Common Core- Multimedia?? Photo Essays??

Does your district have a curriculum based on the Common Core?  Are you trying to figure out the standards all on your own?

I don't know if I have told you this, but I am currently writing the reading and writing curriculum for the 5th grade teachers in my school district.

Your first thought is probably, "Wow, that is so cool!"
And it is...
Really!!!
BUT...
It can also be quite frustrating and stressful.

Are you a 5th grade teacher??
Do you use multimedia presentations in your classroom??
If so, I would LUUUVVVE to hear from you about 
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

CCR: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Here is the standard vertically:

At first, we were thinking multimedia meant movies.
Movies??
With Common Core 5th grade??
Surely not...
So we decided to look up multimedia.
That helped... 

"As the name implies, multimedia is the integration of multiple forms of media. This includes text, graphics, audio, video, etc."

-techterms.com

Our reading and writing units of study are closely linked together.  In writing, the standard is narratives.

We want to do something more than just write a personal narrative or a memoir.

So after listening to Matt Glover present on writing workshop tonight he mentioned something that was completely unknown to me.

Photo Essays...  Have you heard of this?  Have you used this?

I understand what they are, I guess. Lol  

This is a definition I found from Digital Photography School website.

A photo essay is very simply a collection of images that are placed in a specific order to tell the progression of events, emotions, and concepts.

Since we are working with literature in reading, we were thinking we could make the writing fictional photo essays, but we are having a difficult time find samples.

And Matt Glover is all about the "Stacks" to create a vision for the students to write.

There is just a lot of unknown...

Have you taught this standard yet?

Have any suggestions for me?

I would love to hear what you all are doing with this.

Thank you :)
Antoinette

We Give Books and Shared Reading

I am always on the lookout for great resources for teachers.  My latest frequent recommend is a fabulous site where you can get tons of free books to use in your classrooms.

You have got to check this site out!!!

Click on the picture above to go to the site.

They have a great selection of both fiction and nonfiction.  Check out a few below.

Now you do have to sign up for an account to access these books, but it is completely free.

One component of Balance Literacy is Shared Reading.  I was thinking this site is a perfect resource for this component because during Shared Reading, a teacher is using a text, that everyone can easily see, to model behaviors of proficient readers.

Here are a few sites with some great information on Shared Reading:

Hope this information is useful to you.  Do you do Shared Reading?  If so, we'd love to hear your insight on this powerful reading tool.  Also, What online book sites do you use? 

Looking forward to hearing from all of you! :)

Antoinette

Organizing student log-ins

      I was just visiting Thoughts of a Third Grade Teacher .  She inspired me to share my way of organizing student log ins and passwords.  I like using a Computer License. 
      At my school we have mini laptops in each classroom. (Nice I know!)  It is imperative that kids follow internet safety rules and be able to log in on their own.  The computer license is "issued" to each student.  They must follow the rules or their license can be suspended.  I am yet to do it, but I did tell the kids it could be revoked. I also have them sign it.  Then it is laminated, so hopefully it will last all year!

I keep trying to attach it and GoogleDocs, I hope it works!!
Click here
If not email me and I will send it to you @ 4321teach@gmail.com

Enjoy!
Emily