Each Kindness

Each Kindness

by Jacqueline Woodson

This book is a great read aloud. It teaches the lesson that each day you have a chance to be kind ...if you don't take the opportunity you might miss out. 
Chloe and her friends won't play with the new girl, Maya.  Maya is different--she wears hand-me-downs and plays with old-fashioned toys.  Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her.   Eventually, Maya plays alone.  Then, she stops coming to school.  Chloe's heart sinks, and your's will too, as she stares at Maya's empty desk.
 Chloe wants to make it right but Maya has moved away and she missed her chance.   Chloe's teacher shows the children that kindness ripples out like a stone in a pool of water and even small acts of kindness can change the world.   It's important, don't lose your chance to show kindness ...it's a do right now!
   This is a great story...your students will listen, look and feel the author's message. 
The illustrations by E.B. Lewis are extraordinary. They stir a wave of emotion in the reader.

Click here to get a writing response paper to go with the book.

Reading Response Journals -{for Elementary Students]

Writing Helps Clarify and 

Confirm your Thinking 

Read....Think....Write....Read...Think ....Write

Using Reading Response Journals in the Classroom is a great way to keep your kids reading and writing.  I use them in my classroom to invite my students to write and record their personal reaction, questions and reflections about what they have read.  Reading and writing go hand-in-hand and reading journals are a great way to improve both.  Students may include information learned, new vocabulary words, and book reviews.  Reading Response Journals are a way to address all the reading-writing levels in your room as they give students a prompt or question to write about their own book choice or independent reading.

Below is a sample selection from my packet of Reader Response Journal Questions and Writing Prompts. The set includes 14 pages and 28 questions/prompts; a reading response rubric, and labels for your journals.  You can get your set HERE.  Once you get your cards set they can be used over and over again.  The questions and writing prompts are appropriate for all kinds of books and gives practice to rereading and finding evidence in the text to support asked questions about the reading.

Download, print and laminate these reader response cards for your students reader response journals.
There are 14 pages, each page has 2 response cards, for total of 28 questions and writing prompts for reading response. Cards measure 5"x7",  Also included are labels for reading journals, and reading response journal rubric. (see below)  Get them HERE!

Labels for Reading Response Journals

The Magic of Read Aloud

We are reading Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary...an old favorite!  It is delightful and the children listen with attentive ears.  Building on a good read aloud is easy.  See below a packet of reading response, writing, language, vocabulary and math activities to go along with this book.

You can read this book as a read aloud...in my opinion, the best way!  as Cleary writes with easy to read verse and each chapter builds to a frenzy.  Your kids will ask you to read the next chapter and won't let you skip the read aloud.  You know a book works when that happens.  This book is also great to use in a reading group or independent reading. Lots of places to stop and share good writing.  Children learn to write from the great authors they read.   It's just a great book...an oldie but still captures the reader.

Enjoy the story and find reader response pages for this book HERE.

Have a wonderful October!

Home Reading Log

A Home Reading Log for your students....this reading log provides space for a short response to their reading, place to record the minutes, the date and a place for parent initials.  I also have the kids keep a reading log at school used at independent reading time. This log is for their reading at home.

The middle section of the Home Reading Log reads:

Brief Response - Just a note or two

Thoughts about your Reading - Character Description- Events - Problem- Self to Text Connection- Make a Prediction - What did you learn?

You can get your Home Reading Log HERE.

Thanks for visiting.

One Smart Cookie

Start your school year with a fantastic book
teaching admirable character traits.

One Smart Cookie offers a fresh batch of words that encompasses everything you might say to a child, whether it's the first day of preschool or the last day of high school. Cookie-centric definitions range from wanting to know everything about cookies (curious) to thinking carefully about what kind of cookies to make for your friend (ponder).  Reading this book at the start of the school year will start those valuable conversations about good character and the people we would like to be.  This is one vocabulary list that will resonate well beyond the school years.

