[kfra]

How do you fit in grammar, spelling, handwriting, and writing? Please don't tell me you teach spelling, grammar, and handwriting through writing! AHHH- the pressure. I have thought about doing a big writing piece, stopping then doing grammar and a mini-writing piece. Spelling I guess I manage to get in. Please share what your LA schedule looks like. I have always struggled to fit everything in and to do it well. Thanks.

[MissT12783]

My Language Arts block is all afternoon.

12:15-1:15 Whole Group Reading (Reading Series)
1:15-2:15 SMall Group Reading (centers)
2:15-2:30 Indpendent Reding
2:30-3:10 Spelling (M, W, F)
English (T, Th)



At 3:15 I teach the Cursive letter we will be studying then the next morning part of the morning work is to do the letter that we learned the afternoon before.

hope this helps. My school is a literacy first school so we do things a little differently.

[dolphinlover]

When do you have: math, specials, recess, ss/sci, etc? I cannot fit it all in!

[ConnieWI]

I have all my specials and math in the morning. I also manage to fit in oral language/sharing and read-aloud while kids are having their morning snack.

In the afternoon, I have reading/language arts and content areas (social studies, science, and health). I teach social studies and science/health on the four/five week rotation so they get both each quarter but for an extended amount of time.

My reading/language arts block changes from day to day, but throughout the week, it involves these things:
--Introduce the new spelling sort to each of three groups while other students are initialing their new sort, cutting out, sorting, and getting it checked by a spelling buddy. Sorting is done and checked each day. There is a test the last day of the week for each of the groups. After the intro on the first day, students work independently on activities related to the sort and also have sort homework each night.
--Teach a reading or writing mini-lesson that focuses on a reading and/or writing strategy. These strategies are used in all writing/reading work done that week.
--Meet with guided reading/literature circle groups - two to three per day. Focus on that week's reading/writing strategy.
--During this time, students are writing in their reader's workshop spiral notebooks or journaling. Each week, students choose one reader's workshop piece and one journaling piece that is scored using a rubric. The focus is whatever the reading/writing strategy/skills are for that week.
--Independent reading is integrated into this schedule when students are not sorting, meeting for guided reading/literature circles, journaling, responding to literature, working on a writing piece, etc. Independent reading is also homework each night. I take reading status first thing in the morning, so I know what kids are reading. I try to meet with each child once every two weeks to discuss a book they have read, or students meet with partners to do this.
--Grammar and other language arts skills are taught as needed to individuals, small groups, or the whole group. It may be a lesson or two per week that is incorporated into the mini-lesson or becomes a mini-lesson of its own.

I hope this helps you.

[abookworm]

We are departmentalized 1st-5th at my school, so I only teach L.Arts and Reading all day. My morning block looks like this:

7:55-8:55 Reader's Workshop
8:55-9:55 Writer's Workshop
9:55-10:25 Skills Block (I alternate Spelling/Grammar every other day. We do a spelling unit for 2 weeks at a time...I send home spelling words for handwriting practice 1x per unit... Every once in awhile (and when I have a sub) I throw in a handwriting lesson... In the grand scheme of things (in my opinion) handwriting just isn't that important - at least not until after state testing in March!!

[Jersey Lady]

I teach a 2/3 combo. We do English 4 days a week as a whole class lesson. We do our spelling tests on Friday during that time. While I correct the spelling tests, the kids do paired reading of their Scholastic Newspapers or some other little activity I have for them. We alternate grammar and writing chapters in English. The kids do spelling and handwriting as part of their morning work while I do reading with the other group. Hope this helps. I have worked things this way for years.