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Double Feature...

Yesterday I posted a few videos for our Response to Literature genre.  We have worked for two weeks  to plan, write, edit, and film our retellings.  Using the FLIP has made digital storytelling a breeze.  I record between 4-20 seconds for each page of the student's response.  The filming goes by very quickly.  Editing is complete in a blink.  HOWEVER... When you film your entire class in 24 hours, you have more editing than you can keep up with.  :)  I currently have 202 video clips, averaging around 18-22  for each student remaining.  Needless to say, I am posting videos over the next few days so that all parents can locate and watch through the Digital Storytelling label.

I am posting the rubric used for our retelling and a color code sheet for posting our writing in the hallway.  Hope you find it useful. 

Response Rubric

Writing Color Coding

More Retelling...

Have you ever youtube classic stories: Eric Carle or Bill Martin?  Watching and listening to the books read became an inspiration for our retelling.

Students selected a book and cozy spot to read.  I gave students a few days to read their books both independently and with a buddy.  Partners will play an important role during our writing process and need to know what is happening in the story.

The kids covered the words to their books and used the pictures to inspire their retelling.  Each student has a rubric on hand and worked hard to add a little spice to their writing.  Once the words were complete, students return book and begin illustrating based on their own retellings. 

Before publishing digitally, partners met again to edit writing and help with their fluency.  The kids and I met in our reading room while others were conferencing or polishing their illustrations. I used a FLIP camera (which are no longer being produced, SNIFF) and recorded each page with a second delay before pausing to flip the paper.  In a span of 10 minutes, we had a video filmed, edited, and published.

Here's a copy of the paper used...

Journal Paper

Digital Retelling: Response to Literature

Observations Begin...

Butterflies Arrived Today!  Free with Second Grade Curriculum.

We are comparing different larva...

Check out the observation page which goes with my Butterfly Journals on TPT.

I have my journal and life cycle pages for sale in my TPT store. 

ABC Countdown

I kept a few favorites from my countdown days last year.  Here's an example of my letter home...

26 Day Countdown to the Summer

My Favorite Things

Pernickety Pickles: Carings and Sharings of Second Grade decided to host non teacher related things that are favorite to me. 7 things to be exact!

1. I am obsessed with HGTV: Cash and Cari, House Hunters, Crashers (House, Yard, or Bath), Secrets from a Stylist, Antonio Treatment, Selling New York, Income Property, and Dear Genevieve. I suppose you get the point. I am lucky my husband wants to be a super hero and decides that he, with NO skills at all, will get 100% motivated while watching the show and decide he is going to turn our home into a Renovation Reality.

2. When I am not watching HGTV, you will find me in the yard. I live on Fleming Island with such lush foliage. Citrus trees, Strawberry patch, Sago Palms, Ferns, Bottle Brush, Iris and Lilies, and Philodendrons are among a few lavishly productive green growing on my property.

3. I am programed to LOVE antiques.  I didn't have the typical child or teen bedroom growing up.  I had a bedroom set from the mid 1800s.  Each year, my family would pack up and visit Renningers to go antique shopping in Central Florida.  Tiger Oak is my absolute FAVORITE!  It has now become a passion for my husband.  

4. Interior Decorating with Neutral Nautical is my cup of tea.  A cream linen pinstripe sofa, Hampton tan chair with cream pipping, sail boat giclee prints on drift wood, reclaimed wood flooring, air plants of all varieties, coral and shells stacked inside glass lamps with linen shades, and rustic lantern lighting accent my tropical delight called home. With the St. John's River flowing east of my house and the banks of Dr. Lakes a few steps of my front door, I am fascinated by all the natural wonders that coastal living has to offer.

5. Living along the Atlantic Coast, I love taking advantage of it's rich beauty.  Whether its lounging on the pontoon boat or jumping the waves on a personal water craft, my husband and I enjoy hanging out on the water.  

6. We are adventure seekers.  My husband and I love to ski (water or mountain), mountain biking, white water rafting, hiking, rock climbing.  Just yesterday, we were wake and knee boarding in Olustee Florida.  We will sign up for an adventure race at any time of the year.  You often choose three events to compete: kiaking, biking, running, swimming, climbing, etc. and complete.  Have you ever heard of the mud run?  Although you may not think the pictures look fun, the event support multiple sclerosis.

7.  Crossfit workouts are what put me to sleep at night (and a little blogging).  Crossfit is designed as a full body explosive.  The principal strength and conditioning program  was originally designed for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.  The program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive.  My husband is a law enforcement officer and CrossFit has taken over our lives!

Creative Dialogue

I am going nuts over dialogue with a creative twist.  Parents were asked to donate their old magazines.  The kids looked for fun pictures and came up with their creative dialogue. Prepare for a laugh!!!

Cinderella is still Happily Ever After

Destination: Little Palm Island, 10 miles from the coast of the Florida Keys.  Little Palm Island was a fixture for President Harry S. Truman and his wife Bess visiting more than 16 times while in office.  President John F. Kennedy also visited the island during the making of PT 109 which was a film about his life as an officer for the US Navy during World War II. He had influence on power and plumbing to the island from the mainland which has put this tropical delight as a FAVORITE destination!

It only took 32 years to walk down the aisle.

The ceremony took place at sunset on Easter Sunday.  How appropriate, NEW BEGINNINGS! 

The whole day was a fairy tale!!

 

A year later and Cinderella is still Happily Ever After.

Camping Alpha Cards

I have been preparing for my BIG end of the year unit. The classroom will be transformed into a campsite.

In the past, Camping with Books has included investigations on ants, worms, and butterflies. This year we will journal about ladybugs. I have been working all week to pull together resources. Here's a sample of the Camping Alpha Line.

Sample Camping Alpha Cards