Mystery Book

Looking for a way to spice up your read aloud routine? Try this!

Wrap a book cover or folder around a book you think your students have never seen. After telling them the title, ask students to guess what the book will be about. Make a list of their ideas. Next, read the book without showing the pictures. When finished, ask students to draw a scene or character from the book. Obviously, they will be drawing what they think the scene or character looks like. Share their creations and then unveil the cover. Reread the book, this time showing the pictures. Your students will be entertained and amused by their own creations and the contrast to the actual pictures. Tweet or Instagram the alternate illustrations to the author and illustrator of the books you use throughout the year.

Pencilpillar

Tired of students losing their pencils? This is a surefire way to change that.

Gather wooden clothespins and medium sized pompom balls. On each clothespin, glue three pompom balls in a line to resemble a caterpillar. You can use multiple colors or matching colors. Glue wiggly eyes on the pompom closest to the end that opens up (opposite the end where you squeeze). After the caterpillar dries, show students how to clamp their pencil in the clothespin. When they aren’t using their pencils, the “Pencilpillars” will stay on their desktops and watch over their pencils so they won’t get lost. I like to start the first day of school with these fluffy fun surprises.

A Drink, A Dessert, An Idea

This year was like a roller coaster ride, speeding by, taking us through loops, making us scream, and ending with a sudden stop. It’s that sudden stop that always gets us. It’s hard to smile and wave good-bye to kids who are crying and turning around for one last look at you before they go. Sniff, sniff.

Don’t get me wrong, we like the two month break from new mandates, curriculum map changes, grading papers and TESTING, TESTING, TESTING. I especially look forward to going to the bathroom whenever I want.

But for these same two months we do miss our teaching lives. Who doesn’t love reading books to a captive audience of 21? Where else does this same group cheer when you come back from a 30 minute meeting down the hall? Not to mention my colleagues (Teacher BFFs?) are no longer within walking distance to where I am. Am I already having withdrawal?

Though we haven’t started brainstorming for next year yet, we know it will happen soon. So we want to share a few ideas to help you regroup and relax... for now.

Here’s a book that will give you great ideas and maybe even a creative outlet! 59 Reasons to Write: Mini-lessons, Prompts and Inspiration for Teachers by Kate Messner.

Check out this drink,

and this dessert.

Eat, drink and be lazy! It’s your two months to do whatever you want. Savor every minute. Before you know it you’ll be locked back in your seat, bar across your lap, taking off for another thrilling ride.

Ann Marie

Book Bite #3- Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

It’s time for another Book Bite! 

If you enjoyed Book Bite #1 based around Alex Latimer’s, Lion vs. Rabbit and Book Bite #2 focused on Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea, then you’re sure to adore BookBite #3! This time we’ve dug into 2014’s winner of the Caldecott Honor, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Our students really dug this story. When I asked my first graders to create their own digging adventure from the point of view of the dog, they wrote as many as 7 pages! The words and pictures in this book are sure to illicit smiles, laughter and loud groans of exasperation from kids of all ages. (Do I count as a kid since I definitely laughed out loud when I opened the book?) If you haven’t checked out this book yet, go snag a copy now!

Think about it Thursday

Running out of ideas for ways to kick start your school day? Many schools are encouraging activities that allow more conversations among students; hoping teachers will take a back seat or rather a vow of silence in order to let their students weigh in on issues.

We started “Think About it Thursday” to fill this need. It turned out to be awesome! Each Thursday, we pose a question to our students and give everyone a small copy of the question to glue in their journal. 

They always have an opinion! Some students can’t decide between the choices so they pick both and justify why.

After writing, they insist on sharing. Some students even like to tally the opinions of the class. If time doesn’t allow for whole group sharing, try team share or a buddy share. Have fun! 
Click here for some printables to start you off. If you come up with any good ones, let us know!

I Wonder Wednesday

As a kid, I remember having so many random thoughts. Things like “I wonder what my teacher’s pajamas look like,” or “I wonder what fish do all night.”  Most of the time I made up an answer, but sometimes I would try to find the real one. I started “I Wonder Wednesday” with my class to reinforce creativity and inference skills.

Every Wednesday, I give my students something to wonder about. Everyone gets a small copy of the idea to glue in their journal.  We enjoy discussing our thoughts in small groups or as a class. Some students even explore further to try to get answers to things like, “I wonder where all the plastic bottles go,” or “I wonder how chocolate is made.”  Now our week consists of Tell me Tuesday, I Wonder Wednesday, and Think about it Thursday. Lots of higher order thinking going on in first grade!
Here are some of the I Wonder Wednesday printables we like to use.

Tell me Tuesday

We are always looking for a new way to start our mornings, (our first graders get tired of worksheets!) so we came up with “Tell me Tuesday.”

Every Tuesday morning, we project (on the SMARTBoard) a picture of an unusual creature that we think will be unfamiliar to our students. Some examples they’ve enjoyed include: a hydra, coati, sea cucumber, narwhal, naked mole rat, slipper lobster and an agouti.

We pose the same questions each week with a different picture. The students respond in their journals and share their guesses later. We always reveal the accurate information on our chosen creature after everyone has responded. They really enjoy being introduced to new animals. Have fun and let us know if you think of any good ones to add to our list!