Favorite Read-Alouds for Older Students

The last blog entry restarted our sharing of favorite books for children — this time in the read-aloud sphere for both teachers and parents. We began with 4-5-6 and 7-8 and here we continue with books that I’ve found children in three older age categories love having read to them and love talking about with [...]

Developmental Book Swap Returns–Share Your Favorite Read-Alouds

No matter what grade level you teach, be assured your students adore being read to. Middle school teachers report eighth graders loving to have early childhood picture books such as Ferdinand or Frederick read aloud to them. These teachers also report children at this age listening in rapt attention to the riveting moral dilemmas in age-appropriate [...]

Speaking of Third Grade – Clementine!

While I’m on the subject of third grade… well, sort of, if you read my last blog post… you won’t want to miss the amazing read-aloud chapter book just made for third graders that I can’t wait to read to one of our classes myself. (My third grade grandson found it hilarious, even if it [...]

A Valentine’s Day Assignment

(Thanks to Fifth Grade Teacher Amy Bernard  for her “friendly letter lesson” from Loser,  for inspiring this idea!)
Here’s a little fun twist for Valentine’s Day that you may or may not have tried: A quick contest, open to any student in the school (or by grade level, etc)  to promote empathy and understanding.
RULES: Students may [...]

A Schoolwide “Read-Aloud”

A Welcome Back notice on our cyberspace newsletter and calendar alerts parents to a school-wide literacy activity that we hope will open discussions at the dinner table and in the car about a book everyone grades 3-5 in the school is reading:
Happy New Year!
A new reading activity for a new year:
This week we are beginning [...]