We Read it Wednesday: In My Heart - A Book of Feelings

We Read it Wednesday...well not really.

So, obviously I did not read this in my 2nd grade classroom today.  ;)  However, I did share this with my amazing group of educators we are working with in this year's Summer Literacy Institute (SLI) for Illinois Writing Project (IWP).  Lots of acronyms.  ;)  Check out out on Twitter!  #IWPsli15
We have a few tweeters, so there is some pretty good stuff on there.  :)

I am so excited to share this book with my team, as well as my adorable upcoming 2nd graders in the fall.  This is the perfect mentor text for brainstorming about topics/ideas that they want to write about.  The author, Jo Witek, does an outstanding job of showing students that our hearts feel all different things at all different times, and that is ok.  Witek gives new vocabulary to new students with feelings such as:  delicate, fragile, twirl, frighten, bob, calm, etc.  I attached the Amazon link to the pic to the left, but I found mine at Target.  I snagged the last copy!  #gottalovetarget




Witek writes,

Sometimes my heart feels like a big yellow star, shiny and bright.
I smile from ear to ear and twirl around so fast,
I feel as if I could take off into the sky.
This is when my heart is happy.

Students will all know times they felt happy, and this mentor text will allow them to remember times they felt this way and will give them ideas to write about.

Witek also writes,

Some days my heart feels as heavy as an elephant.
There's a dark cloud over my head, and tears fall like rain.
This is when my heart is sad.

 All students can remember a time they felt sad.  These are also topics they might want to write about.


So, do you have a mentor text you would like to share?!?!  I love picture books, and I love finding classroom application even more.  :)  I am working on compiling a book on mentor texts for all aspects of literacy!  :)  Please contact me at teachingwithsmiles@gmail.com if you have some ideas!!