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SOL #13: Monday, What are you Reading?

Posted in Books, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged IMWAYR, picture books, Puzzled by Pink, Sarah Frances Hardy on March 13, 2017| 7 Comments »

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

Raising three daughters is a challenge. Now that they are adults, I try to forget the tough times. I like to forget that Maggie hated the dresses that I smocked. And that Katherine wanted to wear Sunday shoes to school. Martha wore the smocked dresses, but did not like matching her sisters. Each girl had her own personality, and in truth, I had a hard time keeping up. “Mom, don’t you know I Hate baked fruit?”

This weekend at the first SCBWI LA/MS regional conference, I met picture book author and illustrator Sarah Frances Hardy. Who knew when she sat at my table that we would connect in so many ways? She now lives in Oxford, MS, but she grew up in Jackson, like me. Later in the evening we sat next to each other at dinner and found out more things we have in common; we both have three daughters.

Sarah hilariously depicts the individual likes and dislikes of girls in her latest picture book, Puzzled by Pink.

Izzy’s sister Rose loves pink, but Izzy wears black, has a black cat, and carries a monster doll. It’s Rose’s birthday and Izzy refuses to wear a pink tutu. Izzy makes a party of her own in the attic complete with an invisible friend. This book speaks not only about being unique and accepting every one as they are, it also speaks to creativity and imagination. I am especially attracted to the details in Sarah’s artwork. All the way to the creepy spiders.

Sample page from Puzzled by Pink. Can you find the spiders?

On Sarah’s blog site, there is a post about making a birthday party celebration based on the book. There are links to fun crafts, too. Consider having a Puzzled by Pink party in your classroom. What costumes would each student wear? Let’s celebrate differences!

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SOL #10: Experience Life Twice

Posted in Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged found poem on March 10, 2017| 19 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty

I am blessed to have a group of friends who chat through Voxer. This poem came out of a conversation on our chat. It’s a found poem. But the words were found from spoken words. Their arrangement here is changed to make them flow together as a poem. Creating a poem is a puzzle to be pieced together. Creating a life is a puzzle to be pieced together.

My Presbyterian husband did his best
to make me feel guilty
about this irreverence,
this moving on.
I’m having a hard enough time
finding my voice,
finding a new perspective.

We all know things can change
in the blink of an eye.
I’m ready;
I’m creating a new story for myself
welcoming this grand adventure.

It’s all about revision,
another draft.
I want to learn something new
Maybe that’s asking too much.

We are all inching our way to that something–
who we are, who we are meant to be
So many things get in the way.
No one path will be the path.
Ultimately, we do the best we can.
I am making my way
as you are making yours.

–Margaret Simon, all rights reserved

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SOL #5 DigiLitSunday Slicing

Posted in Blogging, Digital Learning, Gifted Education, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged Kidblog, Slice of Life Classroom Challenge, Two Writing Teachers on March 5, 2017| 19 Comments »

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

I was just informed that March is SOL challenge month. It’s a cruel, cruel world. We have to make SOL every single day. I don’t know if I will survive this deadly month. Okay, that was a little ( lot ) over the top of the ice cream cone. Yeah, that was a metaphor.

That’s kind of like saying over the mountain but in your mind picture a mountain sized ice cream cone with a ton of chocolate going right on the top and turning it into a chocolate avalanche. Did you do that? Good for you. Now I will grant you as many wishes as you want. NOT!! I am not a genie. But if I had one wish it would be not doing any Slice of Life challenge posts ever again. That is how bad I don’t want to do the Slice of Life challenge.

by Andrew, Feb. 21, 2017

“Andrew, the Slice of Life Challenge is voluntary. Are you saying you don’t want to try it this year? Should I make you a sticker chart?”

“I’m not making any promises. Yeah, go ahead, make me a chart.”

I teach my gifted students year to year throughout their elementary schooling. This is a blessing and a curse. I am blessed to know my students really well. I don’t have to pretest to find their reading levels. I don’t have to do writing prompts to see how well they write. I know all this. They also know that when March rolls around it’s torture time. Time to write a Slice of Life every day!

Every year I try something new to motivate my students. Last year it was these buttons designed by Stacey Shubitz of the Two Writing Teachers. My students proudly collected badges until about March 15th when the newness wore off.

I also use incentives. One day of the month I hold a commenting challenge. The reward, one Skittle a comment. I soon ran out of Skittles. I buy a book for each child who completes the challenge. I usually buy 3-5 books.

Another thing we’ve done is connected with other classes doing the challenge. I’d like to do that again this year. If your class is using Kidblogs, please request to follow by signing in to Kidblog and posting my URL, http://kidblog.org/class/mrs-simons-sea/. Click on the Follow button. Once I approve, I can follow you back. It’s fun and motivating to connect kids across the globe.

After seeing Holly Mueller’s students’ long slices, I implemented a word count rule. This has been both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is found when my students elaborate and expand their thoughts like you see in Andrew’s post above. The curse happens when they ramble on and type things like, “I’m up to 198 words, just 2 more to go!”

This is the nature of the beast that is SOLC! Blessings and curses! We are going to jump in despite the deep waters. Tomorrow we return from a break. Our challenge will begin. I wonder where this journey will take us.

