Opinion/Persuasive Essays

Opinion writing is underway.  We have read lots of mentor texts are are trying out some writing of our own.  We started by looking at how the kinds of writing are different.



I found a great anchor chart about beginning Opinion pieces over at The Go To Teacher.  She has a great conclusion chart also, but we aren't quite there yet.

 From Dear Mrs. LaRue

 From Earrings

 From I Wanna New Room

 From Click, Clack Moo

 From an article we found in National Geographic for Kids

Ways we can start sentences.  After we practiced writing, students read their piece aloud and I put checks next to the starters they used.

 Today we read, My Brother Dan's Delicious. It is told from the younger brother's point of view.  He has been left alone and is convinced their could be a monster in the house.  So he then clearly lists and explains why his brother Dan would be better to eat and far more delicious.  We read and made a chart as we went along.  Students kept track on their own paper also.

Students used words or pictures to record why Dan was a better eating choice.

Then we wrote our own main idea and two or three reasons to back it up.
Long hair better than short hair

XBox better than Wii

 Roblox better than Minecraft

 Playing outside instead of watching TV

 Playing with dolls is better than math

 PE is better than music

Happy Monday,
15 more days.....

Some State Testing and Some Science

The sad part of the day.....
door closed-students all apart-state testing

I duct taped the door jam so we wouldn't be distracted if people came and went...I encourage movement breaks...just not in the room:-)

Just a note to let everyone know to stay out...I taped this on top of the doorknob.

Sustenance for all involved!

The better part of the day....
My Chickadeees are SO into their non-fiction books.  I am loving how hard they are working!  Even the off-task ones haven't needed reminders.

 We ended the day with some science.  We defined germination and the parts of a plant.

a diagram to add to our lap book

Then we used our bodies to show what each stage of a plant might be expressed.

germination...note the tiny leaves

seed

Then I sent four students in the hall and told them to each pick one stage of a flower.   Then told them to come back in, out of order.

 Another student had to direct them back into the correct plant growing order.

Happy Tuesday,

10 for 10 Non-fiction

Just in time for an "all about" book writing unit is an organized collection of non-fiction favorites.  Here are ten good ones...although there are many to choose from.  The first three are my non-fiction go-tos!

1.  Are You a Spider is part of the Backyard Books Series by Tudor Humphries. 
The book is told like a narrative, from the view of a spider and goes through the life cycle, what it eats and how, predators, etc.   Very clever writing style for a piece of non-fiction.

2.  Salamandar Rain by Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
A beautifully done book about life in lakes and ponds.  The fabulous part of this book is it includes so many different features of non-fiction text.  I often wish I had a class set of this book.

3.  Growing Frogs by Vivian French
Both narrative and fun facts.

4.  Lady Liberty by Doreen Rappaport
See the name Rappaport and you know it is going to be brilliant.  The pages switch back and forth between countries and the people most influential for The Statue of Liberty's existence.

5.  Teammates by Peter Golenbock
Dodger fans love this book.  My baseball fans love this book.  My sports fans love this book.  And I love this book for the above reasons and also for a great way to talk about community and treating each other kindly and fairly no matter what.

6.  Animal Dads by Sneed B. Collard (illustrated by Steve Jenkins)
Has a sentence that become the main idea as well as a list style organization for writing.  Then a blurb about what that looks like in animal families.

7.  An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Huts Aston and Sylvia Long
LOVE this series of books.  The title and back pages are brilliant.  A fact filled whimsical book!

8.  Sea Elf by Joanne Ryder
Questionable about how non-fiction this book is.  The text is more poetic, but teaches a lot of facts of about sea otters.

9.  Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies
Cartoon like graphics.  Giant diagrams.  Fun facts.  LOVE this book too!

10.  Atlantic by G. Karas
Also a questionable non-fiction read.  Poetic but informational and beautiful illustrations.

Looking back they are all go to's.  Each one is beautiful and shows different non-fiction text features as well and informing us readers!

Happy Tuesday,





PS-Anyone watching Castle?  Last night had me so stressed out and I have to wait a whole week for a conclusion!

Saturday Saying

Saturday sayings is one of my top ten Saturday events.  Each quote inspires me in some way to make changes to my teaching.  So I am excited to share some inspiration with all of you.

This quote has been percolating with me for a while.  With my giant class talking is happening constantly.  It isn't quiet....but after making myself sit and just listen for a few minutes, I realized a few things-
1)  They weren't off-task.  Whether they were talking about what they were working on, talking about Mine Craft (whatever that is!), talking about One Direction, or a whole plethora of other things....they were continuing to do their work.
2)  Students need to talk.  It helps solidify what they are learning on or working through.  Every time I finish a book, or if I am in the middle of a great one, I want to share all about it.  What I loved, why you should read it too, why I chose it....Students want and probably need to do the same with their own reading lives.

Obviously, there are times when talking needs to be at a minimum, but the room is roaring, sometimes I just need drift along with it.

Go see Tammy @ Forever in First for more inspirations!
Happy Saturday,

To Be Continued

18 Wonderful Bloggers teamed up with me to create a continuous story over the next few weeks. Each day one new blogger will add to the saga. Click the next button to read what happens next...
Make sure to check out the blogs listed at the end of the post.
Laurie 

Don't forget to check all the rest of the story authors!

Happy Monday,