Yay for Creativity!

So I am a pretty crafty person. I am always trying this or that...hey, what can I say: I LOVE a craft project! And I come by it naturally...my sister, mom, and I are always sharing our creative escapades with each other.

My sister has been using "Pocket Books" in her classroom this year. I asked about them when she told me about them in Aug. or Sept. - but as any of you teach-peeps know, out of sight out of mind & I failed to get more info. or respond with interest, so Shawn stopped talking about it and the subject wasn't brought up again, until...

Now that I'm working on my Master's, there are a few more responsibilities as far as data & research are concerned. I do many of the things I've always done, now I just have to calculate and report out percentages of proficient students etc.

Well my action research project is about developing independence in descriptive writing by using small, differentiated groups. So I formed my writing groups, but to teach them I have to have something else for the kiddos-who are not in group-to do. Writing groups also run into my Science/Social Studies time, so integrating was ESSENTIAL for success.

So, who do I call when I need ideas & strategies...my sister!! She reminded me of the Evan Moor "Pocket Book" series -- I proceded to order Jan., Feb., Apr. - July. We're sharing...she has the others. So together we'll have the complete 12 month series.

Last week my 1st Graders started their first one...Famous Americans. And...they LOVE it! Today we started sewing bookmarks with their initals--to remember Betsy Ross. They know so much about her & because of the hands-on connections to making a 13 starred & striped flag & sewing an initialed bookmark, they have remembered EVERYTHING about this unit.

They are experts in: John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, & after Friday...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gotta love it when you see the light bulbs shining--so bright they're blinding me!!!