February 18, 2016
Here are the TOP 3 THINGS "experts in research" say about vocabulary instruction:
#1 - direct instruction is crucial -explicitly teach the words, selecting only a FEW words each day in each subject (avoid the "let's copy all these definitions down today" when possible)
#2 - practicing with the new words and saying the words in context is the ONLY way our students will learn them
#3 - When teaching vocabulary--> V is for Visual!!!
You will find an interactive Smartboard vocabulary activity attached to this email for you to use in your class. (kid tested and approved!) Here is what some 7th graders said, "I liked how it was interactive" "the activity that I like is that when you have to spin the wheal." "love the spinner and word sounds" "we got to talk about the words and some of them were hard to say"
This activity makes use of strategies from several books I have read recently on the importance of learning new words and vocabulary instruction.
KD
February 1, 2016
Hi!
I heard from some of you that you have gotten the information from the Cultural Correspondence Program and been assigned a student.
The director of the program told me that the college student would be presenting and sharing with your students. As a class, you can prep your kids as much as you want or simply enjoy what the college student prepares.
Let me know if you need any support!
Here are a bunch of ideas in case you want to "dig deeper" in the cultural experience:
Here are the TOP 3 THINGS "experts in research" say about vocabulary instruction:
#1 - direct instruction is crucial -explicitly teach the words, selecting only a FEW words each day in each subject (avoid the "let's copy all these definitions down today" when possible)
#2 - practicing with the new words and saying the words in context is the ONLY way our students will learn them
#3 - When teaching vocabulary--> V is for Visual!!!
You will find an interactive Smartboard vocabulary activity attached to this email for you to use in your class. (kid tested and approved!) Here is what some 7th graders said, "I liked how it was interactive" "the activity that I like is that when you have to spin the wheal." "love the spinner and word sounds" "we got to talk about the words and some of them were hard to say"
This activity makes use of strategies from several books I have read recently on the importance of learning new words and vocabulary instruction.
- Slide 1 - How to play - take 5 min, 10 min, or 15 min to review
- Slide 2 - Objective slide (it's generic)
- Slide 3 - a "Random Word Generator". You can choose the number of words and type in your own words.
- Slide 4 - a "Spinner" you can change what displays on the spinner and increase the number of options.
- Slide 5 - #stillneedtostudy slide - Exit ticket or Wrap up slide to determine what to review next time you play
- Communicate and Collaborate with keep.google.com - this one is for those that LOVE to make lists! Post it notes in the cloud! Same sharing features as google docs, has the look & feel of post its and you can add images. We all have students who will like this one...maybe some staff too!
- Think Critically, Create, communicate, and collaborate with storybird.com - we used this tool in groups of 3 to explain a concept we read about in an article. We had to use the images provided and add our own words. Quite fun and very challenging!
KD
February 1, 2016
Hi!
I heard from some of you that you have gotten the information from the Cultural Correspondence Program and been assigned a student.
The director of the program told me that the college student would be presenting and sharing with your students. As a class, you can prep your kids as much as you want or simply enjoy what the college student prepares.
Let me know if you need any support!
Here are a bunch of ideas in case you want to "dig deeper" in the cultural experience:
- Use Google News - Read news from around the world - where you see "US Edition" click the down arrow and choose your country and google will translate it for you!
- Google "fact slides Country name" and go to www.factslides.com/your country name - innovative website with random facts - scroll down to see all kinds of slide shows! The google one is interesting!
- Read some current events/ties to what you are doing in history(DOGO news, newsela, Smithsonian Tween Tribune)
- Do a Google Earth activity and zoom in on key features of the country (Track where your study abroad person is and what they share using the pin feature of Google Earth)
- Look for connections with Social Studies (communities, what is school like, favorite desserts)
- Connections with historical events you may be studying in your grade level
- Do we have any customs that were born in that country
- Cookbooks in the library from that country
- Find fictional books based in that area
- Famous people from that city/country
- Famous athletes and popular sports
- Calculate miles/travel time ( use internet websites to determine cost to get there, rental cars, hotels) for your college student
- Calculate and read about "jet lag"
- Study weather patterns, earth science(rocks, minerals), plants (do they have 4 seasons?)
- Review the college where your student is studying (some students may be staying with a host family)
- What types of activities would you do with a college student studying abroad and attending college here if you were a host family?
- Fashion and design is always interesting in different countries ("acceptable dress" for different ages and genders)
- Culture Grams- email me if you need the account information
- Culturosity.com - a website to other websites so you can learn more about a culture
- Center for Intercultural Learning - Choose the country and the this site offers ALL kinds of cool info