Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reading. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2015
Making Predictions for a New Year
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Teaching with Ticia: using classic texts
If you're familiar with the Charlotte Mason philosophy or Classical education you've heard of "living books," books that have stood the test of time and are still in print. Books that have a wide ranging vocabulary.
I have to confess, I'm not always a fan of some of the examples they use as living books, but I do love good quality picture books. I'm not a big fan of the Disney princess books or many other popular series for teaching from, though we do own quite a few books from that category. I love books that have something outstanding in them.
Today my example of a living book is actually a reprint with new pictures. It's also a Christmas book. I bought this 10 years ago when I was teaching second grade. Today I'm going to use this book with my kids (2nd grade and kinder) to demonstrate vocabulary and expressive language.
When you're looking for good quality books, take the time to read it through. Try reading the words out loud. How does it sound? Do the words just roll out of your mouth and make you smile to read them? I love the Bear series from Karma Wilson. I haven't read the books out loud to my kids for a while, but I can still quote parts of it.
What's the vocabulary like? Are all of the words one or two syllables? Now there are exceptions, Cat in the Hat or Little Bear for example, but usually speaking if it's not a beginning reader and the vocabulary is that simple it's not going to stand the test of time. When you're at the used book store do you pick up the copy of the TV show book you read as a kid to buy? I don't, unless it's for nostalgia, or I've shown my kids that show. Even then, my kids don't gravitate to that book over and over again.
What about the illustrations? This is going to be a very subjective thing, but can you use the pictures for an art lesson? "Tuesday" by David Weisner has almost no words, but it won a Caldecott. The pictures told the story that well. I've "read" it to my class or my kids and challenged them to create a similar style of book. One that needs almost no words to tell a story.
Some ideas you can use from classic texts:
I'm a bit of a bibliophile, so I really enjoy older books. They let me get a glimpse into a different age that you don't see now.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
External Motivation for At Home Reading
During the summer months there are many local libraries and book stores that offer incentives for student reading success. It is just as important to Read to Succeed during this school year. In my own children's school they are required to log many reading minutes daily as a key part of their homework. So, what types of external motivators or reading incentives might be offered during the school year? If your student is already doing lots of great reading here are some fun ideas for recognizing their efforts. If they are not reading the hopefully this is some motivation to get started!
The Pizza Hut Book It program has been rewarding children for reading minutes for many years. They have a new minute tracking app available for this school year.
Reading Rewards Blog has some clever, penny free, suggestions for motivating readers to spend time in a book.
Braums has a book buddy program to earn sweet treats.
Sylvan Learning Center has a Book Adventure program to encourage reading. Students grades K-8 can search for books, read them offline, come back to take an online quiz, and earn prizes for their comprehension success.
Earn free tokens for Chuck E. Cheese's by filling out a monthly reading calendar.
Read to Succeed is an exciting program that encourages students grades K- 6 to read for fun. Students who complete six hours of recreational reading earn free tickets to Six Flags! The program is available to teachers and schools at no cost to participate, and it's a great way to motivate kids to read. Homeschool students and teachers are also eligible for this incentive. To register for Read To Succeed for the 2012-2013 school year, follow this link to the registration page.
Log a mile a minute (or hour, if you wish) for all of your students' at home reading. Set a time limit on this record keeping and at the end of your time add up all the miles and plan a road trip together to a place that many miles away!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Teaching with Ticia: Biographies
This would normally be the post I would give you a couple of more states to study. However, there's some things that happen all month long that I want to spotlight first, so come back later in the month for that post.
February boasts President's Day and Black History month. Both of those require finding a good source for children's biographies. During my trek through the United States I've found some great sources that I will always head to first if they exist.
David Adler "A Picture Book Biography" series- He has written or co-written a book for almost every major historical figure in American history, and most people you would cover in Black History month. This is my go to biography books right now, it provides a fair amount of information for early elementary without overloading.
Rookie Reader biographies- These are great for preschoolers, or for a first/second grader doing a report on their own. Most of them are geared for later first grade readers, and it gives them the right amount of facts for an independent report. These also sometimes venture into athletes occasionally.
