Category: elementary education

Books for Teaching Persuasive Writing

One of my favorite units to teach is persuasive text/writing. There are so many wonderful books that display persuasive writing. One of my all time favorite series is the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. My son and I have read Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the bus every night for over three years. Some other wonderful books to include in this unit is:

 

I like to have these books displayed around the classroom during the two week unit. I also have a tiny obsession with Oreos, so I use the Oreo to introduce persuasive writing. Here is my anchor chart. Please let me know if there are any awesome books I need to add to my list.

Books Every Child Should Read Before Leaving Elementary.  

I can still remember sitting in Mrs. Watkins 3rd grade class hanging on to every word as she read aloud James and the Giant Peach. Like the mouth wide open mesmerized, completely engulfed into the story. It was the moment I fell in love with reading. Rather a teacher or parent, there are some books that every child needs to read or hear. Here is a list of books that every child needs to be exposed to before heading off to middle school.   

 

“Give me a dollar or I’ll spit on you.”

That’s Bradley Chalkers for you. He’s the oldest kid in the fifth grade. He tells enormous lies. He picks fights with girls, and the teachers say he has serious behavior problems. No one likes him—except Carla, the new school counselor. She thinks Bradley is sensitive and generous, and she even enjoys his far-fetched stories. Carla knows that Bradley could change, if only he weren’t afraid to try.

But when you feel like the most hated kid in the whole school, believing in yourself can be the hardest thing in the world. . . .

  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio  I’m not going to lie, we all had a few tears in class, but my students were hooked from page one.

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

Auggie & Me gives readers a special look at Auggie’s world through three new points of view. These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder.

Eleven-year-old Melody has a photographic memory. Her head is like a video camera that is always recording. Always. And there’s no delete button. She’s the smartest kid in her whole school—but no one knows it. Most people–her teachers and doctors included–don’t think she’s capable of learning, and up until recently her school days consisted of listening to the same preschool-level alphabet lessons again and again and again. If only she could speak up, if only she could tell people what she thinks and knows . . . but she can’t, because Melody can’t talk. She can’t walk. She can’t write.

Being stuck inside her head is making Melody go out of her mind–that is, until she discovers something that will allow her to speak for the first time ever. At last Melody has a voice . . . but not everyone around her is ready to hear it.

 

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions.  She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr. Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

 

Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. She’s spent years trying to teach David the rules from “a peach is not a funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public”—in order to head off David’s embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she’s always wished for, it’s her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

 

Is Nick Allen a troublemaker? He really just likes to liven things up at school — and he’s always had plenty of great ideas. When Nick learns some interesting information about how words are created, suddenly he’s got the inspiration for his best plan ever…the frindle. Who says a pen has to be called a pen? Why not call it a frindle? Things begin innocently enough as Nick gets his friends to use the new word. Then other people in town start saying frindle. Soon the school is in an uproar, and Nick has become a local hero. His teacher wants Nick to put an end to all this nonsense, but the funny thing is frindle doesn’t belong to Nick anymore. The new word is spreading across the country, and there’s nothing Nick can do to stop it.

 

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

In the tradition of timeless stories like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create an unforgettable story of friendship, art, and hope.

The One and Only Ivan features first-person narrative; author’s use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).

 

One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie.

 

Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. . . .

Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle – that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

 

At the heart of the story is Wanda Petronski, a Polish girl in a Connecticut school who is ridiculed by her classmates for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses at home, but everyone knows she doesn’t and bullies her mercilessly. The class feels terrible when Wanda is pulled out of the school, but by that time it’s too late for apologies. Maddie, one of Wanda’s classmates, ultimately decides that she is “never going to stand by and say nothing again.”

 

It was so difficult to choose my top favorite. Did I leave yours off the list? Leave me a comment so I can add it to my classroom library.

Top 15 Favorite Christmas Books

Looking for ideas to do with your children over Holiday break? Read a book together. Read alouds can lead to so many wonderful discussions with your children. Here are my top 15 favorite Christmas books.

-Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story by Cynthia Rylant -¨Every year at Christmas a rich man rides a train through Appalachia and throws gifts to the poor children who are waiting, in order to repay a debt he owes the people who live there.¨

–How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss -“Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot . . . but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did NOT!” Not since “’Twas the night before Christmas” has the beginning of a Christmas tale been so instantly recognizable. This heartwarming story about the effects of the Christmas spirit will grow even the coldest and smallest of hearts. Like mistletoe, candy canes, and caroling, the Grinch is a mainstay of the holidays, and his story is the perfect gift for young and old.¨

-Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus by Chris Plehal – ¨In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote the New York Sun to ask a simple question: Is there a Santa Claus? The editor’s response was a stirring defense of hope, generosity, and the spirit of childhood. His essay has been reprinted countless times since, and the phrase “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” has become part of American Christmas lore.

Based on these actual events, Yes, Virginia is the story of a little girl who taught a city to believe.¨

-Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco -¨When a leak ruins the sacristy wall in his father’s church, Jonathan Jefferson Weeks thinks Christmas Eve service will be ruined. Luckily he and his father find a beautiful tapestry, perfect for covering the damaged wall and giving the church a festive look! But then, an old Jewish woman recognizes the beautiful cloth. Her discovery leads to a real miracle on Christmas Eve.¨

–Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco-¨It’s not easy being Welcome Comfort-a foster child always moving from home to home and getting picked on by the kids at school. Even Christmas, the most wondrous time of the year, isn’t so wondrous for Welcome, since he has no family, no presents, and no Santa Claus. But when Welcome meets Mr. Hamp, the school custodian, he finally finds a friend. And when Christmas comes around, Welcome is taken on an extraordinary adventure that changes his life forever.¨

–How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky- ¨Have you ever wondered what Santa did before he was Santa?
When Santa was young and needed a job, no one was looking for a man in a red suit to deliver gifts on Christmas. So Santa tried just about everything — from a chimney sweep to a postman to a circus performer. But none of these worked out. It wasn’t until he met a group of elves who helped him use all his special talents, that Santa was able to find his dream job.¨

–How Santa Lost His Job by Stephen Krensky- ¨Santa has the best job he can think of — brining presents each Christmas to children all around the world. Every year he prepares for his trip: He trims his beard, takes a bath, gets dressed, and packs up his sleigh fort he long night ahead. But there are always a few unexpected delays that make things a little hectic. Muckle, one of the elves who helps Santa, thinks he can come up with a more efficient way of delivering the toys — a method that won’t involve Santa at all.¨

–Cobweb Christmas The Tradition of Tinsel by Shirley Climo- ¨All her life, Tante had heard tales about marvelous happenings on Christmas Eve. Animals might speak aloud. Bees might hum carols, or cocks crow at midnight. Tante wished she could witness a bit of Christmas magic, too.

Everybody loves Christmas at Tante’s. The old lady decorates a wonderful tree and makes certain to have something for all who come to visit, be it the nearby village children or the shy animals of the pine forest. The only creatures Tante overlooks are the spiders she has swept out of her cottage while cleaning. But the curious spiders want to come inside and see Tante’s tree, too. When a midnight visitor lets them into the old lady’s home, they unknowingly spin Tante the very gift she has longed for–a gift that has inspired the draping of tinsel on Christmas trees ever since.

