Books for the End of the School Year
The end of the school year can be filled with a variety of emotions. You are bound to find students who feel joy, sadness, and even fear about the school year ending. I always turn to books to help students cope with whatever they are feeling in that moment. Here are several books your students might enjoy at the end of the school year. You can click on any of the book covers below to learn more.
Magic Tree House Passport: Become a Tree House Traveler
Kids love the Magic Tree House series! Now your students can track their reading adventures through time and space with this Magic Tree House Passport booklet.
Summarizing Using the Somebody Wanted But So Then Strategy
Summarizing can be an extremely difficult skill for students. They need to be able to identify story elements: characters, setting, problem, and solution. It’s important to remember that summarizing is a higher-level skill that teachers need to model many times before expecting students to perform it independently. I love to teach my students to summarize using the Somebody Wanted But So Then strategy (also known as SWBST).
10 Ways to Build Your Classroom Library
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.
Picture Books for Kids Who Interrupt
Spring in the classroom is an interesting time. Not only are students blooming and growing with their learning, but they are also becoming more like a family. And like any family, there are bound to be a few things that start to get on your nerves. One thing that always seems to pop up every spring is students who interrupt. Since it’s never too late to stop and review the rules and expectations in the classroom, I love to use picture books to help teach (and re-teach) these lessons. Here are a few of my favorite books that you can read to your class when interrupting is a problem.
St. Patrick’s Day Books for Kids
Between the leprechauns and the elusive search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, there’s no denying that kids get excited about St. Patrick’s Day! As teachers, it’s important to build upon that excitement and interest. I love to do that through literature. Here are some great books to read with your students near St. Patrick’s Day. Some of these have great tie-ins to other curricular areas, but some are just plain fun to read!
The Story of the Leprechaun Craft and Book Activities
Do you know why the leprechaun decided to bury his gold at the end of the rainbow? Katherine Tegen does and she explains it all in her book, The Story of the Leprechaun. Today I’m here to share some activities you can use with this story in your classroom.
The Lemonade War Craft and Vocabulary Booklet
The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies is a great story to read aloud to your class or use with your small group. This story follows both Evan and Jessie (who are brother and sister) as they dive into the world of running a lemonade stand. Along the way you will read about their grudges, misunderstandings, and competitive nature while also learning some kid-friendly business advice. Today I want to share two activities you can use with your students while reading The Lemonade War: a lemonade craft and a vocabulary booklet.
Love Monster Craft & Writing Freebies
Can you imagine living in a world where no one loves you and you feel all alone? That’s how Love Monster feels! This story written by Rachel Bright takes us on Love Monster’s journey as he finds love when he least expects it. Today I’m sharing how to make this Love Monster craft and writing activity that you can use after reading this story.
Teaching Kindness with Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch
February is a great month for spreading kindness in the classroom. Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, written by Eileen Spinelli, is an amazing book for demonstrating the impact a little bit of kindness can have on others. Today I want to share some of the ways I use this book in the classroom.
How Santa Lost His Job (Opinion Writing and Craft)
Can you imagine what would happen if Santa lost his job? Stephen Krensky has done just that with How Santa Lost His Job. Here is an opinion writing activity and craft you can use with your students after reading this book.
How Santa Got His Job (Anchor Chart Freebie)
Do you know how Santa got his job? Stephen Krensky does and he shares the details in his story, How Santa Got His Job. After reading the story, I talk to my students about the qualities that make Santa the right person for the job. Now you can do the same and create an anchor chart to use with your students.