[MOSAIC] Vocabulary
My name is Kim and I am a kindergarten teacher in a suburban school district. Our district has invested in Scott Foresman Reading Street. I have worked with Scott Foresman series before and am very pleased with the changes in the new edition. One thing I have really appreciated is how the vocabulary words are integrated in the song and rhyme charts, the story, and other materials. The repeated exposure is a plus. I also encourage students to use these words beyond the reading instruction (ex journal writing), if they get caught using the word and use it correctly they get to put a star on a chart. At the end of the month students with the most stars gets a prize from my treasure chest. Initially everyone was excited and tried to use these words. I now feel like I have to force them into using it by designating particular writing assignments. I would love any ideas to get the students more "excited" about the words and to use them more. Prior to my current school I worked in a school where I have seen first hand the effects of poor vocabulary skills as early as kindergarten and its effects in later years. I feel vocabulary instruction is critical, especially for comprehension-obviously so does Scott Foresman. I would greatly appreciate any ideas you could pass along. Kim ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Rhyming
I was fortunate to be part of a research study with Dr. Blachman, using Road to the Code. In one of the activites the students have to guess which one is not like the other adapted from Sesame Street. Students are presented with four picture cards three of which rhyme. Students have to guess which one doesn't belong. I also use these same cards during our whole group time and students have to guess my rule, some days it may be they rhyme, have the same intial sound, or they have something in common. The students love trying to guess my rule. To extend you could have students select, draw, or say three things and their classmates have to guess the rule. I have also made bingo cards using the same picture cards, students pick a card from a pile, say the word, and determine if they have a rhyming picture. Kim ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] strategies for little ones - reading power
Karen, Thank you for the info, I liked what I saw so I bought a copy today as I enjoyed our windchill day at home. I really appreciate your time. Kim K/Syracuse ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] strategies for little ones - reading power
Is Adrienne Greer the author? I have been looking at vaious books that have the title, but not by her, I would love to take a look at this book can you give more info on this book? Kim ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] strategies for little ones
The two things that my current class seems to like to write or talk about is their questions and their conenctions they have made to the text they have read. Everytime I read to the class I try to come up with questions and write them on our class reading log and connections I have made to the text. The students seem to really like when I share my thoughts and connections with them. When we are done they share their questions and connections they have made and will write about them in their reading log. I am always amazed at the connections they made and look forward to reading their reading logs. I have students that work well above level to way below. Where the higher level group writes much of their own connections and questions the lower group is still working on early concepts of print and their work is more illustrations in nature. I use this opportuntiy to work one on one with the writing process during our conference time at the end of the day. Regardless both groups have very meaningful connections and questions and are eager to share them because they want to be good readers. Kim ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] Kindergarten Questioning
I am currently working in a kindergarten classroom and this has been a struggle for me too. One thing I do is: when we do our picture walk to help us make predictions we talk about questions we may have before we read, as students share there questions I write them on our class reading log. As we read I may write down a question I may have and encourage students to share theirs. Once we are done we revisit our questions, determine if we can answer them after we have read and write down our answers. At this point if there are any other questions students have they share them and see if anyone can answer them. It took a lot of modeling in the beginning,to what are good questions but the kids really are catching on. I also use this same format for our small group work as this allows me to help the more struggling students in a smaller setting. Best of Luck! Kim ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] phonological awareness and phonics reinforcement ideas
Starfall.com is wonderful and internet4classrooms.com has a lot of wonderful tools for math and literacy by grade level. I teach kindergarten and my students love both of them. When I worked in a Reading First school the reading coach also gave us Phonics They Use by Patricia Cunningham to help us develop lessons and centers. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
