Showing posts with label books with lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books with lessons. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

TUESDAY: TEACH THE BOOK "THE MYSTERIOUS TADPOLE" BY STEVEN KELLOGG

The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg - LESSON PLAN by http://thepicturebookteachersedition.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-mysterious-tadpole-by-steven-kellogg.html











BOOK REVIEW:  Uncle McAllister, he always sends Louis the best birthday presents, this year is no exception. Uncle McAllister sent, what everyone thought, was a tadpole to Louis for this years birthday. Louis named his tadpole Alphonse. Alphonse was no ordinary tadpole, he grew, and grew, and grew until he could no longer fit in Louis' apartment. Louis set out in search of help. He needed to get enough money to build Louis a pool. Louis asked the school librarian to help him, and boy did she! Wait till you see where they found the money to make Alphonse's new home!

This is such a fun book, it has been one of my favorites since my girls were babies...even as I worked on this review, both of my girls walked by, saw the book, and both said, "Oh, I love that book!"

I hope you can use the FREE classify and categorize activity I have created to go along with this book.

If you would like to make your own reading skill or strategy lesson with this book here is a list of ideas and questions that might be helpful.
Reading level: 3.2

Theme: friendship

Genre: Fiction

Suggested Vocabulary: Scotland, ordinary, donated, smuggled, retrieved, Loc Ness monster

Reading skills and strategies:
  • asking questions - {possible questions before} Why is the tadpole mysterious? {possible questions during} Why does Alphonse eat cheeseburgers? Why is Alphonse growing so fast? What are they going to do with Alphonse now that he is too big for the apartment? Why was the coach so mad? What is a Loc Ness monster? {possible questions after} What kind of bird was in the egg?
  • author's point of view - third person point of view
  • author's purpose - entertain {evidence} The tadpole grew very fast. Alphonse ate cheeseburgers. Alphonse found a treasure chest in the harbor. All of these things are silly, which makes an entertaining story.
  • beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} Louis got a tadpole from his uncle for his birthday. {most important event from middle} Alphonse grew so fast that he needed a new home. {most important event from end} Alphonse found the treasure to help pay for his new home.
  • cause and effect - Why did Uncle McAllister send Louis a tadpole? because it was Louis' birthday. Why did the teacher ask Louis to stop bringing Alphonse to school? because she decided that he was no ordinary tadpole. Why did Louis smuggle Alphonse into the school? because he needed Alphonse to live in the school pool. Why was to coach upset and confused? because Alphonse was in the pool. Why did Miss. Seevers drop her purse and books into the pool? because she was so shocked to see Alphonse. Why did Miss. Seevers call Uncle McAllister? because she wanted to find out more about Alphonse. Why does Miss Seevers think Alphonse is a Loc Ness monster? because Alphonse is so big and he was found in the lake Loc Ness. Why does Alphonse need to find the treasure? because they needed the money to buy the parking lot to build Alphonse a pool. Why did Uncle McAllister come to visit Louis? because it was his birthday, again. Why does Louis' parents look so nervous at the end of the book? because they are afraid of what the bird might grow into.
  • characterization - describe Louis, describe Alphonse, describe Miss. Seevers {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
  • classify & categorize - birthday gifts that your parents would be happy you got and birthday gifts that your parents would not be happy you got.
  • compare & contrast - your pet to Alphonse
  • connections - {possible text-to-self connections} getting a pet for a gift.
  • drawing conclusions & inferencing - How do you think Louis' parents are feeling when the birthday egg cracks open? {text clues} the looks on their faces look like they are worried. Also the tadpole turned out not to be a tadpole but a very big Loc Ness monster. {my conclusion} I think Louis' parents are worried that the bird is going to turn into a very big raptor.
  • main idea & details - {main idea} {details}
  • plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when Alphonse gets the treasure chest.
  • predict - Do you think Alphonse is a tadpole? Do you think Alphonse will get sent to the zoo? Do you think Louis will get into trouble having Alphonse in the school pool? What do you think the swimmers and coach will do when they find Alphonse in the pool? How do you think Miss. Seevers will react when she seed Alphonse? What do you think Miss. Seevers' idea is? Will Alphonse find the treasure? What do you think Uncle McAllister will send Louis this year for his birthday. What kind of bird do you think Uncle McAllister sent?
  • problem & solution - {problem} Alphonse is getting so big he can't fit anywhere. {solution} Louis wants to buy the parking lot next door to build Alphonse a pool.
  • sequencing - Uncle McAllister sends Louis a birthday gift. Louis names his tadpole Alphonse. Louis takes Alphonse to school for show and tell. Alphonse starts outgrowing all his homes. The teacher tells Louis that Alphonse can't come to school anymore. Louis takes Alphonse to the school pool. The coach and swimmers see Alphonse and run away from the pool. Louis asks Miss. Seevers to help him. She tells Louis about a treasure chest that no one has found. Alphonse goes into the harbor and finds the treasure chest. Miss. Seevers and Louis have enough money to build Alphonse his pool. All the kids love to swim with Alphonse. It is Louis' birthday again and Uncle McAllister delivers his new present...an egg.
  • story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.
  • summarize - {someone}Louis {wanted} needed to buy the parking lot next door to build Alphonse a pool {but} but they didn't have enough money {so} so he asked Miss. Seevers for help. {then}Miss. Seevers told Louis of a treasure chest that Alphonse found. {finally} They finally had enough money to build Alphonse his pool.

