Nancy Akhaven's new book Accelerating Vocabulary talks a lot about "The Fab 15" Fifteen minutes of vocabulary a day. In my world I can't devote that much time every day, but I can a couple of days a week. She builds word lists directly from the kids. Her activities are build around the workshop format, and she includes ways to fine-tune mini-lessons. It's a book that will stay in my box of prof. books that I keep with me as I plan.
I totally agree with you about the nipping away of the reading time. I finally got tired of dealing with that also. I got this suggestion from another list: rather than dividing my DAY into the parts of a workshop, I divide my week. Mondays are always full lessons, and/ or vocabulary. Tuesday is usually a group activity related to the Monday thing or read aloud and discussion. This next year I think I'll direct literature studies or revision groups during that time. The kids read/wrote independently or conferenced with me for the full period Wed. Thurs. and 3/4 of Friday. The last 15-20 minutes on Friday are a sharing and.or book talks. I switch reader's/writer's workshop every 6-7 weeks, laid out in strategy/standard/genre units. I liked it too. Kim On 7/4/07, Caroline Mooney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > i too saw tim rasinski, and he spoke mainly about word work, vocabulary > building exercises. i bought one of his books, the word ladder book for > older students, and they absolutely loved it. > > regarding your question about the "five minute" thing. what i meant is > this: there are so many wonderful things you can do with students, and these > wonderful things only take 5 minutes each. but the more i add, the more 5 > minute increments i add to my class--regardless of how meaningful they > are--the less time my students have to get into the reading zone. > > still, i have to have grades, so i try and choose the activities that > generate daily grades carefully, because the most important thing my > students can do is just sit down and read. most of my middle schoolers > prefer tv and games over reading:) > > but that's what i meant. by the way, i notice you are working on your > doctorate. what are you studying? just curious. > > caroline > _______________________________________________ > 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 > -- Kim ------- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School resno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ 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
