Getting started with book clubs-made easy! Set routines that will ensure your book clubs will run smoothly through the year.
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown opens up a whole new world with themes of friendship, family, motherhood, nature vs. technology, bullying, helping others, and more. Dive deep into exploring these…
We are here to help you add some tools to your teacher toolkit in order to become effective at managing Book Clubs in your classroom.
Book clubs in first grade?! It may seem like a stretch, but the Spring is such a great time to get your students ready and used to reading, thinking about, and discussing books with their peers instead of me, the teacher! When done right, it can be such a fun learning experience for both […]
Book clubs in the classroom are a powerful tool for your students to gain independence and to understanding and engaging in literature!
We are here to help you add some tools to your teacher toolkit in order to become effective at managing Book Clubs in your classroom.
Literature Circles in the elementary classroom. How to do literature circles with 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.
An English teacher’s life is packed, and for the most part on top of that, we are doing more than just teaching English. For me, I’m the yearbook adviser, the graduation coordinator, senior class sponsor, member of the leadership committee, etc. I’m sure your situation is similar. So, when I can cut down on what […]
Getting started with book clubs-made easy! Set routines that will ensure your book clubs will run smoothly through the year.
Discussion questions, craft projects, enrichment activities, and refreshments to go with The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate This post is part of an ongoing Summer Reading for Kids series. Click HERE to find ideas for reading activities, reading lists, and reading incentives…and keep checking back for more! For the last few summers, my girls have enjoyed...
hold students accountable while they independently read with these easy to implement reading tips and tricks and strategies
Every school year is different. Different students, different needs, different plans. But one thing always remains constant: The need for engaging, SHORT novels. Maybe you're filling a shorter amount of time. Maybe you're dealing with short attention spans. Maybe you just need a quick read! Today I’m sharing 10 books your students will LOVE. These books are all 120 pages or less, making them an efficient read. BONUS: You'll also find 4 books that are 140 pages or less that I just couldn't leave off. Explore the list below of the BEST short novels for your school year. Let me know in the comments what I’ve missed and which are your favorites! Engaging Novels under 120 pages: 1. The Tiger Rising by: Kate DiCamillo Rob and Sistine's surprising discovery of a tiger gives them the courage to face past trauma. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 2. Frindle by: Andrew Clements Join Nick Allen as he sparks a language revolution by inventing a new word, 'frindle', and learns about the power of creativity in the process. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 3. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by: Louis Sachar Explore the eccentricities of Wayside School, a thirty-story building with a classroom on each floor, and encounter its quirky students and teachers. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 4. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by: Judy Blume Peter Hatcher navigates the challenges of sibling rivalry and growing up with his mischievous younger brother, Fudge. 5. My Father's Dragon by: Ruth Stiles Gannett A resourceful young boy named Elmer sets off on an adventure to rescue a baby dragon. 6. The Chocolate Touch by: Patrick Skene Catling A boy named John discovers the consequences of his insatiable love for chocolate when everything he touches turns into chocolate. 7. Sounder by: William H. Armstrong A young African American boy and his dog, Sounder, face hardship and injustice in the rural South as they strive to reunite their family. 8. Sarah Plain and Tall by: Patricia MacLachlan A widowed farmer and two children eagerly await the arrival of Sarah, a kind-hearted woman from Maine, as they hope she will become their new mother. 9. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by: Betty MacDonald Enter the whimsical world of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a magical woman who helps parents solve their children's misbehavior. 10. Fantastic Mr. Fox by: Roald Dahl Mr. Fox outsmarts three mean farmers who are determined to catch him and his family by relying on his cleverness and love for adventure. Engaging Novels under 140 pages: 11. Number the Stars by: Lois Lowry Two young Danish girls, Annemarie and Ellen, display bravery and resilience as they help Ellen escape the Nazis during World War II. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 12. Tuck Everlasting by: Natalie Babbit A young girl named Winnie Foster discovers the Tuck family's secret of immortality and must decide between eternal life and the natural cycle of life and death. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 13. Stuart Little by: E.B. White A small and adventurous mouse named Stuart Little embarks on a series of daring escapades in New York City, searching for his friend Margalo the bird. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< 14. Mr. Popper's Penguins by: Richard and Florence Atwater Mr. Popper's life takes a chaotic turn when he unexpectedly receives a penguin as a gift. >>View my read aloud companion for this title on Teachers Pay Teachers!<< Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics, or posts made in this blog.