Jean Fritz biographies- These are mostly the biographies of "dead white guys," as my history teacher used to say. She specializes in American Revolution time period and a few Civil War books, but most of hers are the American Revolution. These are written at a 3rd grade reading level and are great early chapter books. When I was that age I nearly wore out my copy of "Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution." These books are great for a third or fourth grader writing a report. It provides a lot more meat to them and is written in a conversational style.
Do you have any biographers that you really enjoy? There's several other authors who have written some great books, but they are more of the one shot type of books.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Teaching with Ticia: Cumulative books
We're all familiar with "I Know an Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly," and it's many variations and renditions.
In Texas one of the TEKS is to expose kids to different genres and styles of literature. Cumulative books are a fun way to do that, and they're great for building literacy.
Cumulative book- a book that expands and repeats itself with each new page.
Reasons they're good for literacy:
1. It's easy to predict. By the end of the book the kids are "reading "along.
2. They often rhyme, enhancing phonemic awareness.
3. They are usually high interest so kids want to read them over and over again.
4. Easy meter for reading, that aids fluency.
Lessons that can be done with the "Old Woman" books.
1. Make a puppet and act out the story again, there are several versions, the most common uses a ziploc sandwich bag. For ours we used the smaller size manila envelopes and cut a hole for her mouth. The kids had fun drawing the Old Woman. Pictures for "An Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly" and for "An Old Lady who Swallowed a Pie" and finally because I just found it "An Old Lady who Swallowed a Shell."
2. With a class or by polling several people in the larger group you can find out what everyone's favorite thing is that she ate. You can then graph it, and tie in math.
3. The original version of "I Know an Old Lady......" is good for predicting what she will swallow next because there are holes to show what is happening. The other versions depending on the rhyming can also help with prediction because of the rhymes in them.
4. Finally Enchanted Learning, which if you haven't checked out that site has a slew of ideas and printables for many different topics has some wonderful printables for the original version, with many extensions.
I couldn't do justice to the topic of cumulative books without bringing up two more, that sadly don't have many printables online.
First, "The House that Jack Built," which I believe predates any others, and is a wonderful nursery rhyme. This would be wonderful to compare the two stories and see which one they prefer. I'm guessing they will prefer "I Know an Old Woman...."
Second, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." There are several picture books for this song, and from my teaching days I have a wonderful worksheet about it, but I have no clue where it came from. So, I'll explain some of the things I did with it.
1. Put the days and cards in order. This is a wonderful song for number order and counting backwards. Here is the best coloring pages I found.
2. For older kids, upper elementary, how many presents did she get each day? How many did she get in all?
3. Comparing numbers and quantity. What type of thing did she receive the most of? Did she receive more birds or more food?
4. Music appreciation. You can listen to the many different versions. My favorite version from childhood is the Muppets singing this song. Then as an adult I heard the Veggietales 8 Polish Foods of Christmas, and really enjoyed it. Compare the different ways the songs are heard.
Do you have any cumulative books that you enjoy? What is your favorite version of "I Know an Old Lady...."
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Choosing the Right Book
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We all know how very important it is to read to kids. There are SO. MANY. wonderful books to choose from. Yet, sometimes stepping in to the bookstore or library presents too many options which makes it over whelming to pick out a few appropriate read alouds.
Today we are pleased to share the following list, from Bola Ajumobi, on the 7 Keys to Successfully Choosing the Right Book.
You might have heard that getting kids to read is a good thing. You are charged up to introduce the kids in your life to some good children's books. Here are seven things to consider when selecting a children's book, that way you get a book that your child relishes and picks up time and time again.
1. Age
The age of your child will help you determine the book format to pick.
Think cloth or rag books for babies. They put everything in their mouth. You want to get a book you can throw in the washing machine when soiled.
Bath books are also a good option as they are waterproof and will survive many messy spills and make bath time lots of fun.
Board books are best for toddlers. Kids in this age group are very active and may I replace the word destructive with curious. Paperback books will be ripped apart.
Don't be upset if your child tears apart a book, it's all part of the learning process.
2. Gender
Boys and girls are very different in how they learn and read. For most parts, language development comes earlier in girls. You might find a girl reading better than a boy initially. This often leads to boys being mislabeled as "reluctant readers"
3. Personality
Is your child a social butterfly, pick a light-hearted book. If you have an introverted kid, a mystery or adventure plot might be a better pick.
