My neighbor then has them do grammar review on the white boards. Then combine it with what I do as another review AFTER the worksheets, think, pair, share and grading........ so it is another review.
This is how she works it..... All white boards must be face down on the desk...set the rules and they police each other. One student counts and hands out markers and collects them so they know how many to get back. They keep the white boards under their desks on the racks beneath them. At the word of "GO ....you have 30 seconds" they write furiously to respond to your grammar question and turn the board over so neighbors do not see. THEN they reveal their answers all at once when told "NOW" so the teacher (& other teams) can do an immediate assessment. They love it! I hear them through the walls. The big rule is NO DOODLING with the markers on the white board or you lose the white board for the 1st week and then the quarter after that. They can use their own lined paper and have to participate even if they lose their boards. It is sad and they love the white boards so they don't want to blow it. No one has lost the board for the quarter. She is using it with 6th and 7th. Grammar needs to be fun....and I am hoping to get more ideas from everyone here!! I go to the Dollar Store for cool pencils or even from the office supply room at school, if need be. Just to be singled out or awarded a free pencil for many of these students, it may be the only thing they get free. I tell them I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN DO IT! So it is "raise the praise" day on grammar day. Who would not love that? Tell me what you do to make grammar meaningful, memorable, fun.....I can't wait to hear. ----- Original Message ----- From: "May Dartez" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades." <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 4:15 PM Subject: Re: [LIT] test-prep > Lucinda, > > I agree that their attention spans are so short. That's the biggest > problem I have found > while trying to prepare my students....and sometimes the motivation is > lacking, as well. > > I have a set of white boards in the room and am planning to use them > some next week. The problem > is that whole-class work is very difficult with the very difficult > group of sixth-graders we have this year. (We call > them the party animal class!) This makes quiet worksheet work, etc. > necessary for at least half of the period > (broken up into pieces of course.) > > I really like your idea of following a short, whole-class review with > individual practice and then group grading. > They are also very motivated by competitions, etc. so I love your idea > of having rows compete:) > > Thanks for the great ideas! > > May > > On Apr 5, 2007, at 6:55 PM, Lucinda Marcello wrote: > >> My experience >> was to keep it moving and short for the grammar review. I did a 5-7 >> minute >> review, they completed a worksheet on their own for 5 minutes, then >> shared >> with their neighbor for 2 minutes then we graded it as a class (another >> review) scoring it. I tried to have them try their best (compete) in >> teams >> of rows. Still not perfect but they liked the format of SHORT grammar >> lesson, individual work, we grade and review, then see what row/team >> did the >> best. I gave away pencils to everyone saying they ALL did so well. > > > _______________________________________________ > The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.26/746 - Release Date: 4/4/2007 > 1:09 PM > > _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
