I just read a beautiful 2013 picture book by Aaron Becker. I was mesmerized by the intricate and amazing illustrations, the pop of red, and the story of imagination, adventure, bravery, kindness, friendship, and the concept of paying it forward. What a metaphor for the upcoming school year and what I want my classroom to be like! I'm ready for the journey, and I can't wait to share it with my students!
My room is ready for my students next week. The floors are shiny, the bookshelves organized, posters up, and walls ready for student work and anchor charts. I've chosen several different books to share over the years on the first day, but this year, this is the book. I want to share Becker's beautiful story and open up dialogue about what kind of journeys the kids want to experience this year. This conversation and thinking will become their first quick writes in their writing notebooks. I can't wait to hear and read what they want to accomplish!
Picture the journey...
I LOVE my Jon Klassen print above the Ivan shrine and the Platypus Police Squad poster of Readers' Rights from the nErDcampBC swag bag!
I'm excited to join the #Sharpschu Twitter Book Club in September to talk more about Journey! Who will join me? I'll be blogging more next week about what my students and I write on that first day about our school year journeys.
This is so cool, Holly. I love seeing how excited you are to start the school year with your kids; you must be a fantastic teacher! Let me know how it goes with Journey. When I've read it to kids older than 7, they really see the whole picture; they pick up things that I figured only adults would get both in the images and the story itself.
ReplyDeleteAaron, I'm honored that you stopped by my blog and read this post! I know my students will love it. I'll let you know what they write after they hear it. :-)
DeleteHolly--Your room looks so inviting! I love the idea of using the book Journey to kick off the year. I really wish I bought it at JB the other night. I'll have to pick it up soon! Here's to a great year!!
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