Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits

Teaching with Heart and Creativity

Read to Puppy!

Today I needed to get a LOT of testing done one on one with my class.  Even though I have a red stop sign on the end of a ruler that I flash in front of my students if they attempt to approach me during testing it still never fails that I get interrupted during the sacred reading/testing time.  My team leader has a skull and crossbones that she flashes if her students try to approach.  L.O.V.E.I.T.  

But today was my BEST testing day! The giant red stop sign did not even come out!
Did I throw busy work at them to keep them quiet? NO!
Did I threaten them within an inch of their recess? No!
I forgot to even mention not to disturb me while I was testing.
I was too excited with the brilliant plan!

Here’s what we did!
I bought Swersty’s Puppy Palooza.  
Remember this book? I read it to my class at the beginning of the year when we were getting ready to launch the daily five during our ready to read week.

Today I told them we had come full circle and it was their turn to teach a puppy to read now that they have become such amazing readers!  
Then I brought in an array of small stuffed dogs. 

Each child came up and chose their puppy and then reached in to a container and pulled out a collar with their puppy’s name on it. They decorated their puppy’s collar and placed in around their neck.

Blogger won’t accept that I have rotated and saved these pictures three times.  I am sorry for the sideways shots!!!   Next, they picked out sight words for their puppy and got busy teaching them 6 words.

Finally it was time to start teaching their puppy to READ!
Check out these amazing students teachers.  I was the one that needed to be refocused!  I couldn’t stand how cute they were!  I just kept watching them!

 
 
They said things like, “Yes Scrappy, good job that is the word WHERE.”


 It was SUCH fun!  I sneaked away from testing to get these pictures!  I didn’t get a stop sign flashed in my face, but this little pup above did look at me like…seriously?  It’s my reading lesson!  Don’t interrupt!

When we came together we got in groups and put our puppies in ABC order by their collars. The collars, sight words, and other ideas are all in the unit.

If you want to try out Swersty’s Puppy Palooza click {HERE} 

 Tomorrow I will be back with Mother’s Day Ideas! Have a great night!

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    Comments

    8. Tracy says

      What a terrific, outstanding, superb lesson. Can you tell what we are working on…lol This is truly an outstanding and unique lesson. I am borrowing this for sure!!! THANKS for sarahing your creativity!!!!

      Reply

    9. Meridith says

      I love these activities! Where did you get all the puppies from? I am planning a puppy themed birthday party for my son this weekend where kids will "adopt" a puppy.

      Reply

    12. Barbara says

      You AmAzE me . . . and now I have a new title for our Rocket Reader Celebration!!! YAY!!! And congrats on that little nomination . . . fascinating!

      Barbara

      Reply

    13. Sprinkle Teaching Magic (Sheila) says

      Brilliant! My kids would LOVE this! I like how built in to your lesson the kids get to be the teacher to their cute little puppy friends. Students are able to explore teaching using their own vocabulary and imagination AND scaffolding is built right in. This time of year my students tune me out. Hello!?!?! I don't blame them I have been talking the entire year long. This lets them take the lead and have a chance to shine. What a great end of the year activity. Precious every picture.

      Sheila

      P.S. None of the pictures I saw were sideways they looked great!

      Sprinkle Teaching Magic

      Reply

    22. Miss Foote says

      This is so cute! We read this book at the beginning of the year and going back to see how far we came would be great. Also, DIBELS (a reading test I despise) is coming at the end of the month….I am thinking we could bring a puppy and teach it to be fluent. How fun!

      Congrats on the nomination to a well deserving blog!

      Laurie
      Chickadee Jubilee

      Reply

    25. Jen Steinacher says

      That is just a great idea for this time of year! Thanks for sharing and posting pictures too!

      Reply

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