A HUGE collection of back to school free resources just for school librarians! These free resources can help make the transition back just a bit easier!
The 2016 Summer Olympics are just around the corner! And so of course this presents the perfect opportunity for a book display (I do enjoy creating book displays—see all of them here). Anyway, this idea was pretty straightforward and it's awesome because it's really versatile, too: you can highlight any award winning books. I, of course, like the children's book awards. For instance, all of the Newbery's that you see in the collage above. Or Caldecotts... But really, you could do whatever you like. I made a simple, free printable poster for the display. You can download the 8.5x11 .pdf from Google Drive. OR if you want to be more creative, you could also just download the medal (click on the image) by itself and make your own fantastic be-ribboned display of awesomeness... Okay, so maybe I have too much fun doing odd little bits of graphic design. But hey! I love me some gold (and silver) medal books... ...and my baby, too!
A HUGE collection of back to school free resources just for school librarians! These free resources can help make the transition back just a bit easier!
In 2016 I wrote a blog post about 10 Techie Themed Read Aloud Books and my list keeps growing! I wanted to compile all of the elementary picture books arranged by topic in one area. Let me know if you have any recommendations we can add to this list! **All links are Amazon affiliate links** Also be sure to check out my post: 5 Reasons to Use Technology Themed Picture Books to Help Reinforce Digital Citizenship. *If you are unable to view the Amazon widgets below, try installing an Ad Blocker extension.* Responsible Use of Technology Online Safety Reliable Sources Digital Footprint Cyberbullying Screen Time/Technology Addiction/Unplugging Coding/Programming 3D Printing Drones Email Etiquette Other Books with "Techie" Themes Thank you to the following educators for introducing me to some of these titles: Mrs. Haglin Sandy Liptak Jennifer Elizabeth Mary Ledford Kim Field Renuka Senaratne Calandra Jackson Renuka Senaratne Eat Pray Travel Teach Ramona Recommends Storymamas Follow me on Pinterest to get more techie ideas:
A HUGE collection of back to school free resources just for school librarians! These free resources can help make the transition back just a bit easier!
Do your high school students struggle to find books they can’t put down? Here are 31 student-approved books to read for high school that won’t disappoint!
This must have list of children's books about community and building community includes a printable list of books to take to the library.
The best Usborne homeschool books that are actually worth buying for your homeschool library - to grab before Usborne discontinues them.
To kick off Children's Book Week, I'm offering up Caldecott Children's Book Awards Winners of the 21st Century plus naming our favorites!
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I'm feeling pretty festive today (or maybe I'm just craving tacos...) so I thought I'd share some of my favorite Spanish picture books. Or really, to be more specific, the Spanish bilingual books and Mexican culture stories I enjoyed using my Head Start Preschool storytimes (you can see a couple highlighted bilingual storytimes I did here). So here are my top eleven! Plus some more, because I always seem to think of other random titles here and there in my descriptions. There are, of course, many more awesome bilingual books, so if you have a favorite, don't forget to share them in the comments below! Cinco De Mouse-O Written by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler Holiday House (January 1, 2011) 978-0823423286 ¡Que felicidad! It’s Cinco de Mayo, and Mouse follows his nose to the festival, where musicians play, dancers stomp, and delicious treats abound. This one would be most appropriate for today, of course! Mouse gets to enjoy a proper fiesta (although he should beware the cat) and even tasted some candy. Another awesome Mexican holiday book I enjoyed is The Dead Family Diaz, which celebrates the Day of the Dead. Chicks and Salsa Written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Paulette Bogan Bloomsbury (October 7, 2005) 978-1599900995 The chickens are very tired of their chicken feed. Luckily, the farmer's wife has been watching some cooking shows and Rooster knows just what to do. This celebration of Mexican food (mmm, guacamole) is pretty silly, but still lots of fun. It's also very similar to another play-on-food-words, Mice