Slow Her Down....and a Freebie

Hi Girlies,

There is no light at the end of the tunnel so I might as well embrace the craziness.  Be one with it.  Either that or I'll just unleash like the loose cannon I feel like I am!!! 

Better watch out!

I'm like the department stores - I'm done with Halloween.  Party's over...took down the classroom decorations {I know, I know but Halloween is Monday}.  Room 8 is moving on...bring on the gobble gobbles. {That and I really want to calm things down...holy Moses are the kids crazier this year than last?  I think so.}

Our reader's toolbox is almost full of tools {strategies} to help us decode those tricky words.  We're adding our final few strategies this week.  To wrap up this unit of study in reader's workshop we'll talk about how we know when a book fits us.  We've done IPICK and the kids already have been thinking about how to choose good books for them when they go shopping on Fridays.  I really like to drive this home...just how you know when you've found a good fit or just right book.  I've tried different analogies from shirts that are too big or too small, to shoes that fit just right.  It seems that the analogy of riding your bike seems to make sense and stick.  I found this idea somewhere on the WWW and can't remember where - so if it was you...thanks bunches {and let me know so I can give you credit and kudos}! 

After we talk about and I model books that are easy, hard and just right I give the kids their read-to-self book logs that they keep in their personal bookshelves.  I ask that they record the level, title and reflect on how the book felt.  They record this in their logs as well by noting: TE {too easy}, TH {too hard} or JR {just right}.  At first the kids all put TE...of course they do...but after lots of discussion about being a BIG first grader and being REALLY honest with yourself...things change somewhere along the way and most years I find that they really do become reflective and honest.

Here's a little freebie hope you find it helpful.  If my technological skills {thanks to some bloggy friends} are beefing up, you should be able to click on the picture below to grab a copy of my "How Does Your Book Feel" anchor charts.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!