Read Across America and Dr. Seuss
February 28, 2010 by Adrian
Filed under Recent Posts, teaching tips
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by Amy M. O’Quinn
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
~Dr. Seuss
Mark your calendar for March 2nd! Why, you may ask? Well, at our home we will celebrate my daughter’s tenth birthday on that day. But other children across America will also be celebrating the birthday of beloved author, Dr. Seuss, as well as participating in ‘Read Across America’, sponsored by the National Education Association.
What is Read Across America?
In 1997, a small task force at NEA came up with the big idea to set aside one day to really celebrate reading and motivate children across the country to pick up a book and read. They wanted the whole event to be exciting and inspiring—and to promote a love of reading. The task force also decided that March 2nd, the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) would be the perfect date. Thus, ‘Read Across America’ was born, and the first annual celebration was held on March 2, 1998.
According the NEA website, “Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.”
How does it work?
Although the NEA created and sponsors ‘Read Across America,’ teachers, parents, librarians, bookstore personnel, and other community volunteers at the local level organize and implement all kinds of exciting events to celebrate reading and get children involved in special literacy activities. There are many great ideas on the NEA/RAA website, as well as state educational association websites. The possibilities are endless.
Dr. Seuss (1904-1991)
What child doesn’t love a Dr. Seuss book? The rhythm and rhyme are delightful, and everyone has a favorite. My children enjoyed all the Dr. Seuss books, but they especially liked Green Eggs and Ham, Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? and The Cat in the Hat. In fact, they can all recite most of Green Eggs and Ham from memory. Would you? Could you?
When we first began homeschooling, I quickly discovered that Dr. Seuss books were perfect for oral reading practice to enhance fluency. The children loved the nonsensical language, yet they were able to experience reading success because of the simple words, repetition and familiarity of ‘old friends’ they’d known for years. Beginning readers need to feel successful; it motivates them to keep learning. Plus, the stories written by Dr. Seuss are just plain fun, and everyone needs a good giggle or chuckle from time to time.
How Can You Be Involved in Read Across America?
There are events and activities scheduled all over the country—in large cities and small communities. Chances are, the local school system, your child’s teacher, or your neighborhood librarians have already planned some special things for March 2nd. Visit the NEA website or your state educational association to find some fabulous fun near you. Perhaps you may even decide to volunteer or help organize some events.
If you have preschool children or are a homeschooling parent, you can also plan some activities to do with your child at home. Although we advocate reading ALL year long, it is still fun to have a special day to do something just a little bit different.
A Few Simple Ideas:
-Read Green Eggs and Ham—then MAKE green eggs and ham. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring to your egg mixture before cooking to create an unforgettable entree!
-Read Horton Hears A Who—then make elephant masks out of paper plates and construction paper.
-Read The Cat in the Hat—then make a ‘Cat in the Hat’ Hat! You can find some great (and easy) directions and photos for this project at http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/crafts/cathat.htm.
Resources:
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/dr-seuss-birthday/printables/
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/read-across-america-teachers/
There are also many Dr. Seuss books and videos available on Ebay, Amazon, Half.com, etc.
Whether you are a teacher, volunteer, librarian or parent or grandparent, reading to children and helping to foster a love of reading and books is an important job. So mark March 2nd on your calendar as a special ‘fun’ day to celebrate reading AND Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Ready. Set. Read!
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines including Jack and Jill, US Kids, Guideposts for Kids, Learning Through History Magazine, Highlights, GEORGIA Magazine, Homeschooling Today, International Gymnast, etc. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can visit Amy at amyoquinn.com or http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.
Autobiographical Character Sketches
February 25, 2010 by Adrian
Filed under teaching tips
by Sharon Blumberg
Here’s a prewriting activity I’ve used in my language arts classroom when students get tired of traditional book reports. I have students write a book about themselves. First, they answer the following questions to create an autobiographical character sketch. Later, each student can use his character sketch to create his “book” – which is the story of his life.
Questions to Create Autobiographical Character Sketches
If someone were to read a book about you, what would be the title? ________________________
List three interesting facts about yourself. ____________________________________________
What is your most important accomplishment at this point in your life? ____________________
Create a timeline of the most important events in your life.
