We've got a new evaluation tool about to hit in my district. Perhaps you've heard of my dear friend, Charlotte Danielson? Well I'm sure Charlotte is a nice lady and all, but quite frankly she's got everyone in a tizzy. There's a whole lot of How can first graders do that when they can't even tie their shoes and remember what they chose for hot lunch going on.
Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. I've found that when you really get down to it, first graders can do a whole lot more than you'd think (although I am still waiting for about 40% of my class to learn to tie their darn shoes).
I don't know why, but providing support with text evidence is one of my favorite things to do with my first graders. I'm not sure if it's because I feel like super-teacher when they do it right or what. But you better believe that I show off our text-evidence-finding-skills every chance we get.
Enter: A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea
Oh. My. Word. Why didn't I know about this book until now? It is hilarious. The illustrations are fabulous. And it had all my students laughing - even Mr. Serious who I sometimes feel like I couldn't pay to crack a smile. It was a great way to start my morning.
The gist of the book is this: You might think that a pig parade sounds like a jolly good time, but you are so wrong. The author then goes on to tell you why a pig parade is a terrible idea.
Does this sound like CCSS W.1.1 material to any of you?! It did to me. And here's what we ended up with:
Needless to say, my kids loved this mini-writing project. It will definitely be back again next year, hopefully with a cute craftivity to go with it!
Here are some additional ideas:
