After All, Who Doesn’t Love Pie?

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Lora

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Author’s new book receives a warm literary welcome.

Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Children – Picture Book book “Freshly Baked Pie” by Lora Rozler, available HERE

Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

“Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite

Meet five-year-old Emily in the storybook Freshly Baked Pie by Lora Rozler. Emily does not think being five is easy and it is all about bouncing pigtails and wearing colorful dresses. She is not too happy going to bed when the sun is still out, cleaning her room when she wants to play, and all the rules. Saturday is her favorite day because that is the day her Grandma Betsy comes. What is even more special is seeing the freshly baked pie sitting on the window sill. Emily is tempted watching the strawberry jam oozing, the buttery crust, and the aroma. She cannot wait, though her dad and mum have asked her to stay away from it and not touch it. Will Emily be able resist or will she give in to temptation?

The story is adorable and I like the way the author makes Emily’s temptation to taste the pie whimsical and delightful. The illustrations are as charming as the story, Emily, and the pie, and they breathe life into the story and the characters. Emily’s character is lovable, well portrayed, real, and tangible to young readers. I enjoyed the part where the pie speaks to Emily and that makes the book magical and gives it a mischievous twist. The manner in which Emily goes through those tempting emotions while looking at the freshly baked pie will bring a smile to the faces of all readers. It is a good story for bedtime storytelling and can be used for read aloud and storytelling sessions in classrooms.”

You can learn more about Lora Rozler and “Freshly Baked Pie” on our WEBSITE where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.

Readers’ Favorite LLC
Media Relations
Louisville, KY 40202
800-RF-REVIEW
support@readersfavorite.com
https://readersfavorite.com

I can’t do it – YET!

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Lora

Nurturing a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Hello everyone – happy Monday! I wanted to share my latest poem with you.

Yes, I Can! was inspired by a lot of self-defeating comments I’ve come to hear over the last 18 years teaching. Truthfully, if I had a nickel every time I heard a student say I can’t do it, I’d be off on a yacht somewhere right now (nah, maybe not – I get sea sick). Joking aside, the reality is that none of us are perfect. None of us can do everything. And sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still don’t master various things – and that’s okay, at least we tried.

It’s when students give up before they even try that it’s NOT OKAY. That’s the point I’ve been trying to make with my students last week. Yes, some things are hard. Some tasks will challenge us. But the attitude we have toward challenges is what determines the outcome. It is this mindset, over time, that will shape and condition our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves. Our mindset consists of our thoughts and attitudes toward ourselves and the world around us. These beliefs shape how we perceive and handle everyday situations. Do we look at challenges as opportunities to grow or do we fall prey to self-defeating thoughts?

Yes, I Can! is a poem I wrote that celebrates what children can do, as well as embraces that which they cannot, yet, do. Teaching children to have a “Growth Mindset” is crucial in helping them become better learners. After all, in order to succeed at anything, we must persist and push ourselves forward, despite the challenges. Positive self-talk is what helps children persevere and not give up. Yes, I Can! encourages children to adopt positive self-talk. Instead of focusing on ‘I can’t do it!’, it re-frames their thinking, ‘I can’t do it, yet!’

Along with the poem, I created a follow-up worksheet (rehearsing high-frequency word can) and a mini-book that is co-authored with me (my students were thrilled with the idea). It invites students to fill in a missing high-frequency word, as well as add a skill or task they can complete successfully, as well another skill they aspire to learn, reminding them that their mindset is the only thing in the way.

Yes, I Can! by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on work found at www.lorarozler.com

In all the excitement to teach children that our mindset is not a fixed state, I created a visual anchor for the classroom. Feel free to download a copy for your personal use by clicking on the image below.

To download a copy of the poem, Yes, I Can! along with the follow-up activities, click on the image below.

Wishing you a fabulous week ahead!

Lora

Kisses For My Mother

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Lora

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and we have surely begun preparing for it in the classroom. This year we are showing Mom (or the special mother-figure in our life) how much we love her with lots of kisses in a love-filled picture frame. We sure hope this becomes a craft Mom will treasure.

Kisses For My Mother is a poem I wrote for the special occasion. I wanted students to make it somewhat their own so I left the last line blank. This is where they get to add adjectives and/or verbs that best describe their mom (if they’re up for the challenge, they can try to make it rhyme).

