fbq('track', 'ViewContent');
Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label literature. Show all posts

It's Time to Let Go of Summer, But Hooray for Autumn!

Summer is almost over. 

I hate to let go of summer, but...

Hooray for Autumn!
 
It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!
 
Don't you love this time of year? The kids are settled into their classroom routines and are really in "learning mode!"

The weather is perfect: cool nights for sleeping, warm days for playing outside. Perfect for football, apple picking, carving pumpkins, and jumping into those beautiful leaves!

I'll be focusing on the change of seasons in my classroom this week.

This will be our writing focus this week:

It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!

See the image or see here for this Dollar Deal: Summer or Fall Opinion Writing.

This resource is part of my Fall Printables Collection, which I'll be using a lot these next couple of weeks!
 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-No-Prep-Math-and-Literacy-Worksheets-and-Activities-for-Second-Grade--1446400?utm_source=fall%20blog%20post&utm_campaign=fall%20no%20prep

Click the image or click here for more information about this collection of fall printables: Fall No Prep Printables

I will be reading a couple of my favorite books for the season:


It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!     

Aren't books a great way to bring out science and social studies concepts?

What are your favorite fall books for kids?

What will you be doing to celebrate autumn?


It's a great time of year! Here are some book ideas and resources to help your students enjoy the new season!


Camping Theme Week

I've been having another great week with my students! We are celebrating camping this week, and it's been grand fun!

Camping Theme Week! Here are some ideas for turning your classroom into a camping area, and make learning and reviewing skills fun!


As with any unit of study, I start with plenty of good literature:


      


I happen to own some camping gear, so I brought that in to show the kids. I also encouraged the children to bring in flashlights and sleeping bags. They are having a blast during reading time. They crawl right into the sleeping bags and read with their flashlights. Don't you love working with kids with imaginations?

Another thing I found in my cellar: one of these little tents from when my daughter was little.  (Yes, I know, I really need to clean out the little kid toys from my cellar, she's 20!)

It's super easy to set up, and the kids absolutely love it! It set the scene for our camping theme, and it a great place for reading or playing a learning game!

Of course, most of our classwork at this point is review work, so we're working on writing camping stories, squeezing in camping ideas in math, reading, and even science and social studies!  
 
We're learning camping safety and loads about the animals in the woods!

Here's one of my most popular resources, the Buggy Syllables game, which my students absolutely love!  I love it because it's great practice for decoding multiple syllable words!  

Camping Theme Week! Here are some ideas for turning your classroom into a camping area, and make learning and reviewing skills fun!


The above resource is included in my Camping Learning Bundle! I'm real proud of this one! It has a ton of activities to practice literacy and math skills, and since it has the camping theme, it makes everything more fun! 
 
Camping Theme Week! Here are some ideas for turning your classroom into a camping area, and make learning and reviewing skills fun!

Looking for digital resources? Here are a few camping themed Boom Learning cards for some fun review! 
 
Camping Theme Week! Here are some ideas for turning your classroom into a camping area, and make learning and reviewing skills fun!

And last, but not least, here's a nice warm fire for roasting marshmallows!

Yep, the kids love this!  

See THIS POST for more pictures of Camping Week!

Do you have any other great camping ideas?

Camping Theme Week! Here are some ideas for turning your classroom into a camping area, and make learning and reviewing skills fun!


Resources to Celebrate Mexico!

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. 

Whether you're celebrating cinco de mayo or just learning about Mexico, you'll find something here for your primary classroom including books, videos, and fun resources!

(That is celebrated on September 16th.) Cinco de Mayo does celebrate a Mexican battle. It dates back to May 5, 1862, and I imagine if I were Mexican, I'd know more about it. I've shown this video in the past. The content is a little above the heads of my second graders, but it gives the kids a taste of Mexican history with a cute sombrero-wearing chili character and a catchy tune.


Those of us who live in the USA think of Mexico as our "neighbors to the south." It's also a lovely place to visit when the winter is cold and bitter. (Winter sure gets nasty here in New Hampshire!)


Many of us like to think of Cinco de Mayo as a day to celebrate our Mexican neighbors.


Here's another Youtube video that gives the kids a taste of Mexico. It's filled with Mariachi music and pictures that are classically Mexican!




