Star Student Book

If you're looking for an extension of the fantastic Star Student/Star Name routine in a previous post, then read on! :)

After investigating a student's name, we then create a book with a page for each star student via shared or interactive writing.

1. We start this process by interviewing our Star Student. You might have the class decide upon some interview questions that they will ask the star student of the day (ex. What do you like to do? What is your favorite movie? What is your favorite New York City building? etc.) This interview allows the class to get to know the star student as well as allows the star student an opportunity to communicate something that he/she "likes." Students are encouraged to do attentive listening as they learn about their classmates.

2. After the "interview", you pull out the small chart paper (see below). When you first start this book the sentences will be very scaffolded to support your learner and you will do most of the writing. We like to create patterned texts similar to books at guided reading Level B.

3. As time progresses, you will keep the same language pattern on each page, but slowly allow the students to write in more words ( i.e. My, is, I ), their names and the sounds they hear in what they say that they like. We refer to the keywords and letters on the Alphabet Chart or Word Wall. You can share the marker and write in missing letters so that the word is written with conventional spelling

4. You might encourage them to label their pictures with as many sounds they hear. Some might be able to label the whole word. This reflects what is happening in their writing during Writing Workshop as this time.

Our Star Student presenting his page the community.

Here our star student is writing her name,
as well as "I" and what she likes.

Students are beginning to write more words in the sentences.

You can hang them proudly around the room.

When you have completed a page for every student, you can bind the pages together to create a class book, such as Our Star Student Book by Class K-247, to reread for shared reading or for students to read on their own.

*Then you might also type up a small version of the Star Student Book and make copies for students' book baggies.

This is a great routine for you and your classroom community. It really allows for practicing so many rich skills in an authentic and exciting way. These skills include, but are not limited to, phonemic awareness, concepts of print, letter-sound correspondence, letter formation, writing conventions (capital letters, spacing, end punctuation), etc. It also celebrates all of your learners, their unique names and special interests.

:) We hope you and your little stars enjoy this routine,

S&C