and Beans, by Pam Munoz Ryan, which is another great Mexican culture story. Señorita Gordita Written by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Will Terry Alber Whitman & Co (March 1, 2012) 978-0807573020 A little corn cake has escaped from the frying pan that cooked her and is on the run! Yep, a Spanish version of The Gingerbread Man. It has a lot of Spanish vocabulary (all the animals she's running from) and is a total hit with the kids! Well, until the very end... This author/illustrator team actually has a lot of awesome southwestern-flair retellings that are sure to please, such as Armidilly Chili, and There Once Was a Cowpoke Who Swallowed an Ant. Don Quixote: A BabyLit Spanish Language Primer Written by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Alison Oliver Gibbs Smith (April 1, 2015) 978-1423638759 So no, this isn't a Mexican cultural book, but it does involve classic literature (albeit, from Spain) and learning Spanish. Plus the illustrations are so cute and it's aimed for those youngest of readers, so yes, I'm including this one. This is a cute one to share with tots and babies. My Family Adventure (Sofia Martinez) Written by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Kim Smith Picture Window Books (February 1, 2015) 978-1479557905 Great for beginning readers, Sofia Martinez is a fun and spunky character dealing with all sorts of family drama (it is hard to be the youngest, you know). The story also has a good amount of Spanish vocabulary—any Spanish words that Sofia and her family use are highlighted and there's an index in the back with the translation. There's also other helpful hints and activities at the end, too. Be sure to check out all the books in the Sofia Martinez series. Mañana, Iguana! Written by Ann Whitford Paul and illustrated by Ethan Long Holiday House (September 1, 2004) 978-0823418084 A classic! Iguana is planning a fiesta. Tortuga the tortoise, Gonejo the rabbit, and Gulebra the snake all want to come. But do they want to help Iguana deliver invitations or stuff the pinata or cook the food? No, no, and no! A lazy trio loses out in this Mexican retelling of the Little Red Hen. Again, be sure to check out more from this author/illustrator duo, such as Fiesta Fiasco and Tortuga in Trouble (a Little Red Riding Hood retelling). Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh Henry N. Abrams (March 1, 2010) 978-0810938724 This is the story of two cousins, one in America and one in Mexico, and how their daily lives are different yet similar. The text is quite beautiful, with a good sprinkling of Spanish vocabulary. It's a perfect introduction to Mexican culture. Gazpacho for Nacho Written by Tracey C. Kyle, illustrated by Carolina Farías Two Lions (January 14, 2014) 978-1477817278 Okay, yes, I have a thing for food, especially Mexican food. Yes, a lot of these books have to do with food. Sorry, not sorry. This one is really cute, though, so I have to share it. The beautifully rhyming text (yes, English and Spanish words both) tell a perfectly relatable story about a picky eater. It's sure to be loved by all ages. P is for Pinata: A Mexico Alphabet Written by Tony Johnston, illustrated by John Parra Sleeping Bear (September 23, 2008) 978-1585361441 The Discover the World Alphabet series is a favorite of mine. This book has little poetic phrases for each letter of the alphabet, introducing different topics about Mexico. What's even better is the good amount of factual text included to support each topic. This is a good nonfiction choice to share with kids. Fire! ¡Fuego! Brave Bomberos Written by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Dan Santat Bloomsbury (April 24, 2012) 978-1599904610 Firefighters are super brave and this book shows what a day in the life may look like for these heroes—with a healthy dose of Spanish included! Yes, this really isn't a Mexican cultural story, but I do so love Dan Santat's work. And plus, the rhyming, simple text is awesome—good for beginning readers/ Plus, there's an index at the end that explains the many Spanish words. Buenas Noches, Luna Written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd HarperCollins Español (April 11, 2006) 978-0064434164 This book is more of a tag on to remind you that many classic children's books have been translated into Spanish, making for a great opportunity for kids to learn the language. Do they have a favorite they've practically memorized? Get them the Spanish translation! ....... Do you have a favorite Spanish bilingual or Mexican heritage picture book? Share them in the comments below?