A couple more You Tube videos that give kids a "taste" of Mexico:






Or... it's not too late to order some of your own Mariachi music. Check out these CDs available on Amazon. (These are affiliate links, which means I get a few cents from a sale, but it doesn't change your cost at all!)
I prefer to have loads of literature when I teach about anything, particularly another country. Here are some of my favorite informational books about Mexico!
Of course, after learning about Mexico through books and videos, I'd have my kids write about the country. Here's some paper with a Mexico theme, and it's only $2! You can find it here: Mexico Themed Writing Paper

Explore this image for a link to this fun collection of writing paper.

What good is a celebration of Mexico without a little Mexican food and a craft?  Tortilla chips with salsa are easy and popular, so I imagine they'll make an appearance. If you're daring, bring in some hot salsa!

Here are a couple more Mexico resources your students might enjoy:




Whether you're celebrating cinco de mayo or just learning about Mexico, you'll find something here for your primary classroom including books, videos, and fun resources!

Earth Day Resources and Deals!

I'm a big fan of Earth Day. 

Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!

I think looking out for our world is VERY important and it needs to happen now. 

Each and every one of us needs to do what we can to help this place be around for our grandchildren and our grandchildren's grandchildren.


As with most special days, I always celebrate every Earth Day with plenty of good literature.  

Here are some of my favorite children's books with an Earth Day theme:


Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!     Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!
Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!

Earth Day is an ABC book, and makes a great introduction to the concept of protecting the environment.

The Lorax, is classic Seuss!  He tells about a mystical land of fantasy, which, in true Seuss fashion, is a much deeper real story.  Even my second graders understand this valuable lesson.

The Wump World is a fun book to read to the children and NOT show the illustrations (even the cover) until the children have had a chance to show the Wumps and Pollutians that they visualized while listening to the story.  Another great story about a fantasy world with very real lessons!

This one is a new discovery to me, and my new Earth Day Favorite

Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!

A River Ran Wild is a story that dates back to the days the Native Americans ruled this area, and respected the earth. It continues through European settlers, the industrial age, and attempts to clean up the river. This book is based on a local river, which makes it near and dear to my heart, but it's got a valuable message about protecting our world. My students became very upset when they saw what happened to the beautiful river. See THIS BLOG POST for more about this book, and an art activity to go with it.

After reading, I intend to have the children do some opinion writing and/ or explanatory/ informational writing based on what they have learned about protecting the environment.

Here's a collection of writing paper with the Earth Day theme that I'll be using.  

Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!

See this link to download this dollar deal: Earth Day Writing Paper

Plus, here's a little song to encourage Recycling! Click the image to download Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!

 How are you honoring Earth Day this year?


Earth Day Resources and Deals! Looking for ideas to help your children think about Earth Day? Here are several ideas as well as some dollar deals!






Booking Across New Hampshire

This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.

Happy Booking Across the USA!  There are over 50 bloggers representing 50 states who are posting about their states today! What are we posting about? Books, of course!

Everyone has found a book that represents their state.

I'm so excited about the book I chose!
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
Click the image for an affiliate link to Amazon.

A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry is a piece of history and a lesson about respect for the environment.  Plus, it is a beautiful taste of the state of New Hampshire!

When I first picked up this book, I thought I had a nice picture book about a river that runs through Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but it turned out to be so much more!

This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
This map from the end pages shows how the Nashua River runs through parts of Massachusetts and empties into the Merrimack River by Nashua, New Hampshire.
The story begins 7000 years ago when Native Americans first settled on the banks of what is now the Nashua River.  (They originally called it Nash-a-way, which meant "River with the Pebbled Bottom.")  When I read this story to my students, they had an unmistakable vision of the clear water and the shiny pebbles. For hundreds of years, the Native Americans lived by the banks of the river, taking only what they needed and respecting the river and the surrounding forests.

Then came the English settlers. The story explains in detail how the settlers cleared the land of the forests, building farms, villagers, then sawmills. 

Then came the industrial revolution.  The Nashua River became a dumping ground for factory waste and was no longer the beautiful clear water with the pebbles shining from the bottom.

The story continues to tell the story of the efforts to clean the Nashua River.  It is a true story that tells a valuable lesson.

