International Literacy Day 2014

Saturday, May 31, 2014 No comments
Maybe you are like a few people on my team (who shall remain nameless) who have already started making back to school packets and putting together goodies for Meet and Greet. Maybe, just maybe, you are one of those people. As you may have guessed, I am not. I repeat, am not

This post is for you guys though! Seriously, it's all about you and your awesome planning! It may also help me remember if I post it here! :)
Get out your calendar and save this date for fall......September 8th! This is International Literacy Day! NASA and our friends at the International Reading Association have worked together to create a great teacher resource for the big event! Click on any pic to visit the site!
Best part? There are tons of GRADE LEVEL SPECIFIC ideas that you can incorporate in 60 seconds or less! Of course, you probably have all kinds of extra time. HA! 

As many of these are perfect for home with your own kids or school, it is a pretty awesome resource!

We already do way more than 60 seconds of literacy each day! So go ahead and take the pledge! When you do, the amazing packet above will be delivered to your email and your class can joins millions of kids all over the world in celebrating literacy!
Follow along on Twitter with #ILD14 and be sure to tell your friends! The resource alone is amazing! 

and please help me remember! :)

Hellooooo Literacy!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 No comments
My friend Jen Jones from Hello Literacy presented in Fulton County this week. When I found out she would be just a hop, skip, and a jump away, I had to go! 
@helloliteracy
I've been a fan of Jen way before we met at IRA a few weeks ago. In fact, I told her I was a fan before she had fans! Ha! #oldschoolblogreader

The teachers participating in her presentation today were so excited! They were engaged, taking notes, chatting on topic, and nodding along with Jen. It was inspiring! The topic was Common Core, but the material was best practices. I loved it! I have my fingers crossed that she will visit our school soon! I mean, how fun is this? 
@helloliteracy
If you are a K-5 teacher, homeschooler, or parent who just wants to work a little extra with your reader, visit her page! In fact, pack a lunch and plan on staying a while!! There is sooo much GOOD information! 

Do you have another favorite teacher blog? Please share! 

What We're Reading Sunday

Sunday, May 25, 2014 No comments
Thanks for checking out our weekly post, What We're Reading Sunday! 

T's reads....
We headed to Mobile for Memorial Day weekend and T asked if he could bring a couple of stories for the road. I said YES!! What did he choose?
@Amazon
Do you know this series by Jerry Pallotta (author of the Who Would Win series I LOVE!) They are cute and fun. T loves the pictures and guessing who might be on the next page! 
+Amazon.com 
Next to go in the suitcase was Mo Willems' That Is Not A Good Idea! We went to a reading and signing for this book last year and T has loved it ever since. He packed it because, "Oba needs to see this one!" He is so right. My mom does need to see this book!

Mommy's reads....
I'm finishing Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I'll be honest and say it took me a few pages to get into this one, but now I don't want to stop reading! 
@Amazon

What's next for us? We're planning our summer #bookaday! EEEK! So excited!

What are you reading?


Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

Saturday, May 24, 2014 No comments
Brace yourself!

This book....
@amazon
is being made into a movie starring Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner!!
@Disney
I think we all know where I will be on October 10 with my son, first graders, and book buddies!

Save the date and cross your fingers that it will rank as high as Holes on my movie/book list! 

Summer Reading with Pottery Barn Kids

Thursday, May 22, 2014 No comments
Pottery Barn Kids is once again supporting summer reading! 

@PBK
To participate, children read books from their suggested list (hello library visit!!) and then bring their printable bookmark to a Pottery Barn store to redeem it for a FREE book! Woo hoo! 
@PBK
They are hosting readings this summer at their stores! I mean, if you are already at the mall, why not??

In even better news, Pottery Barn Kids has partnered with PBS Kids and you can find tons of FREE resources--videos, games, printables-- for summer reading fun! 
@PBSKids
So glad my friend Leticia, Tech Savvy Mom, shared this with me! My little reader and I can't wait to get started! 



IRA14 in Pictures!

