Friday, June 29, 2012

Special Person of the Week!

This post is going to share with you how I do the Special Person of the Week in my class.


Word Work

I always spend a significant amount of time talking about the Special Person's name. We make a list of all the things we notice about that person's name. We also compare their name to another classmate's name.


Used To
When I used to make the Special Person book, I would have the students each draw a picture of the Special Person.  The Special Person's name is written at the top, and then students would write a compliment, on the bottom. 

I would have lots of conversations about that person but when the students went to write their compliment they were all the same... I like you. You're nice
They struggled with writing compliments.

Now  


At Back to School Night, I give everyone a date of when their child is the Special Person. 


(letter to parents)

Each week, a child will be our “Special Person of the Week”. On Friday, your child will be given a questionnaire to complete and return to school on Monday. Along with the completed form, they will bring five photos of special times in their lives to be hung on the “Special Person” bulletin board. Parents or other family members can be guest readers during the child’s week. Guest readers will read a favorite book to the class at the start of the day. If this time does not work with your schedule, we can always find another time during the week.



I put a limit to how many pictures to send in because one year I was getting over forty pictures from families. You can find the questions and book template at the bottom of this post.
There is a second page with a few more questions
Making the Class Book

I have the Special Person sit in a chair, and we share their pictures. We then read all the questions and answers together. The group sits and listens. 

After, I call out each page and pass them out. Each child makes a page for the book.


I am always surprised that the students remember the answers. If they forget they, find the Special Person and ask.


Reflection

 It can be tricky for kindergarteners to figure out where to put the words on their page, but with repeated practice, they get it!  

I think this book is something that if a child were to read it years from now, they would have a book full of childhood memories. 

Students are so proud and excited to take home their books and READ them.
I have the Special Person draw their face in the box. 
At the top of the page,  I put the first letter of the Special Person M...is for Mary.

Extension

 I recently took a course on Thinking Maps. If you ever have the opportunity to take a course/class, I strongly recommend it.  I am going to add a Bubble Thinking Map about the Special Person. I think this will be a great way to help kindergarteners learn about adjectives in an appropriate way.



 If you come up with a question that I don't have on my list, I would love to hear from you.

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. What a great idea and "SPECIAL" to the kids! Amber ~ Kindergarten Rocks

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  2. That is so adorable! I love how you shared it on voicethread!

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  3. So sweet and creative. In first grade, I do something kind of similar but much less involved. We get through everyone pretty quickly within the first month of school. They do think it's awfully special when its their name that we study and celebrate.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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  4. Thanks for the suggestions. I would so love to find the time to add this into my routine. We already do the introduction, but not the writing. Food for thought. You mentioned Thinkin Maps. We use them. Did you get the book Drawing Your Thinking? I only found it by daydreaming during our presentation and reading the little tiny print in the credits! LOL! It's the Early Childhood version of the Thinking Maps suggestion book. IT IS AWESOME! Like, I mean use every single idea aweome ;o}

    Donna
    darryl40w@att.net

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  5. Donna You just made my day! I am going to go on line and find that book. The course I took was well taught. I left there thinking...I am going to be doing maps for everything!!

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  6. Thanks for everyone's wonderful comments! Melissa

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  7. What a wonderful way to celebrate our kids' individual personalities and promote diversity!

    Thanks for the great resources...I will definitely be doing this next year :)

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  8. After discovering your class blog, I used your questions at the end of my school year. Instead of having pre-printed pages I passed out the questions to my kids and they asked the star student their question. This worked great because they had to state person's name & then read the question. Star Student had to answer in a complete sentence. Question person then went & wrote "Mary's favorite food is pizza." With an illustration! Thanks for sharing your great idea, my student's loved getting their book!

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  9. Was the book called Draw Your Thinking by Marjann Ball?

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  10. Laura I love how you did had students ask the questions! Great idea. Yes the book was called Draw Your Thinking I found it from a seller on Amazon. At the workshop I went to recently, there were a few other books shared by the same publisher/thinking maps copyright. I didn't see this one so I am so excited to get it!!

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  11. Mrs. K I am so glad you will try this out in your class!

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  12. OMG this is Fabulous ! If I could throw glitter in blog land I would!!! I'm so stealing this idea!! Thanks for the inspiration!

    I'm your newest follower! I hope you'll check out my manly new kindergarten blog!

    Greg
    Www.kindergartensmorgasboard.blogspot.com

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  13. I can not get this to download and I LOVE it! Help!! Nicki@winger.com

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