Martin's Big Words {Book Companion}

The topic of Martin Luther King Jr. always elicits student engagement as I introduce biographies. The comparison between times: then and now, discussion of equality and the introduction of civil rights really ignites a passion with my littlest learners.  A popular book to spearhead discussions is Martin's Big Words. I'm overjoyed to share my newest book companion to align with the text.  Link provided in graphic below.

Captivate students with winter themed fun while meeting learning standards! This 77 page packet is packed full of excitement.

What's included...

 Build background knowledge of Martin Luther King Jr. with a KWL.

A heavy dose of story vocabulary will assist language learners with words such as hymns, preach, minister, Gandhi, peace, war, arrest, citizens, courage, rights, protest, mayor, governor, strike, and segregation.

Provided are several options for recording vocabulary words. Option one includes a vocabulary book with clipart images. Option two includes blank vocabulary response pages. Option three includes interactive pages.

Reread the story throughout the week using my prepared interactive skills pages. Included are essential questions, flip flaps for note taking, and a student page for informal assessment. Each of the above options are provided for equality, discrimination, facts and opinions.

You'll find engaging comprehension response sheets with a story map, compare/contrast, plot, and timeline of events.

Encourage students to write biographies with several paper options and provided clipart to assist in activating schema.

Last, you'll find several instructional posters to assist in teaching timelines and developing student biographies.

UPDATE:

After a week of book discussions, my students dove into timelines to create their own biography for Martin Luther King Jr.

Taking the writing sheets, I cut out the graphics and taped each to the white board.  Using several books to support our learning, we identified the major milestones in MLK Jr's life.  I recorded words the kids used to describe the graphic in green.  After reading several additional early biographies on MLK Jr., we were able to identify few important dates to record under specific graphics in red.  

Students were asked to select the five events they felt comfortable and most knowledgeable about when creating their own biography.  To prep for this, I printed five copies of each page.  Since I create the file with the same page side by side, printing five copies gave me 10 of the same page.  I set the writing pages out under the specific event on the timeline. With the variety of biography pages available (approximately 10 events), I didn't find a need to print additional copies.

Students used the key words from our previous lessons to create sentences for their individual biography response.  I have two varying abilities featured above.  

Christmas in the Classroom Giveaway!

One of the real joys of the holiday season is the opportunity to say thank you and to wish you the very best for the new year.  Between working hard to make magical memories with are littlest learners and making merry with family, we often overlook our own desires. 

The holiday season is about all about giving, and I can't think of a better bunch of people to spread the holiday spirit of giving to than teachers. You are all so deserving! So this year, a group of bloggers are getting together to give teachers the chance to win what they really want for Christmas!

 

 

 

This one is HUGE, and, yes, it really is a Laser Printer.

In fact, you could win the exact HP Laser Printer shown above. It literally prints 1000s of pages before it ever runs out of ink. This is an AMAZING item for any teacher to win.

 

But that's not all. Because we want to spread the teacher love of the holidays to as many people as we can, each of my blogger friends will be giving away a favorite school supply item on their own blog in addition to the Grand Prize Laser Printer.

 

I'm giving away a Visual Rubric Pocket Chart.  I use this chart to assist students in their daily writing with expectations clearly defined in a mini lesson.  Link here to see how this pocket chart is used. 

 

I don't want much for Christmas, I just want the person reading this to be happy, healthy, and loved!  Wishing you snowflakes, friendship, and winter wishes!  Good luck...
 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now head over to the other participating bloggers below for more chances to win great Christmas in the Classroom items. You won’t want to miss any of these amazing giveaway items. So hurry, giveaway ends midnight December 12th. 

An InLinkz Link-up

The Gingerbread Man (Book Companion Freebie)

It's official, I'm enchanted with the holiday season.  I can't resist all the catalogs.  With each turn of the page, I find something a little more enchanting. 

As I plan a gingerbread day, I decided to create a small unit to use for our learning. My planning became a way of channeling my excitement for the holidays. 

Thank you for all my loyal followers and those I've recently acquired.  I enjoy reading your comments and seeing your feedback.  As a thank you, I want to share my book companion! 

Click graphic above to access the freebie.  Click graphic below to display The Gingerbread Man. 

Have a bliss filled holiday season!

Snowmen at Night, at Work, at Christams, and All Year {Book Companion}

The best part about creating book companions has been pulling out all the treasured tales I use to teach my kids skills and concept while taking a deeper peek at the text.

The next book companion features all books from the snowmen series...

I'm going to share how I plan to use this unit.

 

Begin building background knowledge with the topic of snow.  Record information gathered in a KWL.  An alternative is to discuss snowmen with a Have, Can, Are chart.  Throughout the week, keep track of details from each story with a matrix.  The matrix will be a large component of learning on Thursday and Friday.

Building vocabulary background each day will assist your language learners.  The format remains the same for each book: vocabulary poster, student journal, and interactive page to save on copies.  An additional blank card is available and made editable.  I decided the book Snowmen All Year didn't have the depth of vocabulary and opted to review the matrix by Friday.

 

Reread the story to assist in reviewing interactive skills pages. Included are essential questions, flip flaps for note taking, and a student page for informal assessment. Each of the above options are provided for rhyming and compound words.

 

You'll find engaging comprehension response sheets for compare/contrast, story maps, plot, adjectives, making connections and a response to literature.

 

Develop writing through the week with a fun published paper with a craftivity.  Provided are poster images for a shared writing.  Depending on their background knowledge, I've provided images to create a functional story on How-to Build a Snowman and How-to Decorate a Snowman.

 

If time provides or the following lesson, allow time for kids to work with graphic organizer. Optional writing pages for published stories or elaborating on the graphic organizer is found at the end of the packet. 

 

Follow up writing with a fun craft.  Allow students to select a setting.  A template on how to color the backgrounds is provided.  Students will color setting, assemble and attach their snowman. 

 

 

You can link to my store by clicking the first and last image.  The cover and preview have links embedded too!