Making Connections

Connections... what are those?!

We've been working hard this week reviewing how to make connections. I hope KNOW these kids have been taught this reading strategy, but since we've gotten back from Winter Break, I couldn't tell! I will definitely be reviewing ALL strategies and teaching mini-lessons in the near future. Yikes!

While reading and comparing/contrasting the details and themes of different Cinderella stories, we also practiced making connections. We first determined what the word "connection" meant by finding 5 people in the room to "connect" with. Some of my students' answers surprised me! I honestly expected to hear tons of "We both have a favorite..." --instead, I got a couple "favorite color" answers, and other "we have the same dream job" and "we have the same best-teacher-ever" answers. Bless 'em!

We made a class anchor chart and the students also made mini anchor charts for their notebooks (pictured above). We used the book Rough Face Girl to connect with, which was perfect since we had all just read it. Here's a picture showing what we came up with: (Please note--I by no means claim to be an artist--I don't know how all those people on Pinterest make these look so cute!)



Each day this week during stations, my students read their independent books for 15 minutes, then made connections--Monday: text-to-self; Tuesday: text-to-text; and Wednesday: text-to-world. Today I had my students put all the information they've (re)learned together to make "Making Deep Connections" books. Although it isn't quite Valentine's day or even February, my kids didn't mind! I downloaded this book for FREE here:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Making-Connections-with-Deep-Meaning

I printed the black and white versions and plan on having the kids color them when we have free time. You know, what we have SO much of!

I can see a bulletin board for the month of February for these in the near future!

I hope you're enjoying your Thursday evening... it's almost Friday! For me, I'm off to grading papers, planning and eventually sleeeeeep.

--Mandy :)