Class Books, snow, freebies..

So much for sharing what I'm working on with writing on Wednesdays!  We have had quite a memorable winter, to say the very least.  And snow days for me mean---I get nothing done.  My kids keep me busy, or are sitting right on top of me doing things...  :(  (In fact, it's been really difficult to find things that will help you all, or inspire you because we haven't had consistency and are behind!  We haven't had our 100th Day yet, and it appears that our Valentine's Day party will be after President's Day!!!) :/

I wanted to share what I do in my classroom with class books.  By no means am I the creator of this!  We frequently, weekly/bi-weekly write to a prompt that I turn into a class book.  Sometimes it's more than a prompt and it's the kids writing "research" about different things we've done in other areas.  I bind them with a page in the back for parents to sign and write a positive comment to the class.  The students love sharing these books with their parents!  (Not to mention, it also gives parents a glimpse inside the classroom to see how their own child is doing!  Are they writing as much as the others?  Is their handwriting readable??)

Of course, my freebie is a little late to use this year, if you are one to want to do it BEFORE Valentine's Day, but it is something you can do afterwards.  I had my kids write what they thought "Love is in the air" means.  I LOVE their responses.  This one was all their writing--no rewriting.  I did underwrite a few words to help parents out.  Take a look at a few of their pages:

Click {HERE} to grab yourself the writing page and the book cover for "Love is in the air."

I also had my kids write to Mother Nature before we left on Wednesday, since the big nor'easter was heading our way.... and we might not see each other for 5 days...  Here's a few of their adorable responses! 

Click {HERE} to grab yourself a copy of the writing page and class book cover for Mother Nature.  (Mother Earth is also in there, since that's what I used first... It was a spur of the moment activity and what I had created for Earth Day last year!)

This is the parent sheet I put behind every book made, and I also have a copy of the note I send home with the first few books.  I send the books home in ziploc bags.  I tried big envelopes... laminated and not.  Neither lasted.  Ziplocs are cheap and easy!  And so far the books have held up just fine by going to all 20 homes!  {click on the pictures to download a copy for yourself!}

LAST-what I do with the books at the end of the year!  I disassemble the books and create books for each student to take home filled with all of their writing throughout the year.  It's a great keepsake.  If you read THIS post, there's a little bit of info about the covers I used at the end of the post.  (freebie too!)