Free Book Resources

With the celebration of Read Across America this week, I thought it would be good to share some online resources for accessing books for FREE!  I love these sites and use them often.  They have been especially handy when I need a little time filler or we have an unexpected indoor recess.  

We Give Books - We Give Books is a new digital initiative that enables anyone with access to the Internet to put books in the hands of children who don't have them, simply by reading online.

We Give Books combines the joy of reading with the power of helping others, providing a platform for caregivers and educators to inspire children to become lifelong readers and lifelong givers.

We Give Books also helps some of the world's best, most inspiring, literacy organizations by spreading the word about their great work and by providing books to the young people these organizations support.

Storyline Online - A production of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, this site offers books read by actors and actresses.  They can also be found on schooltube here.  It seems that more are available on the schooltube link than the main link, so check it out. 

Barnes and Noble Storytime - Currently has 16 books available, most read by the authors.  A new book is added each month. 

Kids AOL - Stories read aloud, including some Arthur stories. 

A Story Before Bed - A collection of books read by their authors. 

International Children's Digital Library - Includes books from around the world in the native language and some translated to English.  This is a great site to introduce students to other reading/writing cultures. 

Online Video Sites - Try searching the book you want to share with your students on video sites such as YouTube, TeacherTube or SchoolTube.  I've been suprised to find some books that are out of print or books that I wanted to use, but didn't have on these sites being read aloud.  

Authors Web Sites - Go the the website of the book author.  Many authors have recordings of a few of their books on their own sites. 

Some other lists I came across: 

                  192 Sites for Free Children's Books Online

                  56 Places for Free Audio Books Online

As with any technology you share with your students, be sure to preview anything you want to share before showing it to students, especially any of the online video sites.  Sometimes videos look like what you want only to have the sound be completely inappropriate.  (I learned from experience folks, don't make the same mistake!)

Additionally, you can always record your own books.  You can use them as a new way to share books with your students or set them up as a center for students to access.  Try having parents, custodians, secretaries, lunch staff and administration record the books too.  Technology is so great now, take advantage of it.

Share with us how you use digital books in your classroom or other sites you use to share books with your students in the comments below or on our Facebook Page.

Read Across America Celebrations

Today, I'm sharing with you how the school my children attend celebrate Read Across America Day.  It's also where I taught before becoming an instructional coach.  They celebrate all week long and it's quite a fun event.  Here's a bit about each of the three big events:

1.  Class reading goals.  Each class creates a collaborative reading goal.  Each student is given a tracking sheet to record the minutes they read throughout the week.  The goals are set to hopefully be a bit more reading than required, like a goal for each student to read 25 or 30 minutes instead of 20 minutes a night.  The recording sheets are turned in the Monday after the celebration week.  Then, those classes who met their goals are rewarded by the principal with a small treat, usually a Popsicle.

2.  Family Reading Night.  On Wednesday, families are invited to read in the halls throughout the school.  Popcorn is provided in small bags and people are encouraged to bring their pillows and blankets.  Staff members read aloud picture books in our small auditorium throughout the night for families to enjoy.  The PTA also runs the Scholastic Book Fair throughout this week and has it open special this night for families to add to their home libraries.  At only an hour long, this family night encourages families to read together, brings the community to the school and is an opportunity for fundraising.

3.  Read Across America Day.  Toward the end of the celebration week, the entire school participates in "Reading Across America" one morning.  Every employee chooses a state.  This includes the principal, secretaries, technicians and custodians.  Each chooses a state and prepares a lesson and activity to teach about the state.  Students are divided into heterogeneous groups consisting of students in grades K-6 all together.  The groups are small due to the number of adults helping out.  The groups rotate to 4 different states during the morning.  Teachers try to share either a fiction or non-fiction text with the students about the state or something that relates to the state and do an art project or game with the students.  It's a very fun morning that the students look forward to and enjoy.

If you can't celebrate as a school, try doing some of this on a smaller scale in your classroom.  It would be fun to have centers around the room about different states.  Include your own state too.  Parents who have lived in other states might be willing to come share what they know and their experiences with your class.  You can get all the official information about Read Across America Day at the NEA's site here. 

