Bedtime Storybook Night

Over the summer, we invited all incoming first graders and their parents to attend Bedtime Storybook Night.  Children were asked to wear their pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal.

As the night began, we introduced the families to the first grade teaching team.  Then children were invited to sit up on the stage for a read aloud.

Before reading the book, I shared a little secret with the kiddos..."Teachers love books.  All kinds of books.  Sometimes they love a book so much they read it twice.  Sometimes they love a book so much they read it over and over again."

I shard one of my favorite books, Ira Sleeps Over.  We stopped to make predictions and discuss what Ira should do about his big decision as we read the story.

After the story wrapped up, we had a special gift to share with our new firsties.  (Teachers began to pass out a gift-wrapped present to each child.)  We counted backwards from 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Unwrap!  Surprise!  Students unwrapped their very own hard back copy of Mrs. Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't).

I hope that they love this book as much as I did...I hope they read it over and over again!


What would a bedtime story be without the snack?  We concluded our evening with milk and cookies.  It was a great first night with our new first graders!

This event was held as part of a school wide program to promote summer reading summer, reduce "summer slide", and build a sense of classroom community.  To learn more about this project, read my post,  One School, One Book.  

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One School, One Book

Does your school participate in One School, One Book?

Imagine your entire school community (teachers, staff, students, and families) all reading the same book at the same time. That’s what One School, One Book is all about.  The program was originally designed to promote reading in elementary schools, but the concept caught on quickly, and now many middle and high schools are also participating in One School, One Book initiatives.

Here's how it works... Schools choose a book that will appeal to their student population. Every student in the school is given a copy of the book to read. (Our PTO funded the program.) Next, students read the book at home over a designated period of time. They are encouraged to share the experience with their families by reading the book together. Then, back at school teachers organize activities to promote and enrich the shared reading experience.

My school is participating in *a slightly altered version of* the program. Our teachers decided to choose one book for each grade level. The change was made so that students would have a book that was more closely matched to their reading ability, in hopes that students would do more of the actual reading themselves. We held a special "Oprah's Big Giveaway" style assembly last spring to reveal this summer reading challenge and hand out the gift-wrapped books. Students were bubbling over with enthusiasm!

Now that the school year is underway, teachers are using the book and the coordinating activities to build a sense of community within their classrooms.

Books we chose:



First Grade - Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don't)



Second Grade - A Weekend with Wendell

Third Grade - Donavan's Word Jar




Fourth Grade - Frindle




Fifth Grade - Powerless


I'll keep you posted on the progress of this initiative throughout the school year, so check back frequently. :)

For more information about the One School, One Book program, visit the Read to Them website. Read to Them is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging parents to read to their children.

Anchor Charts and Beanies

It's time to share what we've been learning...Comprehension Strategies with Beanie Babies!

My posters were purchased from Froggie Went a Teachin' on TPT.

At the beginning of the year I introduce each of the comprehension strategies and the corresponding Beanie Baby animals.  We create anchor charts for each strategy and practice using the skills.  The children make a mini book of strategies that they will keep with them throughout the year. 
Students are so excited to see which Beanie Baby animal and strategy will be introduced next.  They practically beg me to tell them. :)  And sadly, *tears* they are even disappointed once the last strategy/animal has been revealed.
The program that we use for reading intervention spirals back to each of the skills multiple times throughout the year.  We refer to the anchor charts, Beanie Babies, and mini-books often.  Here's a little look at a few of the anchor charts we made this year.

We use the "Click, Click, Clunk" method for self-monitoring.

                               

Students used the clues from the photographs and their schema to make an inference about what is happening in the photo.  This was a great way to introduce the concept and grasp before applying it to text.

I read a excerpt from Charlotte's Web describing the barn, and students drew what they were visualizing.

                             

I'll be back soon to share more about each strategy.  I'd love to hear some of your great ideas for introducing and teaching the reading strategies.  Leave a comment!

