Studying Conflict Through Biographies

      In our district we use the Linda Dorn model for literacy instruction. One component of that is to apply our CCSS for literacy into a study of genre.  Our current genre study is Biographies. So within this we not only tie in our IB Unit of Inquiry, but we also tie in our standards of focus for the unit.  With this unit our Power GLE or CCSS is RI.3, "Explain events, procedures, concepts, or ideas in a historical text, scientific or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text."  The students are also expected to conduct a short research project.  Whew! What a lot to put into a 6 week study!!

    We launched with our study of conflict.  This was used a gateway to open discussion up to how we express ourselves in times of conflict. Sounds easy enough, but to tie in our genre and GLEs is challenging. So our first goal was to build some background knowledge of our content tie in, for the first part it was Civil Rights Movement.  We read several biographies from Martin Luther King Jr, to Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges.  Within these we studied specific features of the genre biographies.

After modeling, I sent the students out to find examples of these characteristics within biographies around the room, they flagged the examples they found.  I feel it is not only important for them to be able to identify these characteristics, but to also explain how these help us gain understanding of the text.  This part was done as a response in their reading journal.  

An Inquiry Into Conflict

     Our next unit of inquiry is into the central theme of How We Express Ourselves. We are really trying to get the children to see how conflict brings out different forms of expression from peaceful protests, songs, poems, riots etc.  So the first day  I chose some kids at random and gave lots of special privileges and candy, or whatever I could find to start to create some conflict within our room.  Honestly, at the beginning no one was getting upset!! I was glad my children got along so well, but it was throwing off our social experiment. I had to up the ante and start handing on the big guns, like pencils, stars- I even had some teachers come in and give out prizes.  Then we had some conflict (directed toward me)!
     I never really shared what was happening- I just asked the kids to go home and reflect upon their feelings today and how they were expressing themselves in time of conflict.  They came in on Tuesday with some great ideas!!  ** I did let parents know on Facebook what had gone down so there were no concerns about why someone was intentionally left out**
Here is a picture of our chart the kids made- we first discussed their feelings- then they added what they new about conflicts within our world, school, or community.

It was a great discussion, and I found a lot of gaps in their understanding of war, and different types of conflict occuring now.  

First Day Plans

I've spent the past few days coming up with my plans for the first day, as well as the remaining week.  This year our district approved for the first day, Monday, to be a full day.  Normally on Mondays we are out at 1:55 for staff development.  So I had to do some revising of my plans to take in the extra time we had.  Here is my jing captured plans!

Made It Monday!!

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics to share my awesome chair for Made it Mondays. I found this rocker at a garage sale for $15, and the stools from a friend for $20.  I thought, score!  I've been wanting a rocker for my room for a while.  My mom had offered to sew me a cushion, but I thought I would try my hand at painting it and see where that went.

Link up Here 4th Grade Frolics 

So here is what I started with, a couple of red stools, and a dark finish walnut,  I think, rocker.  Nothing bad about them...but they needed a little pick me up!

Then I added some detail to the stools- pulling colors from my room.  I got the acrylic paint from Wal-mart for about $.97 a bottle. 

Next up was the rocker.  Now this was an undertaking, just for time sake!  First I primed it with some white primer by Krylon.  Then I used banner red from Krylon and sprayed it with about three coats. The whole chair took about 1 1/2 cans of the red paint, but so worth the extra coverage.  

Next up was the design and details.  It was actually harder for me to decide what to do than to actually do.  I learned to go nice and slow. Patience is key here people! I used chalkboard paint on the top so I can write in different messages, or names of guests.  And without further ado...

I've actually added a bit more detail to the upper spindles, and a little glitter paint.  I am super excited to take it and place it in my classroom tomorrow when I go in to work!! 

Our Class is Growing!!

So I have begun to check my class roster daily. I started with 30 and am now up to 32.  32!! Holy cow my largest class ever!  I know these kids are going to be awesome so I am not too concerned, the assessments will be a challenge, but after a multi-age room last year, I'm pretty sure I can handle it.  It's all about organization and time management!  Today I played around on Tagxedo and created a print that I am going to put up in my room.  I love that you can put your words into shapes.  I chose the heart shape- normally I don't like hearts, no explanation as to why, just don't, but as a teacher we need at times to be reminded that these children who enter our rooms are someones whole world!! I think about my little guy who went off to first grade today and hope his teacher will know just how special he is, how sensitive he is, and how smart he is.  I know that each parent trusts me to not only teach their child, but to make sure they feel safe, loved, and respected at all times.  I like to put up reminders around my room of each child, whether it be a drawing, a picture of them, or some little token they have given me to help me remember they are still children, they are still trying to find their way. It is those little reminders that help me when I may get short of patience as we all do!
So here are my little cherubs for this year- we better be feeling a whole lot of love in the room- with 32 we are going to be quite cozy!!

It's all beginning to come together now!!

So I have spent the past two days completely immersed in my room and getting it all ready.  Looking at the pictures now it doesn't look like I did anything... I swear I did!!! Be warned this is a looonnnggg post and kinda picture heavy!! I wish I was 100% done so I could post all the cutesy pics I see my fellow teacher bloggers do- but alas I was not that patient- let's be real!

The room I inherited also came with a million and one books- SCORE!  I also brought along a few hundred of my own- so now came the daunting task of merging two libraries and re-organizing them so that I can find what I need and the kids can access the books they need efficiently.

