Reading strategy - Inferring

Where is Spring?

This week we took down our winter art in order to hopefully chase winter away and usher in Spring! Here is a look at our Monthly book collection - Rabbits and an Easter theme. If you are looking for some fun reads, Dav Pilkey's books 'The Dumb Bunnies' are a real hit with boys (girls too). The 'Hopper' series by Marcus Pfister are a nice read with lovely pictures. Muncha, Muncha, Muncha by Candace Fleming is one of those books that little ones will make you read over and over!

However, I have snuck in some books which support our reading strategy - 'inference'! The series 'Knuffle Bunny' by Mo Willems is a great opportunity to talk to children about how to find clues to predict aspects of the story by looking at the picture.

We have talked a lot this week about how to 'infer'. We now know that there are 'text clues', 'picture clues' and we can 'use our own schema' to predict and explain what we have read. Here is an example of a group discussion where we read the text and had to determine what was happening. You can see our thinking and predictions.

Once children are able to infer text, they have a greater ability to comprehend what they have read. This is a higher level thinking strategy that is supported by such educational gurus as 'Debbie Miller' who wrote the book 'Reading with Meaning'. 

Spring Baskets

Here are a few of our Grade One Easter baskets...just waiting for the Easter bunny. 

The Grade Two children are making different baskets and are growing their own grass to go inside! Stay tuned as they are still working on them. Here is a sneak peak of the beginning stages. No grass yet...

Chocolate chip cookie recipe from the December blog post...

A few people have asked where to find the mini Hershey kisses. I have found them at quite a few local grocery stores. However, since you don't know what you are looking for, here is a picture of the package and a link to the original recipe post (for the worlds best chocolate chip cookies!)

p.s. I don't work for Hersheys or know anyone that does. Any chocolate chip works, I just happen to like these ones. In fact, I sometimes like them so much I fail to make the cookie and just eat them as is...sigh!