Teaching Heart Blog

Ok, on facebook we are all sharing a book we LOVE to read to our class and why we love to read it!!!  Come join us there or comment here:  Let’s share a Children’s book you love and why you love to read it to your class!! How do you use it to teach something or introduce a concept?? MAybe we will find some new titles to use during the year.  I will compile all ideas and make a post of them!

We only started a few minutes ago and look what you have already shared…

Jenny Cramatte-  Charlie the Caterpillar.  It’s a story about true friendship.

Nancy Gibbons-  A coworker of mine has a book, Nicholas that’s ridiculous…a book about being a boy. I found my boys really relate to the funny things Nicholas does.

Rebecca Smallwood Bowling –  I love reading two books…Enemy Pie and A Bad Case of Stripes…Enemy Pie is a funny story about a little boy who has an enemy and how the little boy turns his enemy into his friend by spending time with him and by making enemy pie! A great book on how to make friends! A Bad Case of Stripes is a wonderful story on being yourself! Two great back-to-school books that I get excited about reading every year!!!

Beki Moore – That is a tough request you are asking. I could give you several books everyday for a very long time. I will pick Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett. This is a great book to go along with a unit on wild animals vs pets. We make a chart… of wild animals and animals that are considered pets (lots of opportunities for discussion here). You could also make a chart showing the students that have pets and what kinds of pets they have.  I use it for our study of the Arctic. We learn about each of the  wild animals from the story in our study.  We make a circle map of the animals in the story. We draw pictures of our favorite animal and try to write a sentence about that animal. We do a retelling with puppets. We do many of Jan Brett’s books during the year. I teach Kindergarten.

I have 100’s of books I love to read to the kiddos…  But here is one I have not share on the blog yet.  It is on the Bucket Fillers page at Teaching Heart!

In the book, Words Are Not for Hurting , “Children learn that their words belong to them: They can think before they speak, then choose what to say and how to say it. The book makes the connection between hurtful words and feelings of anger, sadness, and regret. It introduces positive ways for children to respond when others say mean or unkind words to them. And it reinforces the importance of saying “I’m sorry,” two little words that can be a big help. Includes activities and discussion starters that parents, caregivers, and educators can use when working with children.”

Here’s a great activity to use after you read, Words Are Not For Hurting!

Explain to your students that once words are spoken they can be forgiven but never forgotten.

Then supply a travel sized toothpaste for each student or group of three. Also give them a paper bowl. Ask them to work together to get all of the toothpaste out of the tube and into the bowl.

After the group has all of their toothpaste in the bowl, give them each a toothpick. Ask them to try their best to get all the toothpaste back into the tube.

Soon the groups will find the task impossible. As a class discuss how the toothpaste is like our words. They should figure out that once all the toothpaste is out it is hard to get back in… Much like our words, once we say something, we can’t take it back. If we happen to say something hurtful we have to realize that it will be hurtful and can never be totally forgotten just forgiven.

(also great activity for girlscout meetings)

To make sure they understand the activity you may have them complete the activity sheet below.

Click here to print!

Check out part 2 of this post for even more titles!!

So what is your favorite and why?  Comment here or on Facebook and I will compile a list for Teaching Heart!

 

Google+