3 Holiday Books that Teach Kindness and Giving

"The day before 

Christmas,

snuggled on his floor,

Bear sleeps soundly

with a great big snore....

#1. Bear Stays Up for Christmas   Bears sleep in winter!  That's what they do! but this bear has friends who want him to stay up, stay awake and enjoy Christmas!  And so the adventure begins... they must find a Christmas tree and bake some cakes.  They need to hang up stockings and sing Christmas songs.  Bear manages to stay up with some help from his friends and he learns an important life lesson.  The lesson of giving! 

Reading Picture Books In November

   Reading Good Books In November   

Reading aloud to primary-grade students offers many benefits that support their academic and emotional growth.  Here is a list of five reasons. 

1. Builds Vocabulary and Language Skills

Picture books often contain rich, varied vocabulary that children may not encounter in everyday conversations. Hearing new words in context helps them expand their vocabulary and develop their language.

2. Boosts Comprehension and Critical Thinking

When teachers read aloud, they can model thinking strategies like predicting, questioning, and making inferences. Discussing the story afterward encourages students to think deeply about the plot, characters, and themes, improving their comprehension skills.

3. Enhances Listening Skills and Attention Span

Listening to a story requires focused attention, which helps develop children's listening skills and patience. Engaging with picture books also encourages them to practice concentration and follow along with longer narratives.

4. Fosters a Love for Reading

Children who hear engaging, well-told stories develop a positive association with reading. Picture books often feature vibrant illustrations and captivating plots, making reading an enjoyable experience that nurtures a lifelong love of books.

5. Supports Social-Emotional Learning

Many picture books explore empathy, friendship, problem-solving, and understanding emotions. Reading these aloud allows children to connect emotionally with the characters, helping them develop empathy and gain insights into their feelings and relationships.

These reasons illustrate why reading aloud is a powerful tool for developing academic and personal growth in primary-grade students.  Discover the world of Children's Literature with your students.  It begins with you!

Nuts to You - Book Companion

In November - Book Companion

7 Halloween Resources for the Elementary Classroom

My Teacher on Halloween

Halloween Fun!  

Boo! tiful! Resources

Children's Literature and Writing Prompts

"I am so happy and excited that Halloween falls on a Thursday this year"! 
said no teacher ever.
My Teacher On Halloween is more fun for the teacher! than her students!

Read on to find more teacher-created resources  that will engage your students in reading, writing and learning. 

6 Christopher Columbus Activities for Elementary Students

Drawing Ships for Columbus Day

How to draw a ship with sails.  Drawing these steps one at a time can be a great listening lesson.  And the results are rewarding ! Read these steps below.  Giving your students time to listen, think and draw is a great way to improve listening and also talk about Christopher Columbus.  Drawing the sails from the bottom up makes it easier to connect them at the corners to create the windblown look.

Teaching Literacy and Life Lessons with Charlotte's Web

Book Companion
for Charlotte's Web

Reach high! Reach high up!  Up to the top! 
To Life Lessons! It is the very reason we read.  Open a children's book and open a window to the world of wisdom. Bringing the literary world to your students in the early years nourishes them in ways that they will hunger for more pages of worldly advice and admirable characters as they grow older. Talented authors teach life lessons that apply to childhood years and reach out to grown-up life, too.

Reading children's literature should be a hallmarked place in your plan book because that practice alone goes straight to the heart of why we teach reading and writing.  

Why did the author write the book? What is his message? How does this book's message make us smarter? How does this book's lesson make us a more caring and kind person?   What does the book teach?

Select a time during your day that is dedicated to reading and talking about good books. Find, establish and create a comfortable book corner or space. Young children are happy to sit on a carpet; older students do better in a circle of chairs.  Center stage is the book. After a short while, you will find that your students look forward to this time of day. They will be attentive to your book choices.  They will be inquisitive and talkative about what the book teaches.  What does the 'reader-life' look like and feel like in your classroom?  What life lessons will you talk about today? Read on to learn what life lessons can be learned by reading Charlotte's Web.  

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White was written in 1952 and maintains it's honorable place in Children's Literature... a must read!  This book is one of those books that stay with you when you grow up.  It is a story that resonates with everyone on a profound and intrinsic level.  E. B. White  weaves a beautiful story of farm life that teaches the reader about big life lessons of love, friendship, loyalty and death.   All the farm animals...and especially, a pig and a spider, show us what perhaps exactly "it's all about".  The opening page is dramatic and nothing short of masterful. White hooks the reader in the first chapter.  Mr. Arable tells Fern that Wilbur is, "very small and weak, and will never amount to anything."  Fern is distraught at the thought of killing an innocent being just because he is small.  She doesn't understand and she fights for solace and change for Wilbur with all her heart.  The reader quickly becomes immersed and feels compassion for both Wilbur and Fern.  This author gains our respect as we can imagine the awful plight of these characters and want resolution early in the story.  We read on to learn more. We laugh and we learn as we are introduced to the many characters on the farm.   There are many places to stop and talk about this book. There are many springboards for class discussions.  You can find discussion task cards and  'book talk' questions here for Charlotte's Web. 

