The ESOL Teacher

Winter Holiday Sensory Boxes

2011-11-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

In order to practice listening with Kindergarten and First Grade students, I decided to create sensory boxes. It was easy to find winter holiday items to put in the box. I looked through Target's $1 section as well as the art section and holiday section. In my box, I have tiny cut up beads, foam shapes, small holiday balls, and plastic dreidels.

During my lesson, each student at the table had their own box. (I pulled 3 students at a time.) I asked questions such as find 2 gold stars. Show me a penguin. Find the dreidel. Can you find something in the box that begins with the letter t? You can play with number, color, letter, and beginning sounds. It is an excellent way to assess listening skills. I am excited to go to the dollar store to see what I can come up with next.

Keeping it Sensory!

2011-11-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

Using cheap hair gel, glitter and ziplock bags I created sensory bags for students to practice letter formation.

Kindergarten Venn Diagram

2011-09-14T16:06:00.001-07:00

Today I figured out how to compare and contrast with my Kindergarten ESOL students. I started with the book Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells. My objective was to use a Venn Diagram in order to compare and contrast characters and events. I drew Max on one side and Ruby on the other. Then I drew the key character points, events and objects on index cards. I put balls of tape on the Venn Diagram before the lesson. After reading and discussing the story, volunteers placed the cards on the Venn Diagram. The best part was that several of my students that aren't speaking yet were able to demonstrate listening skills that I hadn't previously observed.

Word Clouds

2011-02-21T15:49:00.000-08:00

Word clouds inspire me as an adult, so I was thinking of creative ways to use them in the classroom. I am planning to create a graphic organizer that asks my students to identify characters, setting, character traits, mood and interesting words. Kids can then take their organizers to the computer and create a word cloud to print out using abcya.com/word_clouds.htm. There are a dozen ways to expand the use of word clouds in the classroom, and I am excited to experiment.

WE LOVE PIGEON!

2010-05-31T08:06:00.001-07:00

We have read all of Mo Willems' Pigeon Books. Now we are practicing our Reader's Theatres!

Place Value to the Hundreds

2010-05-07T16:35:00.001-07:00

Students worked as individuals, partners, and groups to identify numbers. They used flats, rods and cubes with a graphic organizer. Students had to count each manipulative, draw them and record the number. Students then practiced reading their numbers through presenting in the Author's Chair.

Teaching Students to Evaluate

2010-03-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

What students think matters. Students engaging with the text is essential. Teaching students to evaluate is an excellent format for getting students involved with the text.

How to start if you are teaching ELLs...

Define evaluating
Make connections...food critics, movie critics, book critics
Build on Background...have students evaluate familiar foods, films, and books.
Explain Reasoning...have students explain WHY they do or do not like something
Use icons to help students recall the concept...thumbs up and thumbs down works well.
Apply the skill to a new text you are introducing.

Give Ownership to Noticings

2010-03-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Horton Hears a Who was part of our Principal's Book of the Month activity. Students shared their noticings during the initial reading. By placing student initials after noticings, teachers give students ownership over ideas. They celebrate student thinking. They increase student participation.

My Understanding of the Writing Bulletin Board

2010-03-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

The left side is Working Toward the Standard. It has student work from your current genre study. There is a rubric related to the genre study. Work has +,-, and x post it notes attached to it.
The right side is Meeting the Standard. It has student work from your most recently completed genre study. There is a rubric related to the genre study. Work has commentary on it.

Math Standards Board

2010-03-28T08:38:00.001-07:00

What can you find on a Math Standards Board?

1. A problem solving activity
2. The standard it was created to meet.
3. Student samples that are Working Toward the Standard and samples that Meet the Standard.
4. An original, activity specific rubric
5. Commentary that celebrates and guides students towards next steps.

What Good Readers Notice

2010-03-28T08:37:00.000-07:00

Good readers use reading strategies that have been explicitly taught and modeled.

Making Thinking Visible

2010-03-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Artifacts demonstrate that you value thinking. Students need ownership of ideas. By posting artifacts you create reference points and show that you value student ideas.

