We need the bigger, better deal Every English teacher I know is looking for the bigger, better deal when it comes to assessing novels. We’ve moved WAY beyond the simple book report (I hope), and into the realm of critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis. In recent years I’ve tried the mandala (which you can read… Continue reading The Character Study One Pager- An Assessment for Any Novel
Independent reading is a great way to help students build a love of reading! These 5 strategies help hold students accountable!
ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,
Independent reading is a great way to help students build a love of reading! These 5 strategies help hold students accountable!
Using wordless shorts in language therapy gives you so many options and your clients will LOVE it! Links to the best wordless videos!
How to Easily Improve Your Child's Language Using Songs and Music. Today let’s talk about why music is a powerful tool in early intervention and how to use songs in speech therapy (and at home!) to improve your child's language.
So, I've been busy getting my beginning of the year science units together. I start the year off in science the same way I start everything else off--by teaching routines and expectations! We start science on the very first day of school! Day 1: What is Science? I ask the kids what they think "science" is and I record their answers on a chart paper. Be prepared for some pretty funny answers! Then I read What is Science by Rebecca Kai Dotlich. I love this book--it is colorful and fun and really gets kids thinking about science and the world in general! Then, with their minds buzzing with possiblities, we add more ideas to our list. Then I introduce our science notebooks. I tell the kids that these are very special notebooks that will help us ask questions about science; make predictions; record observations and data about investigations; and explain their thinking about what they have learned. I hand out the Science Notebook Expectations and we go over them one by one. Then I show the kids how to glue the expectations in their notebooks--focusing on how to turn one page at a time and how to use glue appropriately...
Creating adapted books is a lot of work. I found this wonderful website with over 400 free printable adapted books you can download. Read more...
I forget books, even the ones I like. It has to be special for me to remember, these are 10 of the most memorable books I've ever read.
In 2022 staat de verfilming van Daar waar de rivierkreeften zingen gepland. Lees hier alles wat we erover weten en bekijk onze samenvatting en recensie!
Ready for one of my favorite ways to teach students about writing, reading, creativity, and even kindness? It’s something that elementary teachers have known all along…it’s the picture book! The picture book is a powerful instructional tool that can work in any classroom…and I thought I’d share some examples of my favorites with you today. I’ve put the collection of books in a simple (and free) PDF with links that you can download by clicking this LINK. I’ve also paired each book with a ready-made unit that you can easily teach in your classroom too. Feel free to download the PDF at any time. In the meantime, let’s take a look at some of my favorite picture books for any classroom. First, I’m sharing a book that is great for the beginning of the year as you’re building a positive classroom community. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts taps into a child’s innate need to have what everyone else has. In this case, the main character longs for the “cool” shoes even though they are too expensive for his grandmother to purchase. After finding a pair that is much too small, the main character makes the ultimate sacrifice for a classmate. It’s a touching story that celebrates kindness and classmates…perfect for any time of year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are also wonderful examples of creativity. Since learning to be creative has shown to be one of the most powerful skills for helping students thrive in life, it’s important to celebrate creativity in the classroom. These two books do just that… Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is fairly simple at first glance. A box shape is turned into everything expect a box – a robot, a hot air balloon, even a rocket ship. It’s a fun example of “thinking outside of the box,” just imagine all the creative lessons you could do as an extension to this story. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The Three Pigs by David Wiesner is another example of creativity. This time students see how a traditional story can be flipped on its head and come to life with a little imagination. This book is the perfect springboard for lessons about thinking in new and creative ways. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Picture books are wonderful for adding a little humor and whimsy into the classroom. You can keep these two books on your shelf for a rainy day and pull them out when students can use a laugh. And…as a major bonus, humor produces psychological and physiological benefits that help students learn. One of my favorite funny books is The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak. While there are no pictures in the book, there are plenty of silly words and crazy sentences that you, the reader, must read out loud. Students love how “powerless” you become against the words Novak makes you say. You’ll all be laughing together with this book! (Click HERE to check out the book.) Another funny book filled with voice (and a sweet message) is Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea. Not only is the book funny as the goat laments about the new Unicorn in town, it’s also cleverly written. There’s a lesson in this book along with a few laughs. (Click HERE to check out the book.) What about using picture books to teach critical ELA skills? That’s a genius idea. For instance, if you’d like to teach theme, try The EmptyPot by Demi. It’s one of my favorite stories because the reader learns its themes of honesty and integrity along with the main character that shows up to a gardening challenge with an empty pot. Not only is it a great way to teach theme, it’s a lovely way to showcase important character traits too. (Click HERE to check out the book.) The next time you’re putting together a writing unit, have students begin by reading mentor texts in the form of pictures books. It’s a super engaging and quick way for students to learn about the critical elements of the genre. I always started my memoir writing unit with a review of several picture books like The Baby Sister by Tomie dePaola. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Want to each about figurative language? It’s easy with picture books. Send students on a figurative language hunt in a book like WhiteSnow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt. The story has a poetic quality as it tells about the first snowfall of the year. (Click HERE to check out the book.) Alright, I could go on for days…but I better stop right here. I just love how picture books are a powerful way to help students learn about critical ELA topics and build character. Remember, you can check out a list of all my favorites in this FREE download. Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope some picture books make an appearance in your classroom! See you soon! Mary Beth *This post contains affiliate links.
