Books for the New Year - January Titles for Building Reading Comprehension

Books for the New Year

I am always on the lookout for new books to use for different seasons in my classroom. I recently ran across the book Because by Mo Willems. It is absolutely perfect and stunning for the new year. I am going to use it for goal setting and will also tie in some reading comprehension strategies and reading skills. 

I decided to try to find a book to partner with the book to Because. The book by John Lithgow called, Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo, was the perfect book to use. It has a similar topic and is lots of fun. 

New Year's Book Descriptions

The book, Because, is a beautifully illustrated book that features the story of an orchestra. It traces inspiration from one piece of music to the final moment when an orchestra is formed. It shows how just one person can have a huge effect over the lives of others. It is written in a simple pattern, but don't let that fool you! This book is packed with possibilities for older students like my upper elementary kids. 

The book, Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo, is a fun book that features an orchestra as well...only in this book some rogue animals take over the orchestra, reeking havoc in the process. 

 New Year's Partner Books

What I love about using these two books together is their easy link based on not only the orchestra, but how easily the books show a cause/effect relationship. They are perfect for linking together to compare and contrast. 

Lesson Planning for New Year's Books

I was looking through these two books with reading lessons in mind. I knew I wanted to connect the books not only to New Year's celebrations, but also to my curriculum. I looked for skills that could be incorporated. Here are some good ones.

First, of course, we will have a discussion about the points of the book using  basic questions as well as questions that dig a bit deeper and require making connections.

Next, using the book Because, we will work on cause and effect relationships. This book is perfect for that. Each page has a cause/effect sentence on it. We will branch away from those, writing some of our own. In the end, we can link back to the book, Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo for one last cause/effect.

For deeper learning, students will think about the effect (goal) they want to have for the rest of the school year. They will list out some causes....what will cause them to reach that goal. They will draw a picture of themselves completing that goal. If you visualize it and have a step-by-step plan, you can achieve it, right?

The book, Never Play music Right Next to the Zoo, is also a great way to review basic nouns and verbs. We will do a quick verb sort with this one. 

Another great skill to work on with these two books is comparing and contrasting. Using partner books allows you to have enough similarities, but there will be many differences as well. A Venn diagram is the perfect way to organize a comparison between these two books. 

Using fun picture books is one of my favorite ways to teach new skills and these two new (to me) books will be the perfect addition!

Christmas Reading Comprehension Activities

It's the most wonderful time of the year....and also one of the craziest. Can you really get any teaching done between Thanksgiving, Christmas breaks? My answer to you is yes, but you have to be strategic and play to the interests of the students....and what could be better than to using Christmas activities as the basis of your learning? I love to help my students learn about the traditions of the holidays. I find that sprinkling a bit of learning with a Christmas theme provides a bit of excitement and keeps them engaged in the crazy weeks leading into the holidays. 

Let me share with you what I mean. First, I think about different traditions for the holidays. I use those as the basis of learning activities. For example, I created a magazine-style reading booklet that covered different traditions surrounding Christmas trees. Inside I researched and wrote seven articles, enough for seven days of learning! Another booklet I created is all about gingerbread, a favorite around this time of year. With each set of reading articles, I included a set of comprehension worksheets. I also love to extend learning through additional fun activities. For the Christmas tree pack, we do a S.T.E.M. project where students build their own trees. We also do many other activities along the way. In the gingerbread activity pack, students create their own gingerbread houses using a template that looks like a gingerbread house and opens up to reveal a piece of writing about a Christmas memory or tradition. These are super cute for a bulletin board display too!

I love doing these for every holiday I can.  I these reading activity backs for many different holidays, not just Christmas. I have a set for New Year's that is updated with the new year each year. I have one for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's Day, and Thanksgiving. They are so fun, and I love all the learning my students do. By the end of the holiday, they know why we have the traditions we do. 

If you are interested in checking any of theses out, you can find them by clicking on each picture below. 

Setting up my Classroom Library

Why do I Need over 1000 Classroom Books?

Having a wide variety and large selection of books is a must for me. Students need to be able to choose books that interest them. They need to have many to choose from, not just a small bin or two for an entire classroom. Having a large variety gets them excited about books. It helps them to be more interested in books. Research shows that students who attend school in a classroom with a well-stocked library of quality books actually read 50% more than students who do not. That is a LOT! Having more books provides students. A great classroom library can benefit students by providing motivation and interest in books. We want to help students become life-long readers and this is one way to help students reach that goal.

