Update & 9 New Books For Back To School
Well, I found a job! Whew. Last month I was hired as a 5th grade teacher in a wonderful school. After meeting with my principal and team a few times I don't think I could have been placed in a more perfect place if I had handpicked the school myself. Not only is everyone kind and helpful; it also aligns to my own teaching pedagogically. When you move to a new school you kinda have to go with the flow until you prove yourself. No big shifts away from the curriculum, not a lot of new activities, etc. I was prepared for it, and for being told what and how to do things. However, their pedagogy aligns so much with my own that it is going to be an almost seamless transition, or so it seems.
With that said my team and I are going to be doing classroom Book-A-Day, and so I went off to Barnes and Noble to see what new books I wanted to add to my collection this year. I found a ton of really cute books, and I thought I would share them with you in case you hadn't heard of them either. I haven't seen any of these books floating around social media so hopefully you can get a few new book recommendations out of it. Ok, here we go!
1. High Five by Adam Rubin
This book is precious, and it would be perfect to teach procedures that first week of school. It is probably better for K-3 but I may read it once I get to know my kids a little better so I know if they'll like it. The premise of the book is a high five contest where it explicitly teaches how to give a proper high five, and also how to put your own spin on it. In addition to procedures it carries a running theme of believing in yourself and your own talents. Even if you're the smallest creature in the room. :)
2. When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow
This book touches on many topics, and it could really generate some amazing classroom discussions, especially with older students. It discusses anxiety, new beginnings, and finding the courage within yourself to be brave...even when it is hard. To top it off the illustrations are gorgeous.
3. Just Read! by Lori Degman
This book will be the first read aloud I use to begin reading workshop. It discusses what a true reader looks like. It teaches kids all about how to find those precious reading minutes throughout the day. How many times a year do you hear, "I don't have 20 straight minutes to sit down to read?" Me. I hear that all day every day, every year. This is a perfect book for those kiddos that have a hard time sitting down and reading in one sitting. This would also be a great book to discuss reading goals.
4. Angry Cookie by Maria Karipidou
If I could give this book to one age demographic it would be adults. This book goes through the emotions that kids feel when they are angry. It is so easy to loose patience with an angry child, but sometimes all they need you to do is listen....This is another one that will start great conversations about anger, and how we can properly handle anger in the classroom.
5. The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School by Laurie Halse Anderson
I grabbed this book on a whim, but it was funny and thought provoking. It centered around the theme of people's perceived weaknesses actually being what makes them helpful and special. It was a cute read for all ages.
6. Perfect by Max Amato
Perfect is a book about an eraser who is a perfectionist, and a pencil that keeps messing up his idea of perfect. However by the end of the book it becomes a story about how things do not always have to be your version of perfect in order to be beautiful. This would be great for those students that struggle with creativity because they are worried about failing, or for those kiddos that have a hard time finishing tasks because they want them to be, well...perfect.
7. When Pencil Met Eraser by: Karen Kilpatrick and Luis O. Ramos, Jr.
Pencil and Eraser remind me of siblings that just can't get along on any given day. Pencil does not need anyone's help. EVER. He can do it himself! Eraser just can't help himself to tag along. However, Pencil realizes that Eraser is just the best friend he never knew he needed.
8. Linus The Little Yellow Pencil by Scott Magoon
I don't know what it is about books with pencils in it that draw me to them at the beginning of the year. This book was precious! It is perfect for teaching about collaboration and group work. This book highlights unique talents. It is great to reinforce that we all bring different skills and abilities to our classroom, and they are all needed and everyone has a place in our classroom.
9. Raise Your Hand by Alice Paul Tapper
I saved the best for last because I could not stop thinking about this book once we left the store. It is definitely going to be read the first week of school. This book is about a sweet little Girl Scout who is sometimes overcome with nerves and anxiety, especially when she gets a few answers wrong in class and doesn't want to participate anymore. This book teaches strategies to find the courage within yourself when things get hard, and to have confidence in yourself. But most of all to never give up, and keep trying because failure is not the worst thing in life. There are so many conversations that you could have around this book. It is wonderful!
