Children's Literature for St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Reading good books that teach literacy and life lessons on 

St. Patrick's Day and everyday.  Read on to find out about Eve Bunting's entertaining book about what exactly leprechauns do.  Frolic through the Irish countryside with a few leprechauns.  Oh what fun! 

Read  That's What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting to entertain your students with yet another great choice from the world of Children's Literature.  What exactly do Leprechauns do?  Illustrations by Emily Arnold McCully create the whimsy and jest that are perfect for this story. 

Meet Ari, Col, and Boo as they set out to find their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ! But like most leprechauns, they find themselves creating quite a bit of mischief along the way. Their antics entertain and delight the reader because, in true leprechaun style,  this trio creates havoc as they frolic the beautiful Irish countryside.   

That's What Leprechauns Do - Book Companion

I created these pages with SPACE for the child writer... so important for writing... creativity and voice.  Young writers will surprise you with their writing if you give them creative space to write their thoughts.  It's more fun for them and it creates 

so many teachable moments for YOU!  

Click the link below to get your book companion for this fun book to read on St. Patrick's Day. 

That's What Leprechauns Do - Book Companion

Easy and fun to do for the Little Learners... You will need green peppers, paint and white paper! 

FREE Reading Resource for responding to your favorite St. Patrick's Day story.  

Free Resource for St. Patrick's Day 4-Square

Find more resources at  MrsQuimbyReads.com  

Enjoy your reading day!

Reading Literature in the Classroom

The Old Tree - Book Companion

The Old Tree is perfect for reading aloud to PreK-1.  This book teaches young readers the importance of working together to save our environment.  Ruth Brown presents Pigeon Post delivering the mail to The Old Tree asking "Why is there a big X on the tree?"  No one seems to know until Captain Crow peers into his telescope and learns what is about to happen... PANDEMONIUM!  first .... and then the animals and birds work together to save their beautiful home. 

It's the most beautiful tree I have seen this year in any picture book.  The characters are likable and lovable... even Mr. Woodpecker who makes a racket remodeling his home ... making several renovations and new additions!  Professor Owl seems to get a headache and not only because of noisy Mr. Woodpecker but also because of some other charming characters in this story.  If you love birds

Presidents' Day Teaching Resources and Writing Prompts

Writing prompts, graphic organizers and cut & paste for Presidents’ Day. 

Three easy-to-read reading passages about 3 famous Presidents; Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln. Also, included is a cover page so your students can make a ‘Presidents’ Day’ Folder.

Writing Prompts and Graphic Organizers Include:

• Reading Passages

• Three Facts about Each President

• Was, Had, Wanted

• Washington was a great President because

• Lincoln was a great President because

• Jefferson was a great President because

• Compare and Contrast [Washington and Lincoln]

• If I were President, I would

• The President’s job is important because

• Lincoln’s Log Cabin [cut and paste] for primary readers

• Famous Buildings in Washington, D.C. [cut and paste]

• A famous Quote from each President [Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson]

• Cover for Student Folder

21 total printable pages to use to learn and write about these three presidents, Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson.

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Find this teaching resources for Presidents' Day HERE

Teaching Resources for Martin Luther King, Jr - I have a Dream

Teacher Resource for Martin Luther King Jr.

Read about Martin Luther King, Jr.  Learn about this great man in history. Find these writing prompts that are easy to use and enhance reading comprehension.  Use the Biography Facts page as a springboard to meaningful classroom discussions.
Find some creative talent to draw a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr.
I have a dream..

This resource would be a one or two day writing activity for social studies and history.

Graphic organizers help support the writing experience. It would be appropriate for Grades 2-3 and homeschoolers.

• 2 pages reading passage about Martin Luther King, Jr.
• 3 graphic organizers to write about the reading in biography genre
• writing prompt about Dr. King's famous speech "I have a dream"
• writing pages to write about your own dream for our nation's people
• draw a portrait
• book recommendations

These writing pages for Martin Luther King, Jr. can easily be assigned for distance learning and school at home.