When autumn leaves begin to fall, there is a need to read and re-read this classic story.  Everything in this book seems to make us aware of the many changes and new adventures in our lives.  White uses the mundane and the ordinary to show us the inexplicable and the tragic. There is great learning in simple things.   As the story unfolds, the reader becomes aware of the many important issues and puzzlements we share as human beings.  Matters such as animal rights, the innocence of being a child, the corrupt nature of human beings, and at the same time, the pure wonderment and joy of being human.  But most importantly, in my opinion, White teaches us how to become better adults by holding on to all the endearing moments we lived in childhood.  

Charlotte's Web is a universal story.  It has entertained thousands of readers for decades.  It teaches important life lessons about kindness and love.  Charlotte's Web is an all time best-selling children's paperback.  E.B. White describes his book as a story of friendship and life on a farm; yet it is so much more. The story plot and character situations show the reader how to be a good friend, how to appreciate diversity, how to embrace change, how to appreciate farm life, how to cope with loss and how to reach out to others.  E.B. White lived as a true friend to animals and he writes from his own experiences.   

As every writer knows, research, research and more research is essential to even fiction writers. Readers need to believe that what they are reading is the truth...even when the story is imaginative.  The need to immerse oneself in the book world is crucial to a reader's enjoyment of a book, and thorough research is how a writer makes that so.  You must get the right moon in the night sky.   White researched every detail for his three books for children.  Stuart Little was written in 1945, Charlotte's Web in 1952 and The Trumpet of the Swan was written in 1970.  For Charlotte's Web, his research was close to home as in lived on a farm in Maine. His farm experience and color shows on every page.  The habits of the animals are characteristic and believable. It is the best realistic-fiction for any child's bookshelf. 

Charlotte's Web  by E. B. White
Where Magic Happens

One little girl, Fern, sets out to right an injustice in the world. She bonds with the many farm animals and wonders at the simplistic routines of farm life.   This book is clever, resourceful, sad, funny, surprising and inspiring... and teaches many life lessons.  

Find Reader Response Pages HERE
for Charlotte's Web

Life Lesson #1

Never underestimate small things. 

Wilbur is the runt of the litter.  Fern is just a small child. Yet each have big goals to make things right in the world.  And Charlotte, is the smallest yet, but oh, so very wise.  All the animals learn to trust Fern because she is true.  She is friendly and quiet but the animals can sense her altruistic nature.  

Life Lesson #2

Doing nothing can sometimes be pretty amazing!
Wilbur stands perfectly still and thinks of what it is like to be alive." Taking time to immerse yourself into deep thought and contemplate your existence isn't such a bad way to spend your time, really.  

Life Lesson #3

Life Is Everywhere 

Take time to notice the trees and the immense beauty they bring to our earth and habitat.  Be thankful for each plate of food that nourishes your body.  Be amazed at the intricate and delicate web a spider weaves after a rain...think of the insects you never see.  Realize that no matter how sad or grim things might be for you, the beauty in all things will never cease.   

Life Lesson #4
Show Compassion Whenever Possible

Charlotte shows compassion by insisting that her victims are sleeping before eating them.  She doesn't want them to feel or know pain. This small act of compassion in the story makes the reader think about our actions and choices.  People may be just as fragile as flies; or maybe more so. 

Life Lesson #5

Spiders Are Amazing 

"Spiders can produce several kinds of thread.  They use a dry, tough thread for foundation lines, and a sticky thread for snare lines — the ones that catch and hold insects."  The study of nature and animals is fantastic, interesting and profound!

Charlotte's Web ends with a 'light-bulb moment'!  Yes! most certainly, out of an egg the many baby spiders hatch!  Life continues. The magic of children's literature embraced by life lessons!  What could be better?!

Back to School Teaching Resources - Sale 20% Off

Back-to-School Resources that engage your students in meaningful learning and 

save YOU time.   Browse below to see some of the back to school resources that will brighten your room and get your students off to an amazing start of this new school year.  Return for more resources throughout the school year. 

See More Book Companions

All the book companions for your favorite read alouds for the first week of school. Set the tone of your classroom with children's literature. 

Find your favorite:

One and Only You

Big Al

Chrysanthemum

Red, a Crayon's Story

Giraffes Can't Dance

Enemy Pie

A Bad Case of Stripes

Stick and Stone

click book companions to find the entire list.

