It has been a crazy few weeks since winter break (desperate for another vacation) and we have been working on a variety of projects related to the seasons and weather. On Friday I took a break and focused on Martin Luther King Jr. This is an important leader and I like to stop and spend time on this. I remember Dr. King as a child growing up in Baltimore and his words had a huge impact on me and the world I lived in.
I think I own every childrens' book written about this great man but this is my favorite, by far. It is written authentically but in terms a young child can understand. When I was a Common Core coach I did a close read with first grade students using this text. It lends itself well to a cause and effect map and children are able to find evidence to support their thinking with ease. I recommend purchasing it for next year or adding it to your library now. Check it out here on Amazon.
I really like this video and have used it for several years. If you want to check it out just click on the picture to watch it. We all love Reading Rainbow... right? It might have been the only time my class was quiet all day!
Then we talked about what their dreams are for the future and what goals they would like to achieve by the end of the year. This is a little book I love to use for this purpose and one that the kids can really relate to. If you want to purchase it for next year you can grab it in my TpT store for just a few dollars. My students loved this reader.
We had a great day, filled with important conversations about kindness, being fair, and standing up for what you believe in. It was well worth the time it took to do this. I even squeezed in a hit of writing just because we need more work on this.
I love 3 day weekends. Don't you?
