Everything I Know About Teaching Language Arts I Learned at the Office Supply Store Written By: Kathleen O’Shaughnessy

1. Presented By: Brittany Litke Sharon Eppard Anna Andersen Everything I Know About Teaching Language Arts I Learned at the Office Supply StoreWritten By: Kathleen O’Shaughnessy

2. Activity Directions… Get a stack of Post-it Notes Write down the ideas you find most helpful as you read and/or listen to this power point presentation.

3. Synopsis: This article is about visual and kinetic ways to use office supplies to enhance student learning. O’Shaughnessy goes into supplies such as post-it notes, high lighters, spray on adhesive and even shoe organizers. There are a plethora of ways to incorporate these little items in the classroom to make blah writing into an exciting experience.

4. Ideas from Sharon Using post-it notes to mark a word that you don't know when your reading. Blind conferences because you can really say what you think without the reader knowing who wrote it. Using highlighters to mark the five sense to help you know where you need to add more info or where to take some out Using the artist spray adhesive to be able to move things around to help better organize them Using presentations binders that can hold all the info that the kids need to know ex. when something is due, more directions etc.

5. Ideas from Anna Post-its for: vivid images in writing, new vocabulary, peer feedback. Highlighters for: end punctuation to check for run on and fragment sentences, highlight verbs, highlighting dialogue and to highlight the five senses in writing. Artist Mount Spray adhesive Presentation binders to make students more independent. Hanging shoe organizer to organize supplies.

6. Ideas from Brittany Use Post-it notes daily. For example; they can be used to mark ideas while reading and listening and write notes in a book without marking the book. Post-its make it easier for students to be honest in their remarks. Authors can write their own questions about their work on a Post-it and their peers can answer anonymously. Highlighters can be used to see the abundance or lack of sensory details, verb use and “hot spots”. Most important of all: go to your local supply store and see what they have to offer and how simple things can be used to enhance a classroom learning.

7. Ideas from the Article • A hanging shoe organizer • can be used to sort and • store class • supplies • Add Post-it Notes to • class supplies for • students. Make sure • you have • plenty! Artist mount spray adhesive can be used to make giant Post-its or to post student work through-out the school! So cool!

8. Ideas continued… Highlighters should be used often and in a variety of colors! Have a tray where students can leave their work for their peers to pick up and review at their leisure.

9. More ideas… Presentation Binders: Binders that have day to day activities, important ideas or for special events to contain and highlight student work.

10. Conclusion Small things like Post-it notes, highlighters and a shoe organizer can make learning much more affective while keeping the classroom organized. The office supply store can teach us quite a bit!

11. Activity Conclusion • Was it convenient to have the Post-its to write down the ideas that stood out to you? Now you can see how useful it could be for students while reading, listening and working in class.