This Old World tale about the warmth and wonder of Christmas will leave children enchanted with the magical possibilities of the season.¨

-An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco-¨The Stowell family is abuzz with holiday excitement, and Frankie, the youngest boy, is the most excited of all. But there’s a cloud over the joyous season: Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and Pa hasn’t returned yet from his trip to Lansing. He promised to bring back the oranges for the mantelpiece. Every year there are nine of them nestled among the evergreens, one for each of the children. But this year, heavy snows might mean no oranges . . . and, worse, no Pa!¨

–The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story by Gloria Houston- ¨This unforgettable tale, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Barbara Cooney, has become a seasonal classic-a touching and joyful story about courage and the power of family.¨

-The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson- ¨Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.¨

-The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree by David Rubel- ¨This “new classic” Christmas story brings together two great traditions: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the neighbor-helping-neighbor program of Habitat for Humanity. Opening in Depression-era New York City, The Carpenter’s Gift tells the story of eight-year-old Henry and his father selling Christmas trees. They give a Christmas tree to construction workers building Rockefeller Center and celebrate together. Through the kindness of the construction workers and neighbors, Henry gets his wish for a nice, warm home to replace his family’s drafty shack. He plants a pinecone from that first Rockefeller Center Tree. As an old man, Henry repays the gift by donating the enormous tree that has grown from that pinecone to become a Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. After bringing joy to thousands as the Rockefeller Center tree, its wood will be used to build a home for another family in need.¨

–Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh- ¨Olive is merrily preparing for Christmas when suddenly she realizes “Olive… the other Reindeer… I thought I was a dog. Hmmm, I must be a Reindeer!” So she quickly hops aboard the polar express and heads to the North Pole. And while Santa and the other reindeer are a bit surprised that a dog wants to join the their team, in the end Olive and her unusual reindeer skills are just what Santa and his veteran reindeer team need. Colorful graphic illustrations accompany this zany dog story from the well-known author and artist team, Vivian and J.otto Seibold. Adorable Olive and her hilarious adventures are sure to make anyone’s Christmas merry.¨

–The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie dePaola- ¨In Mexico, the poinsettia is called flor de la Nochebuenao flower of the Holy Night. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside.

This Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl’s unselfish gift to the Christ Child. Beloved Newbery honor-winning author and Caldecott honor-winning illustrator Tomie dePaola has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for Christmas. His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful.¨

–How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss- ¨When Santa’s knocked out cold by a Jack-in-the-Boxer’s walloping punch, deli owner Murray Kleiner reluctantly agrees to take his place. The suit doesn’t fit, Murray smells a bit like pickles, and there’s no way he can remember the names of all those reindeer. But with the help of a pushy elf and an eager-to-believe young boy, Murray finds out that even though he’s not big enough to fill Santa’s suit, he’s got more than enough heart to get the job done.¨

 

Elf on the Shelf, Homework Buddy

After a weekend of behavior issues with my oldest and seeing his progress report, I changed my mind. The Elf on the Shelf would indeed make an appearance this year. Since homework has become such a chore, I’m putting that Elf the work.

Addition with regrouping has become an issue lately, so Elf left extra problems. Other concepts that could be used is subtraction, perimeter, area, multiplication.

 

Elf couldn’t leave reading out. ¨I need a synonym for     .¨ antonyms or rhyming words could be used.

Leave a riddle for your child to read.

 

Leave a homograph or homophone and have your child name the other.  

 

Sight words or if the teacher sends home a weekly newsletter, use the concepts they are working on that week.

 

For younger children, the Elf can leave a pattern with candy and have your child make another pattern. My 7 year old then counted and divided the candies evenly.

After he divided it equally, we then looked at them as an array. (2×8=16)

Leave a number and ask if it‘s even or odd.

Leave paint for your child to mix and make new colors.

 

Christmas Around the World Project

For the past few years I’ve done the Christmas Around the World project where I had students draw a country, research it,  and write a paper. Last year I decided to try something different.

I made a Facebook post asking for anyone living in a different country to send a letter to my students explaining holiday traditions in their country. I’m still overwhelmed with the response that we got. We received videos, letters, goodie boxes, Christmas cards, and emails from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Lithuania, Switzerland, and England. This was definitely one of those shining moments that make you realize there are still wonderful people all around!

