I couldn't have asked for a happier baby. This school year has been quite different for me, I missed the entire first nine weeks due to maternity leave and it has taken me a while to feel creative again. (Maybe it is just the lack of sleep a new mother endures during the first few months of mommy-hood.) Either way I am starting to feel like my normal creative Kindergarten self again. My creative juices started flowing when my team and I really dove into close reading lessons. I really enjoy doing these type lesson with my class. I never quite understood why teachers would continue to re-read the story three+ times, but now I love doing just that. I used to try to cram in so many questions and activities for one story in one or two days and no wonder my students and I felt the overload. Now stretching the story out among three days has saved me (and my students). They never complain about re-reading stories like they did in the past because they know that each day has a new focus. So with that in mind here is the first freebie....Bats at the Beach Close Read.
My team and I really enjoyed creating this close reading lesson on my now new favorite story "Bats at the Beach" by Brian Lies. This lesson was created by myself, Darlene Tufariello and Vicky Dubin. (Here are the Vocabulary cards I created to go with the story.) My students loved the activities and the story. I can't wait to purchase "Bats at the Ballgame" next.
With close reading lesson in mind, I also started to think and focus on all aspects of great reading strategies for my students. I created this short little workbook to help my students organize their thoughts when discussing and retelling stories we read in the classroom. There are 12 creative worksheets in this packet that focus on story elements: details, retelling (beginning, middle, end), character traits, setting, problem/solution and comparing and contrasting two stories. One page is a spin and answer game that can be used for any story and is great for small group instruction. There are also 12 vocabulary cards that focus on reading. Enjoy this Story Elements and Reading Vocabulary for FREE for limited time only. Free for one day only! I look forward to all feedback. If you pick up this product for free I would appreciate you rating this product on Teachers Pay Teachers. Thanks:)
Until next time friends:)
