It rained today.
I know I already mentioned that we do not have hallways at our school. It’s an “outside” school. My door goes to the classroom. That’s all. We have to be out in the rain to go to the bathroom, the cafeteria, the library, the office, you get the picture . . .
IT RAINED TODAY. I didn’t get to see my grown up friends until lunch time and then we all looked like wet rats (and yes, I did bring my umbrella but the wind kept threatening to make me Mary Poppins AND it rained sideways on us so it didn’t really matter anyway) and we were too wet and tired to talk. So we all just got our lunches out of the fridge and swam back to our rooms. Then we got to see each other again at our PTT meeting. With the staff. I prefer the days when it’s just my grade level and me. But we were with the staff. And the principal. And she didn’t want us to talk. She wanted us to reflect. This was an extremely difficult task. I am really happy to be home now.
Oh, and did I mention that I am in the middle of my Language Arts District Assessments? And how the kids just HAVE to go to the bathroom because they WANT to get wet in the rain and it is ever so exciting and they have to tell all their friends to go try it???? Not the bathroom (because they do not need to go) but that they have to try getting WET on the way to the bathroom. YES, I WANT TO SAY NO. NO NO NO NO you can NOT go to the bathroom. Sit down, little rascal. Pretend to be busy while I give this little kiddo the rhyming portion of the test. But as soon as I say no, someone will have an accident. You know it’s true. I hope you’re nodding along while you read this.
IN SUMMARY, I am tired.
But since we’ve been working on summarizing, I thought I’d share Sammy with you. Here’s the little fellar.
I know he’s not new. Maybe you have something similar. I don’t know. But I got him from a friend from a friend and then I had to make him cuter. So this is Sammy. When I first introduce Sammy, I talk with my Texan/Okie accent. I have one. Wish you could hear it rawt now becawse I am usin’ it. I grew up in Texas and Oklahoma and I love to use my accent when it suits my fancy. My kids stare at me like I have lost my mind but that happens about fourteen other times during the day, as well, so it’s kind of normal. I also have a lasso. Which is a fancy word for a clotheline that I had my husband tie up into a lasso. And the knot is “moveable” or however you want to say it. It’s a visual. I will read a story about something (let’s say a dog) and I get the lasso really, really, really small and say “This story is about a dog.” This shows the kids that I did not really summarize the story. Then I get the lasso really, really, really big and I say every itty bitty thing about the story. I give away all of the information and basically retell the story word for word. This is all done with my accent. Finally, I get the lasso JUST RIGHT and say the perfect summary. And then, just for kicks and giggles, I play the theme song “Bonanza” on my iPod and let the kids tell their shoulder partners a summary about the book. Rawt now, we are tryin’ to keep our summary within one or two sentences. Such as, “This story is about a dog that runs away.” or “This story is about a dog that is gigantic and gets into all kinds of trouble.”
Later, at the listening center, my kids use this recording sheet to practice the skill. Any old sort of book would work.
Oh, Brandon is WAY off the reservation! My husband has Brandon as his "survivor" in his work pool and he hates it. Haha! I can't help but laugh because he gets stuck with the worst survivors every year. Now, he worries each week as Brandon gets a little more off his rocker that he'll get voted off. I think it is bound to happen soon!
BTW, I am at an open school too and my little angels do the same thing!
~Andi
"this is all done with my accent" lol!! You always crack me up! I totally thought about you in the rain today! I hope this let's up tomorrow!
Haha!! I love it – I will totally have to do that!!
And as I'm reading your post, I am listening to the rain – ahhhh…the rain. I love the rain! but we have inside rooms…but I can totally get your hatred for the days like you had.
P.S. lovin' your summary pages – that is THE hardest skill…even in 3rd they still want to tell the WHOLE story!
I've given you a Versatile Blogger Award! Happy Thursday!
Very cute idea!
Jodi
Fun In First
So glad I found your site! I homeschool and I am always glad to find sites that help me navigate through our courses.
I totally laughed when I read your post – it rained at my school (with outside hallways in So Cal) and every kid just had to "go." Our room smelled like wet dog – AND the air conditioning was running… Loved your summarizing lesson – so cute!
You crack me up! I love your summarizing lesson – I can't pull off an authentic Texas accent, but that never stops me from trying!
Great lesson! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, and good luck getting some sunny weather tomorrow!
Number 1: As always, you crack me up. Thanks for that.
Number 2: I wish my first grade teacher could have been like you. She stunk and we never did anything fun. I don't think I remember a thing from school for that entire YEAR. Your kids are so lucky to have you because they are going to remember what you taught them AND the entire year because you are awesome. =)
I love your blog! You always make me smile! 🙂
Thanks for the Freebies! 🙂
Cheryl
I say ditto to all the other comments that say your blog makes them smile. It is real! Sometimes I get crazy frustrated that these super bloggy ladies have everything so perfect all the time. That is just not my world in Syracuse, NY! Right now the thing in my class, is who can write with the shortest pencil. Really?? Kids are snapping their pencils in half so they will get shorter faster.
Thank goodness for long holiday weekends! Hope yours is a great one!
Love Sammy Summarizer. Do you have charts for other strategies too? I would love to use them with my class!
I was looking for some ideas to teach summarizing, when I came across your blog! Thanks.
Also wondering if you have similar charts for the other strategies. I like to have things go together (I think I'm a little OCD.).
I love your Sammy the Summarizer and the matching listening center page! I wasn't able to download it correctly. Would you mind emailing it to me instead?
Thanks!
lisa.humbert@jordandistrict.org