Hello Friends! I hope all is well with y'all. Life for me has been crazy, but I'm sure you have experienced some of the same. It's crazy how busy we can get, but I am looking forward to a Thanksgiving mini-break and wanted to celebrate with joining Doodle Bugs Teaching for her weekly Friday linky! I've truly missed joining up for 5 for Friday, so we do have some catching up to do!
In the weeks that I disappeared, my fifth graders read, discussed, and dissected Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting. I've taught this book for several years now and never before have I experienced a discussion as I did this year. Why? The Making Meaning program. It's taught me to be a facilitator for my kiddos and wow the power it is in doing this. When talking about Winnie's decision, one of my kiddos asked, "What if she's not really dead and she just put a gravestone in the cemetery, but really she drank the water and disappeared?" WHAT?! I would have never thought about it in this light. If you are not utilizing, the power of turn and talk to your partner...START!
The reading community we created this year in our classroom is awe-inspiring to not only me, but others as well! We received this note from an amazing administrator who stepped in so I could go learn from my fellow teachers. This note is proudly hanging on my white board and I'm not sure it will get moved any this year!
The theme in our room this November has been gratitude. The kiddos right in their gratitude booklets each about a different topic. We also use them to start our daily discussion before jumping into reading.
As we are entering the week of Thanksgiving, I'm most thankful that this Florida weather is starting to get a little cooler. I actually got to wear a scarf today! Oh and a Starbucks holiday drink!
Wishing you all the best during this Thanksgiving week! Cherish the time you have with family and friends! And enjoy a little turkey, too!
