Must Read Mentor Text: The Important Book

 It's time for Must Read Mentor Texts with the cutest cuties Amanda & Stacia!

 The Important Book is a patterned text that I use at the beginning of the school year. I use this book for a variety of reasons:

 I love the simplicity of the text, the pattern format provides an easy framework for all students to follow and feel “safe” for one of their first writing assignments. I read the book as a model first so they see the pattern to follow to make our class book. My students get in pairs (this year they will be using my new Partner Picking Cards) and interview each other to learn more about their classmate. After talking and taking notes, they complete the template that follows The Important Book’s format.

This activity is perfect for building community and fostering those relationships right away. They have to find what they think is “important” about their classmate and highlight their partner in their writing. It makes everyone feel special!

 After completing the writing portion of the template, they illustrate a picture to represent what they highlighted as the “most important thing” about their partner. (I made the template with a space for a 4x6 photo in case some teachers prefer to take photographs of the partners). I compile all of my students’ work and make a class book. They take turns taking the book home and having their families sign the comment page. My students love bringing this book home which builds community outside our classroom as well!

 

 

These are student samples from our class book (6 years ago-before my templates).

The beauty of the simple text is that Margaret Wise Brown has carefully selected which details to include about a spoon or a flower and elaborates her writing, a great model for students.

This template is perfect to introduce organization and idea development for writing.
It will be a flash freebie today! Please leave feedback if you download-thanks in advance! :O)
Click here to download!

This book is also wonderful to use in the content areas as well! I've included a template to brainstorm for social studies and science as well. What a great way to sum up learning for a unit of study!
Make sure you check out all the wonderful mentor texts and ideas at Collaboration Cuties linky!