We had biscuits and Christmas Crackers to open from London. Oh how I wish I would have caught the reactions on video when the firecrackers (Christmas crackers) started exploding. We had cookies from Australia, and we even got to watch a video of a Christmas parade in Switzerland. I have never seen students so excited over an assignment. I lost count how many times a day I heard, ¨Do we have any mail? Can I go check your box?¨ 

I’m introducing my new third grade class to this project tomorrow. I can’t wait to see where we’ll go this year.

Monday Motivation

The Monday back to school after a week off, plus throw in the excitement of Christmas. I know I needed a little extra inspiration to get me through today and the upcoming weeks.

 

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.-Franklin P. Jones

 

“There is no need to be perfect to inspire others… Let people get inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.”-Robert Tew

 

“The job of an educator is to teach students to see the vitality in themselves.” -Joseph Campbell

 

“There are two kinds of teachers: the kind that fills you with so much quail shot that you can’t move, and the kind that just gives you a little prod behind and you jump to the skies.” -Robert Frost

 

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher … is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”- Maria Montessori

 

“[Kids] don’t remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.” -Jim Henson

 

“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” – Aristotle

 

“The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth.” -Dan Rather

 

Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops.-Henry Brooks Adams

“Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai

 

What you’re doing now, or have done in the past, need not determine what you can do next and in the future.-Ken Robinson

 

¨Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.¨-Maria Montessori

 

It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure. -Bill Gates

 

For most of us the problem isn’t that we aim too high and fail – it’s just the opposite – we aim too low and succeed.” -Ken Robinson

 

“Curiosity is the engine of achievement.” -Ken Robinson

Top Series Books for Boys.

Recently my second grade son finished reading the Flat Stanley book series and was looking to start a new one. While naming off a few of my favorites such as Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park, Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene, Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm, Geronimo Stilton by Geronimo Stilton, or Judy Moody by Megan McDonald. I could of went on and on, but he was already looking at me like I had a third eye. I quickly realized I didn’t have a clue what books would appeal to boys.

After multiple trips the the library I have a list of top series books for elementary boys:

Teacher Gift Guide

Want to get something you know a teacher will love? While I truly appreciate any and every gift, I’m swimming in coffee mugs. After some lounge conversations I’ve come up with a list of favorites.

  • Ornaments. My favorite box to pull out of the top of the closet is the ornaments. I love reading the names and reminiscing about past classes as I decorate the tree each year. Homemade is wonderful and could easily turn into a family project. However, I typically use up all my craftiness at school, so my kids get to pick out an ornament of their choice on a random shopping trip that will be signed, dated, and delivered.  
  • Gift cards. Amazon, Target, TeachersPayTeachers.com, Starbucks, Office Depot, etc will put a smile on any teacher’s face!
  • Post-its and pens. Seriously, I don’t know a single teacher that isn’t obsessed with office supplies.

  • Snacks. Some days just require chocolate.
  • Anything personalized. I honestly have no idea what the obsession is, but we love to have our name or initials on everything. Next time you’re at the school check out the bags, tumbler’s, mouse pads, wall decor, pens, etc…
  • A book. Grab a copy of your child’s favorite book and write a sweet note to the teacher in it. We’re always looking to expand our libraries.

 

Oreos and anything purple. Well, maybe that’s just me. Whatever you chose will be loved and greatly appreciated. Merry Christmas!

Social Studies Quotes

The state of Texas says third graders need to know over 30 important people throughout history.  It can feel overwhelming, especially when I think about that silly(insert ugly word here!) standardized Reading test that’s right around the corner. I have a tendency to want to start the Social Studies unit on Monday. You know just like I’m going to start working out on Monday.

This year I vowed to do a better job. One of the ways I’ve included more daily exposure is through quotes. I decided to post a new quote on my door every week. It’s a hit and gets students asking the important question, ¨Who is that?¨

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. -Benjamin Franklin

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.-Benjamin Franklin

Well done is better than well said. – Benjamin Franklin

Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. – Benjamin Franklin

Curiosity is natural to the soul of man and interesting objects have a powerful influence on our affections.-Daniel Boone

Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. – Helen Keller

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt. – Helen Keller

You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas. – Davy Crockett (Okay! Okay! I know what you’re thinking,¨That’s not appropriate for school.¨  You’re right! But as a Texan I had to include it.)

