Are You My Mother?

Every year I have my students write about their mothers.  Then we post all of the paragraphs and see if during Open House each mother can find the paragraph that describes her.  Some do.  Some don't.

Here are the steps I take for this lesson:
1)  Read the book Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman.  Discuss.  What made the bird's mother special?
2) Ask "What makes your mother special?"  Discuss what our mothers look like, like to do, are really good at, etc.  Sometimes students don't remember their mother's hair color or eye color or know their favorite color so I tell my students their homework is to find these things out.

The next day:
3) Students fill out a prewriting web for their mother.
4)  Students write a paragraph about their mother.  Their opening sentence can be "Are you my mother?"  I also have them use this for their final sentence.  I am sorry I don't have a closeup of the actual writing.  Here is a sample:  Are you my mother?  My mother has blonde hair and brown eyes.  She loves to wash dishes and does them every night.  My mother is a great reader.  I love it when she reads to me.  We go to the library once every week.  My mother is a wonderful cook. I love her spaghetti!  I love my mother and she loves me! Are you my mother?
5) Students write their names on a secret card that I staple in front of the writing.  Thsi way the moms can peek to see if they guessed correctly.

I post these paragraphs for Open House because all of our famiies come to that.  Moms are challendged to find the paragraph that describes them.  Pretty funny reading!

Love to all,
Camille