The beginning of the year in my classroom is spent exploring our identity as a class. I ask my students to really think about who they are when they are in my classroom. Last year, my whole grade level spent a whole month on a project purely about identity. Our students really dug in and were excited about learning the various facets of their identity.
Over the years, I’ve spent many hours of sweat, anchor charts, picture books, and ink trying to cultivate a caring, creative, and responsible classroom. Some years that was more of a tall order than others!
I tell my students that I've chosen several books because I think the characters would fit into o these books because the characters have traits that are a piece of who we are. I challenge my students to pay attention to how the characters think and act.
After we read each of these books, we talk about character traits that we admire. We add it to our identity anchor chart and talk about how we could practice these traits in the classroom.
Without further ado, here are the books.
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon-
We learned we are all different and special from Molly Lou Melon.
Do Unto Otters-
We are friends who collaborate respectfully.
Rosie Revere Engineer-
We are scientists and inventors like Rosie.
Little Red Writing-
We are authors like the red pencil. (I also use this to introduce the writing process and parts of speech.)
Finally,
The King's Commissioners
We all have a job to do to make our “kingdom” run AND we are mathematicians!
What are your favorite books to begin the year?
Over the years, I’ve spent many hours of sweat, anchor charts, picture books, and ink trying to cultivate a caring, creative, and responsible classroom. Some years that was more of a tall order than others!
I tell my students that I've chosen several books because I think the characters would fit into o these books because the characters have traits that are a piece of who we are. I challenge my students to pay attention to how the characters think and act.
After we read each of these books, we talk about character traits that we admire. We add it to our identity anchor chart and talk about how we could practice these traits in the classroom.
Without further ado, here are the books.
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon-
We learned we are all different and special from Molly Lou Melon.
Do Unto Otters-
We are friends who collaborate respectfully.
Rosie Revere Engineer-
We are scientists and inventors like Rosie.
Little Red Writing-
We are authors like the red pencil. (I also use this to introduce the writing process and parts of speech.)
Finally,
The King's Commissioners
We all have a job to do to make our “kingdom” run AND we are mathematicians!
What are your favorite books to begin the year?