Seaford Harbor Elementary School students are becoming well versed in many different types of writing. Through writer’s workshop, they are exploring their creativity while honing their literacy and research skills.
Third graders in Danielle Persichilli’s class recently completed biography research projects. Students could pick anyone famous to research from the past or present and had to use at least three books to gather information. They also could search online and worked with librarian Jennifer Rosenberg to find credible sources though library databases.
Ms. Persichilli’s young authors learned how to take the information they gathered and write it in their own words. Each report needed to include the person’s background, such as when they were born and where they grew up, as well as accomplishments and challenges they faced in life. Students also had to identify which of the 16 Habits of Mind their subjects displayed, and include a quote.
When they were finished, it was time for a red carpet event. Students dressed up as the athletes, authors, entertainers and scientists they had researched and shared their PowerPoint presentations.
In Denise Baldassarre’s second grade class, students worked on realistic fiction books. They created original stories within the realm of possibility.
Second graders worked on the stories for several weeks, planning, writing, revising and illustrating their pieces before it was time to publish. Using Seesaw, they made videos reading their books aloud, which were then linked to QR codes. Students enjoyed sharing their stories with each other at a publishing party.
–Submitted by the Seaford School District
