TPT Seller Challenge Week 3: Make your Masterpiece

This week the TPT Seller Challenge is encouraging the sellers to make a NEW masterpiece!  I had just started working on this little idea so I thought I'd finish it up for the challenge.  

When I was in the classroom I always liked to collect a monthly writing sample from students.  After grading the sample, I'd store it in a large file box and then send home the samples at the end of the school year, almost as a keepsake of the progress each student had made.  I always remember scrambling at the end of the year to put together some type of folder so that the papers weren't just astray so I wanted to create something that would help organize this process from the start.

This here is a monthly writing portfolio.  It can be pre-made at the beginning of the year and then is set to go for each month.  Wahoo!  The folder includes a cover page, writing rubric, school to home sheet (I thought it'd be a nice way to communicate with parents monthly), a student self check strip, a teacher rubric/comment strip and monthly writing pages.  Here are a few photos to show you what I'm talking about.

I really like things that can be organized from the start of the school year and this is just one other thing that could be prepped now and ready to go!  It's posted in my store HERE and will be 50% for the next 24 hours!

Hooray for the hosts of the TPT Seller Challenge for pushing me to get er' done!

Teach me how to Label

Hey Everybody!

If you're doing writer's workshop in your kindergarten classroom and you follow the Lucy Calkins (*side note - I LOVE HER) model then you're probably about to dive into the "launching"  mini lessons.  These mini lessons are great because they focus on getting your little learners ready to write and help to encourage them to play with print.  One of the very first mini lessons in this section, and one of my favorites, is about labeling! 

  Labeling is a great strategy and I find that many kindergartners often LOVE to label once they know what labeling is.  As with many mini lessons I like to start off with a class anchor chart.  Here's a look at what my anchor chart might look like for labeling.

I'd first explain what labels are and how they are helpful.  We'd discuss where we might see labels and I'd share some examples of pictures with labels.  After this discussion I'd have my class practice labeling together. A really fun way to do this is to have them actually label you.  Yes, I said YOU.  Grab your post-its, a marker, and watch your students have fun and learn as they cover you in post it notes.  I saw this fantastic idea on Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten blog here: 

http://mrsleeskinderkids.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/labeling-lesson.html

When I taught kinder I did this and I must say my kinders went bonkers!  They absolutely loved it!  If you've never done this - TRY IT!

After doing the above activity I'd send students to draw and label a picture of themselves.  I'd have a list of simple words printed on a sheet that students would cut out and paste on their finished drawing. We'd wrap up by sharing our pictures with each other and reviewing what a label is.

Now, although I generally introduce labeling during writing workshop time, it is not something we'd just do during this time.  This is a great skill to practice throughout the year during various times.  It can be a great way to introduce and practice important vocabulary and is the perfect activity to include in a science or social studies unit.  Here is an example of a family themed labeling sheet I've used:

This activity can be found as part of my family unit HERE at my TpT Store.

This particular activity is very simple and so is the vocabulary, but it'd be perfect for students to complete independently or as part of a writing center.  My focus for this would be more on practicing the skill of "labeling" and not so much the vocabulary but I'm sure if students completed this they would refer to this sheet for writing as well. :)

And for added practice why not send this note home with post -it notes.

This activity will help reinforce the skill of labeling and can be a lot of fun!  I've also thought about having students take a picture of a room in their house and then labeling it.  Then have students bring these sheets into share and bind them together to make a class book.

  How do you teach labeling in your class? Happy Hump Day!

Writing Folders!

As I am thinking about what I use or need during the beginning of a school year I began thinking about writing workshop.  Do you follow some type of writing workshop model?  I know I have and I love it!  I really enjoy watching my students build a love of writing and I am a firm believer that the writing workshop model helps to do this.  It provides students with a number of opportunities to write in different genres, helps them to fully understand the writing process, and builds their confidence in writing!  It is always a thrill to wrap up workshop time by listening to students share out their accomplishments for the day.

When I run my writing workshop I follow the traditional model of a Mini Lesson, Guided or Independent Writing, and Share Out.  This model stays consistent day to day and it is something that the students come to expect and enjoy.  As part of workshop each student is given a writing folder at the beginning of the year which THEY LOVE!  I am always sure to brag about MY own writing folder and they too become proud owners of theirs.   This folder includes items they can use for reference as well as being a place to keep their "still working" and finished work.  Do you use writing folders?

Here is a look at how I prepare my writing folders to start the school year.  

1. I start by printing out my writing folder resource kit (found here) and your basic 3 prong folder.  I add a shipping label to the cover with a student name.

2. When you open the folder you will see that I label the inside left pocket with "still working" in green and on the first page I insert a page protector with my "Writer's Checklist Sheet."

3. The next sheets in page protectors are my "When I'm done Chart" and "Alphabet Chart."

4.  Then I include a "Helpful Words" chart and the next page is where students will keep their mini word walls for reference.

5.  This is the mini word wall continued and I label the right back pocket in red with "finished" as will be the place students put pages they have completed.

How do you set up your writing folders?