Secret Gifts

I am a huge fan of Twitter and the opportunities it provides educators. A Professional Learning Network is essential to our growth (and sanity) and Twitter provides a wonderful platform to connect with other educators. This is a recent example of PLNPower in action.

Earlier this month I was participating in #TitleTalk and was intrigued by an idea shared by @Fifthgrade4ever. The conversation revolved around how we as educators share books with our students. Wouldn’t it be cool if..? YES! Yes, it would be cool.  

 

Three weeks ago I met with my students at Morning Meeting and we discussed what characteristics they felt made a good book. The following day students wrote a personal response in their dialogue journals about the components they most liked about the books they have read and examples of books read that fit the criteria. As we explored titles through read aloud, literature classes, and student book presentations the lists were refined. I enjoyed our critical examination of author craft, our personal connections to texts, and the rediscovery of our classroom library.

Last week I explained the “Secret Laurel” project (Laurel is our Librarian). We drew names of classmates and I challenged students to gather as much information they could about their secret reader. We practiced observing, asking good questions, and reflecting on peer’s past book reviews and reading logs. Throughout this process, my student explored our classroom library and generated a list of possible titles they could give their Secret Laurel as a vacation gift.

Over the last few days students conferred with classmates to decide what would make the perfect gift. I appreciated that students wanted to share a good title, that they were willing to collaborate, that they could keep this fun secret, and they could think of someone else’s likes and dislikes.

Books were wrapped with great enthusiasm and they were sent home to be unwrapped with family members. The feedback thus far from students and families has been positive and I enjoyed celebrating our books, our readers, and the PLN I am very fortunate to be a part of.