Chasing Vermeer

Chasing Vermeer

By Blue Balliett

I implemented the novel, Chasing Vermeer, into my fifth grade class as a multi-disciplinary unit addressing New York State Learning Standards in English Language Arts, Social Studies and The Arts. Students were enthusiastic about all aspects of the unit and enjoyed the authentic experiences provided as comprehension strategies:

• Students observed and analyzed works of art by Johannes Vermeer
• Students understood the period considered to be the Golden Age of Art
• Students engaged in discussions and debates with peers
• Students wrote about personal objects that they considered art
• Students applied contextual information to art from different time periods and created works of art that represent modern society.

Wonderful link to Blue Balliett's books:

http://www.scholastic.com/blueballiett/

The Desert

Creating a bulletin board was the culminating activity for our unit on the American Southwestern Desert in third grade. Students wrote descriptive paragraphs about the desert after listening to fiction and non-fiction books. Poetry (or authors like Byrd Baylor) was especially helpful with descriptive language.

Many of my students thought that the desert was dry and lifeless. I decided to assign them to work in cooperative groups and write a collaborative research paper about desert life. Each group was chosen carefully so at least one strong reader and strong writer was in each group, and every group was assigned a particular living thing (Saguaro Cactus, Coyote, Kangaroo Rat, Great Horned Owl, Scorpion, Western Diamondback). After writing, the students illustrated all forms of desert life and landscape to be placed on the bulletin board.

Suggested Book List:

• Cactus Hotel (Brenda Z. Guiberson)
• Creatures of the Desert World (National Geographic Society)
• Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus (Barbara Bash)
• Deserts (Gail Gibbons)
• Desert Voices (Byrd Baylor)
• The Desert is Theirs (Byrd Baylor)

Introducing Division

The Doorbell Rang

By Pat Huchins

Using Pat Huchins' The Doorbell Rang as an introduction, my third grade students with special needs developed an understanding of division. They wrote and displayed their own "Division Stories" using cookies and plates. This was modified from a lesson I taught in a first grade classroom to introduce the concept of sharing.

My Philosophy of Teaching

As a teacher, I recognize that my primary responsibility is to my students and I will work diligently to ensure that all of my students’ unique needs are met. I have had experience teaching students with various individual needs in diverse populations, and I stress the importance of multicultural education and inclusive communities to my students. I am aware of the obligation to address the curriculum and state learning standards in every lesson, however I am also a strong believer in integrating the arts, music and various content areas to enhance and enrich learning experiences for all students. I provide authentic learning experiences and assessments in all content areas. I am truly dedicated to my profession. I am committed to providing my students with an education that will challenge them to reach and exceed expectations, and that will provide them with the means to become productive members of our society. Above all, I feel that my job as a teacher is to inspire my students to become life-long learners, to be dedicated in all that they do, and to value hard work.

Science Is Hands-On Fun!

States of Matter: In order to demonstrate the difference between the states of matter in solids, liquids and gases students used marshmallows. The solids were placed close together, the liquids were a bit spread apart and the gases were placed far apart.

Types of Clouds: We did a similar project to show the difference between types of clouds. We used cotton balls on black construction paper.

Sound Travels: Students learned that sound travels faster through a solid than through the air. A hanger was tied to a string and hit against a desk. The students heard the sound. To compare, the students then placed each end of the string to their ears and hit the hanger against the desk again. The sound was louder traveling directly through the string than through the air. We also demonstrated this by making paper cup telephones. Speaking in a whisper with no "telephone" was not as loud as whispering through the "telephone."

Sound Waves: Understanding sound waves is a challenge for students. It is an abstract concept. Using a bowl of water and tuning forks makes this concept more tangible for students. Place the tuning fork in a bowl of water and strike it. This creates ripples in the water, much like sound waves. As the students hear the vibrations, they can also see the sound waves.

Blubber Keeps Whales Warm: The ocean is icy cold. It is difficult for students to understand how whales stay warm in the ocean. Have students place their hands in ice cold water and see how long it takes for them to feel the cold (it will only take a second!). Then, have students place their hand into the "blubber bag" (fill a ziploc bag with crisco and place a second bag inside so the students' hands do not get sticky). Then they can place their hand back in the ice water. Their hand will not feel the cold water with blubber protecting them.

Beginning, Middle and End

As part of a unit teaching beginning, middle and end (a challenge to many young writers) our class of second and third graders created winter tales. The children were given various winter scenes to choose from as a starting point for their stories. After selecting a scene, choosing character names, and deciding on a setting, they began writing. The students were required to write a strong lead and set the scene in the beginning (to be written in the head of the snowman). The body of the story fit in the body of the snowman. Finally, the ending was written at the bottom. This was a wonderfully visual way for the students to see how these three parts of a story fit together to create a whole.

For students with learning disabilities, three scenes were chosen to put into a sequence. These pictures were pasted in each part of the snowman to assist with writing a beginning, middle and ending.

Author Study: Ezra Jack Keats

With my second and third grade students, I led an author study of the inspirational Ezra Jack Keats. All of the children truly enjoyed reading Keats’ stories. We learned about his life and work, connected with Keats’ characters, created collages and stories, compared the book and the movie of The Snowy Day, and did various activities which helped us to understand more about Keats’ work.

One lesson that I was particularly proud of integrated literature, writing, art and music. After reading Apt. 3 (not one of the more well-known books, but one of my favorites), we talked about how music can create a mood. I shared three very different clips of music with them and we discussed how each made them feel. We made our own harmonicas using combs and wax paper and made music! The students wrote and drew about how their harmonica music would make others feel.

**To make a wax paper harmonica, use a small black comb and a piece of wax paper approximately 5" x 4". Fold the wax paper in half the long way and slip the comb in. Blow or buzz with your lips! It might take a bit of practice before it sounds just right.

After watching a documentary about Ezra Jack Keats, we learned that Keats uses moments and memories from his childhood in his stories. My students each had to think of a moment that was important to them. They described this moment in a word or a sentence (depending on what they were able to do) and then used various materials with different textures to create a collage showing this moment. I provided wallpaper scraps, paper, cotton balls, stickers, popsicle sticks, felt, newspaper and any other materials the students could think of. After the collage was completed, we began writing. Each student then created a fictional character to replace themselves in the story (we previously studied character traits) and let creativity and imagination guide in their story! Choosing a real memory helped some students who would otherwise struggle to be creative. In the end, our class had created some marvelous stories and beautiful collages which they were proud to share and display.

While reading Dreams, we discussed what each dream window could be. The students explained that they used the colors and the design of Keats' painting to determine what the dream was about. For example, one window with blue and white one student thought looked like a wave and told what else could be happening in this child's dream. Each student then painted their own dream window using watercolors on paper. I drew the shape of a window similar to that in the book. They wrote exactly what was in their dream window. The students did beautiful work!

As a teacher I love to read the work of Ezra Jack Keats with my students because they are drawn into his stories and able to empathize and connect with his characters. We read and discussed The Snowy Day, Peter’s Chair, Pet Show, Whistle for Willie, A Letter to Amy, Goggles and Apt. 3. There are many other books that he has written and illustrated. There is also a website through the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation which has information about Keats’ books and life, programs in New York, a “Kid’s Corner” with puzzles and animated stories, and much more. Since Keats was born and raised in Brooklyn, there are many programs in Brooklyn and Manhattan in the “Programs” tab of his website such as storytelling and family concerts. Please explore and enjoy his website!


Link to the Official Ezra Jack Keats website:
http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/