Where I shop for Books 

I am constantly adding new books to my classroom library. I love the excitement I see when kids get their hands on new books. There is a buzz in the classroom as everyone eyes a book with an interesting cover that they want to check out. I hear students ask the lucky kid who got the book they wanted if they can have that book next. 

So, where do I find these new books, and how can I afford to add so many to my classroom? I am lucky to have a Goodwill bookstore in my town. It is in entire house, filled with books of all kinds. It has a large children's section and every weekend the books are on sale for 25% off! They are constantly getting new books and I can get so many when I head there. I donate these books to my classroom, but I do write my name in them since I purchase them with my own money. I have no plans to leave my school, but if I ever do, I would definitely take these books with me.

I suggest that you get books at thrift stores and garage sales. I can pick up books for usually between $1.99 and $3.99 plus get the 25% off. These books would regularly retail for between $5.99 and $17 or so. It is really a great deal. Also, don't be afraid to ask or put out a post on social media for people to donate their old books to you for your classroom. I have had parents over the years who wanted to clear out unused books donate to me...and I always say yes to that!

How I Organize my Classroom Library

I admit it, organizing my classroom library was not a quick or easy task, but once I got it organized, it was a cinch to maintain. I have used this method with kids from 2nd grade all the way through 6th and if you train them right, and keep high expectations of them, it is so easy to have a clean and organized library all year, and even for years to come. Here's my steps for getting started.

1. First, find some bins to use. Bins not only allow you to hold more books on the shelf, but it also allows you to easily sort books into categories. Bins also turn books so that students can quickly thumb through them, looking directly at the front of the cover and not the spines. 

Bins do not have to be costly at all. I have two types of bins in my library currently and neither cost much money. The first type I picked up at Walmart. They are the shoebox bins. These usually come in sets of 6 for a discount. I like these bins for chapter books, they are just a perfect size to line chapter books up in and you can store so many in just one bin. The other type I have are dishpan bins. These are larger and they are great to use for picture books that are too big to fit in the shoebox bins. If the books are too large to stack facing out, I do turn them sideways to allow them to fit better. 

Sometimes I get these bins for free when people are getting rid of their storage bins. 

2. Next, I dump all my books out in a large area and start sorting. This is the messiest part and definitely takes the longest, but it is so worth it in the long run. I look at my books and the types of books I have. I start placing books that fit together in stacks. Sometimes I have a ton of books by one author, like Andrew Clements for instance. My students LOVE his books and I have purchased so many over the years. Sometimes I have many books about a certain topic such as the Titanic. We did an in-depth study of the Titanic a couple of years ago and the students became OBSESSED. So whenever I go to the bookstore and see a new book about the Titanic, I pick it up. With all those Titanic books, they needed their own space in my classroom library. I even have books series that obviously belong together. I have space for my Junie B. Jones, American Girl, Childhood of Famous Americans, Ready Freddy, Flat Stanley, Who Was, I Survived, Babysitter Club comics and many more series books. If kids love a series, I keep purchasing them when I see more books in the set. 

If a book does not seem to fit any specific category, then I will use subject area or genre. For instance, I have a category for fiction and biography. I also have a category for science and Bible (since I teach in a Christian school). 

3. Once the HUGE task of sorting is complete, I give each category a name and a number. I start with the number one and continue through the numbers until every category has a number. I purchase little sticker squares, they come in packs at Walmart for just a few dollars. I count how many books I have in a specific category and then I write the category number on that many stickers. I place the number sticker inside the front cover of the book. I continue adding stickers with numbers to the inside cover of every book. As I finish with a category, I place it inside a book bin. 

4. When all the books are in bins, I create tags for the outside of the bins. The tag will show the category and the number of all the books inside. For example it may say Fiction 1 or Biography 3. Many times, I add clipart to my bins to match my classroom theme. I currently have emoji's on my bin labels. I use a plastic pocket sticker on the front of each bin and slide my labels inside. I always pick up extra pocket stickers from the dollar spot at Target during back-to-school time. 

