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Read and Listen Online

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I am collecting a list of online places to read and/ or listen to stories in English for elementary school students and families.
What great sites am I missing?
Please let me know and I will add them to my list!

Starfall:           http://www.starfall.com/
Reading Bear http://www.readingbear.org/
Storyline         http://www.storylineonline.net/
Storynory       http://www.storynory.com/
Magic Keys     http://www.magickeys.com/books/
Mrs. P              http://mrsp.com/
Story Cove      http://storycove.com/
Highlights      https://www.highlightskids.com/stories
International Children’s Library http://en.childrenslibrary.org/
LibriVox          https://librivox.org/
Loyal Books   http://www.loyalbooks.com/genre/Children
A Story Before Bed     http://www.astorybeforebed.com/storytime
TuneIn Radio              http://tunein.com/radio/Childrens-Topics–Stories-g227/
Online Audio Stories
http://www.onlineaudiostories.com/category/all_stories/audio_stories/

Graphic Organizers

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If you have not seen these please take a look: Graphic Organizers. Estas ayudas gráficas están disponibles en español también.

Any time we can help students organize their thinking, plan their learning, make their learning visible, we are helping them build connections and increase the number of synapses– that is learning!  With graphic organizers we can increase literacy, too.

Literacy Creates Justice!

Screen Shot 2016-02-15 at 6.37.47 PM

 

A Song for Christmas (just add music!)

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Working 2 part times, ‘round minimum wage
I pay all my debts but I can’t turn the page
So during the year I put coins in a jar
To make Christmas special and point to the star

In our simple home it’s just me and my son
His mother was taken when he was just one
Though strong till the end the disease was still stronger
It’s seven years later, some nights still feel longer

Chorus:
The best part of Christmas right here in this part
Is the time spent together, it’s here in the heart
The star of great wonder that shines from above
Is not about presents, it’s all about love

There’s one gift to cuddle and something to wear
One gift for learning and a fun-thing we’ll share
Most were bought used, now cleaned and with bows
I imagine him smiling from head to his toes

The four little presents wrapped, under the tree
There’s a gingerbread cookie for him and for me
The night before Christmas he sits in my lap
Together we read, together we nap

Chorus

I heard him start coughing and quickly awoke
The house wasn’t burning but filled up with smoke
The candle that flickered to brighten the night
Burned into the table and gave us a fright

“It could have been worse,” the firemen said in my ear.
“Insurance can fix it, there’s nothing to fear.”
I cried as I listened, still hugging my boy
Who whispered, “Merry Christmas, Dad” with tears and some joy.

Chorus

Earth Alphabet

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NASA Earth AlphabetThis is worth looking at- “NASA’s Earth Observatory has tracked down images resembling all 26 letters of the English alphabet using only NASA satellite imagery and astronaut photography.”

Here is the link on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/_5QLUVIaHq/

Here is the link to the whole alphabet: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/ABC/

Wonder at the marvels of the earth as we near the new year!

Lima Sky: Panza de Burro

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Speaking with someone here in Lima, Peru I asked about the weather.  You see, my experience of Lima has generally been in the winter months (June, July, August).  During that time the sky is usually gray and the sun is rarely seen.  Now it is spring and the sky is still mostly gray.

When I asked about the summer months and the presence or absence of the sun I was told, “No, el cielo panza de burro se cambia en el verano.  En el verano hay sol y hace calor.”  That means, ‘No, the sky that looks like the belly of a burro changes in the summer.  In the summer there is sun and it is hot.”

I was so glad to hear that I will see more sun and I loved the description of the sky: panza de burro/ belly of a burro (also known as a donkey).

Sidewalk Poetry

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WCCO TV published a report tonight about St. Paul Sidewalk Poetry.  What fun!  And even better, they showed my poem:

Let’s Talk
Said one young man to his young bride,
“I’m so sad my dad just died.”
“Let’s talk of it,” she softly cried.
“Um, I just did,” the man replied.

If you live in St. Paul, MN and would like to enter a poem in this year’s contest follow this link:
http://publicartstpaul.org/project/poetry/#about_the_project

Literacy in Minnesota

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Literacy @ RiverviewIf you are interested in how Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop works in one school in Minnesota, check out the site Literacy @ Riverview.  The site gives an outline of expectations for reading and writing education.  It is a great site for new teachers who want a window into elementary literacy or experienced teachers who want a refresher.  There is also a section of resources in Spanish.

Check it out and see what you think:
https://sites.google.com/a/stpaul.k12.mn.us/riverview-literacy/ 

Writer’s Workshop Ideas- Fun, Engaging

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A colleague in my K- 5 school asked for a few ideas about making writer’s workshop fun and engaging.  I love those questions because it allows me to be creative and gather ideas.  Here are a few ideas to get started… (If you have more please add them!)

  • Be passionate- write in front of the students and let them see you write and talk out loud about your process, about spelling, …
  • Draw pictures to go with the writing
  • Write stories to go with the pictures
  • Make comic books
  • Re-write comic books (the one you just made or one that was professionally made) into story format with dialogue and description
  • Let students write what they want- lists, stories, opinions, how-to, all I know about…, non-fiction or fiction, poems, … play with words
  • Find a real audience- another classroom, the hallway, a classroom in another school or another city, country, a blog, …
  • Design/ diagram something invented and explain how it works
  • Read/ tell the beginning of a story and have the students continue/ finish it
  • Act out a story and then have the students write the script
  • Write a script and then have the students act it out, or with puppets, or as a podcast or …
  • Writing prompts
  • Connect writing closely with reading or science or social studies
  • Shared writing
  • Do you have a class mascot (stuffed animal, live animal, …)?  Write the stories of the mascot- where from, past adventures, include pictures,
  • Class blog on kidblog.org
  • Add podcasts of students reading their writing on your page of the school’s website
  • Check out blog posts such as: http://tunstalltimes.blogspot.com/2014/08/engaging-writing-activities.html
  • Stick with the standards but let your mind wander and your creativity soar