Classroom Tour

Welcome to "Camp Read S'more!"  I'm (finally) posting pictures of my camping themed classroom.  September flew by in a whirlwind.  We've completed our initial benchmark testing, and my intervention groups are up and running.  My fourth and fifth grade students have been reviewing comprehension strategies.  Soon the walls will display the anchor charts we've created.  Although the room still feels like a work in progress,  I decided to snap a few photos to share.

Camp Read S'more

Small Group Instruction Area
There is another similar small group area (not pictured) at the other end of the classroom for my instructional assistant.
Yes, two groups of students meet in this room simultaneously.  The room is large, so it works out perfectly!

"Read to Someone" Area

Classroom Library (book basket labels are coming soon)
Partners can read together in this area.

 "Read to Self" Tent

Computers for Read Live

Beanie Baby Comprehension Strategies

Cafe Board

Critters
I ordered these adorable woodland animal decals for the walls.
The animals pictured are my favorites, but a fox, a deer, and a raccoon were also included in the kit.  

Thanks for taking the classroom tour.  :)  I'll be posting pictures of the comprehension anchor charts we created soon.  Stop back to see them!

Ready or Not...

Here it comes!   As much as we may wish it away, the first day of school comes whether we're ready or not.  It's my favorite day of the school year.  I love watching the students standing at the bus stop with their crisp new school clothes, shiny school supplies, and nervous smiles as they greet one another.  They walk through the school doors with excitement and anticipation.  Each year is a fresh start, a clean slate. A chance to seize the opportunity.

Today one of my sweet third grade students from last year visited me.  He couldn't wait to return the summer reading packet I gave him.  He read all five books, completed every response sheet, and returned his packet on THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!  I'm super excited!  I know this is going to be a great year.  Happy school year, friends!  

National Book Festival

Have you ever attended the National Book Festival in Washington D.C.?  Each year the festival features authors, poets, and illustrators who meet on the grounds of the National Mall.  Those who attend can meet their favorite authors, listen to them speak, and get books signed.

This year the festival will be held on September 22-23.  I cannot wait!

I went to the NBF last year for the very first time.  I met my favorite authors and got many of my read aloud books signed.  It was fabulous!  Would you like to join us this year?

Here are some highlights in photographs...

Jane O'Connor, creator of Fancy Nancy, signed our copies of Stellar Stargazer.

We Love Clifford!  This is a photo of my good friend, Gail, and Clifford.  Gail took over my first grade classroom when I became a reading specialist.  She also adopted my classroom Clifford theme.  I hope to share pictures of her amazing classroom in an upcoming post.

Love, love, love, Tomie dePaola!  He signed each of his books in a coordinating Sharpie color.  We waited in line for hours to meet him and made some new teacher friends along the way. So worth it!

We waited and waited and waited so that I could meet Toni Morrison and get an autographed copy of A Mercy.  Toni was a trooper...there were fourteen super long lines of fans waiting for autographs.  Her two-hour signing turned into an all day event.  Can you say hand-cramp?

Author-illustrator, Harry Bliss, signed our copies of Bailey.  Harry personalized my book with a message for my dog, Bailey. (That's Gail hammin' it up in the photo.) 

Mrs. Frizzle offered us a ride on the Magic School Bus.

By the end of the day our make-up had melted off, the bottom of Gail's sneaker had fallen off, and we were officially pooped!  But we had met so many of our favorite authors and took home a ton of signed, hard-back copies of great children's books.  Score!  

So Many Possibilities

A year ago I accepted a position as an elementary reading specialist in our district after being a classroom teacher for a ton of years.  It was a great decision.  I get to do what I love most, teach reading, to those who need it the most. 

I thought I'd share a *before* picture of my classroom.  It's a big room for small group instruction.  I wish my old first grade classroom would have been this big.  I love it.  But I have to confess that I do share it with an awesome instructional assistant, Lisa.  I could not live without her.  We meet with our own groups of children for reading intervention each day.  I have big plans for this room.  It's a blank slate with so many possibilities.  I'll post an *after* picture once I have the room ready.