CAN STANDARDS "PLAY" WITH BLOCKS?

One of my favorite professors (Wood Smethurst) used to say, “If you want to catch a rabbit, you have to have a rabbit trap.” If we want children to master skills, we need to provide them with materials, like blocks and play dough, that will engage them so they can learn and play at the same time.

Note! For some of these activities you will want to tape the paper to the blocks or use sticky notes. For other things that will be used in multiple ways (such as letters and numerals), you could write on the blocks with a permanent marker.

Sequence – Tape illustrations (from a workbook or worksheet) of different parts of a story. Children can sequence the pictures and retell the story using the blocks.
Rhymes – Tape pictures of objects that rhyme to blocks and have children match them up.

                   
CVC Words – On 2 ½” squares write consonants with a blue marker and write vowels with a red marker. Tape to blocks. Let children build CVC words using the blocks.

                         

Prefixes and Suffixes – Use a black marker to write root words on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks of the same size. Write prefixes with a green marker and suffixes with a red marker on 2 ½”” squares and tape to square blocks. Children place the prefixes in front of the root words and read. Place the suffixes on the end of the blocks and read.

                                       

Onsets and Rimes – Write rimes (vowel and letters following) on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper and tape to blocks. Write onsets (consonants and blends) on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Children put onsets on rimes and read the words.

Singular and Plural – Write nouns on 2 ½” x 5” pieces of paper. Tape to blocks. Write “s” on a 2 ½” square and tape to a block. Challenge children to read singular words and then make them mean “more than one.”

                      

Inflicted Endings – Write verbs on 2 ½’” x 5” pieces of paper. Write “s,” “ing,” and “ed” on 2 ½” squares and tape to blocks. Can children make words and then use them in sentences?

Letter Blocks – Write uppercase letters on 26 blocks and lowercase letters on other blocks. Can children match upper and lowercase letters?

                                      

Alphabetical Order – Ask children to put the blocks in alphabetical order.

Sight Words and Spelling Words – Invite children to reproduce their names, high frequency words, spelling words, or vocabulary words with the letter blocks.

Beginning Sounds – Using old workbooks, cut out pictures and tape them to blocks. Ask children to match up letters with pictures that begin with the same sound. (You could do this for final sounds or vowels.)

Building Sentences – Challenge children to construct sentences using the high frequency words.
I like…
We can…
I see…
Environmental Print – Ask children to bring in labels from food products or items around the house. Tape to blocks. Can they build towers and read the words?

Creative Writing – After building with blocks invite children to write a story about their sculpture. Who lives there? What do they do?

PRE-FIRST GRADE

Call it like it is. You can call it pre-first grade or first grade prep or standards boot camp or anything you want. But you should NOT call it “kindergarten” if there are no wooden blocks in the classroom!
                                     
Let me explain…

In 1840 German Friedrich Frobel coined the term “kindergarten” meaning “a place where children can grow in a natural way…like plants in a garden.” He designed interactive materials known as FROBEL GIFTS, which included blocks. Wooden blocks have been a basic learning tool in kindergartens since the early 1900’s. However, many districts are removing blocks from kindergarten in favor of “rigor” and standards.

For parents who are concerned about their children’s educational experience as a five year old, a very simple question to help them determine if the program is appropriate or not might be, “DO YOU HAVE BLOCKS?”

I’m not talking about plastic linking blocks or measuring cubes. I’m talking about standardized wooden blocks, or as we used to call them unit blocks. Why do I have this hang up on wooden blocks? Attending a kindergarten without blocks would be like going to a football game that doesn’t have a football or a cooking class without pots and pans.

What do children learn from blocks?
I am convinced that if “the powers that be” who removed blocks from early childhood classrooms understood the value of block play they might not have been so quick to toss them out. Blocks are a natural element and in this world of plastic and manufactured goods, it feels good just to hold a block. Blocks can be used to help children develop concepts of number, size, shape, space, and weight. They also encourage imagination, language, social skills, self-confidence, and motor skills. And, with a little creativity, you can use blocks to reinforce other academic skills and standards. Come back tomorrow and you’ll see language arts in the block center.

Now you tell me.  Would children learn more from 

constructing this or from going tap and swish?

LET'S GO CAMPING - IN ARMENIA???

“If your light shines, pass it on and then both will burn brightly.”

This is a story with a happy ending that reminds us that children all over the world are the same. And, it’s an example of how one teacher really did make the world a better place. I’ll let Barbara Williams Stoff tell you her story. Best of all, she’s sharing a copy of their camp curriculum with you. You’ll find some creative ideas you can use in your classroom, with limited English learners, or if you go on a mission trip.

                               
English Language Fellow Project
I was living in Armenia. Armenia is one of the poorest countries in Europe, or the near East, situated next to Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. It is also a former Soviet country. The people there speak Armenian, linked closest to Sanskrit, and not like any other language, though some of them still speak Russian from their former Soviet days. Although Armenia was once a very large country, it is now quite small with most of its borders closed to travel. I’ll never forget my days of entering Yerevan, the capital, and looking up to see Mount Ararat, the symbol of Armenia, now a part of Turkey. I never found Noah’s Ark there, but I believe it’s there all the same.