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Sunday, July 29, 2012

SUNDAY: "Tear Soup" by Pat Schwiebert



Tear Soup, a Recipe for Healing After Loss [Hardcover]

Pat Schwiebert (Author), Chuck DeKlyen (Author), Taylor Bills (Illustrator)

Laura's Review
This is a 5+ star book in my estimation.  After my daughter lost their little girl, (stillborn at 8+ months), we were all heart broken.  We had recently suffered another death of a young dear friend and my heart felt  heavy for a long time.  My daughter received this book from a friend at work and said "that of all the books and gifts that she had received, this one was the most helpful and really hit the mark".  She sat me down on the couch and she read it to me.  We wept together, page by page, as Grandy, the main character, describes her process of dealing with her loss by making tear soup.  (You don't know what loss she has suffered, but it doesn't matter.  You do know it is a very significant loss though.)  As my daughter read the book, I could literally relate to each sentence and each page.  As I listened to Grandy explain to her grandson what she was doing, I felt like I had discovered a new friend, who was going through the pain with me and who finally understood how I felt.  Because this is a picture book, it is written for adults and children alike.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who is grieving the loss of anyone or anything significant.

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up
If you are going to buy only one book on grief, this is the one to get! It will validate your grief experience, and you can share it with your children. You can leave it on the coffee table so others will pick it up, read it, and then better appreciate your grieving time. Grand's Cooking Tips section at the back of the book is rich with wisdom and concrete recommendations. Better than a casserole!

Hardbound; 56 full-color pages. Affirms the bereaved. Educates the un-bereaved. A building-block for children..... WINNER! of the 2001 Theologos Book Award, presented by the Association of Theological Booksellers.

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?


Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2007 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up
Through simple prose and vivid illustrations, this heartwarming book encourages positive behavior as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love. Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.



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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

WEEKLY BONUS: BOOK LIST AND WEB SITE

  
Here is an unbelievalbe FREE website that offers Power Point Presentations, lesson plans and literature ideas for all the books listed below.  I'm loving it!  THANKS to whoever put this list together.   http://literature.pppst.com

         A
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Saturday, June 30, 2012

FICTION FRIDAY: "One" by Kathryn Otoshi


I stopped by one of my favorite places in the world yesterday on my way home from class, Lakeshore Learning,  (http://www.lakeshorelearning.com) and saw this book entitled, "One" by Kathryn Otoshi.  The super simple watercolor pictures caught my eye as did the gold label.  I was curious, so I picked it up and read it.  In the book,  "Red is HOT and Blue is NOT." In a unique fashion, it deals with the way all of us can feel, especially as children, when we are treated unkindly and when our "friends" don't stick up for us when we are picked on, shoved around or teased by some angry person.  It also rehearses the way we can feel when someone does stick up for us as well.  In other words, it deals with bullying.  I love this very simple, straight forward book that I believe small and old can relate to and would suggest it to anyone who deals with groups of children.  School Library Journal says: The text is very simple but meaningful, and the moral is subtly told. 
I'd read this book to kids even up to 6th grade, because it teaches us life lessons.  Everyone enjoys a picture book now and then.  I REALLY enjoyed this one as it leaves the readers with ways to create solutions about bullying.

  • Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: KO Kids Books (October 1, 2008)
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Other books by Kathryn Otoshi:
Product DetailsProduct Details






PreSchool-K—This is a deceptively simple color and counting book that turns into a lesson on bullying. Whenever they meet, Blue is picked on by Red: "Red is HOT. Blue is NOT." The other colors like Blue but are intimidated by the bluster so they say nothing, and soon Red is bossing everyone around. But then One comes. It is funny and brave and confronts Red: "If someone is mean and picks on me, I, for One, stand up and say, No." All the other colors follow One's lead and become numbers too. Yellow is two, Green, three, etc. Red begins to feel left out and tries to bully Blue, but Blue ignores him and changes to Six: "Red can be really HOT,' he says, but Blue can be super COOL.'" The rest of the numbers stick up for Blue, but offer Red the opportunity to join in the counting, and all ends well. The book is well designed with bright colored circles and numbers on stark white pages accompanied by black print.  Red is not ostracized but included in the game, and the essential point of one person making a difference is emphasized by the ending: "Sometimes it just takes One." This is an offering with great potential for use with the very young in a variety of ways.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA



One Pop Art lesson on Bullying
Read & discuss bullying & how they resolved the problem in the story One by Kathryn Otoshi. Show Jasper John’s painting, Numbers in Color. Discuss how the numbers work together in the painting & in the book? Give students a stenciled numbered paper. Color number with watercolor pencils. Paint them. Paint the background a using the primary colors and the secondary they make. My 3 Kindergarten classes do these using different background secondary blends. Display them collaged in Johns' style.
Pre-K/Kindergarten
Arts & Music, Reading & Literacy, Student Engagement & Development
The students will be able to define and give characteristics of bullying and describe methods to prevent bullying behavior. One is a story about bullying that uses splotches of color and numbers to speak of the power of one person to initiate change. They will create a painted collaborative collage using Johns' style of stenciled numbers. They will mix primaries to make secondary colors and recognize Jasper Johns' Pop Art images. They will be introduced to the Pop Art style.
6x9 papers with stenciled numbers on them. Watercolor pencils Water buckets Brushes Paint Paint containers Newspaper One by Kathryn Otoshi Prints by Jasper Johns Numbers in Color by Jasper Johns
This lesson covers New Jersey Core Curriculum standards: Language Arts Literacy 3.4 Listening Social Studies 6.2 Civics Visual & Performing Arts 1.1 Aesthetics Visual & Performing Arts 1.2 Creation &performance Visual & Performing Arts 1.5 History/Culture
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Monday, June 18, 2012

Library Lesson on Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

LIBRARY LESSONS: October
October Week 1:  Fiction vs. Non-Fiction (and a bit about References)

Theme: The Titanic or any other topic of your choice.
Grade:  K-6th grade
Library Objective:  The student will ask pertinent questions based on a nonfiction book.
Title:  KWL with nonfiction books about the Titanic or other topic.
Resources:  Nonfiction books about the Titanic: Nat Geo Kids Titanic, Finding the Titanic, Inside the Titanic, and Explore Titanic.  Fiction books about the Titanic, such as Tonight on the Titanic, a Magic Tree House book or Titanic Cat.
Introduction:  Have the topic "The Titanic" and a KWL chart on the white board (Know/Want to Know/Have Learned).
Vocabulary:  Question words such as who, what, when, where, why.
Activity:  Explain that we will look at a book that will teach us something.  Our job is to learn something new from this book. Tell what the book is about, and ask student to list 3-5 things that they already know about this topic.  List on board unker K - tell students that stands for what we "already know."  Ask students to give you 3-5 questions that they want to know about the topic.  Write those on the chart under W and tell students that stands for "want to know."  Read or share parts of the book, emphasizing that it is a nonfiction book and that nonfiction books are true.  Fiction books however, are stories that are made up by the author.  They didn't really happen.
Ask students to give 3-5 things that they learned.  Write them on the chart under L - tell students that stands for "what we learned."

Go back and look at the W part of the chart.  Did you find the answers to those questions?  Where else could you look to find those answers?

Closure:  Review what was learned about the topic, and what else they might want to learn.

Show them all the books available on the subject in the display and tell them that next week I will allow check-out!

Opt:  Play music from the movie, "The Titanic" quite low in the background as children browse the library.


(Revised from a Hanover County, Virginia, library lesson.)
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Sunday, June 17, 2012

BUSY, BUSY, as a BEE!

In Utah, the state bird is the BUMBLE BEE... lol, or maybe it is the symbol of industry and hard work.  Anyway, I have been as busy as one of those bumblebees this week.  Coming home from a vacation, getting a son out the door to a scout camp, and preparing for a large wedding shower.  Most of my posting has been done on the Pages section of my blog.  Today however, I have a great book or two to talk about.  The first one is about growing through challenges and it's called "Ruby Lee the Bumble Bee, A Bee's Bit of Wisdom"  by Dawn Matheson, with illustrations by Pamela Barcita.  (I really love the illustrations!)




