Reader's Theater

The Kindergarteners have worked hard to prepare for their Reader's Theater.

In the beginning they chose their book; Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers. A collection of notes for living on Planet Earth. They identified the important things that Jeffers shares in his book and talked with a partner about what important things they would write.

We read the book again and again. They read their specific pages, projected their voices, and read with more and more expression.




This past week we continued to use Jeffers as a mentor, studying his craft as an author and an illustrator. The children drew earths in his style, noticing the humor in his illustrations and reflecting on past observations about his work; the shape and spacing of character eyes, expressive mouths, and tiny features.

We strung their earths together to create a garland for the day of their performance.

They then drew the same earth, but on a smaller scale. With the help of Ms. Shelley and her button-maker their smaller earths were turned into buttons. Their buttons provided wearable art for the day of their Reader's Theater!

The children wrote their notes for living on planet earth and glued them around a painting inspired by the front cover of Here We Are. Their powerful notes created a frame around the world.

On Friday, the children eagerly and bravely marched to the Library. They read beautifully. They invited their families to leave us notes and we read those notes later in the day. We talked about feelings of happiness, love, and peace. It felt like all of the work we have done learning about community came together. Reader's Theater was a celebration of reading, writing, art, kindness, friendship, and community. Thank you to all of our families for being part of this Kindergarten experience!

How do you feel following all of our work preparing for Reader's Theater?

Grace- I'm proud of the growth in Reagan and Maeve. Their reading is clear like a crystal.
Ava- I'm proud of Jack, he doesn't need any help reading his part and it is challenging.
Ana- We used to get stuck, but now we can even read the stuck words.
Will- I feel proud of me and everyone else.
Jack- I am feeling proud of Clayton and Evan, because of their drawings on their notes.
Thane- I feel proud of me, Clayton and Evan, because we have practiced a lot together!
Amelia- I feel proud of my button earth.
Dylan- I feel proud of myself, but also Ana, because her page is hard and she never gave up on it.
Maeve- I feel proud of my big earth on the garland.
Evan- I agree with Jack, I feel proud of our writing.
Sophie- It was hard to draw my button earth so, so tiny. I feel proud of my work.
Reagan- I feel proud of everyone and everything!
Alice- I am feeling proud of my button and my note for living on planet earth.


Our notes for living on planet earth;

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our earths;

 

 

A small collection of your notes for living on planet earth;