More than Reading Blog

Guess what happens during Co-operative Show and Tell in Ms Squilley Squirrel’s Year One classroom at Bushland Primary School today.

Charlie Chipmunk brings a freshly-chewed apple core that he finds in the grass at the base of a red maple tree. Ms Squilley Squirrel doesn’t see anything interesting in a chewed up, old apple core. But it’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to Charlie Chipmunk this morning and he can’t wait to talk about it – and that’s all that matters.

Charlie Chipmunk and Doris Dove choose to share with each other. Often her students choose friends. Ms Squilley Squirrel doesn’t know why Charlie and Doris choose each other, they just go together. And that’s okay. Doris doesn’t bring anything – and that’s okay too – Doris talks about how she likes to sit on a telephone wire at sunrise and coo peacefully.

Black-eyed Susan and Black-eyed Sarah sway closer together, petal-to-petal, ready to talk and make black-eye contact. First thing this morning, Susan excitedly tells Ms Squilley Squirrel about a black and yellow bumble bee that visits her yesterday. And now, Susan can’t wait to tell Sarah about it .

Hetty House Finch and Chucky Chickadee get ready to turn to each other. Hetty is bursting to tweet about her close encounter with a red-tailed hawk and Chucky is excited about how he flew away fast and escaped the wrath of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at the bird feeder this morning.

Lucy, Larry and Lola Leaf make a group of three for their co-operative show and tell because, coincidentally, they all want to talk about their exciting falls to the ground.

Canada Geese waddle together and make a group of four. Glenda Goose asks Gloria Goose which way her family will fly as winter approaches. Gloria replies they’ll fly straight south. Gregory Goose chimes in that his family is going to Georgia then Gladys Goose adds that she is heading to Mexico with her cousins.

Woolly Bear, who rarely talks in front of the others, is happy to talk when the animals are in small groups. He talks to his friend Golden Woolly Bear about his favourite food, sedum leaves and to his surprise, he learns that Golden Woolly Bear loves sedum leaves too!

Some students finish co-operative show and tell. Charlie Chipmunk can’t wait to draw and write about the apple core he had shown Doris. He races to the flower pot and digs up his journal. Soon, everyone is drawing and writing in their journals. Ms Squilley Squirrel calls it Journal time.

But that’s another story…