Taylor Swift, writing, and tears

Say what you will about Taylor Swift, but I am a huge fan! I have talked about her in my classroom for years. The kids love her, and I love her because she writes so many of her own songs! I always talk about and share her songs when I talk about how and where writers get ideas. 

Here is a commercial clip I share with my kiddos every year. She says "it all began in fourth grade...little did he know, I was writing songs about..."

Well, after shedding plenty of tears this morning, I am an even bigger fan now!  I just saw her performance of "Ronan." Oh my! How moving and sad. My heart simply aches for Ronan's mother. 

I am sharing this because I have always talked about how writers are moved by other writers. We get our ideas from the world around us and other writers can inspire us. Taylor followed Maya Thompson's blog about her son's battle with cancer. Here is a link to the story: A Child's Cancer Story Inspires Taylor Swift. 

Maya's blog is raw and emotional, so I will not share it here for my kiddos to see. I will share how her writing through her grief and writing from their experiences moved Taylor. Many of the very words from Maya's blog were used in Taylor's song, Ronan. Because of this, Maya is credited as a co-writer. 

I also want to share this because this song is written as a narrative, and we have spent a lot of time studying what makes a narrative. We have discussed how even though we usually focus on one moment in time, not all of our moments are happy. Sometimes we even need to share the sad moments. 

I will be excited for us to participate in Scholastic Book Clubs: Read Every Day with Taylor Swift. Click on the picture below to learn more.

Alright, enough tears for now. Here are some of the great books that we are reading or will be reading very soon!

Just look at a few of my great picks from our book fair. Yes, the very book fair that makes me crazy because I love and hate it at the same time. I love it because I mean who doesn't love a book fair? I hate it because it means less book orders and points for us, LOL. As long as it is putting books in kiddos' hands, well I guess I won't complain. (too much ;)

Just look at what two of my sweet girls picked out at book fair.
You don't think I went on and on about it do you? haha

After our 5K Saturday, Katie Byrd and I made a quick trip to the book store. Katie had been reading through some of my kiddos Reader's Notebooks. She is such an avid reader and has read such an extensive number of titles; she was making quite a few book recommendations, and she even found one I did not actually own. Hard to believe, but yes, we had to add it to our library. These are some of our other purchases. I just LOVE books listed for $1 but only cost $.80 after discount!

One of my favorite picture book purchases from the book fair was Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell. You already know how much I love Molly Lou! This is a great character education book and wonderful for looking at theme ~ believe in yourself and never lose your imagination!

Substitute Creacher by Chris Gall is another fun story that I cannot wait to share with my kiddos. We ordered this picture book with our first book order, but we have been so engrossed in our study of narratives, we have not had a chance to read it. This is just such a fun little read aloud with a bit of a graphic novel feel to it. My students are really loving graphic novels at the moment, so this will be right up their alley. 

You know I am all about Chris Van Allsburg! One of my seasonal favorites of his is The Widow's Broom! Great story - with even better illustrations. One of my favorite things about this author is how he leaves so many things unsaid. It is up to you to read between the lines, to infer!    

Well, I must say good night my friends. Happy reading! 

I've been boo'd

Lori at The Reinspired Teacher has "boo'd" me! She mentioned our very own spot in the blog world in one of her posts. :)

This is a blog "linky party" being hosted by Cynthia at 2nd Grade Pad. What a great way for us to do a lot of blog hopping! I love learning from all of the amazing teachers out there!

• Here's how to play. Choose a fellow blogger that has MORE followers, another that has about the SAME number of followers, and last, someone that has LESS followers.
• Highlight their blogs with links to encourage others to check them out. Don't forget to let your fellow bloogers know that you shared about them.
• Lastly, leave them some love by offering them a goody from your store as their "treat."

I am excited to be boo'd and to participate in this fun linky party; however, I am sad to say that I do not have a TpT store. I know that I am behind the times not to have one, but I just haven't had anything amazing to share yet. Maybe one day...having said that, I do not have a "treat" to share. :/ So all I can do is say thank you for sharing, and I love your blog. I hope that will be enough.

Here are my three...

For the blog that has MORE followers than me, I want to share Kelly's site Teaching Fourth. She has been so nice to this new blogger and even invited me to her Fun Friday linky party. Be sure to check that out when you stop by her blog!