4. Hobbies
This is by far the best way to get a child interested in reading. Look to get a title on what piques their interest. If a boy loves trains or truck, get him a book on truck or trains. If your girl loves playing the princess part, get her a book with a princess theme.
This is by far the best way to get a child interested in reading. Look to get a title on what piques their interest. If a boy loves trains or truck, get him a book on truck or trains. If your girl loves playing the princess part, get her a book with a princess theme.
5. Current Events in a Child's Life
Think milestones like graduation or puberty. Loss of a loved one or a beloved pet, adjusting to various life changes are various examples of what could cause stress for a child. A book on the relevant topic could bring solace.
6. Current World Events and Holidays
These events are teachable moments for a child. You may select books to open up discussion on ancestry or holidays.
7. Important Concepts
Are you working on potty training? Are you trying to instill manners? You can get them a book written in the language a child can easily grasp.
Once you've had a chance to think through each of these questions and suggestions browse over to Slimy Bookworm to search out just the right title to fit your criteria!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Reading Achievement Incentives and Certificates
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Hard to believe that March's Reading Month is just about to come to a close. Perhaps you are looking for a special certificate to recognize all the great reading your children have done this month. If so, you've come to the right place! Here are several award certificate links to choose from!
123 Certificates has a large selection of customizable, printable certificates to award your child's reading.
Free Printable Certificates is another fantastic resource for many different types of incentive printables.
Hoover Web Design has a reading achievement award that features a trophy.
Teacher Vision celebrates Bear-y Good Reading with their thematic printable award.
Super Teacher Worksheets has this free printable bookworm award.
Although not an award, Alchemy Junk has a nice Owl themed reading log. printable.
Success Crtificates features both color and black and white award certificates for very specific reading milestones.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Happy Birthday Author: Lois Lowry
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Today, novelist Lois Lowry is celebrating her 73 birthday. Perhaps best known for her Newberry Award Winning books, The Giver & Number the Stars, Lowry has written many books enjoyed by children and young adults.
Lowry has spent time introducing her readers to well developed characters such as Anastasia, Sam, Gooney Bird, and The Tates to name a few!
Lois Lowry keeps up her own blog if you are interested in reading her updates.
Check out this link for a complete list of Lowry's books, including short synopses of each.
Jennifer had the priveledge of sharing a sneak peek of Lois Lowry's creative spaces.
Indiana Literacy Specialists have put together a list of resources intended to provide an introduction to Lois Lowry.
The LiteraBuss suggests an activity for introducing the book, The Giver, to adolescent students.
Reading Rockets features several of Lowry's books in a round up post.
Lowry has spent time introducing her readers to well developed characters such as Anastasia, Sam, Gooney Bird, and The Tates to name a few!
Lois Lowry keeps up her own blog if you are interested in reading her updates.
Check out this link for a complete list of Lowry's books, including short synopses of each.
Jennifer had the priveledge of sharing a sneak peek of Lois Lowry's creative spaces.
Indiana Literacy Specialists have put together a list of resources intended to provide an introduction to Lois Lowry.
The LiteraBuss suggests an activity for introducing the book, The Giver, to adolescent students.
Reading Rockets features several of Lowry's books in a round up post.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
St. Patrick's Day Book Lists (and a few fun projects)
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Silly Eagle Books has taken the time to compile a fun list of St. Patrick's Day Books for Kids. Her list includes The Luckiest Leprechaun and many more.
Fun 4 Kids has reviewed several St. Patrick's Day books including Lucky Tucker by Leslie McGuirk.
Apples for the Teacher posted an extensive list of St. Patrick's Day titles.
Mystery Readers' Inc. shares a list of St. Patrick's Day mystery books appropriate for an adult escape into reading.
Enchanted Learning's St. Patrick's Day page offers a printable, open for coloring, informational text about many pieces of this March holiday.
We hope you spend some time today exploring these fantastic holiday themed books. However, we also didn't want you to miss out on a few fun craft links our readers submitted for St. Patrick's Day.
Chalk in my Pocket sent us a link to some great shamrock and rainbow printable lace up cards.
The Hybrid Chic got clever with some holiday head gear!
Naturally Educational celebrates the season with a round up of rainbow themed projects.
Silly Eagle Books has taken the time to compile a fun list of St. Patrick's Day Books for Kids. Her list includes The Luckiest Leprechaun and many more.