Possum Magic Text to World Connections

2010-02-24T08:32:00.000-08:00

Grandma Poss wore glasses. In the world possums do not wear glasses.
Anthony

Possum Magic Text to World Connections

2010-02-24T08:31:00.002-08:00

She made magic. Real possums climb.
Ana

Possum Magic Text to World Connections

2010-02-24T08:31:00.001-08:00

The possum in the book does magic, but in the real world possums do not do magic.
Tamara

Possum Magic Text to World Connections

2010-02-24T08:29:00.001-08:00

They sing. Possums in the the real world do not sing.
Jeffrey

Possum Magic Text to World Connection

2010-02-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

The magic made Hush invisible. Possums are visible. Fidel

Possum Magic Text to World Connections

2010-02-24T08:27:00.001-08:00

In Possum Magic they ride a bike. In the real world they do not ride bikes. They climb trees.
Katherine O.

Tens and Ones

2010-02-01T10:03:00.001-08:00

Today we worked on tens and ones. Students worked with a partner. They used beans to make groups of 10. Then they added the leftovers. For example, 55 is 5 groups of 10 and 5 left over.

Informational Writing

2010-01-08T18:13:00.001-08:00

Students are currently writing informational pieces. They are researching animals and taking notes on graphic organizers. Students are writing about sharks, bears, killer whales, spiders, penguins, and frogs.

Learn It After School Tutoring

2010-01-06T17:46:00.001-08:00

Students that are participating in the Learn It Systems after school tutorial program have been working on money! Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters!!

Marshmallow Geometry

2010-01-06T17:25:00.001-08:00

In December, our class studied plane shapes and solids. We used marshmallows and toothpicks in ordre to build pyramids, cubes, and rectangular prisms.

Ordering Events

2010-01-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are now studying time. Today we used the whiteboards and dry erase markers to draw things that we do in the morning, the afternoon and the evening. After the whole group activity, students used a graphic organizer and pictures to sort events according to the time of day they would be completed.

Sharp's Farm Field Trip

2009-10-22T17:54:00.001-07:00

Hispanic Heritage Month Art-Milagros

2009-10-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hispanic Heritage Month Art-Serapes

2009-10-02T18:16:00.001-07:00

Writing for a Purpose

2009-09-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

Vertical Addition With Fatima and Jeffery

2009-09-29T11:27:00.001-07:00

Story Elements

2009-09-14T13:47:00.001-07:00

Students worked together in groups to make story maps for Russell the Sheep.

Partner Reading

2009-09-13T06:38:00.001-07:00

Students use "alien fingers" in order to track print accurately.

Presenting Ordering Numbers

2009-09-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

A member of each group volunteered to go to the Presenter's Chair to share their group's four frames. The students had to tell the three numbers that they generated in order from least to greatest.

Ordering Numbers to 12

2009-09-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Today in Math, we worked on ordering 3 numbers from least to greatest. Students worked in small groups. They had four envelopes, and each envelope contained 3 number cards. They worked together with cubes to figure out which number was the least and which number was the greatest. They then placed the remaining number in the middle of the frame.

Constructing Meaning through Group Work

2009-09-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Greater Than 5 and Less Than 5

2009-09-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Today students used dice, connecting cubes, and graphic organizers in order to determine if numbers were greater than 5 or less than 5. Then they tried greater than 10 and less than 10. We used an elephant icon to remind us that greater meant bigger and a mouse icon to remind us that less than meant smaller.

2009-2010 School Year

2009-08-26T16:25:00.000-07:00

August 24th was our first day of class. There are 22 English Language Learners in my room this year. Reading Workshop and Writing Workshop have started with a bang! Students are enthusiastic about their work and eager to share in the the Author's Chair. New this year will be Math Workshop. I am implementing a workshop model in Math that will consist of an Opening Meeting, a Work Period, and a Closing Meeting. It looks to be an exciting year!

Neyda Loves The Snowy Day

2009-04-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

My favorite book is The Snowy Day because Peter threw a stick on a tree branch and snow falls on his head. That is funny. And they take their snowballs home. He dreams the snow was gone. That is funny too.

Jocelyn Loves Peter's Chair

2009-04-30T06:53:00.000-07:00

My favorite book is Peter's Chair because I like when Peter sat down at the little chair and he didn't fit.

Erica Loves The Snowy Day

2009-04-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

The best book is The Snowy Day because Peter made a snowyball and he put it in his jacket. He woke up and there was no snow. When he hit the tree and snow fell down on his head it made me giggle.

Kevin Loves Goggles!

2009-04-30T06:48:00.001-07:00

My favorite book is Goggles! because the big boys wanted the goggles and Willie took the goggles. I like when Willie took the goggles!

Brian Loves A Letter to Amy

2009-04-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

I like the book A Letter to Amy because Peter push Amy and she cried her heart out. They were still friends.

