? Expository writing is any writing with a purpose of explaining or informing. Think about how many times we read informative pieces of writing during the day. It is imperative students learn how to read and write informatively. 

One activity the students absolutely love is the "how to" activity. In this lesson, I have the students divide into groups, usually three students. Each student has a specific job: reader, recorder, and time keeper. Every job is vital to the success of the group. As the group works through the activity, the jobs rotate from student to student, so everyone gets an opportunity to work each job. 

There are five different "how to" scenarios the students work through during the activity. The five scenarios I use are: 

1. How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

2. How to Jump Rope

3. How to Make Your Bed

4. How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich

5. How to Tie Your Shoe

The scenarios are cut into strips, and the groups have to put the strips in order of how you would complete each scenario. It gets tricky for some groups because they soon realize they skip steps or don't think about steps in the process. 

Here is how a typical "how to" scenario activity works: 

1. The reader reads aloud the strips. 

2. The recorder takes the strips and places the strips in the order in which they occur chronologically. 

3. The time keeper makes sure the group stays on track and adheres to the time. 

4. Once all strips have been placed in order, the reader reads aloud the strips the group placed in order. 

5. The group makes any final changes to the strips before checking it by the key provided by the teacher. 

Generally, I allow the groups to work through all five of the scenarios. The students have so much fun with this activity. As a follow-up to this activity, they (as a group) create their very own "how to" scenario.

If you are looking to incite fun into your classroom, give this activity a try! You will not regret it! It is student tested and teacher approved!