MrsQuimbyElementaryResources

The Little Red Hen

great read aloud

We talked about the importance of play... and of course, work is equally important. Lessons early in childhood about work at home and work at school would be beneficial to that child when he/she is a grown up. All people and animals work each day; it's what makes us sleep well at night. What kind of work do you like to do?

The Little Red Hen is a perfect read aloud for PreK -Grade 1 and older. It's a classic ... and one of those books we go back to ...to read again. It's fun and children love the story. There are many versions but the story remains in tact.

The author's message?

work hard...help out...share...plan ahead...

rewards and fairness

I made literacy-math centers to use with The Little Red Hen...

I made it

"all by myself"

bright, bold and colorful clip art made by me also

you can find literacy and math pack for

Grades PreK- Grade 1 HERE

this pack includes 58 pages to use with this book- the pages and activities help with reading comprehension and retelling the story

pages for math center...pages for literacy center

Little Red Hen

here are some example pages included in this

literacy-math center pack:

phonics page - rhyming words for cat

Complete the sentence

What comes next? Math Center Activity

The Little Red Hen works hard and she is rewarded.

vocabulary words for your pocket chart without pictures

Vocabulary words for your pocket chart and writing center with pictures

thanks for visiting... come back as I will be adding more ideas and strategies to teach reading and writing with children's literature...delights the child and motivates reading

Children Need to Play Everyday

Playing is child's work. Read this article below adapted from GreatSchools on
5 ways that children play naturally and the many reasons why play is so important to their development.

You can download this article HERE

friends play together to socialize and grow

free play - "always a good idea"

and she also plays!!!!

Going Places

Create Something and Smile

Being creative may just get you to the place you would like to be. Going Places, by Peter and Paul Reynolds is a fabulous read aloud and your students will listen attentively. New York Times bestselling illustrator Peter H. Reynolds sketches out the story in his captivating style. Introduce the book by previewing the cover and asking, "What do you think this book is about?" Read the title. "What do you think these kids are doing?" "Where are they?" After discussion about these questions, ask "How will we find out?" You will hear, "Read the book!"

The story unfolds and inspires imagination to take flight when this year's contest is to build a go-cart, race it - and win! All are motivated and scramble to build a go-cart. All have identical kits...why is that? but Maya, oh Maya...she sure doesn't seem to be in a hurry to assemble a cart that looks like, feels like and is designed like everyone else's go-cart. She quickly gains the interest of her friend and together they create, build, plan, "think out of the box" and enjoy the process.

The author's message is

celebrate the 'maker' child,
teamwork is always a good idea
creativity makes life a bit more interesting.

Find pages like this one and more to use after reading this book... get them HERE

Flying Across America

My students love watching this video. They often ask 'Can we see it again'? Fly across America and see our beautiful land. This might be a nice follow up after reading Going Places.

Visit MrsQuimbyReads.com for more ideas and strategies to teach reading and writing with Children's Literature.

Get Your "Respectacles" Here

Teaching Respect Everyday

Tails from the Old Oak Tree

This book is a great story book to add to your classroom library. There are six stories with animal friends as the main characters. The book teaches those life lessons that are so valuable to teach respect and citizenship. The stories are about friendship and friends and sometimes you need to make up after a misunderstanding with a friend. Other stories show the importance of family and friendship and how one's self is the foundation of treating others kindly and with respect.

Great book to keep on your bookshelf...read aloud before your preschoolers nap time and engage them in the evaluation and thinking process of what makes us show respect. How do you recognize respect? How do you feel respect? Find a pair of glasses, best without the lenses, and tape 'respectacles' on the frame; have your preschoolers, kindergarteners and first graders take turns in looking for 'respect' in your classroom, in the hallway, at lunch and at recess. Next, have that child report to their classmates what they saw happening. Keep a chart of phrases posted in your room and refer back to it often...

