Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman

I am working really, really hard on improving my reading and writing lessons.  I thought the best introduction to reading and writing is predicting, picture walks, and recall of the story.  I decided to use this wonderful book called Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman.

First, we used photocopied pictures from the book to predict what the story could be about.  We were set off into groups to work out what this story could possibly be about.  Then we did a picture walk of the book.  Then finally we read the book as a class.

Next day, as a class we reviewed what the Big Pumpkin was about.  As a class, we created the steps in the book below.

After, I had a student cut the flip paper into strips and we created a big book and each student drew a picture to go with each page.

Finally, the part I am so excited and proud of.  The biggest struggle with a four grade classroom is creating lessons to suite each child's need.  I think I really did it! (Proud teacher moment!)

Kindergarten Worksheet: where the students will read the story and go over the words I have provided for them.  Then draw pictures to go with the words.

Grade One: I had the students read the story over and match the word tiles to the pictures and then fill in the blanks.  

The Grade One's working hard on their writing.

Grade Two and Three: The Grade Two students had to retell the story using their own words.  The Grade Three students used the same pattern of the story however they created a story about the Big Apple instead of the Big Pumpkin.  They loved using new characters in their story and all of them really wanted to keep them a secret until we read them.

Happy Writing and Reading!  You can purchase these mini-booklets on TPT!