If you love playing Wordle, your kids will love Wordle Wiz! Click here to request your free copy of this word game! Character Read N Roll Paper Chain Connections Hot Spots for Reading Literary Mood Ring Literary Mood List Home Reading Log More Literacy Printables Paper Chain Connections Paper Chain Reading Responses Hot Spots for
Story sequencing cards help kids order story events as they retell the story. These free printable sequencing cards are a great tool to have on hand!
Picking books kids can't put down can be time consuming. Print this list of FUN TO READ printable 4th grade reading list!
Update: this unit study is no longer available for free. Okay guys, I'm excited to finally share our Vikings Unit Study with you! I've been talking about
As teachers, we hope that every book we put in the hands of our students is a great one, but some students prefer that great story to also be true. For these students, the story takes on greater meaning because it actually happened to a real person. Here's 10 high interest nonfiction titles that I've recently read and would recommend to secondary students.
The “Nightingale” author spoke to TODAY.com and shared her personal connection to the Vietnam War era.
Linking up AGAIN with Collaboration Cuties for their Must Read Mentor Text Linky. The topic again this week is mentor texts for back to school... Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook is a great text to use toward the beginning of school when teaching kids what it means to respect each others' personal space. When my kids brainstorm their classroom responsibilities (rules), keeping your hands to yourself is ALWAYS shared, so that is when I choose to use this text as a read aloud. Amazon Synopsis: Louis is back! And this time, he's learning all about personal space. Louis, a self-taught space expert is delighted to learn that his teacher has sent him to the principal's office to attend personal space camp. Eager to learn more about lunar landings, space suits, and other cosmic concepts, Louis soon discovers that he has much to learn about personal space right here on earth. When Louis is at Personal Space Camp, he is asked to sit inside of a hula hoop. The area inside the hula hoop represents a person's personal space. I bring in hula hoops so students can stand inside and actually have the same experience Louis did in the story. This is a creative read aloud and results in wonderful discussions with the kids... If you have not heard of Julia Cook's wonderful books, click here to check out Amazon's Julia Cook Page. If you have, you just might find a new one you like... :0) On to my fabulous stumbled upon finds... Well, as I as writing this post, and got online to find a cover image of Personal Space Camp, I stumbled upon an image that then led me to a Pinterest board with a focus on counseling bibliotherapy (by Dianne Loyd). This then led me to another text that I had never heard of and immediately caught my eye... Which led me to another book by Linda Kranz (and the plush fish)... Which led me to oodles of art projects and another AWESOME art site... There's a Dragon in My Art Room AND this wonderful art project to accompany Linda Kranz's books... Which made me want to see if Linda Kranz had a website... Which is where I found these FREE goodies to use with the kids... (also available for You Be You) Needless to say, these fabulous stumbled upon finds caused me to order both of the books and the plush fish. HOW HAVE I NEVER COME UPON THESE BOOKS BEFORE TODAY???? I am REALLY looking forward to using these inspiring books this fall and seeing my kids unique fish masterpieces! Fly on over to Collaboration Cuties to read about more back to school mentor texts... Wishing you a wonderful week!
Looking for some awesome books to enjoy this year? Check out our list of 30 books you should read in 2024 to find your next book!
When Breath Becomes Air, a memoir by Paul Kalanithi, about facing death and finding meaning.
