Just a gentle reminder to use a white background and Arial font when sending
to a listserv.
It makes it much easier to read and to open email. Many servers send colored
backgrounds and unusual fonts as attachments. With all the worms and viruses
going around it makes it easier on everyone if nothing comes attached. It
also
is easier on those getting the digest. Thanks.

Nancy Creech
+++++++++++++++++

Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 19:52:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mary Smith <mereadmore@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Mehitzel look at RWM

Pardon the breaking in, but Stenhouse has RWM on-line right now, the whole
book can be accessed by clicking on titles, scroll to reading with meaning,
click and scroll to the table of contents and check out the green hperlinks
to the chapter you want to read. Great Stuff. I don't know how long it will
be available, but it was there last week. Try ti. It will just make you
want to buy the book.
Nelle
+++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 23:33:01 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Mehitzel look at RWM

In a message dated 8/21/2003 7:57:42 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
mereadmore@yahoo.com writes:

> Stenhouse has RWM on-line right now

Yes! I know about this. I think it is available all the time. When I
first
wanted to buy this book, I couldn't really afford it. I use to come home
each night from school and go to the site and read it again and again!
Isn't
this a great service!

Martha/4/5/az
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 23:01:55 -0500
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Shared Reading & Chapter Books
From: "Judy L. Felsenthal" <felsenthal@platteville.k12.wi.us>

I have read Esio Trot, also by Roald Dahl, and the first graders love it.
Also, I read a wonderful old chapter book called, Wolf Story, which is my
personal favorite.
-Judy 1/2 Loop
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: SDCTeacher@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 00:31:48 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Genre - Schema

I have a question, but I am obviously feeling too bad to even send a message
the correct way! I keep hitting send without even typing in the message! I
want to set up my reading class in the reading workshop format. I want to
start the first day of workshop by having a mini-lesson on What do good
readers
do? My question is, in the readers workshop format wouldn't a mini-lesson
be
followed by them practicing what I just taught? What would I have the kids
do
during this time? Some of the lessons I have planned logically flow into
the
kids practicing, but other lessons I'm not sure what they should do. Should
they just read independently and then share their reading? Should they all
read
the same story? After all, one thing that good readers do is share their
thinking with others to make the meaning more clear. I guess I'm just stuck
on
some of the schema lessons that have not begun to address in detail one of
the
strategies. By the way, I wrote a letter to my kids and shared with them
how I
view myself as a reader. I gave them the homework assignment of writing
back
to me. Thanks for the idea, Martha! I can hardly wait to get their letters
tomorrow!
Sherry
+++++++++++++++++++

From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Letter about self as reader
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 07:35:48 -0400

Hi--
Question for those of you that have written/are writing a letter to your =
students about yourself as a writer. Can you share what you included in y=
our letter? I'm considering this as well, but not sure where to start.
Thanks!
--Carrie :)
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 07:24:53 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Genre - Schema

Sherry

Just a suggestion--why don't you start your lesson by having your
children write their responses to the question "What do good readers
do?" I am looping and I asked my kids this question at the end of our
first year together and gor such interesting responses. It gave me a
lot of insight into their own definitions of writing. I plan to ask
this question again at the end of this school year but in the meantime
we are just keeping a big chart listing their responses. I want to use
it to come back to as we work on strategies. There were a couple which
may not belong there, but I want to to work them out with the kids. I
just don't see this as one lesson, but an ongoing conversation.

Lori
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 09:04:06 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Letter about self as reader

In a message dated 8/22/2003 4:41:32 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
pigsrock@hotmail.com writes:

> Can you share what you included in your letter?

Carrie - I wrote a letter about myself as a reader. Things I talked about
are

- how much I love reading
-my memories of learning to read with my grandmother who was a second
grade teacher/Dick and Jane/SRA cards
- some of my favorite authors, genres, and books and why
- my favorite place to read
- my hopes and dreams for reading in our classroom this year

I asked them to address some of the same things in their letters. We talked
about how everyone wouldn't love reading as much as I do and that that was
ok.
I asked them to tell me about any thing they would like me to do this year
to help them become better readers. I didn't write a letter about myself as
a
writer. I have been trying doggedly to keep a writer's notebook and share
my
struggles with them so they now it's ok if it's not coming easy for them
yet.

