Taking a Leap

The last few weeks has been about taking a leap of faith in posting a new line of products on TPT!  I have um'ed and ar'ed about this for months.

I finally took the leap and listed my first flip book (or tab book depending on what you like to call them).

I love flip books, I have been using them in the classroom for ages, even as a sub I have created flip books for the students to use, sometimes I do it on the fly (when you have made a few, you get good) other times I have taught the students to do it themselves, and when I know I am going into the classroom for a few days and what they are working on, I have created ones to take in.

I love how they can provide students with such a fabulous way to present their information or learning which they can either paste in their books or with some flair and art work can make great displays for the classroom wall.  They are so great for consolidating learning into an easy reference point (rather like doing an interactive notebook).  What's even better they are easy to find in a book for study.  Whether it's Math or Literacy they can be made to work.

Do you get how much I like them.

I made a few (before my TPT journey even started) that I have used a few times, but I never posted them - to be honest I wasn't sure they stacked up well enough.  Then I was ask by a fellow teacher to make them one, they had seen what I was doing for shapes, loved it, asked for a copy, wanted to know what else I had and asked if I could make one for Christmas (unfortunately I didn't have time).

It's amazing how someone's else validation can make you feel more confident about the stuff you are creating, rather like when you get that cha-ching sound on the TPT app when you make a sale, it lets you know someone else thinks your stuff is good (other than the students who sometimes seem so easy to please).

So I have dusted of two that I have previously made (100th day and New Years), gave them an overhaul and revamp, added a Martin Luther King flip book, bundled them up into a little packages and listed the first one (New Years)!

Then held my breath.

I waited to see what people thought......

I waited to see it would sell....

Apparently a few people liked it, it's become my top selling resource.  I must say I rather proud of it.

So I have taken the plunge and listed the other two.

New Years Goal Setting Flip Book

100th Day Flip Book

Martin Luther King Jr Flip Book

Each pack has 2 or more cover options and different level of response pages to allow teachers to cater to different grade/age levels and differentiate where needed for student operating levels, and of course each pack comes with the all important 'How to Assemble' pages.

If you are interested just click on any of the pages and it will take you to my TPT store. 

In the mean time I am just please to have taken the leap of faith, believed in my work, believed that I do have a different enough take on the flip books that people will be interested and best of all believed in myself.

I think the lesson in here is that I should believe in myself a bit more.

In the mean time I am going to go and take advantage of the rest of this holiday and create a bit more, after all my list is a mile long of ideas after spending time in the classroom, and I have a few more flip books up my sleeve that I want to re do and revamp and finish off ready to post.

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Just Finished Reading a Book...would make a good lesson plan

The book:



http://www.amazon.com/Between-Lines-Jodi-Picoult/dp/1451635818/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha VanLeer

Actually don't like the cover for the book that is on Amazon but that's what they are showing so have to go with it.

I picked this book up on a whim, it was on a great sale and the blurb caught me.  To be honest I thought with the blurb it would make a great teaching book.

Its based on the concept that characters in books are alive living their own life when the reader closes the book (hello Toy Story comparisons anyone).

The book is divided in to sectional chapters as you flick between what the fairy tale is written about, the main character in the book (Prince Oliver) when the book is closed, and Delilah the teenager reader who is stuck addicted to this childish fairy tale as the books story seems to connect to her own life.

The characters are alive in Delilahs mind when she reads the story (the goal of any writer) but one day she notices a change in the book.... This starts a journey of understanding that what you believe is perfect looking from the outside in, is not the same for the person living the life, and Delilah and Oliver trying to find away to be together and in what world they should be.

It's sort of like a modern fairy tale (cause it still has a happy ending) but it does ask the question of is it a happily ever after for everyone.

I like how it can be used as a lesson on point of view, comparisons with Toy Story and the ending - well its not that great and a little simplified (e.g. a happily ever after) and could be used as a re write the ending how you think it should go activity, as well as what book would you like to come alive and why.

If you read the reviews for this book on line it has a lot of disappointed readers, but when you read the reviews it is quite clear it is adults buying the book thinking they were getting a typical Jodi Picoult novel (which it is not) as it had been marketed wrong on line.  But reading the book to the intended audience (10 to 15) would work especially as a lesson.

So for me this book is going away as a may get to use one day book, I really think it could work well

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Using Blackout Poetry in the Class

I had come across finished examples of Blackout poetry on line and managed to track down one blog post that gave some details about the concept (although I haven't been able to find it again) and I knew it would be a great activity to try with a  class.

It combines the creativeness of making poems with the skills of skim reading (to find words that suit) and course design and art to make a finished piece.

I had tucked examples away in my teaching folder as a possibility to teach but had not created a formal lesson plan to work off.  I did not think I was going to be able to fit it in during my teaching placement anytime soon but new it would be handy.

Thankfully I did as I had a number of students who finished their project quicker than the rest and a sports event that was meant to take up the afternoon get cancelled  - suddenly I had time to fill in!

I did a quick scramble in the class book we were reading 'The Emerald Atlas', which is fill of amazing descriptive language.  I found a page, quickly enlarged and photocopied a class set.  I wanted to see the variety of poems that could be created from the same source.

I had a base idea in my head as to how I would introduce and teach it (thankfully), but was unsure as to how well the students would connect with the ideas or understand the concept.

They were hooked instantly, even my more reluctant students got stuck in with it!!

I explained how they will need to read the text through once to get an idea of the words on the page, then go back and skim the page to find words to link together to make a poem (which will take several re-reads).  As they find words that work for them, circle the words in pencil, re-read what they have circled and see if there are words that they should loose or add to improve the flow of the poem (editing practice, check!).

I did a quick demonstration before sending them off to start.   Using pencil was the best way to go as for a few I did need to suggest a few less words and remind students that with poetry the normal writing rules go out the window - correct sentence structure is not needed.

The students brought me their poems to read through before starting on the art stage and I was blown away by the poems that were created, some of them were very powerful and the students were delighted when I read them out to the class.

Then came out the markers and the felts and their creativity.  There were a couple who failed to understand to leave their words white and block out the rest and coloured in the words as well, but hey they still looked good.  It was amazing to see the art work they created and the variety in the poems.

Lit up lighting flashes,
Hundreds of rock walls was gone
Howls
Path zig zagged
Dancing over
Pointing up
Lightening Forked
Echoed














Lighting flashes
Nothing by sheer rock walls
Cursed their first day
Watching the howls from the face of the cliff
The path was zig zagged
Gusts of wind
Bringing the valley floor into view
The bottom pointing up the cliff
















Hundred feet of sheer rock walls
Plunge howls closer
Face of the cliff was their only hope
Steep, slippery, never more than a couple of feet
Children descended
Valley, hide,
Echo

The students quickly figured out that they could delete the 's' and 'ed' and 'ing' from words to help the flow of their poem, which was not something that I thought to tell them to do.  Great demonstrating of them thinking for themselves.

Would do this lesson again in an heart beat with any class - doesn't always have to be on the A2 size and could easily be standard page size.  However being the large size meant that they made for an impressive art display!

This was completed with 9-11 year-olds, which meant the text was more detailed, but I think you could easily do it with younger children but with a simpler text.

I can not recommend this style of poetry enough as a lesson, if you read this and have any questions just ask and I will do my best to answer :)

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