These are the vocabulary words you will find in this book:

prompt                      kindness                      humble

organized                   listening                      arrogant

unorganized                procrastinate               diligent

prepared                    persevere                   ponder

unprepared                 contribute                  daydream

compromise                creative                     dishonesty

empathy                    curious                       integrity

inspire                 

Sweet illustrations throughtout the book as each page describes and 'shows' what each of these character traits are....
you can take a peek of the some inside pages here  


a great book to begin the school year!  You may want to post the words in your classroom and refer back to them each time the opportunity arises.

You can download free vocabulary words and motivation cards for your students to use with this book right  HERE.  

vocabulary word cards
for teaching good attributes

easy to read bold print
display these words to refer
back to when the
teachable moment arises

Print and handout to students
How could you use these cards?

Using Children's Literature as Springboard for Retelling

 One Monday Morning  

One Monday morning the king, the queen, and the little prince came to visit me. But i wasn't home . . . "  then each day they come back to see if I am there but they bring someone new. Finally on Sunday, I am home!

This book is a great read aloud for Kindergarten or First Grade.  Uri Shulevitz is an extraordinary children's author.   This book is a touchstone text when teaching calendar and days of the week, and  pattern in writing.  Using the character name cards and day of the week cards, have students retell the story.  This activity is great for retelling a story, sequencing, speaking and listening.  Don't be surprised if everyone wants a turn. 

You can download my writing response activity HERE...it's FREE.  
Download includes writing booklet, character name cards and days of the week cards. 

Here are some samples of what is in my download:

Example pages to make a booklet for
children to illustrate the characters in the story.

Days of the week cards - Many uses for these

I made character cards from a 'old falling apart book' so children could use them in their retelling.  I didn't post them in my pdf download  as I was unsure about copyright etc.  They are cut outs from an old book;  I used photoshop to make background and title. 

Book Character Name Cards for children to use when retelling the story

         Thanks for stopping by...check back as things never stay the same.

Use Literature to Teach Emerging Readers

Brian Wildsmith was raised in a small mining village in Yorkshire, England, where, he says, "Everything was gray.  There wasn't any color.  It was all up to my imagination.  I had to draw in my head..."

Wow! I splashed a few examples up of what Wildsmith's imagination, drawing, creativity and talent led to... lucky us! to have his wonderful books to read to children.

Authors of children's literature have so much to teach.  Below are a few FAQs from Brian Wildsmith's web page...but take a 'look' for yourself. You will be impressed with the animals he draws and the vibrant colors he uses.  He is so talented!  Do you have any Brian Wildsmith books in your classroom library?

Include Wildsmith's books in your farm or animal unit of study.  They will keep your kids learning and reading.  He has the magic to invite the children into reading.
There is an art museum in Japan displaying Wildsmith's wonderful work...

a message from Wildsmith

The arts have always held a high place in Japanese life. Their love of beauty, and wonder of the world around them has been constantly passed on to their children in a never ending circle.  My life has been dedicated to producing picture books for children, which I hope reflect this love, helping them to observe, comprehend and appreciate the wondrous world that they have been born into.  I want to help them climb the mountain of life and reach the peak of enlightenment and fulfillment. This is the basic right of every child born on the earth.

                               

                            Wildsmith answers:

Why do you paint with so much detail in your illustrations?      

I believe children appreciate details as well as color. I want to help young people wonder at the world and to become close observers of the beauty and harmony in nature.

Many of your books involve animal characters. Why do you choose to paint and write about animals?

We once had a blind dog that was mothered by a neighborhood dog. I was quite impressed by this and learned that animals show a great deal of compassion for one another.  When I paint animals, I imagine them as a child would. I want children to make personal connections to the animals in my books.


Wake Up, Wake Up!  is one on Wildsmith's books written and illustrated by him and Rebecca Wildsmith.

The sun wakes up the rooster who crows and wakes up the goose who honks and wakes up the sheep who bleat and so on until all the farm animals wake the farmer who feeds them.  The children love this book and it is a favorite when studying the farm.  This book has repetitive text and pattern to help emerging readers.  It is a small book with delightful illustrations.

I created some writing pages and flashcards to use with this book, and you can find them HERE.