I wrote a blog post for Kidblogs about the Slice of Life Classroom Challenge here.
If you wrote a DigiLit post, please link up with this button.

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SOL #4: Celebrating Time to Look out the Window

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged Bayou Teche, Elsie, nature poetry on March 4, 2017| 11 Comments »

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

From my window, I see a stately oak
and the bayou beyond
flanked by cypress knees
sticking up like toy soldiers.

Sometimes, a heron happens by
stealthily stalking a wayward minnow.

Sometimes, the sun beams down
in a spotlight directing my gaze
to the intricate design of trees.

And some days, I don’t have time
to look, watch, or listen,
But I know my bayou
is always near
keeping me grounded,
showing me faithfulness,
bringing me solace.

–Margaret Simon

This Slice/ Celebration idea came from Elsie. She wrote “Outside my Window” for her Day 2 Slice of Life.

I’ve been on break all week. Such a gift to be able to look outside, take walks with Charlie, and lunch with friends. I celebrate this time to look out the window.

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SOLC #2 Spiritual Journey Connections

Posted in Writing on March 2, 2017| 15 Comments »

Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for the Slice of Life Challenge.

Find the round up of Spiritual Journey posts at Dori’s blog. Click here.

When we love a person, we accept him or her exactly as is: the lovely with the unlovely, the strong with the fearful, the true mixed in with the façade, and of course, the only way we can do it is by accepting ourselves that way.
~Fred Rogers

A few years ago, a group of bloggers started writing about our Spiritual Journey on Thursdays. Now we are writing on the first Thursday of the month. Today’s theme is connections, Dori’s one little word for 2017.

I found this Fred Rogers quote on Tabatha Yeats post here. Mr. Rogers left a legacy of kindness. When I watched with my children, we sang along to every song. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” became a bedtime lullaby. At the time I thought he was so corny, but now I want corny back in my life. Fred Rogers was a wise and gentle soul.

To be able to make meaningful connections in our own lives, we must be content with and loving to ourselves. This truth took me a long time to learn.

The Enneagram is a tool for discovering who you really are. I subscribe to an Enneagram Thought of the Day.

Balancing my own feelings makes me more available for the feelings of others. I can connect in a stronger way.

Writing is one of the ways (along with yoga and walking) I center myself. How I come to know who I am and what I truly feel.

Writing is also a way that I connect to others. I’ve been writing on this blog for six years. My blogging has led me to connections across the globe. I met Tara Smith this way. She is no longer a blogger with the Two Writing Teachers, but our connection has moved us into a friendship we sustain through Voxer. Yesterday she committed to the Slice of Life Challenge because of something I said. I was touched by her post.

The more I reflected upon Margaret’s message (about the resurrection fern), the more I returned to this line: “it needs a host plant or other substrate on which to anchor.” This writing community is just such an anchor; it is our oak tree.

What is your oak tree? How do you connect and maintain connections with others? We all need these precious connections in our lives. They sustain us and nurture us as we sustain and nurture ourselves.

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Celebration Saturday: Good Morning

Posted in Celebration Saturday, Poetry, Writing, tagged Bayou Teche, haiku on February 25, 2017| 10 Comments »

Find more celebration posts at Ruth’s blog.

Good Morning Haiku

1. Light streams on bayou
wake up trees to stand tall for
perfect reflection.

2. Frothy milk swirling
atop French roast coffee drips,
sweet cafe au lait.

3. Breezy walk with Anne-
dogs sniff, pull, and interrupt
our conversation.

4. Breakfast at Victor’s,
savor sweet potato pancakes,
crispy bacon.

5. A day like today,
watering is not a chore;
Praise gentle morning.

–Margaret Simon

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Poetry Friday: Home is Here!

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #tenfoundwords, David Bowles, Here We Go, Laura Shoven, Simile poetry on February 24, 2017| 14 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Karen Edmisten.

As we continue our journey through Here We Go, the latest Poetry Friday Anthology book from Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, we encountered a totally timely poem by David Bowles, “Border Kid”.

You’re a border kid, a foot on either bank.
Your ancestors crossed this river a thousand times.
No wall, no matter how tall, can stop your heritage
From flowing forever, like the Rio Grande itself.

(from Border Kid by David Bowles)

We looked at similes and played with using them in our own poems. Emily wrote this sweet poem about Home.

Home
by Emily

Home is like a safe haven
where you are watched over and protected.

Home is like a nurturing mother
always taking care of you.

Home is like a vault,
holding all of your secrets.

Home is like a best friend
supporting you when you need it.

Home is like an answer
to your echo is a lonely room.

Home is like a book
with memories and stories to tell.

Home is like a gentle hand
reaching out to help.

Home is more that just a house.

I am learning more every day about writing poetry. As I participate in Laura Shovan’s daily challenge, I realize that poetry can be elusive. I try to follow the stream of my words, but sometimes they go astray. I am trying to be brave, write brave, and bravely post. The community is gentle and kind. Even when I bash my own poem with qualifiers like, “I am no good at rhyme,” someone finds something positive to say. I know the importance of critique groups. But when we write, especially poetry, we are vulnerable. The intentions of Laura’s challenge are different. We accept that it’s a drafting workshop. I try to apply this learning to my own classroom coaching. You are not going to hit the mark with every poem, but I encourage my students to give each exercise a shot and to post on our class blog. Writing can only get better with more writing.