I didn't take many before pictures- because honestly I unpacked all my boxes in June when I moved over from my other building.  I unpacked, but then I just said heck with it I'll finish in August.  Well...I was starting to get anxiety about how it was all going to come together and when I'd get in there and on and on!!! Grrr ::insert hair pulling:: So I enlisted the help of my visiting cousin and my oldest man and we went to town.

 Poor Jenna had no clue what I was going to make her do- she had the lucky job of using the cricut and some contact paper to post our IB attitudes. These must be posted in the classroom all year.  I will spend most of launch and then, on-going throughout the year teaching, modeling and reinforcing these attitudes and behaviors.
The contact paper was $2.50 at Lowes and worked awesome!! I set the cricut to level 2 and just cut away. It was a little tedious removing the scrap paper from the sticky cutting board- but way worth the money it saved!!

And, my oldest son, Jack helping me put away some books. He loves to help me in my room!! He is already asking when we can go back. Love that kid!!

Ah- I love Alice in Wonderland!! I love this print and I love that the first thing you see when you walk in my room is no longer a huge, daunting wall of books.  

My cousin and I grunted, and shoved, and pushed and worked our tail off moving these bookcases in a more cozy nook formation.  I like that it gives it a more smaller feel.  I still have ways to go in terms of arranging the book boxes to all match by topic or genre depending on F or NF. But, it was a great start!! Those poms are much happier now too! 

My desk/table is to the right in the picture above. Perfectly positioned to see in the library and the table behind when I'm working one-on-one with another student. With 30 children this year- I have to be on my game! 

 View from the back. .  I put all of my chapter books up here- as you can see from the previous pictures there was no way I could fit them all on the shelves in the back.I am starting on my library labels tonight   I had got a set of TPT, but after looking at it more it was too babyish for 4th graders so off I go to recreate the wheel so to speak.  I was able to clean out a few boxes of books to give to another new teacher.  They weren't quite appropriate level wise for my 4th graders- but I think they will be perfect in her room.. and I have more shelf space!!

 See!!?? Cool huh?  They may not be perfectly straight, but I love it and Jenna worked so hard on putting them up there! She was very adamant that confidence go above the door- so the kids would always see that one word before they left.  Perfect.

 My writing station.  I saw the idea on Pinterest from Mrs. Tustall's room (who by the way has a ridiculously cute and decorated room, she must spend a fortune). Sorry kids Mrs. E is that not rich- remember I have three children of my own- yikes!! Someday...I will have a super cozy classroom like that one... someday.
I will have paper and scrap paper, and all their writing materials, if they need more, they can come on back and borrow what they need.  I don't want my writers up running to their lockers or rummaging in their drawers looking for supplies- I want them to write.  No one likes to get going on a good idea and then BAM your pencil breaks and you spend 5 min. looking for a new one only to lose your idea.  No way!! Well- problem solved.

 Each table has a tub as pictured above. I had done in the past that each kid had a drawer and they kept all their stuff in it, but I am hoping this will speed things up and keep them more organized since it is a their table and each drawer is assigned specific material. ::Fingers crossed::

 The Alice in Wonderland card bunting from Etsy. I may have to print off some more- I'd like it to be a bit longer.

And...I glued some upside down- oops!

Another item that must be posted in our rooms at all times is our IB Learner Attributes. I decided to find literary characters that portrayed each of these attributes. I got stumped on Communicator- so I went with Nelson Mandela- if he isn't a great example of a communicator then who is??!!

My lovely math cart. This houses our math materials, obviously.  The rolling cart next to it is where I keep our math games once they've been introduced. If they have independent time in math they can grab a game- some even like to play them at recess!  The colored pencil holders are my favorite!! I first saw them in my son's Montessori room and new I had to have them- so I searched and found them at Allison's Montessori! Score.

Well that's it for now!! I will be posting more pics later of my library as it progresses and becomes a thing of beauty, as well as what I have in store for Back to School night.

A little decorating!!

Now is the time that I am starting to get thinking about my classroom.  I have seen so many cute themes and ideas out there- that I thought hey why not. New building, new classroom, why not try something new. I wanted to go all Alice in Wonderland but then I thought maybe a room that shows off my favorite books would be cool too.  Then it comes in to color scheme?? Ah it is not so easy to pull a room together.
Here is what I am starting with... I found some cool things on Etsy for the Alice in Wonderland theme.

I got these for above the window

and this cool print

and then there was this jem I snagged up

and finally these to hang either above the library or some other cozy nook  I ordered sapphire, dandelion, and scarlet.

So after all this I am guessing that my color scheme will be red, yellows, and blues.  We'll see how it goes- the walls are a deeper blue and the bulletin boards are an orange color.  

Another awesome score were these at Lowes- free and that is my favorite type of decor.  Paint samples can be quite useful.  I will use these as locker tags and also on their plastic storage units for their supplies.  It's not a great picture I was just so excited to get them I snapped in a hurry.   You'll see them in the future once I get them in their proper place.  

As for the hugest undertaking I have purchased these library labels online. I don't really know why I did, I could have made them and after looking at them I will have to make more anyway- but I am so overwhelmed by the books that I accrued.  No joke I went from probably 400 books to pry almost 2000.  That is A LOT of books.  It takes up a whole wall in my room- I will be taking a couple days to sort through them and see if I can do some arranging to create a more inviting reading area. I will be sure to post some pictures as I do.