Choice Lit Topic: Community Building
It’s one of the big paradoxes of literacy instruction – students best learn how to read and write independently when they have a strong community of support in classrooms. How teachers build those thoughtful, kind, and challenging classroom communities is explained in these resources.
Results
The Power of Linking Words and Perceptions
The school year is underway, and all across the country teachers have undoubtedly already identified the children in their classrooms who are going to give them a run for their...
Not That Into Me
For the past 11 years during the holiday season my husband and I have watched the movie Trapped in Paradise with my brother. The movie stars Nicholas Cage, Dana Carvey and Jon...
The Amazing School Librarian: An Interview with John Schumacher (PODCAST)
In this podcast, Franki Sibberson and John Schumacher chat about how John managed to read over 1700 books in 2010, as well as keep up with his popular blog and...
The Triple Threat: Building a Community, Discussion Skills, and Writing Stamina
There are several key components of a thriving literacy workshop. In my sixth-grade classroom, students need to: be able to read and discuss texts; feel comfortable with each other so...
Strawberries, Fun, and Student Blogging
Growing as a teacher and learner requires honest feedback. Who else could be more honest than students? During winter break, I reflected on my teaching practices in order to set...
Closing Out the Year Round-Up (PART 1)
The end of the school year is such a precious and busy time. This year we asked Choice Literacy contributors to share some of their favorite ideas and activities for...
Newbery Club Wrap-Up
Editor's Note: This is the final installment in a three-part series about a 5th Grade Newbery Club. You can click here to read Part I, and here for Part II. We had our final Newbery...
Closing Out the Year (PART 2)
The end of the school year is such a precious and busy time. This year we asked Choice Literacy contributors to share some of their favorite ideas and activities for...
Linking Morning Message, Poetry, and Word Learning
Second-grade teacher Linda Karamatic has been starting her morning with a message for years. The morning message is just one part of her daily opening that reinforces community. It also...
Student Book Talks
In this second video in a two-part series, Katie Doherty's sixth-grade students share their book recommendations with the class. Students work from a template provided by Katie to ensure their...
Seedfolks: Connecting Community and Literature
I had my first anxiety dream about school starting last night. It was the first day of school, and I was late. Not just 5 or 10 minutes late. I...
Read Alouds for the Last Days of School
Last month we surveyed readers of our weekly newsletter The Big Freshrequesting suggestions for literacy activities for the final days of school. Hundreds of teachers wrote back. This week we...
Choosing 5th Grade Read Alouds for the New Year
It's that time of year when I gather together all the books I think would be good to read aloud and share with my 5th grade students for this year....
Literacy Keepsakes to Carry Home at the End of the School Year
Last month we surveyed readers of our weekly newsletter The Big Fresh requesting suggestions for literacy activities for the final days of school. Hundreds of teachers wrote back. This week we...
From Teacher to Coach: Building Community in the Early Days
It's late August and next week I start my position as Instructional Coach. I am not new to working with teachers. I spent six years in higher education working with...
Writing and Publishing Book Reviews with Middle School Students
If you've ever spent time with 8th graders, you'll find that they review everything. Whether it's today's lunch, their teachers' outfits, their new assignment, or the latest video game, the students...
Linking Reading, Writing, and Getting to Know You Activities During the First Week of Middle School
The first day of 6th grade in my school is a challenge. The 6th graders get the school to themselves for a day since they are new to the building:...
More Literacy Keepsakes to Carry Home at the End of the School Year
Last year we surveyed readers of our weekly newsletter The Big Fresh requesting suggestions for literacy activities for the final days of school. Hundreds of teachers wrote back. Here are literacy...
Preschool Morning Message
This five-minute video from Melissa Kolb's preschool classroom shows the value of morning message for teaching literacy skills. Melissa explains the skills children develop during this brief whole-class lesson and...
Beginning with the End in Mind: Planning Ahead for Closing Activities
All of this week's suggestions for closing out the school year require planning ahead. How far ahead? Often all the way back to the first day of school, and many...
Mary Lee Hahn – Read Alouds to Build Community Early in the Year (PODCAST)
In this podcast, Franki Sibberson chats with Mary Lee Hahn (author of Reconsidering Read-Aloud) about the best read alouds for building community at the start of the year. A full...
