February 13, 2018

Haiku Review: the Valentine's Day Edition

February 13, 2018/ Cindy Goeden

Need a new idea to get the creative juices flowing in your classroom?

The Haiku offers that opportunity to your students by channeling their creativity into this unique form of Japanese poetry.

Here is a great lesson plan to get you started. (By the way, you can find this lesson, along with many others, in the Unit Studies Section of your Shurley English book!)

EXPAND THE LESSON: VALENTINE'S DAY

You can adapt the directions by creating an example with your students that focuses on the desired holiday or season. For this example, I focused on creating a haiku to include in a valentine for a mother or grandmother in the life of the student.

Loving me each day

Never giving up on me

My Valentine Mom.

Missing you today

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom

Hugs up to heaven.

She wakes me each day

With a smile and a big hug -

Now filled, love others!

No other mother

Can fix my crushed, broken heart

She’s just right for me!

Just Grandma and me

Baking her special cookies

Making memories!

Of course, the students can use whatever craft supplies you provide to design a special valentine card, which includes their haiku to bring a smile to someone. Just think, you can help to create lifelong treasures in the families represented in your classroom! I saved many of the special creations of my own son, most of them prompted by his wonderful teachers throughout his elementary school years. What a privilege you have to be a part of making memories to last a lifetime!

January 23, 2018

Writing Extension: Celebrate the Winter Wonderland

January 23, 2018/ Cindy Goeden

When the excitement of a snow day or a long weekend is over, you may want an activity to teach your students how to find interest in nature’s resting time. It's an opportunity to find the beauty on display right outside the window! Take a classroom field trip outside and have your students paired up with clipboards to record the details they observe. This is a great time to review descriptive writing to spark their imagination. We've provided a few descriptive writing resources for you at the bottom of this page!

January 05, 2018

Resolutions vs. Goals: Let's discuss!

January 05, 2018/ Jamie Geneva

During the first few days of January, many people across the globe participate in the age-old tradition of writing a New Year’s Resolution. The custom of making a promise to do something differently to improve one’s life (mind, body, & soul) in the coming year has been going on since ancient times.

Writing a New Year’s Resolution is not the same thing as coming up with a goal for the New Year. Goals require

January 01, 2018

New Year Check-In: Let's evaluate our progress!

January 01, 2018/ Kimberly Crady

As a classroom teacher, returning from holiday break was always bittersweet. On one hand, I knew the pressure for “test prep” would be more intense, but on the other hand, the satisfaction of witnessing my students grow into wiser beings put a validating smile on my face.

It was a common practice of mine to re-assign the Shurley English Pretest the day my students returned to class from their holiday break. The Teacher’s Manual did not tell me to do this; I simply felt it was an important way to

December 21, 2017

Up Your Language Arts Game While on Vacation

December 21, 2017/ David Lutz

My family and I have played a really cool game throughout our years together. My wife and I thought it up when we were traveling on vacation several years ago, and it remains as one of my all-time favorites (not sure anyone else agrees!!). It only requires a brain, a vocabulary, and a voice.

It’s a kind of free-word association game. It is loosely modeled around the psychological test called

November 26, 2017

Writing Extension: Let's address the envelope!

November 26, 2017/ Kim Shurley

‘Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, and holiday cards! I am one of those people who love to send and receive mail. I think I am a dying breed, but it gives me joy to create a holiday card and send it to my friends and family. Of course, this can be a prime teaching and learning opportunity.

Do your children know how to properly address an envelope?

November 19, 2017

Writing Extension: The acrostic poem delivers insight!

November 19, 2017/ Kim Shurley

Are there times when you wonder, “what is my child thinking?” Well, let me clarify...

Are there times when you wonder, “what are my child’s thoughts on a particular topic.” (Yes, that’s better phrasing.)

I find that this question usually hits me around the holidays. While the pageantry, hustle, and bustle of the holiday season surrounds us, I have a desire to know, "what are you thinking?!?" I have found a great way to “tune-in” with acrostic poems.