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Find this teaching resource for reading and writing pages about Martin Luther King Jr.

Yes! I want these NO PREP pages 
for teaching about Martin Luther King Jr. 

Teaching Resource for Learning about MLK

Writing about Your Winter Break - Teacher Resources

Winter Break Writing Page ... warm up and get started after winter break. This teaching resource provides an authentic writing experience for your students after winter break.

Pages Include:

• graphic organizer to tell about winter break
• writing page to write one short story about the winter break

These pages would be perfect for a beginning writing activity after your students come back to school after their winter break. You can easily assign these pages for

distance learning and school at home.

Download your copy HERE !  It's FREE!

January Books to Teach Engaging Literacy Lessons

Snow Many Books to Read in January

The weather is sparkly and bright, crisp and clean... and perfect to read these 8 books as the snow falls outside your window.  And engaging your child with these books may lead to some great winter fun and activities.  Here are a few of my favorite books for kids about snow and winter.

The Snow Day  by Komako Sakai
Sakai is masterful in creating anthropomorphic animals that are so believable we can happily accept them in an incongruous setting. The snow falling down is just the beginning of this bunny's adventure in the snow.  

Teaching Literacy and Life Lessons with Children's Literature

Here are 5 reasons why reading is important...

1.  sharpens your mind

2. expands your vocabulary

3. improves memory and focus

4. improves writing abilities

5. enhances imagination

No Two Alike by Keith Baker

no two alike by Keith Baker

Follow a pair of birds on a snowflake-filled  journey with rhyme and simple language through nature in wintertime... where everything is wonderfully unique -- from branches, leaves, nests and winter friends...no two are alike!  The illustrations are gorgeous and can easily be a springboard to making winter art in the classroom. 

              

red sled by Lita Judge

Red Sled has very few words but that makes the looking and listening that much closer. As you read this one... pause and think...ask what might happen next?  What do you think? Small children and early readers are quite capable of making inferences and evaluations when you read aloud a good book as this one.  All the woodland creatures take a child's sled for a joy ride at night.  The ride is beautifully illustrated in watercolors.  See the humorous expressions on the characters' faces.  When finished, slowly and gently close the book on your lap and listen to the children's conversations.  They will be very informative of their understanding of this wonderful book. [ and that may be the only reader response required] ...

   b y

Pete the Cat, Snow Daze   by James Dean

Everyone loves Pete, the Cat and Pete loves a good snow day. He also loves school. When it just won’t quit snowing, Pete starts getting a little tired of staying home and snow activities.  Is it possible to have TOO MANY snow days?  Find out how Pete and friends all chip in to get back to school!

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats captures the magic and sense of possibility of the first snowfall.  This is a favorite as it unfolds a child's wonder at a new world, and the hope of keeping that wonder forever.  
Click Here to find reader response pages, graphic organizers and pages that will improve understanding and reading achievement.  
Easy to use printables, NO PREP.  

Snow by Uri Shulevitz 

No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.

Snow by Sam Usher                                                  It's a wonderful feeling when you open your eyes in the morning and you see that deep, soft blanket of snow.  How quickly can you get outside into that winter white world to make your mark?  The young boy in this book zips, zooms through getting ready for his winter wonderland adventure and then waits for his grandfather.  The other kids are already out there making their footprints everywhere!  A whole lot of snowballs and a bit of magic later, this boy and his grandfather agree that

"some things are definitely worth waiting for"

... a teachable life lesson with lots of room for classroom discussion.  Be sure to talk about the cover of the book and how it invites readers into the story. 

