Learning Lessons with Molly Lou!

Hi all! Loooooong time, no update. I've got Sweeney Todd rehearsals pretty much every day of the week at this point. Free time is few and far between. As we get closer to the show opening, I'll share some pictures... It's gonna be pretty epic.

ANYWHO, I wanted to share some things we've been doing lately!

I'm sure many of you know my good friend Molly Lou Melon. She's a peach. Love her.

Anyways, my principal told me he was going to do a formal observation during reading. I do reading group, ten minute mini-lesson, reading group, ten minute mini-lesson, etc. So he said he'd come for one mini-lesson and one reading group. I read them Molly Lou Melon the day before then when he came, we focused on Common Core standard RL.1.2 (Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson). So, we went back through the story to try and figure out what Molly Lou learned about herself. I was getting "so-so" responses such as "she learned to stand tall and sing loud" and then out of the blue, one of my BOYS goes "she learned to believe in herself." *BOOM!* I could not have said it better myself. I love those moments when they REALLY bring it when you're being observed. After figuring out the lesson she learned, I really wanted to focus on details from the text that helped us realize what she learned...

Again, it was going well, then one of my little ladies said "the letter that Molly wrote to her Grandma at the end said 'you were right.'" *DING DING!*

This week in Reading Street we read Peter's Chair, which I LOVE. I wanted to take this skill and have the students review the story, looking for the lesson that Peter learned, as well as what details in the text lead them to realizing that. I had them work in pairs using a graphic organizer from this Common Core graphic organizer pack. If you don't already have it, get it. It's been a lifesaver. Lyndsey from A Year of Many Firsts, if you're reading, this pack is amazing.

I hope you're enjoying the sunshine wherever you are... It's a little chilly in PA right now, but sipping coffee with the heat on while seeing the sunshine is making me THINK it's almost summer. I'll take it.