Mr. and Mrs. Comma

As writers, our class is in one of two categories - comma kings and queens or Nate the neglectful.  So we, as writers, decided to make a plea for commas.  First, we addressed everywhere you may see a comma. Then, we wrote a story entitled, If I Were A Comma.... from the point of view of a comma.  We then made comma people.  These are the cutest stinkin' comma people I've ever seen!! (I say that like I've seen a lot of comma people don't I!) One even had a purse, earrings, and high heels! I'll try to get a picture of them on here soon.  I'm having difficulty with the iphone and loading pictures.  Looks like I'm gonna have to drag the old Nikon out and bring it to school.


                    The kids got to make commas and turn them into people.

We brainstormed all the places you would see commas in a book as a reader and also where you would use commas as a writer.  They folded their paper into four sections and chose four examples. They used the commas in an example for each section.

We also done some creative writing with a prompt of If I were a comma....... We talked about how commas feel when people read over them or don't use them in writing.  The kids created some really cute stories! We've got a great group of creative authors this year!

Spelling words for the week of March 26

1. talk

2. because

3. August

4. caught

5. draw

6. walk

7. chalk

8.  auto

9.  taught

10. thaw

11. fault

12. launch  

Bonus:

applause

audience, 

awkward

Spelling words for the week of March 19

I hope everyone had a great spring break spending time with their families.  I know I sure did!  Here's this weeks spelling words.

1. phone

2. enough

3. stuff,

4. laugh

5. puff

6. giraffe

7. graph

8. tough

9. photo

10. rough

11. cough

12. cliff

Bonus:

dolphin, physical, autograph

1. knock

2. sign

3. knee

4. wrong

5. write

6. climb

7. wrap

8. wren

9. gnat

10. lamb

11. comb

12. knob

Vocabulary is more than important, it's key!

Our Literacy coach held the best staff meeting last week.  Her main focus was about Vocabulary.  She had an excerpt from Hatchet.  30% of the important vocabulary was in french.  She asked us to read it and then tell what the story was about.  I couldn't.  This is how some of our kids feel when they read non-fiction.  If they don't understand the vocabulary, how are they going to get the content!! My eyes were opened.  So here is what we have in our room to help us grow our vocabulary and get us excited about understanding new words and also using new words in our writing.  It's our Big Juicy Words chart.  It includes the word on an index card along with a quick definition (generated by the kids) and how it is used in a sentence.
So here is where you as a parent comes in.  As your child reads a page, ask them if there were any words that were tricky.  Ask them if there were any words they didn't know the meaning for.  When they write, encourage them to use bigger adjectives and words they have heard in familiar stories.
It sounds simple, but we have to expand their vocabulary in order to increase their learning.  Whew! That's a good place for an AMEN! I'm so fired up about it right now! Thanks Erma!  You're the best.  I'm so thankful that Caryville has you.

Sorry for the picture. I could not, for the life of me, get it turned right side up!!

(It killed me and I had to give it another go! Fixed it!)

1. unsafe 

2. preheat

3. rerun

4. disappear

5. unlock

6. retie

7. rewind

8. unpack

9. unplug

10. regroup

11. preschool

12. disagree

BONUS:  

13. prehistoric

14. unfortunate

15. reunion 

spelling words for the week of February 13th

Sorry!! Somehow the spelling words didn't load this week.  Just now noticed.  Here they are.  Happy studying :)

1. cheerful

2. visitor

3. slowly

4. weekly

5. teacher

6. helper

7. hardly

8. graceful

9. yearly

10. quickly

11. fighter

12. sailor

Bonus:  

13. gardener

14. competitor

15. extremely