Innovations Day 3: Bad Ideas

Today is the third day of my five-day series on using innovations in your classroom during writing workshop. For today's post, I'm highlighting Never Take a Shark to the Dentist: (and Other Things Not to Do) by Judi Barrett, The Book of Bad Ideas by Laura Huliska Beith, and Greatest Homework Excuse Book Ever written by fourth grade students and published by Scholastic.

Today's innovations had to come in a set of three because I couldn't possibly choose just one. These are all great books to use for innovations because students LOVE to come up with silly ideas for naughty things not to do at school. It's fun for them to think of things like rollerblading down the hallways while singing show tunes (true story). For some of my most obedient students who have trouble coming up with bad ideas, I also allow students to choose to do books of good ideas too.

Just like the other innovations, we read the books together at our rocking chair meeting area. Some of the ideas in Never Take a Shark to the Dentist are actually quite clever and take some discussion. It's always fun for me to hear the echos of "Ahs!" as students slowly "get it" in a chain reaction. For example, one of the ideas is "Never go to the bank with a raccoon" and the illustration shows all the animals holding up their hands like they are in a stick-up as the raccoon enters the bank.


For today's publishing project, we make another foldable. I use four pieces of computer paper to give students lots of room to write. Instead of using the stapler, I teach students to make this no-staple bound book. It comes in handy for their other publishing projects during the year too. I promise it's easy to make, but hard to explain in words, so here's a quick video. No matter how you decide to publish these, you really should give this set of innovations a try... they are so much fun!

Be sure to check back for Day 4 of my Innovation Series. Don't forget we're working our way toward a $25 Amazon gift card giveaway for one randomly chosen follower if my blog reaches 250 followers by the end of this series on Sunday! In the meantime if you decide to purchase these books for your classroom, I'd love it if you used my link.