Common Core

Common Core! Have you heard these words yet? If not, I'm sure they are coming your way soon. Looks like about six states haven't adopted it yet. Our district is starting with just the Language Arts curriculum this year so we have spent a lot of time throwing out the old and creating lots of new. Exciting and stressful!!! This post starts the first of several that I'll be doing of new activities that follow the new curriculum. Even if you aren't following the Common Core, I hope you will find them useful for your class.

For the first few weeks of school we will be reading and discussing lots and lots of Alphabet themed books. While I already have several books that have an ABC theme (Dr. Seuss's ABC, Alphabet Under Construction, Eating the Alphabet) we also received a list of recommended texts which includes so many more. After we have read the ABC themed books, we will make a class ABC book on a theme that we will come up with together.

Here is my template for our class book. The students will write their alphabet letter in the small handwriting box. They will pick a word that starts with their letter and that follows the class theme to  write on the handwriting line. There is a space for them to illustrate and a spot for them to write a simple sentence using their word. 

Happy Planning!