This NF, PB is a great introduction to space exploration. We can provide our students with the confidence that they can make a huge impact at any age. I would use this book as RA and a IR for curious students. #UCFLAE3414SP20

“Counting on Katherine” is a B/NF , PB that was a Cook Prize winner in 2019. This awesome book emphasizes the importance of a African American woman in 1961. Katherine Johnson calculated the trajectory of NASA‘s first trip into space. This would be an great RA to bring out during space exploration. Teachingbooks.net offfers a link to a lesson plan, students can build their own straw rockets and try to get them to the finish line. #UCFLAE3414SP20

Memphis, Martin and the Mountain top is a HF, PB which would be perfect for a RA during black history month. This book explores the assassination of MLK and the experience as emotions that go along with going on the sanitation strike in Memphis through the eyes of a 9 year old girl. This book is a Coretta Scott King award winner in 2019. Alicefayeduncan.com provides a great teacher resource for discussion questions before and after you read.

In honor of my Author Study! This cute F, PB is a great storytelling experience or RT. This book is about a mouse who maneuvers himself through the woods without being eaten by telling everyone he‘s meeting a “Gruffalo”. He made this creature up, or so he thinks. Teaching books.net offers a lesson plan to a dramatic reenactment and a visualizing activity that allows the students to draw what they think the Gruffalo looks like w/o the picture.

April is National Poetry Month !! Another great book by Kwame Alexander. This P/B book highlights African American poets with biographical information as well as 20 poems. This would be a great RA or CR. Teachingbooks.net offers a classroom extension where students can work in pairs to create an original work of art to go with an assigned poem. How awesome would it be to then have a in class gallery walk ! #UCFLAE3414SP20

This RF Coretta Scott King and Newberry award wining N, would make a great LC candidate. This book is about twin brothers following in their formally NBA player fathers footsteps and dealing with the challenges of becoming their own people and growing up. This book makes sure it relatable to its target audience. Teachingbooks.net offers a fun spin on a traditional lesson plan with a rhyming game with words from the text and passing a basketball.

Blast from the past! This Folktale, PB is a hilarious spin on traditional literature like the Gingerbread Man. This book is a Caldecott Honor from 1993 and would make a great RA for the older students. It would be fun to compare and contrast the different stories with the originals. ReadThinkWrite.org offers a lesson plan where student can create there own “fractured” fairy tale. UDL principle would be 3.2, highlight patterns, relationships etc.

This is definitely a book for our older crowd but this action packed SF, novel is great. Tris is separated from her family into a faction. Tris is different , she‘s dauntless and that makes her a problem in the eyes of the people in charge. This would make a great IR. Veronicarothbooks.com has a great discussion guide to correspond with all books within this series. You could also have your students create their own faction w/ values and beliefs.

This Caldecott Award winner would make a great Readers Theater addition to the classroom. This F, PB is a hilarious turn of events where the animals go on strike when Farmer Brown won‘t meet there demands, Duck however is a neutral party ! ReadWriteThink.org offers a lesson plan that coincides using magnetic letter for word families. #UCFLAE3414SP20

This is an amazing book that focuses on self love and compassion. Our students need to value themselves and others in order to create a safe welcoming environment. This RF, PB would be a great RA to demonstrate the importance of healthy relationships and what they feel like. Susanverde.com offers a teaching guide for her “I am” series books. One for “I am love” is to allow students to have sticky notes and spread kindness to each other.

This is a heart warming book that explores the concept of acceptance. This F, E.B White Read Aloud award winning novel is perfect for an RA or LC. Wishtreebook.com is the authors website that includes a great resource for creating a wish tree in your own classroom. I would use UDL ( 9.1 ) promoting expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation. The ESOL strategy would be #5, teach technical vocabulary supporting key concepts. #UCFLAE3414SP20

My 8 yr old son along w/many others his age enjoy reading graphic novels. This humorous F, Graphic Novel is about a dragon named Danny who cannot breathe fire and sets off to the ocean to complete a school assignment. This is a great IR. Penguin.com offers a great resource for discussion questions. I would use UDL ( 3.3 ) guide information processing and visualization. The ESOL strategy would be #6 cont. monitor comprehension. #UCFLE3414SP20

Too Many Carrots is a fun F, PB that explores the concept of sharing. This bunny‘s home is filled with carrots and realizes his house is to small so he ventures to each of his friends who allow him and his carrots to stay with them. Let‘s just say no one has enough room for all those carrots. This would be a fun RA. Teacherspayteachers.com offers a sequencing teacher resource to correspond.

I remember my mom reading this to me when I was younger along with “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, so a walk down memory lane ! But this P book is perfect for a RA or PR. Reading with a partner and decoding the meanings behind them would be great practice. rif.org has pretty cool resources for students creating their own poems. #UCFLAE3414SP20

This beautiful RF PB tells a emotional story of Zuri struggling to manage the perfect hairstyle for someone special. After a few mishaps her dad saves the day. Accompanied with the animated short on matthewcherry.com this would be a perfect classroom RA.

With Woman‘s History Month coming up,March 1st, I thought this would be a great book to post. This book won the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Award. It explores 13 American Women who persisted on through hardships. This NF, Biography is a great way to inspire perseverance among students in the classroom. #UCFLAE3414SP20

This book is a classic. The tale of a little bear missing a button and wants a home but nobody wants to buy him. Corduroy won the Indies Choice Book Award. This Fantasy book is great for a Read Aloud. Readeritethink.org has a couple classroom resources available. One of my favorites is letting one student take a stuffed bear home each night and recording their “adventures” together. #UCFLAE3414SP20

This Junior Library Guild award winning book is a humorous tale of a penguin that is having a rough day but ultimately discovers he is where he is supposed to be. This is a great storytelling opportunity or RA. Penguin Prob. promotes the facilitation of coping skills and strategies which is why UDL 9.2 is a principle to incorporate. Teachingbooks.net offers classroom resources. Pages 5&6 introduce a food chain learning opportunity! #UCFLAE3414SP20

This New York Times Best Seller tells an amazing story about a young girl conflicted not only with her parents divorce but her biracial identity. This Realistic Fiction book is a great LC opportunity, generating discussions on race, racism and divorce. #UCFLAE3414SP20

This book is a fun way to introduce the magic of words. It exemplifies just how powerful words can be as little Jerome collects them on little pieces of paper and places them into a scrapbook. This RF book is perfect for an RA. Great resources can be found at Peterhreynolds.com For El‘s I would use #5, providing contextual support & UDL 2.1, clarifying vocabulary would also be beneficial. Scholastic also has a Word Collage Lesson available !!