Training the Students to Use the the Classroom Library

During the beginning of the school year, I train the students to use the classroom library. I take time to show them how the books and bins are numbered. I tell them that when they are done with a book, they should place it back according to the number listed on the outside of the bin and inside of the book. I show them how to do this. We talk about the correct way to place the book inside a bin...front cover showing and right side up. I hold them to this. They are not allowed to just dump their books and walk away or put them haphazardly in a bin. Sometimes this takes some reminding and remodeling, but they can and will learn to do it. 

Student Book Bins

Each student in my class receives a book bin with their name on it. I use durable plastic ones. I have had the exact same ones for probably 5-6 years and they are still in good shape. I recommend purchasing ones that are sturdy, not ones from places like Dollar Tree where the size and quality will suffer. I think I originally spent about 60 dollars for 24 bins. I use magazine-style book bins. I also place a plastic pocket on the front of each and slide in the student name. 

We talk about how many books they are allowed to have at a time (5) and how to care for the books by not dog-earing the pages, but instead using a book mark or scrap of paper. 

Students care for their book bin and are asked to keep only books and headphones for reading online inside their bins.

Library Goals

It is a goal for me to have a self-running library with a wide variety of reading materials. I want my students to fall in love with reading and become life-long readers. I will do whatever I can to make my classroom library a place of joy to explore. Being organized, giving students choice, and making the process easy for them are all ways that I go about achieving that goal. 

Setting up your library will take some time, but once you have it, you will save so much time in the long run. I love that I do not have to reshelf books or help students with checking them out. Our library is a well-oiled machine!

If you are looking for editable tags for your classroom library, I have a set you may be interested in in my TPT shop. You can click on the picture below to be taken to the product.

12 Days of Christmas Day 3: My Favorite Books for Christmas

Do you have must-share books for the holiday season? Even though I loop with my classes, I still enjoy sharing some of the same books each year. I also try to mix it up with ones that are new to them. Today I want to share 6 books that I love this season. 

1. Up first is the classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Not only is is a long-standing tradition, but this book has so much heart as well. I love the theme behind it all that becomes clear when the Grinch himself declares, "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." That is the message I want my students to understand. It isn't about you. It isn't about what you give. Christmas is so much more and that is why this book was my number one pick. 

2. Another favorite of mine is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. This is the story of a woodcarver who lost everything (his wife and child) and moved to a new town to have a fresh start with no one to bother him. A widow and her son live in the same town and they have lost their most prized hand-carved nativity set. They seek out the woodcarver and hire him to do the job of recreating it. He's grouchy and makes no guarantee that the set will be done by Christmas. The widow's little boy asks to watch the woodcarver and his mother takes him on several occasions. Through the days the woodcarvers heart begins to soften and he allows himself to really live again. I love this book and the message in it. It is beautifully written and has stunning illustrations.  

3. The Christmas Candle is my next top pick. This book has so many deep meanings that are perfect to dig down into for any older student. It creates great conversation that lies well below the surface.

In the book, a young man is caught in the cold and dark without a candle. On the way in, he is met by a beggar whom he harshly puts off. He goes to a candle shop and purchases the most simple one possible, ignoring the fancy Christmas ones displayed. As he gets ready to leave, the shop owner warns him that this candle is actually more costly than the man realizes. 

The man responds gruffly and heads out into the cold with his candle in hand. As he tries to find his way home, he sees many different people out in the night and in need of help. He tries to ignore them, but each time his candle light shines on them, he sees their appearance change to that of one of his loved ones. He ends up helping each one. As a third person begins to approach him, he realizes the candle's trick and refuses to shine his light in their direction. Instead, he hurries home penniless, without coat or pack. He had given everything away. 

He steps through the door of his house to be greeted and surrounded by family, food, and warmth. But something inside the young man is unsettled. He cannot shake the feeling of unrest. Walking out the door, he turns his back on the party to find the last beggar that he completely ignored. 

This story reinforces the idea that we are all one family and should care for those who need help. It models the Biblical motto of "If you did it unto one of the least of these, you did it unto me" although it does not come right out and say it. It is the perfect book to use to lead into a service project. I absolutely LOVE it. 