______________________________
Please write a paragraph explaining how the world would be different without your life accomplishments, at this point in time? ______________________________________________
What kinds of hobbies and interests make you unique? __________________________________
What are the strength and weaknesses that make you unique? ____________________________
In what kind of setting would a story of your life take place? _____________________________
Who would be the major characters in your life story? __________________________________
What would be the plot and major conflict in your life story? _____________________________
What would be the climax and resolution of your own life story? __________________________
What point of view would your life story be told from? _________________________________
Recommended Books & Activities for Black History Month
February 3, 2010 by Adrian
Filed under Recent Posts, teaching tips
by Kathy Stemke
Black History Month is a time to create greater awareness of a strong and powerful culture with a rich history. The following books and activity ideas will keep children engaged as they learn about inspiring black Americans and their culture.
Bestselling and award-winning author, HYPERLINK Nancy I. Sanders has published over 75 books including A Kid’s Guide to African American History and D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet.
Her new book is America’s Black Founders, for ages 9 and up. Through the petitions they wrote, the sermons they preached, the literature they published, the churches they built, and the organizations they formed, African Americans influenced the birth of a new nation in powerful and far-reaching ways. Click here for several activity ideas from Nancy’s websiteClick here for several activity ideas for Black History month from Nancy’s website.
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa is an excellent example of a quality book that conveys black history in kid-appealing way. Ella’s story is told through the perspective of a cat, “Skat Cat Monroe,” who pulls in readers in with rhythm and rhyme.
LANGUAGE ARTS ACTIVITIES
Use words from this story to practice finding the number of syllables in words. How many syllables are in Skat? Fitzgerald? determination?
Have students look up words from the story in the dictionary and share reports either written or verbal. Let students determine alphabetical order of the words.
MATH ACTIVITIES
We learn in A Note From the Author that Ella was born in 1917. The story tells us that in 1935 the Harlem Opera House signed Ella as a featured singer. How old was Ella?
We learn in the story that Ella and Dizzy Gillespie headlined a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall in 1947. If she was born in 1917, how old was Ella in 1947?
We learn in A Note From the Author that Ella died in 1996. If she was born in 1917, how old was Ella when she died?
MUSIC & MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES
“A-Tisket, A-Tasket” was a hit song sung by Ella Fitzgerald that began as a “jump rope jive.” Jumping rope is an excellent work out and helps children develop timing and balance. Have your students jump rope along to Ella’s music and encourage them to create their own jump rope songs.
Dizzy by Jonah Winter features the famous Dizzy Gilliespie.
VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES
There are many instruments featured in the illustrations of Dizzy. Passing the book around, make a list of the instruments your group can identify. There’s a trumpet, sax, French horn, bass, piano and drums. Now brainstorm to create a list of instruments not featured in this book.
MATH ACTIVITIES
Review the music math words for solo, duet, trio, quartet and quintet. Call students up with instruments in singles and small groups and let the group name the band with these math music words.
ART & MUSIC ACTIVITIES
Painting to the Beat: Provide paper, watercolor paints and space for each child to paint. Play one of Dizzy Gilliespie’s many CDs that are available at your local library. Encourage children to paint to the beat. Ask them to consider what “color” a song feels like. Be sure to have them write the title of the song, along with their name and date on their musical masterpiece.
MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES
A Jazz Parade: Provide children with handmade instruments or objects with which they can create a beat. Turn on the music and have a parade. In my experience, first through third graders still enjoy this experience as much as preschoolers.
Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron
Recommended Ages: 4-8
The gospel rhythm of this lovely children’s book is matched only by the bold, color-saturated illustrations of little nappy-haired Brenda.
Cassie’s Colorful Day by Faith Ringgold
Recommended Ages: 0-4
Join Cassie on a colorful day with her dad. Young children will follow Cassie as she dresses up in her yellow-and-red polka dot dress, purple shoes, and green pocketbook, then heads to the ice cream parlor for her favorite treat–a pink strawberry sundae!
Something Beautiful by Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Recommended Ages: 5-8
This is the inspiring story of a young girl’s search for beauty in her violence-torn neighborhood. The illustrations and story are both beautiful and realistic.
Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Paul Curtis
Recommended Ages: 10 and up
The Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan are taking a trip like no other. They’re heading south to Birmingham, Alabama, toward one of the worst moments in American history.
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler
This picture book is a great lesson in history for our children about civil rights.
WRITING ACTIVITY
After learning about Mr. King’s famous speech, have the children write their own speech by filling in the blanks below.
“I Have a Dream Too!”