Fun 4 Kids has reviewed several St. Patrick's Day books including Lucky Tucker by Leslie McGuirk.
Apples for the Teacher posted an extensive list of St. Patrick's Day titles.
Mystery Readers' Inc. shares a list of St. Patrick's Day mystery books appropriate for an adult escape into reading.
Enchanted Learning's St. Patrick's Day page offers a printable, open for coloring, informational text about many pieces of this March holiday.
We hope you spend some time today exploring these fantastic holiday themed books. However, we also didn't want you to miss out on a few fun craft links our readers submitted for St. Patrick's Day.
Chalk in my Pocket sent us a link to some great shamrock and rainbow printable lace up cards.
The Hybrid Chic got clever with some holiday head gear!
Naturally Educational celebrates the season with a round up of rainbow themed projects.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Books About Birthdays in Celebration of Ours!
Today is ABC & 123s 2nd Birthday! Some of you have been following us faithfully from the beginning and others of you have just found us recently. We are so thankful for you all! In honor of our birthday we wanted to share a round up of fun birthday themed children's books.
A Birthday for Frances by Russell Hoban, Lillian Hoban (Illustrator)
Alfie and the Birthday Surprise by Shirley Hughes (Illustrator)
Another Birthday by Mary Engelbreit (Illustrator)
Arthur's Birthday by Marc Brown
Birthday Monsters! by Sandra Boynton
Birthday Presents by Cynthia Rylant, Sucie Stevenson (Illustrator)
Carl's Birthday by Alexandra Day
Curious George and the Birthday Surprise by H.A. & Margaret Rey
Happy Birthday, Moon by Frank Asch
Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss
Little Miss Birthday by Roger Hargreaves
Junie B. Jones and that Meanie Jim's Birthday (#6) by Barbara Park
Moira's Birthday by Robert Munsch
Where is Baby's Birthday Cake by Karen Katz
Smart Pumpkin Patch makes suggestions for age appropriate birthday themed books for children ages 3-6.
I couldn't resist sharing with you this birthday party inspired by the Olivia books which I found on Emma's World. Adorable!
Pinkalicious made a pretty party for the birthday girl at Cutie Pies Custom Creations.
Madeline is another favorite character for young readers. This little lady inspired an amazing birthday party theme as well.
Little Blog of Stories through a "book-tastic" party.
Lula Bells Daughter put together a bookworm party.
What are your favorite birthday themed books?
Have you built a celebration around your child's favorite book character?
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Fantastic History Books for Children
"Although kids have a short personal history to grow on, that doesn’t mean they can’t appreciate and lear about people and events that happened well before their time. Revolutions, inventors, Presidents, and more can be explored in these fun books that make history come alive." ~Accredited Online Colleges
Biographies
Offer these books to kids who want to learn about important people in history.
The Extraordinary Mark Twain: Written from a 13 year old’s perspective, this book shares the story of Mark Twain.
What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?: Kids will enjoy this brief biography of the amazing Benjamin Franklin.
Kids Make History: Explore the lives of 20 children living in extraordinary times in Kids Make
History
We the Kids: We the Kids makes the preamble to the Constitution fun for kids.
First Pet: This book discusses the pets of Presidents in the White House.
50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet: Kids can meet important American heroes in this book.
How the States Got Their Shapes: Read this book to find out how the states became shaped the way they are.
Who’s That Stepping on Plymouth Rock?: Find out how Plymouth Rock became so famous in this book from Jean Fritz.
World History
Pompeii…Buried Alive!: Young readers will be enticed by this book describing the natural disaster of the volcano in Pompeii.
Lives of Extraordinary Women: This book shares the lives of women rulers and rebels in history. 100 Men Who Shaped World History: Read this book o learn about 100 men who made history around the world.
Silly
Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum: Kids can read about the history of bubblegum in this book.
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle: Read this book about surprising inventions.
Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things: Find out how things like Barbie and honeymoons The Story of Chocolate: Read The Story of Chocolate to find out how the sweet stuff was invented and how it’s made today.
For the complete list of 50 titles check out Emma's original post!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Happy Birthday Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Check out the official Ezra Jack Keats foundation site for books, characters, awards, activities, and more.
Teaching Across the Curriculum Using Books by Ezra Jack Keats shares links to several activities and internet resources.
AALBC.com has put together an introduction to Ezra Keats, as well as an introduction to some of his books.
