There are many reasons why we should read books to students in the first weeks of school. Here are a few of the most important reasons: It helps students adjust to the new school year. Reading aloud is a great way to help students relax and get into a story-time mindset. It can also help them to bond with their classmates and teacher. It exposes students to new vocabulary and ... Read the Post
“Thirst” by Varsha Bajaj – A Social Issues Novel Study
Several years ago the book "Fish in a Tree" became one of the most popular books for addressing social issues with upper elementary students. Since then, millions of students have been exposed to this fantastic text. I am so grateful to have been able to guide teachers through the novel and give them help to get the most out of it. (Check out this blog post about why I love it so much in case you ... Read the Post
Getting Students to Engage with Read Alouds
Selecting amazing read alouds can be a fun yet daunting task. There are so many top-notch books...and it’s sometimes hard to choose. We often rely on our “oldies but goodies”, and that’s a great approach when you have something that is tested and effective. Sometimes, however, it’s fun to try something new I can’t lie--I ALWAYS start my year by reading Fish in a Tree (and here’s a blog post ... Read the Post
8 Reasons to Use Fish in a Tree as a Mentor Text
If you aren't familiar with the book Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, I am here to encourage you to CHECK IT OUT! I've tried to highlight some of the reasons I use this book every year as a read aloud, mentor text. I hope you find this information helpful! 1. A Foundation Text What I love about Fish in a Tree is that by using it early in the year, I find myself referring to it ALL ... Read the Post
Back to school ideas and more!
Starting to think about hunting for back to school ideas? I know there are tons of blog posts out there about organization, bulletin boards, and more--but today I just wanted to share a few of my favorite back to school resources that might help you as you start to plan those first weeks. Along with them, I have included some new video previews that I have created, and I would LOVE to know your ... Read the Post
FIsh in a Tree: Using Your Read Aloud as a Mentor Text
I don't know about you, but one of my favorite times every day is my read aloud time. I read aloud picture books. Articles. Poems. But my favorite of all is the novels I choose to share with my class. "Fish in a Tree" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is one of the best. I choose different texts for a variety of reasons...but I always like to keep in mind that read alouds are a powerful teaching tool ... Read the Post
Choosing a Great Read Aloud
As we move into the start of a new school year, one of my FAVORITE things to think about is what books I will be sharing as great read alouds with my students. Although I have a few "must reads" that I do every year, I am always on the hunt for new ones as well.When thinking about what makes really outstanding read aloud, I asked people on my Facebook page to chime in with THEIR ideas about what ... Read the Post