# 5 - Content Area Exploring

I want to research websites that have resources and interviews different authors for an authors study, these document these in my Evernote. 

I focused on the Author Kevin Henkes. He is a great author to start with as I think of the beginning of next year because in each book he deals with feelings and different personalities that can lead to really strong connections and observations while reading. 

I picked a couple different resources having to do with the author or some of the stories that he has writing. I have realized that there is an importance in students rereading the story because it causes them to take ownership of the story once they visit it again. 

There are a couple sources that have a video of two different stories being read and there is also a link to a Reading Rainbow episode having to do with the story Owen. There is a link to Teacher Tube where a second grade class creates a Ven Diagram about two of Henkes characters and a link to information about the author and link that leads you to a meet the author video. 

https://www.evernote.com/pub/marymay/authorstudy

I would use these resources to stretch the students understanding of the characters. I would show the video of the ven diagram to lead to work on our own comparisons and I would use the video of meet the author to give a face to the man who work all the books that we would study. These resources would lead the students to make richer connections to the stories that they are studying and cement the characters and plots in their minds so that they can relate future readings to them. 

I want to research websites my students can use to practice their reading skills, and I will document these in Pinterest.

http://pinterest.com/maryjbones/online-reading-resources/

I found so many rich resources for practicing reading skills. Students love different opportunities to read and they are especially motivated when they see they can use the computer or the IPad. 

Under this Pinterest board you will find links that include:

• nonfiction passages and comprehension questions to go with them. Excellent resource to use when creating mini lessons for informational text. Common Core aligned
• free websites of children's poetry and interactive poem builders
• award-winning videos teach reading skills, life lessons, and creativity in a fun and safe environment
• read by introducing phonics principles painlessly and systematically, while teaching new vocabulary

I want to research websites my students can use to practice their math skills. These will also be documented in Pinterest. 

http://pinterest.com/maryjbones/online-math-resources/

I use math boxes in my classroom which is the idea of center based math practice while I am working with small groups. The following resources are going to going into my center rotation and build on the students number sense and mathematical reasoning. I found a way to lock the IPad so it can not leave the desired app which will help in the management. I find that presenting a math game on the IPad is engaging enough and creates great motivation for practicing skills.