Calico Cookie has put together a great author study for primary grade students focusing on Keats.
Mary Making put together a tribute lesson to Keats for her art class.
Going Crunchy shares a craft that accompanies Keat's book Snowy Day.
A Homeschooling Momma put together a first grade author study of Ezra Jack Keats.
Mrs. Connolly in the Classroom put together an author study of Keats for her second grade classroom. The wax harmonicas look like fun!
Storytime Sparks explains a Pet Show game/activity.
Books Authored and Illustrated by Keats:
A Letter to Amy
Apt. 3
Clementina's Cactus
My Dog is Lost!
The Snowy Day
Whistle for Willie
John Henry, An American Legend
Jennie's Hat
God is in the Mountain
Peter's Chair
Goggles!
Hi, Cat!
Pet Show!
Skates!
Psst! Doggie!
Dreams
Kitten for a Day
Louie
The Trip
Maggie and the Pirate
Louie's Search
Regards to the Man in the Moon
One Red Sun
Read more about the honors earned by, and memorials for, Ezra Jack Keats.
Check out the official Ezra Jack Keats foundation site for books, characters, awards, activities, and more.
Teaching Across the Curriculum Using Books by Ezra Jack Keats shares links to several activities and internet resources.
AALBC.com has put together an introduction to Ezra Keats, as well as an introduction to some of his books.
Calico Cookie has put together a great author study for primary grade students focusing on Keats.
Mary Making put together a tribute lesson to Keats for her art class.
Going Crunchy shares a craft that accompanies Keat's book Snowy Day.
A Homeschooling Momma put together a first grade author study of Ezra Jack Keats.
Mrs. Connolly in the Classroom put together an author study of Keats for her second grade classroom. The wax harmonicas look like fun!
Storytime Sparks explains a Pet Show game/activity.
Books Authored and Illustrated by Keats:
A Letter to Amy
Apt. 3
Clementina's Cactus
My Dog is Lost!
The Snowy Day
Whistle for Willie
John Henry, An American Legend
Jennie's Hat
God is in the Mountain
Peter's Chair
Goggles!
Hi, Cat!
Pet Show!
Skates!
Psst! Doggie!
Dreams
Kitten for a Day
Louie
The Trip
Maggie and the Pirate
Louie's Search
Regards to the Man in the Moon
One Red Sun
Read more about the honors earned by, and memorials for, Ezra Jack Keats.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson: a preschool literacy lesson
Today we are pleased to welcome Priscilla, from PB&J Preschool Blog, to ABC & 123 to share a literacy lesson using the book Bear Snores On.
I love working with books in a preschool classroom. When I was an actual teacher in a preschool classroom, I used a book-of-the-month method and it just worked beautifully. My children learned all about the books I featured, the attributes of the books (front, back, title, author, illustrator, etc), and I want to believe they learned to have a love of books through this process.
One fall, I decided to do our book of the month featuring Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman. This is one of my favorite books of all time to read preschool children. There are so many learning opportunities in the book and as the series grew, so did my ideas.
First the book is a rhyming book and we know that phonological awareness and onset and rime is vital to the success of a child reading. If they can begin to put the symbols together to form words, decode and then change the rime to make more words, they will read.
"In a cave in the woods,
in his deep, dark lair,
in his deep, dark lair,
through the long, cold winter,
sleeps a great brown bear."
I have always thought that I have a knack for making something out of nothing or something small. I challenge you to think about this paragraph and how it can be expanded into greater literacy knowledge.
Emergent Literacy Standards (Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards)
- first thing we notice is that it rhymes: demonstrates beginning phonological awareness
- the lair isn't just a lair, it's a deep, dark lair: uses descriptive words
- the use of a synonym: cave is the same as lair
These are just a few of the literacy skills that can be implemented by using the book. As an early childhood teacher (any teacher for that matter) you should never just look at book and read it page by page without really picking the words of the page apart. You should always be thinking, "How can I use the words and pictures on this page to extend the learning potential?".
Page after page the repetitive nature of the book suggests that the bear snores on...this use enables the children to predict text and begin to coral read as a group. Pretty soon they can read the book in its entirety. The key is repetition. And the key to great repetition is creativity. So on to the fun stuff we go.As I read this book time and time again in my class of three-year-olds, we started exploring the different elements happening. We figured out by the pages in the book that it was winter time. And from there it became a question of what type of animals sleep (hibernate) in the winter? How long do they hibernate? What are all of his friends doing up partying? Why is the rabbit called a hare?
