Preschool students had a super short class this week, which was a great time to read Can You Make a Scary Face by Jan Thomas. This book is hilarious and the kids had so much fun! It is basically a set of directions along with a very simple storyline. The kids have to stand up, sit down, do the chicken dance, wiggle their noses, laugh, and finally make a scary face. It made all of us teachers laugh too!
AK students didn't have time for a book this week, since they had their costume parties on Friday. They just came and did a quick check out.
Kindergarten and first grade students got a well deserved break from all of the hard work we've done in the last two months. Kindergarteners listened to Pumpkin Eye by Denise Fleming, while first graders listened to Click, Clack, Boo! by Doreen Cronin. After reading, they colored their choice of either pumpkins or a ghost. I downloaded the the ghost from Chromville and the pumpkins from Quiver. Both of these pages have augmented reality built in, so when kids are done coloring, they can scan the page with an iPad and watch their image come to life! It was a great way to have some fun this week!
Second graders practiced evaluating a book. I read aloud the book I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black and then students filled out a book review sheet. The goal was that they would be able to state why they did or didn't like the book. I like kids to do book reviews using the Goodreads model, which is how I do my personal book reviews, as well. Obviously, 2nd graders are too young for the site, but I like the stars rating and explanation. After they finished, students who wanted to shared out with the class. It was a good lesson that not everyone likes a book the same!
Third graders again practiced identifying author's craft, this time in poetry. Mo Willems was a great way to intro this last week, but we stepped it up another level this week using poetry. We looked for imagery, alliterations, onomatopoeias, personification, repetition, and hyperbole. Students picked one or two of those to focus on, then used the iPad app Skitch to take a picture of the poem and write on it what craft they found.
4th graders are still researching their states. This week, we used Google search to find the best places to go in their state. As they left, they put a place on the map hanging on our wall. It was fun to read the places at the end of the week, though I forgot to take a picture! Here's one from the beginning of the week.
4th graders also got to go over to the high school to hear author Tim Green speak. His talk was very inspiring! I snuck a couple of boys up to the stage at the end, because one needed his book signed and the other loves, loves Tim Green and had been begging me to meet him. So I took a chance and snuck up, and both boys were overjoyed! It was so cool, and a little funny, listening to them talk to him. They were definitely star-struck--the picture says it all.
And of course, it was Halloween, so we had a little fun! I painted some pumpkins to look like Elephant & Piggie and the Pigeon, all Mo Willem's characters. The pumpkins were a clue as to our costumes on Friday! Always fun to dress up!
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