We have officially begun our Fiction unit for In2books. In2books is an online pen pal book club. The students will be reading from 5 different genres throughout the year and corresponding with their very own pen pals who are also reading the same books.
Our first theme of the year is on bullying. Bullying occurs in all schools, large or small. The students will read about realistic characters who have to deal with bullying firsthand. Throughout the unit, students will make connections with the stories and discuss their thoughts with other students about the issues of bullying in school.
The students have just received their books and began reading today. We had a brief discussion about the new characters and the plots of the books. It was tough for some of the students to put their books down when it was time to move on with the day. One student was seen even bringing her book with her to lunch! Several others had to be asked to put their books away during math time. I predict that for some of these students, this may be the first chapter book they complete on their own. The energy for reading is high and we are running with it!
What an insightful opening post! I know I should probably respond with a more thought-provoking comment, but I’m proud to be your first commenter:-)
I loved hearing about your students “getting hooked” on their books! Those of us adults who fall in love with books want to instill the same passion for reading in young folks, and it’s wonderful to see that your students are so thoroughly engaged with their books. I hope they will also be excited to get their email from their mentors and to respond to them. Authentic reading and writing resonate in powerful ways, if we just allow students the opportunity to do so. I wish you and your class much success.
(from a former high school language arts teacher who had students who had never read a book that they liked before entering my classroom)
Great job Mrs. Robertson! Thank you for your dedication to students and their learning.
Hey Ms. Robertson, I think the books are great. The story just got intersting. I can’t wait to get the other books.
Dear Mrs. Robertson’s Class,
I have enjoyed browsing your blog. I look forward to reading more of the students’ responses to In2Books in the future!
Anne Zeman
I think the books are great because we get to share it with other people.