Reading Group Idea

So my question has always been, "What do I do with those high readers?" I still want to meet with them at least once a week, but their books are long and I always feel pressured to spend more time with my struggling readers. So here's what I have come up with. I have a group of 5 readers who are already reading past where they need to be at the end of 1st grade. I give them a book to put in their book box to read during Daily 5. On Thursday or Friday, I meet with them and we talk about the book using my "Quiz Me Can". It is a crystal light container that I wrapped paper around. Then, I printed questions on labels and cut them to fit a jumbo popsicle stick. They just love the idea of getting to pick a question.

I made extras so I could use it for Kagan's Fan and Pick structure as table groups, too.


Here are some pictures, then the files follow. Enjoy!

Quiz Me Can Cover

Quiz Me Questions

-Mrs. Patton

Question Words for Writing Workshop

The first thing I want to share  with you is something I am teaching in Writing Workshop this week. I have a lesson I teach about the questions How and Why. We talk about how they should always be asking themselves how and why as they write. To make this stick in their mind, I made the "How" and "Why" questions that sit on our shoulders as we write. During writing workshop, I walk around with them on my shoulders. The kids love it! Since there are other questions the kids should be thinking about, I made sticks with questions on them topped off with another pom-pom with eyes. Below you can see some of the ways my students chose to keep them so they could remember. This really seems to stick with them as they write! I hope you enjoy!

- Mrs. Patton

Welcome!

Hello all! There are so many great blogs out there and I thought I would give it a shot, too! I am currently in my second year teaching first grade, and I'm loving just about every moment of it. I hope this blog will be a place where teachers can share ideas or get some ideas. My plan is to post an idea of mine once a week as well as post a topic teachers can share on each week. What an exciting endeavor this could be!
     
                                                                                                                                     - Mrs. Patton