Martha/4/5/az
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 09:08:09 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Genre - Schema

In a message dated 8/22/2003 5:40:51 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
ljackson@gwtc.net writes:

> why don't you start your lesson by having your
> children write their responses to the question "What do good readers
> do?"

I agree Lori! After the discussion and creation of the chart at the
beginning of the reader's workshop, you can send them off to read and have
them notice
if they are doing any of the things they talked about and share that during
share time. For example - choosing a quiet spot without distractions to
read,
choosing a book that is just right for them, rereading when they get
confused.
You know! :>)

Martha/4/5/az
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "George and Cherylle Waters" <liverust@starband.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Notebook/Listserv
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 06:50:44 -0700

I, too, have ordered Carolyn's notebook and was very impressed with it. =
It also arrived VERY quickly!

Thank you, Ginger, and all those responsible for the listserv. I am =
always intimidated by the depth of comments and replies on this listserv =
and normally do not feel that I have any noteworthy comments. However, =
I have learned much and hope it is all right to continue to lurk and =
maybe share successes later on. I did introduce my third graders to =
schema on Tuesday, our first day back. I also told them they were =
probably the only third graders at our school who knew that word. Their =
faces were beaming and continued to do so the next day when they =
remembered all we had talked about, noticed, and practiced. Thanks to =
all of you. I have learned so much and continue to glean from the =
discussions.

Cherylle in CA
NBCT 2002
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 10:50:15 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kim Sheffield <snowlc@yahoo.com>
Subject: [mosaic]

I have used short passages from the chapter books we
read together, this way the students have already
heard the text once. VERY important for the students
to hear the text all the way through before working
with them on strategy use (unless you're modeling or
working on prediction).
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 16:46:22 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Genre - Schema/connections

I thought I would share how I plan to get started with connections this
year. I love art and try to connect it whenever I can. We also do LOTS
of mural projects throughout the year. I plan to start the year with
this activity.

I am going to begin with an informal interview, which has about sixteen
items like favorite food, favorite color, number of pets, etc. Then I
plan to random pair the kids (we're looping, so they are all quite used
to working together) to share their answers. I will model with my aid
(who is new to me, so I might as well get to know her, too) how we can
make a venn diagram by cutting up our interview (they are pictorial).
The plan is for the partners to then share their diagrams, explaining
how they are different and what likes they share. In art, we will be
painting body portraits (NOT FULL SIZED, 24 inches tall) so that the
hands extend on either side of the body. When these are dry, they will
be glued to a mural paper that is 16 x 5 foot tall and already decorated
with painted handprints, polkadots and squiggles so that the partners
are touching hands. Then the partners will work together to write about
the things they have in common. The caption is "We're finding
connections together in second grade".

Of course, we'll be talking about metacognition and schema in the
broader sense at the same time but we have a big parent night open house
and feed coming up so I need to get my first mural project up in the
hallway pronto.

Lori
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 17:46:28 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Notebook/Listserv

In a message dated 8/22/2003 6:51:40 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
liverust@starband.net writes:

> I am always intimidated by the depth of comments and replies on this
> listserv and normally do not feel that I have any noteworthy comments.

Please, please do share. So many of us are new to this type of instruction
and we can only grow and learn if we are brave enough to put ourselves out
there and share!