Need a creative digital activity for students to apply skills from their novel? Let them create a "Book Quilt" to represent 9 literary elements seen in the text. Whether a whole class, book club, or independent novel, this project can be applied to any text! Each "quilt patch" focuses on a different literary skill, requiring students to use text evidence and critical thinking to represent the details in a meaningful way. When each "patch" is connected, the final product becomes a 2' square "quilt" that depicts essential text information. This activity can be assigned individually or divided amongst group members of a book club! A great assessment option, students can show what they know beyond just taking a test! What's Included In This Product? A printable PDF and Google Drive Version are included for differentiation! EDITABLE Directions: Modify the resource as needed for your students- explains the purpose, process, and requirements of the project EDITABLE Grading Rubric: Criteria for grading, including "Required Elements, Accuracy, Visual Appeal, Mechanics"- full rubric and mini-checklist styles EDITABLE Planning Chart: A graphic organizer for students to gather information and explain their ideas about the topics LOCKED Student Slides: For students to design and type without moving or changing the slides' layout or requirements! "Quilt" Layout Guide: In addition to labels on each square, a color-coded template is also provided! What Skills Are Included In The Project? Character Conflict Theme Setting Author's Style and more!
Whether you're a homeschool mom looking for a great book for your 5th grader or a classroom teacher trying to build a great library, finding texts that are engaging and a great fit for your readers can be tough. I've compiled this list of the best books for 5th graders to help save you time and give you a
Make this Family Dinner Book Club craft inspired by The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf. A fun and easy flower craft for kids.
Books become even better when you pair them with fun activities! See what we did to go along with this month's Monthly Crafting Giraffes Can't Dance Book Club selection! Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. This means if you click on a link and purchase something, I'll receive a small affiliate commission at no cost to you. Thanks so much for supporting my efforts with this blog! My bloggy pal Hilary over at Raising Fairies and Knights started a fun Monthly Crafting Book Club - a challenge to create activities to go along with some of the most beloved children's books. We had some great fun last year (see links at the end) and have continued the fun this year: January - Ladybug Girl Addition Bugs This month, we're focusing on one of our favorite books, Giraffes Can't Dance: In case you haven't read it, this little rhyming book is loads of fun. It's the touching tale of Gerald the Giraffe - who loves to dance, but sadly is about as graceful as a, well, giraffe. Gerald runs away from the jeering crowds at the annual Jungle Dance where he is comforted by a cricket and then discovers that anyone - even he - can dance with the right music. Gv and I have engaged in our own little dance-a-thons from the very beginning of her life, so I decided to incorporate a little fancy-feet fun into this month's book activity. I created this free printable for you to cut and slide into one of these useful little tools. If these goofy pictures don't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will! (Don't have a cool die like that? Glue the printable squares to a cardstock version of this.) You can spotlight whichever style of music you like for each side of the die, but I wanted to stick with those shared in the book, so I created a short playlist for each one to give you a few examples. Waltz Rock 'N Roll Tango Cha-Cha Reel Gerald's Style (play this variety of tunes or choose your own favorite style) Just roll the die, play a song from the appropriate music style and then boogie on down until the tunes taper off. Top-of-your-lungs singing is not an option! The next player rolls the die and everyone moves to that melody. ...or maybe the same player keeps taking a turn. Again. And again. And again. The game continues until the jams run out (feel free to find your own) or everyone's too pooped to polka anymore. If you have older kids, you could even look up a some videos of the dance steps of that style to try out. For the moment, Gv and I are just letting the music move us. We had so much fun getting physical with this favorite book, I just know this will be something we'll do together for a long time! I love coming up with book connections like these, how about you? I'd love to hear! Either leave a comment below or email me at lisahealy (at) outlook (dot) com. Also, if you don't want to miss a single minute of great tips like this and all the fun around here, be sure