For the blog that has about the SAME number of followers as me, I want to share Bee's blog Bee Teaches. Technically she still has a lot more than me, but she is closer than most. Bee has also been very kind in her comments about our blog, and she has a great blog. Be sure to check her out!

For the blog that has LESS followers that me, I would like to share Jessica's little corner of the blog world, Joy in the Journey. She has some great ideas to share, so be sure to stop by and visit!

Happy blog hopping!

Making memories

As this is the first post all week, I am warning you ahead of time; be prepared for a long and (somewhat) rambling review of this crazy, busy week, full of amazing pics. hehe

I am wondering, if here in the blogging world, when you make mention of "whew...the busiest week ever," karma stands up and considers this a challenge... because let me just say that karma rose to the challenge of last week's "I've been so busy" post and (I am scared to say) delivered me one absolutely "busiest week ever!"

However, I must say that I am not complaining! I have made a ton of wonderful and unforgettable memories this week, and I am considering it challenge met. ;)

Many of the teachers of our school started our week off with what many in the sporting world might say resembles kickball. Not sure I would call anything I did on that field "kickball." Hmmm...what name would be befitting? How about, "Oh - please - don't - kick - it - out - here - ball!"  

Oh, all right, I am just teasing; it was tons of fun and many times (honestly, most times) quite comical, and I think we will be doing it again next week. 

 

I sure work with a great group of girls! So lucky to have such great teammates!

Later, our team then spent some quality time in a historical cemetery in Little Rock. Yes ~ a cemetery! A local drama club hosts Tales from the Crypt. A group of us signed up, had a fun dinner, then headed out to the cemetery when it got good and dark. The whole night was so much fun AND educational. hehe...I can't wait to go again!

 

Such a sad story in Arkansas History portrayed so well by the actors

Again, a great group of girls to make memories with!

So, my thoughts were to come home on Wednesday and post some witty and amazingly well written post (are you laughing yet?) about all of the fantastical things that happen in my classroom, but well, I don't know, this teacher came home and sat down for just a moment and didn't move until the next morning. Sign of my age, maybe, but I managed one night of rest before our class headed out to the field trip of the year. 

Our kiddos look forward to this trip for most of their elementary years. Fourth graders come rolling back into the school with smiles plastered to their faces, laughing and giggling about all the fun they had. Every little kid around them soon learns that hitting fourth grade means heading out to two days and a night of 4H Camp.

Check out the slideshow of all the fun our kiddos had Thursday and Friday! The only thing missing are the pics of the teachers looking like they had been run over by a truck. Crazy fun makes you (the you here being the adult, slightly aged teacher) crazy tired I guess. :)

 

To say that this field trip is SO MUCH FUN would not even begin to cover all that it is! I truly enjoy this experience each and every year for all that it is. I learn so much about my kiddos, and I love that the students that don't always shine in the classroom become little heroes for their classmates to look up to as they zoom up the rock wall or perfectly paddle around the lake or reel in their third catfish or create the most delicious smore or hit the bulls-eye ..are you seeing a pattern here? LOL

Friday ended with me in my bed looking and feeling like a zombie. I was silly enough to think that I might squeak out a post before passing out, but yet again, this did not happen. What was I thinking? Who knows? Talk about not thinking...in our infinite wisdom, Sarah and I scheduled a 5K for the morning after 4H camp! Holy cow!!! 

No worries though...we made it! Whoop, Whoop!  Not only did we cross the finish line, but we made our best time yet! So excited about that! 

Looking not quite as fresh after...lol

So that is a very quick rundown of a very busy week. Still - as tired as I am now, I wouldn't take back a minute of it! I had tons and tons of fun and giggles! You just can't beat that!

Now for some picture book fun!

One of my favorite seasonal books to share is Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld. Now, I don't share this so much because I think the kiddos will have the connections, but rather, I share it because my connections are so strong that I can't help but giggle every time I share it! I love for them to see me connect so strongly to something that makes me happy. I think most of you adults out there will get it! 

How much fun is this! Reminds me of being a kid!

This next little beauty is one of my purchases from the book fair this year. Yes it is a David Catrow! I fall in love with his illustrations more with each book, and my kiddos can point out a Catrow in a heartbeat, LOL. Monster Mash is a whimsically illustrated take on an old song that just like Seinfeld's Halloween, most of us adults will have stronger connections with than my kiddos, but I love it!

