Author's Purpose Gallery Walk Freebie

We are studying author's purpose this week and I wanted to get my kids up and moving so I created the author's purpose gallery walk. I'll explain how it works and then if you like it you can download the freebie below.

I first told them what author's purpose was and gave examples. I then called each student up and gave them a star that said either persuade, inform, or entertain.

They then went and sat in a private spot in the room so the others couldn't see which author's purpose they were writing. They wrote something (on scrap paper) that either informed, entertained, or persuaded. When I checked it for accuracy they transferred it to their speech bubble (that I copied on construction paper) and created a portrait to go with it.

For some reason this picture will not download the right way.

 

Here are what some of mine wrote:

Sorry, again for some reason they are side ways : (

 

You can't really read this one but it was my favorite. She had entertain and wrote about buying an elephant at the zoo and it pooping on the floor. She thought it was hilarious when I read it back to her and said the word poop.

 

 

 After everyone had finished they put them on their desks and were given this sheet that I copied front and back:

They walked around to each students' desk and read what they had written. They decided what the author's purpose was and filled in their paper. The student's name goes on the first line and entertain, inform, or persuade goes on the last last. So it might say: Hudson is trying to inform or Brook is trying to entertain.

 When everyone had their answers they each read what they had written out loud and told the class what their author's purpose was so the others could check their answers. Finally they colored and glued their star on. If you want a copy click on the picture below to get yours for free.

Let me know what ya think!

The Fabulous Product Swap

So it is time for the popular product swap hosted by Jessica over at Mrs. Stanford's Class.

Are you looking for a great way to teach fables to your class? If so, you have to try out the Fabulous Fables Mini Unit from Carmela at Diary of a Teachaholic.

In this unit you will be reading several popular fables and completing a graphic organizer sheet or story map for each one. My kids loved finding out which fable we would be reading the next day. Here are a couple of pictures of her graphic organizers that we used.

The best part is at the end of the unit the students get to make up their own fable about a fox and make this adorable fox writing craftivity.

 

Her 21 page packet it well worth the $2.00. You should definitely check it out for yourself. Make sure you also take a look around Jessica's blog to hear about all of the other wonderful swaps that took place. I would love for you to read what Carmela had to say about my Vocabulary Word of the Day packet.

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I am going to try to since tomorrow is the last day of my Fall Break.



 

Writing Center and A Halloween Freebie Pack

I bought, a few months back, a writing center starter kit from TPT. I (and my kids) LOVE it!! It has been great especially when they choose work on writing for a Daily 5 choice. It has so many choices for them to write and gives examples. Since I am not (for once) telling them what they need to write about, they really get into it. Here are some pictures of my writing center.

 

You can get this for free here.

 

I can't remember where I got the owl writing process posters but I know they were free probably on TPT or Pintrest.

Now on to the good stuff........A Halloween Freebie. This little packet contains 2 compare/contrast sheets, a sequencing tree page to use with any story, 2 acrostic poem templates, a Halloween word maker, and candy corn addition and subtraction. Hope you enjoy! Click on the picture to download it.

Giveaway and Fall Break Sale

If you haven't heard Brandi at Success in Second Grade is having a big October giveaway and I am a part of it. Head on over and check it out. I am giving away my new October Activity Packet.

 

 

 

Also, in honor of 2 things I am having a sale today until Thursday. First, my baby girl, Tinley,  turned 1 yesterday (you know I had to include some photos of that below) and second, this week I am on Fall Break. Make sure you stop by my TPT store and stock up on some goodies that are 20% off this week.

 

If you have seen my owl themed classroom, you know my baby's first birthday had to be owl themed as well. I love me some owls right now.

 

 

 

 

Tasty Tuesday (on a Wednesday) and Focus Wall

I hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here. Well, today we did Tasty Tuesday on a Wednesday. If you have not heard about Tasty Tuesday from Sunny Days you have to check it out. It is a yearlong writing program that ties in recipes and review writing. The recipes are so simple and it is set up where you get the parents to send in the things you need and pick up the photos you take that will be turned into their Tasty Tuesday cookbook at the end of the year. I know I have posted about this before but I had to share some photos from our Oreo Truffles covered in sprinkles we made today. The kids absolutely LOVE when we do this. I even bought my students an apron and had Mrs. Perkins' Chef stitched on.

 

I also wanted to share what I am doing with focus walls this year. I have a reading and a math focus wall. I put up posters for what we are covering that week. This year I decided to let my kids be more involved in it. For example, when we did character, setting, and plot I had them draw the posters to go up. I picked the ones that were struggling with the concept to be the little artists. This is such a simple idea so I am sure most of you have already done something similar. Some I still use my premade posters just because I love them!

 

Happy Hump Day!!

 

 

Happy Fall Sale

Have you heard about the HUGE Happy Fall Sale that Casey over at Second Grade Math Maniacs is having? I'm joining her along with 50 other stores and EVERYTHING in my TPT store is 20% off starting at midnight tonight and going through this weekend!

Make sure you check out my Happy Fall Yall packet with 8 math and 8 literacy centers.

 

 I also just posted an October activity packet with some really neat things to do with your class in October. Hope you will take a peek!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Class Dojo

So I used the famous clip chart for my behavior management system last year, but this year I was told about something a little different and my kiddos LOVE it. It is called Class Dojo and it is all online. Each student gets to select a little "monster" as my class calls them and their name is beside their monster all day. We have Elmos at my school so I can project this up on the screen for them to see.

You can enter whatever behavior you want. You get to enter positive and negative behavior and choose icons for them. I am using whole brain teaching this year so I use those behaviors plus some others such as helping others, no homework, etc.

Well, whenever you have a student do something good or not so good you give them a point. When you have started giving points during the day the screen will look more like this:

 

Some of the great things about this is it is FREE. If you have internet access on your phone you can take it in the hallway with your class or over to the carpet if you go there as a class to read. AND when you give them a point it makes a neat chiming sound and when you take a point away it makes a sad sound.

 

My students have a daily calendar in their take home folder and at the end of the day they either put + or - and their number of points. BUT you can also email the reports to the parents so they can see specifically what their child lost or earned points for that day. At the end of the week I let my kids add their + points and subtract their - points and that is the number of points they get to spend in the treasure chest, so we don't have to mess with the whole ticket system. Another idea I use with this is my kids each get 2 pencils per day at the end of the day if they cannot show me those 2 pencils they have to "buy" new ones with their points. This has really helped them take responsibility for keeping up with their belongings.

 

Hope this is something you can use. Let me know if you try it out and if you like it or not. It has been a lifesaver for me!