At the same time, I was trying to plan some sort of take-home reading project for my students, in an ongoing attempt to to bridge the home-school gap. Thus, my "Sleepover With Snoopy" project was born! Each day I pick a different child at random to take Snoopy home for the night. The kids show him around the house, read him a story, and write in his travel journal (a binder with "story pages" inside). Then they dress him in his pawprint pajamas (also from Kohls) and go to bed.
This year, my mom was cleaning out a closet in the basement and she found my old Snoopy suitcase that I used for overnight visits at my grandmother's house. I had completely forgotten that it existed!!! It fits the toy and the journal perfectly!
When Snoopy comes to school the next day, the child who took him home gets to sit in the Author's Chair and read their journal entry. Here's a sample of one of the journal pages.
When I started this project, I had no idea how much the kids would enjoy it. They LOVE it. They spend all day wondering who will get Snoopy that night, and the next day they're filled with questions about Snoopy's adventures.
And I'll end with one of my favorite conversations this year, which happened to revolve around the Snoopy project. My little Drama Queen once spent an entire day speculating about who would get to take Snoopy home that night.
DQ: Miss M, am I taking Snoopy home tonight?
Me: Well, maybe.
DQ (excited): Maybe means yes!
Me: What? Where did you hear that?
DQ: My sister (6th grade) said that maybe means "yes" and I don't know means "no."
Later that day, I was getting ready to pick a name out of the box for Snoopy privileges. DQ was hopping around from foot to foot, waiting for her name to be called.
DQ: My heart's about to stop beeping! If I get him, I'm gonna cry into a million pieces!
Sadly, she did not get picked. But she took the news well.
DQ (hugging Snoopy tightly): I'll miss you, Snoopy! I'll never forget you in a million years!
Me: Okay time to let go of Snoopy. He'll come back tomorrow.
DQ (hopefully): I wish I could take him tomorrow.
Me: Maybe tomorrow.
DQ (perking up): Don't forget, maybe means "yes"!
5 comments:
How cute! I keep meaning to do this but I never get around to it.
I know the kids love it!
I do something similar to your Snoopy...We have a Build A Bear...its a bunny named Bunns...one child gets to take him home each weekend and journal what they did...they love it and cant wait till Friday to see who is next.
That is a great idea for first grade students! When I did my student teaching, I remember there was a third grade class that was mailing their Flat Stanley's to see where they wound up. I always wanted to do something like that with my third graders, but where I teach makes it hard to make it work.:(
I also do this with my year ones! I have an elephant called Edward and they take him home for the weekend and write in his journal. Such a great activity for reluctant writers. Don't really need to state that my class also LOVE it!
I have done something like this with a stuffed bear called Beary bear. I posted awhile back about it. They love it. He also gets to sit withe leader each day.
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