Now for the craft…

Before you begin: 1. Take a profile picture of each student blowing a kiss into the air, head slightly tilted upwards. 2. Ask students to enlist help from family members (other than their mom) and bring in a picture of their mom for the frame.

1.Loosely tape a heart shaped cut-out onto a white sheet of paper (thick enough for paint).

2. Using outward strokes, have students paint lines all around the heart (you may want to incorporate various colour themes – primary, secondary, warm, cool, or let student choose whatever colour scheme they like – perhaps mom’s favourite colour).

3. After the paint has dried, fill small jars with water and food colour. Using dropplers, invite students to dab the liquid onto the frame and extend the drops into line designs (curvy, jagged, parallel, striped, etc.).

4. Have students cut out various size and colour heart shapes and glue them around their frame (maintaining the heart shape in the centre).

5. Students cut and paste the poem, Kisses For My Mother, as well as their picture and a photo of their mom in the centre of the frame.

6. You may want to invite students to continue adding hearts to their frame, overlapping and creating a sense of space.

Here is a sample of the final product:

To download a free copy of my poem for your personal use in the classroom, click on the kiss image below. To download a copy of the poem as a shared reading handout, click on the image of the poem at the top of the post.

Kisses For My Mother by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Happy Mother’s Day! I would love to hear your feedback and see how your crafts turned out.

Lora

Boredom Buster

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Lora

Boredom Buster is a term my daughter recently coined for an activity I introduced her to while she was waiting for her brother to finish his lunch (I should mention that sledding was next on our agenda and so she was impatiently nudging our slow eater along). I drew a letter in her sketch pad and challenged her to turn it into a picture. Before long, her sketch pad was filled with dressed up letters. My son, who had been eagerly watching, asked to join in. With the promise of eating faster and multi-tasking efficiently, he set to the boredom buster as well (which by now was serving a different purpose entirely). Five minutes later, the lunch plate was empty but neither of them were in any rush to go sledding anymore (gotta love those moments).

Boredom Buster or Time Filler activities are great for the classroom

Image result for kids working together in school

as well. They certainly come in handy when there are a few minutes to spare between lessons or transitions in the day. In my classroom I use these kind of activities as add-ons when students complete their work (or during indoor recesses). As a variation to dressed-up letters, you can also use numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and different kinds of lines. For the older students, a writing piece (i.e., poem, caption, etc.) can also accompany the illustrations.

What Boredom Busters do you use with your kids and students? Feel free to share.

Lora

Shark Tank with Recycled Products

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Lora

The other day, I came home with a small box of groceries. As I emptied out the box, an idea struck. Knowing kids love to make crafts (especially out of boxes) I challenged my children to think of something useful they could make out of the box. I gave them one condition – they had to agree on what they would use the box for. Excited by the venture, they set on their way, thinking and planning. I overheard them talking about what they each wanted the box to be used for (yes, you guessed it – they were not on the same page). I continued eavesdropping, pretending to be busy in the kitchen, hoping they’d soon come to a consensus. Five minutes later the arguing began and so I stepped in. My goal was for them to present their idea together, but perhaps a little friendly competition wouldn’t hurt.

For those of you who are familiar with the show Shark Tank, you know where this is going.

I asked the eager participants (then aged 4 and 8) to draw a picture of their master plan for the box and then come up with a convincing statement outlining the usefulness of their product. I suggested that next time we had a family gathering (which was the following day, so it would be quite immediate), we could have everyone act as judges and listen to their plan of action. We reviewed what they’d need to cover in the sales pitch: usefulness, durability, and of course, any cost I would incur as part of the construction (tape, paint, etc.).

With the prospect of a large audience and an exciting game plan, the sketching and designing began. Continue reading →

Words Build. Words Destroy!

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Lora

“Words! What power they hold. Once they have rooted in your psyche, it is difficult to escape them. Words can shape the future of a child and destroy the existence of an adult.”

―Vashti Quiroz-Vega

Words on a Limb is proud to announce the launch of its first picture-book:

Written and Illustrated by Lora Rozler

In this emotional and
highly visual picture book,
a lonely letter sets off on a journey to find meaning.
As it encounters various letter combinations, it is confronted by two distinct paths and must make an important choice.

