Just a quick thought

I was reading through several of my favorite blogs.  The Peanut Gallery came up through another blog I follow.  I have seen this game and even have fly swatters that say "SPLAT" on them just to play it.  Well...we played it once! Why? I don't like games where two kids are at a board and the "team" just sits back and watches. (Engagement???)   BUT as I read the game this time and author mentioned putting the words on a poster board, the light bulb lite up!  Make it part of your Daily 5 routine.  Make it a game/center to practice vocabulary.  YES!!! I could then see three kids in a group sitting around the "SPLAT" board.  Swat is the name I have heard it called but I call it Splat due to my flyswatters. One student would read a card with a definition or sentence containing a blank or synonym of the desired vocabulary word. The reason for the differing "question" cards is to differentiate.  The other two students with swatters in hand search for the vocabulary word.  I am now pumped to use my little used SPLAT swatters.  Now...to add yet another project to my long "Do Over Summer" list. :)   Thank you Peanut Gallery author (sorry don't know your name) for your inspiration!!

Figurative Language lesson .... Good thing I get 3 chances to do it correct!

 

(clip art from http://www.ocontofalls.k12.wi.us/faculty/cincho/?from_faculty_listing=1&l=&u=)

 

 

 

   It is great that I am given 3 chances to get it right!! I teach grammar/language arts, while my partners teach science and social studies.  We rotate the three classes each week.  Well...I have to confess that this last section has not gone exactly like I wanted.  My poor students are always the guinea pigs.  This time...they received a very short end of the stick! 

 



     I wanted to get in a last minute review of the various figurative language elements we have had all year through Treasures as a prep for the upcoming tests...yippee!  I wanted to accomplish too---- much the first time the week of lessons were taught.  The second week went much better.  Now, next week I have a very low class and I need to revamp it once again.  Need to find more active learning and hands on activities. 

  The best part of the lessons came about during my first week when I realized it was going downhill and rolling fast. I searched the net and found examples of poetry which demonstrated each literary element (alliteration, consonance, onomatopoeia, simile, metaphor, rhyme, personification, hyperbole, and idiom) They loved the challenge!  The next week I added a You Tube video which made a huge difference this week.

 

  I have the song but the video kept the students more engaged the second week than just singing did the first week!

   How do you teach figurative language?  What games or active strategies do you have that I can use for my next class?

 

Building brain cells together,

Kim