Penguins and Literacy Week

After reading several non-fiction sources, we looked at our Thinking Maps and the children decided we should use our Tree Maps because we will be classifying penguin information.  We used the categories can, have and are.  There are so many maps available in TpT units that I LOVE and own!  I am torn as our county and the Thinking Map trainers strongly suggest the children create their own thinking maps so they have ownership of their work and the relationships with the skills used.  We are also asked to not copy things that the kids could complete without a worksheet...  So, I pick and choose what I copy with the school's copier and with my personal copier in the classroom.

I did use a fabulous web from Lori over at Teaching with Love and Laughter.  If you are looking for engaging student activities, you need to head to her TpT store.  :)  I used her Writing Through the Winter Pack to get an amazing web that helped me focus on an introduction, three details and a closing sentence.  The kids loved the adorable clip art that went along with our penguin theme as well as the structure they long for.  

Sorry, I could not get this picture to load the right way!   The kids then used their web to write an informational piece on lined paper. Lori includes various maps, webs, and matching lined paper with winter themes in this unit. 

You can click on the picture to see the unit. 

 

As past of Literacy Week at our school, our wonderful literacy coach asked that each class make a class book and the books will be delivered to a  local children's hospital on Friday.  The kids finished up these adorable penguins and created a Penguin Fact Book.  

I used the Simple, but Cute Penguins pack by First Grade Blue Skies for the Penguin patterns and a writing template for Penguin Facts.  

The kids loved learning penguin facts, writing about them and making a book.  Their only thought was, "Can we make another one so we can keep it?".  I love this class :)

And I love that tomorrow is a Teachers' Work Day.  I will be finishing grades and getting report cards completed.  Looking forward to the long weekend!