Crack! I look up. My eyes follow the ball as it soars through the air. As it begins to drop, I cover my eyes. I can’t look. My stomach churns in anticipation of the inevitable. I relived this moment over and over again for years on the...
So many schools are hosting Mock Caldecott awards in preparation for the announcement of the winners on January 28. We decided to join the fun and share our Caldecott shortlist with each other and you! Good news – we share some great books. Bad news...
As we walked through the hallways at the Johnson Elementary School, we were reminded of Lillian Katz’s words, “Dispositions are not learned by children through formal instruction but are nurtured by people, contexts and the environment that surrounds them – dispositions are caught rather than taught.” Book...
Authors often make their intentions known on the last page. How we choose to end our story often leaves our reader with a strong feeling and may even inspire a reader to learn from a character’s experiences. You cannot determine theme, character motivation, the significance of the...
Our standards ask young writers to draft narratives that have meaning and significance. This expectation seemed lofty at first. Then we began to read like writers with our students. When we think about authors’ intentions as we read it is a lot easier to write...
Readers Workshop is up and running in elementary classrooms! Students are choosing books, setting goals and joining book clubs. When your students are reading a wide variety of texts, some of which you don't know, how can you be sure they are really reading? We...
Halloween parties. Red Sox celebrations. Carving pumpkins. Jumping in the leaves. These are things young children should be consumed with right now. So much joy, innocence, and hope in the young faces I see in schools and in my neighborhood. The adults, however, carry on with...
We are both overwhelmed by the events that occurred this past week. It is hard to know what to do, how to be hopeful, or move forward. We are reminded once again of the power of books. When we read, we find strength, courage, and...
It was early morning and I was anticipating the big day ahead of us. We were on our way to Mount Pico in the Azores. While it is not a long hike it is a steep climb. They only allow 40 people at a time...
If you want a fun read aloud for first, second, and third graders, don’t miss Sir Simon: Super Scarer. Kids will fall in love with Sir Simon and Chester’s endearing personalities and many children will relate to the lessons Sir Simon learns. We will also...