Readers of all ages will be captivated by this simple, yet high concept, story that explores universal themes of discovery, relationships and the need to belong, with an underlying message about bullying. Both timeless and original, Words is an evocative tale about how letters become words and words create meaning – meaning which could ultimately build or destroy.

“A compelling story-line, simple yet poignant illustrations, engaging language, a great read-aloud that offers many opportunities for reflection and discussion with children.”

“A heart-warming story with a clever, powerful message about anti-bullying. An absolute must-have
for every parent and educator.”

Available at all major online retailers including:

For a FREE Parent and Teacher Companion Kit, based on the book, Words,

click on the image below

Attention all Mini-Artists: Join our Words-Through-Art Sketch Competition

Get out your sketch pads, sharpen those pencils, it’s time for an Art Competition. Words on a Limb would like to invite readers (ages 6-10) to send in their best illustrations, capturing the essence of the picture-book, Words. The winner will receive a hardcover edition of Words and have their work featured on our site, as well as Lora Rozler’s author website.

All entries must be submitted to wordsonalimb@bell.net by August 15, 2015. Please indicate Art Competition in the subject line and specify the artist’s age in the email. The winner will be announced on August 22, 2015. Let the sketching begin!

The Perfect Package – Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Lora

Father’s Day is just around the corner and what better time to get crafting.

Father’s Day is a special day to honor fathers and father-figures in our lives. In Canada, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June, though it is also observed widely on other days in many other countries. Father figures may include step-fathers, grandfathers, brothers or other male figures that help and guide us through life’s journey.

How do we, in turn, honor these prominent male figures?

Some people give cards, chocolates, clothes, accessories or gift vouchers. Others take their father or father figure out to the movies, enjoy a meal together at a restaurant, lounge in a café, or simply enjoy a restful day in the park.

In my classroom, we are preparing for the big day by creating The Perfect Package.

envelope stamp address label

Inside the package – poem and student image

Below is a poem I wrote and plan to share with my students as we begin crafting next week. Keeping in mind that not all children may have a father in their life, I left the recipient open to include a figure that may take the place of a father, whether it be a grandfather, uncle, brother, etc.

My Hero by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

To download a copy of the poem and craft kit, for your personal use in the classroom, click on the image below.

Join my Facebook Community and stay in the loop when new teacher resources are available.

Let the countdown and crafting begin!

Happy Father’s Day!

Lora

Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Lora

Roses, cards, chocolates, cookies, breakfast in bed, you-name-it, Mother’s Day sure brings out the sweetest in us. Celebrated on the second Sunday in May each year, Mother’s Day is a time to honour our one and only – our precious Mother (or a mother figure in our life).

I am sure I speak on behalf of many moms out there when I say the most precious gift we can receive on Mother’s Day is one that is especially handcrafted for us. As a teacher I keep this in mind as we set out to cut, glue and craft a personal treasure that Mom will want to keep around for a very long time (if not forever).

Below is a poem I wrote and plan to share with my students this week. Keeping in mind that not all children may have a mother in their life, I left the recipient open to include a figure that takes the place of a dominant caregiver, whether it be a grandmother, aunt, sister, etc.

Under Your Wing by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

For this year’s Mother’s Day craft, my students will be making a mobile frame, with the theme of my latest poem in mind. Here is a sample of the finished product.

Mobile frame – Back side

Front SIDE – option 1

front side – option 2

To download a copy of the poem and the craft templates, for your personal use in the classroom, click on the heart image below.

Join my Facebook Community and stay in the loop when new teacher resources are available.

Thank you for your support!

Let the countdown and crafting begin!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Lora

Happy Earth Day 2015

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Lora

Happy Earth Day everyone! Every year at this time we are reminded of how important it is to preserve the environment for future generations. Whether it be on the radio, television, social media or in educational environments, the flood of content blends into a common message – protect the earth!

We’d like to share a short, yet compelling video clip that made us pay just a little more attention this year. It’s called Dear Future Generations: Sorry. We hope you enjoy it too, and of course … share it.

My favourite line in the video was ‘An error does not become a mistake, until you refuse to correct it’. That is a powerful statement – in all facets of life, but particularly when it comes to taking care of the earth.

With this in mind, I’d like to share some classroom connections …

After many months of collecting recyclable materials, we finally set out to transform old boxes into new ART.

IMG_20150421_110257 We used materials from our Art Centre (containers made from recycled products) to help with this Earth Day project.