Martha/4/5/az
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: RE: [mosaic] Tribes: community building
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 11:21:54 -0500
From: "Erickson, Debra M" <derickson2@ecasd.k12.wi.us>

I use Responsive Classroom. Anything from Tribes fits neatly into RC. =
RC offers more comprehensive components. Check out the website for The =
Northeast Foundation for Children. Resources and info on classes can be =
found there. RC is the best approach to comm. building by far that I =
have come across.
Deb E
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 19:51:14 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Great Resource

My son's teacher loaned me a book today that she thought I might like.
It is called "The Big Book of Picture-Book Authors & Illustrators."
There are 2 page biograhpies on 75 authors, full of great quotes on
writing and reading. She thought it would help with "Writerly Life" and
I can't agree more. The author is Jack Preller, the publisher is
Scholastic, copyright 2001, in case it sounds good to anyone else.

Lori
++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: SDCTeacher@aol.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 22:15:25 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Letter about self as reader

Carrie,
I shared with the students not only my love for reading, favorite
books, etc., but problems that I have as a reader. I teach 5th graders and
I
wanted them to see real honesty in what I said. I told them that even
though I
loved to read, I was a slow reader and sometimes felt embarrassed by that.
I
told them that sometimes my mind wandered if I wasn't really interested in
the
reading, and I had to catch myself and go back to where I got "lost". I
told
them that if there were a lot of characters in a story, I would sometimes
forget which character was which.
I also mentioned that I had been learning all summer about the things
that good readers do, and I had realized that I already do most of those
things, but I didn't realize there were names for those strategies. I told
them I
had been practicing the strategies on "grown-up" books and that it had made
my
own reading better and more enjoyable.
Sherry
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 22:17:33 -0400
From: Carroll Hockman <johcar79@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Great Resource

I got this book last year and my 3rd graders loved it. It made the rounds
in their SSR bins. Naturally they were most excited to find authors they
knew. The favorite biography was Barbara Park.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: CARL484@aol.com
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 01:07:41 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Letter about self as reader

I'm interested to hear how you would present this to your class... this same
way? For the lower grades, it will have to be much more simplistic, using
specific examples. I am just curious how it might sound with fifth
graders...

P.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 08:57:51 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Great Resource

I have decided to feature, through reading aloud two or three books, an
author a week. Then on Fridays--after reading the bio, I want to add to
a chart (drawn onto chart paper, with the tablet turned on its side) the
follwing information about each author (three to a page):

Author name & photo (I zapped them from the internet and enlarged them
somewhat--easy to do)

Selected Titles-- I choose authors I know my children will know, and
that they will know titles beyond the ones I read aloud.

Lessons for Writers--I want to draw my children's attention to what we
as writers can learn from our writing heros. For instance, I am
starting with Kevin Henkes, as my kids LOVED his work last year and
wanted to begin again with Chrysanthemum. The kinds of facts I might
want to draw out from this biography are:

• Begins his story with a character.
• Uses lots of details in his drawings to make his characters
interesting or unique.
• Believes that the story and the words work together.

Just in those three short notations, I can touch on story elements and
the Six Plus One trait of presentation--which I have defined for my
students as matching words to pictures (notice how rainbows and hearts
can kind show up on stories that have nothing to do with rainbows and
hearts). matching print to meaning (bold, shape words, font choice,
etc.), and use of clear and appropriate font or handwriting.

I am so glad I stumbled across this--what a great resource! And I know
my youngest is going to have a great year with his new teacher. I am so
glad to feel that way, he had a wonderful two years in a looping
classrom and I wanted this year to be positive as well.

Lori
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: Creecher12@aol.com
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 10:08:03 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Great Resource

Lori,
Richard Owen publishes some wonderful books called Meet the Author. We have
ordered several for our school library and I own Cynthia Rylant, Eve
Bunting,
Jonathan London and Patricia Polacco. All the authors tell what inspires
them
and how they go about writing.
Here is the website if you are interested. <A
HREF="https://www.rcowen.com/MTABkList.htm">
https://www.rcowen.com/MTABkList.htm</A>

Nancy
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: SDCTeacher@aol.com
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 15:35:14 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Letter about self as reader

