If you are looking for a way to celebrate friendships either at the beginning of the year or during your end of the year activities, this class project is just what you are looking for!

The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown is an ideal anchor text for teaching paragraph organization and developing ideas with young writers. Here are a few sample pages from the book to familiarize you with the format:

Introduce the Class Project:

1. Begin by sharing a read aloud of the book: (two SafeShare.tv links are provided in the event one ink is broken) SafeShare.tv links are free of ads and inappropriate content.
2. After several pages have been read, your students will begin to chime in with the narrator as the predictable closing sentence is read.
3. The last page of the book is perfect for introducing the writing prompt (“The important thing about YOU is that You are You”). Inform your students that they will be their own Important Book highlighting the unique strengths and character traits of their classmates.
4. Begin by explaining the process of the class project and final product…

The Daily Routine:

1. Together as a class, brainstorm the unique qualities of one student as you complete the idea web. Students complete their own copy.
2. Have your students turn to a partner and verbally “tell” their writing piece aloud. This will help them formulate their ideas prior to putting them down on paper. Encourage them to use time order words as they share their ideas with their partner.
3. Provide your students with the publishing paper for their writing prompt. Encourage them to use the same organization used by the author Margaret Wise Brown.
   NOTE:  The student who is “featured” for the day, does not have to complete the assignment.  Instead they may color their book cover.
4. Display the visual directions and writing sample on your smart board or at a center for your students to refer to as they complete the writing assignment:

Personalize it!

Here is the really fun part!  I have been having my students create this class book for nearly a decade now, but this year, I totally went all out and purchased super cute clip art that provides me with the opportunity to personalize the books to match the personalities of my students!

I designed book covers and matching writing pages so that my students could create a class book for EACH child in our “home away from home”.  Take a look here at a few of the book cover and matching writing pages that is included in a set of 38 EDITABLE templates:

I like to display the book covers in the classroom.  Once every student has a completed book, we assemble the pages and share!

If you are looking for a way to celebrate friendships either at the beginning of the year or during your end of the year activities, this class project is just what you are looking for! You can find The Important Book writing templates here:

Beginning or End of the Year Class Memory Book.

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