Polar Bear Nonfiction (then and now)

Worked half day today. One more day to go! Came home. Rain. Stayed home. Blogged :)

Back to 01/17/2012
Before we left for winter break we worked on creating our Polar Folders.
It was time to learn about Text Features and I wanted to make something they could refer back to at any given time in an easy way. I want it accessible. It is easier to open a file folder than trying to search inside a composition notebook.

I taught 13 text features. One a day. We learned a definition of the text feature, but more importantly, we talked about what we learned from each text feature. I wanted them not to ignore them! They do have so much to tell.

The kids picked their own nonfiction book, based on interest and reading level.
I taught a text feature. Students looked for that text feature in their book and using the booklet sheets they recorded what they learned from the text feature of the day (no pictures). It was so nice to see them make the connection between the text feature and their actual learning.

I created THIS for our Polar Folders. Text Features are something I will review once we get back, but the Polar Bear Edition was well received :)

I hope you love it!  All you need are file folders and THIS :)

Today 11/26/2013 

My class finished their Nonfiction Folders. This is what we did today:

I gave each table a set of post it notes to cover each definition of the text feature. They got busy positioning nicely and neatly :)  How can post-it notes make everything so much fun?!

We then made labels of each text feature using our scented markers. Yeap...lots of sniffing at that time :)

Tex Feature hunting and labeling to make sure we can identify all of the 13 text features.l We used books from our browsing boxes. 

Simple, fun, engaging, and full of learning. Ahhhh I love half days :)