Here is a showcase of some beautiful pieces from our growing collection of Recycled Art:

Fashionable Writing Utensil Caddies

hybrid cars

Spring Basket

An enchanting castle

building blocks

Jewelry box

The latest smartphone

A downtown apartment building

bird feeder

Binoculars

Toy Box

Marker holder

Decorative Tissue Boxes

Pirate Ship!

Recycle is a poem I came across online that was written by Meish Goldish . Students enjoy the familiar rhythm, and the catchy pattern makes it a great math extension as well (don’t we teachers love that?!).

After reading many books relating to Earth Day, our class sat down to brainstorm ways in which we can protect our environment. We also reviewed some of the things we were already doing in our classroom (i.e., recycling , reducing, reusing, composting, conserving energy, using only as much water as we need, not littering, etc.). Students then all had a chance to reflect on what more they could do (at school and home) and completed a promise note reminding them to take action and contribute in whichever way they could. No contribution is ever too small – every little bit helps.

To download a copy of the poem and writing template, click on the image below.

Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed and wonder how these very small acts can possibly solve such a massive problem. But if we all contribute one little building block, we can turn an error into an opportunity.

For more ways you can help, click HERE.

As always, thank you for your time!

Lora

Three Witty Goats Gruff

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Lora

Hello everyone. I hope you had a restful March break and are excited about the week ahead. I’d like to share a poem I wrote a little while back titled, Three Witty Goats Gruff. It is based on a variation of the original story, Three Billy Goats Gruff. I plan to revisit it with my students this week as we continue our exploration around the concept of Measurement and Size.

After reading several versions of the original story to my students, I plan to introduce my version of it via a poem. When I first introduced it (last year), students really enjoyed the chant and patterns, while I loved the teachable moments that stemmed from it.

MATH – counting backwards, detecting patterns, reinforcing concepts of measurement and size, subtraction, etc.

LITERACY – introducing new vocabulary, making predictions, using context clues to make inferences, singular/plural pronouns, synonyms, etc.

Three Witty Goats Gruff by Words On A Limb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

One of my students favourite follow-up activities was to re-enact the poem using stick puppets. It is a wonderful way for them to practise retelling the story and have fun while doing so. Some benefits of using stick puppets to teach literacy include strengthening oral vocabulary, acting in role, building comprehension, retelling a story in sequence, and recalling details.

Here are some cross-curricular extension activities, including: 1. Three Billy Goats Gruff Maze – students help the Billy Goats navigate through a maze to get to a field of fresh grass (good for refining fine motor, spatial and problem-solving skills); 2. Writing Template – students reflect on their favourite part of the story (while practising important writing skills); 3. Fill In The Blanks – students use a word bank to fill in the missing words from the poem (great for memory skills and practising high-frequency words); 4. Making Patterns Math Worksheet – students complete and create their own pattern using characters from the story (aids with visual discrimination and patterning concepts).

To download a copy of my poem, Three Witty Goats Gruff, including the Stick Puppet Templates, for your personal use in the classroom, along with the cross-curricular activities hown above, click on Billy Goat.

I hope you and your students enjoy the poem and have fun with these activities in the classroom. As always, your comments and feedback are welcome.

Join our Facebook Community and stay in the loop when new teacher resources are available.

Have a great week everyone.

Lora

© Lora Rozler and Words On A Limb, 2015 All Rights Reserved No part of this site or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials, in which case credit to the original author or source must be noted. You may share this site by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each post (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, Wordpress, Pinterest); 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate; and 3. You may quote extracts from the site with attribution to wordsonalimb.com For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author at wordsonalimb@bell.net Commercial use and distribution of the contents of the site is not allowed without express and prior written consent of the author. Terms of Use

Words On A Limb

A fusion of words and colour …

Tag Archives: students

After All, Who Doesn’t Love Pie?

I can’t do it – YET!

Nurturing a Growth Mindset in the Classroom

Yes, I Can! by Lora Rozler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on work found at www.lorarozler.com

Kisses For My Mother

Boredom Buster

Shark Tank with Recycled Products

Words Build. Words Destroy!

Words on a Limb is proud to announce the launch of its first picture-book:

Available at all major online retailers including:

For a FREE Parent and Teacher Companion Kit, based on the book, Words,

click on the image below