Book Logs

Earlier this week, I posted about the Genre Response Sheets we use in our classroom.  These sheets include a code for each genre (TL for Traditional Literature, RF for Realistic Fiction, etc.), which students use when they log the books they read in the classroom and at home.  Which brings me to....

Book Logs!

Book Logs are simple enough, but they are a great way for kiddos to see themselves as readers.  When they start to fill in their logs and watch the list of books they have read grow and grow, there is a real sense of accomplishment and pride in their reading skills!  We three-hole punch our book logs and let the kids keep them in their Reader's Notebooks (along with their completed Genre Response Sheets, among other things).  They bring these notebooks to their small reading groups, so they get in the habit of recording each book we read in our group.  This alone guarantees that they will be adding 2-3 books every week, which keeps the list growing.  As the school year goes on, they can also record any books they read independently, either during Daily 5, DEAR time, at home, etc.  The kids get really into these book logs and get pretty jazzed when they fill up an entire sheet and are ready for a second one.  I never even have the kids turn these in.  I just check on them every now and then during our small groups and remind them to keep up with logging the books they read.

The genre code column is a good way to have students think about what genre the book they read belongs in, which keeps them thinking about each genre!  It also helps them see which genres they like best, since they will tend to gravitate to the same type of book and see that code pop up again and again on their Book Logs.

Here's an example of a Book Log that has been filled out:

My Book Logs are available for FREE in my TpT shop HERE, and I've made a few different versions, with titles that can be used for different reading program names:

My Reading Book Log

My Reader's Workshop Book Log

My Reading Group Book Log

My Daily 5 Book Log

My Take Home Book Log

Book Logs in Silver Scissors TpT

Fill free to use any and all that work for you!

Hey kids, help me name my babies!

I mentioned in my first post that I am pregnant with twins, which I mostly kept a secret from my students at the end of last year.  By the last day of school, a handful of my kiddos and their parents knew about the babies, so I think the news has spread a little over the summer break.  This week, I started teaching a summer camp up at my school, so I've gotten to see a bunch of my kids from last year.  Not only do they now know I am having a baby - make that two babies! - but I am also pretty obviously pregnant now, which seems to confirm it for any of the suspicious-but-not-quite-sure seven year olds I know.

When I see a student of mine, they inevitably give me an enthusiastic HELLO!! and then I see their eyes go straight to my belly.  I can hear their little minds thinking {is she really pregnant?!}  Some of them come right out and ask me, or even inquire, "So and so said you're having TWO babies?!?"  When I tell them it's true, their eyes get real wide.  So then they ask if they are boys or girls, I tell them one of each, and they always follow up with asking what I am going to name them.  I tell them I have no idea, and then ask if they have any name suggestions.  Oh boy do they ever.

Name suggestions from soon-to-be second graders always start with their own name.  Followed by the name of their brothers and/or sisters, and then the names of all their best friends.  Then I get their mom and dad's names.  Then we start getting really creative:

Jasmine, Belle, Aurora, and all the other favorite Disney princesses

Rachel and Finn (which I at first thought were some pretty solid name suggestions, until the girl added in that these are characters on Glee)

Bob for the boy (??)

Gabby (after Gabby Douglas of course)

Justin and Selena (seriously?!)

So you see where their ideas are coming from.  Not that I totally blame them for turning to their favorite celebrities (animated or not) for baby names.  I already told my husband that since we are having one of each, we can for sure use whatever name William and Kate come up with for His/Her Royal Highness...

Introducing..... Genre Response Sheets!

I started this blog not only to chronicle and share my teaching experiences, but also to help share what we do in our classroom with others.  Along with that, I have decided to try my hand at selling some products on Teachers Pay Teachers, and I have officially opened my shop for business!  Over the past year, I discovered how TpT was a great resource for my first grade team and early on I started thinking about trying my hand as a seller on the site.  Since my pre-teaching background is in Marketing and Design, I knew I could put together some fun and engaging activities for our kiddos, and I experimented with making some of my own materials last year.  Along with the awesome guidance and help from my team of veteran teachers, I started to learn more of what was needed to align with our state standards and how to make materials that were worthwhile for our students.  Now, I'm taking that show on the road and opening my shop!

