Characters, Land & Water, More Nonfiction

 In Writer's Workshop, we met as a whole group on the carpet to discuss how the pictures in Song and Dance Man added to the story.  We also discussed why this book won a Caldecott Medal. 

Then we talked about how to create a fictional character.  Students answered questions on the green paper to help generate ideas. Some of the questions asked 'who do you look up to' or 'who has influenced your life.'  Then they created a list of people they knew that could serve as a possible inspiration to creating their make believe character. 

In Science we started our next unit: Land and Water.  To begin students wrote in their science notebook what they know about land and water and what they want to learn.  Next they traveled around the room to study 9 different pictures for 3 minutes each.  Each picture was of a different landscape such as a waterfall or mountain.  On the back of each picture were two questions students had to answer in their notebook such as how do you think this canyon formed or why is the land different colors?

This week in science students will create a model of the water cycle with sand, gravel, clay, dirt, water, and an ice pack.

In Reader's Workshop, before we begin our next novel (after spring break) we are reading plenty of nonfiction articles and determining the text structure (description, cause & effect, problem & solution, compare & contrast, sequential).  We also began reading small nonfiction books.  Today we completed a book walk to preview the text and completed a scavenger hunt to find different nonfiction text features (glossary, header, table of contents, etc.). 

Illustrations Add Information

In Writer's Workshop we are beginning our next writing unit.  Students will be creating their own fictional story by developing a lively character who wants something badly, but struggles to get it.  To kick off the unit I have been reading aloud mentor text (books that we can learn writing strategies from) picture books while teaching a minilesson.  One lesson was how the illustrations can add more information to the story.  


To begin I read Cousin John is Coming! While reading, I hid the cover of the book and told the class to just listen.  After the story they told me the book was about Ben's cousin John coming to stay with him for a week and all of the fun things they will do together.  THEN I read the book again this time showing the illustrations.  The children got such a kick out of how different the book was from what they pictured all along. 

After the read aloud, students met in small groups to read "Let's Get a Pup!" said Kate.  Groups were to pay special attention to what the illustrations added to the story, such as while the family seems messy and looks "different" there is a lot of love in the family. 

Groups also presented their end of the book mystery puzzle project.    Right now the posters are displayed in the hallway, but they will come home soon! 

Seeing our classmates' science projects!