Mentor Text: A Chair for Mother

I'm linking up with Collaboration Cuties to share one of my favorite Mentor Texts.

A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams

This story is such a sweet story and really hits home to students living in poverty. 

Amazon's summary explains the book perfectly:

After a fire destroys their home and possessions, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother save and save until they can afford to buy one big, comfortable chair that all three of them can enjoy.After their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy. "A superbly conceived picture book expressing the joyful spirit of a loving family."--Horn Book.

Source

Here's how I used the book in my Reader's Workshop AND Writer's Workshop.

We zoomed in and took a look at the pictures in the book.  I explained to students that sometimes the Illustrator draws a picture to help the reader feel like the character in the story.  I pointed out specific pages like this one:

This is what the little girl in the story would have seen.  Notice how the illustrator didn't draw the girl in the picture.

There is also another great picture in the story of the chair in the store.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of that.  But trust me, it's great for this lesson.

That was mini lesson for Reader's Workshop.  "Pay close attention to the illustrations.  They are trying let you see things from the character's point of view." 

Onto my Writer's Workshop Extension later that day.

We went back to the book during writing time and reviewed the Character's Point of View in pictures.  

I then explained to students that we would be making a class book about new shoes.  (My students share all.the.time. during our family meeting that they bought new shoes/are going to buy new shoes/ or want to buy new shoes!)

I made a connection to Pete the Cat...who loves his new white shoes!

To say they were excited about this assignment was an understatement. 

We all stood up and looked down at our shoes.  As illustrators, today, we needed to show OUR (the character's) point of view.  What do you see? The top of the shoe.  The laces.  The tongue. (ew!)

Then, I modeled how to draw what I saw.  I purposefully made mistakes and erased so that my students would see that it was hard to get it just right but to keep trying.  

For the writing part, I encouraged them to use lots of adjectives (another great review!) to describe the shoes to the reader.

Then I sent them away to begin their book page.

Here are a few examples!

"They are cool and better than my old shoes"

"They are black and white.  They have holes to put the shoe laces."

"I will take (them) at the basketball (game)"

"I love my new shoes"

These shoes are high heels!  

I absolutely love the toe nail polish! 

To cute!

These shoes are football cleats.  Notice the football field in the background?

I asked the student where the other shoe was and they replied, I'm running, so the other foot is off the ground behind me!

Too clever :)

Just a reminder, I am hosting a 100+ follower giveaway!

You don't want to miss out on these fabulous prizes!

Click the picture to enter :)

Help! I'm stranded on an Island and I only have 3 things!

This week's topic:

You are stranded on an island with only 3 things....what would it be?

Considering my husband and I just recently starting watching 

and we are only 3 episodes in...I'm a little uncertain of what I would bring.  I mean, there could be an item in Season 9 Episode 55 that really saves these peoples lives and I would want to bring it with me on my island...but we haven't watched that episode yet.  

(Sidenote: We totally missed the boat in college when this show aired on TV.  Now we will be spending the rest of our waking lives a LONG time catching up.  I seriously do not understand how the show could last that long!)

I'm just going to settle with these three things and hope that a rescue team comes for me quickly!

1.  My contacts case/solution/and glasses

This may seem silly but I don't think it is.  One of my fears is that I will have to be without my contact case and my eyes will dry out and I will have to throw my contacts away and walk around blind as a bat.  You might be thinking, why don't you just bring along your glasses, and that's a good point.  But I'd imagine it would be raining a lot on this island, and rain+glasses=miserable.

2. A weapon of some sort.  For the obvious reasons of fending off alien predators (see Lost above) and getting food. I'm imagining something like this:

3. My Husband.  I know he isn't considered an ITEM but I would really want him there with me.  He would probably know how to use #2 better than I might, and he would keep me company.  He is always making me laugh and keeping things interesting.  

Here, we are at a MadMen party.  

Considering we have never watched this show either, we had a blast!

~

Well, that was fun.

In other news, my 100+ follower giveaway is happening right.this.minute.

Don't miss out on these wonderful prizes!

Click the picture to see all 15 prizes to win!

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fabulous 100+ Follower Giveaway!

Wow!  

This milestone is HUGE in my eyes. 

 I am so excited to reach 100+ followers. I have learned so much since starting this blog.  

I have become a better teacher, and I have become not so technology-challenged.  

To be honest with you, when I reached 100 followers, I was nervous to host a giveaway.  I've seen so many bloggers do it, but I never thought I could learn how. I had no idea where to start or what to do, but I decided to take on the challenge and learn a thing or two.  

This wouldn't have been possible without Lauren from Teach Pray Love.  When I had questions about my giveaway she didn't laugh at me she patiently answered all of my silly questions and gave me some great advice! Lauren is the sweetest blogger!

  Click on her button to meet her!  You will be so happy you did.

Thanks Lauren!

 I really have had a blast preparing for this.  

Aside from learning a new thing, I am happy that I will be able to give back to YOU- my fabulous followers!  

Without further ado,  I would like to announce:

15 fabulous bloggers have donated an item from their TPT store!

