Mr Big by Ed Verne

Hello!

I'm linking up again with Deanna for Let's Talk about Books!

This week I am sharing a book I have used recently in my class. We needed a good book to write character descriptions as part of our assessment week. I know there are SO many good books out there with amazing characters, but I really struggled to pick one that would suit everyone. It needed to be a character who had an interesting appearance so my struggling writers could at least write about that, but one with a bit of a story and character development so my high flying writers could really delve into it.

In the end I chose this book:

It was new to me but fit the bill perfectly. Mr Big is a lonely Gorilla who is BIG on the outside but feels small on the inside because everyone is afraid of him. He sees an old piano that looks as lonely as he is one day and takes it home. His sadness makes him play beautiful music which drifts out the window for the town to hear. By the end of the short story, he is playing in a band and is surrounded by people who have got to know the real him and he is happy!

I loved how they noticed things like how his clothes changed from dull, as he didn't want to be noticed, to bright and cheerful as he became more confident!

My class loved the little speech bubbles which litter the pages and thought the expressions they used were really funny.

We wrote our character descriptions and they did a great job!

We also revisited a couple of days later and I asked them to map out the story so I could get a bit of reading assessment evidence from it (to be able to retell with some detail).

It's obviously great to talk about how we shouldn't judge people by looks alone but there are lots of other reading and writing possibilities too!

I'm heading off to see what other great books people are sharing this week at Mrs Jump's Class. You should too!

Monday Meet Up

Welcome!

Today I am linking up with The Teaching Tribune for Monday Meet Up! I started adventure into the blogging world about 3 weeks ago so this is the perfect chance to get to know some more friendly teacher bloggers!

Here are some facts about me!

Thank you for stopping by!

Sunday Smorgasbord

Hello!

I just stumbled across this linky over at Fabulous in First and thought I would join in. 

1. I am so relieved to have just finished my school reports! I want to celebrate but I am too tired...2 A4 sides for each of my 29 children means I have been writing reports for what feels like months! They are finally finished and ready to be sent off to the head teacher for his comments and checks. I wish that meant I didn't have much other paper work to do this year but there is still so much to mark and assess and organise...

2. I have finally decided on an outfit for the wedding I am going to next week. I hate having to find things to wear to occasions - I find it very stressful!
(This is not me in the dress!)

3. I finished the book I was reading yesterday (when I should have been writing those reports!). It wasn't the type of book I usually read and I just picked it up on a whim but I really enjoyed it. If you're after something different you should check it out!

4. It's nationality day on Thursday. I was assigned Australia as a country to focus on but I want to celebrate the countries children in my class are from too (obviously Britain but also Africa, India, Pakistan and Turkey). Unfortunately, I am out of class moderating writing all day (so I don't get to join in the fun) but need to think of some fun crafts and activities for the supply teacher to do with them all day. Any ideas? All thoughts very welcome!

Don't forget to link up with Michelle at Fabulous in First yourself!

Wordless Wednesday - The Happy Duckling

Hello!

Thank you Christina at Sugar and Spice!

I have another great (wordless) animation from The Literacy Shed that I wanted to share this week. It is such a sweet tale and I love the pop up book style that has been used.
I've used it as a big writing prompt in class in previous years with children aged 10-11, and this year with children aged 6-7! Suitable for all!

In the Great Animations Shed - scroll down to near the bottom of the page

There are ideas for how this wordless film can be used in class for reading and writing on the site but my question for you is:

How would you use this animation in your classroom? For reading? Writing? Crafts?

Have a good week!

Let's Talk about Books!

Hunter's Best Friend at School

(by Laura Malone Elliot, Illustrations by Lynn M. Munsinger)

When doing our 'Good to be Me' unit of work, I stumbled across this book and ordered it without knowing very much about it. I am so glad I did though as it has to be my favourite books about teaching children how to behave, peer pressure, being a good role model, helping a friend and being your best self!

Hunter and Stripe are best friends and do everything together and like all the same things. One day, Stripe comes to school and is full of mischief. He makes lots of silly choices including tearing up the paper frog he had made in class. Hunter feels the pressure to do the same as his best friend but ends up feeling very sad about what he has done. 

He learns though, that the best thing he can do when his best friend Stripe is being silly, is to be a good role model. 

Being a good friend is about helping your friends be their best selves.

I read this to my class and it was easy for them to understand the message and I saw an immediate improvement in (some) children's behaviour - they were trying to ignore their friends when they were making the wrong choices and show them the correct behaviour!

It's a book I'll definitely be using again at the start of the new year and throughout the year when needed!

What are the books that you find best teach the children about good behaviour and making the right choices at school? I'm always looking for more!

Don't forget to link up with Deanna at Mrs Jump's Class to share your favourite books!

Happy Reading!

June Currently

I'm linking up with Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade for June Currently!

Listening: To my guilty conscience - those reports are not writing themselves and the deadline is fast approaching!

Loving: That I finally got out and tamed my wild garden this weekend (anything to not write those reports!)

Thinking: Of the tests my class are going to sit this week (and wishing them luck!)

Wanting: For it to be summer break here now instead of in 38 days...

Needing: To map out this coming term more carefully to make sure we can fit everything in that we still  need to learn!

Summer bucket list: Can't wait to sleep, read and organise!

Have a great June everyone!

A peek at my week

Hello!

I'm linking up with Mrs Laffin's Laughings for a peek at my week!

I'm back to school after half term not quite ready for the 7 1/2 weeks that lie ahead of me... I'm already kicking myself for not getting more school work done during this week off - I'm sure I'm going to regret it even more as the weeks crawl by!

There are 2 things I'm looking forward to and 2 things I an NOT looking forward to this week. I'll start with the negatives and end with the positives!

Reports: This is the main thing I should have been doing during my week off and exactly what I should be doing right now! 2 A4 sides per child (I have 29 children) means 58 pages of report writing to be done. I HAVE to get on with it this week and do a few each night...wish me luck! 

Anyone else still tackling theirs?

Testing: This is the week we have to do our end of year tests. Reading comprehension, writing and maths. To be honest, I'm not sure a lot of my class are ready for them yet and I worry the results won't show just how much they have learnt this year and how far so many of them have come. Still, at least by Friday, most of the testing will be done and I won't have to worry about it anymore!

Bubbly Maths: This IS something I am looking forward to this week. On Tuesday we have a bubbly maths workshop and will be playing with bubbles and learning maths with Simon the Maths Clown! It should be a lot of fun (I'll let you know!).

Thaumatropes: In my Five for Friday post, I talked through my ideas for our animation unit of work this half term. This week we will be making thaumatropes and I know my class are going to have great fun doing it!

So, that's a peek at my week. I'm off to write some of those reports now... (probably)

Whatever you're doing, have a good week!