to sign up for free updates and then look forward to having each post delivered right to your inbox. Check out the other amazing crafts that my fellow bloggers came up with for this month. Come back next month and see what crafts and activities we come up with for the How Do Dinosaurs series of books. Join our Facebook Group HERE to participate. Want to see all the great book activities from last year? Just check these out: January - Animal Action Dice Game for the book Barnyard Dance February - Cause & Effect Box for If You Give a Moose a Muffin March - an alphabetical scavenger hunt for Dr. Seuss's ABC. April - handwashing fun to go along with The Piggy in the Puddle May - 5 Little Monkeys Fold 'Em Up for Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed June - pinecone princess & Cozy Sweater Warrior Paper Dolls for The Princess and the Pony July - lantern craft for Curious George Goes Camping August - mini backpacks & dress-a-doll fun for Froggy Goes to School September - pumpkin fun for It's Pumpkin Day, Mouse! October - monster shape-sort bags & other crafts for Have You Seen My Monster? November - cozy paper quilt for Bear Stays Up for Christmas December - snowflake activities for Millions of Snowflakes Linked up with: Favorite Things, Over the Moon, Share the Wealth Sunday, Dishing it & Digging it, What's for Dinner?, Family Joy Blog Link-Up, Literacy Musings Monday, Practical Mondays, Homeschool Nook Link Up, Happiness is Homemade, Merry Monday, Motivation Monday, What'd You Do This Weekend, Meet Up Monday, Totally Terrific Tuesday, Together on Tuesdays, Show Me Yours Linky, Tasty Tuesdays, Little Learning Link Up, Two Uses Tuesday, Hip Homeschool Hop, Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party Tuesday Talk, Wonderful Wednesday, A Little Bird Told Me, Everything Early Childhood, Creative Muster, Party in Your PJs,What to Read,I Am Pinnable, Christian Bloggers Link Up, This Is How We Roll, Creative Ways, Hearts for Home, Creative Exchange, 100 Happy Days, Try It Like It, No Rules Weekend Blog Party, Booknificent Thursdays, Thursday Favorite Things, I'm Lovin' It, Inspiration Spotlight, Home Matters, Pretty Pintastic Party, Weekend Potluck, Awesome Life Friday, Creative Collection, The Beautifully Creative Inspired , Bloggers Pit Stop, Weekend Traffic Jam, Pin Me Party, From the Archives, Family Fun Friday, Friday Frivolity, Bloggers Spotlight, Make My Saturday Sweet, Weekend Wind-Down Party,Friday Features Linky, Funtastic Friday , Best of the Weekend, Sweet Inspiration Link Party, Small Victories Sunday, You're Invited, Love to Learn Tuesdays
Bible games for teens are a good way to incorporate bible teachings into their life. Here is our list of the best Bible activities you may use for your teens.
We love connecting projects to books, and we're always inspired by the amazing group of bloggers who participate in the Virtual Book Club for Kids (you can also check the club out on Facebook) as the group comes up with some great extension activities each month. This month's author was Leo Lionni. We chose to read and do a project using a book we've really been enjoying lately, A Color of His Own. This is the sweet tale of a little chameleon who is looking for one color to stay all the time, but keeps running into that challenge that chameleons change color. In the end, he winds up finding a friend to always be with so they can at least always be the same color together. I've used this book in the past as a primary teacher. It's a great way to talk about friendship and also about what makes us each unique. My boys have been loving the simple tale and the colorful illustrations this spring. For our activity extension we decided to use cray-pas and watercolors. I love how colorful this art technique can be. I sketched several chameleon outlines onto white drawing paper using permanent marker. (I'm including a printable copy here in case you just want to print one out, or use the printable to trace onto thicker paper.) Afterwards the boys and I each colored in a chameleon using the cray-pas. Big Brother and I thought about ways to create different patterns. Little Brother focused on just coloring his in, using mostly one color. After we were done coloring, we watercolored on top of the cray-pas. The watercolor doesn't stick to the cray-pas, and fills all the white spaces around it. We all had different strategies for painting. When they were done I cut the three chameleons out and we hung them in our play room. I love how they are a set but each one unique. That's part of what can also make this project a great classroom activity, especially for the start of a school year. Or turn it into a fun family project, with each family member creating a chameleon to represent themselves. What Leo Lionni books does your family enjoy? Have you read this one yet? This post may also have been shared at some of these terrific link parties.