When you click on their picture, you will be taken to their TPT store to check out all of their goodies.  While you're there, go ahead and follow them!

When you click on their blog title underneath the picture, you will be taken to their blog.  If you aren't following these fabulous ladies yet, now is your chance!

The Rafflecopter is at the bottom of the post.  

The giveaway will start today and will end at Midnight on Friday night!  

I will announce the winner on Saturday! 

There are so many great packs in this giveaway (and so many "Winner's Choice" packs too!) I wish I could enter this giveaway :)

"May the odds be eva in your favor."

Looking from Third to Fourth

Adventures in First With Mrs. Key

Kinder Krazy

 Mrs. Pauley's Kindergarten

1st Grade Princess

For the Love of First Grade

Second Grade is Out of This World

The Very Busy First Graders

Teach Pray Love

Kickin It In Kindergarten 

 Miss King's Enchanted Kingdom

Don't Let the Teacher Stay Up Late

K-3 Connections

Surviving the Little People

The Brown-Bag Teacher

A special thanks to all of these fabulous bloggers for donating!  

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Which pack are you MOST wanting to win?

5 for Friday Flashback! 4.5

It has been a long week!  I can't believe that Easter was just.last.weekend.  As in five days ago! CRAZY!  

I'm linking up with Teaching Maddeness and Doodle Bugs Teachings for a look back at my week.

This is my happy place.  I decided to spend some time with Annie (my sewing machine).  I had to take a trip to the fabric store before I started.  I like to think of it like I was buying a new dress for a date....it's not like I don't have fabric I could use at home, but I really want to impress my date :)

Shhhh....don't tell my friend, but I made this for her birthday that is tomorrow!  She is turning 21 (*WHAT!*).  It's a cute little travel/make-up bag.  

Yes, it has a zipper, which makes me a pretty legit seamstress.  

I made my first quilt on Saturday!  

It was way easier than I thought probably because I cheated and bought the precut fabric. 

I have BIG plans this summer to make a quilt for our QUEEN size bed.  BIG PLANS I tell you.....

I had a training on Thursday over how to engage students in Science.  

I learned how to make this pocket in a journal....

and. that's. it.

That's all I learned after five hours of training. 

But it was all good (as Pete the Cat would say) because I got to spend the day with my team teacher from my old school!  

This week we have been learning about the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas in Social Studies.  For art, we made an Aztec Sculpture out of play dough   I was SO impressed with the creativity my students had when creating their sculpture!  

When I whipped out the play dough, I heard so many gasps!  Sometimes I forget that my students are still little kids :)

I am putting the finishing touches onto my 100+ follower giveaway!  

Expect it shortly!  

So far, I have 12 fabulous bloggers who have offered some pretty amazing TPT products!  I've had so much fun learning the ins and outs of a giveaway.

UPDATE:  Click the picture to enter the giveaway!

I say WEEK! - you say END!

WEEK!

Help! I need somebody....Not just anybody....

Is anyone else a Beatles fan?  My husband went through a Beatles phase this summer, and we are still listening to the White Album on repeat.  

Anyways, I'm here today asking you for some help.  

I will be hosting a 100+ follower giveaway shortly and am asking for donations.  

If you are willing to donate, please click on the graphic below.  It will take you to my fancy-dancy Google Forms Questionnaire where you will be able to donate!

If the picture link doesn't work, try here!

This is my first giveaway, and I am excited to learn something new 

aka I have no idea what I am doing.  

Reading Centers Update: Last week I revamped my reading centers.  You can kind of read about it here.  Since it was only a 3 day week, I went over the procedures, expectations, and ironed out all of the kinks.  We simply "practiced" the centers, meaning we didn't actually write anything down with pen, pencil, stamps, or markers.  We just used our fingers and pretended to do our work.  We were really focusing on tight transitions.  You know, the getting started and cleaning up quickly.  

Today was the big day.  We got to do our new reading centers FOR REAL!  (I had several students asking me repeatedly "For real this time?" Too cute!)  

I am happy to say that after one day, I am crossing my fingers that it works tomorrow well pleased. 

I was able to pull 3 small groups (my goal!) AND my students were actively engaged in the reading process.  

All of them.  

100%.  

We love reading and writing and working with our partners.  

We are kind.  We share.  We work the whole time.

The whole kit and kabootle. 

It was a fabulous accomplishment and rainbows and butterflies were flying out the my classroom.

It doesn't matter that I found a half-finished, wadded-up Word Work paper in the trash can that was erased completely.  This student was obviously trying to get out of working during Fun Friday.  Can you believe that this student erased their entire center work during CLEAN UP TIME, threw it away, and I didn't even notice? "If I just throw it away, it's pretty much the same as me finishing it, right Miss Frizz?"  Can you say SNEA-KY? (Don't worry, I dug it lifted it from the top pile of the trash can and am saving it for Fun Friday...)

I am happy to share what we have been doing, but I forgot to take pictures of the action today!  Let's cross our fingers that I remember tomorrow.

One last shameless plug: Click here, here, here, or here to donate to my giveaway!

Cheers :)