Friday, May 14, 2010

End of the Year Ideas

Reflecting
Well, the last few weeks are wrapping up. I wrote earlier this week about how the kids and I read The Three Questions and were inspired to reflect about what we have learned from each other. I have a few snippets to share of their quick thoughts. Each day a new comment surprises me, inspires me or makes me giggle inside. I have encouraged them to be as specific as they can with their thoughts. So many pieces of learning are evident from their reflections: kids helping others play games at recess, guiding each other with ideas for writing, collaboration about how to find or use something in the classroom and kids realizing that others have influenced their thinking.

Sharing a Favorite Book
Friday, I asked the kids to start thinking about some of their favorite books, books they have loved this year and really want others to know about. Before I sent them off, I told them about how I have my reading log on-line at goodreads.com (really I have been horrible about adding books I love but I figure I will catch up this summer). I talked with them about what I love about it...I can log what I have read, write my thoughts about a book, rate it, find out what my friends are reading and then read what they thought of a book. I asked them to think about why it is so great to share books and thoughts about books. They came up with this list of ideas that I wrote as they thought. Many of their thoughts were what I expected... it is great to share books because we learn, it is fun. The last thought was pretty powerful for second grader: so that when they give it back (after you've let them borrow it) they will tell me a new thing about the book. Wow!

Next week, we will begin using our favorite books to help us write book reviews for each other on the blog. I then hope by reading each other's reviews this may be a small start to their summer reading lists.

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