The Brown Bag Teacher

Teach the Children. Love the Children. Change the World.

Narrative Writing & 100th Day Freebie

Hi Friends,

I’m linking up with Doodle Bugs Teaching! It’s a long one but freebies scattered throughout and if you make it to the bottom, a giveaway!

1. & 2. So, in readers and writer’s workshop we are zooming in on Erza Jack Keats. We are focusing on story elements and how to make small moments BIG! Plus, our friends feel like ‘real writers’ as we learn how to use ellipses, repetition of phrases, italics, and colons. Yep, we’re hitting the big time! This lesson leads right into writing Personal Narratives.

Click here to grab the small moments anchor chart.

Tuesday Snowy Day was used to review beginning, middle, and end, as well as, learn how to make BIG moments small by zooming in. The real binoculars were forgotten at home, but no worries, our hand ones worked just as well. In our writing, students focused on a snowy day in their past (very, very past as Kentucky is having a snow shortage this season…). I was SO proud of them. They included details, feelings, and dialogue like champs. Could it have helped that the illustration box was included on the back so students had to spend all their time writing then, draw if time allowed rather than spending the entire period drawing only to jot dot a few words in the last five minutes??? Nahhh, couldn’t be…they’re just champs.

Picture: The world’s largest single snow flake.
Text: I stae in the house to read Books. One pes of swon.

I really like the idea using the same book for readers and writers workshop. Not only does it prevent backtracking when three students come back from Reading Recovery, it’s great for comprehension because students are seeing the book 3 times – in reading, in writing, and during centers. While I think it’s great, sweet little A was asked by a friend “So, what happened in the middle?” to which A responded, “You know. Peter goes to play with the big boys and blah blah blah.” Obviously, he’s unimpressed 🙂

3. My free Vista Print order arrived this week, and I super pleased! Vista Print offers TONS of freebies every month – sticky notes, cards, magnets, notebooks, calendars, stamps, and all you do is pay shipping. This time I grabbed two pads of stick notes (one for writers workshop and one for Exit Slips on the go). Also, I go a great self-inking stamp for work that needs to be reviewed with parents. Right now, you can get the following things for free –

4. Due to a lack of snow (see #1), we will be celebrating the 100th Day of School on January 31st. I picked up some 100th day pencils and attached this note. The kids will enjoy them, and we go through pencils like nothing else. It’s incredible.

Click here to download the tag.
Shout-out to Kevin and Amanda for the fonts!

5. Last but not least – I finished my Valentine’s Day unit!!!!! I created a set of 10 math/literacy centers that are all aligned with the Common Core for 1st grade (though they could be used for 2nd as well!).

The 5 math and 5 literacy centers focus on inflectional endings, matching descriptions, addition and subtract word problems, synonyms, matching different number representations, non-standard measurement, and compound words. Click on the cover to learn more!

The bundle could easily be used for 2 weeks starting on February 4th! I am so proud of theses products and would love to give away the pack to 2 lucky winners. Plus, the winners will have permission to share the units with the same-grade teachers at their schools J I’ll pick 2 winners on Sunday evening at 2 PM (EST). You may have up to 5 entries for this giveaway. Leave a comment for each one with your email and/or the blog/FB/Pinterest link. 


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Woohoo! I am SO excited 🙂 Have a fantastic weekend!

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  10. Stephanie says

    January 12, 2013 at 4:04 am

    Hi Catherine!! I just went to reply to your last comment via e-mail, and it instantly came back to me saying "Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently"…so I came to your blog and copy and pasted your e-mail address directly into a new e-mail and tried again. Same thing happened. Not sure why, but just wanted to let you know. There may be others trying to reach you via e-mail that haven't been able to either.

    In any event…I wanted to tell you: I cried too!! That Shonda Rhimes — she can't let people be happy! Ha ha. And I just finished Private Practice too. You're right, fantastic! Thanks so much for all the blog love this week!

    ❤ -Stephanie
    Falling Into First

    Reply

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