A Person's A Person No Matter How Small

Have I mentioned how much I dislike Winter? Growing up, my grandma would always mention how in Oklahoma it can snow in March. Well this year, it did.  I believe my district has had more snow days this year than in the last three combined.

When I planned my Dr. Seuss author study, I knew a week was not enough but am thankful that I planned for him to last up until Spring Break after losing a couple of days.

We listened to The Cat in the Hat again. Children were asked if they would let the cat come to their house or not and we graphed our answer.  We talked about the reason why we would or would not let him come.  I knew the majority of my learners would let him come because it matches their personalities.  However, it was interesting to hear the reasons why.  We wrote a page for a class book. We also made a Cat in the Hat snack.

 

After listening to Horton Hears a Who, I sent a Whoville home with each child along with some family homework.  Their responses are all unique but having them share with their peers and justify their answer was so engaging.  In the world of Common Core, these learners have to be able to speak and listen.  As an early childhood educator, those skills have always been important but I think Common Core has influenced what we are speaking and listening about.

Before having children share, I looked at their work and was not wowed.  My wow moments came as they shared their thought processes and justification.  This little one told me if she made noise then the people of Whoville would not be heard.

 

This child told me and the class his idea was better than everyone else's so we had an amazing conversation through that.  The one thing I loved about this is that he told me that he spelled Whoville all by himself.  He said "did you know it was right there on the paper so I did not have to stretch it out".  This child is a more advanced reader but he struggles with fine motor tasks. 

 

This little one told us she would put it up high so her baby sister who is less than a year would not chew on it.

This little one gets up and shares that he would protect it from the Grinch.  When I asked him why that was important he said "well remember when we read about the Grinch and he was mean at the beginning of the story? I just thought he might try to steal Whoville".  I love the connections they made to their own life and other books.  Powerful!

 

My school celebrated Seuss with Wacky Wednesday.  Some of us dressed up as Star Belly Sneetches!  We listened to the story and talked through the lesson in the story.  

 

My school had its annual family fun night on Friday which was carnival themed this year.  For shack, we tasted different carnival foods and then graphed our favorite.  We even had a lesson on how to shell peanuts.

 

It did not surprise me in the least that their favorite was cotton candy!