Hi All!

I attended the past two Saturday workshops regarding Brain Toys. Even though we are reaching the end of the year, I'd like to try working with the Question Answer, Adder, and Concluder. How do you get started? I teach 5th grade reading.

Thanks for your help,

Nikki

I am going to start this with my third graders tomorrow.
I am going to break it down into sections as Mr. Biffle did on Saturday.
First, I am going to use extended response question from our Ohio Achievement Practice test and model question/ answer with the salute. I am going to explain that this means I want a full answer instead of my saying 100% correct answer. I am just going to do this for about 3 questions. I am going to celebrate their efforts and then challenge them with the adders. First teaching the signal and them having them add on to their sentences. I am going to have them do this with the same three questions. This will ensure success and help to have a better understanding of why their answers are correct. Finally, I am going to introduce the concluder. I am going to make it a must that my student finish their last thought and start the sentence with in conclusion.....I am going to make sure that I have the chart on the board as a constant reminder to students. If you go back on the the livestream you can view it again. At the top you have question/answer then an arrow down. Next, is the adder then an arrow down. Lastly, is the concluder. They are all in boxes. I was going to put the gesture that goes with each brain toy to the right of the brain toy. I am going to do this for a few days and then throw in the next 3 brains toys. (air period, because slapper, example popper)

I hope that this helps you out

I will let you know who it goes, but I w

I blogged about my experience today....check it out.....mrfallis36-mrfallis.blogspot.com/
had a blast with it today....can not wait to make it happen tomorrow..

OK fellow WBT's don't get mad at me but I am still on spring break until next week. You can do the Na, Na, Na-na when you all are getting tans and I am in school until July 21st.

Anyway, here is the deal, please let me know how the brain toys and use of because,air punct. and so on works for you. Then when I return your expertise will help me feel more prepared to teach these to my students.

I would really love help with "how to get started" and what proved successful and what one should tweek.

Power to the teachers,

Annette in San Diego,CA

jfallis,

A bit off topic, but based on your blog. How did your kids do with the state test?

I wish I could answer that question for you! I will not know for another 2 months. I can tell you this though.....my school test students three times a year using N.W.E.A. testing. My students have met or exceeded the goals for average third graders who take the test. This is including my special education students. I have 3 special education students 10 on I.E.P's. My class had grown 100% in math, 65% in reading, and 100% in language usage. Therefore, we will exceed the expectation that anyone thought was possible. We are going to be taking the test for the final time this week. I will be sure to update you on their success or struggles.

check out my blog mrfallis36-mrfallis.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the blog. I will check out the livestream.

Jason....I can finally answer your question about test scores....I blogged about it today....check it out at mrfallis36-mrfallis.blogspot.com/

K....so I am coming from the kinder world but this was how we transitioned over the year (of course you will be able to adapt for those "bigger" kids:)

We started at the beginning of the year distinguishing "baby talk" and "college talk". Baby talk is a short answer, "college talk" is where the question is in the answer. Then we went to "College Graduate" talk, because college graduates have to back up their answers by telling why they think what they think. So the kinders went to answering the question with the question in the answer and then adding "because" and explaining their thinking. Of course when they got good at that I wanted them to tell me more so we added the adder word "and". Now my kinders are "geniuses" (and they will remind you that, should you forget...) and they can give their answers with the question in the answer and 3 supporting details. Now concluder was a new concept just handed on down to us~ and so we are working on that, but I would say that after all they have accomplished it should be a piece of cake. Here is an example of their progression based on some answers given to me last week:


We are studying habitats (this is a signal word and everytime I say it the students say "A habitat is where animals live" while doing corresponding gestures). I showed a picture of a habitat and I asked the students what habitat they thought it was and to support their answer with details from the picture. Here is what the student said:

"I think this is a picture of a desert habitat because first of all, it looks very hot. Second of all, it looks very dry and there is no water. Third of all, there are cactuses (no proper cacti~ but hey~ they ARE kinders:)."

Yep~ a GENIUS answer. All that is left is the concluder. Here is an example of the transition of our year. One question, five different answers......

Question: "What habitat is this?"

Baby talk: a desert

College talk: "I think that habitat is a desert."

College graduate talk: "I think that habitat is a desert because it looks hot."

College graduate talk with an adder: "I think that habitat is a desert because it looks hot and dry."

And then of course the best answer~ the GENIUS answer above.

Now I KNOW if my kinders can do it~ those 5th graders can too!!!!!

Have fun!