Moving In

I've started moving pieces into my classroom. This new place is feeling like home. The bookcase with all my old friends is settled. I do believe it'll be happy here.

And the winner is . . .

I collect Newbery books for my classroom library. When I started the collection, it occured to me that I've read a lot more of these books than I realized. As I check my collected books off the list of winners, it's like stepping back in time. These books awakened my love of reading, and working on this collection is like finding old friends. The Newbery Medal is awarded to the year's most distinguished contributions to literature for children.

This summer I have searched the used book stores and I've shopped online. My collection is nearly complete. I intend to display the books in the bookcase created in this post.

I created bookmarks in Microsoft Publisher to tuck inside each book.

I'm working through details for a Newbery book club. Students will be required to read a set number of Newbery books to gain membership. The purpose is to motivate children to read quality literature. Students' interest in books is often triggered by their peers and marketing promotions. I intend to set up discussion boards online and promote my club with member incentives.

So Much Shel

"Bring in the poetry to get the language in so you can get the language out. Poetry is the silver pencil of writers, the golden spoon of language, and the heart and soul of our inner most thoughts." Lisa @ Effective Teaching Strategies.

"Rehearsing and rereading poetry gives readers a shared experience with literature. Many poems are short and lend themselves to repeated readings. With rehearsal, reading poems aloud enables students to feel the joy of successful fluent reaing, encouraging attention to expression and intonation." Fluency in Focus Mary Lee Prescott and Nancy L. Witherell

To build classroom environment, I am creating a book display devoted to a "featured poet". I'll start the year with Shel Silverstein.

I created the bulletin board letters in Microsoft Publisher. Shel's caricature adds to the fun. I'm off to visit the laminator.

Shel Silverstein's most popular children titles inclued Falling Up, A Light in the Attic, A Giraffe and a Half, The Giving Tree, Lafcadio, The Lion Who Shot Back, The Missing Piece, The Missing Piece Meets the Big O, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?

Ten Posters Go On the Wall

My posters are complete. I have a BIG bulletin board to fill. Beth Newingham was my inspiration for the genre posters. She has created posters and made them available to print at her site (click on her Teacher Resources tab then Genre Posters).

After I completed my posters, I discovered a literature genre gaining popularity - - comic books. The arguments for teaching comics in the classroom are convincing. Check out this lesson plan at read▪write▪think.

Genre Posters

Before I began teaching, scrapbooking was a favorite pastime. In the classroom, I find the tools and gadgets of scrapbooking come in handy. These scrapbook papers were purchased at Hobby Lobby. Several packets of brads and eyelets followed me home too. The metal embellishments are new to me, so today I played. I guess embellishments are the craze right now and a way to add dimension to projects.

I’m making genre posters for my language arts classroom. Safari animals were found using Google Image.