- THIS BLOG IS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARIANS AND INCLUDES A YEAR'S WORTH OF FREE LESSON PLANS AND ADDITIONAL FREE LIBRARY RESOURCES!
- SEE THE MONTHLY FREE LESSON PLAN OPTIONS ABOVE AND CHECK OUT THE LITERACY AND LIBRARY RESOURCES AREA!
A while back I posted about how fun it would be to have one of those "Free Little Libraries". My son, who is graduating in construction management, secretly made one for me and surprised me at our family gathering for Christmas last year! He made it with left over "stuff" from his construction sites. I have it on the front porch of our preschool, Ready-Set-Grow, and it has been so much fun for the parents and kids!
September
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*RESPONSIBILITY
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*Being dependable as I carry out a task carefully and
kindly.
I do what I am supposed to do.
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1. I Know and Follow the Rules
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“Know & Follow
Rules” by Cheri J. Meiners
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2: I Am Kind & Friendly
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“Let’s
Work Together” & “Friends” by Little World Social Skills*
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3: I Listen and I Follow my Teachers
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“Listen and Learn” by C. J. Meiners
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4:
I Am a Good Worker and Helper
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“Responsibility” by
LWSS*
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October
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*RESPECT & MANNERS
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*Caring
for and thinking about others' feelings before I act.
I
follow
the “Golden Rule”.
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1:
I Share and Wait for My Turn
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“Share and Take
Turns” by C. J. Meiners
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2:
I Use Good Manners at Home and in Public
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“May I Please?” by
LWSS*
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3:
I Accept & Value Each Person
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“Accept and Value
Each Person” by C. J. Meiners
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4:
I Take Good Care of the Classroom
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“Respect and Take
Care of Things” by C. J. Meiners
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November
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*GRATITUDE
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*Feeling thankful for something or for someone.
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1: I am Grateful for This Beautiful World
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“Thankful” by
Eileen Spinelli
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2: I am Grateful for my Family and Friends
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3:
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks
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“Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks” by
M. Sutherland
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4:
Thanksgiving Break
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December
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*SERVICE & GIVING (Generosity)
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*Thinking of others and being generous (giving).
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1:
I Give “of Myself” to Others
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“Reach
Out and Give” by C. J. Meiners
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2:
I Give Gifts to Others to Show I Care
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“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein
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3:
Christmas is About Giving
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*Christmas Stories
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4.
Christmas Break
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January
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*HONESTY & TELLING THE TRUTH
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*Doing what I say you will do and doing what is right.
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1:
I am Honest and Tell the Truth
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“Be
Honest and Tell the Truth” by C. J.
Meiners
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2: I Make a
Mistakes, I Admit It & Try to Improve
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“Integrity” by LWSS*
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3:
I Do Not Steal, Cheat or Act Sneaky
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“Honesty” by LWSS*
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4:
I am Reliable— I do what I say I’ll do
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“Pigs” by Robert Munsch
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February
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*COMPASSION
& LOVE
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*Understanding
the hurt other’s feel and caring for them.
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1:
I Can “Work Things Out”
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“Talk
and Work it Out” by C. J. Meiners
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2: I Have Empathy for Other People’s Feelings
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“Understand and Care” by C. J. Meiners
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3:
I am Polite and Kind to Others
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“Be Polite and Kind” by C. J. Meiners
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4:
I Can Forgive and Let Go of Upsets
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“Forgive and Let Go” – BBM Series
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March
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*SELF-CONTROL
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*Controlling my thoughts, feelings and actions.
Thinking
before I act—considering the consequences.
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1:
I am in Charge of my Emotions and Feelings
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“Cool Down and Work
Through Anger” by C. J. Meiners
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2:
I am in Charge of Taking Care of Me
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“Be Careful and Stay
Safe”! by C. J. Meiners
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3:
I Can Overcome My Fears
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“When I Feel
Afraid” by C. J. Meiners
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4:
I Have Healthy Habits
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“Grow Strong” by BBM
Series
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April
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*EXCELLENCE
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*Being the best I can be.