Now that I have shared some seasonal fun, here is one that I cannot believe that we have not already talked about. The Best Story Ever by Eileen Spinelli was a perfect start to looking at our narrative and how we really need to write from the heart. Write what moves you! 

With that, I will say for now, happy reading!

  

Currently loving fall days

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is enjoying this glorious weather! Whoo Hoo ~ loving me some fall now! I decided this would be the day for me to join Farley's "Currently" Linky Party.  Yes, I am a bit late, but that is pretty much the norm for me. Better late than never, I say! 

  

Look what I got!
A present dropped off
by a visiting student!

So I spent some time at work yesterday, surprise surprise ;) and set about planning for our short week. Can you believe we are a few days away from 4H Camp? This is the best field trip - so fun! In honor of camp, a friend reminded me of a fun little read aloud to share with my kiddos. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah! by Allan Sherman, illustrated by Jack E. Davis, is a silly look at camp life and the bundle of nerves camp can bring out. It will certainly be difficult to read without singing. Let's hope for my kiddos sake, I can refrain. 

Hmmm....this cover reminds me of
Mrs. Marshall for some reason!  Maybe we
shouldn't get in the canoes this year!

As I worked in my room, I looked back at all the work we have accomplished in such a short time. We have planned our narratives and some students have begun their drafts. We are paying close attention to make sure that we include the figurative language and sensory detail that we have practiced for weeks now. Last week, we looked at what makes a great lead, and we went over a number of great strategies to hook the reader. Students really enjoyed some that I shared, but I have to say that my favorite is the Ba-Da-Bing! I have had the best luck helping students craft a strong lead using this strategy. I first learned of it when I attended a Barry Lane session at the Arkansas Reading Conference. He shared this writing strategy created by Gretchen Bernabei. Together, they wrote about it in one of my all time favorite writing workshop books, Hooked on Meaning. 

 

With a Ba-Da-Bing, students begin by writing Ba: what their feet did, Da: what they saw, Bing: what they thought. For example: When I rushed through the door, I noticed my son wasn't home yet. He was so grounded! ~ Can you believe how brilliantly simple that is?! Uugghh...this is one of those, "Why didn't I think of that," kind of things.

Ba-Da-Bing: Barry Lane, Hooked on Meaning

Here is a short clip of one of the lessons on the video that comes with Hooked on Meaning. Each year, my kiddos love these!

 

While thinking about our work in writing our own narratives and our pulling apart story elements in our reading, I have pulled as many of my favorite narratives as I could. There are so many great titles and authors out there: Bunting, Lowry, Rylant, and Polacco. I really want to encourage my students as we read this week, to take a look at some of these wonderful and touching stories. I will share a few with the class as we talk about character traits and plot and then bring it back to our study of narratives.

 

Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnel will have my kiddos asking lots of questions as five year old Charlotte May tells the story of how she was mailed to her Grandmother with such a sweet and honest little voice. The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson is a wonderful narrative full of theme: acceptance and kindness. Both characters learn and grow watching each other from "the other side" of the fence. Just like Mailing May, this story is told with such an honest little voice; I can almost hear the little girl herself telling me her story. 

Crow Call by Lois Lowry is so perfectly illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, and Ms. Lowry left a beautiful author's note showing the significance of this story for her. This is a bit on the longer side for one mini-lesson, but it is definitely worth sharing over a couple of days. Again, I love sharing how a narrative story can pull in one small moment in time, one memory, and magnify it with such beautiful detail. 

 

OK, these next two are for seasonal fun! The Bones of Fred McFee by Eve Bunting and The Follower by Richard Thompson are rhythmical and repeating  and great Halloween reads. Would you think me completely over the edge if I told you that The Follower is great for reviewing prepositional phrases? Yes, I will try to find a way to fit grammar in just about anywhere, LOL.  I love them both and you just can't go wrong with a Bunting book.

One last thing before I call it a night and hit that huge stack of papers to be graded, edited, or replied to, whew...I wanted to say thanks to my sweet kiddos for donating books from the book fair and some from their very own libraries to help our library grow! So excited that we are sharing so many great books with each other! With that, I will say good night and happy reading!