On Friday, I had a parent come up to me and tell me that her son has been writing persuasive letters to her on why he needs/wants Legos. He has been leaving them on her bed. I thought that was really cute and effective! I guess those few weeks of persuasive lessons sank in and registered with a few students!
Our new writing genre has begun. There are many standards to report writing, so I decided to start the mini-lesson by going over the standards (in a first grade friendly manner) and then begin a fairly easy assignment. My standards were as follows:
*Choose a topic
*Gather Facts
*Organize facts
*Have headings
*Have an introduction
*Have a closing
Bonus items to include: table of contents, glossary, and labels
Once we reviewed the standards, I told them they were making a lost poster for a lost pet. They must give information on what their pet looks like, their name, etc. to help another individual find their missing pet. They were to also include a picture of what their pet looks like. This was a great way to introduce report/informational writing.
Today I was testing one of my students’ reading level. As I was calculating his percentage, I could feel his eyes watching me. After a minute or so, he turned to me and said, “Why do you wear so much makeup?”
I always considered myself a light makeup user. Not knowing what to say, I turned to him and said, “It’s a girl thing. We like to look pretty.” He seemed content with that answer. However, now each morning as I apply my makeup, I’m going to be wondering if I’m wearing to much makeup. It’s funny how children can influence us as much as we can influence them.
In math I’ve been teaching my students how to properly give directions on a map. It is part of our curriculum in Math Investigations: Quilt Squares and Block Towns. I started my lesson using a hook. I pretended I was a robot and the children had to give me instructions on where to go. They soon found they had to be precise about their directions. They began using words like right, left, forward, and backward. Once I had used that as my introduction, I created a map using smartboard (if you contact me, I can email it to you). Students used the smartboard pens to draw lines from point A to point B. They were also verbally telling me to move right, left, up three blocks, etc. It was a great lesson and proved to be successful.
I was having a hard time trying to find a way to get my students hooked into persuasive writing. I finally thought of a way to capture them. This is a great lesson for all grade levels. I put out a plate of Oreo’s and set them on a stool in the front of the classroom. I told my students (after going over the standards for persuasive writing) that they needed to persuade me to give them some of my Oreo’s. If they stated their opinion (I really need Oreo’s because…) and listed at least three reasons why they needed them, and then restated their opinion again then they could have some of the the cookies. Many of my first graders did very well. One students said:
“I really need two Oreo’s. I need them because they taste good, they make my mouth water, and I’ve never had double-stuffed Oreo’s before. These are the reasons why I need Oreo’s.”
With a response like that, I knew I had them. Now that I have them intrigued, let’s hope I can capture them for the remaining two weeks of persuasive writing. If you have any questions, please contact me and let me know. I’m happy to offer suggestions and ideas. I would also love to hear your suggestions and ideas as well.
Well it’s back to school on Monday. I must say I am ready to go back. I had a nice long vacation and feel well rested and ready to teach once again. I’m not sure what I’d do without these few breaks here and there. Sometimes you just get burned out and need that time to rest and relax. I’m sure the students are ready and anxious to come back. Good luck to all you returning teachers out there!
