End of Year Panic, Plot Structure, and Characterization

     I have found myself in a bit of a panic lately over the impending end of the school year. That panic does NOT involve the carefree summer days at the beach, clearly! However, I can't even think about those days yet. I am in a panic over my Reading class. The fact that I only have 18 days of instruction left. Well - let's be clear... between standardized testing and finals, I only have 13 days of instruction left with them. I think my panic is due to the fact that I only had them for the current semester. Maybe if I had had them from Day 1 of the school year, I would feel a bit more relaxed. But as I taught today, I looked around and noticed several things. First, they were all engaged - (Okay,  all of them but one. Ya'll - I am desperately still trying to reach this one!) -engaged in meaningful and explicit practice of targeted skills for each of them on their instructional level. (I felt very impressive even typing that...Haha!) Second, they were all working at a higher level - some incrementally higher while others significantly higher - than when I first got them in January. And finally, the one student whose lack of progress, negative behaviors, and zero engagement inspired me to volunteer to take this class was: Progressing, Behaving, and Engaged! So what could be wrong? I am about to send them off into summer with this foundation we have all worked so hard to achieve in our classroom just barely in place. I still have not made progress with many of them in the area of independent reading. I can honestly say, I see in several that they at least no longer hate to read. They are willing to try and are authentic in their efforts. But for some others, they still hate to read on their own and are the best, most epic fake readers you have ever seen. Panic!! How far back will they have regressed when I see them in the Fall? Will they have read anything at all? Will they return to me, roll their eyes, and think: "Oh. Good. Lord. Not this crazy reading lady with all her dorky book suggestions!!" These are literally all of the thoughts running through my head this afternoon as I was watching them do their independent and partner work, and I was about to meet with students individually. And then, as if the Reading Gods heard my panic, one of the students said, "Can we do that thing where we make the words on our desks? I think that is helping me." And another replied, "We won't have time to hear her read Wonder if we do that. We can do it tomorrow. I want to hear Via's (main character's sister) side of the story. " Shut the front door. Maybe the foundation isn't so barely laid after all. Fingers crossed, we may just be able to start up where we left off. And until then, I will continue to plan purposefully, differentiate, and read aloud. And hopefully when they return, the hating to read part will not even be on their radar, and the "hey this isn't so bad it is actually pretty great" part will remain. Fingers crossed. After all, the willingness to try is the majority of the battle. attitude. And today, I realized that at least that much, we have accomplished.
     I will share quickly two things from this past week. With all of the standardized testing coming up (Ew.), I have tried to have mini-lessons that review literary features they will probably see and need to identify. Since Spring Break, I have done two days of literary feature mini-lessons and three days of reading strategy instruction and/or review mini-lessons each week. I have also done Word Work once a week and Making Words three times a week. This partnered with read aloud, conferring, and independent/small group practice make our class period seem pretty short and sweet.
     First up is Plot Structure. As a disclaimer here, let me say that I get many of my ideas off of Pinterest. I always give credit when I can find the source. I have looked and cannot find the original post for this Plot Structure idea. So my apologies to the sweet teacher who shared this originally! I am sad I can't find it, because her blog was amazing. Anyway, here is the anchor chart I made:

     I printed them all books based on their independent level off of the A-Z Reading site so they could practice identifying the parts of the structure. I also had them add the anchor chart to their journals. I didn't get a picture of the independent work. They shared it and I recorded it on the board. Here is a journal entry picture. 

     I wish I had a picture of their independent work. Ugh! We also did a foldable on Plot Structure. 

     Each of the flaps listed bullet points to further explain and give examples of each part. Again, this was a Pinterest find. I adapted the bullet points on the inside. 

     Next we did characterization. I outlined 5 basic questions to ask themselves about the main character in the same book that they had used to identify plot. They filled in a graphic organizer I threw together, and we discussed it. 

     We also discussed how thinking of these questions and answering them about the character as they read could lead to a great character analysis with textual support. Win-win! Here is an anchor chart we put together for the mini-lesson.

     We also did a FAST characterization strategy. FAST is an acronym for Feelings, Actions, Sayings, and Thoughts. I try to give them options so they can choose what makes the most sense and use what works for them. Here is the anchor chart after we analyzed Santa Claus.