Liven up your next Socratic Seminar with these fun games and strategies to get students talking about ANY text!
hold students accountable while they independently read with these easy to implement reading tips and tricks and strategies
Even though Stuart Little was originally published many decades ago, this story of friendship, family, and adventure still captures the hearts of readers
This fun lesson was inspired by "The Dot" by Peter Reynolds, and is a perfect choice for celebrating "Dot Day"! Use this technique to make a series of quick and colorful, one-of-a-kind monoprint "dots". Then repaint your printing surface and make as many new designs as you like!
Haven't tried a book tasting with your students yet? This fun reading activity is an awesome way to introduce genres in your elementary classroom or library!
Here’s a cool resource if you have some lego-lovers in your house! Homegrown Learners has free downloadable plans to teach a 10-week Lego Class.
Grab a Free Printable Book Report Form to fill out after getting a free books from Sam's Club!
Simon and I recently finished reading Charlotte’s Web together (meaning I read a bit of it to him every night before bed). We both really enjoyed it. My older
Book reports and summaries are a thing of the past. Engage your middle and high school students with five book report alternatives that will leave them asking for more and, most importantly, building vital reading and analysis skills along the way. 1. Assign one pagers at the end of a novel. One pagers are engaging, allow for creativity, and lead to higher level thinking and analysis. Assigning a one pager is easy and works for any novel. Follow these simple guidelines: • Make it standards base
Invite kids to create art in the style of Leo Lionni to go along with the book Pezzettino.
Are you looking for relevant activities, engaging lessons plans, and project ideas for teaching Animal Farm, this post has you covered!
The world of third grade is a fascinating one. It's a phase where readers are blossoming, ready to delve deeper into literature's treasures. Their appetites for compelling narratives are growing, and they're on the brink of exploring more intricate plots and character dynamics. However, any educator,
These small, square books “explode” into a series of square and triangular pages when you open them. But… this lesson began as a mystery project! Before they even knew we were making books,…
Clever ideas for kids' book reports, from mint tins to cereal boxes to a Wanted poster.
The days of dioramas and book reports may be long gone. (Is it wrong that I’m a little sad about that?) Yet the expectation that students read and express their understanding of what they’ve read remains as strong as ever. So what’s a teacher to do? More specifically, what’s a creative teacher to do, when she doesn’t want to rely on worksheets? Get creative, of course! I’ve compiled 9 Fun Book Projects for you. They’re quick and easy to prepare, and best of all, they’re engaging – for both your students and you. No more slogging through piles of “Why I Liked This Book!” Take a look: Write a different ending -- What if the main character didn’t make it in the end? Or the dogs had lived? Or the culprit was the best friend? Your students’ imaginations can really wander with this assignment. Maybe their alternate ending will be even better than the original! Offer to let students draw their new ending as a bonus. Give a book talk --- Book talks are a wonderful way for students to demonstrate their understanding of books that they have read while practicing their writing and speaking skills. They're a great book project because they combine so many skills...and students love listening to one another. Oh, and the added bonus is that students can learn about books that they're interested in reading as they listen to the book talks. If you'd like to give them a try, then check out this FREE BOOK TALK GUIDE. It includes an overview of book talks, pre-write, final copy, and tips and tricks for presenting a book talk. Find it HERE. Write a sequel -- If you have the time, your students may want to extend their alternative endings into a whole second book (or at least a few pages or a chapter). After all, who hasn’t reached the end of a great read and wished for more? This will be a challenge, as students will have to build on the original plot lines and character outlines. Refer them to some famous book series for inspiration. Write a letter to the author -- Take a page from Beverly Cleary’s classic Dear Mr. Henshaw and have students write a thoughtful letter, with questions for the author of their current reading selection (or a favorite book). Most authors love to write (of course!) and appreciate opportunities to interact directly with their readers. Address letters (or e-mails) to the publisher, or see if the author has contact information on his or her website. It never hurts for students to practice their letter-writing and