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We have learned through several years of teaching and several classes on literacy that a print rich classroom is the "way to go". The past two years I have allowed my students to create their own alphabet for our room. We usually do this in February when they are becoming writers.
Materials:
- 26 pieces of 7inx7in white
paper (1 for each letter of the alphabet)
- 26 pieces of 9x12 construction paper (multi colored or same it is up to you)
- 26 pieces of 4x4in white paper
- 26 pieces of writing paper cut to size of sentence
Plan: Allow each child to choose a letter from the alphabet and choose
something that begins with that letter that they can draw. - Write the capital and lowercase letter on the 4x4 sheet. You may have to trace
over it with a marker.
- Allow students to illustrate the word they have chosen on the 7x7 paper. Make
sure they outline it so it can be seen on the wall.
- Help each student write a sentence about their illustration on the lined writing
paper. You may have to trace this with a marker also.
- Paste the letter at the top of the 9x12 paper--the illustration in the middle
and the sentence at the bottom. Replace your old alphabet with the students' new
alphabet. This project will take several days (possibly two weeks) to finish.
It will vary on how you choose to implement it.
* You can also do this at the beginning of the year and allow
the students to illustrate and dictate a word for you to write. The children will
love to see how well they can draw and write compared to the beginning of the
year. | 