Welcome to The HomeScholar’s high school reading list for college-bound students! The following selection of books are drawn from a variety of different reading lists, and represent the books that we at The HomeScholar are both familiar with and feel comfortable recommending to college-bound students. It’s not possible (or even desirable!) for any student to read all the books on every high school reading list, and not every book will be appropriate for every child.
Today’s Wednesday, and that means it’s one day closer to being break for me. And for the rest of you, only three more days ’til the weekend! Today’s post offers you another …
Bring STEM to your classroom with this hand picked list of STEM Kindergarten Books! They are great for science in the classroom and nonfiction unit study.
Picture Books in Middle School | Using picture books in your classroom can engage reluctant readers, help introduce a lesson, and build community. Check out tips & resources for using picture books in middle school from The Hanson Hallway at The Secondary English Coffee Shop.
20 favorite read aloud books to help develop your classroom community.
A month by month guide of chapter book read-alouds for 2nd grade. Includes a printable book list.
Ever since one of my students brought in a tomato horn worm, my kiddos have been begging to do "Research" as one of their Daily 5 Choices. I love the idea that they are self-directing their learning and that they are seeking out informational non-fiction text (you know, one of those biggies in the New Common Core Standards). But... (and this is a big But) I am finding that a lot of my kiddos really love watching videos about their topic of choice. I am really ok with this, but these are some of the same kiddos who really need to work on their comprehension and writing skills. Luckily I stumbled across this 3-2-1 Reading Strategy Sheet from Teaching With Love and Laughter! I printed a ton of these off and have placed them next to my computer station for them to complete when they conduct their research. A win win for both teacher and student! I will probably also use this for reading informational text later on in the year as well.
Grab this AMAZING printable list of informational nonfiction books for preschoolers.
The best preschool books for 3-5 year olds that have flown under the radar. These are essential preschool books for your classroom or home library
Find good books for your middle school students who are reluctant readers, maybe even struggling readers, books that are motivating, some at lower levels.
This post will help upper elementary teachers use biography picture books to teach theme. The Teacher Next Door shares lots of activity ideas to use with biographies to reinforce the theme concept.
A comprehensive guide to beautiful, living and vintage books that aren't as well known to make your homeschool library complete.
Books for 6-8 year olds. Books for elementary-age children that they will love to read. These make great read alouds, also.
Two fantastic literature based secular homeschool curriculum are Build your Library and Torchlight. Secular history BYL and TL level 2
These inspiring picture books about respect teach the importance of respect and cultivate a culture of acceptance and kindness.
We’ve read countless classics in our lifetime, but here are some must reads!
& Other Fun Activities Back to school is SUCH a fun time! And such a critical time to set the scene for the year. Here are some great character building texts that you should add to your classroom library and use to foster some great character education conversations! The Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and […]
9 children's books about autism. Great for helping kids understand about autism.
Celebrate women artists and their stories with your kids by jumping into this inspiring list of children's books about women painters, sculptors, and more!
Fresh, diverse titles to update your kindergarten classroom library.
A long list of 58 Books every preschool class should have. Must have books for preschool. Kids love to read here's more to add to your collection.
Check out the best books to read preschoolers or children ages 2 years old to about 8 years old. Baby and toddler books provide the first window into the world and allow the opportunity to introduce a variety of topics and subjects. These preschool books and stories for kids will be cherished in your home or classroom.
(This post contains affiliate links to Amazon Affiliates, Please see my disclosure for my details) Charlotte Mason believed formal education should be delayed until children were the age of 6, but she did not believe they were incapable of learning at a very early age.
Thirty of the best new and classic middle school and middle grade books with diversity and different genres to add to your or your child's reading list.
Collection of children's picture books about cowboys and cowgirls. Great for exploring themes like the Wild West, character building, history and more.
This list of must have picture books for your classroom library includes a wide range of titles from seasonal to teaching points. Free activities too!
