Skip to main content

Do you use Journeys?

This is my second year using Houghton Mifflin Journeys.  I do like the series but it takes over a year to really figure out how to use it efficiently.  I am currently working on making supplemental materials so I would love to hear what you want!  AND since I just posted a long response to post on PROteachers I thought I'd post that here too.  How do YOU use Journeys in your classroom?


What do you need the most help with??

To help me with planning I am pretty systematic:  For whole group I spend about 15 minutes on phonemic awareness/phonics and 15 minutes on the story.  I wish I could split whole group up so they weren't sitting for 30 but I can't.  I sing a Dr. Jean song or two in the middle of whole group.  I have a focus each day and it is pretty much outline in the TE, however to use technology I focus on one think central element a day (too hard to transition and find different pieces).  Sooo....

Monday--I do the lesson opener and work through the instructional flipchart before reading the story
Tuesday--I start with Phonics and work through the projectibles (usually grammar, writing and vocubulary), then read the big book
Wednesday--We read the decodables, this gets harder as the year progress and eventually takes up the whole time because I run them off, and have them partner read also.
Thursday--I start with the non-fiction portion of the big book and finish with any of the flip chart or projectibles I did not get to the rest of the week.
Friday--I do my own thing to break things up (starfall, Extra Dr. Jean, smartboard activities etc.)

Small groups-
Guided reading
Monday-vocab reader
Tuesday- comprehension
Wednesday-leveled reader
Thursday-vocab
Friday-read out of their browsing box to me

Word Work-
Monday-something off the internet
Tuesday-something from Teacher's Helper
Wednesday- Words their Way
Thursday- word game
Friday-Choice

Technology- I rotate ipads, ipods, CD player, computer, smartboard, leap pad, read to the flip camera

Writing-
Monday- handwriting
Tuesday- sight word writing
Wednesday- Writing prompt from Journeys
Thursday- Clipboard center such as Write the room
Friday- Tub of worksheet extras (they love this-I can't explain it) The older the better
Labels:

Comments

  1. SC Teacher 28August 5, 2012 at 4:43 PM

    This will be my first year using Journeys and I must say that I am nervous. If you have any other tips or tricks for teaching it in kindergarten, I woul dlove to hear them.

    Joni
    KinderKids Fun
    jegalford3406@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AmandaAugust 5, 2012 at 5:01 PM

      Have you seen this? http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindergarten-Poetry-Notebook-letter-handwriting-Houghton-Mifflin-Journeys

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Looking for Nebraska 2nd grade Science Classroom teachers!

This summer I am working on developing our district curriculum for the new Science Standards. Anyone else? That's all.
1 comment
Read more

The teacher has lice :/

You itched your head just reading that didn't you??  Lice does not discriminate.  Anyone can get it.  Even me. So we have A LOT of hair at our house and about a year ago I decided it would be a good idea to grow out my hair to see how long I could go before I couldn't stand it anymore.  It is a year and a half later and I had/have lice.  Nice experiment huh?  So my daughter's Kindergarten teacher is a good friend of mine and the day after Thanksgiving break came the e-mails.  "What a day, I've sent 2 home with lice and another 2 told me that they spent Thanksgiving break bagging up toys and shampooing with special shampoo." and then "5th one just went home."  I raced home at 5:00 to discover that my kinder had a head full and guess who slept in a hotel bed with her over Thanksgiving?  Yes me!!  Time to freak out.  Please don't do this.  It doesn't help whatsover and it will be OK, I promise.   If you are reading...
6 comments
Read more

6 weeks of grace!

Here we go. 20th year! 10th year in 2nd grade! Where has the time gone?! Today I want to talk about what I have learned in the last few years (crazy journey we've been on huh?) It is.... Give yourself grace the first 6 weeks of school! I no longer start the first week of school with the mindset that I'm gonna get up early and workout, come home do a load of laundry, cook a healthy meal etc. etc. NOW I tell myself you may not workout for 6 weeks and it's OK, laundry may pile up (I warn my family), I'm not gonna cook much (I warn my family-actually they know by now). I may let myself stay later at school, maybe even a weekend BUT THEN after 6 weeks are up I implement the rest of it back in my life. This is the best advice I can give to young teacher families.  What have you learned about home/work balance?? 
Post a Comment
Read more