Copycat Letter Boogaloo Video Instructions

Well my first post to YouTube was an experience.  My name is good and bad.  It's great if you need to remember it.  It's not so great if you search it on YouTube.  Lessons learned, many viewing it thought they were going to watch the comedian. LOL!  I received some interesting comments throughout the day.  In fact, I had to remove a couple.  Wow! 
Today's post is going to show how to use the multimedia file Copycat Letter Boogaloo.  My children love to do this song and add motions to it.  And it really transfers over to their reading and writing.  

You can purchase the multimedia file for the Smart Board, Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), or for your student computers.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Copycat-Letter-Boogaloo-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

Other current products for Copycat Letter Boogaloo are the book set with an 8 1/2 X 11 book for whole group or the listening center, a 1/2 size book for guided reading or for independent reading, and a song chart to put in a homework song folder for a home-school connection and the mp3 version of the song.  Coming soon - Copycat Letter Boogaloo Activity/Game Pack.  Follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers to receive information when I upload new activities.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Copycat-Letter-Boogaloo-Books
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Copycat-Letter-Boogaloo-Song

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Leave a comment if you have any questions or want to tell how you use this in your class.

I Know My Vowels You Tube

I'm making my debut on You Tube to show how I use the multimedia files on the Smart Board or any Interactive Whiteboard.  My first video is dark so you can see the board better.  I will try to work on the quality of my videos over the next couple of weeks. If you load the multimedia file on your student computers, the students will use the mouse to click on the arrows and buttons to start, stop, or move the page of the song.


Today's blog will focus on the song "I Know My Vowels" from Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin (c) Copyright 2011.  These multimedia files work much better than Power Point files because you have more control over the file and the interactive writing on the board.

Multimedia File for the Smart Board, Interactive Whiteboard (IWB), or Computer

Teaching Points Page at the End of the Multimedia File
Use as a whole group activity or as a literacy station

I use the multimedia files during whole group phonics, but also as an independent literacy center during Readers' Workshop.  I let 2 students interact with the board at a time.  They take turns finding the vowels on each page.  To make it differentiated, my students also look for little words hiding in big words and different phonics patterns. They also practice writing the words or change them to make new words.  (Ex: a higher level student might take the 'k" off of the word "know" and change it to "now."  I always use the words, "What do you notice?"  This question is very powerful as it gives you great insight into what your students know.  Give it a try! 


You can purchase this multimedia file at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Know-My-Vowels-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

Want books for independent reading for your students' book boxes?  The listening center?  As a homework song folder? Purchase the book set at my TPT store.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Know-My-Vowels-Books
While you are there, you can also purchase the mp3 version of the song to place in the listening center or on an iPod, and take a look at the I Know My Vowels Activity Game Pack with many games/activities to support the song. I have included a flag in this pack for your students to decorate.  My students carry their flag as they march around the room to the song or multimedia file.  We spin in a circle when the cheerleader spins. And of course, we cheer with the vowels too.  After the students get used to this activity, we bump it up and go on vowel hunts with our flags to use as an anchor support.  The students record their words in their word books. When we have made this a secure goal, I send the flags home with the students for a home-school connection.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Know-My-Vowels-Song
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Know-My-Vowels-Activity-Pack

Let me know if you have any questions or comments.
Thanks for stopping by!

Strategies for the Outlaw Words Activities

This blog post will continue to discuss word wall words that do not follow the typical phonics rules.  The following are some of the activities that I do with the song, books, and activity kit from the Outlaw Words:

These are the actual phrases from the song put in a pocket chart.  They are color-coded to match the words in the books and on the multimedia file for the Smart Board, IWB, and computer.  I used colors and short phrasing as a strategy for helping students remember these hard words.  "What do you want?"  is used as anchor to help the children keep track of where they are in the song.  

Large word walls serve their purpose in the early childhood classroom.  When you make smaller, more focused word walls, it helps students zone in on where to locate these words instead of scanning through 50-150 words on the big word wall.  My students have the song memorized so when they are writing in Writers' Workshop and want to write one of the Outlaw Words, they will sing the song, smile, and get up to go get the strip.  I tell my students that good readers and writers know where to find help and will look for those words in our classroom.  I also explain that after they locate and write that word many times, their brains will grow dendrites or make a connection and BAM!!! they will know how to read and write the word.  They like the BAM!!! part.


I also make 3 copies of the strips from the Outlaw Words Activity/Game pack to use during the song or multimedia file.  I pass the strips out to the students.  There are 34 words in the song with 12 phrases.  I pass out a phrase strip to each child (some get 2) and they stand up when they get to their line in the song.  If you have the "These are the Outlaw Words! strip, they will be standing up 12 times during the song. Keep that in mind when passing out the strips.  You want children who need more movement to have one of the strips closer to the bottom of this chart.  After we sing it the first time through, I have them switch strips with a friend, and we do it again.  The "what do you want" strip is the most popular and can cause some children to hold on tightly to that strip!


