Student Party Planning to Creatively Analyze Book Characters

For the past several years, Otis has been a well-loved name in our classroom.  If you have never met him, Otis is a kind-hearted, loving, red tractor that makes several new friends throughout the series.  I have written about this book throughout the years, as he has been used during theme and metacognition lessons within our classroom.  But this year proves to be just a little different.  Because this year...Otis turns 10!  And we are ready to celebrate.
 

Believing in Our Students

My building decided to end our 2015 year with a celebration of the learning that has taken place.  But I think this would also be a great way to start the 2016 year!
We call it:
Believe Week.

Each day has a theme:
I believe in my dreams
I believe I'm a reader
I believe I'm a mathematician
I believe I'm a writer

Our ultimate goal for the week is for students to participate in activities that help them really SEE the learners that they have become throughout the year thus far.  There is so much to celebrate.

We kicked off the week with "I believe in my dreams."  And the book Someday by Eileen Spinelli was a perfect way to start the day.

What better way to celebrate than to bring in professionals to talk about potential careers for our young learners!

With an escort, each student followed one of the 20 paths that I created.  They got to visit with three different professionals.  There was such electricity in the building!  Kindergartens, first graders, and second graders all mixed up learning together about jobs that interest them.  It was so amazing to see all of our students so engaged, asking questions, and excited about the possibilities.

The event was wrapped up by the students writing down what they would like to "reach" for as their career.

The rest of the week focused on our students as readers, writers, and mathematicians.  We encouraged Spirit Wear for each of those days (and of course we dressed up too!)

The books that we dressed up as were added to the Readbox for students to check out!  Each book has a note from the teacher inside that dedicates the book.  The kids were beyond excited!!  Books were being requested :)

These outfits caused quite a bit of excitement for all K-2 students.  It caused a bit of confusion for some adults when I showed up at an impromptu meeting at our administration building.  Oops :)

After our first graders told Jess what characteristics I possess, she wrote them on my shirt.  Then each student got their own brown bag vest.  Students wrote characteristics on the vests.

Letting our students know that we believe in them as learners is valuable and important.  Taking time to celebrate the accomplishments made and the dreams to reach for is meaningful to our little ones but also to the adults that work with them.

Fire Up Inferring with The Bedspread

 As I sat down to write this post about these beautiful two characters, Maud and Amelia (do you know them?), it struck me that I may have written about this book before.  Have I?  Well....I would really enjoy writing about it again, if I have.

First of all, my book is a mess!  The pages are literally falling out, there are stains all over it from its years at the library, and there is no longer a cover.  But just look at this title page.  It is beautiful.

There are two characters in this book.  They are sisters and they sit in a long bed all day long.
Maud and Amelia.

 Can you infer many things about these two sisters just from the images above?

The entire story illustrates these two sisters decorating their white quilt.  They are trying to make their childhood home and expect that it will look very symmetrical when it is complete.  This is FAR from what it turns out to be!

I love this story.  You learn so much about these two characters through the stitches that they sew.  It would be a great book to use for inferring or to discuss the characteristics of Maud and Amelia.

Check out the link below for some other books that you can use in your classroom during this upcoming year!

Book Character Wednesday WOW!

 We decided this year to do a Spirit Week before we left for Winter Break. The theme this year: believe!
Here is what we came up with:

Monday-"I believe I'm a reader." --dress up like a book character
Tuesday-"I believe I'm a mathematician." --dress up as a "math-lete"
Wednesday- "I believe I'm a writer." --wear something with words
Thursday- "I believe I'm a scientist." --wear a "mad scientist" hair-do
Friday- "I believe in myself." --wear your best

My first WOW for this week came on Monday.  All the teachers came together and really did such an amazing job dressing up as book characters.  I hope they don't mind but I have to share...

Viola Swamp and Waldo

Dorothy, Laura Ingalls, Fancy Nancy, Pinkalicious, Give a Mouse a Cookie

Pirate, Camilla Cream

Mickey

Minnie

Tinkerbell, Rudolph

Sam I Am

Dorothy and the Wicked Witch (Maria's little one!)

I know I missed a few great characters!  Ugh! Sorry...the day just gets away from me.

So that is my WOW! for the week.  What a great school to be a part of!

Please link up below and share something great that is going on this week for you :)