Motivating Lesson about Primary and Secondary Sources

  
So, Monday we have a common assessment that our department will be giving. I realized that I had to come up with a quick review of Primary and Secondary sources. So I wrote numerous examples on index cards and decided to review the meanings of primary and secondary source. Then I explained the rules of my game.

The students had to be the first to pop up and name which type of source I described. If the student was correct, they got the card. The student with the most cards won. This was the best activity. The students were all really motivated, it took 15 minutes and only cost me a cool pencil!

The students understood the differences and I think they should do really really well on Monday!

Primary sources I used:
Birth records
A letter to President Obama from the Queen of England
An autoboigraphy about Nicki Monaj
A recording of a speech given by Martin Luther King
An interview given by a passager from the Titanic
A photograph of your great, great grandparents.
A suitcase that was recovered from the ocean floor near the Titanic.
The original screen play of your favorite movie.
Pottery of the Inca.

Secondary sources I used:
A news report about Whitney Houston
A biography about Michael Jackson
An article about the sinking of the Titanic.
A perdiciton about how the Titaanic sunk by scientist of today.

Check out this giveaway!

There is also a giveaway by Teaching ... My Calling. Here is the link. http://teachingmycalling.blogspot.com/2012/03/its-time-for-giveaway.html

Cara is giving away a beautiful necklace by My Blue Snowflake which can be found on Esty.
Check it out.
Deane~

Hi,
There is an excellent giveaway happening over at Theaching Tweens Reading, Check it out at the site below.
http://teaching-tweens.blogspot.com/2012/02/100-followers-giveaway-11.html#comment-form

I have been reading this blog for a little while now and I love the ideas that she posts for middle school.
So check it out.
Thanks,

Deane

Testing Tips That I Am Sharing With My Students

MCAS which is our state test, is coming up in March. On Monday, I started giving the students "Testing Tips."

Tip #1: Read the questions first.
            Circle the command words and location words.
            Box the bolded words.
            Underline the key words.
            If a location is mentioned, go to the location and write the question number and the question.
            Skim the text for key words.

Tip #2: Actively read the passage.
            Underline the answers to the questions and mark the questions in the margin.
            Circle any words you do not know, then reread looking for context clues to help you make meaning.
            Write any reactions that you have to the text in the margins.
             Mark the quotes that will support your answer for any open response question.

Tip #3: Label the "TAG"- Title, author and genre.

Tip#4: Read the directions and always read the introduction statements.


Tip#5: Use process of elimination to help with tricky questions.
         Read all the choices.
         Cross out the choice that is not mentioned in the text. 
         Cross out the choice that is not related to your question.
         This will help you increase your chances about getting questions correct. 
Those are the tips I have shared with my students this week. 

Deane

Blogging update

Well, I am happy to report that the blogging with my students is going great! They are reading " Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. The are choosing a reading response log question for each chapter and them blogging their answers. When we are back from vacations I will be showing students how to follow each other using my blog. Students will them be reading each others blogs and making comments or asking questions about the blog posts.  When I was specking to my department head she was asking me what objectives the students were covering and I became amazed when I thought in depth about all the objectives I am fulfilling. From the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks:


1.3 Apply understanding of agreed-upon rules and individual roles in order
to make decisions
3.10 Present an organized interpretation of a literary work, film, or dramatic
production
4.20 Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues (contrast,
cause and effect).
6.7 Analyze the language styles of different characters in literary works.

8.19 Identify and analyze sensory details and figurative language.
8.20 Identify and analyze the author’s use of dialogue and description.

8.21 Recognize organizational structures (chronological order, logical order,
cause and effect, classification schemes.)
8.22 Identify and analyze main ideas, supporting ideas, and supporting details.
8.24 Interpret mood and tone, and give supporting evidence in a text.

8.25 Interpret a character’s traits, emotions, or motivation and give supporting
evidence from a text.

8.29 Identify and analyze patterns of imagery or symbolism.
8.30 Identify and interpret themes and give supporting evidence from a text.

10.4 Identify and analyze the characteristics of various genres (poetry, fiction,
nonfiction, short story, dramatic literature) as forms chosen by an author
to accomplish a purpose.


12.4 Locate and analyze elements of plot and characterization and then use an
understanding of these elements to determine how qualities of the central
characters influence the resolution of the conflict.

17.4 Identify and analyze the similarities and differences between a narrative
text and its film or play version (The movie is coming out in March!)

Blogging with Eight Graders

OK, I just got a great new group of students that just need to gain some comprehension and understanding to raise those test scores. I know that they are pretty good writers, so they will be using Blogger to Blog about the novels that they have chosen to read in my class. I am going to ask that each student comment on someone else's blog. I think it will be great I will keep everyone updated.  Our first step was to sign everyone up with an E-mail account through G-mail.  Next class, we will look at the features and sign up for our blogs. =)

Thanks,

Deane

Mid-year Struggles with Middle Schoolers

January into February the students turn into little monsters. They start complaining and some refuse to do work. They get fed up with the same old same old. So, we as teachers need to pull out the tricks and tools of the trade to make them motivated, and excited.  What kind of tools? Well, I have several ideas, I would like to share with reading teachers, and really some can be used in all subject areas.

Basketball Trivia

Materials:

1 paper ball make of crumpled paper and tape

1 trash can with a clean bag in it

1 table

1 roll of tape

Before Class:

Make a list of questions from anything that you have taught during the week. I try to include vocabulary words, questions about the novel or any readings that we have been reading, and questions about any skills or strategies that we having been working on.  Sometimes, I put a word bank on the board. Arrange the chairs into two rows facing each other. Put a table at one end of the rows with the trash can on top of the table.

Use the tape to mark the floor about 15 ft. away from the table with the trashcan. This is your free throw line.

XXXXXXXXXX

Free throw line I                                  Table

OOOOOOOOO

Rules/ Directions:

1.     Have one student from each row come to the free throw line.

2.     Go over the rules with the class.

a.     All bottoms must remain on their seats at all times.

b.     A bottom off of the seat will cost the team one point penalty reduction.

c.      The first student to answer the question correctly will get 1 point for their team and will be given a free throw shot.

d.     If the ball goes in the team get 2 bonus points.

e.     The team with the most points at the end will be the winner.

3.     Once all of the students have had a turn to answer a question this ends round one. Have the first person in one row move to the last seat in that row and everyone else move up a seat. This way the students will now be facing another opponent. Do this every time using the same row of students to move up one.

Created By: Deane Murphy

More to come stay tuned!