Breakout Presentations

What makes a character work? How can you inspire students to create great characters? Author/illustrator Nina Laden will offer insight, humor, and great visual effects as she answers these questions and more in this engaging session. Bring a blank sheet of paper, a pencil, and your imagination. (CA, FA)

In this lively session, Janet and Debbie will have you “glowing” about science. Come find out what Elephant Toothpaste, Boo Bubbles, and Atomic Slime have in common. All activities shared during this session will encourage students to use science process skills, scientific knowledge, scientific investigation, reasoning, and critical thinking. So come join Janet and Debbie and be prepared to be messy! (CA, PC, SC)

Have you ever felt like, just when you get a handle on one technological innovation, the next one comes out and you have to start all over again? The world is certainly becoming more and more technologically integrated, and this presentation will assist you in staying current with available technology. In this session, Leslie and Julie will show you several ways you can use a Smartboard and various other technologies to integrate the Missouri GLEs for K-2 in your classroom. (CA, MA, SC, SS)

Don’t be LISTless during writing time! When you get sick of hearing, “I don’t know what to write,” it could be an indication that your class writing needs more genre-specific instruction. In this presentation, Tracy and Suzan will show you how to teach list writing to primary grades students. Composing meaningful lists is a practical way to jump-start your writer’s workshop. This seemingly simple genre can be used to help reluctant writers flourish, teach writer’s craft, encourage primary students to narrow their writing focus, and sharpen other essential skills. Be a reaLIST when it comes to writing—know what to expect and get it! This workshop will include real classroom examples, great literature tie-ins, and lots of practical suggestions to help you get started in this rather basic type of writing that is full of promise and possibilities. Your input will be enLISTed during this fun, engaging presentation. (CA)

Teaching should be fun. So should learning. Sometimes it gets very, very hard to remember that. In this session, Bernie will show you how to make more things more fun more often. You will learn about the psychology and the dynamics of fun, and you will discuss and explore the functions of fun in our lives and in the lives of the children we get to teach. Come ready to play, reflect, discuss, play some more, and experience and explore the structure and science of fun. You will learn how to make things more like they should be, for yourself, and for the children you teach. (CM)

Okay, so you have writing workshop up and going. Now what? Come spend some time with Kathy and experience ways to inspire student writers and stretch their thinking by incorporating units of study in your classroom. Analyze text by reading like a writer. Make connections within author and genre units of study. See picture books through a new lens as your thinking as a writer is stretched. Transform ”I don’t know what to write” into “Can I have more time to write?” Turn the “I like” repetitive syndrome into writing with craft and voice. Discover processes to become a writer yourself and in turn create “writers” rather than “writing” in your classroom. (CA, MRI)

Do you have that one student (or five, or ten?) who has trouble managing his or her own behavior? In this presentation, Becky will provide you with specific steps to implementing research-based strategies for improving student behavior in your classroom. She will also share a variety of resources to assist you with organizing a discipline approach that is positive, proactive, and preventative in nature. (CM)