It’s the end of the year and I have a secret.
Except I’m sharing it with all of you so it’s not exactly a secret.
It’s the end of the year and we are all END OF THE YEAR tired.
So here’s how I sneak in phonics and reading and fluency and oral language and FUN because even though it IS, in fact, the end of the year, WE STILL HAVE LEARNING TO DO.
Here we go:
I bring out my End of the Year plays. I pair up the kids (usually by ability level so I can differentiate the plays) and they sit together AND THEY READ.
They read their plays OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. And they’re only two pages. And they’re perfect for buddy reading or read to someone or whatever you want to call it when you pair up kids to read.
And when I say it’s time to clean up or go to recess, they groan. They complain. They don’t want to stop.
FOR REAL.
You think I’m making this up? I promise you I am not. My kids have been “rehearsing” partner plays SINCE THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL. And when I merely suggest the possibility of taking them away for the next round of centers to, you know, have something else in that spot instead, they FREAK OUT. Like, literally, FREAK OUT.
And I’ll say but we’ve had the same plays in that tub for two weeks, aren’t you sick of them?
And, just in case you don’t know their answer, I’ll tell you.
They are not.
Not at all.
Which means they are reading and re-reading and re-re-reading familiar text and working on their fluency and their expression and their phonics skills and their vocabulary and on and on the list goes.
And, meanwhile, I can get something done.
Like print names on envelopes for the upcoming awards assembly or put some books away or put my feet up on the desk and take a little nappy-poo.
OH, I KID! 🙂
Are there teachers around you performing a play for their parents? Or a musical? Or a talent show? Or showing a slideshow? Or having a Mother’s Day Tea?
And you’re like I just can’t, that’s just one more thing, how does she do it, I cannot, no, everyone stop, let’s just get to summer, please, for the love of my sanity and safety, everyone just stop!
Well, look.
Just look.
Pair your kids up, give them a play, make them rehearse (which, in all actuality, you don’t have to make them, they will BEG you to do it) and then invite the parents in on a Friday morning or a Wednesday afternoon or whenever you feel like it, and have your kids “perform” for them. You don’t need costumes. You don’t need tea. You don’t need a DVD or a flash drive. You have plays. And the parents will eat it all up. Even though there is nothing to eat because it’s not like you have time to go to the store to buy a box of cookies, that’s for sure.
Reader’s Theater. Cute kids reading. Funny plays. Ha ha, awwww, parents are videotaping, it’s just grand.
BAM.
Done.
Or have another class come watch you. I’m telling you – YOUR KIDS WILL WORK THEIR TAILS OFF if people are coming.
And all the while . . . they’ll be reading, and working on their expression, and their fluency and phonics, and oral language . . . wait, I feel like I’ve said this already . . .
By the way, if you don’t want to glue the plays to construction paper and then laminate them so that they look like folders because, once again, WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY NOW, well, don’t.
Print.
Staple in corner. Done.
Or.
Print Back to Back. Done.
Or.
Put into sheet protectors.
Because, if you’re like me, you have 31 students. And, people, that’s just ODD. It’s also WAAAAAY TOO MANY kids, but we’re not talking about class size here. So even if you have a nice even number of 20, someone might be absent.
And it’s not like YOU have time to partner up with a kid.
Because IT’S THE END OF THE YEAR, IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW.
So Three Character plays come in very handy.
Now you know my secret.
Which wasn’t a secret.
But shhh. Don’t tell anyone.
😉
Happy End of the Year!
Where do you find the plays? I tried clicking on what I thought was a link but it didn’t go anywhere. Thanks in advance.
Hi! Please click on any of the pictures or any of the words that are pink. 🙂 Thank you! 🙂 Or you can go to https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/A-Teeny-Tiny-Teacher and on the left hand side, you’ll see a list and you can click on Reader’s Theater. I hope that helps. Thank you!
I have the spring partner plays that I bring out after spring break each year, and yes, my students LOVE them!! I have them read them during Daily 5 and then they get to read them for the class later in the day when we have a few extra minutes. So much fun! They are really great for practicing fluency.
Awww! Yay! I love to hear that! 🙂
LOVE IT!!!
So I pulled out the Spring partner plays on Friday afternoon because it was not nice enough for an extra recess. We had already had MAP testing that day (20 kindergartens on i-pads at the same time- Yikes!). It was also free dress day and popcorn Friday-do I need to explain the madness anymore? I explained how to do the plays all dramatic like, just to keep the kids attention. I had one of my littles who LOVES cats do a play with me in front of the class. I was Dog and she was Cat of course. Well, the kids were sooo excited to do the plays, one little girl told me I was the best teacher ever and how she didn’t want to go to first grade. My room was literally humming with reading on a Friday afternoon! It was amazing. The kids groaned when I said it was pack up time! I told them not to worry, we will bring out the plays again next week. When I asked the kids what they liked about them, they told me which character they were and one little girl said she liked them because they were silly! Thank you for making such a great resource!