Example phrases:

"Amanda helped Jennifer open her milk at lunch"

"Jason said thank you to his friend when he said yes, he could borrow his crayons"

You may wish to make shorter phrases:

Amanda helped Jen

Jason said thank you

William cleaned the table

Sara turned pages in her book nicely

Derek walked in the hall

Payson fed birds at home

Your list will grow and grow as will the respect your students show at school

Write the word respect (with respect) bold, bright and beautiful and place it in your classroom for everyone to see. If necessary, you can silently point to the word, no words necessary, they will get what you mean. Sometimes, teachers talk too much and students will not hear what you are saying; but they are experts on reading body language and will be able to feel what you are saying to them...just a silent gesture is all that you need. If you wish to have a quieter classroom, start with yourself. It's guaranteed to work, try it. You may wish to download my pages below for a word art sign for
'RESPECT". Also there are pages included for older students, Grades 2-3 in the packet along with some other book recommendations.

You can find these FREE writing prompt pages and 'spectacles' directions and more HERE

or you can buy the entire set at my TPT store HERE

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow me and check back ... I have many more teacherly ideas and products to share

Back-to-School Bulletin Board

This board is interactive and can stay up the entire year.... Colorful World Map in the Center and then place your collection of books on Geography and places to visit around the world. Students like to record each place they visit with a recording sheet. Lots of interesting reading about different places around the world... Have you been to France or Spain? Or maybe it's Argentina you would like to explore... excellent place to keep those maps and atlases. My students like to talk about their recording sheets and different places they have read about at book circle time. You will see all the map skills you can teach just by putting up this easy bulletin board... if you need the pieces and world map, contact me at MrsQuimbyReads@gmail.com...

This board is easy, colorful, interesting and motivating.

I placed more books in a little basket-suitcase. Around the world with books....

Have a happy Teaching Day!

Back To School - Classroom Environment

Number Cards for Classroom Display -[Preschool, Kindergarten and First Grade]

Find Your Number Cards HERE

I made these number cards yesterday... great back-to-school classroom decor.... these are reference cards for primary learners. Cards are from 0 - 10. then 20, 30, 40, 50, 50, 70, 80, 90 and 100. Each card shows the number in bold, bright and colorful print. Easy to read and each card has the number word and tally marks to teach math concept of number. These would be nice to display in your classroom for number reference and you may wish to keep a set in your math center.

These number cards measure 8" x 10" and will easily print on regular size copy paper. Download, print, laminate if you wish, then display in your classroom. Best displayed at children's eye level for easy reference. You may wish to also put a second set in your math center. Find your set of number cards HERE.

Read Aloud Books for Emergent Readers

Duck and Goose are about to go on a new adventure! And so we come to find out that it is Duck who really wants a new adventure but Goose does not. Goose likes the meadow and he is so content to stay right where he is perfectly happy. How would he know about new places? and after all if you like where you are, why go somewhere else?

Goose finally agrees to join Duck and he finds out he LOVES the beach! How would he ever know?

but poor Duck does not have the same feeling....the sand's too hot on his feet, the roar of the waves is too loud. Duck just wants to go back home. Duck and Goose are wonderful characters that everyone can relate to...in this book, they come to understand that it's good to be open to new adventures...yet it is so nice to go home.

Tad Hills is the creator of Duck and Goose books and also the famous How Rocket learns to Read. He is from Norwell, Massachusetts and his grandmother is an artist also. His mother, a 4th grade Science teacher, inspired his love of nature by frequently bringing home animals (including raccoons, owls and other not-so-tame creatures. Find more books by Tad Hills, you won't be disappointed. His books are wonderful stories and springboards for reading-writing strategies for the young reader.

Happy Reading!

End of Year Memory Booklet

It's that time of year when students are thinking of summer and teachers are busy with grading, field trips, end of year awards and putting books away

for the next year. But before you go, have your students make a great end of year memory book!

Find this "End of Year" Memory Book HERE... your students will be busy with all the pages and also have a nice collection of school memories when they are finished!

Click HERE to download your "End of Year" Memory Book. It is appropriate for Grades 2-5.

Pages include portrait page of me this year, all about me, more about me, favorites... books, subjects, best friends, birthday pages, autograph pages, what I learned pages, my goals, summer reading lists, seasonal pages, field trips, holiday pages, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween, and more! Pages are bright, bold and easy to read. Some pages have color graphics and clip art but you can easily print these in b & w also. Several days of fun activity in reading, writing and thinking. Included are cover pages for grades 2-5 plus one that reads: "My School Memory Book" you may wish to use for multi-grade classrooms.