Everyone has a story to tell. What is yours?
Math manipulatives keep students engaged and provide hands-on opportunities to make learning more concrete. Here are my favorite math manipulatives for the primary classroom along with a few tips to help you manage these materials. we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn… Read More
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
What does writing time look like in your classroom? Are your students feverishly writing page after page? That’s great! But if your students watch the clock and count down the minutes until writing is over, then it’s time to add a little fun to your writing block. Here are 10 simple ways to increase writing engagement in your classroom. … Read More
I think we can all agree that kids love to play math games. I love to build upon their love of games by incorporating game time into my math block as often as possible. Playing math games is not only fun, but these games can also provide so many benefits. Here are 5 reasons to play math games in the… Read More
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
Having stuffed animals in the classroom can provide emotional comfort and academic support. Here are five ways you can use stuffed animals in the classroom. Reading Buddies This is probably the most common way that teachers use stuffed animals in the classroom. If you use The Daily 5 for your reading block, you know that Read to Someone can often… Read More
Have you heard any good jokes lately?
If you spend any amount of time around kids you’ve probably heard the classics and more than a handful of punchlines that don’t even make sense. Joke books are definitely funny, but there are a lot of other great reasons to share them with your students.
•They are interactive, which keeps kids engaged.
• Since jokes are short, they can help fill up those extra minutes that appear when you finish a lesson early or have to wait a few extra minutes for specials.
• They can motivate and build confidence in your reluctant readers.
• Kids can practice fluency while learning how to deliver the punchline.
• Jokes often play with words. This means you can work on language (vocabulary, parts of speech, multiple meaning words, etc.) in a fun way.
• They can build classroom community and help reset the tone when kids are having an off day.
• Joke books can create lifelong readers!
I have been on the lookout for joke books that my kids will enjoy. Here are just a few that we recently found. Let me know if you have any other joke books you’d recommend!
#jokebooksforkids #jokebooks #funnybooksforkids #kidlit #kidsbookstagram #childrensbookstagram #kidsbooks #raisingreaders
I'm very proud of my book collection, but I don't think I've reached library status...yet! 😉Pretty much. I just opened a store instead. 😁
Look! I Wrote a Book! (And You Can Too!) by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Neal Layton follows a young author as she sets out to write a book. Along the way, she will keep your readers giggling as she shares the ins and outs of the writing process.
This book would be a great mentor text for your writing workshop. It shares information about finding ideas, knowing your audience, the parts of a story, how to receive feedback, making revisions, and publishing your writing. These could easily be used to guide your writing mini lessons. While the pictures and text will draw in your young authors, I think older students might enjoy this book as a way to review the writing process.
Have you read this book yet?
I found my copy on Amazon (affiliate link): amzn.to/39I41Bx
You know I love to share MY favorite picture books with you, but now it’s your turn. What is an amazing picture book you have read recently? Hopefully I can add some new titles to my list for our next library (or bookstore) trip!
#raisingreaders #picturebooks #readerforlife
