Classroom Library Readbox Labels - Free Download

Hey there!

I feel so lost in the mix and CRAZY right now! I've headed back up to school this week and I've been working like crazy in my classroom. I even recruited a classroom helper, my 10 year old sister. :)

It's been a lot of fun, but just like last year, I'm just ready to get the classroom decor and organization done so that I can begin preparing for my first day of school, August 27.

As I'm making things for my own classroom, I'm always keeping you all in mind. I have some Chevron print classroom labels in the works (mine are done, but yours aren't) that I plan on sharing soon. But, FIRST, I have some classroom library Readbox labels to share.

Classroom Library Readbox Labels - Free Download

I first saw this idea on...Pinterest!

I thought it was adorable and that it would work perfectly for sprucing up my classroom library a tad. So, these done and uploaded AND FREE to you!!!

I hope to be back soon with pictures of my classroom this year and more downloadable products for YOUR classroom. Stay busy, my friends! It's ALMOST here!

Enjoy!!

Author's Purpose PIE Poster - Free Download

This week in my class we are discussing Author's Purpose.

We are using the PIE acronym to help us remember the different reasons that authors write various texts. I broke down each purpose into one day.

So far, I feel like this has worked out really, really well for me & my students. Monday we didn't have school, but below I'm listing a breakdown of how I taught Author's Purpose this week.

Tuesday - To Persuade

We read Earrings By: Judith Viorst & discussed how the character in this story desperately tried to persuade her parents to let her get pierced ears. The students were even able to make text-to-self connections as they admitted they knew exactly how to persuade their parents!

I had one student say, "I know if I can't persuade my mom to get me something, I can talk to my grandma!"

It was really too funny!!!





Wednesday - To Inform

We read How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World By: Marjorie Priceman.

We discussed how some texts are written to teach us how to do things, or to share information & knowledge with us (even though sometimes we already know about the topic the author has written about).

This book talks about someone going through so much trouble just to make an apple pie.

One of my students said, "You mean she did ALL that for an apple pie?!"




Note: With both of the above stories, I helped my students identify that the author's purpose wasn't to persuade or inform; it was actually to entertain. We talked in depth about how each story taught us about a process (persuasion & informing) so that we understood what those things were in order to identify the author's purpose in other text, however!

Thursday - To Entertain

On Thursday we read a story that my students were very familiar with, Click Clack Moo Cows that Type By: Doreen Cronin.

Last year, my kids saw this play at a theatre as second graders. :)

As we read this story, we discussed how its sole purpose was to entertain us.

The cows in the story were trying to persuade the farmer, but the author originally wrote this story to make us, as readers, laugh.

{Click here to download this FREE Author's Purpose PIE Poster.}

Because we've been talking about this in depth, I also decided to make this FREE Author's Purpose PIE Poster for you to download. This is EXACTLY how I've taught my kids to identify the author's purpose. Of course, I've even made NEW Author's Purpose Anchor Charts that I'll have to post at a later date. Darn...still haven't gotten in the habit of taking my camera to school!

What Questions Do Readers Ask? - A Pinterest Find

Pinterest...ahhhhh!

I feel so fortunate to be a classroom teacher and have access to Pinterest. It has been the source of so many great ideas for my classroom - my circus theme, my back-to-school gifts, classroom resources, and so many things I have yet to post and share here.

First of all, if you'd like to follow me on Pinterest, you can: click here to be linked directly to my 'Ideas for Teaching' Board.

Then, don't forget to let me know what your Pinterest link is, too. I love finding new educators to follow.

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My very first Pinterest-inspired poster was this one, which I call What Questions Do Readers Ask?

In third grade, we're talking a lot about good readers asking themselves questions. Good readers should always ask questions before they read, while they read, and after they read to help build their comprehension. 

I'm so proud of my kids because they can correctly answer questions about WHY we ask questions (which sounds a little silly), but I'm constantly engaging in this specific dialogue in my class:

Teacher: As good readers, what should we do?

Students: Ask questions!

Teacher: When should we ask questions as readers?

Students: Before reading, during reading, and after reading!

Teacher: Why is it so important to ask questions as readers?

Students: Asking questions as readers helps us build our understanding and comprehension!

*round of applause for my class, please*

Haha!

When I originally found this poster on Pinterest, I traced it back to The First Grade Parade, where this teacher used it as a What Readers Read poster.

But, I knew that I wanted to change the content, and just borrow the layout that this teacher created because I LOVE IT!

My kids absolutely love it and we reference this anchor chart constantly. For some reason, they found it fascinating when I told them I made this at my house. I got a lot of questions about, "Teachers have homework, too?"  

My answer is, "You bet we do!"