I have a dream that one day this nation will ____________________________________
I have a dream that one day _________________________________________________
I have a dream that one day _________________________________________________
I have a dream that ________________________________________________________
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day _________________________________________________
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day _________________________________________________
This is my hope and faith. With this faith we will be able to _______________________
__________________________________________________________________
This will be the day when __________________________________________________
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
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Visit Kathy Stemke’s blog at educationtipster.blogspot.com
Music Appreciation and Composer Study – Teaching Tip
January 29, 2010 by Adrian
Filed under Recent Posts, teaching tips
by Amy M. O’Quinn
To continue with my series on introducing children to the fine arts, I am going to discuss music appreciation and composer study and give ideas for how easy it is to incorporate this type of learning into our everyday lives. First however, I’d like to recap while I feel this type of exposure is so important.
Why Study Fine Arts?
“Charlotte Mason, a 19th century British educator, believed that exposing children to great ideas and beauty in all areas inspired them to greatness as well. She theorized that by letting them become familiar with the best artists, composers, and writers, they would be less willing to settle for mediocrity in themselves. As Elizabeth Gutman said in her book, The Story of Art, part of The Bookshelf for Boys and Girls series: “The magic power of art can arouse all kinds of emotions in us, from simple joy to much deeper feelings. And artists are great people whose works can gladden our eyes, enrich our thoughts, and deepen our feelings.”
“I think these words can apply to ALL areas of the fine arts. And with today’s norm of following the crowd or being happy with the status quo, we should want our children to be inspired and motivated to strive for more—to reach for excellence instead of being content with the marginal.”
Why listen to classical music or study composers?
We’ve all heard about the ‘Mozart Effect’ in the last few years. There have been books and studies claiming that listening to the music of Mozart actually helps to develop the brain, improve short term memory, and increase IQ. Many parents have jumped on the bandwagon and are exposing their children, some even before birth, to Mozart.
There is great debate on whether or not there really is anything to this theory, but research does show that when a child listens to classical music the right hemisphere of the brain is activated, and when a child studies a musical instrument both the left and right hemispheres of the brain light up. Nevertheless, the interest generated by this phenomenon has catapulted classical music back into the spotlight, and that in itself has been a good thing.
In addition, classical music is simply beautiful and peaceful. It’s universal and no matter what language, music forges a common bond. Music also creates emotions and enriches lives with the fulfillment that comes from enjoyment. Many people believe that the soothing tones of classical music influences children’s behavior in a positive way and increases attention span and concentration. A working knowledge of classical music and the men who wrote it also makes for a well-rounded education and individual. But never underestimate the ability of a very young child to appreciate and recognize a piece of music or the work of a composer. When my son was about two years old, he would shout out, “Tchaikovsky!” whenever he heard Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy!
The composers who made these musical contributions to the world are important in their own right and have their places in history as well. Many of them had extraordinary lives and are quite interesting to read about. Children are usually fascinated to learn things such as the fact that Mozart was a child prodigy who composed music by the age of five or that Beethoven continued to write music even after he lost his hearing. And although it’s easy to introduce our children to the composers as we expose them to various pieces of music, we can do so by casually mentioning the name. The main thing is to cultivate enjoyment and appreciation; a more in-depth study can be done as our children grow older.
There is an excellent article on the Ambleside Online website about music appreciation. And one of the writers/advisors, Wendi Capehart, summed things up quite well:
“In music study the same principles apply as do in picture study, nature study, and nature notebooks. That is the principle of attentiveness and good observation. The goal is not to have children who can give a lecture on music theory. It is to have children learn to enjoy classical music and tell one piece from another just as naturally as they learn the difference between, say, The Farmer in the Dell and When the Saints Go Marching In – because they are both familiar with and fond of what they are hearing. The more they are exposed to good literature, the better they get at reading the themes and language of literature. In art and music, the more they are simply exposed to pictures and music, the more they learn to ‘read’ the themes of the world’s classic compositions.”
So how do we introduce classical music or composers to our children?
1.) Start early! As Wendi said, it’s all about exposure! Simply playing classical music to children when they are young will train their ears to the ‘beautiful and lovely.’ At this age, they haven’t been conditioned by modern music to think of classical music as uncool or boring, and they will be more apt to develop an appreciation for it that will last a lifetime.
2.) Play classical music softly in the background of your home. It sets the tone and atmosphere of a peaceful household. In addition, everyone will begin to recognize the various pieces and probably request their favorites. Although not as calming as other pieces, my children always wanted to hear Flight of the Bumblebee! There are many inexpensive CDs that include the ‘best of’ different composers.
