Kelly @ First Grade Fairytales

Throwback Thursday - Pigeon Sentences!


Cara Carroll is an absolute genius with her weekly Throwback Thursday!


I have so loved reading all the posts that I've missed along the way. Since I haven't been blogging as long as others, I have let Pinterest guide my throwback... this is one of the most popular pins & I thought I' share it again :)

This original post is from November 28, 2012, and was posted right before the BIG LOTTO drawing of $550 million dollars. Remember when everyone was running out buying up tickets? Apparently, I was caught up in the madness, too..haha. Just wanted to give you some context for my rantings :)

So...here goes... Pigeon Sentences with Mo Willems...

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THROWBACK THURSDAY
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Did someone say $550 MILLION DOLLARS??!! Wow! My brain can't even comprehend what that kind of rich would be like, but like 99% of the US, I have bought my tickets & am patiently awaiting the number draw tonight. A few of us went in together at school, so maybe that will increase the odds. I think the heading " First Grade Teachers Hit the Lotto" has a great ring to it !! :)

Anyway, beyond the daydreams of wealth, this Common Core change is something I'm really trying to wrap my brain around. There are some standards that are so much more appropriate, and then there are others that I can't, for the life of me, figure out who decided first graders needed to master.

For example.... 4 types of sentences. Now, don't get me wrong, we've focused on asking, telling, and exclaiming sentences for YEARS, but never have I been expected to teach my kids the words "interrogative, declarative, explanatory, and imperative". I know vocabulary is super important, but just getting my firsties to master the structure of a sentence or tell me what makes a complete sentence has sometimes left me pulling my hair out!! Anyway, after trying to figure out how to teach this fantastic skill to my little ones, I came up with this . . . and I have to say, it's gone great! :)

This week, we have been reading the "Don't Let the Pigeon...." books to focus on the different types of sentences. We made this anchor chart while we read the books:
OH NO! I just realized the Imperative sentence has a ? mark on it. WHOOPS! Guess I will be fixing that FIRST thing in the morning! Now I'm embarrassed :/
We have chanted "Declarative Tells, Explanatory Yells, Interrogative Asks, and Imperative Commands!" about 4 GAZILLION times & I'm just hoping it sticks.
Each day, we've read one of the books & located each type of sentence in the text. In the kids' reading journals, they had to write an example of each type of sentence.
Then, today, we made pigeons!



After making the pigeons, I divided the kids into 4 groups - one for each type of sentence.

Then, each group member got a speech bubble labeled with their type of sentence. They had to create a sentence that matched the type to go with their pigeon.




After that, we cut out our bubbles, shared with the class, and displayed them in the hallway :)
(please excuse the broom - my classroom is the last one on the hallways...and sometimes becomes the stopping point for brooms, trash cans, floor buffers, etc.... It's okay, we like our little hideaway! )




The best part is . . . they actually GOT IT!! Woo hoo! Now, fingers crossed, they still get it tomorrow :)
We completed the activity as a whole first grade team & everyone had success with it, so I wanted to share with you. HERE is Pattern #1 ...... and HERE is Pattern #2
Warning: They're just hand drawn & nothing fancy, but you're more than welcome to them! I just ran them on light blue construction paper & had the kids make their own beaks and legs. :)
For those of you who are playing the lottery....good luck tonight ! Can you imagine what you would do with $550 MILLION DOLLARS??!!?! Wowzers! Makes for some good daydreaming, if nothing else :)
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Hope you enjoyed today's post. Head over to Cara's The First Grade Parade & link up with your "oldie but goodie" so we can all see !

Have a wonderful Thursday :)



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