Just released. . .Research Results for 2003. . .see Results link

 
   by Dr. Cindy Cupp

Dear Educators,

In the April Newsletter, I included two chapters of my father’s autobiography.  The entire book is now on this website.  Please see the link named Tribute to a Veteran. 

This Newsletter will feature five sections:

1. Johnny Isakson

2. New super game – Pop-It-To-Me

3. PayDay Update Forms
- A must for all Jack and Jilly schools for next year

4. New Product – Readiness Teacher’s Manual
Written for the new teacher.
Scripted lessons for the first six weeks of Kindergarten.

5. Feature School – Jenkins County Elementary, Millen Georgia 
 

 Section One – Johnny Isakson

If you have ever complained about what is going on in Washington, now you have the opportunity to make an important change.  Johnny Isakson, former Chairman of Georgia’s State Board of Education is running for the U.S. Senate.  I know Johnny.  I have worked with him.  We need Johnny Isakson in Washington as a Senator representing our state.  Please become involved in his campaign immediately.  I am on his volunteer grassroots committee for Chatham County.  I support Johnny 100%. 


Johnny and Dianne Isakson and family

Seldom do Georgia educators ever have the opportunity to work to get someone elected who really knows and understands education.  From 1997-1999, I had the privilege of working with Johnny Isakson at the Department of Education.  He was appointed by Zell Miller to be Chairman of the State Board of Education.  Johnny was one the main reasons schools systems received money for Georgia’s Reading First Program.

When Johnny left the State Board in order to serve in U.S. House of Representative, he took with him a wealth of information about teaching children to read.  Representative Isakson was a key person working with President Bush to write the guidelines for National Reading First, and he currently serves on the Education and the Workforce Committee in the House of Representatives.

Johnny has announced he is running for the U.S. Senate to replace Zell Miller, who has  announced he will not run again.  If you would like to know more about Representative Isakson or help his campaign, including being on his grassroots committee for your county, please email Chris Carr at chris@isakson.net or call Chris at (404) 705-8822.  Chris is Johnny’s campaign manager.

 Section two - Pop-It-To-Me

This game is taken from the new Readiness Teacher’s Manual for Pre-K and beginning kindergarten students using Dr. Cupp Readers®. 

Pop-It-To-Me is designed to provide a fun way to practice alphabet letter names, letter sounds, and basic sight words.  It may also be used to teach punctuation marks as well as math facts or any information you would like for students to know automatically.

Directions for the game Pop-It-To-Me:

Teacher preparation

Make a deck of Pop Cards

Make three decks of Practice Cards – sound deck, letter deck, sight word deck

Pop Cards - The teacher needs 8 blank index cards.  These eight cards will be called Pop Cards. The teacher writes the following on the Pop Cards:

2 cards – write the word Letters

2 cards – write the word Sounds

2 cards- write the word Words

2 cards – write the words Wiggle and Jiggle  (both words on each card)

These Pop Cards are folded and placed in a container.  In Step 3, students will take turns drawing a Pop Card from the container.

Practice Cards - The teacher will need to make three decks of Practice Cards.  The teacher will need a deck with letters, one with sounds, and one with sight words. 

Steps to play the game

1. All students sing the Pop-It-To-Me song and make the hand signs.

Note:  In future lessons, this song will be the “hook” to help students understand punctuation marks.  During this lesson, the terms:  period, question mark and exclamation mark are not used.

Before the lesson begins, the teacher writes the following on chart paper:
 

            Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me Now.

            Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me How?

            Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me,  Pop-It-To-Me WOW!
 

The teacher “sings” the first line of the song, and the students sing the line back.

          The teacher “sings” the second line of the song, and the students sing the line back.

The teacher “sings” the third line of the song, and the students sing the line back.

          The teacher then repeats the song.  The students sing back each line to the teacher.
 

·        “Now, I am going to teach you how to make a new hand motion at the end of each sentence.  When you say the word Now, I want you to make a fist with one hand and place it in the palm of the other hand.”  Students will make their fist look like a period.

·        “Now, when we sing the word How, I want you to shrug your shoulders and make your hands go palm up.”  Students look like they don’t know the answer when someone asks them a question.