I was an English Language Fellow for the United States Department of State in Armenia in 2012-2013. At the end of my fellowship I was asked to give a mini-workshop by the American Embassy. I asked the American Embassy if they would give us funds to hold a camp for middle school aged students. Living in Armenia, I had noticed that there were many camps for high school age students, but nothing was offered for middle school age students.

My thoughts on this subject were guided by my observation that teachers often attended workshops but seldom used the knowledge gained in these workshops. I wasn’t sure if it was because they didn’t understand what they were being taught, or if they didn’t believe the information was useful to them. Now, I think it was a combination of both.

While in Armenia I worked for two universities and worked with the Armenian English Teachers Association. I had been teaching my students how to teach English using games, music, etc.; something they were not accustomed to in Armenia. There, everything is taught through the grammar based approach and memorization. The students don’t get very excited about learning English, because they feel it is boring and not useful to them. Especially boys, who don’t particularly like grammar as a rule.
The curriculum was based on fairytales. I tried to choose fairytales that didn’t include princesses so it wouldn’t be offensive to the boys attending. I also looked for fairytales that the students were already familiar with. Goldilocks and Little Red Riding were familiar to almost everyone.

My next step was to include the four areas of teaching English: listening speaking, reading, and writing. I wanted to “spiral” our curriculum so that it covered all four subjects. To do this, fairytales were incorporated using all of these areas. The purpose for this is having the vocabulary repeated through all four areas to establish comprehension and build vocabulary. Reading and writing had to be given in beginning forms because Armenia uses a different alphabet and these students spoke little to no English.

It was very important for this camp to be perceived as “fun”. We needed to work around that affective filter and also teach the teachers around us, that learning English doesn’t have to be boring, definitely a new idea for them!  

                             
The camp was a huge success and everyone involved benefitted from it. It was definitely the best thing I did that year as a Fellow.

Without people like Dr. Jean Feldman, who corresponded with me about using her songs and websites, this book would not have been possible.  There are people all over the world who work as diplomats for the United States, though most of their names are not familiar to many of us.  Reaching those who don’t have the means of buying CD’s or learning about current teaching methods is a gift to those who have great needs but few resources!

Here's a link so you can download a copy of their curriculum.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljUUZFNDhZbXpNWjA/view?usp=sharing

And here's Barbara's email address if you'd like to contact her.
bdusterhoff@hotmail.com

BLOOMING WITH BLOOM'S TAXONOMY

I studied Bloom’s Taxonomy in graduate school 4 decades ago, but it’s as valid today as it was in the 70’s. Benjamin Bloom developed a hierarchy of assessing thinking that gives you insight into the student’s processing and depth of understanding. 
                                      
Level One: Knowledge – Ask students to identify and recall information.
Level Two: Comprehension – Ask students to organize information or put it in another form.
Level Three: Application – Have students use facts, rules, and principles.
Level Four: Analysis – Ask students to break information into parts.
Level Five: Synthesis – Invite students to compile information in a new way.
Level Six: Evaluation – Ask students to develop an opinion or make judgments.

Many times when teachers are evaluated they are criticized for not using higher order questions. I’ve created these prompt cards that may help you improve in this area. You can download them and then cut out the ones that are most appropriate for your grade level. Glue them to index cards, punch a hole, and attach them to a book ring.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljVTNCemZnbUJVMVk/view?usp=sharing                                 
*Hint! Color code the different levels. For example, you could outline level one questions with a green marker. Outline level two with a blue marker, and so forth.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION - PART 2

Have you ever heard of the 20-80 principal? About 20% of your effort at something yields 80% of the results. In other words, you can teach smarter doing some simple things that can impact learning in a big way. You might want to try one of these questioning strategies each day and then reflect on the children’s responses.
                                       

1-2-3 Tell – Ask a question and then slowly count, “1, 2, 3.” When you say, “Tell,” the children all say the answer.

Thumbs Up Thinking – Tell children to stick up their thumb next to their chest if they have learned something. Stick up fingers for each additional thing you’ve learned.

Whisper & Release – Children whisper the answer in their fists. When the teacher says, “Release,” the students open their fists.

Right Now! Right Now! Right Now! – Children stop and freeze. Teacher asks, “Who can tell me something right now that they’ve learned that they didn’t know when they came to school this morning?”

Sign Language (Yes/No) – Teach children the signs for “yes” (wiggle fist in the air) and “no” (touch index and middle finger to thumb like a mouth closing). You can also use cards with “Yes” and “No” written on them.

How Much Do You Know? - Children hold up on their fingers from 1-5 to indicate how much they know about a particular topic.

Engage All Students - Call on students who raise their hands as well as those who don’t.

Phone a Friend – If children don’t know the answer, allow them to phone a friend (place hand by mouth and ear like a phone) for help.
*They could also “ask the audience” for help with an answer.

Pick Sticks – Ask each child to write his/her name on a large craft stick. Color one end green and one end red. Place the red end in the bottom of a can. Ask a question, and then choose a stick. That child gets to answer the question. Return their stick to the can with the red end up.