These are inquisitive questions that little minds need to know. So you teach them and you explore with them and you ask their thoughts and opinions.
We worked hard through the week painting our cave or lair (a very expensive box) and we prepared for our bears to enter their deep sleep (I rhymed!).
As the week came to an end we had to put our bears asleep for the winter. Each of the children brought in a bear from home, we labeled them with their names (because all bears have names), we snapped a photo of a moment in time and we carefully put them down to sleep.
Three months later (no kidding), the bears came out of hibernation in the middle of night and they made a mess in our classroom (I can't believe that I didn't capture this moment with film, but I didn't!) with paint, play dough, blocks, there was even one sitting in the rocking chair doing circle time! The oohs and awes on their faces were too much to BEAR.
When you think about reading a book, don't just read the page, read the story that the page tells. Go beyond the words and bring the story to life as we did. Children learn by doing; their learning is three-dimensional. Don't bore them with flat words, flat pictures, and flat tone. Deep, dark lair should be DEEP, DARK LAIR. "Mouse squeaks, "Too damp, too dank, too dark."", should be "too damp, too dank, too dark" (itty, bitty voice).
Overall the book shares about friendship, consideration, and problem-solving. Bear goes from mad to sad to happy. Emotions are a big part of early childhood, use this to talk about feelings and how we can deal with those feelings even at a young age.
In the end, bear is awake and as spring roles around Bear Wants More. So off I go to plan another Bear adventure...
Below is a unit that I created when I facilitated a workshop about lesson planning. I used Bear Snores On as a part of the unit and inspiration for activities.
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz249/family4jones/FromBlahandBoringtoLearningandSoaringslideshow_008.jpg
I hope that you enjoy reading about my Bear adventure. Although Bear Snores On is not part of my Barefoot Books, I hope that you will add it to your collection. There is a series of Bear books, so happy reading my friends.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Happy Birthday Author: Chris Raschka
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Happy Birthday Chris Raschka: author, illustrator, adapter, and photographer
Read more about Chris at Children's Literature Network or at A Bebop Life!
A listing of Chris Raschka's books, including a Caldecott Medal & a Caldecott Honor:
Arlene Sardine
Can’t Sleep
Charlie Parker Played be bop
Elizabeth Imagined an Iceberg
Five for a Little One
John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
Like Likes Like
Mysterious Thelonious
New York Is English
Chattanooga Is Creek
R and (R): A Story about Two Alphabets
Ring! Yo?
Simple Gifts: A Shaker Hymn
Talk to Me about the Alphabet
The Blushful Hippopotamus
The Purple Balloon
Waffle
Yo! Yes?
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Another Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Armstrong by Claude Nougaro and Maurice Vander, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Be Boy Buzz by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Best Shorts:
Happy Birthday Chris Raschka: author, illustrator, adapter, and photographer
Read more about Chris at Children's Literature Network or at A Bebop Life!
A listing of Chris Raschka's books, including a Caldecott Medal & a Caldecott Honor:
Arlene Sardine
Can’t Sleep
Charlie Parker Played be bop
Elizabeth Imagined an Iceberg
Five for a Little One
John Coltrane’s Giant Steps
Like Likes Like
Mysterious Thelonious
New York Is English
Chattanooga Is Creek
R and (R): A Story about Two Alphabets
Ring! Yo?
Simple Gifts: A Shaker Hymn
Talk to Me about the Alphabet
The Blushful Hippopotamus
The Purple Balloon
Waffle
Yo! Yes?
