Friday Journals

Each Friday my kinders write in a journal entry about something they have learned during the week. The kinders take the journal home to mom and dad. The parents write back to their children and I read some of the letters back on Monday of the new week. The kids LOVE hearing what mom and dad have to say. It cracks me up when I hear them respond with "AWE!!" when they hear another child's letter from home.

At the beginning of the year we started with just letter sounds. Now we have moved to creating sentences with sight words they know. They are allowed to use a word bank that I keep in my classroom. They also use a letter chart to help them remember letter sounds. You can grab one for free here.

Here are some pictures from this week's entries. I am in love with them. I think their little drawings are precious and I just had to share!

 

This one cracks me up...The pictures are sweet, but notice that Mary, Joseph, and the Angel all have sad faces.

Flat Stanley

Today I started the Flat Stanley Project with my kids today.

FYI: Flat Stanley is a children's book about a boy named Stanley that became flat when a bulletin board fell on top of him. Since Stanley is flat he is able to slide through thin spaces and fit in envelopes. Flat Stanley has traveled the world in an envelope to different countries, cities, schools, and families. Teachers use this book to create a learning experience for students. If Flat Stanley visits, you take pictures of your adventures and the place where you live. You write letters back describing Flat Stanley's experience with you.

I have a family that I am connected with that we are responding to their Flat Stanley letters. I think this is a neat project to help my students grow in their writing and literacy skills. They are loving the book as I read it to them.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234" caption="Cover of Flat Stanley (picture book edition)"][/caption]

We are planning on taking him on our picnic tomorrow. The kids had fun listing places that we could take Flat Stanley today!

Any teachers that have any Flat Stanley experience?

Any teachers or families that would like to respond to our Flat Stanley letters?

I really think that it would be cool to get connected with people all over the U.S. and the world. The students could really learn a lot.