3.) Introduce composers casually as the pieces are played. For very young children, simply telling them who wrote the piece is usually enough. After awhile, they will begin to associate the music with the correct composer.
4.) Biographical sketches or short biographies of composers are appropriate for older children. There are many books and resources available to teach about the composer’s lives. I’ve included some of these in the ‘resources’ section.
5.) Consider using a planned rotation of composers/music for older children as well. Ambleside Online has a plan for a scheduled composer for each term and lots of other great links and resources at: http://www.amblesideonline.org/ComposerSch.shtml.
6.) Try to attend a classical music concert. We are all familiar with the large concert venues in big cities, but many local or regional orchestras also present concerts on a regular basis. This would be a great family outing. There are also occasionally concerts aired on television stations such as PBS.
7.) Children learn from their parents. When we show an interest in classical music and composers, our children will be more receptive. Again, it’s all about starting early and exposure!
Resources:
Classical Kids Collection created by Douglas Cowling, Walter Babiak, Erin Cooper-Gay, and Mark Donnelly. This set includes various dramatized stories/music clips about different composers such as Mr. Bach Comes to Call, Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery, Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Hallelujah Handel, etc. We have several of these CDs, and my children have enjoyed them immensely.
Baby Einstein Collection DVDs by Julie Aigner-Clark
Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers series by Mike Venezia
Great Musicians series by Opal Wheeler
Early Composers (Coloring Book) by Eric Tomb
Great Composers series (Coloring Books) by David Brownell
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt
Composer Study: Charlotte Mason Style website – www.squidoo.com/charlotte-mason-styled-composer-study.
History of Classical Music Study Guide- A curriculum by Beautiful Feet Books at www.bfbooks.com.
San Francisco Symphony for Kids website- www.sfskids.org
Online Classical Music:
Visit Amy M. O’Quinn online at amyoquinn.com or http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/picketfencemom.
Teaching Main Idea and Author’s Purpose
January 23, 2010 by Adrian
Filed under Recent Posts, teaching tips
by Roma Cox
What is the difference between Main Idea and author’s purpose?
Main Idea: All stories, paragraphs, poems and articles have a main idea. The main idea tells us what the passage is about. The main idea, if stated, is also known as a topic sentence, and is usually stated in the first or last sentence of the paragraph, but not always. Sometimes it is in the middle of the paragraph, and sometimes it is not even stated (but implied). The other sentences tell more about the topic sentence. To find the main idea, one needs to ask themselves, “What is this passage mostly about?”
Author’s Purpose: Every author has a purpose for writing his passage. It might be to give information, explain something, solve a problem, sell something, persuade, or even simply to entertain. Authors support their purpose for writing with their point of view…their thoughts, feelings and beliefs.
In reading fiction, one needs to know who is telling the story. Is it a main character? Or is it someone else, a narrator? It is also important to understand the tone or mood of a story (the feeling that the author creates). Is it funny, sad, or scary?
Children often have difficulty distinguishing the difference between these two reading elements. I find it helpful to teach Main Idea first, making sure they understand before I move on to Author’s Purpose. After they understand both concepts we discuss the differences. it is also important to question and listen to the child so you are sure they understand.
How to teach these to concepts: To begin with explain the concept you are teaching. You can actually read the descriptions I give above or use your own words if you like.
The next step can be quite fun if you adjust to the child’s interests. Do they like to fish, hunt, play games, help you, tell stories, or read about certain subjects? I have had students write a letter or an article, and then ask them to tell me their main idea and/ or authors purpose along with other questions mentioned above. Sometimes I choose passages that I know they would be interested in reading, and ask the same questions. While viewing a TV advertisement (or an advertisement on a cereal box) it can be fun to ask them what they think the authors purpose is, and if they agree with it. There are numerous daily activities that can support your teaching objectives.
Using curriculum is great too. There is some very good curriculum out there, which can be a time saver for you the educator, and there is nothing wrong with that if it is working for you and your student. I personally use both curriculum and the creative methods.
Don’t be intimidated. With a little information and the right tools, teaching children to read is fun and easy.
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Roma Cox, who is a professional tutor, has over 32 years experience in helping children learn to read. She is often given the children that are expected to fail, and her success record with these kids is 88.8%, and higher if given the children before problems develop.
She has an elementary reading curriculum available on line that “children beg to play”…not like anything else. You can learn more about her curriculum, her services, and receive her free News Letter by visiting her web site www.read-phonics.com.
Article source – ezinearticles.com