I had one of my better readers read the letter to the entire class during
circle time. Each student had their own copy to take home in case they
needed
some reference when they wrote their letter to me. They were all excited
that we
were going to learn to be better readers this year, even the ones who think
of
themselves as good readers. What I liked about getting letters back from
the
students was that each student has begun a personal dialogue with me about
their own reading right at the beginning of school. I can mention some of
the
positive things that readers have learned like changing the speed of their
reading, etc. as we continue the dialogue. I am also seeing that the
students who
viewed themselves as poor readers didn't seem to have a clue as to why they
were struggling, but at least they know that this is something that we will
be
working hard at in class all year and that there are strategies that they
can
learn to help them.
Sherry/5/AR
++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Mayread@aol.com
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 19:27:23 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Shared Reading & Chapter Books

Hi Denise, I am a reading specialist now working with 3-5 grade students,
but
when I was a classroom teacher, I did do some share readings using our
textbooks. I felt that children need to learn to think through many
different kinds
of texts and that textbooks are a difficult genre for students to read. I
used
the gradual release of responsibility model with textbook reading focusing
on
a MOT strategy. I think it really worked for my inner city students.
Maria
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 08:47:30 -0400
From: Maureen Morrissey <mobility@optonline.net>
Subject: [mosaic] another resource...short text

I have discovered a wonderful resource for text of varying length, with a
huge variety of nonfiction topics that are sure to interest everyone in the
class. Now, don't laugh at the titles: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader for
Kids Only and Uncle John's Electrifying Bathroom Reader for Kids Only.
Being an avid Uncle John's reader for years now (we have all of the series)
I think that these books will have tons of good reading for Strategy
lessons. The table of context is divided into Short, Medium and Long and by
subjects too. I have ordered both and can't wait for them to arrive so I
can start planning strategy lessons!
Maureen
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: [mosaic] Carolyn's notebook
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 10:43:27 -0500
From: <Deb.Sturdevant@k12.sd.us>

I, too, have ordered Carolyn's notebook and was very impressed with it. =
It also arrived VERY quickly!

Hi everyone,
For those of you who have used Carolyn's notebook would the activities =
work with 7th/8th graders-or could they be easily adapted? These kids =
haven't had any direct strategy instruction.

Thanks
Deb Sturdevant
7th/8th grade LA
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: [mosaic] Barnes and Noble
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 10:51:42 -0500
From: <Deb.Sturdevant@k12.sd.us>

Carrie,
Thanks for the heads up on the FANTASTIC Barnes and Noble sale. I was =
told I could spent $300. on my classroom library so guess where I went =
yesterday. I think I got some great books and am very excited to share
them with my classes. I saved a ton of money and still have some left =
over (not much). This list is great!
=20
Deb Sturdevant
7th/8th LA
+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Uncle John's Bathroom Readers
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 11:18:04 -0500

Look for Uncle John's Bathroom Readers on Ebay and on www.abebooks.com.
Abebooks searches TONS of used book stores. I agree that this is a great
source for short text pieces.

Ginger
moderator

Ebay also has magazines. I got a great "lot" of Spider magazines for real
cheap. Search for "lot of magazines". ("lot" meaning more than one)
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2003 16:03:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Denise Ross <deniseross4@yahoo.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Shared Reading and Chapter Books

Thank you for all the responses to my questions about shared reading within
a Reader's Workshop format. I defintely have a better sense of where I
would like to go with this. There is so much expertise on this
listserv--what a valuable resource!

Denise
+++++++++++++++++++

From: "Andy & Shelly Kennedy" <pristine@aclass.com>
Subject: [mosaic] HA ...UNCLE JOHN's,,,,,
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 17:30:04 -0500

HA....there is a copy of Uncle John's bathroom reader in our teacher's =
restroom........I'm stealing it! Just kidding.....OK...I will borrow it.
++++++++++++++++++

From: "Catherine" <ccl@glass-images.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Research on Teaching Comprehension and Strategies
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 19:39:59 -0400

I was wondering if anyone had research similar to Durkin's study in the 70's
and Duffy's study in the 80's on amount of time spent teaching
comprehension. Is there more up to date research?