·        “Now, when we sing the word WOW, I want you to raise one arm like you are saying YES!  Students will look like they are an exclamation mark.

The teacher and students repeat the song with the hand motions. 

 

2. After singing the song, a selected student draws a Pop Card from the container.  There are 8 Pop Cards to choose from (see 1 above).   When the first student draws a Pop Card from the container, the teacher will read what is on the card, and all students will participate in the answer.  Example:  If the first student draws a Pop Card that says Sounds, then the teacher picks up the card deck that has the sounds the students have learned and all students say the sounds for letters.  If the next student draws the Pop Card that says Letters, the teacher picks up the card deck that has the letters the students have learned and the students say the names of the letters.   If the next student draws the Pop Card that says Words, the teacher picks up the card deck with all the sight words the students have learned, and the students say the sight words.  If the Wiggle and Jiggle Pop Card is drawn, the students stand up and wiggle and jiggle. 

3. All Pop Cards are put back in the container, and the game then starts again.  The students sing Pop-It-To-Me and four more students are selected to draw Pop Cards.

Section three – PayDay Update Forms

These simple to use forms are the best thing I have written to streamline reading assessment since I wrote the BLT score sheet in 1993.  Students’ reading achievement has improved in schools using this PayDay Update this school year.

These forms may be copied by clicking PayDay Update Forms. 

You must have or download Adobe Acrobat to view the forms. 

At the end of each month, the classroom teacher completes the Class Summary.  This  Class Summary gives the Reader Booklet and Phonics Lesson for each child using Dr. Cupp Readers®.  A designated person in the school totals all Class Summaries.

In less than 30 minutes, teachers and administrators know where all children are reading.  This allows for easy regrouping and re-teaching.  The Updates also provide additional assistance for Special Education students. 

If you would like more information about the PayDay Updates, please email Cindy Cupp at cindycupp@mindspring.com.

Section four – New Readiness Manual
for Pre-K and beginning Kindergarten
Available June 1, 2003
 

The new Readiness Manual provides detailed, scripted lessons to assist the new teacher or teacher new to Dr. Cupp Readers® with all the information needed to begin teaching.  This manual will cover Readiness Lessons through Reader Booklet 2 of Dr. Cupp Readers®.  The Pop-It-To-Me Game was taken from this manual.


 

Section five – Feature School
Jenkins County Elementary, Millen, Georgia

I have visited and worked in many schools during the last 34 years, but I have never had the privilege of watching children accelerate and surpass expectations like the students of Jenkins County Elementary.  Jenkins County is a total Title I school.  After being in Dr. Cupp Readers® since August over 50% of the kindergarten students will leave kindergarten having successfully read at least Reader Booklet 23 in Dr. Cupp Readers®. 

Sample of text in Reader Booklet 23:

           Little Pig said, “Yes, I see your leg, but I cannot see you.”  Little Pig laughs and laughs at the fun dog as he puts his leg up and down.  “This day is fun just to see you hold your leg up and down,” said Little Pig.

 The faculty and staff of Jenkins County Elementary submitted the following pictures and text for this monthly newsletter: 

    
    It has been great to see the progress our students have made using Dr. Cupp’s Readers.  The students are far ahead of where they have been in previous years.  During classroom observations, I have seen first-hand how eager and confidant the students are when learning to read.  And they really are reading!!! 

    Several parents have commented on how great the program has been and how proud of their children they are.  Dr. Cupp has provided our teachers/staff with great training sessions and given follow-up visits and training as needed.  When we have questions or concerns, we call or e-mail Dr. Cupp and always receive a quick and prompt response.  When we’ve needed additional materials or curriculum, it is usually shipped out the day of the request and received within 1-2 days.  I cannot say enough about the effective training and follow-up provided by Dr. Cupp, her prompt response to questions/concerns, and immediate receipt of  materials and curriculum upon request.  She has been great to work with!

Dr. Judy Holton, Principal                                                                                                                                                     
Jenkins County Elementary School
Millen, Georgia
 

© 2004 Cupp Publishers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If you are a teacher using Dr. Cupp Readers® and you would like to have your suggestions or ideas posted in the Monthly Newsletter, please send them to Cindy Cupp at cindycupp@mindspring.com

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