We Are Thinking About........

We talk a lot about thinking in my classroom.

I love, love, love Tanny McGregor's Comprehension Connections and all her right-on-target ideas for teaching reading. If you haven't read the book, go buy, borrow, or steal a copy NOW! I truly believe it should be required reading for all literacy teachers.

My kids loved her lesson on metacognition using a salad bowl. They are proud they know a "college" word that many adults can't define. Because they know I really, really, really want them to think about their thinking, I can hear them saying  "metacognition" when they are talking to their partners in small groups.

To focus our thinking about different topics and skills, we have started posting our work on our classroom door. Look closely and you can see the kiddos' "thinking faces!"

I love that she has her tongue stuck out to the side like she is concentrating so hard!

These thinking samples were based on collective nouns.....a HARD concept for my second graders to get.

Have any of you done lessons based on McGregor's book? I'd love to hear your success stories.

Be sure to check back tomorrow. Several of my blogging friends are helping me celebrate reaching one thousand followers! You might win some great surprises!

And as an early surprise......

I'd like to thank Sarah Picone Hall for being my one hundredth Networked Blog follower!

Sarah, if you will contact me with your email address, I'd like to send you a $10.00 Amazon gift card!

As our kiddos say in our Morning Meeting.....

"Have a Terrific Thursday!"