Book Review: I Love the Earth by Todd Parr

I enjoy Todd Parr books.  Sometimes I forget just how much in the big world of children's literature.  I believe Todd Parr conveys an important message in all his books through text and pictures. His text is simple and yet he conveys important messages for children to hear.  To me, his illustrations convey all the brightness of the world.

I have read many of his books, but recently I've checked out two for E and N -- The Brother Book and I Love the Earth (new title and cover for The Earth Book).  I am providing the review for I Love the Earth instead of E and N because even though they might not understand the concept yet, I want to instill within my children the meaning of "tikkun olam" (repair of the world).  

Parr sets up examples of what he loves about the Earth and reasons why so that young children can understand.  He makes connections with stars and keeping the sky clear and animals and wanting them to be safe all over the world.  The book could end up leading to an important discussion on one of many aspects of ways we could help make a difference--oceans, food for everyone, even shopping at the local farmer's market.

My hope is that you take some time to check out more of Todd Parr's books. His newest, Love the World, just came out a couple of weeks ago.

Giving a Hand at Open House

This year, I was determined to have open house be more of a student involved experience in the library.  Typically, families just want to meet the child's teacher and skedaddle.  The school I'm at now, keeps this in mind and approaches open house in a different way--they invite families for a back-to-school bbq.  Families are not required to attend any presentation, but there is a voluntary one towards the end.  Teachers stay in their classrooms and can get their own work done while waiting for students.  

Signage used to entice students into the library.

I was looking for an idea where students could contribute to a display for the library in some way.  I came across this pin.  What a great idea!  It'll make for a simple craft where all I ask students to do is trace their hand or color a hand template.  Even better, this could go on a bulletin board right outside the library starting the first week of school!  Students would be taking their first steps towards shared ownership of the library.

Open house arrived and the turnout in the library was better than I expected.  Many of the students traced their hand.  They liked hearing that their handprint would be put up the board.  Even the kindergarten students who had to finish their scavenger hunt of places around school came back when they were done to make a handprint.  The next day, I cut the hands out and finished the bulletin board.  Ta da!

Feel free to share your interactive open house ideas.

Got Ants in Your Pants? GoNoOdle!

My mom texted me several weeks ago to say she had seen this new brain break website called gonoodle.com.  I decided to check it out.  Verdict: It's cool!  For those of you who don't know...

A brain break is a short movement activity that helps to refocus students during the school day.

This entire site is dedicated to brain breaks of various kinds--focusing, energizing, and calming.  You create a free account and then either use the demo teacher mode to play or enter your classes information and select a "champ." 

Since I have multiple classes, it has let me enter all of them and I appreciate that.  You press the "play" button and are then taken to a huge selection of brain breaks.  They have brain breaks that students are familiar with, such as Continental Drift (Ice Age), Happy (Pharrell Williams), and Have Fun Teaching. Other ones that I just discovered, like To The Maximo (kids yoga) and Bodyspell (students use their bodies to spell out sight words).

Some of my classes recognize the program because their classroom teachers use it, but I'm here to spread the word so that more teachers use it.  The more popular this site becomes, the more brain breaks they can distribute.  Every time your class completes a brain break, they receive minutes that go towards "leveling up" and transforming your "champ" into a big, strong creature just like your students are working their brain muscles.


Image from gonoodle.com

Special Spring Break Edition: RtI Spring Break Packs

I wish I had thought of making folder packs before.  This year, for my RtI students in 1st and 2nd grade, I made them little spring break packs.  All the work included would be considered light, so they could have fun learning during break.  

Their folders included the following:

• a list of sight words/high frequency words
• an "I Spy" sheet of sight words
• magazines geared towards a younger audience, Chirp and chickaDEE
• two of them had a laminated manila folder with alphabet post-its to build sight words

During their last RtI session before break, I introduced them to the pack so they would be familiar with it and could take ownership in showing a parent.  They would be able to use their list of sight words in multiple ways--from just reading off the list to using the list to look through the magazines for words they know.  The "I Spy" sheets are literally just a white sheet of paper with 20-25 sight words written in all directions all over the paper.

My students seemed very excited to be taking these packs home with them.  I hope to hear that they put them to some use when we come back from break.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net