It's an Epidemic!

If you haven't heard of Daily 5, then you should stop reading right now and research it and buy the book now!  On a serious note, it's one of the best investments I've ever made.  Students are engage in authentic reading and writing work.  There's a section of the Daily 5 wherein the kids get extra writing (outside of Writing Workshop), which we call "bonus writing."

The students can explore several different kinds of writing.  They can do postcards, stories, letters, lists (like grocery lists, etc.) and poetry.  I had not yet introduced poetry to my kiddos, thinking that it would best be served later in the year.  However, year after year, my kids usually take favorite poems and turn them into their own by changing a few words.

This year, thanks to a little girl in my class named Ivy and her burning desire to write, and to use her new found notebook, an EPIDEMIC started in my room.  She took one of her favorite poems, Color Cats, and started writing color cats, and color hats and kept going.  When Ivy shared, she got the kids so excited, that her friend, Alexys began writing about color bats...and the whole -at family had been investigated,  Then Ava introduced Color Horses.  And when that poem had been explored, Katie started in on our "I Love Colors" chant and turned it into I Love America.     They got hooked on the rhythms and the rhymes and began feverishly creating.

This is only the beginning, as Ivy exclaimed she is filling her entire notebook.  Good on her promise, it has been at every recess, including lunch recess.  I can't wait to see what she creates!

I love these kind of "epidemics" as my friend Tammy calls it.  Because the kids are loving words and language and, oh my goodness, are they learning?

I am enthralled....