As I read the story to my students, I was struck by their passion for what happened to the river, and how strongly they felt about the need for a clean-up! They commented on the beauty of the water and Lynne Cherry's beautiful illustrations that are so similar to what we see in many parts of New Hampshire. They loved the borders around the text, which told the story of that error of history. (First, the wildlife that lived undisturbed in the river valley, then the tools of the Native Americans, then the tools of the English traders, and onward until the clean-up efforts and clean waters of today.)  You could spend days learning about New England's history from this book without even reading the text!  (But please, read the text, too!)

This book would be a great book to read when learning about Native Americans or when learning about the environment. It's a great choice to read on Earth Day because of the environmental lesson.  It's also a great book for teaching history as well as the beauty of New England.  

This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.

I had many thoughts about activities connected to this book, but settled on one that celebrates the beauty of the clean waters of the Nashua River.

The above picture from the book reminded me of a technique of artwork called pointillism as done by some impressionist artists such as George Seurat and  Vincent Van Gogh. (See THIS LINK for examples.) It's simply artwork made by lots of tiny dots.

Although this little project hardly captures the complexity of Starry Night by Van Gogh or A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte by George Seurat, the kids get a kick out of it.

For this activity, you'll need crayons, watercolor paints, and my favorite:  blue glitter glue!


This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.

First, start by drawing lots of little brown, black, and gray pebbles in a "river shape".
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
Second, make a green wash, with loads of green dots beside the pebble river.(This is the beginning of the forest by the river.)
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
That will need to dry before the next step: add yellow, orange, and red dots. (These dots will be the beautiful New Hampshire trees in the autumn.)
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
Here's my favorite part: cover the pebble river with the blue glitter glue. Can you see the pebbles sparkling from the bottom of the river?  
This blog post tells about the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry, and has a craft to go along with it. It's part of the Booking Across the USA series.
Reading this book, and knowing more of her work makes me want to read some of these other books by Lynne Cherry!  (Click the images for links to Amazon.com)
                          

Here are a few more books with a New Hampshire theme:

                                        

Please check out these other reviews as part of the Booking Across America celebration.  And if you like what you see, please pin them and tell your friends!
Alabama: Everyday Snapshots Alaska: Little Wonders’ Days Arizona: Simply Kinder and Think, Wonder, & Teach Arkansas: Homeschooling in Arkansas California: Juggling with Kids and The Outlaw Mom Colorado: Learners in Bloom and Living Montessori Now Connecticut: The Teacher Park Delaware: Mama Miss Florida: Teaching Stars Georgia: Fabulously First Hawaii: Teaching With Style Idaho: True Aim Education Illinois: Growing Book by Book Indiana: Teach Preschool Iowa: Surviving a Teacher's Salary Kansas: KCEdventures Kentucky: Chicken Babies Louisiana: New Orleans Moms Blog Maine: Maine Adventure Mom and Country Fun Child Care Maryland: Picture Books and Piourettes Massachusetts: Mama Smiles Michigan: Play DrMom Minnesota: The Wise Owl Factory Mississippi: Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk Missouri- Ready. Set. Read! Montana: The Honey Bunch Nebraska: The Good Long Road Nevada: Boy Oh Boy Crafts New Hampshire: Elementary Matters New Jersey: The Pleasantest Thing New Mexico: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom New York: What Do We Do All Day North Carolina: Realistic Teacher Blog North Dakota: ND HealthWorks Ohio: Smart Chick Teacher’s Blog Oklahoma: Herding Kats in Kindergarten Oregon: Journey of a Substitute Teacher Pennsylvania: Land of Once Upon a Time Rhode Island: Smiling in Second Grade South Carolina: Cookies and Kiddos and JDaniel4’s Mom South Dakota: The Wise Owl Factory Tennessee: No Monkey Business Texas: Curls and a Smile and Kid World Citizen Utah: Teach Beside Me Vermont: Burlington Vt Moms Blog Virgina: Once Upon a Story, and The Freckled Homeschooler Washington: Home Learning Journey and Boy Mama Teacher Mama West Virginia: This Week @ Great Peace Academy and Mamas Like Me Wisconsin: Reading Confetti Wyoming: No Twiddle Twaddle USA: The Corner on Character
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...