Read Across America Day & Dr. Seuss Lesson!
As always, I began writing my lesson by gathering my focus book and Story Grammar Marker® Mini-Posters. Since the children enjoyed our recent Rosa Parks read aloud Who was Rosa Parks? written by Yona Zeldis McDonough, this week I chose Who Was Dr. Seuss? written by Janet B. Pascal from the same series. I planned the lesson to coincide with Read Across America Day on March 2, which is Dr. Seuss’ birthday. The lexile measure of this book is 820L. The following lesson suggestions were designed for grades 3 and 4. Lessons may be modified to meet your student’s needs. Many people ask how I go about creating lessons to use the SGM®. Really, it is the opposite thinking, as I always have asked myself: How can the SGM® be used to enhance the lessons I already do and target skills that I am trying to teach?...
SGM is 25 Years Old & SGM New Year’s Resolution Worksheet
Happy New Year!
The Story Grammar Marker® is twenty-five years old this year, created in 1991. 2016 will be a year of celebrations that highlight our methodology as well as tools for instruction and intervention. To kick off the year, please use this new “SGM® New Year’s Resolution Worksheet” (click here to download and print) with your students...
Aligning SGM® with The Zones of Regulation, and Tech-Tie-Ins!
This month we will discuss the acclaimed Zones of Regulation® program and dovetailing with narrative instruction through Story Grammar Marker®. All students must develop self-regulation skills for living and learning, an area defined by author Leah Kuypers as “the best state of alertness of both the body and emotions for the specific situation” (Kuypers, 2011). However, students with language-learning disorders and autism spectrum and related disorders can exhibit more significant struggles with managing their mind and body given their communication needs, as well as other factors such as sensory processing...
Reading Lessons and Blogs About the Winter Season
We recently posted a blog using the SGM® Setting Map with the four seasons:
With the official first day of the winter season right around the corner, check out some of these blogs and lessons that you may want to use with your students!
Winter’s Coming! Narrative/Expository Setting Lesson
Read several poems or books of your choice about the four seasons to the children. After reading, hold a brief discussion with the students about what they like about a particular season.
Have the children break into four groups. Using chart paper, label one for each season next to the setting icon. Ask the groups to rotate from one “season” to another and brainstorm all the words that the particular season makes them think of. Have one student be the recorder for each group and have each group use a different color maker...
Compare and Contrast Characters
Miss Nelson Is Missing, written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, is one of my favorites for comparing characters. It is a book that may be used at a variety of levels. Read the story for enjoyment. After, discuss the “two” characters, Miss Nelson and Miss Swamp.
Fill out individual character maps for each character or fill out one map for both characters as shown below which was done with a third grade class. Have children talk about the map(s) with one another.