There are many more to choose from; be sure to follow 

as all new teaching resources listed are 

50% off for the 

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books

first 24 hours; follow to receive notifications of new listings, sales and updates... 

thank you followers

September Reading Challenge

Start out your school year with a reading challenge for your students.  Everyone loves a challenge and this is no exception.  Children want to complete every directive... and they do!  

Reading Log for September too!

Complete a Reading Interest Survey. Easy to use. Download and print. Find out valuable information to build reading skills in your classroom.  Take a Reading Interest Inventory of your students and learn about their thoughts about reading. This information can help you plan your lessons to reach each student in your classroom and teach them to become lifelong readers.

Once you know your students’ interests, you have an opportunity to find books that they enjoy. If they enjoy reading, they will read more. If they read more, reading achievement will be reaching new heights. Taking time to do Interest Inventories is an investment that will pay dividends later, especially for the struggling readers who might not think they would enjoy reading anything. With the right topic choice based on interest, you might hook every kid onto reading this year!

Reading Survey - Improve Reading Achievement

You're Finally Here

You're Finally Here!  This book is difficult to find and if you do find it, it's very expensive.  It's a great book for the first day of school. If you don't have a copy head over to my youtube channel to hear me read this story.  Then grab the book companion!  Children love this book by Melanie Watt.  and you will love this first day of school read aloud and activity. 

Teaching respect everyday!

These classroom posters remind your students of the important classroom behaviors we admire and adhere to... colorful and whimsical clip art with important messages.

Meet the Teacher NightBrochure

Your students create this editable printable brochure for

 "Meet the Teacher Night" or Open House.   There are 3 different styles to choose from... add your own specific information to create a unique brochure for your classroom.  Parents love these! 

Click  TPT store for many teaching resources that save YOU time.   You can find teaching resources for teaching citizenship and respect, classroom management,  and classroom organization!  

Teach literacy and life lessons with children's literature and use my book companions for many favorite books for the first weeks of school.  

Encourage Excellent Hallway Behavior with these bright and colorful posters.  Posters measure 8.5" x 11".  Place them at your doorway and refer to them when lined up and going out to the hallway.  Quick and easy!

Hallway Sign for Excellent Hallway Behavior

Click here  TPT store to browse the many teacher created resources... all with the learner in mind.  You can find teaching resources for teaching citizenship and respect, classroom management,  and classroom organization!  

Teach literacy and life lessons with children's literature and use my book companions for many  favorite books.  

Teacher Toolbox Labels

You may also need some help in organizing all your teaching 'stuff' ... these labels are many!
There is also a set of 'editable' labels if needed.  

Organize your classroom and make it beautiful. Less clutter reduces stress and increases creativity and saves Time !
Colorful, bright art designs... easy to read, nice to look at! 
Download, print, cut and laminate. These labels will help children and teacher find supplies and put them back in the right place.

Have a bright and beautiful SY 2022 -2023

         Find more resources on sale  by clicking below:

Teacher Treehouse Ideas

JamJarGraphics

MrsQuimbyReads

Thank you for visiting. 

Movement Activities | Brain Breaks | Fitness Stations for Primary Grades

Grab Yours Now

Can you walk like a careful crocodile? Twist like a wild monkey? or walk backwards like a crab?

This teaching resource provides your students with a unique opportunity in movement in the classroom, at recess or in gym class. 

This is more than a “brain break”...

students listen to and engage in poetry and rhyme as they learn the movement of these animal characters.

Display these posters in your classroom for colorful and inviting decor and refer to them often to provide movement for your students.

Also, make your “brain break” circles and keep them on your desk to use whenever you need to move around a bit.

Physical Education Teachers :   Set up your Mother Nature’s Adventure Trail indoors or out. These can easily become your parcours for fitness. Ideal for PreK- 1.

Improve students' listening skills and fitness and at the same time

engage them in poetry and reading.

There are a total of 15 posters ready to download and print. Each poster measures 8.5" x 11" and shows a bird or an animal. The title names the movement and the poem describes how to do it. 

It's fun! It's educational! It's fitness!

Make a colorful bulletin board and refer to it often for movement activities. You can also make a 'brain break' jar with the included circle sticks. 

Mother Nature's Fitness Adventure was created by

Dr. Tom Quimby, Ed.D. Adventure and Physical Education. This is a unique curriculum for movement for small children. It provides an opportunity for fitness and fun and is proven to be effective in teaching basic movement skills for balance, agility, strength and endurance with repetition. ​Mother Nature's Fitness Adventure can be set up as a parcours in a recreational park, in a school gym as fitness stations, in the classroom for ready and accessible movement activities, and as brain breaks when children need movement.  The teacher's ability to recite the poem with a fun and enthusiastic expectation of the movement to follow will help enhance the spontaneity of the children's experience.

You can create your 'brain break' box for 

Mother Nature's Adventure In Movement.  

Everything you need to be ready for Movement!

See More Here