Do you strive to read books with powerful messages? Do you strive to read books with powerful language? Do you strive to read books written by authors who present an image of life that might be different from those of your students? This stunning, powerful, Caldecott Award winning picture book, “We are Water Protectors” written… Continue reading We Are Water Protectors
Author: Melanie Sullivan
Palatero Man
Ring! Ring! Ring!Can you hear his call?Paletas for one! Paletas for all! When you read Palatero Man by Lucky Diaz to your students, you will quickly hear them joining in this joyful refrain. It’s a story of a young boy as he travels through his neighborhood in Los Angeles in search of the Palatero Man,… Continue reading Palatero Man
Johnny’s Pheasant
“Johnny’s Pheasant” written by Cheryl Minnema and illustrated by Julie Flett is a story inspired by the author’s younger brother Johnny and her grandmother. In the story, the two characters happen upon a pheasant lying in the grass. Grandma and Johnny have two very different reactions to the pheasant which leads to a surprise at the… Continue reading Johnny’s Pheasant
Danbi Leads the School Parade
“When the music started, I tried dances I’d never seen, and games I didn’t know. You want to meet Danbi! Danbi is a little girl, new to her school, and new to the country. She's nervous and isn't sure what's expected of her. But, “When the music started, she tried dances she’d never seen, and… Continue reading Danbi Leads the School Parade
Shared Reading Videos
How do we keep kindergarteners engaged in text each day in a remote learning environment? How do we keep kindergarteners coming back for more when there are many other things to distract them around their home? Shared reading! Last spring I posted some of the shared reading videos I had created. Today I'd like to… Continue reading Shared Reading Videos
Writers’ Workshop at Home: Support for Families
My child won't write! He won't pick up a pencil, no matter how much I demand, cajole, threaten or beg...." Is this what you hear from families who are trying to facilitate remote learning at home? That has been one of the biggest complaints from families at my school. It makes me so sad to… Continue reading Writers’ Workshop at Home: Support for Families
Sound Scavenger Hunt!
Are you looking for a fun, meaningful off-line activity for your kindergarten students? Do you want to build your kindergarteners phonemic awareness? Use these one minute videos, or make your own, to send your students on a search for items in their home that begin with a particular sound. Children will be invited to: Find… Continue reading Sound Scavenger Hunt!
Jamboard on Zoom with Small Groups!
Have you checked out Jamboard? It's a Google App that can be very helpful as you teach small groups. Each child can be on their own slide working independently and you can toggle back and forth to see how each child is doing. You don't even need to share your screen! In this video, you… Continue reading Jamboard on Zoom with Small Groups!
Shared Reading: Kindergarteners Engage in Text at Home
How do we keep kindergarteners engaged in text each day in a remote learning environment? How do we keep kindergarteners coming back for more when there are many other things to distract them around their home? Shared reading! Click below to access videos of shared readings based on nursery rhymes and fun songs! You'll have… Continue reading Shared Reading: Kindergarteners Engage in Text at Home
Unite for Literacy
Unite for Literacy "pictures a world where all children have access to an abundance of books that celebrate their languages and cultures and cultivate a lifelong love of reading." Check out this amazing online resource for primary readers! It is filled with many nonfiction books that will appeal to young readers. Children can read the… Continue reading Unite for Literacy
Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community
I’ve got my pencil, I’ve got my paints, I’ve got my dreams. I am a writer, a creator, A game changer, A wall changer. In their book, Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community, author, Susan Verde and illustrator, John Parra create a story that shows the power of art, and the power of… Continue reading Hey, Wall: A Story of Art and Community
The Patchwork Bike, by Maxine Beneba Clarke
The best thing of all to play with under the stretching-out sky at the edge of the no-go desert… is me and my brothers’ bike.The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke So says the young, female narrator of this beautiful, compelling, multi-layered story. It is a description of the “patchwork” bike that she and her… Continue reading The Patchwork Bike, by Maxine Beneba Clarke
The Fisherman & the Whale
In The Fisherman and the Whale, Jessica Lanan portrays the sad, yet inspiring story of an entangled whale and the boy and man who save him. This wordless picture book is filled with action and emotion. It creates endless opportunities for young readers to infer character actions, dialogue and feelings. I shared this book with… Continue reading The Fisherman & the Whale
Carmela Full of Wishes
She stared down at the dandelion in her hand.It seemed so much more importantnow that she knew it was a place to put her wishes. What if she made the wrong choice? Carmela is excited to accompany her older brother into town for the first time. Although her big brother isn't happy to have her,… Continue reading Carmela Full of Wishes
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
What is the story of your name? What story would you like to tell? These are the questions Juana Martinez-Neal leaves the readers with following her author’s note in her award winning picture book Alma and How She Got Her Name. In this poignant story, Alma’s father teaches his daughter the history behind each and… Continue reading Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
A Piglet Named Mercy
Have your favorite readers ever wondered how Mercy came to live with the Watsons on Deckawoo Drive? They don’t need to wonder any more because Kate DiCamillo has shared her vision with us in the endearing picture book, A Piglet Named Mercy. In this prequel to the Mercy Watson series, the “porcine wonder” accidentally finds… Continue reading A Piglet Named Mercy