Books for the classroom

After reading this book the students will do an activity involving matching gloves. Matching gloves will help younger students with critical thinking skills. This lesson could also be useful for ESL students because of the visual of the gloves. I would also do a craft with students using their fine motor skills creating a cut out mitten with string and construction paper.

Amazing Grace is about Grace, who loves stories, and she tries out for the school play, Peter Pan, but her peers tell her she cannot do it because she was a girl and black. After reading this story I would teach a lesson on being different and individual. This book can teach children to be who they are and not worry what others think. For the activity I would ask students to write a short essay about a time when they were discouraged to do something but still did it anyway.

With Grandfather's Journey I would instruct students to make a kimono, learn about the Days in a Week and recreate their own Grandfather's Journey. 

The lesson I would teach along with reading this book would be adjectives. After reading the book I would instruct students to use adjectives to describe a picture or object that is in the classroom. This would be a good book to use for teaching adjectives because it has a lot of adjectives that the students probably haven't heard before.

This book can be used to help students think about their future. If I use this book in my classroom I would read it then talk with students about what places they might go. After finishing the book I would give students a writing prompt along the lines of "when I grow up I want to..." 

I could use this book in my classroom when we are struggling with a subject or real life experiences. This book can teach students to never give up and keep pushing until they get to the top. The book is about a train that keeps asking for help but all the shiny new engines do not want to help because they think they are too good. The little engine eventually gets up the hill by itself and boosts his confidence in himself. It is a great book for teaching life lessons.

For the story Bravo, Amelia Bedelia I would use this to teach idioms. Before the lesson I would introduce idioms and what they are. The students will give me examples of idioms and I will tell them that idioms are used figuratively instead of literally. This book is a good example of how idioms are used. 

I would introduce this book to my class at the beginning of the school year to help students with their manners. If the students struggled with manners I would read it throughout the school year. The book is about B.B. Wolf (the big bad wolf) and how he goes to a tea party and has to use his manners. He burps but says excuse me before the burp and everybody turns to him. 

I would read this the first day of school to my students. I think it would be appropriate for first through third grade to get students excited for school.