Currently it's Workshop Wednesday

I am linking up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for her May Currently Linky.

I am needing some more patience - both at home and at school - it is just that time of year when there are too many demands on your time!

I am hoping to organize my school files into binders this summer (maybe at the beach) wish me luck!
I am also linking up with another fantastic blogger, Jivey for her Workshop Wednesday linky. This week's theme is books you like to use in small groups.

 I chose a book and then I read a bunch of the other posts and now I feel bad that I did not choose a novel!!

The book I chose is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.

Look at all those commas - great mini-lesson right in the title!

 I use this book at the beginning of the year when we are working on story retelling skills and writing retells. I also use it for making connections. This is the book I read with my lowest reading group. I love this book because the events are linear and you don't need to include every detail to get the point across when retelling - that being said it does lend itself really well for using transition words (first, next, then, after that, finally).

 I love this book because often times my low group has a hard time making connections and everyone can make connection to a horrible, no good, very bad day.

 Lastly it is a great book for modelling writing a retell about 1 day. Even though only one group uses this book as a guided reading book I read it to the entire class, we watch the video and then everyone writes a funny retell of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. The group that was already using this book love that everyone is working on their book.

I like this version, rather than the animated cartoon - but both are on youtube

This video is a great way to introduce adding sound effects and music to enhance the reading of a picture book - which hold up - that's right is an expectation in Ontario. I watch this video and then have the students do the same (well their version of adding sound effects) to the other Alexander books. Just in case you are looking for a way to cover a media literacy expectation at the end of the year (and you teach in Ontario)!

3.4

produce media texts for specific purposesd audiences, using a few simple media forms and appropriate conventions and techniques

• a selection of background music and

sound effects to accompany a picture

book that will be read aloud to the class