Writing played an important role throughout "Tidepool Tresures." Students gained important literacy skills through authentic experiences in the field and investigation of the ocean, the tidepool, and their specific animals. Students wrote wonderings about the ocean and their animals, reflected on their field experiences, and engaged in the book writing process.
As students began their "all about" books, they learned that their audience was a wide range of people, including other students, parents, grandparents, adults at our school, visitors to the aquarium, and our buddies. Understanding that they had a large audience who would view their work, encouraged them to persevere and make multiple drafts if necessary.
As our tidepool wall came together, students strove to only put their best work on the wall, knowing their audience. They added labels, some took multiple drafts to get them just right, and their final draft of their scientific drawing.
As students began their "all about" books, they learned that their audience was a wide range of people, including other students, parents, grandparents, adults at our school, visitors to the aquarium, and our buddies. Understanding that they had a large audience who would view their work, encouraged them to persevere and make multiple drafts if necessary.
As our tidepool wall came together, students strove to only put their best work on the wall, knowing their audience. They added labels, some took multiple drafts to get them just right, and their final draft of their scientific drawing.
~ Check below to see some of the authentic writing we've done as a class. ~
Kindergarteners engaged in authentic writing throughout the project, writing wonderings, adding pages to their books as they learned about their animals, and developing ideas for the project together as a class. |
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Wonderings from our project launch in December, and reflections from our Birch Aquarium at Scripps visit on January 14, 2015 and Cardiff Tidepools visit on January 20, 2015. |
Kindergarteners paired up with their 4th grade buddies to research their animals. They asked, "How does my animal move?" "What does my animal eat?" "How does my animal protect itself?" "What are my animal's special features (adaptations)?" and "How does my animal eat?" After Kindergarteners worked with their buddies, they took their new ideas back to room 144 and wrote about their new findings. Each page in their all about books are crafted with care and perseverance. |
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Throughout the process of writing our "all about" books, students made sure their best work was in their books. Students used a rubric to assess their own writing, checking for color, detail, labels, and neat penmanship. |
Our tidepool mural acts as an interactive exhibition piece, and an indication of all our hard work. We added living and nonliving features of the tidepool, our final drafts of our animal drawings, the water cycle, and labels. |
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