bookbaskets

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bookbaskets
By Helen

Since our school is very in to Accelerated Reader, even on first grade level, I have colored plastic boxes and put books of that level in that box and when the child reads the book it is returned to that box..ex. We
use red for lowest levels, then blue and then yellow stickers, inside the book or on the sticker is the actaul AR level. Cover the stickers with clear packaging tape or the kids will peel or smudge them.
We are starting Cunningham's Four Block Reading Program this fall and she and Fountas and Pinnell suggest reading baskets to be circulated from grouping to groupin (of children).

These baskets should contain a mixture of genre, levels etc. because the children choose what they are going to read during their reading time and there is such a varied level of needs within a class.
Even if they a grouped by theme there should be a varied selection of levels and genra (factual/fiction/poetry etc.).
As a beginning first grade teacher, you might check out stacks of books from your local library or your school library to use in class...You might borrow some books from a kindergarten teacher (some that she uses later in the year), You might find another first grade teacher to rotate books with...You might go to your district office and find out what they did with discarded textbooks, sometimes they store them, and see if you can get some to tear apart and make 'SKINNY BOOKS". yOU MIGHT GO ONLINE and find some to print out. You might go to your Teacher Resource store and purchase some of the books of blackline masters for minibooks. Color and laminate some to put into your baskets..the kids could take home the ones they make. Go to EnchantedLearning.com and print off some of the rebus stories..I mount them into folders with brads and decorate the covers..my children love reading them and they are classics ,like the song THE ANTS GO MARCHING.
Sorry, did it again. Answered more than your question!! Please e-mail me if I can help. I will try not to be so wordy on here again.