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 No comments
 
Mr. Kinney's sketchbook, book donation station, 1,000's of passionate educators!
Met and loved both of those amazing authors! Joy Cowley~big highlight for this primary teacher!
DAV PILKEY! He's not just Captain Underpants friends!  His speech brought this teacher to tears! Then I laughed....a lot! 
New friends-genuine and kind-Heidi and 
The line for The Sisters formed hours before the start time! PACKED HOUSE! 
I've met these amazing teachers quite a few times and I have something new to tell them each time! Reading Rockstars! Loved tweeting with them during IRA14! 
Curious George lovin' and P. David Pearson~I LOVED his speech! 
Who is this? THIS is Amanda Hartman, TC Staff Developer and author. I'm a big fan! Her session spoke to my nonfiction soul!
Sharon Robinson, author and daughter to none other than JACKIE ROBINSON shared stories of her  family. You know I love number 42
Have you read RUMP by Leisl Shurtliff? If not, add it to your summer reads! I picked it up for A's class! 
If you have not met Zero and One by Kathryn Otoshi, you will want them~character ed told in the most kid friendly way possible with great illustrations. Two (now on my wishlist) comes out later this year! 
and last but not least, SAVE THE DATE for IRA15! I can't wait!

School's Out For Summer!


Today is the last day of school for us!



I love my class, but let the family time begin! 

Real Message of IRA14!

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 No comments
The official slogan of the 2014 International Reading Association Conference was "Reading...the teachable moment."

The unofficial slogan of the 2014 International Reading Association Conference was "The Power of Choice."

Session after session, conversation after conversation focused on the power of choice for ourselves and for our students. 
@Mystic Chicanery
Let them read what they are interested in reading! 
Let them write what they want to write about!
Let them show you what they know in a variety of ways!
Let teachers choose the training they want and need!
Technology gives us choices! Choose, but choose wisely.

Choice is power. Let's empower our learners! Let's empower ourselves!

I hope you will make the choice to go to IRA15

Seriously-awesome! 

Early Birdy Gets The Worm

Monday, May 19, 2014 1 comment
I like poetry.

I always have. I like to read it. I like to write it (not very well) and I LOVE sharing it with my students. Bruce Lansky's poetry was introduced to me early in my career. I received New Rhymes for Bedtime and New Rhymes for Mealtime from another teacher when she retired. What a gift indeed! Later, I met what quickly became a favorite in my classroom, Mary Had a Little Jam. This is another Bruce Lansky work illustrated by Stephen Carpenter. The tunes are familiar and the rhymes are quite clever. I'm a fan.
@Amazon
When asked to review Lansky's latest book, Early Birdy Gets the Worm, I jumped at the chance! In this wordless story, the reader reads the pictures and tells the story. T loves it. I mean, he LOVED reading this book to me. My preschooler first said, "Where are the words?" Keeping in mind that we've read many a wordless book, I told him to figure out the story without words. 
@Amazon
He did and it was beautiful. Beautiful. He then did it again. He went back and added what each bird was saying. It was hilarious. In fact, he keeps going back to this book. The ending makes him laugh, though he predicted it from the start! 

This is what early reading should be....about story, paying attention to the pictures, making inferences, understanding loosely the beginning, middle, and end. I'm growing a reader and this book is now a favorite! 
Don't be fooled by the wordless part. Don't think this book is just for the toddler crowd. It's not!! It would be perfect for K-2 classrooms! Developed readers could write the words to go with the story while early readers can read the story to a friend. 

Celebrate the story that is Early Birdy Gets The Worm! 

What We're Reading Sunday

Sunday, May 18, 2014 1 comment
Thanks for checking out our weekly post, What We're Reading Sunday!

As I have just returned from the International Reading Association conference, we are quickly reading through my stack of goodies! 

T's choices.....
@Amazon
We actually pre-ordered this book. We are BIG Mo fans! He keeps going back to it....as expected. If your child likes Pigeon and doesn't always like a bath, you must get this one. I'll be reading it to my first graders this week. I see lots of classroom possibilities, too! 
+Amazon.com 
Next up, a little Who Would Win action! I met Jerry Pallotta for the second time at IRA. I'm a big fan! My first graders LOVE these books and T does, too. K-2 teachers, you need these whole set! They are great for research and really support the CCSS! Parents, these are a fun, informational read aloud! 

Mommy's reads....
Let's be real. There are like 3 days left in school. I have no time for reading. I'm mentally and physically exhausted by bedtime so I can't even read then! We've had field day, the first grade picnic, the marathon, kickball, our end of first grade celebration (sooo emotional!!!) etc. So I haven't actually read anything but my Scholastic Instructor Magazine, but I am totally about to (any minute now) read this-->

+Amazon.com 
I loved Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park and am really excited about this one, too. I picked it up at IRA as well. In fact, lots of people did! If Fangirl is half the book Eleanor and Park is, I'll be one happy reader!
What are you READING?

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