Book Description for Ruby Lee the Bumble Bee -

Publication Date: September 15, 2004 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up
Winner of 2 Benjamin Franklin Awards, the International Gallery Award and name "Most outstanding Children's book" at the Mom's Choice Awards!Recommended by the Dove Foundation, Children's Book Watch and many other professional reviewers.
Ashley wants to give up in the face of a challenge, but with Ruby Lee's encouragement she learns to face her fears and she grows as a result.
This critially acclaimed, international award winning, best seller encourages children to face life's challenges with courage and faith.


The Very Greedy Bee

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2010 | Age Level: 2 and up
MINE! That's what the very greedy bee says to anyone who asks him to share. While all the other bees work hard to clean the hive and make honey, the very greedy bee spends all of his time gobbling pollen and guzzling nectar. One day the very greedy bee finds a meadow full of flowers and decides not to tell anyone. He spends the entire day buzzing from flower to flower until...THUMP. The very greedy bee is so full that he cannot fly! It's getting dark and he doesn't know how to get home unless he flies. With the help of some new found friends the very greedy bee is able to return to his hive and has learned that it's best to work with others and share what you have.
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Sunday, June 3, 2012

SUNDAY "SCRIPTS": The Empty Pot, a book on Honesty, Trust and Integrity

 
A number of years ago, my sweet mother-in-law gave us a copy of a wonderful book called The Empty Pot.  The story is told of an emporer who gives a seed  to each young boy in his kingdom.  He tells the boys, that there is a very special prize for whoever can grow the most beautiful flower from the seed he is given.

Ping, one of the boys, plants his seed, waters it, fertilizes it, gives it plenty of sun, but no matter what he does, his flower doesn't grow.  He is very tempted to find another seed, a different one and use it instead, but that is against the rules.  He is humiliated and embarrased when he has to present his pot to the emporer and it is empty.  All of the other boys have pots filled with beautiful flowers in them. 

In the end, the emporer awards the grandest prize to Ping, because, he explains, all of the seeds he gave to the boys were cooked and unable to grow.  The only honest young boys in the kingdom was Ping.  The seeds could not have grown into beautiful flowers, they were dead seeds.  Ping had been the only honest one, although tempted to break the rule to use another seed, he humbly told the emporer that he had failed.  Yet he was the only boy to pass the test of honesty and the prize was awarded to him, the emporer's entire kingdom.  You see, he was getting old and was looking for someone he could trust his kingdom to.

This book talks about temptation, honesty, humility, trust and so much more.  It's a great book to read and then discuss all of these character traits with a group of children!!!



A Lesson Plan to go with the book is found at the following website called "Teach with Picture Books".  http://teachwithpicturebooks.blogspot.com/2009/02/empty-pot.html
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

BONUS: SUMMER READING LIST OF... More Great Books for BOYS

Grades K-4
Geronimo Stilton- Series about a mouse who has great adventures
Stink- series by Megan McDonald
*Nate the Great
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Captain Underpants
Ralph and the Motorcycle
*Roald Dahl (author of many fantastical books, including Matilda, the BFG, James and the Giant     Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Twitches)
*Magic Tree House Series
Michigan Chillers Series
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner


Grades 4-8
*Suzanne Collins - Overlander Series
Mike Lupica- Sports novels
Michael Ford- Spartan Quest Series (Ancient Greek Fiction)
*John Flanagan- Ranger’s Apprentice Series (a Fantasy series)
Patricia C. Wrede - Enchanted Forest Chronicles
*Gary Paulsen- Hatchet and Wilderness survival stories
Gennifer Choldenko- Al Capone Does My Shirts
Susan Campbell Bartoletti- The Boy Who Dared
*39 Clues Series - by various mystery authors
*Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carmen (includes connections to short You Tube vinettes)
Jeanne DuPrau- City of Ember
Joseph Bruchac- Code Talker
*Gordon Korman- The Dive, Everest, Kidnapped, Titanic, On the Run and Island Series
*Andrew Clements- Frindle and any other books he has written
Carl Hiaasen- Hoot
Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz
Lemony Snicket- Series of Unfortunate Events
Gary Soto- Taking Sides
Sylvia Branzei- Grossology Series –gross science facts
*Andrew Clements- Jake Drake Series
Jean Craighead George- My Side of the Mountain Series
Dan Gutman’s- Million Dollar Shot- basketball contest
RA Montgomery - Choose Your Own Adventure Series
Megan McDonald—Judy Moody Series/ Stink Series
Dan Gutman- Baseball Card Adventures
Kevin D. Garrahan- Third House Down Hidden Cove
*Percy Jackson and the Olympian Series- Greek Mythology
*Louis Sachar- Holes
*Will Hobbs - Far North, Crossing the Wire (many other stories of survival)
Holly Black- Spiderwick Chronicles
James Patterson-Alex Cross Series
*Jack Gantos - Joey Pigza Series and anything else by him
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Thursday, May 17, 2012