                         
Think Partners – Divide children up into pairs and let them discuss answers.
Children can also review information by “teaching” a friend what they have learned.

Written Response – Ask children to write the answer to a question.

Illustrated Response – Have children draw the answer to a question.

Choral Response – Children answer in unison.

Brainstorm – Brainstorm as a large group, small group, or individually.

KWL – Know, Want to Know, Learned – When introducing a new theme or concept make a list of what the students already know about the topic and what they want to learn about the topic. During the study they can be encouraged to write what they are learning.
*KWL can be done as a class or individually.

Question of the Day – Write a thought-provoking question on the board each day. Take time to listen to children’s responses at the end of the day.

Student Created Questions – Let students generate their own questions for a review.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION - PART 1

Isn’t it interesting that one of the most powerful teaching strategies is frequently overlooked? Between screens and assessment, there is the hidden secret of asking GOOD questions. As simple as it may seem, that’s something we can all practice and improve in 2016. 

Why ask questions?
     *Spark children’s interest
     *For assessment
     *To evaluate teaching effectiveness
     *To see where students are to set new goals
     *Evaluate children’s level of understanding
     *Motivate students to seek information
     *To encourage children to see new relationships
     *To challenge children to think critically
     *To help students make personal connections with the information
     *To encourage communication and learning among students
     *To summarize and evaluate

Here are some general tips for asking good questions:
                               
Open-ended – Ask open-ended questions, rather than “yes” or “no.”
Convergent questions have one answer, but divergent questions encourage students to make new connections and think outside the box.

Phrase Questions Clearly – Focus on one aspect at a time.

Acknowledge Responses - Avoid judging answers by repeating their response. “Good thinking!” “That’s close.” “I never thought about that before.” “Kiss your brain!”

How did you know that? Encourage children to “think out loud.” This will help peers develop higher thinking skills.

Probe – Extend students’ thinking by having them clarify an idea or support an opinion.

Give Time (Smile! J) – Help children think about what they want to say and provide for individual differences by asking children to smile if they know the answer. Allow at least 3-5 seconds of think time.

Pause – Pause a few seconds after students have responded. This may encourage them to think more deeply or to elaborate.

Come back tomorrow for some specific strategies that are easy to implement and could have powerful results!
                                                          

Isn't this the best "kiss your brain" hat ever?  

It's almost as awesome as the wonderful teachers I met 

when I did a workshop in Vero Beach last Saturday!

GAMES WITH A TWIST

O.K. Here are some indoor games that take advantage of “instructional time” and can twist “fun” and “rigor” together. (Smile and wink!) They can be adapted from something as simple as shapes or colors to letters, numbers, words, vocabulary, math facts...whatever skill your students need to practice and master.
                           
It’s important to remember that it takes several times before children “get” how to play a game. Introduce the game, play a few rounds, and then try it again the following day. Never drag out a game, but “quit while you are ahead” so they will want to play it again. In addition to reinforcing skills, these games will also develop the executive function (self-regulation) and 21st Century Skills (cooperation, collaboration, critical thinking).
Hint! Paper plates are cheap, durable, and make perfect flashcards for these games.
                                  
MUSICAL PLATES
Skills: words, letters, math facts, colors, shapes, etc.
Materials: paper plate flashcards with information you want to practice
Directions: Do you remember the old game where you placed chairs in a circle and walked around until the music stopped? If you didn’t find a chair you were OUT! This is a similar game that can reinforce letters, words, colors, math facts, etc. Scatter the paper plates on the floor. Play some catchy music for the children to dance to. When the music stops each child finds a paper plate and picks it up. The teacher randomly points to various children to identify the information on their plates. Have the children place the plates back on the floor and continue dancing.
*If the child is unsure about what is on their plate invite them to “ask the audience.”

RED ROVER, RED ROVER
Skills: words, letters, shapes, colors, etc.
Materials: flashcards
Directions: Divide the class into two teams and have them stand on opposite sides of the room facing each other. Give each player a flashcard to hold in front of them. The teacher goes to one team and asks, “Who do you want to call over?” The children select someone from the opposite side and say, “Red rover, red rover, send (word) right over.” The child holding that word walks, hops, tiptoes, or jumps to the opposite side. The game continues as sides take turns calling words over.

WORD HUNT

Skills: words, letters, math facts, etc.

Materials: flashcards

Directions:  Have the children close their eyes as you hide the flashcards around the room.  Children open their eyes and hunt for the words.  When they find one they bring it to the teacher and read it.  Then they hide it again and look for another word.  The game continues as long as the children are interested.

HEADS UP - SEVEN UP
Skills: words, letters, numerals, shapes, etc.
Materials: flashcards
Directions: Seven children come to the front of the room and are given a flashcard. The rest of the class places their heads down. The seven tiptoe around and place a flashcard by a friend before returning to the front of the room. The seven join in and say, “Heads up! Seven up!” Children who received a flashcard stand up and identify the information on their card. They then get three guesses to determine who gave them the card. If they guess correctly they get to switch places that person.