CATCH MY WORDS to find help with teaching strategies, resources, or to enjoy a laugh or music. Blog connected to Catch My Products, the gifted department store with resources for K - 12.
Catch My Products
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My humorous thoughts about life.
"My Humorous and Helpful Thoughts About Teaching / Educational Resources for Your
Classroom / Music and Random Fun"
I have joined with some talented teacher-authors to give a few FABULOUS gifts for you this December. We all can use a little break this month, right? We gave you freebies in November along with a $400 giveaway. Now we are giving some of our best resources to you for ONLY $1.00! Many of these you won’t see at this price again. http://bit.ly/2Oz4xdqWe appreciate you and the hard work you do. Enjoy!
We just got back from my brother's home. Getting together every Thanksgiving with all of my siblings (and now their families) goes back to our childhood! Though we're sad that our parents are no longer with us, we now enjoy multiple children named after them. We had a great Thanksgiving, and I hope your holiday was wonderful, too.
TpT Sitewide Sale
In case you didn't know, today and tomorrow is the Cyber Monday TpT sitewide sale. Everything in my store, and many other stores, is 20% off. If you add the code CYBER19, you will gain an additional 5% to receive 25% off, with the exception of my new Who Was Frederick Douglass? Book Studies which are at 50% off. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Catch-My-Products
What is it about making inferences that is so difficult for kids? I wish I had the answer. I've found the best way to achieve this skill is to constantly model and practice it. Give your kids reading passages in which they are asked to draw conclusions from the story. Next, follow up by saying, "What makes you say this?" You will find that soon your kids will answer questions by stating their thoughts and give reasons behind those thoughts.
The reasoning behind thoughts is important because every time you or one of your students tells how they drew a conclusion, it models the skill for the entire class. Therefore, you are actually accomplishing more than just making inferences. Students are drawing conclusions using textual evidence, too.
Inferences Through Photos
You can also teach inferences through pictures. Why does this puppy have so many toys in his mouth?
Your kids imaginations could go wild as to the reason! Actually, when we got home last night, we brought my daughter-in-law's grandmother's dog's toys. Jack has too many toys and doesn't play with these anymore. Benny had no stuffed animals because he ripped them up. Don't get me wrong, he loves stuffed animals but is still a chewer and a puppy. He was so excited to have new toys and put them all in his mouth at once. That is not to say that a child can't think of another reason for the toys. Even a creative answer would work. Maybe, Benny is cleaning up the place by carrying his toys to the bin. Yeah, right. Or, he could be grabbing all of them so that the other dogs can't have them. That last one could actually be right. ;)
In the gifted and talented program, kids were often asked to problem solve. This too is a skill that can be taught. Let's start with a problem about a toy. Suppose Honey Bear, a golden retriever, has lost her ball under the television set. What can she do to retrieve it?
In order to retrieve her ball, we must go through the steps of creative problem solving.
1.) Brainstorm - In a group, students will think of as many ideas as possible. Accept any idea given, even if it seems silly. Sometimes bad ideas have a way of sparking good ones from a team member.
2.) Evaluate - Is this a good idea or not? Students must decide if it will work, is easy or possible to do, costs money, or if it is safe.
3.) Decide - Which idea is the best way for Honey Bear to get her ball back? Looking at the criteria, the group decides on which strategy to use.
4.) Act - The group will put on a skit showing Honey getting her ball.
I have two packets that present problems for practice in creative problem solving.
You will also receive a FREE No Prep Problem Solving Pack!
Now for Music
Since we're talking about dog toys, I've got to include my favorite song about dogs! After all, without dogs, there would be no toys under the television. Also, my dogs ARE my toys!