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems by Paul B. Janeczko (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Another Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Armstrong by Claude Nougaro and Maurice Vander, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Be Boy Buzz by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Best Shorts:
Favorite Short Stories for Sharing by Avi (Compiler), Chris Raschka (Illustrator), Carolyn Shute (Contributor)
Boy Meets Girl/GirlMeets Boy by Chris Raschka
Fishing in the Air by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Frisettes en fête by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Author, Illustrator)
Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More by Jack Prelutsky, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Grump Grown Growl by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Happy to Be Nappy by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Little Tree by e. e. cummings, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Movin’: Teen Poets Take Voice by Dave Johnson (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Skin Again by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Table Manners by Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky
The Four Corners of the Sky: Creation Stories and Cosmologies from Around the World by Steve Zeitlin, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Genie in the Jar by by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Grasshopper's Song: An Aesop's Fable Revisited by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Owl and the Tuba by James H Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Saga of Shakespeare Pintlewood and the Great Silver Fountain Pen by James H. Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
THE “THINGY THING” BOOKS:
Snaily Snail
Goosey Goose
Lamby Lamb
WhaleyWhale
Moosey Moose
Doggy Dog
Wormy Worm
Sluggy Slug
Boy Meets Girl/GirlMeets Boy by Chris Raschka
Fishing in the Air by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Frisettes en fête by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Author, Illustrator)
Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More by Jack Prelutsky, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Grump Grown Growl by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Happy to Be Nappy by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Little Tree by e. e. cummings, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Movin’: Teen Poets Take Voice by Dave Johnson (Editor), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
I Pledge Allegiance by Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Skin Again by bell hooks, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
Table Manners by Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky
The Four Corners of the Sky: Creation Stories and Cosmologies from Around the World by Steve Zeitlin, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Genie in the Jar by by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Grasshopper's Song: An Aesop's Fable Revisited by Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Owl and the Tuba by James H Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
The Saga of Shakespeare Pintlewood and the Great Silver Fountain Pen by James H. Lehman, Chris Raschka (Illustrator)
THE “THINGY THING” BOOKS:
Snaily Snail
Goosey Goose
Lamby Lamb
WhaleyWhale
Moosey Moose
Doggy Dog
Wormy Worm
Sluggy Slug
Thursday, March 3, 2011
DIY Bookshelf Patterns and Ideas
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Any great literacy rich environment must have a system for storing books! In my second grade classroom I started each year by reorganizing books and trying to figure out the best system for organizing and classifying books to make them look appealing and easy to access. This week it was fun for me to search out your super suggestions for storing books. Here are several of my favorite set ups!
The Whimsical Tree Bookshelf from Design Dazzle is one of the most creative bookshelves I've ever seen. I love it!
Helping Little Hands explains how they put together easy front facing display shelves for their picture books.
Have you heard of Ana-White? She is a fantastic resource for helping you with all of your DIY furniture projects. Children's Book Ledges are in her line up of DIY organizing projects.
From the Nest inexpensively put together a great sling shelf for books, similar to those seen in more expensive catalog shops.
Full of Great Ideas created slim book shelves perfect for displaying children's books.
I have also had my eye on some clever ladder shelves for books. Have any of you created one of these? We'd love to see your links.
How do you store, display, and organize your book collection?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Dr. Seuss' Birthday
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Today we celebrate what would have been Dr. Seuss' 107th Birthday!
The Examiner has an interesting article on why we enjoy celebrating Dr. Seuss' special day.
2 Teaching Mommies shares a Dr. Seuss unit to use in celebrating Read Across America. It includes activities for Language Arts, Math, and Just for Fun!
Check out Seuss Dude for a listing of Classic, Nursery Rhyme, Bright and Early, and Beginner Books.
Living Life as Art has put together a page of printable Dr. Seuss gift tags perfect for adding to gifts you give.
Obseussed is a fantastic resource for all things crafting, learning, reading, and exploring Dr. Seuss and his classic books. Check out their sidebar buttons for celebrations, decorations, and more!
For some more "official" information about Dr. Seuss check out CatintheHat.org and Seussville.com.
Our very own feature writer, Rachelle, shared pieces of a Seuss on the Loose unit on her blog - What the Teacher Wants.
Straight Stitches suggests ideas for putting together a fabulous Dr. Seuss themed birthday celebration!
Along the lines of celebrations, Kara's Party Ideas will inspire you with adorable decorations for a Dr. Seuss themed baby shower.
Check out the Happy Birthday to You poem on this site full of Seuss poems and more.
Just for the fun of it, Content in a Cottage explains the hidden meanings in 10 of Dr. Seuss' books.
Last year we linked to a few Dr. Seuss themed crafts and websites in our Read Across America author challenge post.
Today we celebrate what would have been Dr. Seuss' 107th Birthday!
The Examiner has an interesting article on why we enjoy celebrating Dr. Seuss' special day.
