tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9205257378038685414.post5351340509925385296..comments2010-06-04T22:20:02.871-07:00Comments on Little House Teacher's Guides: The Long Winter: 32—"The Christmas Barrel" and 33—"Christmas in May"Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12090510919477425733noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9205257378038685414.post-45929162583079383462008-11-28T17:41:00.000-08:002008-11-28T17:41:00.000-08:00"Sketch to Stretch" is a great activity for differ..."Sketch to Stretch" is a great activity for differentiation. Many of your tactile learners will excel in this exercise even if they tend to have trouble with writing assignments addressing comprehension questions.<BR/><BR/>Your "Measuring the Perimeter Partner Game" sounds like lots of fun. You are having students practice what could be a mundane skill in a way that makes them want to practice the skill. I especially like the second part of the activity when students have to determine the objects the previous groups measured. I recommend you also use tape to plot the size of the Ingalls' home. You could determine the square footage per person and then compare this square footage to average home size in the United States and other countries such as Russia.<BR/><BR/>Would you please add the recommended websites for the North Dakota geography activity? Also, how will you share these websites with students? Social bookmarking (e.g., http://del.icio.us)? A school-bsed website (e.g., http://my.ccsd.net)? <BR/><BR/>I lve service learning! Perhaps you could provide students a little more leeway on choosing their project using the Christmas barrels as an example. You could then use the Project Citizen (http://civiced.org/) curriculum and have your students compete in the local Project Citizen contest. I also really like Target and the Tiger Woods Foundation's "Start Something," renamed "Tiger's Action Plan," curriculum (http://www.tigerwoodsfoundation.org/actionplan/download_curriculum.php).Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12090510919477425733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9205257378038685414.post-38109155310333661492008-11-24T21:28:00.000-08:002008-11-24T21:28:00.000-08:00What great ideas! I especially liked the compare a...What great ideas! I especially liked the compare and contrast of the daily caloric intake. It would be great to extend this lesson and calculate the energy use of the Ingalls children doing chores etc. versus the average child today.annecrummhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470681787621076511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9205257378038685414.post-5637500860657623572008-11-16T23:20:00.000-08:002008-11-16T23:20:00.000-08:00Madeline,I really loved your ideas for lessons usi...Madeline,<BR/>I really loved your ideas for lessons using this book. The Plot Structure Flip Chart is an excellent way for children to organize the narrative elements of the story. By providing pictures as well it helps to create a clear visual to support student's recall of important details. It also provides an excellent assessment of their comprehension of the story.<BR/><BR/>As an extension activity in social studies for your 'Compare and Contrast' activity the students might also compare and contrast the daily physical activity of Laura & Mary Ingalls with their own. I think such a comparison would be extremely revealing!! This also lends itself to comparing/contrasting clothing, home life,and schooling.<BR/><BR/>The Sketch to Stretch activity could be extended by showing the students photographic images of pioneer life and having the students create short stories or captions for each image. This would allow them to use their prior and learned knowledge to create a realistic fictional story/caption.Lisa Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18012805406196810562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9205257378038685414.post-31179648000195327222008-11-16T19:12:00.000-08:002008-11-16T19:12:00.000-08:00Madeline, I was delighted to see the May Christm...Madeline,<BR/> I was delighted to see the May Christmas Barrels Activity. Students need to realize that they can be part of the solution of the problems of the world. Having them give to others is such a wonderful idea and it ties so well into the story. I plan to use many of your activities when I use this book. Thank you for all of your hard work and willingness to share!ahmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15197776894178311707noreply@blogger.com