STOP FREEZE or BANG GAME

Outlaw Word Puzzle Set for Spelling CenterI put each line of the song into one plastic baggie.  Students spell one line of the song at a time. I provide a small anchor chart also provided in the activity pack to provide support for learning to read the words too.  The students memorize the song and use the visual color-coded supports to learn to read and spell the words.

GO FISH OR STOP FREEZE FOR LITERACY CENTERS
Students draw 5 cards and place in the card holder.  I use a large clip chip from the Dollar Store and place 2 foam semi-circles together inside the clip.  This holds the cards in place making it easier to play the game.  Student asks another student if he/she has one of the words in his/her hand.  If yes, students gives him/her the card.  If no, student says, "STOP FREEZE!" and the other student draws a card from the extra pile.  Play continues when are cards are gone.  Player with the most cards wins.

These are 4 out of the 12 activities in the "Outlaw Words Activity/Game Pack" on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store.  Here are the links for the Activity Pack, Books, mp3 song, and multimedia file for the Smart Board, IWB, and computer.


Have fun and thanks for visiting my blog and checking out my TPT store.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Outlaw-Words-Activity-and-Game-Pack


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Song



http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Books 

New Year Strategies for Sight Words

I've had requests from conference attendees on how to use the Quick Time files on their Smart Boards or Interactive Whiteboards (IWB).  Read below for a "How to Guide" on operating the files.  If you follow the steps below, you will love the ease and management when compared to a Power Point file.  Don't have a Smart Board, IWB, or student computers?  Keep reading after the "technology" directions, and I will show you how to do it "low tech."


How many of your students struggle with learning those words that do not follow the rules.  Many are high frequency words found on many word walls throughout the United States.  Last December, while on an airplane, I was going through my students' checklist of known sight words from our word wall.  It was very consistent that most were missing the words that could not be read phonetically.  

When my students struggle, I try to think of a strategy that will help them learn, recall, and retain information.  Singing, movement, hands-on activities, along with integrated technology can help children learn and retain new concepts including those troublesome high frequency words.  We call them Outlaw Words at my school because they "do not follow the rules."  

So in the holiday tradition, The Twelve Days of Christmas just popped into my head and "The Outlaw Words" song was born.  I took the words from my word wall list that did not follow the rules and put them to this familiar tune.  I ordered them so they would be repeated frequently to help with memorization.  I also color-coded them in phrases to give it a visual connection too.  The result was a new song from my CD "Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin"  (c) 2011.  

Here is a picture of the multimedia file (4 of the 14 slides) that I made to go with the song.  I show it on my Smart Board, but it is applicable to any IWB  (Interactive Whiteboard), as long as you have Quick Time on your computer.  It can also be used with a digital projector or student computer.  The IWB allows students or teacher to control the file by using the tools at the bottom of the screen as in the following pictures. On your student computers, the students use the mouse to click the play-pause button.

This is the 6th slide. When we get to the "what do you want" part, the children stand up, throw their hands in the air, and shout - "What do you want?" - Then quickly sit back down.   Since that line comes into play 8 times, it keeps the children moving and learning, giving them much needed movement opportunities.  And of course, it is their favorite part of the song. Kathy Griffin (c) Copyright 2011

Slide 13 - The song continues in a repetitive fashion. We sing the song various ways:  together, by rows, boys vs. girls. They like the competition.  I remind that readers look at the words while reading. Sometimes we point to the words across the screen as they appear. Kathy Griffin (c) Copyright 2011.

Refer to the red box for strategies we use in our classroom to
reinforce learning the "Outlaw Words." Using this multimedia file on the Smart Board or IWB makes  a great literacy station too.  I partner my children up, and they look for phonics patterns, practice spelling the words, or change the words to make new words all while operating it independently. During literacy centers, I turn the volume off, so they work directly with the words. Kathy Griffin (c) Copyright 2011

Remember that when you purchase the Quick Time file, it can be put on your student computers.  Then your students will have a chance to practice during Readers' Workshop or during "Read to Self" or "Listen to a Book" if you are doing the Daily Five.


You can purchase the Quick Time file of The Outlaw Words from my Teachers Pay Teachers Store for $3.00. I am selling each multimedia file individually, so you can purchase "what you need - when you need it."  


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-for-the-Smart-Board-or-Computer


"Low Tech" The Outlaw Words - BOOKS!!!


So you want all of this technology, but don't have it yet?  No worries!  You can purchase the mp3 version of the song to play in your listening center or on your CD player.  I made a book set that includes an 8 1/2 X 11 size version for whole group of the listening center, along with a 1/2 size book to use during guided reading.  There is a flip book version included which students can cut apart and make a fun flip book of the song along with a song file folder that I use to put in my students reading folder. The mp3 song is $1.00 and the book set is $4.00.  I found CD players at Target for less than $10.00 and let individual students who need extra practice use these CD players during Read to Self or Independent Reading time.


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Books

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Outlaw-Words-Song


GAMES!!!!


You have to have games to go with everything:)  I made a Game and Activity Pack and am releasing it for a short time at $5.00.  It includes the following:

There are 139 pages in this game/activity pack.  That averages out to 39 cents an activity.

