Class Books ...

As a beginning teacher, I am always in awe of other teachers who have built up fabulously stocked classroom libraries!   I try to add a book (sometimes 2 or more) each fortnight on payday, but by far the cheapest, easiest and most enjoyable additions to our classroom library are 'class books' that are compiled using my students' work.

We do a LOT of writing as part of the literacy program we are trialing this year.  Some of the writing we do, like our Action Super Hero writing pieces (from the Action Verb Unit by the Teacher Wife) has an end purpose and display format already chosen to fulfill different curriculum outcomes...

These are on display on the bulletin board outside our classroom, but I will compile them into a class book when I go back to school next week.

However, a lot of our writing is not always to this standard of visual presentation, but the actual content is full of amazing ideas, stories and thoughts that the students have enjoyed putting on paper.  Of course, they usually always draw an illustration to go with their writing!  I find that either getting my more capable Grade 2 students to type out the pieces of writing for the class, or doing it myself, and then pasting this onto the accompanying drawings, making a cover sheet and then binding them to add to our classroom library is always a HUGE hit with the students.  They just LOVE to choose a class book to read during silent reading.

Our most recent class book came about from a spontaneous writing exercise that we did on our last day of term.  We had read the fun book 'A Monster Wrote Me A Letter' by Nick Bland earlier that week and instead of my planned writing lesson, my kiddies wanted to design their own monsters and write about what they would do if a monster came to their door!  How could I refuse?  The result was some fantastic writing, some fabulous monster illustrations and a whole heap of fun!  No pics I am afraid as I left them in the classroom and have not been in over our two week break...sorry!  BUT here is the freebie cover sheet and writing template if anyone would like to download them.  Just click HERE.

Do you create class books?  What class books have you compiled for your classroom libraries?   

Thanks for stopping by!