2 Teaching Mommies shares a Dr. Seuss unit to use in celebrating Read Across America. It includes activities for Language Arts, Math, and Just for Fun!
Check out Seuss Dude for a listing of Classic, Nursery Rhyme, Bright and Early, and Beginner Books.
Living Life as Art has put together a page of printable Dr. Seuss gift tags perfect for adding to gifts you give.
Obseussed is a fantastic resource for all things crafting, learning, reading, and exploring Dr. Seuss and his classic books. Check out their sidebar buttons for celebrations, decorations, and more!
For some more "official" information about Dr. Seuss check out CatintheHat.org and Seussville.com.
Our very own feature writer, Rachelle, shared pieces of a Seuss on the Loose unit on her blog - What the Teacher Wants.
Straight Stitches suggests ideas for putting together a fabulous Dr. Seuss themed birthday celebration!
Along the lines of celebrations, Kara's Party Ideas will inspire you with adorable decorations for a Dr. Seuss themed baby shower.
Check out the Happy Birthday to You poem on this site full of Seuss poems and more.
Just for the fun of it, Content in a Cottage explains the hidden meanings in 10 of Dr. Seuss' books.
Last year we linked to a few Dr. Seuss themed crafts and websites in our Read Across America author challenge post.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Teaching with Ticia: coloring books
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
This may seem kind of like a weird topic, but there's some great learning coloring books out there. In particular any that are paired with a book.
I was lucky enough to find at Barnes and Noble a few years ago a copy of "Santa Mouse," and the coloring book that used the same illustrations. I went through and copied most of the pictures from it that helped tell the story, colored, and laminated them.
This year we read the book, and then afterwards I pulled out my pictures and we used them as a story-stretcher.
First we reviewed the story looking at the book and making sure we understood the order of the events.
Then we took the pictures and put them in order of the events of the story. This was also a great way to reinforce left to right, as we put the pictures down just as we would if we were reading.
Then they took turns putting the pictures in different orders and making up their own stories.
As an alternative if you can't find a coloring book for the pictures you can also scan the actual pictures from the book in. Back when I was teaching I scanned in pictures from most of the books I used regularly and then printed them on cardstock. I then also wrote a sentence to go with the picture and we used it as an activity for learning "Beginning, Middle, and End."
This may seem kind of like a weird topic, but there's some great learning coloring books out there. In particular any that are paired with a book.
I was lucky enough to find at Barnes and Noble a few years ago a copy of "Santa Mouse," and the coloring book that used the same illustrations. I went through and copied most of the pictures from it that helped tell the story, colored, and laminated them.
This year we read the book, and then afterwards I pulled out my pictures and we used them as a story-stretcher.
Then we took the pictures and put them in order of the events of the story. This was also a great way to reinforce left to right, as we put the pictures down just as we would if we were reading.
Then they took turns putting the pictures in different orders and making up their own stories.
As an alternative if you can't find a coloring book for the pictures you can also scan the actual pictures from the book in. Back when I was teaching I scanned in pictures from most of the books I used regularly and then printed them on cardstock. I then also wrote a sentence to go with the picture and we used it as an activity for learning "Beginning, Middle, and End."
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Literacy Games
Welcome! New to ABC and 123? Please check out our FAQ in the sidebar.
Play a Three Letter Word game with Flipflops and Applesauce.
Practice specific words or letters of the alphabet using a literacy guessing game. Inspiration Surrounds....Creativity Abounds has printable clue cards for you to try.
Play a Three Letter Word game with Flipflops and Applesauce.
Practice specific words or letters of the alphabet using a literacy guessing game. Inspiration Surrounds....Creativity Abounds has printable clue cards for you to try.
Teach Mama has put together a helpful post explaining some resources for early literacy computer games.
Put together your own magnetic rhyming board game similar to the one seen on Literacy Site.
The Snails Trail has a wonderful post full of homemade literacy games including word BINGO, sight word concentration, bean bag toss, and more!
Beginning Reading Help explains quick guessing games for building phonemic awareness, such as changing beginning sounds and separating sounds.
The Classroom Kit has several colorful and free literacy games for you to print and use in your classroom: alphabet BINGO, word families, simple sight words, sound surprise, cvc words, blends, and more.
If you are interested in literacy "games" for babies, you will enjoy this list of 50 activities from Room to Grow.
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