Teaching with Mel D

Treats for Our Sweets!

I am so excited to be participating with my FREEBIELICIOUS FRIENDS! We are all providing you with some fabulous freebies while trick-or-treating through our blogs. 

This week I am working on Author’s Purpose which I have always struggled teaching this concept to my little nuggets. 

My students absolutely LOVE when I read to them. They are in a trance & I have 100% of their attention any time I read to them. I have been tying in a lot of concepts with trade books & it really seems to be helping. 

These are the books I used to teach Author’s Purpose. 

This book is ABSOLUTELY H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S! I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jerry Seinfeld. I picked this gem up at a garage sale! I love reading it & being ALL DRAMATIC…I should tape myself for you! This book is a MUST for Halloween. 

 After reading the book I have the students fill out the above graphic organizer….which can be used with any book…BTW.

 The next day I had them think about the story and told them a few of my personal stories and even wrote a few similar to the book. I totally remember many parts of the book when growing up & going trick-or-treating. I double sided the above & the below page together. I also indicated which Common Core standard this covers (1.W.3, 1.W.5, 1.W.6).

I included the above sheet that I use with my kiddos while in Daily 5. It never fails they ALWAYS forget to capitalize & add punctuation….it drives me nuts! 

This is the next book which I have NEVER read but heard it was great to connect with Author’s Purpose. Oh.My.Word! It is a tear jerker! The author, Patricia Polacco, wrote the story about a little girl who struggles with dyslexia until one teacher, Mr. Falker, changed her life. It’s such a touching story! I borrowed it from our school library but I must have my own copy.


Picture this……….
I’m finishing this story when my NEW principal walks in for an unannounced short observation. My voice began to shake & I started stumbling over my words. Did you ever see Meet the Parents????? Do you see where I’m going???? Try saying Mr. Falker & you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Don’t let this happen to you………

 This book can not only go with Author’s Purpose, you can also discuss bullying & bucket dipping. I had my students fill the above sheet out & each one of them discussed what they wrote and drew. Then after everyone was finished I had them crumble up their paper & did the crumpled paper lesson. I’m not too sure where this originated from since it’s all over the internet. Basically, you have the students crumble up the paper, stomp on it, really mess it up. Then you have the students try to straighten it out but they will still see how destroyed it is. Then the students need to tell the paper they are sorry. Point out that the paper is still destroyed even though they apologized. All the scars (wrinkles) are still left behind. Those scars will never go away no matter what they do to fix it. Then you explain that is what happens when you are bullied by someone. The teacher may make them say they are sorry but the feelings inside will be there forever. The message really hits home & once you do the lesson you can always remind them of it throughout the year when things happen.  

The above page was given as an Author’s Purpose assessment.
Click on any pic to grab your Author’s Purpose freebie.

Keep on trick-or-treating & stop by & see Tammy………….

Live Love Laugh

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I've always enjoyed Jerry Seinfeld – didn't even know he had written a book! And I love Mr. Falker – however, when I read it, I had one little sweetie who was just laughing and laughing every time I said the name, so I just started calling him Mr. Faulkner. Great story, though. Thanks for the freebies to go with it! Sara

  7. Hi!
    My name is Joana, I am 24 years old and I am from Portugal (next to Spain).
    I am a primary school teacher in a private college and this is my third year of teaching. Since last year I discovered many blogs like yours through “Pinterest”.
    I implemented some of your ideas and I am fascinated by your creativity, cooperation in classroom, independence and autonomy that you give to the children.
    I’d tried to do many things similar to yours but they were not always well accepted by my director and coordinator, because innovation makes a difference, and in making a difference insecurity is more than often created!
    I wonder if there’s any possibility to do an internship in your school, to learn and see, in practice, what I visualize in your blogs.
    I’d love to get an international experience for about one or two years in your country.
    My partner, Tiago, is also a teacher. He teaches English to Kindergarten and primary school children. He wanted to go to China but for me, it’s too far, and then there is the difference in the culture and language which would cause other types of adaption, which I feel would impede my spontaneity. He would love to learn new approaches and different strategies in his field.
    My e-mail is: joana_mbarbosa@hotmail.com, and I trust that you will be able to assist me in improving my educational skills. If it is necessary to give my contact to another person, please feel free to do so.
    With my best regards,
    Joana Fernandes

  9. Some of my students are still having hangover of the Halloween Party, these stuffs are great and perfect for them after party…Love your cool, colorful and fantabulous blog site…

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