READING BUDDIES

A mentor reading program to combine upper grades with lower grades to create a friendly community of working students. 

I work in a low socioeconomic area.  We are a Title 1 school and many of my students are on food stamps.  Many of them do not have the family life at home that lends itself to allow them to get the extra help and support they need.  Therefor, I have been working with my admin to put together a mentor program with lower elementary students and upper elementary students.  To kick start the program we are placing lower elementary students with a higher elementary student for a Reading Buddy program.  

For this program I created a resource packet so the students can read with their partners and respond to their reading.  The following information breaks down the packet to show you what is included. 

Getting to Know Your Buddy

TO begin, I start the packet out with some getting to know you pages.  There are boy versions and girl versions. Here, the students write down things they learn about their partner from a session of questions and answers. 

In this same section I added a Buddy List where the two can discuss the top 5 books they Love to give them an idea of what kinds of books they like to read.  This will help the Reading Buddies program mean more to each student. 

Next, I added a page for the students to discuss how they really feel about reading.  This will give the mentor an idea of what they are working with, as well as give them a chance to show students who do not lie reading how wonderful it really is.  

Characters

Next, I included two pages for students to analyze the characters in their story.  These focus on inside and outside characteristics.

Setting, Problem & Solution 

Next, there are three pages dedicated to analyzing the setting, problem and solution of the story.  On each of these pages the students are asked to draw a detailed picture of each and then write about it as well. 

Making Connections

The following three pages are included for students to work with their partner on learning how to make great connections to their story.  The first page includes all three connections (text-self, text-text & text-world).  The other two pages focus on text-self and text-text.  

Creation Pages

The next two pages are two small little creation projects for the partners to work on.  The first is for them to create their own new ending to the story.  Then they are asked to compare it to the real ending. The second project is for them to create a new cover of the book.  

Thank You Notes

TO finish up the pack, I included thank you notes for the little ones to write to their mentor for all the time and hard work they did!

So there you have it!  That is all the resources that are included in this pack!  I am extremely excited to start this with my kiddos next week!  I hope that it brings students together young and old and helps create a sense of community between the older and younger kiddos!!!

SNOW MUCH FUN WINTER PLACE VALUE CENTERS

Hello everyone!  I am oh so very happy today because.....

HAHAHA YES!!! We got a snow day today!  And.... We get one tomorrow too!! Woohoo!! Why do we get another one you may ask??? Well... the Virginia, Maryland, D.C. area is predicted to get 25+ inches of snow this weekend thanks to a very large winter blizzard!  I haven't experienced one of these this 1993 when I was 4 years old!!! BUT my hubby and I have plans to make camp in our living room with netflix, candles, wine, fluffy cuddly blankets, and lots and lots of snacks!! So I am very excited for that! I;m also quite excited to see what my little Bella does in her first snow experience ever!!

Soooo...Since I had today off I made myself very comfy on the couch with some Disney movies and got to work on a new product I have been working on.  I have a good size group of kiddos in my classroom who are still struggling with place value.  So, I wanted to make a fun unit for them to work on in small groups!  

This pack is winter themed and focuses in Place Value.  There are 5 different centers in the pack.  I'll give you a little closer look at them below..

The first center in the pack is a  match the pictures game.  

In this game, the students must match the snowball cards with the correct base ten block card.  

Once they match all the cards correctly they can write their answers on this recording sheet to be collected.  

The next center is is a Guess the Number center.  

Here, the students must read the word form on each card and be able to come up with the correct number.  

Once they come up with the correct number, they write it on the recording sheet below. 

The next center is "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"

In this center the students will have a bunch of different snow balls laid out on the floor.  They will need to place three snowballs together to create a snowman.  However, the snowballs must all represent the same number in word form, base ten form, and standard form.  

Once they think they have all the snowballs sorted out and the snowmen created they can then record their answers on the recording sheet below. 

The next center is the Finding Ten center.  Many of my little 2nd graders struggle with understanding that 10 ones make a rod of ten which goes in the tens place value spot.  This center is a great way for them to practice finding ten in a large group of ones.  

To begin, they look at a card and try and pick out the groups of tens.  Once they find the groups of ten then they can count to see how many ones are left over.  

Once they get the correct amount of tens and the correct amount of ones they can put their answers on the recording sheet below. 

Finally, the last center is a game board center!!!

The game that is included in this center has the students once again focus on the word form in place value.  

They must use counters to work their way around the board till they reach the end.  

They will pick a card from the pile of cards and read the place value word form that they see.  If they can tell their partner what number those words represent then they can move ahead one spot.  If they cant tell what number is represented then they must stay on the spot they are at.  

However there are also reward cards and trick cards in this deck.  If they pick up a special snowflake card they may move up two spaces or take an extra turn.  If they pick up a wacky wind card they may have to lose a turn or move back two spaces.  I know my kiddos will love this one!!

I'm hoping that these centers will engage my little guys who are struggling with this concept and help them to understand it better!  I'll let you know how it goes!!