Meet Raider

Hey everyone! Hope the new year is going well. I've only been back to school a week and we've already done so much! I have so much to post over the next month and I can't wait for the big unveiling towards the end of the month of our Humans and Nature Project. 

It's going to be awesome! I'll have to post little sneak peaks here and there. :)

But for now... I wanted to introduce you to my classroom bear! This here is Raider. As you can see he's dressed in my school's uniform and sitting on a little yellow chair. Raider spends everyday learning with us. My students absolutely adore him. 

Given as a gift from my mom, he's modeled after a bear named Simon from when I was in first grade. 

My students alternate taking him home on weeknights and weekends. He travels in a little gray backpack with his own change of p.j's and his very own toothbrush. He has a little journal that travels everywhere with him too. My students record their adventures with him in the journal. They draw pictures of him at dinner with their families, watching movies, playing games. He's even been to a few amusement parks and one time he went on a skiing trip. He is a very well traveled bear. 

In class he reads with them during Read to Self and Read to Someone time. Sometimes he helps out with group work or comforts a kid when he or she is having a sad day. Sometimes he even goes to Recess, but most of the time he sits in his little chair reading or listening to what's going on in class. He's a very good little bear. Though... he has gotten in trouble a few times from the principal for being out of dress code. Sometimes Raider forgets to tuck in his shirt.

Raider is a perfect way to have a classroom pet with out the extra cost or maintenance. He's also a wonderful way to spark excitement and desire for writing and learning in class.  Every early elementary classroom needs a Raider.