Be always sure you are right, then go ahead. – Davy Crockett

Let your tongue speak what your heart thinks. – Davy Crockett

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. – Abraham Lincoln

Whatever you are, be a good one. – Abraham Lincoln

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. – Alexander Graham Bell

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. – Alexander Graham Bell

If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.-Henry Ford

Failure is simply an opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. – Henry Ford

Quality means doing it right when no one is looking. – Henry Ford

The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.-Jonas Salk

Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. – Jonas Salk

There is no cosmetic for beauty  like happiness. – Maria Mitchell

Indomitable perseverance in a business, properly understood, always ensures ultimate success. – Cyrus McCormick

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. – Bill Gates

Life is not fair; get used to it. – Bill Gates

Chance favors the prepared mind.-Louis Pasteur

Home is the nicest word there is. – Laura Ingalls Wilder

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. – Laura Ingalls Wilder

Be thankful for problems. If they were less difficult, someone with less ability might have your job. – Jim Lovell

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the World. – Harriet Tubman

Right is right, even if no one else does it. – Juliette Gordon Low

I tell students that the opportunities I had were a result of having a good educational background. Education is what allows you to stand out. – Ellen Ochoa

Everybody’s business is nobody’s business, and nobody’s business is my business. – Clara Barton (My classroom favorite!)

Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and begin the trail. When you start a new trail equipped with courage, strength and conviction, the only thing that can stop you is you!-Ruby Bridges

Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret. – Mary Kay Ash

Nothing is an obstacle unless you say it is. – Wallace Amos

Give them quality. That’s the best kind of advertising in the world. -Milton Hershey

High expectations are the key to everything. – Sam Walton

A picture book is a small door to the enormous world of the visual arts, and they’re often the first art a young person sees. – Tomie dePaola

Be present in your work because kids live in the moment, so as soon as you’re not in the present, you’re not being authentic.- Kadir Nelson

 

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, 3.1B, Benjamin Franklin 3.1C, Daniel Boone 3.1C, Helen Keller 3.11B, Davy Crockett 3.1C, Abraham Lincoln 3.1C, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford 3.8E, Jonas Salk 3.16A, Maria Mitchell 3.16A, Cyrus McCormick 3.16A, Bill Gates 3.16A,  Louis Pasteur 3.16A, Carmen Lomas Garza 3.15B, Laura Ingalls Wilder 3.15B, Bill Martin Jr 3.15B, Hector P. Garcia 3.14A, James A. Lovell 3.14A,  Harriet Tubman 3.14A, Juliette Gordon Low 3.14A, Todd Beamer 3.14A, Ellen Ochoa 3.14A, John “Danny” Olivas 3.14A, Clara Barton 3.11B, Ruby Bridges 3.11B, Mary Kay Ash 3.8E, Wallace Amos 3.8E, Milton Hershey 3.8E, Sam Walton 3.8E, Christopher Columbus 3.1C, Juan de Onate 3.1C, Benjamin Banneker 3.1B, Kadir Nelson 3.15A, Tomie de Paola 3.15A,  Phillis Wheatley 3.15A

Third Grade Surgeons

Nonfiction text features have always been a snooze fest in my 3rd grade class. I mean how do you make a table of contents, glossary, or an index interesting? This year I ran across an interesting activity, so I figured why not? I’m fairly certain I sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher to them anyway.

So, we had Text Feature Surgery today. I printed nonfiction books from Learning A-Z and saved all the sample magazines I could get my hands on.

 

My little surgeons had to transplant five text features to their patient in order to save him or her, and use band-aids to label the different features.

With some dollar store shower caps, dust masks, and gloves they looked the part. I added a name badge for the finishing touch. They were so engaged! It was fun to sit back and watch them in action!

I honestly can’t wait to plan this activity again next school year!