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1: I Have Self-Confidence! I Like Me!
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“Feel Confident” by
BBM Series
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2: I Can
Solve Problems
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“Problem Solving” by
LWSS
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3:
I am the Best “ME” I Can Be
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“Stand Tall” – BBM
Series
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4:
Mistakes Help Me to Grow
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“Where the Wild
Things Grow” by Mercer Mayer
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May
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*PERSEVERANCE
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*Working hard to finish something without giving up.
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1: I Finish What
I Start (Determination)
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“Try
and Stick With It” by Cheri J. Meiners
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2:
I Work Through Difficulties
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“Bounce Back!” by BBM
Series
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3:
PRESCHOOL GRADUATION WEEK
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No Lesson
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4:
I “Try, Fail, Try, Fail, Try,…SUCCEED”!
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“The Little Engine that Could” by
Wattie Piper
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*SUMMER: 2 lessons a month only
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June
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*COURAGE
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*Being brave and doing something I believe is right, even when I feel
afraid.
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1:
I Have the Courage to Do the Right Thing
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“Have Courage” by BBS
Series
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2:
I Join in and Play, Even When I am Afraid
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“Join in and Play” by
Cheri J. Meiners
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July
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*CITIZENSHIP
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*Doing
my share to make my school and community better. Being a good neighbor. Obeying laws and rules. Respecting authority. Protecting the environment.
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1: I am Loyal to my Family, Friends and
Community
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“How to Lose All Your Friends” by Nancy Carlson
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2: I Protect the Environment – Recycle, Reuse,
Restore
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August
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*HOPE
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*Believing
in something expected or that something good will come to pass.
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1:
Be Cheerful and Positive
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“Be Positive” BBM
Series; “Look on the Bright Side” by LWSS
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2:
Look at the Possibilities and Dream
Big!!!
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“Dream On!” BBM
Series
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Other Resources
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Songs, Poems &
Rhymes
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Other Picture Books or
Literature
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SEPTEMBER
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*RESPONSIBILITY
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*Being dependable as you carry out a task carefully and
kindly.
I do what I am supposed to do.
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“Quickly I’ll Obey” p. 197
“Do As I’m Doing” – (“act out” making
good choices, following the
rules…etc.)
“Kindness Begins with Me” p. 145
“When We’re Helping” p. 198b
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“The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister
“The Little Red Hen” – any version
“No David”; “David Goes to School”;
“David Gets in Trouble”
by David Shannon
“I Just Forgot” by Mercer Mayer
“The Enormous
Carrot” by Vladimir Vagin
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OCTOBER
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*RESPECT
& MANNERS
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*Caring
for and thinking about others' feelings before you act.
I
follow
the “Golden Rule”.
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Teach the Golden Rule: “Do unto
others what you would have others do unto
you.”
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“Where is Thumbkin?” (shows
polite greetings)
“We Are Different” p. 263
“I’ll Walk with You” 1st
vs. p. 140
“Hello Friends” p. 254A (switch 1st
& 2nd lines to: “Hello friends it’s nice to say, Hello on this
Preschool day.” Sing the rest as written.)
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“Mine” by Leo
Lionni
“The Napping House” by Audrey Wood
“Should I Share My Ice Cream”? by Mo Willems
“Waiting is NOT Easy” by Mo Willems
“Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”
by Kevin Henkes
“Pigsty” by Mark Teague
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NOVEMBER
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*GRATITUDE
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*Feeling thankful for something or for someone.
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“The World Is So Lovely”
1: The world is so lovely!
I’m glad as can be.
For mountains & rivers,
Created for me.
2: The sunshine, the flowers, the stars
up above. A home where I live and a
family I love.
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“I am Glad for Many Things”
“I’m Thankful to Be Me” p. 11
“I Think the World Is Glorious” p. 230
(2 vs.)
