Starting Storyjumper

My students starting using storyjumper.com recently as a means to create fiction, nonfiction, procedural, and poem books. I started with an exploratory initial lesson with the choice of personal narrative, a Halloween fiction story, or a nonfiction book about Helen Keller or Ruby Bridges.

Students are able to use pre-made template or from scratch. Storyjumper has a variety of different setting and pictures that can be manipulated into full illustrations. It also has a nice choice of text for the students to choice from.

The Classroom Edition is designed to give teachers an interface to manage and review students' work, enable kids to share stories between the classroom and home,  and maintain strict privacy controls over student information (Storyjumper, 2012).

Storyjumper (2012) Storyjumper-Classroom Edition. Retrieved from http://www.storyjumper.com/main/classroom

Language Arts Anchor Charts

Social Studies: Communities

We watched the Brainpop Jr about Community Helpers. We made a grid of important people in the community and discussed What If We DIDN'T Have Them. Students responded on post-its in pairs.

Comparing and defining Rights and Responsibilities of a citizen.

We watched Kid Nation and charted what a community/government needs to run properly. Please note it should say "did not set any rules."

Read Aloud App for Literacy Stations

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shadow-puppet/id700902833?mt=8

This fine little app called Shadow Puppet is great for literacy stations. Students take a picture of the cover of the book. Then they record themselves reading the book or create a summary of the book. Amazing!

Beginning of Year Anchor Charts

We activated our schema by talking what we know about choosing a Just Right Book. We also view BrainpopJr.com.

We are implementing Positive Behavior Invention System with the theme: Knights are Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn. I used the projector to trace the knight. The students worked in groups to write ways to show each area.

Summarizing with Somebody Wanted But So Then with Wemberly Worried and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. 

Story Arc for Structures of Fiction Stories using The Kissing Hand.

Metacogitative Awareness as a reader.

Story Arc for Structures of Fiction Stories using Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.

Setting up My Classroom for Reading and Writing

I put the students in long groups so they can utilize the other parts of the room for pairs/triads/group work.

My literacy stations for two classes. I put the students in groups on Post-it notes and rotate the Post-its. I have the ability to change the groups if friends get off task or not ability to work together. I keep the stations for two weeks because I am pulling guided reading groups and meeting with Book Clubs. 

I use Ikea magazine boxes for the students to keep their spirals, books, and earbuds in. 

My classroom library is sorted by genres. On each label has the genre and a kid-friendly definition. I try to create space for reading as well. Think that you need at least 100 books per student. I have a couple thousand at the moment. Students are always welcome to take them home. I do it on an honor system. I look into their eyes and tell them that I trust them. I usually get my books back. My friend and I have a philosophy: if the book does not come back, then the child needs the book more I do.

Get FREE Genre Labels Here

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My read aloud chair with more genres and small bookshelf. We are starting the year with Roxie and the Hooligans by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. 

This shelf had an old Dell computer and hundreds of skinny books from the adoption. Totally clustered. I purchased a couple of lamps and put a few book tubs for another reading space for the kids. 

I put both classes names on the desk. Lime green for my class and blue for the other class. First thing the students will see is their Writer's Notebook (and fun silly bands). 

A long view of my class. Empty walls to build with the students. Try to avoid pre-made anchor charts. 

Welcome Back!

I FINALLY have a door. I have been teaching a semi-open concept for years and now have a door. Yeah!
I ordered this sign from Vistaprint.com and just paid for shipping (around $5). I found these iTouch Post-it notes from Walmart for $.98. I am going to write the kiddos' names on them when I get the latest roster.