Vocabulary words are big and bold and easy to read.  You also create a matching activity using the pictures and words.  

Here are five more Wildsmith illustrations.  There are so many and I love them all!

   

Enjoy and remember to use great books and great authors to help you teach reading.

Best Pencil Sharpener Ever!

This pencil sharpener is joyful,  and Quiet .  It is sold online.  Presently, they are sold out but are back in stock this week by August 7th.  I have one and just would like to pass the word on to my readers that this is by far the best pencil sharpener I have used.

This sharpener is not only the quietest manual sharpener on the market, it also stops pencil waste as it won’t allow you to persist beyond the perfectly sharpened point once formed. Smooth crank action. The single burr sharpener gives an extra long pencil point. Metal handle, blade and body. Clear plastic receptacle drawer to collect shavings. Retractable clamps feed pencil to blade. C-Clamp included for counter top attachment.  Measures: 6 ½” long when open. 5” when closed. 5” high.

  

It comes in green and blue and red is coming soon.  The site says they are all sold out...I wonder why? but stock will be in by August 7. 

You can find one here
Classroom Friendly Supplies


You can also view videos at the website when you order...you can hear and see how well this sharpener works.

The Sharpener That All The Teachers Are Talking About

It will change the way you sharpen pencils in your classroom.


You can read about it at THE MUSEUM OF USEFUL THINGS 
... another interesting place to visit

Inspiration for Children

Rascal Flatts sings it all....

Power of Words

 Select the right words....What else needs to be said?

This is a great video clip.  I found it on gradeonederful. 

Thought it could be a great short clip to show writers the importance of choosing the right words.

September Morning Riddles-Reading & Writing

Good Morning!
  Start each school day with a morning riddle.  Here are a few riddles to get you started....once you get going, the kids will not want to stop.  They arrive looking for that riddle! Kids love to think and solve problems.  This is a great way to get them started and also gives you a few minutes to collect notes from home, lunch money etc.


  I have completed 4 packets of morning riddles.  There are lots of ways to use them...you can make booklets, have them record the riddle each day in a notebook, you can write the riddle on chart paper or board and go over the riddle at morning circle time...
and what else could you do?  Endless possibilities...

• each riddle focuses on a sight word which is in bold print   
• the riddles are appropriate for Grade 1 and Grade 2.  The packets include a riddle for each day of the week and a sight word review page.
• September riddles are about school supplies, school activities, school routines
• easily use the riddles as a springboard for the many class discussions need to start out the new year

 The first 2 weeks of riddles give a black and white illustration to color in...a big hint to the answer.  After 2 weeks, the children read the riddle, think, write and illustrate their own picture of the answer.  If you decide to keep the riddles for each child, you can easily make a booklet as each packet has a cover page included.   If you do this, you will be able to record growth in both reading and writing.   Allow the children to talk about the answers as conversation, speaking and listening are part of a balanced literacy program.

These are 2 examples of a September riddles.  Children read the clues. Each riddle has 2 or 3 statements and a question.  Each riddle has a sight word in bold print.  Each riddle has lines for writing and a box for illustrating.  These have my illustrations, but after 2 weeks, the children must draw their own illustration.  Kids look for the riddles! They love to think what it might be, and you can teach so much from this one page.

This riddle has blank space for illustrating.

Each week there is a sight word review page for the sight words for the week. Handwriting and word shape practice.

October riddles are on the way ...soon!  You can find your September Riddles ...HERE!

Labels for Your Classroom

Classroom organization is essential in getting the children to learn school rules and routines.  Labeling supplies and materials helps children find items they need and return them to the right place.  You can find my 'easy to read' school supply labels HERE for your classroom.  Below are some examples....there are 13 labels included are: pencils, scissors, markers, crayons, glue, glue sticks, rulers, colored pencils, erasers, writing paper, drawing paper, writing folders and homework.  I duplicated some of the labels you need more of so you can label all your bins.  Labels are in exemplary handwriting so children view the handwriting you teach and model.

Have fun setting up your room and making the children's learning environment an organized and colorful place!