envelope-addressing skills, either – at least as long as snail mail is still around. Your students will be thrilled to get a response, too. Great news! I've put together three stationary templates that students can use when drafting their letters. They're a special FREEBIE just for you! Click here to check them out...and download them for free! Choose a response --- Here's an idea that students love...give them choices! It's amazing how giving students the ability to select the response or project that they would like to complete instantly increases their engagement. With that in mind, I created a series of "This or That" reading responses. Each This or That Reading Prompt includes instruction at the top of the worksheet and then 2 reading response choices for students to showcase their learning. After reviewing the choices, students can choose to do the "This" prompt or the "That" prompt. You can easily turn this into a book project by having students complete 5 (or so) different prompts while reading the book and submit them all as a final project when they finish reading the book. Learn more HERE. Set it to music -- Have your students capture a pivotal scene from the book in a song set to familiar music. It can be a ballad, a pop song, a rap – whatever speaks to them or best works with the scene. Encourage students who select this option to put on a concert. For students who are shy to perform, give them the option of recording their song privately, so you can play it without them having to get up in front of the class. Doodle it --- This is my FAVORITE type of book project! That's because it combines reflection, thinking and DOODLING! You can instantly take book reports and book projects to a whole new level with a Doodle Book Review! First, students complete a planning guide. Then, they design a Doodle Book Review! Check it out HERE! There's even this cinema-themed version that your students are sure to love. Find it HERE. Create a File Folder --- I first developed this book project idea many years ago as a summer reading project. Then, I altered it slightly so that it could be completed during anytime of the school year with any book. With this project, students compile critical information from the book they read including the plot, characters, setting, and a reflection in a manila file folder. The file folder book report includes detailed instructions so that students can complete it all independently. The end result is a compact project that students love! Oh, and you can store the file folders by your classroom library for students to reference when picking out a book! Find more details HERE. Blog about it -- If you have a classroom webpage, it can be fairly simple to create a live (and private) blog that students can use to discuss and debate the merits of their favorite books. This option might work best for students who have read the same book. Make sure you establish expectations for a civil online conversation. You can get in on the convo, too! Focusing on nonfiction in your classroom? Try one of these book report alternatives: Ø Create a scrapbook with images and facts about the book topic. Ø Write interview questions for the main character (if reading a biography, for example). Extend this assignment by allowing students to dress up as the character and record their responses to the interview questions. Ø Write a diary that one of the story’s main characters might have kept before, during, or after the book’s events. Make sure students emphasize what the character is thinking and feeling to give it an authentic feel. Ø Write a news story about the main event in the book (for example, the sinking of the Titanic). This is a good opportunity to practice this very specific form of writing. You’ll want to review inverted pyramid style and how to use quotes if you go this route. BONUS: Wait! I have one more idea. Here's a new spin on the classic book report mobile! Why not have students report out on the plot, setting, characters, and theme on fun pieces of paper clothing? Then students can hang their work from a hanger that says, "Try this book on for size!" This project includes a set of first draft materials and final copy elements so that students can create a high quality project! Here's some links for some of the project ideas above: ➧ File Folder Book Project (any book!) ➧ Doodle and Do Book Review (doodle book project) ➧ This or That Reading Response Prompts ➧ Book Talk (freebie) ➧ Letter to the Author Stationary Templates (FREE!) ➧ Clothes Hanger Book Report I hope that you've found some fun book project ideas to try in your classroom! Happy reading! Mary Beth
These small, square books “explode” into a series of square and triangular pages when you open them. But… this lesson began as a mystery project! Before they even knew we were making books,…
Check out more similar ideas on my website! http://www.teachbeyondthedesk.com/ Holes , by Louis Sachar, is one of my favorite young adult ...