Kelly Loves The Snowy Day

2009-04-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

My favorite book is The Snowy Day because he slid down at the hill and he put a snowball on his jacket. Then he got his jacket and the snowball was gone. He played snowball fight and he hit the tree and snow fell at his head.

Pet Show Today!

2009-04-27T14:46:00.001-07:00

Kids were invited to share their pets with their classmates!

Kelly: How to Clean My Room

2009-04-23T07:21:00.001-07:00

First I get my stuff ready. Next I get my vacuum ready. Then I clean my shoes. After that I clean my bed. Then I put my things away. Finally I take a break at my bed.

Jocelyn: How to Wash a Car

2009-04-22T18:12:00.001-07:00

First you get a bucket and the soap. Next you put the soap on the sponge. After that I wash the car. Then I put water on it with the bucket. Finally the car is clean.

Neyda: How to Wash Dishes

2009-04-22T18:10:00.000-07:00

First get the dishes off the table. Next put the water on them. Then put the soap on them. Then scrub off the dirtiness. Finally put them to dry.

Brian: How to Clean Your Room

2009-04-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

First I get the vacuum and cover. Next I vacuum the room. Then I fix the bed. After that I take a break. Then I take the dirt and toys and put them in the closet. Finally I fix the shoes.

Ysaac: How to Make a Taco

2009-04-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

First I make a tortilla. Next I put on chicken. Then I put on tomatoes. After that I put salsa on. Then I put cheese on. Finally I put it in the microwave.

Erica: How to Make a Sandwich

2009-04-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

First you get out the bread salad cheese and mayonnaise. Next you put the mayonnaise on the bread. Then I put the cheese on the bread. After that I put the salad on the bread. Then I put the bread on the other bread. Finally I eat it up.

Ezra Jack Keats' Author Study

2009-04-22T17:46:00.001-07:00

Presenting the web during Closing Meeting

Ezra Jack Keats writes about the city, pets, children, families, the weather, and friends.

Ezra Jack Keats' Author Study

2009-04-22T17:40:00.000-07:00

Ezra Jack Keats writes about the weather.

Baltazar and Brian share ideas.

Ezra Jack Keats writes about children.

Collaborating to construct knowledge and make meaning

Principal's Book of the Month

2009-03-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

This our bulletin board for April's Principal's Book of the Month, The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. Students answered the following question: If you were the man with the ax, which animal would inspire you not to cut down the Kapok tree? Why?

Volcanoes

2009-03-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

There are 5101 active volcanoes. Volcanoes are in South America. Volcanoes can turn you into a statue. Smoke comes out of a volcano and lava. Inside a volcano there is magma. Volcanoes make a lot of noise.

Jason C., Grade 1

Monkeys

2009-03-19T06:29:00.000-07:00

Monkeys are funny. They swing on vines. They flip themselves when they are jumping. Monkeys eat bananas when they are hungry. Some monkeys are Howler monkeys.

Ilyas, Grade 1

Eagles

2009-03-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

Eagles can fly. They can lay eggs. They can crack open, and the eagle feeds the babies. Eagles live in trees.

Erykah, Kindergarten

Weather

2009-03-19T06:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it snows. It snows in the winter. It is hot in the summer.

Kelly, Grade 1

2009-03-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

Firefighters save animals. They don't hurt people. They put out fires with their hoses. They rescue cats from the tree. Firefighters have a black suit and a red helmet. And they have a ladder to climb. Firefighters are kind of cool.

David, Grade 1

Police

2009-03-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Police help people. They have guns. They have badges. They have walkie-talkies. Police get the robbers. They ride in police cars. The cars have lights. Police put bad people in jail. Jocelyn, Grade 1

Dinosaurs

2009-03-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Dinosaurs eat meat and flowers. Dinosaurs are big.

Katherine, Grade 1

Penguins

2009-03-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

Penguins are little. They eat fish. Penguins walk slow. They are black and white. They live on the snow and in the cold.

Tania, Grade 1

Bears

2009-03-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

Bears are cute. They have fur. Bears like to eat fish. They like to playwith other bears. Bears live in the forest. Bears eat strawberries.

Baltazar, Grade 1

Butterflies

2009-03-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Butterflies lay eggs. Butterflies are red and green. When the butterfly is born, the baby has two wings on each side. Sometimes butterflies make more eggs than one.

Erica, Grade 1

Pandas

Tough Boris

2009-01-21T05:39:00.000-08:00

My favorite Mem Fox character is Tough Boris because it was sad because the parrot died.
Jocelyn
First Grade