Author's Purpose, Poetry Ideas, Reader's Theater, and More

More ideas!

Shopping for the Author's Purpose

Okay, I guess you can tell by now that I am a big kid at heart.  Sometimes I wonder who has more fun.  It it the students or me?  The students really love this idea.  Using coupons, articles, and any other type of text you can find, have students shop for the author's purpose of the text.  Students have to "shop" for one item in which the author's purpose is to persuade, inform, etc. (you get the idea).  For extra measure, I have mini shopping carts, a toy cash register, and play money.

Reader's Theater Props

I have an admission to make, I always loved playing with fake food as a child!  Seeing pretend food at Michaels and Toys R Us is always so tempting to me.  By the time that I spotted realistic looking pretend bread at Dollar Tree, I had to buy it!  I keep a picnic basket full of pretend food for classroom simulations and readers theater.

Newspaper Poetry

A unit on poetry would not be complete without this literacy center idea.  For my poetry work station, I add clippings from newspapers.  Students have to create poetry using the clipped pieces.

Organization Ideas

Since I co-teach with students of a variety of levels, I have so many printable books.  Organizing the books in clear document covers and arranging them by grade level and topic helps.