I posted a poem that I wrote for #tenfoundwords to Today’s Little Ditty padlet. This month’s challenge from Jeannine Atkins is to write a personification poem about an emotion. I wrote this ditty about Mindfulness.

Mindfulness

Make an active mind, non-active
Re-awaken your innermost self.
Seek a word of peace,
Blow away resistance, fear, and dread.
Engage your attention to now,
Hold on with compassion and understanding.
The space left open is for love.

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If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas

Posted in Books, Writing, tagged If You Were the Moon, Laura Purdie Salas on February 8, 2017| 10 Comments »

Before you begin to read If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas, turn this music on in the background.

Illustrated in dreamlike images by Jaime Kim, Laura takes us on a journey of discovery about the moon. In the beginning, the young girl muses on how easy the moon’s job is, but the moon explains. “If you were the moon, you would…” Along with delightful metaphor are embedded facts from how the moon was formed to Neil Armstrong’s iconic walk. Artists are inspired by the moon. Hence the musical piece, “Clair de Lune.” I remember listening to my mother play this on the grande in our living room.
A glossary and further reading section make this book teacher-friendly.

I often use picture books to lead my students to their own writing. I can imagine prompting my students with the words “If you were _________.” Students could research their favorite planet or natural disasters (my students love them!). Then they could write and illustrate their own books including interesting facts along the way. Finding a way to tie a book to writing enriches the classroom experience.

Laura sent me this amazing teacher’s guide written by Randi Miller Sonnenshine. This guide includes activities across the curriculum.

If You Were the Moon releases March 1st, 2017. Get your copy today!

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DigiLitSunday: Visual Vocabulary

Posted in Digital Learning, Teaching, Writing, tagged Tagul, vocabulary on February 5, 2017| 16 Comments »

Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts

I hate to admit it, but I have not been the best at teaching vocabulary. I’ve tried all kinds of methods from word lists to word walls, but I am still met with groans from kids when I say Vocabulary. This year I’ve been using a workbook. This goes against my whole philosophy of teaching, so please don’t tell my students. This workbook provides an authentic text, so the words are in context. We also work with synonyms and antonyms and always a writing piece. But like most work with Vocabulary in the title, my students think drudgery.

It is time for a change. I have been intrigued by Carol Varsalona’s word clouds. I tweeted a question to her. Turns out it was our mutual friend Holly who introduced Tagul to Carol.

YES it was Holly who mentioned it. Got my collection moving for #poetry in action, Holly & Margaret.#OLW pic.twitter.com/ZqF7xQcciH

— Carol Varsalona (@cvarsalona) February 3, 2017

This leads me to an idea I will be trying this week with my students (crossing fingers the app works in our network). I took one of our vocabulary words from last week, essence, and typed it into Thesaurus.com. I opened Tagul and typed in a dozen synonyms. Then I looked for a shape that would help define the word. I chose a water droplet because water is the essence of our bodies. The image shares common synonyms as well as makes this vocabulary work more motivating.

In what ways are you digitizing vocabulary work? Share your ideas on your blog and link below.

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Poetry Friday: What if?

Posted in Writing on February 3, 2017| 21 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Penny at Penny and her Jots.

This week, I’m thinking about Naomi Shihab Nye’s bucket and how we need to share our buckets with each other. I shared her poem from Here We Go with my students.

from BLUE BUCKET
by Naomi Shihab Nye

What if, instead of war,
we shared our buckets
of wind and worry?
Tell me the story
you carry there,
steeping in old pain
and future hope,
rich with fragrant
savory spices,
ginger, turmeric,
tarragon, find me
a spoon in one
of your pockets,
even if we don’t
speak the same language…

maybe
you hold my bucket
a while, see what
the handle feels like,
and I hold yours,
and maybe both buckets
are empty and
we trade them forever…

We talked about what it means to carry someone else’s bucket. We talked about serious topics and playful ones. Then we wrote What if poems. I want to share a few with you today.

What if
the whole world
was listening, waiting
for the next word?

What if
you didn’t
know what
to say
but you say
it all?

What if
I speak
worldwide but
few hear me?

What if
you knew
what to say,
but you didn’t
say it at all?

What if
I speak
privately,
but lots of
people hear me?

by Noah, 5th grade

A Bucket Of Glitter

What if,
I could carry around a
bucket of glitter?
If I found someone without glitter,
I would sprinkle some on them,
What if I could carry around a
bucket of glitter?

by Lynzee, 2nd grade

What if-
I was the leader of the U.S.A
I would treat people fair
like how air lets us live,
live to spread joy and happiness.
I would give money
Maybe a little honey because it’s sweet
like people.

by Andrew, 4th grade

Today, I am wishing you a bucket of glitter to spread, a little honey to sweeten your day, and lots of poetry because poetry is where wisdom lies.

kindness-glitter