The Best Part of Me

Title of Project: The Best Part of Me

What is the best part of you? What do you love about yourself?

What is a special feature that makes you unique? Why do you feel this way?

Schools and Teachers

Mount Sinai Elementary School Teacher: Malgorzata Seroczynska Co-Teachers: Allison Macholtz

ENL Proficiency Level | ENL Program | Standards | Technology

Transitioning, Expanding, Commanding | Stand-Alone, Integrated ENL/ELA | ELA 2W1, 2SL5, 2L3 | Book Creator

Assessments

Students will be assessed informally in reading, writing, speaking, and listening throughout all activities during this project. Before writing, the teacher will listen as students brainstorm with a partner. After completing a graphic organizer, students will use a checklist to help them check their work for punctuation, spelling, grammar, and capitalization. Students will also ask a friend to use the checklist to help them edit their work.

Student writing is assessed for the use of sentence variety, linking words, providing an introduction and concluding sentence, and descriptive vocabulary.

Description

Students are learning how to provide supporting reasons to explain their opinions. They will write a descriptive poem or a paragraph about their favorite part of the body. They will provide three reasons for their opinion on a graphic organizer. Together, they will create a collaborative book titled, “The Best Part of Me.” Finally, with teacher assistance, students will use Book Creator to insert photos, record their voices, and publish their work.

Content

I can state my opinion and provide three reasons to explain, “The Best Part of Me.”

Language

I can apply the conventions of writing.

I can use verbs and adjectives to provide supporting reasons for my opinion.

Technology

I can use digital tools such as Book Creator to publish my work.

Student work

Student with their hands forming the shape of a heart

The Best Part of Me Template filled out by student

Student work where they think their heart is the best part of them

Student work where they think their hands are the best part of them

Student work where they think their hair is the best part of them

Student work where they think their legs are the best part of them

Procedure

To spark student interest, a clip from Michael Jackson’s “Black and White” video is presented. The clip showed faces of people from diverse backgrounds. Students will then listen to the teacher read excerpts from the book: “The Best Part of Me” by Wendy Ewald. Based on this book, students will create their own collaborative book. Using the gradual release of responsibility model, the teacher will teach finding opinions and reasons. With a partner, students will read samples of other students' writing, and identify the reasons. Eventually, each student will choose their favorite body part. Then, they will provide three reasons to support their opinion and orally share that with their peers. Students will have sentence starters/stems to assist them. After that, students will complete a graphic organizer where they state their opinion, provide three reasons, and finish with restating their opinion. They will publish their work on paper, and take a photo of their work. Finally, with teacher assistance, students will publish their writing, insert photos, and record their voices in Book Creator.

Resources and Other Materials

Reflection

During the project, students were very engaged and motivated. They loved the final display of the project in the hallway and access to a QR code to listen to the book with their family. This project was a rewarding experience that boosted students’ self-esteem, and helped them strengthen their writing and speaking skills at the same time. Additionally, the feedback from other teachers was very encouraging. The school community was attracted and intrigued by the display, and it elicited questions and much positive commentary.

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