Durkin found that in all of her hours of observation that only 20 minutes
could be called true comprehension/strategy instruction. Duffy did a similar
study and found basically the same thing. I am looking for something a bit
more recent. Please help if you can.

Thank you
Catherine
++++++++++++++++++++

From: "davisreid" <davisreid@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Uncle John's Bathroom Readers
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 17:01:43 -0700

Another book you might want to look at for short text read alouds is called
Spiritual Literacy. It has many wonderful passages from great writers on
nature, creativity, home, animals, things, service..etc... Don't be scared
off by the title, the book is full many short stories and anecdotal passages
that would be good lead ins for disscussion and writing with high school
students.
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Kelley Kennedy" <kelleyken@msn.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Research on Teaching Comprehension and Strategies
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 19:14:36 -0500

You might search and see if Richard Allington has any.
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "btillman" <btillman@farmerstel.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Research on Teaching Comprehension and Strategies
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 20:18:46 -0400

Check Michael Pressley or Richard Allington's studies on effective teachers.
They might have some info about comprehension teaching.
Cece
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:16:33 -0400
From: Maureen Morrissey <mobility@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] HA ...UNCLE JOHN's,,,,,

The stuff in the adult's John's books may be a little above the kids, that's
why I ordered the kids' versions...I am teaching third grade this year.
Maureen
+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Information for NEW MEMBERS
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 20:13:50 -0500

We've had quite a few new members sign up recently. Many of them are middle
school teachers.
So you upper grade teachers out there- be ready to write in with your words
of support and expertise. Our list is for teachers K-12+.

I just want to tell the new members
about the other resources we have available here for us all to use.

We have an ONLINE BOOK DATA BASE located at:
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/strategies.htm
where any of us can add titles of books used in our strategy teaching along
with comments. We'd love everyone to add some books and/or
comments.

We have all of the previous conversations since we started our listserve in
the ARCHIVES at:
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/archive/archive.htm
I try and put about one week's worth of conversations up at a time.

We have a TEACHING TOOLS web page found at:
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/tools/tools.htm
where I have added documents for assessment, lesson plans, reporting sheets,
staff development information, etc. that members have sent to me to share
with others.
**If you have something you want me to add there, please send it to me at
HOME at:
elephant@foxvalley.net in an attachment.

Ginger
moderator
+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Abcde1142@aol.com
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 22:19:29 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Research on Teaching Comprehension and Strategies

Good Evening!

There is a set of books about Teaching Guided Comprehension. I don't
have the books at home, but they are full of strategies. I just checked
Amazon.com. I have the first two books which give a multitude of strategies
that
can be used to teach comprehension. My friends who have the primary grades
version don't like it as well.
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 23:32:14 -0700
From: Carol Lau <cllc@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Research on Teaching Comprehension and Strategies

I have heard Ellin Keene speak about the extensive reading and
discussion of research she does with her study groups. You might try
contacting her or try the PEBC website. (That's the education-business
collaborative she worked with or still does.) Carol
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 16:47:27 -0700
From: bekah <bekah0176@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Good news, reading group

Hi all,

Awhile back there was much posting about professional reading groups
at school. Well, this week our reading specialist told us that she
had been authorized through Fresno Pacific to offer 1 unit of credit
for 15 hours of attendance in just such a group. She suggested some
books and offered the syllabus. It's our job to organize a group by
school or inter-school.

So, having wanted to do this for some time anyway, I offered to be
the local gopher and get us off the ground. I put out the lists of
suggested books and alternative schedules.

Let's hope we can get this off the ground. We need only 4 or 5
teachers to make it go, we have 3 I think.

Just thought I'd let you all know another alternative in involving a
local teachers education program.

Bekah
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: MKrause153@aol.com
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:07:46 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Good news, reading group

Such a great idea - I wish I was part of it!
++++++++++++++++++++++++

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