Stories to Start Out the School Year

 The Story Blanket, will help you create the classroom climate at the beginning of the school year.  I teach kindness every year and it is a focus during the start of school.  The story is a great read aloud and will be a springboard for the many conversations that are necessary about the golden rule.

Babba Zarrah lives in a tiny village in the snow-covered mountains. The children love to visit her. They settle down on her big, old story blanket and listen to her imaginative tales. One day Babba Zarrah notices that Nikolai needs new socks, but she has no yarn. Every question has an answer, Babba Zarrah tells herself, I just have to find it. After the children leave, she unravels part of her story blanket and knits him some nice warm socks.

Not long after that, the postman is surprised to find a scarf wrapped around his mailbag. The grocer mysteriously receives a shawl to keep her warm. On the woodpile outside the school is a pair of mittens for the schoolmaster. Meanwhile, the story blanket is getting smaller and smaller. When the villagers discover Babba Zarrah s secret, they decide to give her a surprise of her own.


Click HERE to download a writing response page for students to complete after reading the book.

I am planning a short Science activity about questions and answers.  Check back as I will post another first week of school activity.  Also search for Each Kindness on my blog, another great story to share at the start of school.

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy your day.

 

Back to School

Greeting Card for 'Back to School'
 illustrated and created
by Chris Q

Hello Readers!
Hope you are enjoying your last days of summer vacation.  
Some of you may already be busy in your classrooms....

wishing you the very best 

school year ahead! 

This year, I am going to try to post more often.  I have a zillion things on my computer to share.  I am always thinking and creating new pages and artwork for my classroom.  I am thrilled with all the many things on line that teachers share...together, the possibilities are endless.
Please stop back to see how I am doing.  I have been teaching for 20+ years and every year is different.  I look forward to another school year of writing, teaching, learning and sharing.  

This is a sign I made for my classroom doorway that reads:

Hall Sign for Classroom Management

You may purchase my sign at TPT for only $1.00.  This is a 1 page pdf that you may download, print and laminate.  Post it next to your doorway to remind your class about your expectations when passing through the hallways.

Or just click HERE and you can download this sign for FREE! as a Thank you for visiting my blog.  I will post more freebies soon!

If you wish, you may also purchase my "Back To School" greeting card!  

In my spare time, (whenever I can find a single morning) I like to paint and illustrate.  I have made over 1600 greeting cards!  Yikes! and also lots of paintings.  I keep trying to make that 'perfect' painting while still knowing that it is impossible.  If you break the word impossible in just the right place...it reads 'I'm possible!" 

It is important to:

 do what you 

love 

what you do

My next post will be about a great book to read aloud to your class at the beginning of the school year.  

Check back!