Introducing.... Silver Scissors TpT Store

I posted my first product in my store last night and was beyond thrilled (and in disbelief) that someone has already downloaded it!  Woo!!  My first real share!  And here's the best part, the first item in my shop is TOTALLY FREE!  So I hope more will continue to find it, download it and put it to use in their classrooms this fall.

So what exactly is my inaugural item on TpT?  Genre Response Sheets.  These are record sheets that we use with our first graders right off that bat when school starts, and continue to use throughout the entire year.

As we introduce new literature genres to the students, we use these response sheets to help them capture and understand what makes up each genre.  Early on in the year, we complete these whole-class, usually with a clipboard on the floor, after having just read our book in that particular genre.  Over time, as the kiddos become more independent and understand the response sheets, they are able to complete them on their own.  Older students could do these on their own as well.  

When introducing each genre, we also use small posters to go over the different features of each one, and add the posters to the wall as we introduce them over time. (There are tons of great genre posters on TpT, search around!)  Sometimes, I'll even make an anchor chart to go over the features of a genre, so we can make it together.  These posters and anchor charts help the kids complete the response sheets on their own as well.  Once the sheets are finished and checked over, the students get them back and are able to add them to their Reader's Notebooks.  This way, they can always look back on them throughout the year when they need help determining or recalling what genre they are reading later on. Kiddos LOVE being able to collect their work in their notebooks, and really get excited when it's time to add a new response sheet into their genre collection.

Here's an example of how we introduce a genre and use the response sheet in our classroom.  After reading The Relatives Came, by Cynthia Rylant, aloud to the whole class, I will introduce the features of a realistic fiction book and we will fill out the corresponding response sheet together, talking about how The Relatives Came fits the Realistic Fiction genre (Have YOU ever had relatives come and stay at your house?  What was that like?)

My first graders may only be comfortable writing a phrase to start with in the first box, but over time they are pros at filling in a complete sentence and then adding a list of features in the second box.  For the example box, they can also write in the book we just read together, but once they start to understand how this works, they also like to add their own books that they have read before.  And then they wrap it up by rating if they like this genre or not, and include why or why not.

I've included response sheets for the following genres and book types:

Realistic Fiction

Traditional Literature

Informational

Historical Fiction

Biography

Autobiography

Fantasy

Poetry

Mystery

Science Fiction

Mythology

Fables

I also included a code for each genre on the top of these pages, which we use to list all the books we read in books logs in our Reader's Notebooks.  More on those to come soon! 

Try these out in your own room this fall, and let me know how you and your students like them!

Genre Response Sheets... FREE at Silver Scissors TpT

Welcome to Silver Scissors!

Hello Readers!  I am so glad you found Silver Scissors!

I am a teacher in my second year of teaching first grade.  I am an Associate Teacher, meaning I am the second teacher in the classroom, which is part of a great program my school offers for new teachers.  Last year was my first year in the classroom and I learned SO MUCH!  I am excited for the new year to start in August (it's coming too fast!!) so I can dive back in and continue to grow my experience in the classroom.  I am extremely lucky to work with an amazing lead teacher and a fantastic principal, both of who are incredible mentors for me.  Before starting in the classroom as a teacher last fall, I worked for six years at my current school in a marketing/fundraising/event planning position.  I always knew teaching was my true calling, which is why I finally took the plunge, went back to grad school, and started this new career/adventure.  I haven't looked back since!

On a more personal side, I have been married to my husband Mark for three years and we live in Dallas, Texas with our two labs, Maggie and Jordan, and our cat, Gus.  Everything is about to get a lot crazier in our house too, as I am currently five months pregnant with TWINS!!  Whoa!!  We will be welcoming a little boy and a little girl into our family some time in November.  So this fall will be a CRAZY time, but I can't wait to start this adventure.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you'll check back here soon.

xoxo
Amanda