How to Own the New Literature Companion with a Lower Cost

Not sure why kids get so excited over St. Patrick's Day but they do!  They sure put a lot of faith in those little leprechauns! So let's use that excitement and inspire them with a Black Lagoon Adventure book and some Irish History on Luck!!

Click Here to purchase it through Paypal for 3 days until 3//10/17 

then it will go up to $5 on TpT.

Check out my previous St. Patty's posts for freebies!

             

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Meet the Super Croc Fact Lesson Freebie

Meet the Super Croc

Photo: http://www.independent.co.uk/ 

This very interesting story is included in The Treasures Reading Book for second grade. It's Unit 3 Week 4.  The genre of nonfiction really sparks an interest in the kiddos. They were drawn into this short story right away with the photographs of this massive animal.   We all agree we are happy that it is not alive today!  Although it's sad when animals become extinct.

Text to World:  Maybe you've seen the youtube video of a massive alligator on the golf course!  My students want to know why the people are so close to it?  Not very smart!

Google Map: Look up Florida so you can show the class where Florida is and what the habitat is like. We live in Wisconsin so it's very different habitats!

We listened to the story online and then we read it together and lastly they read it with a partner.  This is over a few days.  After all this reading they were ready to write down 3 facts that they had learned about the Super Croc.  Found this idea on pinterest.  It was just a jpg so I am not able to give credit. I used the little alligator image and enlarged it on my Promethean Board.  Then taped the green paper to the board and traced it with a Sharpie.  He turned out so cute!  He is hanging in the hall and I've heard a lot of comments from other kids when they walk by.

Click on the picture to get your copy.  I've also included pages where it just says alligator or crocodile in case you don't have access to the Super Croc story.

We also wrote in their journals. They glued this to the top.  Of course they had to draw a Super Croc too!  I have some great artists.

I'm working hard on getting my second graders to write more interesting sentences and not just writing to be finished!  They love using pens!  I provide 3 colors: black, blue and red.

Black: Rough Draft (they can also use pencil if they would like)

Blue: Revising Pen - add more details or take out what isn't needed.

Red: Editing - fix spelling, grammar and punctuation. 

This has really helped in them adding more to their writing.  I see a lot more pride in what they are putting on the paper.

Text to Self: They also wrote in their journals if they were a scientist like Paul Sereno, who discovered the croc what type of science would they like to study!  

Enjoy reading this with your kiddos!

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Horrible Harry and the Christmas Surprise Literature Companion

This year my adventure in second grade has been a lot of fun!  I forgot how much I love teaching second graders.  They can do so many more things with deep thinking and writing!

These last few weeks we have been reading Horrible Harry and the Christmas Surprise.  This is my first time reading a chapter book along with the class.  Our library and book room has a lot of class sets of books!  We are so lucky.  As I read the chapters, the students are able to follow along.  Then they get to reread it with a partner.

To make this process go a bit easier I developed a student booklet for each chapter.  Each chapter has 2 half-pages of skills that we have been working on.   I also developed text dependent questions that require some deep thinking.  There are some basic questions but my goal this year is to really get the kids thinking!  I like to use "turn and talk".  Partners talk about the oral question and then I ask for the answer.  I try to call on students that don't normally answer questions because they have had the chance to listen and talk about the answer.  If you're interested in this booklet and question set, click on the picture.

For a closing writing activity I borrowed Mrs. Lemons fabulous directed drawing.  I was going to develop one and wahlaa she already made one!  I love how great minds think alike!  Click here to go to her site.

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