It's that time again - the end of the school year! I've come up with a list of 37 end of the year activities that you can use in your own classroom to make those last days of school special and fun for you and your students. Click through to read all of the ideas - lots of links are included to more resources!
Interactive notebooks have been one of the biggest trends in education over the last few years, but are something I’ve never been able to buy into. I've
I've got a list of Free Printable Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum for your family! Free kindergarten language arts, copywork, and math!
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,
Helping your kids learn to read isn't difficult, expensive or scary. Read on to find out how i've taught my five kids to read. Includes resource links!
Are you looking for an easy way to create a classroom reading community while helping your students develop and sustain a rich reading life? Then the "Books We've Read Bulletin Board Display" is just what you need! I have compiled a list of my favorite picture and chapter books that I use as read alouds throughout the year and created an interactive classroom display to keep track of and celebrate the books that we've read throughout the school year. After reading a book to your class, simply add the book jacket to your display. Students will love seeing all of the books the class has read together throughout the school year. With this download, you will will receive: *Over 350 printable color book jackets *Instructions for adding more of your favorite book titles to the list *Bulletin Board Letters in various sizes that say "Books We've Read" (color and B/W) Book Themes Include: *Back to School *Fall *Halloween *Thanksgiving *Christmas *Winter *Black History Month *Women's History Month *Valentines Day *Spring *Testing Season *Last Days of School *Summer *Other Random Favorites
Hi friends! I wanted to share a fun little activity we did this week to go along with one of everyone's favorite Back to School read alouds! I've mentioned before how much I LOVE directed drawings.
Looking for a convenient and easy-to-use tool to keep track of the books you want to read and the ones you've already finished? Look no further than our Book Tracker & Reading List Spreadsheet for Google Sheets! The syncs and links between the tabs and the dashboard are all done for you which makes the reading list simple and easy to use even for people with no technical background. Contact us right away if you have any questions :) After you purchase: - For Excel, you will need either Office 2021 or later or a Microsoft Excel 365 subscription - To access the Excel file, you can download it directly from the email from Etsy. - For Google Sheets you will need a Free Google account - After payment, you will receive an email from Etsy containing the links to your files. - To access the Google Sheet document please click on your currency of choice in the PDF file. This will take you to a Google page where you can use the copy link button. 》TABS 1. Setup 2. Dashboard 3. Reading List 4. My Library 5. Series Tracker 6. Habit Tracker 》FEATURES - Easy setup - Reading Dashboard - Space to enter reading goals - Stats about your reading habits - Stats about your book collection - Comprehensive Reading List - Space to enter many details about each book - Dropdowns to categorize books - Sort function to organize book how you want them - 5 extra optional categories - Owned book collection - Number of books owned to books read - Space to enter book location - Series tracker - Series book stats - Book reading habit tracker ______________________________________________ 》NOTES - For Google Sheets, you will need Google Sheets and a basic understanding of how to use it. - For Excel, you will need either Office 2021 or later or a Microsoft Excel 365 subscription and a basic understanding of how to use it. - The spreadsheet looks and works better on a desktop/computer. ______________________________________________ 》IMPORTANT All designs are ©MyProductiveLifeCo. This item is for personal use and cannot be resold, redistributed, or used for any commercial purposes. ______________________________________________ 》THIS IS A DIGITAL PRODUCT / INSTANT DOWNLOAD Digital means its ready to download straight away after buying! No waiting, and no shipping fees. Purchase once and its yours forever! *No physical product will be shipped* ______________________________________________
Did you know you can get paid to read books aloud? If you love reading books, you can make money doing what you love. Here are 17 sites.
ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,
In her new memoir, 'Educated,' Tara Westover recounts how she left an isolated childhood behind to go to college and beyond. A 4-star review.
I've reviewed the best unit studies for homeschoolers so your family can learn all the subjects together while staying on one topic!
Read one (or more!) of these 15 favorite first day of school books to your students and kick off a great new school year!
Today I introduced the Listening Center as part of our Daily Five, I have two areas the children can listen to stories. The Listening...
If you're a therapist, here are the books every counsellor in private practice should read about both business and mindset.
Author Tricia Goyer shares Free Printables for Writing Your Novel. Do you want easy-to-use worksheets to help novel writing? Grab these!
Discover the thought-provoking novel Yellowface by RF Kuang that explores diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry.
