How To Build A Snowman

Earlier this school year, we dove head first into informational text when we studied whales and wrote an All About Whales text as a class. We are currently in the middle of our second go-around with informational writing. This time, we are writing HOW TO BOOKS and what do Wisconsinite children know better than HOW TO BUILD A SNOWMAN??

When we studied whales, we started to talk about nonfiction text features like headings, table of contents, labels, and key words. We put up little posters of those text features on one of our bulletin boards and the students refer to them frequently when we read texts in class. They had a field day referring to our posters as we read some "how-to" mentor texts this week. Here is a peek at our Text Features bulletin board and a LINK TO THE POSTERS. Freebie from Deana Kahlenberg of Primary Punch! They are fabulous!

Day One of How-To Writing:

 

We read several mentor texts for how-to books and made this anchor chart. We discussed the use of transition words and then went back in our mentor texts to find as many as we could!

Day Two:

After reading another mentor text about how to make a bird feeder, I told the kiddos that we would be making our own how-to books about How to Build a Snowman. Wow, were they excited!! I paired the kids up on the carpet and they brainstormed all of the materials that someone would need to build a snowman. After a few minutes, students shared their materials and helped to create the materials page for our plans. (Students were very adamant that all snowmen need boots... proof of their enthusiasm to CREATE... although it seemed to me that they were grasping at straws to add to our poster)

Day Three:

Beginning to write the steps of our how-to book, focusing on details and transition words!

Day Four:

Finished writing the steps! We went back through our writing to check for capital letters, periods, commas, and transition words in each sentence.

Days Five - Finish

Now, we are moving onto the students re-writing our shared text in their own How to Build a Snowman mini-book. We will be working on creating pictures that match our words. We will also put labels on the pages. My students are always asking if they get to "take it home" for just about everything that we do in class and they can't wait to re-write and illustrate their own how-to book! Here's a blank copy of our HOW TO BUILD A SNOWMAN book. I can't wait to see their finished products!!

Polar Vortex? What?

It has been such a crazy January in Wisconsin! We have had 4 days off from school due to wind chill warnings! Needless to say, we have used up our days off and will have to extend our school year. The first two days were nice and relaxing and I really spent those days reading (for fun! what?!) and spending time with my husband who is also a teacher!! :)

During these last two days that we had off due to cold temperatures, I have been BUSY! I had my creative (and organizational!) juices flowing and there was no stopping me!! Here are a few ideas that I prepared over my days off and put into action today! Woohoo!

My living room yesterday... ten projects going at once! Oops!

Project #1:
New Daily 5 Word Work Center: Student use letter beads on pipe cleaners to practice their spelling words! I picked up two different types of letter beads and colorful pipe cleaners at Michael's Craft Store... love that place and they offer a TEACHER DISCOUNT (two of my favorite words)! Take a peak at my students trying their new center today! They LOVED it!





Project #2:
Musical Chairs Comprehension Game: Throughout the school year, we talk A LOT about comprehension strategies while we are doing read alouds, reading groups, partner reading, etc. I wanted to come up with a way to get all of the kids involved in talking about our read alouds (it always seems to be the same kids raising their hands in my class to comment on stories that we read). I created a set of comprehension prompts that I printed on cardstock and laminated. I placed the prompts around the room and after our read aloud today (The Cat in the Hat-- LOVE), kids walked around the room with a partner while music played. When the music stopped, they sat down by the nearest prompt and discussed that part of the story. SO FUN! Here's a link to the prompt cards!

Project #3:
Informational Writing: How-To Books
Earlier this school year, we collaboratively wrote an informational text about whales. We are now beginning our second informational writing unit of the year, HOW-TO BOOKS! Today, we began by reading a nonfiction how to book, "Let's Make Pizza," and discussed the key characteristics of how-to writing. Here is a photo of the beginnings of our How To Anchor Chart.

At the beginning of last school year, I downloaded a product from TPT for First Grade Writing Units linked to the Common Core. I am embarrassed to say that I am finally diving into this product and I LOVE IT! Great ideas, mentor text recommendations, and graphic organizers!! The product was created by Andrea Knight. Here is a direct link to her product! Highly recommend!!

I hope to do a full post in the future about our How-To Books after we finish the unit!

Project #4:
Dr. Seuss Read In and Pajama Day!: Started planning for one of my favorite days of the year!! This is what I LOVE about FIRST GRADE! Can't wait for February 21! :)

 

Loving my job right now! (and loving my Rhonna Designs app on my iPhone for editing photos!) Couldn't resist this last one...

 

At a wedding last September