If you'd like to hold your own reading goal, you can get a tracking sheet that is ready to go on google drive here.

We'd all love to hear what your plans are for celebrating Read Across America Day.  Comment below or on our Facebook page to share your ideas.

Free Math Games Online

Bob at the Garfield Learning Portal sent me a message to inform me of his great game that uses a Rekenrek.  It's a great game focused on Kindergarten through Second grade students.  Bob said there will be an app soon.  Check out this fun game at http://www.professorgarfield.org/yourfuture/math.html  The first two activities use the rekenrek and the second two are great extensions to equations.  The Garfield Portal includes games on other subject areas too, check out the menu at the top of the page.

Geisel Award Books and TpT Sale

The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. (from http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/geiselaward)

The Medal winner and Honor books for The Geisel Award have been announced and they look like fun ones that your K-3 students will fall in love with. 

At the end of this post, enter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card so that you can get one of these books, or another book of your choice.  

Don't want to wait?  Click on the picture or title to see the books in Amazon.

Medal Winner: 

Up, Tall and High

Honor Books:

Let's Go for a Drive! (An Elephant and Piggie Book)
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January 2013 Product Swap

I love what has now become the tradition of the quarterly product swap.  It's so fun to see so many products from fellow bloggers in use and to read the reviews.  This quarter, my partner for the swap is Tanya from A Plus Firsties.

  

I'm reviewing her product Wholey Cow Fractions.

Her activities are based on this darling book, click the picture to view it on Amazon.  However, you don't have the have the book to use the activities, they can all stand alone without it.  (I think you'll have to have the book though when you see it.)

The first activity is a fraction flip book.  She includes complete pictorial directions along with a print out for the cover and shapes to show a whole, halves, thirds and fourths.  Here's the book I created from her set: 

The measurements, if using 9x12 paper, are:  halves - cut at 4.5 inches thirds - cut at 3 inches and 6 inches fourths - cut at 2.25, 4.5, 6.75 The second activity is a matching game.  The unique part about this matching game is that each picture card includes a question about the picture and then students match it with the numeral fraction card. 

The third activity is a fraction story problem booklet.  Each page of the booklet contains a story problem and some room for the student to record his/her answer.  A picture is also included to help students.

Here's a picture of my daughter's response: 

The final activity is sorting.  The activity includes a fraction card for each fraction and each represented by several different shapes.  Students sort the shapes under each fraction that match.  Then, to extend and solidify the concepts, Tanya has included some wonderful student recording sheets for students to record their understanding about fractions. 

This is an amazing fraction pack that will help your planning be a breeze and give students some fun and thoughtful ways to practice the concept.  Head on over to her TpT store and get your set here. 

Be sure to go to Tanya's blog to see her review on my Word Wall Songs pack.  It's on sale for one week at a $0.50 discount from $3.50 to $3.00, so now is the time to grab your copy.  Use the multiple purchase discount and purchase a license for your whole team to use these great songs. 

Ongoing Running Records

If you do guided reading, you may know that an important component of tracking your students' progress is to conduct ongoing running records.  These records can be key to monitoring your students and knowing when they are ready for a new reading level.  Here are two versions of an ongoing running record for you.  One includes 50 boxes and one is blank to allow more room for your record taking.  I've been reading this book:  The Next Step in Guided Reading: Focused Assessments and Targeted Lessons for Helping Every Student Become a Better Reader  which contains a great lesson frame work for pre-readers.  I was able to demonstrate it in a Kindergarten classroom last week and LOVE it!  If you do guided reading in your classroom, or would like to, this is a great resource you should have.  

Christmas Holiday Craft Idea

I realize this is a little last minute, but for those of you who might need a little something more to keep your students busy and learning these last few days before Christmas, this might be just what you need.  This is an idea from a Kindergarten classroom at one of the schools I work with.  Green paint hand prints form the tree and then a sponge star at the top.  The berries could be done with the eraser of a pencil and the trunks are just painted in.  The teacher displayed them so cutely in the hall as a large tree.  I've also included the poem they used for shared reading and inspiration for the craft.  The poem can be sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Tea Pot."  If you don't need a little something before the break, tuck this fun little idea away for next year.