I absolutely adore children's books. They're just... awesome. The illustrations, the rhyming, the wordplay... it's simply fantastic. That being said, I've narrowed down my endless list to my favorite ten. I have to admit, my list is pretty generic.
But I've included some cool activities that I've either used, or found on pinterest.
10. The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
This book is great! Not only are the illustrations adorable, but the text is rich in detail. My first introduction to this book was during my early literacy class at Baylor. My professor used the idea of the book to create an assignment for us-- we were to make our own "important book of fluency." It seemed a little silly back then, but looking back I realize that it actually did help me learn about fluency. I also really came to love this book and value its place in the classroom. Last year, I used this book as a mentor text in writing workshop. This book goes into great detail about a number of items, which really showed my students that detail was always possible!! During my conferencing with students, I could see that some (but definitely not all) were starting to use more detail in their writing. COOL!
I also just discovered this great blog,
Head Over Heels for Teaching that used The Important Book as a mentor text for patterned text, details (looks like we had the same idea!) and Community building. Go check it out!
9. We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
I know, I know-- how generic, right? But this book is
great! And before I go any further, I need to point you in the direction of
this awesome video. It's a video of actual, real-life Michael Rosen reading
We're Going on a Bear Hunt! I absolutely love it. Maybe it's because he has a British accent, but I think it's mostly because he does it so well. I came into contact with this book probably first as a child, and then many years later as a student teacher. It was the designated poem through our reading adoption, and there were no pictures to accompany it. While this was slightly a bummer because the illustrations are so pretty, it was a pretty good way to introduce mental pictures. The first time I read the text, I had the students close their eyes and picture what they were hearing. Afterwards, I had a few students describe what they were imagining and it was a sweet treat! Little ones have the most active imaginations! I loved hearing what they pictured, and I think it was fun for them to express their creativity.
And using mental pictures is a very important skill for students to develop. So basically, it was a win-win!
If you want to be a little more crafty with it,
here's a blog that has an
adorable craftivity! I especially adore the cute little binoculars. The map could be used in so many different lessons, from story retelling to learning the traits of a map! Several possibilities there!
I came along this book this summer, and I was definitely missing out. While it was only published in 2013, it is one that you do not want to miss. All of the crayons in Duncan's crayon box decide that they are plum done with the way they're treated. It is adorable. And since I didn't find it until this summer, I haven't had the chance to teach with this. But, knowing that we talk about colors in kindergarten, this book could be a great opportunity to reinforce that knowledge!
After doing a little research on Pinterest, I saw this cute writing activity on
Homegrown Friends that goes along with the text. Worth the click! :)
7. Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
Most people don't realize that Jumanji was a book before it was a movie. And while the movie is great, the book is great in its own way. The illustrations are completely in black and white, and earned Van Allsburg a very deserving Caldecot medal. (He also wrote/illustrated
The Polar Express, if that is any indication of his skill.) You almost don't even realize that the drawings are pencil until you look closely. Van Allsburg brings the characters to life in such a unique way that the movie doesn't offer you. This book is definitely worth the read, if not just an appreciation of illustrations. I haven't used it in the classroom yet, but would love any opportunity to do so. There are so many different ways that this text could be used as a mentor text, including the importance of illustrations.
6. Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss
Ask anybody who knows me well and they will tell you that I am obsessed with Dr. Seuss. That being said, I knew I couldn't put all of his books on this list because that would be boring! So, I chose my favorite. I truly believe that this is one of Seuss' more underrated stories. Granted, it is a
very long children's book. I think it took me fifteen minutes to read it to my class, but it was worth it because of the lesson that I used it for. We had begun talking about solids and liquids when I remembered this story. In
Bartholomew and the Oobleck, there is a green, sticky goo falling from the sky and Bartholomew is trying to save the kingdom from it. It acts in several different ways that call into question whether the oobleck is a solid or a liquid. So, after reading the story, I brought out the oobleck and we researched! There are several different ways to make oobleck, but I
highly recommend using the Borax kind recipe. Not only does Borax sound like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss activity, but it gives the oobleck a bouncier feel. The recipe I used came from
this blog. Basically, you will need Borax, Elmer's glue, water, and food coloring.
While my students were playing with the oobleck, I asked them to record observations on a sticky note. After about five or ten minutes of playing, we all gathered together on the carpet and discussed our observations. I had my students place their sticky notes on an anchor chart I made, and we began to talk about whether we thought oobleck was a solid, or a liquid. This intergrated science/literacy activity is
so worth the time.
I had fun, so I definitely know that my kids did!
5. Junie B. Jones (all of them) by Barbara Park
Wowie wow wow, do I love Junie B. Jones! That girl is a ball of fire and boy does she say the funniest things. Sometimes I forget that she's not an actual first grader! My first graders last year adored these books. We had read aloud time after lunch and by the end of one chapter they were positively begging for one more. I'm sure there are a plethora of lessons and activities that go along with Junie B., but I love the series just for the plain ol fact that she's hilarious. My mentor teacher did have the awesome idea of using Junie as an example for journal writing, and that worked well! So if you're in need of some fun reading, vote Junie B., Jones first grader at last.
4. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault
This is truly a given for any kindergarten teacher, but I'm going to include it anyway because it's the best. It rhymes, it talks about the alphabet, and it personifies. Love. It. And if you search pinterest for Chicka Chicka, you'll get around 5,000 different results. Here are some of my favorites:
3. Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar
I just found out that this book was written in 1978 and my mind was blown. This is just proof that good stories can stay relevant for! I laugh every time I read this book. The stories are just so off the wall and yet so applicable to everyday classroom activities. I mean, where else can you get a school that has 30 stories due to a construction mistake? I'm sure every teacher on the planet has read this, but if not, you need to
right now. So very worth your time!!
2. Duck For President by Doreen Cronin
Of all of Doreen Cronin's books, this one is my absolute favorite. I know that
Click Clack Moo and Cows that Type is a classic, but I stand by this decision. There are so many great lessons that can come out of a book that talks about running for president. Not only could you discuss the different office positions in our governments, but you could also talk about the value of hard work. I personally used this book to discuss the different leaders in our communities. We talked about how there are teachers, principals, superintendents, governors, congressmen, senators, the vice president, and the president. Each leader is in charge of making rules or policies that help govern our community. After discussing each position, I broke my students up into pairs and gave each pair a leadership position. They were then given some time to discuss a new rule they would make if they were in that position. After discussion, each pair presented their new rule to the class. It was so sweet! My students loved being able to put themselves in those positions, and they were learning something, too! :)
Drum roll please.... dun dun duuun!
1. First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
Number one on a list is always such an important spot, and always needs justification. I think First Day Jitters completely earned this spot for so many reasons. In this text, Sarah Jane Hartwell is nervous about her first day of school! After much convicing, she goes to school and befriends the principal. At the end, we learn that Sarah Jane Hartwell is actually a teacher! I think this story is so applicable to me. I am going to be a great big ball of nerves on the first day of school, but so are my kids. Reading this story to them will definitely be a top priority, because it will help soothe their nerves too. By knowing that teachers get nervous too, students will be able to calm down a little and enjoy their day. One of my main goals this year is to create a classroom that works together as a team, and creates lasting relationships. The first step towards reaching that goal is to create a safe, welcoming environment from the moment they step through my door. I love that literature has the power to do that. SO, in conclusion, First Day Jitters gets my vote as the #1 Children's Book (thus far)
Typically, the Jitter Juice activity is used along with this text. The First Grade Parade (one of my absolute favorite teacher blogs) has a great rundown of how you can make/implement jitter juice!
Thanks for reading!
-A
No comments:
Post a Comment