School is back! Officially, my kids have returned to the classroom as of the moment I am writing this post. It is such a bittersweet feeling, especially after an interesting year of virtual then in-person school. Plus, we had such an amazing Summer! On the one hand, I am thankful for getting my time back to be fully dedicated to creating resources for all of you, but boy will I miss our long nights and adventures. And the extra time to reconnect with our own interests. Thinking about it made me recall a special craft I created a while ago for students during those first days of school or any time of the year, really. It is a great way to show students how important it is to be authentically themselves and celebrate all the things that make them special. I want to share the “I Am Special” Sunflower reading craft with you today and I have a great book suggestion to pair with it.
First, I want to share the book we read before creating our craft! The story, Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon, is a perfect read-aloud for reinforcing individuality in students. Especially in classrooms where lines can become blurred. In the story, Molly Lou Melon is a sweet little girl with lots of quirks that she knows makes her special, but a bully tries to break her. She won’t let them. The story discusses how it’s important to be yourself no matter what anyone may say. After the story, we reinforce that being unique and special is what makes our world a better place with the cutest sunflower reading craft.
You can reinforce this idea with a few books on kindness as well. Check out THIS post for a few suggestions!
Here’s a look at the final craft featuring the cutest little guy, if I do say so myself! Students will craft this beautiful sunflower, write their name in the middle, and on each petal, they will write a special trait about themselves that makes them special. On some of his petals, Israel has mentioned how funny he is, his love of writing, and that he is kind! I love to see what students come up with to describe their personalities. It’s also a great way for teachers to get to know them better. Encourage your students by letting them know that all of their quirks, interests, mannerisms, etc., make them who they are, which makes them special. There is no one like them, there is only one of each of us!
Here’s a look at how I displayed these sunflowers in the classroom. I wanted to make sure each student could see themselves up there. Best of all, I am sharing the template for this reading activity for FREE below!
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Sample a day of Rooted in Reading with these lesson plans and activities for Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar!