     They then did a character analysis of someone they know and added it to their journals. 

     Okay - I feel like I inadequately explained the instructional part of this post. Don't judge. Ginger the Golden needs to go out for her walk and I am exhausted. It is pretty self explanatory, though. Look over my Pinterest boards (either High School Classroom or High School Literacy) and you will see links for support if you'd like. Or shoot me an email. 

     Have a wonderful week and make these last days count!

     Mrs. Beck

Students' Priorities for Learning

     I have not posted in what feels like forever. Heaven knows it is not for lack of things to share, but lack of time. I know you know where I am coming from! We had Spring Break (aka: Heaven) week before last, and I had cheerleading tryouts this past week (aka: NOT Heaven). This will still be a short post - I have to get to the grocery store. The site I am sharing with you is worth a look though, definitely.
     I received three emails from teachers who said I am neglecting my EBD teacher friends by only posting about Reading. I am flattered that anyone even cares what is going on in my classroom!! So, this week I am posting a discussion lesson I did with my Affective Skills classes. Oh - and one Word Work story from Reading. It is partially inappropriate but will definitely make you smile. Welcome to high school....
    I came across a post on Pinterest (of course) that gave a link to a New York Times site that offers discussion prompts for teenagers. They are awesome and I have used many of them. The students enjoy the debate and we have had some amazing talks. I have used them in a debate format, a written response/opinion format, and an open floor-have at it format. The site is 200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing. The one I am sharing is entitled "What Are You Actually Learning in School?".

    (I should have written "not academically" in the parenthesis because it looks like I am saying they aren't learning academics, but hindsight and all that....) I always print the article and read excerpts aloud but also have the whole thing available so they can read it independently if they wish. Some actually prefer that. This is what they gave me during the discussion:

     The first three are things we do specifically in Affective Skills, so I asked them to branch out. When I asked them what they thought they should be learning, all of their answers made perfect sense and were very relative to their lives. Nicely done. Under the "should not learn" category, you can see where they went. And guess which one garnered the most lively debate? The dissecting of animals. That also made sense because honestly, we talk about relationships a lot in my room. There are literally 200 prompts/articles on that sight. I wish I had taken more pictures of examples. Check it out! Very thought provoking.

     Now for a little Word Work. I use the book Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use, which is an elementary resource. But I have found that my Reading class needs this type of support desperately. And honestly, once I started it I truly saw the need and the benefit. Most of them cannot spell using blends, digraphs, and inflectional endings. It works by giving them 5 to 7 letters. You then call out a word (let's say bat) and they write it. You continue calling out words and saying things like: Now, add a letter and make bait. Now drop a letter and add two letters that make one sound to create batch. And so on. They love the added challenge at the end of making one word that used all the letters. I turned that into a friendly competition. To do this, I have them write on their desks with a dry erase marker.

     It only takes a few minutes, they love it, it is valuable for them to see the spelling patterns, and I can knock out two a day. I don't do them every day, but usually we get to them three days a week.
     Now for the not so appropriate part. I apologize if this offends anyone, but if you know me - I am real. You do not teach EBD for this many years without learning how to laugh. This made me laugh! So.... when I introduced them to drawing these word study lessons on their desks, they were like elementary school kids. I was trying to get their attention and they were all drawing on their desks. (That made me laugh, too.) So, I went all early childhood on them and said, "I will set the timer for 5 minutes. You may draw anything you want for that five minutes. Then I get all of your attention." Ya'll! They were silent! They drew the whole time. Too. Funny. Remember: Same kids, bigger bodies.
     Okay - well, one of my students is adamant that he wants to be a stripper when he grows up. He does not in any way mean this disrespectfully, inappropriately, or trying to get a reaction from adults. For him it is a fact. He wants to be a mechanic during the day and a stripper at night. He has it all planned out and has since last year.  I know this about him, but we don't talk about it in class or anything. As I am walking around looking at drawings, this is his:

     I asked him to go run an errand for me so I could take this picture. I hope that made you at least smile. Remember, laugh or cry! I choose to laugh. (NOTE: I am voting for him to go the mechanic route, just so we are clear.) Again.... welcome to high school.
 
     Happy Easter, Friends! I have so much to share next time about identifying plot and also characterizations. I need more time!
     Mrs. Beck