The Goldfish's Dream and the End of Kindergarten is Near!

My days in kindergarten are numbered!  Three to be exact!  I have just finished my report cards. 

AND

I finished my end of the year gifts for students, volunteers and room moms.  

Tomorrow is our kindergarten show and then Pirate Adventure Day. 

Today one of my students amazed me with this book.  It is the same student who wrote the pirate book last week.  Sometimes I wonder if he is the only one listening during the writing mini lessons.  

The Goldfish's Dream

This is so cute, can you see the fish is dreaming in a bubble.

Once there was a gold fish that had a dream.

It's dream was to live in the sea but it lived in a old tank.

Again the fish is dreaming in a bubble.

Then the boy's mother said it's time to put your fish in the sea.

It took me a while to understand this illustration however I think the mother is taking a nap on the sofa.  

So the boys mother called the captain. 

I love the fact that the mother is talking on a phone with a cord.

So they got on board.  

Can you see the boy carrying the fish bowl.  

And they went out to sea.

Look at the fish bowl behind the chairs.  Then look at the captain's hat.

And the gold fish's dream came true.

This illustration took me a bit too, however the line is the path the fish took as it was tossed over board.  Then in the speech bubble the fish says, "Whee."

 I just love how this little guy is progressing in his writing.  The other children in my class are starting to see the difference between their pattern stories and Augie's character stories.  However.....I will have to hope to see the difference next year. :)

Book Review -- Of Primary Importance

Of Primary Importance

What’s Essential in Teaching Young Writers

A Book Review

Please know that I purchased this book on my own and these thoughts are completely my thoughts and opinions.

I really enjoyed this book.  It inspired me rethink how I am structuring my writing block.  I want to make sure that I am teaching meaningful mini lessons each day. 

I want to make sure that my mini lessons include real literature examples and student examples as well.  I need to make sure that my students have time DAILY to write.  They also need time to stroll through books to look for new ideas. 

I need to make sure that my students are doing purposeful writing; ask who is the audience for this book. 

Give the children time to work on several drafts of a story and then pick one to publish at the end of the unit have the students pick one to publish one into a published book. 

Possible Writing Structure for the Year:

Aug/Sept.  Establishing the Writing Community and Building Stamina 

Sept/Oct.   Where do Writers Get Ideas

Oct./Dec.  Poetry

Jan/April  Non-Fiction

April/June  Picture Books

I plan on having my students have a notebook to make notes from mini lessons.  In this notebook the students can explore different things for ideas to prepare themselves for the writing process.

Another aspect of writer's workshop that Ann writes about is the importance of one-on-one conferencing with the students.  I have started to tell my students I will not accept a book from them unless we have time to read it together first and they can share and talk with me about it.  This way I can give my positive feedback to them one-on-one and also point out something I noticed about the book that maybe he/she could think about for next time.  

I recommend this book to anyone who teaches writing.  It is a wonderful resource. 

Here is one of the books made in my class this week. 
I enjoyed this book for several reasons.  
1.  Everyone in my class was writing about fish and this little guy wrote about bubbles.  Funny!
2.  He had noticed that some books have page numbers and added that in his book.
3.  We have read several Eric Carle books and so he made the sunrise, the afternoon sun, the sunset, and the moon in his book just like Eric Carle.  
4.  He told me, "I have a fun ending that is not the same pattern." 

   

December Word Card

My students loved having the Thanksgiving words I made on a chart in the Writing center last month.  They made so many books.  I was reading every day at least four books to the class that were made by the students. 

I decided to make December words for the writing center.  I know my little ones will make good use of these.  I will do a better job this month and show you some writing samples.  Thank you KPM Doodles for most of the graphics and some of the graphics were from google images and Thistle Girl Design.  EnJOY!

Click Here for your FREE copy :)