Monday, August 25, 2008

First Day

Today was the day...I can't help but jump right back into thinking about what next for my students as I spent the evening planning tomorrow. I always do this deeper planning at the beginning of the year. I am trying to envision what to do next and build routines and community very simply. I have to say I had no fear jumping into writing workshop today. My kids enjoyed it and I counted 4 little mini lessons I poured into about 40 mins of workshop. Our big idea was writers write what they know. I shared a story about how I watched a fat frog jump across a busy road at dusk through my car headlights. I modeled how to think about what I know and then drew and wrote a bit about it. I sent them off to write about what they know and many kids were successful. Guiding them independently, I picked 3 kids to share their pieces and stretched out 3 other teaching points using the kids including...writers are brave (try words independently a lesson that I will build spelling strategy work into later), writers are never done and writers reread their writing.

On the reading side of things, I read Big Al (I like to talk about characters, like AL, that we can be like in the classroom) Not a Box, My dog, My Cat My Mama and Me (they totally picked up on the pattern in this book), The School Bus, Who Stole All the Cookie Dough? and The Recess Queen. I know there were 2 more but I am so tired now that I forget. Back to building my stamina too!!! I am off to bed.

4 comments:

Mary Lee said...

WooHoo! Writing workshop on the very first day! You rock, sistah!

Anonymous said...

Hello! Sounds like you had a great first day...lucky class you have! We're missing you at Chapman already! Anyway, have a wonderful year. :-)
Lisa M.

Karen Szymusiak said...

Your class is ALIVE with reading and books! It's going to be an awesome year. We are so lucky to have you teaching at our school. Your children are lucky to spend their days with you.

Karen said...

I love hearing about your classroom and its rituals. I especially love that you just jumped right in with reading workshop and writing workshop. What great book choices you made to support your students. how lucky they are!!!!