 

4. This book, Humphrey's First Christmas, has gorgeous illustrations that bring the story to life. It is also a great book to talk about point of view. The book retells the story of the very first Christmas through the eyes of the camel who carried the wisemen to Bethlehem. It brings out the theme of giving instead of getting. 

5. While this story is not really a Christmas one, I still really enjoy it this time of year or anytime during the snowy season. Snowflake Bentley is the true story of a man who has a passion for photographing snowflakes. The book also is a perfect book for budding scientists, as it teaches about the science behind a snowflake. It is a great book to build lessons in science, STEM, or even art. 

6. Secrets of Winter is just a super fast and fun read with secret hidden things. You have to use a flashlight to see the hidden pictures on each page. Some things are hidden in lakes, under snow, behind trees, or in tree stumps. When you shine a light behind the page, the hidden image pops through. Even though this book was written with younger kids in mind, my upper elementary students enjoyed it because it is such a fun and unique book. 

I am always on the lookout for some great books, but for now these are a few that are winning top spot this season!

12 Days of Christmas Day 2: Holiday Gift Guide for Teachers

Are you even a teacher if you are not buried under so much end of the year grading, crafting, projects, and programs? This time of the year is definitely crazy and busy. That's why I am putting together a holiday gift guide to help make every teacher's holidays a little easier, brighter, and definitely more fun. 

1. First up, keep student's learning with these print and go articles about Christmas trees and holiday decor from my History Behind the Holidays series. The seven articles can be stapled together and used as a magazine in reading groups for an entire week and beyond. Each article comes with a comprehension worksheet. There are several extension activities included and even a Christmas tree STEM. Everything is super easy to prep and will definitely give teachers an easy and engaging set of lessons to get you through till the holiday break.

You can check this resource out here.

2. Keeping your students going this year gets a little bit challenging....okay, a lot challenging! With thoughts of Christmas dancing in their heads, they have definitely started checking out. If you are trying to get some good work out of them in the last few days before break. Start noticing the good things you see them doing. Mention it, reward it. Send some positive notes their way. They will love to show these off and it will encourage good and focused behavior to the very end of the year. Here are some little Christmas-themed positive notes to send home with them. They will be proud to take them home to their favorite grown-up and the adult in their life will love to hear a positive comment about their child as well. These little notes come in 12 different designs that can be printed in color or blackline. If you use the blackline version, you can add a burst of color by printing on colored paper (red or green for Christmas would be nice), but you could also print on white paper as well. These super cute cards can be found right here. 

3. Extra special and fun activities make the Christmas season even more fun in the classroom. One of my favorites is this simple art challenge. Who doesn't like art? And making it into a game makes it even more fun! Try out this art teambuilding activity. If you have ever watched the food competition show called Chopped, you get the idea. Each group of students gets a bag of art supplies that are identical. They will work together with their group to create an art project that meets a certain challenge or theme using the items in their bag. The groups will have a certain amount of time to complete each challenge. Once the time is up, each group will present their project and be judged on it. There are three rounds with three different challenges before a winning team is named. 

All the supplies inside the bags are easy household/school classroom items. This is low-prep, but high on fun! Find this resource over here. 

4. Channel the chattiness of the class this time of year to do some mid-year teambuilding. Allow students to share their thoughts and ideas about the Christmas season with a simple Dice Conversation activity. In this Christmas Dice Convo teambuilding resource, students will practice listening and speaking skills within groups while building their team skills. It's a fun and easy way to fill in a few minutes here or there or start/end the day. Here's where you can find this activity. 

5. Unfortunately, it is also time to think about after the holiday. How do you celebrate the new year in your classroom? I love to use my History Behind the Holidays resource to ring in the new year by taking a look at New Year traditions. This resource includes seven articles that help students learn about favorite traditions here and around the world. The articles would be great to get your reading or history class started in the new year during the first week or more. Comprehension questions are included for every single article. A goal-setting craftivity is also included for the new year. Students will even create an envelope time capsule that you can put away till next year. Last year I did this and my students are already asking about the time capsule. They are anxious to see it again. Also included is a Tournament of Roses parade activity as well as a New Year themed STEM project. This will definitely make coming back to school after two weeks of glorious vacationing easier. You can check it out here. All activities in this pack has been completely updated to show the date for the new year. 

These are my five top recommendations for busy teachers this holiday season. Be sure to check them out!