Slice of Life Challenge: Day two!
My students and I have been studying Mo Willems during the month of February. We have really enjoyed reading about our new friends: Elephant and Piggy, Pigeon, Knuffle Bunny and Trixie, Amanda and her Alligator, Leonardo, Edwina, the whole gang!
Each day as I finish reading a new story or an old favorite I ask my students, "What did you notice today?" And each day I am blown away by the insightful answers that I hear.
Now that we have read all the Mo Willems books that our school library owns (time to make a trip to the local city library now!), we are looking at his books as writers. Again, when I ask the kids what they notice, they amaze me! With all the great ideas and wonderful things they are noticing...it was time for a chart.
Last week we took all the great things we had learned from Mo and turned it into a chart for our wall. My students have not only begun to point out the things we learned from Mo in other books, but they have also started trying to include them in their own writing!
I have been a fan of author studies for a while now, but the power of the author study this year has reached new levels! I can't wait to see what happens next!
Thanks for sharing. I am also a fan of author studies and my daughters love Mo Willems' books.
ReplyDeleteMo lives in the small city where I live, so we have seen him around town and at a few events. That isn't to say, I know him or anything, but I used to read his books regularly to my youngest son before I realized that he lives where we live, which is kind of neat.
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Happy shopping! A good Mo book is a happy story time right around the corner.
ReplyDeleteI heart Mo! I did not see City Dog, Country Frog on your list. If you have not read this, stop what you are doing and find this book. It is so different from his other books. It is on the top of my favorite list. BTW: I am pinning your chart, love it!
ReplyDeleteElsie-I haven't seen City Dog, Country Frog! I will have to find it! My kids LOVE Mo Willems so much and our library at school only has a small selection. I've been trying to pick up more little by little. Thanks for the recommendation and I'm glad you liked my chart! I had a lot of fun making it with the kids...they have amazing ideas!
DeleteHe is the author of City Dog, Country Frog. He collaborated with a different illustrator for that one. But it is still very good!
DeleteHe is coming out with two new books soon. My kids and I made a mural about his characters last week. Check my blog for a slice about him and our work soon! I love the chart that you and your kiddoes came up with!
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