“Grandmother” p. 200
“When Grandpa Comes” p. 201
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“The Thankful Book” by Todd Parr
“The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks” by
Stan Berenstain
“The Best Part of the Day” by Sarah
Ban Breathnach
“The Thank You Book” by Mo Willems
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DECEMBER
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*SERVICE & GIVING (GENEROSITY)
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*Thinking of others and being generous (giving).
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“A Happy Helper” p. 197A vs. 1 & 2
“When We’re Helping” p. 198B
“Give, Said the Little Stream”
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“The Mitten Tree”
“My Most Favorite Thing” “The Elves and the Shoemaker”
“The Gardener” by Sarah Stewart
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JANUARY
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*HONESTY & TELLING THE TRUTH
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*Doing what I say you will do and doing what is right.
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“I Believe in Being Honest” p. 149 (first 4
lines)
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“It’s Not My Fault” by Nancy Carlson
“It’s True” by Mercer Mayer
“A Big Fat Enormous Lie” by Marjorie
W. Sharmat
“Franklin Fibs” a Franklin book
“The Empty Pot” by Demi
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FEBRUARY
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*COMPASSION
& LOVE
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*Understanding
the hurt other’s feel and wanting to do something about it! Caring and being fair.
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“A Happy Family” p.
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“When You Are Happy” by Eileen
Spinelli
“Where the Wild Things Are” by Mercer
Mayer (Caldecott)
“The Lion & the Mouse” by Jerry
Pinkney “
“A Sick Day for Amos McGee” by Philip
Stead (Caldecott)
“A Chair for my Mother” by Vera B.
Williams “
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MARCH
|
*SELF-CONTROL
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*Controlling your thoughts, feelings and
actions.
Think
before you act—consider the consequences.
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“Brush Your Teeth” – When you wake up
in...
“If You’re Happy and You Know It”
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“The Way I Feel” by Janan Cain
“When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's
Memoir…” by J. Lee Curtis
“Never Talk to Strangers”
“Wimberley Worried” by Kevin Henkes
“The Pigeon Needs a Bath” by Mo
Willems
“Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell
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APRIL
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*EXELLENCE
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*Being the best you can be.
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“I am Like a Star” p. 163 last line sing: “I
want to be the BEST I can be!”
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“I Like Myself” by Karen Beaumont
“Chrysanthemem” by Kevin Henkes
“I’m Gonna Like Me” (Letting
Off a Little Self-Esteem) by J. Lee Curtis
“The Dot” by Peter Reynolds
“The Foolish Turtle” by Eric Carle
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MAY
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*PERSERVERENCE
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*Working hard to finish something without giving up.
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“Can I Play Too?” by Mo Willems
“It’s Hard to Be
Five: Learning How to Work My… by J.
Curtis
“A Chair for my Mother” by Vera B. Williams
“Leo the Late Bloomer” by Leo Lionelli
“Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers
“Whistle for Willy” by Ezra Jack
Keates
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JUNE
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*COURAGE
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*Doing something you think is right, even when you feel
afraid.
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“Sheila
Rae, the Brave” by Kevin Henkes
“The
Little Yellow Leaf” by Carin Berger
“Mirette
on the High Wire” by Emily McCully (Caldecott Medal)
“Brave
Irene” by William Steig
“I’m
Brave” by Kate McMullah
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JULY
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*CITIZENSHIP
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*Doing
your share to make your school and community better. Being a good neighbor. Obeying laws and rules.
Protecting
the environment.
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“My Flag, My Flag” p. 225
“Pioneer Children” p. 214
“Oxcart” p. 219
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“We Live Here Too! Kids Talk About Good Citizenship” by N. Loewen
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AUGUST
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*HOPE
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*Believing
in something expected or that something will come to pass.
|
“I am Like a Star” p. 163 last line
sing:
I want to be the BEST I can be!
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“Mathew’s Dream” Leo Lionni
“Time of Wonder” by Robert McCloskey
“We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by M.
Rosen
“Flotsam” by David Wiesner
“The Pout, Pout Fish” by Deborah
Diesen
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Board Book Series: by Elizabeth Verdick