THURSDAY'S Picture Book and Lesson Plan for: "I Miss You Every Day" by Simms Taback


Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 2007 | Age Level: 5 and up




What do you do when you miss someone every day? If you live in the magical
world of Simms Taback, you wrap yourself in paper, close yourself up in a box
(don't forget the air holes!) and mail yourself to the one you love. From the
creator of the Caldecott Medal-winning Joseph Had a Little Overcoat comes
 this tale about what a little girl will do to reach the person she just can't live without.
Filled with Taback's signature vibrant colors and dynamic characters, with a lyrical
text that's as silly as it is moving, this gesture of love will resonate with anyone who's
ever missed someone.

Lesson Plan:  Have the children write a letter inside a card to someone they
miss, everyday!  Then draw a window frame on the front of the card, similar to the
cover, with a picture of themselves inside.  Give each child a stamp, show them
where it goes and how to put their return address on it.  Have them take it home
to address to the person "They Miss Every Day".







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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

AUTHOR MARGARET REY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY AND WEDNESDAY'S WEEKLY LIBRARY LESSONS: May Is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month | Scholastic.com


Today is Margaret Rey's birthday, the author of the Curious George books, so read one today to your students and talk about the author or one of her books!!!





here are sooooo many amazing lesson plans, books, ideas, activities and more at this site.  Check it out, especially if your school has students from Asian Pacific countries!

Articles
Confucianism
Learn about Confucianism, the philosophical system founded on the teaching of Confucius, which dominated the sociopolitical life of China for most of that country's history and largely influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan, and Indochina.
Read More

Daoism (Taoism)

Learn about Daoism (sometimes called Taoism), a movement that developed alongside Confucianism into both a philosophy and a religion, becoming one of the major belief systems in traditional China.
Read More

Chinese Exclusion Acts

The 1882, 1892, and 1902 Chinese Exclusion Acts deterred Chinese people from immigrating to America.
Read More

Indonesia

Indonesia is a nation made up of thousands of islands that stretch in a long arc and is the largest country of Southeast Asia in both area and population.
Read More

South Korea

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is situated on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Learn more.
Read More

Personal Perspective: Reflections on a Walk Through Chinatown

Lisa A. Lee discusses how race, language and culture connect to early childhood identity development based on her own Asian-American experience.
Read More

Activities and Resources

Ken Mochizuki Interview Transcript

Author Ken Mochizuki was interviewed by Scholastic students, parents, and teachers.
Read More

Asian Pacific American Heritage

A comprehensive online activity that explores the history and culture of Asian Americans, including true immigration stories.
Read More

Notable Asian Pacific Americans: An Asian Pacific American Heritage Activity

From a creator of Yahoo! to a famous musician, students can read the brief biographies of 10 Asian Americans who’ve made a difference.
Read More

Angel Island: Angel Island: An Asian Pacific American Heritage Activity

Students get a unique firsthand account of what it was like for a young girl to move from a small Chinese village to the U.S. in the 1930s.
Read More

Lesson Plans

So Many Inventions!

Shares a lesson about Chinese inventions and inventors involving students building and using their own compasses.
Read More

Comparing Lifestyles

Students learn about China from literature. Then they compare and contrast their lifestyle to the life of a Chinese child.
Read More

Lon Po Po: A Chinese Fairytale Lesson Plan

Allows students to compare the popular fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood to a similar Chinese tale, Lon Po Po. Explores the similarities and differences between the two cultures.
Read More

Unit Plans

Asian American History Teacher's Guide

Students learn that Asian immigrants were not quickly or easily accepted into the American way of life. This lesson teaches how Asian Americans overcame obstacles and contributed to our nation's history.
Read More

Exploring China

This unit introduces students to the culture of China. Students compare the U.S. to China and learn through literature and Internet resources.
Read More


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