Bulletin board using anchor chart

Bulletin Board Using Deeper Meaning Anchor Chart

HIGHER LEVEL THINKING; ANALYSIS OF THE TMEME OR DEEPER MEANING

To make this bulletin board I utilized deeper meaning anchor chart above.

Next, I read the picture book, The Librarian of Basra,  to my students.  On one paper the students wrote down the conflicts of the story.  On another, they wrote down the setting of the story.  On another, they wrote down character traits of the librarian. To figure out the character traits the students focused on what the librarian did and that translated to a character trait.  Ex. She saved the books even when the governor told her not to; so she was brave. On the bottom of the board, the students wrote the deeper meaning of the book. To find the deeper meaning the students focused on what the characters did that was good and bad.  Ex. A war was started, so the deeper meaning was peace.  Ex. The librarian saved the books, so the deeper meaning was that books are the key learning. This bulletin board can then be used as a spring board, when teaching comprehension of other books.  It is easy to do! It  is meaningful, and the students have ownership in it.  Most of my bulletin boards this year relate to reading comprehension and can be used K-12th grade.

Author's Message

Teach author's message with this anchor poster.  

Higher level thinking analysis.

I made this poster with bubble letters from the computer and colored it with crayon. When teaching author's message I refer to the anchor poster above. I tell the students that the author's message, is a message that they can apply to their own lives. The author's message is the big idea of the story.  Even though a book may have animals as characters in the book, the message from the book can be applied to their lives.  To figure out the author's message, the students need to think about what the characters in the story did right and what they did wrong.   When teaching the author's message, practice it by reading several short stories.  It will take practice.  There can be several answers for each story and students may think of a message that the teacher did not (that's exciting).  When teaching author's message, you are teaching higher level thinking skills!
Examples of books and author's  message:
The Little Red Hen: To obtain things in life, you need to work hard ex. if you work hard in school you will obtain a great education ; the golden rule
The Farmer by Mark Ludy : Persevere when something is difficult and you will get through it; be kind to others even when they are not kind to you; hard work pays off; help others; be kind to people and animals; be thankful to God for what you have; pray in good times and bad times
Swimmy by Leo Lionni:  When you have a problem try to solve it; enjoy nature; teamwork
Little House On The Prairie by Laura Ingals Wilder:  Don't judge a whole group of people by the actions of some; persevere; you can get enjoyment out of the simple things in life

Doubling rule using wikki sticks

STUDENTS LEARN THE DOUBLING RULE IN  SMALL OR LARGE GROUPS USING MANIPULATIVES; WIKKI STICKS AND SMALL SQUARES OF PAPER WITH V (FOR VOWEL) AND C (FOR CONSONANT) ON THEM!

Teacher directions:  If you are doing this as a center; write the rule on an envelope and give an example.  If you are doing this as a large group, write the rule on the board.   IF THE WORD ENDS IN VC (vowel/consonant), DOUBLE THE LAST LETTER OF THE ROOT WORD AND ADD ING (THE SUFFIX). IF THE WORD ENDS IN CC (consonant/consonant)  JUST ADD ING (THE SUFFIX) TO THE BASE WORD. Next, if you are doing this as a center, write words on paper strips that you want them to  add a suffix to. Ex. slip, swim, walk.   If you are doing this as a large group, you can write words on the board.  Next, cut wikki sticks the length to underline 2 letters. Then, cut 3 small squares of heavy paper for each student. On  one square write the letter V (for vowel),  and on 2 squares print the letter C (for consonant) on each.

Student directions:  Students underline the last two letters of the  base word with the wikki stick from one of the words written on paper strips.  Next, they put the small squares on top of the two letters they underlined ( VC if the last two letters are a vowel/ consonant or CC if the last two letters are both consonants).  If it is a VC the students double the last letter of the base word and add ing (the suffix). If it is CC the students just add the suffix. Students write their answers on white boards or paper.  Next, they turn the paper  strip over and check it.  They make corrections if they need to and then write a sentence with that word.
Accountability:  The teacher checks their answers from the white board,  or paper. Therefore, if they use a white board they put all of their answers on the board and don't erase it until the teacher checks it.

Doubling rule 

Plurals center s or ies: check with magnetic wand

Fun, students check with a magnetic wand

Plurals center with magnetic wand

Teacher directions:  On the outside of an envelope write the rule.  If the word ends in a vowel y (VY) students add s to the word.  If the word ends in a consonant y (CY) students change the y to i and add es.

Next, write words on strips of paper that students are going to change into a plural, and write the answers on the back for students to be able to check.  PUT A PAPER CLIP ONTO EACH STRIP SO STUDENTS CAN TURN IT OVER WITH THE MAGNETIC WAND TO CHECK / THE FUN FACTOR.

Student directions: A group of students write the word on a white board or paper and underline the last two letters and put the code on top (CY OR VY).  NEXT, they add s or change the y to i and add es. Next, one student turns it over by touching the paper clip to the magnetic wand.  Students make corrections.

Teacher accountability:  Teacher check papers or white boards.

Plurals s or es Center

Plurals Center:  s or es

Teaching strategy:  Teach the students if the plural word makes a sssss sound like a snake, such as pots,  they just add s to the word.  If the plural word word makes an is sound, such as watches, add es.
Student directions:  Students say the plural word and listen to the sound.  They put a golf tee in a punched hole to indicate their answer.  Next, they turn it over and check. A star on the back indicates if it is correct.  Students can do this in groups where they all write their answer on a whiteboard and they take turns checking it.

Pancake Contractions

PANCAKE CONTRACTIONS CENTER:
Students can learn contractions in a fun way without doing a worksheet using paper pancakes, spatula and a fry pan!
How to make the center: Cut out white and brown circles and glue them together so that one side is white and one side is brown.  Next, on the white side, write two words that make up a contraction such as did not (uncooked side).  On the back, brown side, (which is the cooked side), write the contraction such as didn't .  I also write the student directions on the outside of the envelope that the pancakes go into.   I use a different color marker for the apostrophe so it will show up better.  Next, purchase a small fry pan and spatula.
Student directions: Students can do this center in groups.  Students need white boards, markers or paper and pencils.  One student puts the white side up of one of the contractions on the fry pan.  All of the students write down the contractions.  Then, the same student flips the pancake over, to the brown side.  The students check their answer and make corrections if they need to. Next, the students create a sentence with that contraction on paper.  The students take turns putting the pancakes in the pan and flipping them.  Students keep all of their answers on the white board.
Accountability:  The teacher checks the papers or white boards to make sure the students have them all correct.