Chapter Read-Alouds for Young Learners

I am a huge believer in reading to students above their grade level. Not only does it help build vocabulary and comprehension skills, it also allows for more deep conversations. Getting to know a character over time, tracking their arcs really allows for complex challenging activities.

I usually begin with Charlotte's Web. A classic that I think still holds up. We read the first chapter at the end of the day on the first day of school. (I skip over the whole axe part). This leads to conversations about whether or not animals communicate with each other, with us-maybe not in words but in gestures and expressions. We learn about the word "humble" and "radiant". One of my favorite memories was when I was reading a line that said something like "she stepped back and marvelled at the web". I explained what the word marvel meant and one of students said "I love that word. Marvel". I know she was echoing something I often said when we hit a word I loved.

After that I pretty much know my students and factor that into what to read next. This past year they really didn't have much of an attention span. So we read:

One of the best examples of voice I have read for young children. I read Wedgie's part (a high energy corgi) with him talking very fast and they get a real kick out of that. :) Gizmo is a guinea pig who wants to conquer the world and Wedgie is your average superhero dog. My class last year loved this book so much they begged me to read the sequel too. 

This is one of my favorite books to incorporate depth and complexity concepts. 

This character changes so much Over Time. We see him through Multiple Perspectives and he offers something different to each person who owns him. We can talk about Trends in dolls and toys-has it changed over the years or are there classic ones? And the deepest discussion on whether it is better to love and lose than never to love at all. And yes, even my Kinder kiddos get it and think some deep thoughts about this. I like to read the Velveteen Rabbit and compare/contrast the stories as well.

The rest of what I read depends on the class. One year I had a class obsessed with wolves so we read A Wolf Called Wander. I have read the Wizard of Oz, Beverly Cleary (old school I know)-Mouse and the Motorcycle. I like other Kate Dicamillo stories like Tale of Despereaux. We have read the One and Only Ivan and even the Wild Robot (although this one is pretty long). 

I love the conversations and writing activities we can do to incorporate the themes of these books. If i need a journal entry idea we can write about this. Most of my students are not read to at home-whether it's because they don't have the resources or parents do not believe it is worthwhile (just read an article about how Gen Z thinks reading to your kids is boring). Modeling fluent reading is so important for young learners. Comprehension withtout relying on pictures is essential too. So many benefits!

An Hour of How to Incorporate Rigor in Early Childhood

I have shared this before but I thought it was time to share it again. I wanted to share the way I incorporate rigor with my young learners. 

I know sometimes it's hard to know where to start or maybe you are looking for new ideas. I have no way of tracking how many people watch it but maybe it will help someone. Free professional development right? :)

Rigor In Early Childhood

An Exercise in Creativity

One of my favorite activities to do to foster creativity is this one. I split the kids into groups. I choose a letter of the alphabet and each group will discuss an answer. My favorites to use are foods, animals and places. So a place that begins with T. Now the key to this game is when we reveal our answers the group that gets a point has to have a different word than the others. So if one group says Texas and another group says Texas and a 3rd group says Turkey-the 3rd group will get the point becuase it's a creative answer. The goal is to be the most creative.

Animals:  robin    bird    panther

Puppy   bee  rat

Rat    penguin   bird -so since penguin and bird are repeated they did not get points for those answers.

Place: Gorilla Shop (I know-we have to emphasize it has to be a real place)  Owen's House   House

HEB    Octopus Store    Goat Shop

Home Ocean   Gas Station

Food:  meat    lettuce    cabbage

Coffee      Muffin    ?

M&M's       lime     cupcake

We play this maybe once or twice a month and it has really helped with their creativity when they write. Instead of just writing what everyone else does they come up with a more creative answer. For Kinders I think that is a good foundation.

Introducing Depth and Complexity-Multiple Perspectives

Kaplan's Depth and Complexity concepts are a great way to initiate students into some deep thinking. But where do I even start?

I teach Kinder students. I start with multiple perspectives. Putting yourself in someone else's shoes. I will literally channel Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society and get up on a table. Look around-my perspective is different. I urge students to stand up in their chairs (they look at me like I am crazy but they do it). 

Then I read:

It is told from the perspective of a school on the first day. They are so happy to start school until things go array. I ask students to illustrate how they think our school felt on the 1st day.

I also read:

I ask students to write what they would do on the first day as a parent. My favorite response was the student who wrote (I would just run away real fast). 

And we consider the perspective of a principal with the book:

We write "If I were a principal, I would....".

As the years go on I feel like the students are more and more self-centered. Look what I did. Do you like mine? What about me? I truly believe if you do activities with multiple perspectives throughout the year the students will turn from being little narcissists to thinking about others. We were walking out the playground at the end of the year and one of my girls said "I've been thinking about dinosaurs. How did they feel when that meteor came?". It truly does make a difference in their thinking.

Be You!

One of my favorite authors is Peter Reynolds. I actually heard him read this book at a conference:

I have had administrators say they do not understand some of the activities I do with my students. I have had co-workers judge. But I am going to continue to be me. And I am going to continue to encourage my students to be themselves as well.

We read this book and discussed the different pages of advice and then I asked them to add their own page.

Be creative! Because people might copy your work.

Every day you can be like kind to yourself

Be Happy For Your Friends

Be Kind

Be Brave

I Wish You More

The end of the year is tough especially in Kinder when for many students it's their first year in school. You are their favorite teacher and it's hard for them to understand you will have a different teacher next year. I try to read a bunch of stories that are a way to give us closure but you know I still want the activities to be rigorous.

I love this book:

(When we were little my sister and I used to spend hours making wishes on dandelions much to the chagrin of my father who was proud of his weed-free lawn :) 

The story is a number of "I wish you more of something good than something bad". I wish you more ups than downs, etc.

Then I ask the students to come up with their own page for the book.

Assessing Writing Progress

One of my favorite parts of teaching Kindergarten is teaching students how to write. There is nothing like the moment a student brings their paper up to you and it says "mi cat is prte" and you read it to them "oh you wrote--my cat is pretty". Their face lights up and they say "that's what I wrote! How did you know?". For the first time they are able to communicate in writing. 

When students begin Kinder they are at a range of different abilities. Some are just making squiggles. Some are able to sound out words. By the end of the year the goal is that they can write a complete sentence. One of the things I personally work on with my students is word choice-using more descriptive language when they write. 

Now my district was taken over by the state 2 years ago. Our curriculum is very scripted-we are strictly monitored to teach the required slides and they actually have no lessons at all on writing besides handwriting. So I have to sneak in those lessons. Sneak in the mentor texts. Sneak in the journal writing. I am so proud of the progress these kiddos have made this year. I take pictures of their journals from the beginning and the end of the year to share with parents as well.