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Using Novels with Small Groups

Using Novels with Small Groups

August 5, 2019

Have you thought about using novels with small groups, but aren’t sure where to start? It is definitely possible to do so in the primary grades! Here’s how I got started using chapter books with my second graders during my small group time.     WHY USE NOVELS WITH SMALL GROUPS? My very first year of teaching, I was in… Read More

Filed Under: daily 5, reading, reading tips, teacher tips 2 Comments

Choosing Books for Reading Groups

Choosing Books for Reading Groups

February 11, 2019

Choosing the right book for your reading group can be overwhelming – especially when it can be a determining factor in the engagement and success of your group. Here are 10 things I take into consideration when choosing books for reading groups.   Reading Level A student’s instructional reading level is a place to start when choosing books for your… Read More

Filed Under: reading, reading tips, teacher tips Leave a Comment

Summarizing Using the Somebody Wanted But So Then Strategy

Summarizing Using the Somebody Wanted But So Then Strategy

May 10, 2018

Summarizing can be an extremely difficult skill for students. I find that when students are asked to summarize, many try to tell every event and detail from the story because they do not understand the difference between summarizing and giving a retell. When we ask students to retell, we want them to give a play-by-play of everything that happened in… Read More

Filed Under: book activities, freebies, reading, reading tips 8 Comments

10 Ways to Build Your Classroom Library

10 Ways to Build Your Classroom Library

May 3, 2018

If you want to encourage a love of reading in your classroom, you will need a wide variety of books. Finding those books is not always easy and your wallet can take a big hit! Here are ten ways you can add books to your classroom library. Scholastic I did my student teaching in a first grade classroom, but my… Read More

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Scholastic Book Order Activities

Scholastic Book Order Activities

May 9, 2016

Stop! Don’t toss those Scholastic Book Orders into the recycling bin just yet!  Here are several Scholastic book order activities that will keep your students engaged in learning at the same time! Ways to Use Scholastic Book Order Flyers in the Classroom Book Sorts In my second grade classroom, we spend a good chunk of our time on identifying the… Read More

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🤪 APRIL FOOLS’ DAY: Yay 👍🏻 or Nay👎🏻? When you thi 🤪 APRIL FOOLS’ DAY: Yay 👍🏻 or Nay👎🏻?

When you think of April Fools’ Day, what comes to mind? Hand buzzers? Frozen cereal? Brown Es (brownies)? 

Kids love opportunities to feel silly and some grown-ups do, too. Whether you love or loathe this holiday, there are some great April Fools’ Day books for kids.

The Case of Old MacDonald and His Farm by Mark Teague is a new release that is perfect for the upcoming holiday! 

Something mysterious (and slightly silly) is up at Old MacDonald’s farm. Thank goodness Officer Busby is on the case! 

🔎 Who painted faces on the cabbages?
🔎 Why is pizza being delivered to the goats? 
🔎 How did the cows get mustaches?

Officer Busby suspects Skunk and his crew, who she has been tracking all over the county. They are worse than dangerous - they’re silly! And the most important clue might just be what day it is…April Fools’ Day! 🗓️

Do you have a favorite April Fools’ Day book to read?

Thank you to @simonkids for sharing this book with my family! #SimonKidsCrew

🔗 Want to see the full list of books for April Fools’ Day? 
Blog Post: https://storiesbystorie.com/april-fools-day-books-for-kids/

Amazon: amzn.to/4m2T8AA
(affiliate link)
My favorite library find this week takes us on a j My favorite library find this week takes us on a journey to see the hidden gems that lie in the tiny worlds most of us are too busy to notice.

When a young boy visits his grandmother’s house, he doesn’t just see scraps of ribbon lying around, mushrooms clustered under a log in the forest, or shells hiding along the beach. He sees tiny worlds where pie tins become playgrounds, ants become farmers, and tide pools teem with life waiting to be explored. 

These tiny worlds are full of whimsy and imagination, but they have one problem: He seems to be the only one who sees them. While at first Grandma keeps trying to draw him out to a busy park or the beach or the zoo, eventually she realizes that her grandson’s tiny worlds are big enough for her to meet him there. 

This book uses beautifully detailed illustrations to share a message about stopping to appreciate the small things, the importance of connection, and accepting others for who they are. It would be a great book to share with any child whose imagination comes to life no matter where they go!

Have you seen this book yet?

➡️ Swipe to take a peek inside!

Tiny Worlds
📚  @candlewickpress 
✏️🎨 @cicchese.art
Bring on the butterflies because it’s #twosday ! Bring on the butterflies because it’s #twosday !

Both of these amazing and beautifully illustrated books feature the monarch butterfly. Not only do they highlight the incredible and difficult journey these butterflies make, but they also offer ways kids can get involved to help!

The Monarch
✏️ Kirsten Hall
🎨 Isabelle Arsenault
📚 @simonkids 

If you loved The Honeybee, you’ll want to check this one out! Told through rhyming verse, readers get an up-close look at the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. With a pleasing color palette and the occasional cartoon-like speech bubbles, it really does feel like you’re right there cheering for these fascinating creatures!

 
Home is Calling
✏️ Katherine Pryor
🎨 Ellie Peterson
📚 @worthykidsbooks 

Vibrant illustrations pair perfectly with this story told from the perspective of the monarch butterfly. Despite the long and difficult journey, readers will appreciate just how incredible these insects are.

A BIG thank you to the publishers for sharing these books with my family! They would be a fantastic addition to your butterfly or life cycle unit.

Have you read either of these books yet? Swipe to take a peek inside each book!
My favorite library find this week takes an up clo My favorite library find this week takes an up close look at the epic journey of a Pacific salmon.

If you live in the PNW, the 4th grade students probably study the salmon life cycle at some point during the year. If they’re lucky, they even get to help care for some of the eggs for months at their school before releasing the salmon fry into a local creek. I know I got to do this when I taught 4th grade, and my own kids did, too!

This book combines beautiful illustrations with inviting & informative text that captures each unique stage of the Coho salmon. The back matter provides additional information about the life cycle stages. It would be a fantastic addition to your salmon or life cycles unit!

➡️ Swipe to take a peek inside!

Have you seen this book yet?

Salmon Run; An Epic Journey to the Ocean and Back
📚 @redcometpressbooks 
✏️🎨 @annichenn
🐷🐷🐷 There’s something timeless about The Three Li 🐷🐷🐷

There’s something timeless about The Three Little Pigs that captures the imagination of readers of all ages. Whether you reach for the traditional tale or one of the fractured versions, these stories offer a delightful mix of adventure, cleverness, and humor!

What’s your favorite version of The Three Little Pigs?
💛 LIBRARY STACK 💛 Thought I’d stop and take a mom 💛 LIBRARY STACK 💛

Thought I’d stop and take a moment to admire my current checkouts from the local library, especially since I was recently reminded that February is National Library Lovers’ Month. 

Do I often get strange looks and questions when another patron sees me with a large stack of picture books at the self-checkout desk? Yes, but that hasn’t stopped me! 

Which titles from this stack would you reach for first?
My favorite library find this week dives deep bene My favorite library find this week dives deep beneath the surface to explore hidden treasures.

Alternating between verse and facts, this book gives readers a front row seat to some of the biggest shipwrecks ever found. We also get introduced to some of the scientists, divers, and treasure hunters behind these discoveries. 

Whether you know an aspiring marine archaeologist or someone who loves a good treasure hunt, this book would be a good fit for any curious, adventurous reader!

Have you seen this book yet?

Shipwreck
📚 @tilburyhousepublishers 
✏️ Deirdre Laide
🎨 Carlos Velez Aguilera

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