“So, Lainie. How do you know you’re working with gifted kids?” I present to you an obituary for…wait for it… an EXPO marker. People, I can’t make this stuff up. Earlier this week, we read Leo Lionni’s obituary to learn more about him as an artist and as a person. To understand that text, weContinue reading “Exhibit Q, R, S”
Tag Archives: elementary
Making Lemonade
Now is about the time of year when I give my fifth grade students an assessment on literary analysis. We have spent a fair amount of class time learning how to write proper claims and arguments, and we have also discussed the type of language that is best suited for the tone of academic writing.Continue reading “Making Lemonade”
On Teaching and Transparency
I’m always complaining that I don’t have enough mentor texts to teach my students about reading and writing concepts. I can never get enough. That’s why I was so excited to introduce a concept to my two fourth grade groups yesterday and today. I got the idea from Kristin Ackerman and Jennifer McDonough’s book, Conferring withContinue reading “On Teaching and Transparency”
Going with Plan B
I wasn’t going to have them watch it. As part of my daily blogroll, I came across the wordless animated short “How to Wait for a Very Long Time,” and the first thing I thought as I looked at the title was, “This will be a quick way to teach my kids patience and persistence.” AndContinue reading “Going with Plan B”
The Best (and Hardest) Part of My Day
(overheard in my third grade math group as some kids were trying to put a math problem together from random words and numbers) Them: Mrs. Levin, this is hard! Me: Yep. It is. You’re not complaining, are you? Them: No. Me: Oh good. Because you deserve to have things hard sometimes. (more work, more missingContinue reading “The Best (and Hardest) Part of My Day”
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 