Okay so those are my 9 new books to start back to school with! I hope you can add some of these to your collection too!
With that said my team and I are going to be doing classroom Book-A-Day, and so I went off to Barnes and Noble to see what new books I wanted to add to my collection this year. I found a ton of really cute books, and I thought I would share them with you in case you hadn't heard of them either. I haven't seen any of these books floating around social media so hopefully you can get a few new book recommendations out of it. Ok, here we go!
1. High Five by Adam RubinThis book is precious, and it would be perfect to teach procedures that first week of school. It is probably better for K-3 but I may read it once I get to know my kids a little better so I know if they'll like it. The premise of the book is a high five contest where it explicitly teaches how to give a proper high five, and also how to put your own spin on it. In addition to procedures it carries a running theme of believing in yourself and your own talents. Even if you're the smallest creature in the room. :)
2. When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow
This book touches on many topics, and it could really generate some amazing classroom discussions, especially with older students. It discusses anxiety, new beginnings, and finding the courage within yourself to be brave...even when it is hard. To top it off the illustrations are gorgeous.
3. Just Read! by Lori Degman
This book will be the first read aloud I use to begin reading workshop. It discusses what a true reader looks like. It teaches kids all about how to find those precious reading minutes throughout the day. How many times a year do you hear, "I don't have 20 straight minutes to sit down to read?" Me. I hear that all day every day, every year. This is a perfect book for those kiddos that have a hard time sitting down and reading in one sitting. This would also be a great book to discuss reading goals.
4. Angry Cookie by Maria Karipidou
If I could give this book to one age demographic it would be adults. This book goes through the emotions that kids feel when they are angry. It is so easy to loose patience with an angry child, but sometimes all they need you to do is listen....This is another one that will start great conversations about anger, and how we can properly handle anger in the classroom.
5. The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School by Laurie Halse Anderson
I grabbed this book on a whim, but it was funny and thought provoking. It centered around the theme of people's perceived weaknesses actually being what makes them helpful and special. It was a cute read for all ages.6. Perfect by Max Amato
Perfect is a book about an eraser who is a perfectionist, and a pencil that keeps messing up his idea of perfect. However by the end of the book it becomes a story about how things do not always have to be your version of perfect in order to be beautiful. This would be great for those students that struggle with creativity because they are worried about failing, or for those kiddos that have a hard time finishing tasks because they want them to be, well...perfect.
7. When Pencil Met Eraser by: Karen Kilpatrick and Luis O. Ramos, Jr.
Pencil and Eraser remind me of siblings that just can't get along on any given day. Pencil does not need anyone's help. EVER. He can do it himself! Eraser just can't help himself to tag along. However, Pencil realizes that Eraser is just the best friend he never knew he needed.
8. Linus The Little Yellow Pencil by Scott Magoon
I don't know what it is about books with pencils in it that draw me to them at the beginning of the year. This book was precious! It is perfect for teaching about collaboration and group work. This book highlights unique talents. It is great to reinforce that we all bring different skills and abilities to our classroom, and they are all needed and everyone has a place in our classroom.
9. Raise Your Hand by Alice Paul TapperI saved the best for last because I could not stop thinking about this book once we left the store. It is definitely going to be read the first week of school. This book is about a sweet little Girl Scout who is sometimes overcome with nerves and anxiety, especially when she gets a few answers wrong in class and doesn't want to participate anymore. This book teaches strategies to find the courage within yourself when things get hard, and to have confidence in yourself. But most of all to never give up, and keep trying because failure is not the worst thing in life. There are so many conversations that you could have around this book. It is wonderful!
Okay so those are my 9 new books to start back to school with! I hope you can add some of these to your collection too!
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