These are actual sample activities from the packet.  You can purchase this packet on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store:


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Outlaw-Words-Activity-and-Game-Pack


Check back again for pictures of the activities during my Readers' Workshop time and learn how I use another song from "Growing Dendrites with Kathy Griffin."


Thanks for stopping by!

Train Inquiry - Our Completed Train

Happy New Year! I enjoyed my time off and am getting ready to "get ready" to return on January 3rd.  We had a great time finishing our train inquiry project.  I am combining all of our pictures from the week before our winter break.  There are many pictures that show how I incorporated math during our train inquiry project at the end of the Polar Express train pictures so keep looking. The first are pictures of our collaborative work that we did to build the train.  We used our lists from the earlier post to help design our train and make the gauges, levers, and buttons.  

Student generated rules for the train.  I guess they hear their teacher say this all the time during circle time:)

Preparing the background scenery with white paint mixed with shaving cream to give it a "puffy-snowy" look.  Don't you just love children's descriptions.  She was right.  It did look like puffy snow when we were finished.

Walking into our room for the magical moment.  Classroom lights out and train lights on.

Side view with the lights on the student-created train wheels.

The students made snowflakes to walk on when going to the train.

Rules, Signs, and Important Information
Note:  They loved the craft sticks that were out for another project.
They ended up making poles for the signs.

The students used non-standard measurement to build the train tracks.

Student created boards for the front of the train.  Looks like we
needed lots of clocks and gauges  and levers to pull.  

Love, love, love the written directions for operating a train.
I also love the ''I love Mrs. Griffin" button too.
I think that was a happy first grader enjoying our project.

A View From the Front
We showed the actual book of the Polar Express instead of the movie.
Of course, we had hot chocolate along with songs from the movie sound track.  

Side view of our trains with wheels and lights.

Student drawings of what you would see when looking out of the train.

More student pictures to add to our train.

A View From the Back
The students painted the night sky and cut out trees, stars, and other objects
for our background scenery.  No patterns required just a child's imagination.

It was a big train for 2 classrooms!

Side View

The children loved that their train and box cars went around the room.
They thought it looked like there was a train in the mountains above them.

There are signs everywhere.  Lots of authentic writing opportunities.

Vocabulary and Math Integrated

You have to have rules:)

A close-up view of the buttons and gears.

Front View of Our Train and Train Tracks

Thanks Mr. Petersen!  The lights were a magical touch!

Take a look at the wonderful math that took place during our train inquiry project.  We focused on nonstandard measurement, shapes, addition & subtraction, and spatial awareness.  We used our classroom tables to build a train math museum.  

Give them the materials, and they will build.
pattern blocks, craft sticks, post-it-notes, and creativity

Future Engineer

Give your students post-it-notes to label their creations.

Our Everyday Math curriculum was measurement, so these activities worked in nicely.
We are learning to use standard units to measure.
Making bead trains requires a lot of fine motor work too.

Our bead trains were supposed to be 10 inches long.
estimation and measurement

All I can say is WOW!  Look at this student's attempt at symmetry!

The girls decided to go 3D in building their trains.  I see some future engineers here too.
The boys were very impressed as was I!

Fine motor, balance, building, spatial awareness, and shapes all weaved in together.

Notice that this student was trying to make the top of the train at different heights.
Young children have amazing patience when engaged in learning.

Why YES!! We were discussing "The 2 Vowels Together Rule."
Spelling with a Purpose

Finished products of friends working side by side but individually too.

Creative Use of Materials

Says, "All Aboard!"
Inventive spelling at its finest:)

This child spent over 30 minutes making this creation. I had a copy of a pattern block train out, but there was a problem.  We didn't have all of the required shapes.  This child had to figure out which shapes you can put together to make other shapes.  I would say she was quite successful. 

These were challenging pieces to put together to build a train. It actually made my head hurt.
So what did I do . . . walked away and said, "Use your imagination."
I think he did!  

Love the directions to show where the driver side is.

This year's class was really interested in the different types of box cars and what they carried.
Here is the table museum of their snap cube trains.
Math, math, everywhere!

Flat cars were fun to build.

More Flat Cars

Hopper Car

Hopper Car - A View Inside

Hopper Car with Train Wheels so "It can stand up like a real train."

Gondola Box Car
I learn so much when our class does inquiry projects.

So what's next?  Nonfiction books will be coming soon.  We ran out of time to have the finished project.  So check back again soon.  Do you need to wait for the Polar Express or Christmas to have a train inquiry project?  NO!  How many of you do a unit on "Transportation" or "Community Helpers?"  Turn your pretend center into a train or use another area in your classroom.  We learned so much new vocabulary, incorporated our reading and writing skills (more to come), and integrated math, science, and social studies.  

Here are more posts on the Polar Express and Trains:

Polar Express KWHL Chart Trains

Polar Express Researching Trains

Polar Express Drawing Trains

Polar Express Drawing Modern Trains

Thanks for stopping by!