Book Baskets

Hello Everyone!
Happy Monday!  Just a very quick post today!  I've had a few e-mails about what my kids keep in their book baskets. First of all, we use our book baskets all day as we connect and integrate!  As soon as I define my kids' reading level, their book baskets (just from the dollar store) will have 5-6 books just under, right on and just above their independent reading level. We have an awesome leveled book area in our library, so I change those out once a week. From those books, the kids get to select whatever they want to take home to read for homework. These books are also used during our Daily 5 Read to Self and Read to Someone rotations.   Our Book Baskets also contain any mini books that the kids may have published.  By the end of the year they may have 12-15.  The kids looooove reading their own words!
Book Baskets also contain readers and writers thinking tools; A reading finger (just a rubber finger to help point to and focus on words and keep your place while reading), a pair of Word Watchers (just a cheap pair of glasses without the lenses), a Whispa Ma Phone (to listen to themselves read), a mini white board (just a mini cutting board from the dollar store), a bandana eraser, a whileboard marker,  a mini slinky (to stretch words),sticky notes and a pencil. 
the kids do a pretty good job of keeping up with all the thinking tools.  Some are labeled with numbers.
I do not give the kids all the tools at once. When I introduce stretching the words to hear all the sounds, I give them the slinky.  When I introduce using sticky notes while reading, I give them those. We practice using the reading fingers and Whispa Ma Phones so that they get all their fidgeting and exploring out of the way.

We keep our book baskets in our cubbies when not in use. 

Questions? Comments? Holler at me!! :)

Joyfully!

Nancy