Five for Friday {March 21}

Hi there!  Happy Friday!  All I keep hearing about in bloggy world is Spring Break, Spring Break, Spring Break.... I have two more weeks of teaching before Spring Break, and I am crossing my fingers that by the time it rolls around, the temperatures around here feel even a teensy weensy bit like Spring.  Maybe?  Please????  We still have 20's in the forecast for next week and I am just ready to be DONE with that craziness!

ANYWAY.... let's talk about some great things that happened in my classroom this week!

1. One of the kids' favorite things to do on St. Patrick's Day is always the Lucky Charms graph.  My class had lots of fun with this on Monday.  Fun AND delicious!

2. I love making this student reader with my students in March.  We focus so much on reading and books in March, and academic vocabulary is a huge push in my building.  This book checks both boxes and just fits perfectly this time of year.

(This student reader is part of my Three Cheers for Books pack.)

3. I introduced the rules of letter-writing this week as part of our current writing unit.  During one of the mini-lessons, I modeled writing a letter to a friend and used my first name when I signed the letter.  This little guy decided to write a letter to me and used my first name.  He also signed with a heart which is how I always sign my letters to my students.  Made me giggle!

4. Mystery Readers for the WIN!  We are LOVING our Mystery Readers.  The class cheers EVERY morning when they see a mystery reader on our daily schedule.  It's just so much fun.  I take a picture of every reader with their child and the books they read and put them up on the door.  The kids just LOVE having those pictures up in our classroom.  You'll have to use your imagination for what the whole door looks like because I didn't want to post all the photos here, but I have these two signs and lots of stars mixed in with all the photos.

5. Our seeds are starting to sprout and...SURPRISE!  The first seed to sprout is growing in the pebbles!!!

 And the second seed to sprout is growing in the sand!!

The seed in the soil is starting to break through the surface, but I just love the amazement from my students when they see that the seeds in the sand and pebbles actually DO grow!

I hope you've had a great week!!  Enjoy your weekend!

March Mystery Readers

I am gearing up for March in my classroom.  I LOVE March at school because I think the excitement that is built around reading in March is so much fun!!  One of my absolute favorite things to do in March is bring in mystery readers.  My students always looooove this so much!  I look forward to it every year!  

Here is the letter I sent home last week.  If you'd like to do something similar in your classroom, this might give you an idea of how to create your own letter.

I always give parents a few days to send the form back to school and then I put together a schedule for the month (mine is going home to all of the readers tomorrow!).  I also always ask my principal to be a mystery reader for us, and sometimes other teachers too.  

It's so fun to see who signs up to come in.  There are always lots of parents, but I've also had aunts and uncles, family friends, babysitters, and once I even had a pastor!  Every year I get some grandparents too.  And, really, what is cuter than a grandparent reading to the class???  Last year, a sweet grandpa got teary-eyed when he saw his grandson's reaction to him being there.  LOVE!

This is the note that I post on the outside of my classroom door.  I always make sure that my secretary knows that readers will be coming in, and I always have the door closed around the time the readers will be coming.  I learned that the hard way when a parent walked in the room one time several years ago before we were ready!  Totally ruined the surprise!

CLICK HERE TO SNAG IT TO USE FOR YOURSELF!

Before the reader comes, I give clues to the class but I never tell them who will be coming.  That way, the reactions from my students are completely priceless!

When the reader is finished, I take a picture of them with their child and the book(s) they read.  Then, I print a copy for them and write a note on the back to thank them for coming.

I'm pretty sure that I will never get tired of this tradition in my classroom.  It's something I love because it creates such great memories.  If it's not something you've done with your class before, maybe this is your year to start!  Let me know if you have questions about what I do or if you do something with your class in March that is your absolute favorite!  I'd love to get some new ideas!

Hooray for Mystery Readers!