More Books and Teaching Resources for Winter Reading:

Snowflake Bentley - Book Companion

January Reading Challenge

Bear Snores On - Book Companion

Roll and Read Fluency Practice - Winter Theme

The Hat and The Mitten - Jan Brett - Book Companion

All About Penguins - Reading & Writing Pages

The Snowy Day - Book Companion

Martin Luther King, Jr. - writing prompts

All About Snow - literacy and math pages

January Writing Prompts

Happy Reading and enjoy the winter wonderland 

with good company and good books! 

Christmas Resources for Primary Grades

 Create some merry and bright Christmas math stations

Addition Facts Practice  - Set up a Christmas Math Station 

with Little Elf Cover Up

Little Elf Cover Up

a simple and fun game to place in a math station. Roll the dice. Add the numbers. Find the elf. Cover the number. You can laminate these pages or place them in a protective covering so the children can use them over and over.

Included are:

7 elf cards with numbers in color

7 elf cards with numbers b&w

directions for teacher.  You will need dice and pompoms. 

Christmas Math Center

    

Counting and Number Sense 

Set up a 'Christmas' Math center with these write and spin pages. Learn to count and write numbers. Pages focus on learning and writing the numbers from 0-9, counting and recognizing numbers.     

spin and write {spin and count, then write}

How many? Count and write the number

Color the elf and Christmas Tree by number …

Handwriting Practice of Numbers 0-9 – use any time

Reindeer Cover Up - Multiplication

Reindeer Cover-Up is a simple and fun game to place in a math station at Christmas time. Practice multiplication facts to the 6x table. Roll the dice. Multiply the numbers. Find the reindeer. Cover the number.

Laminate these pages or place them in a protective covering so the children can use them over and over.

Included are:

• 7 reindeer cards with numbers in color

• 7 reindeer cards with numbers b&w

• directions for teacher

• you will need dice and pom poms or counters

And one more! Of course, writing a wish list: 

Write a Christmas Wish List

Writing a Christmas wish list is fun and an authentic writing experience for children. With this list you also get to see what books that hope to get and read for the holidays. This writing assignment can easily be assigned for distance learning and school-at-home.

Teaching Resources for November Classrooms and Distance Learning

November Book Challenge

November Reading Challenge inspires your students to read more books in the month of November. November Reading Log will keep record of how many books read. There are 2 challenges for readers; one for beginning readers and another for more experienced readers. Students feel a sense of accomplishment and enjoy good books for the entire month of November and longer!

Perfect for distance learning assignments!

In November - Book Companion

    In November by Cynthia Rylant...

Read. Write. Do. Learn. These reader response pages will engage primary readers in literacy skills after reading this wonderful picture book about November. 

16 pages for reader response and writing prompts that give the opportunity to write about this book and the author’s message. These pages can easily be assigned for distance learning and school-at-home.

Arthur's Thanksgiving -
Book Companion

Everything you need for your readers to respond to this book, Arthur's Thanksgiving by Marc Brown. Everyone loves Arthur! and he is the director of his class' school play about Thanksgiving; and he runs into a problem or two. These reader response pages will enhance the reading experience. You might read the book aloud to the entire class, use in a small reading group, or assign to an independent reader. Also included are Thanksgiving bookmarks for your students.

Pete the Cat

Pete the Cat, 

The First Thanksgiving 

by Kimberly and James Dean. In this story, Pete the Cat is feeling a bit nervous as he is going to be in his school play about the First Thanksgiving. This book entertains the reader and the listeners with true facts about the First Thanksgiving depicted by a lovable fictional character, Pete, the Cat. The perfect book to teach about the voyage of the Mayflower, the hardships of the Pilgrims and how we have decided to celebrate each year their success to the new world. Teach fact and fiction; as you will discover the many facts about the early Pilgrims but will also recognize wonderful fictional characters.  Read this book aloud and choose these reader response pages to enhance the reading experience. There are many pages to choose from and you can easily diversify instruction by choosing those pages that best accommodate your students. Also included is a Pete, the cat, craftivity to make for Thanksgiving. These pages can easily be assigned for distance learning or school-at-home.