MarissaKendrick

I had to add this book to my list because it is my all time favorite book EVER! Winnie-The-Pooh is a sweet little bear who LOVES honey, it's almost all he thinks about! Pooh also loves to go on adventures with his best friend Christopher Robin, as well as Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, and Rabbit. Winnie-The-Pooh was actually a story written by A.A Milne for his son, Christopher Robin.He wrote the stories in a way that incorporated his son in them with all of his sons favorite stuffed animals. It quickly reached the public and has been famous ever since. 

How I would use this book in my class:

I will read this book to my students one day in the hopes of getting them excited to read. I will express how this book is my favorite and always puts me in the mood to read! I will tell them that one day they too will find a book that makes them feel that way. I would also use this book in a lesson on famous authors (example being A.A Milne) and have my students do a research project on any of their favorite authors (or I can give them a author if they don't know of any).

DRA: 40

This is a book about a little four year old boy named Harold and his magical purple crayon. Harold goes throughout the pages drawing fantastic worlds with his magical crayon that come to life. Quickly Harold finds himself in trouble with his purple crayon and has to think quick!

How I would use this book in my classrom:

I would read this book to my students and then do a hands on activity with them. The activity I would like to do is give my students each a sheet of paper and a purple crayon and let them create their own version of a "perfect world". I would as the students to then write what they drew on a piece on another piece of paper and glue it to the back of their drawing. This would be for students grade 1st-4th. 

Lexile: 490L

This is a silly fiction book that is popular in today's schools. When farmer Brown isn't meeting his cows needs, they learn to type so they can communicate with him! Before he knows it, the cows are typing farmer Brown letters! Farmer Brown can't believe it, can you? Farmer Brown doesn't like his cows "bossing" him around and refuses to help them. So what do the cows do? They go on strike! 

How would I use this book in my classroom?

I would ask my students to pretend that they are one of farmer Browns cows. I would ask them to write farmer Brown a letter requesting something that they think they will need and why they need it. This would be a fun interactive activity!

Guided Reading: Level M

This is just one book in a huge series of Junie B. Jones books. Its a chapter book and would be better read during independent reading time. Junie B Jones touches on important topics such as manners, "girl power", and growing up (puberty) in a humorous way. The series is full of holiday inspired books and would be great to add to any teacher library.

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would like to keep a few of these books in my classroom for my students to read during free reading time. This one in particular I would show to my kids during the month of February in hopes they would get hooked on the series. Any type of reading is good reading!

Guided Reading: Level M

This is quite possibly the most well known of the Dr. Seuss books. It teaches an important lesson to kids on why you should never "knock it until you try it" or be judgmental of things you do not understand. With its rhymes and silly pictures, this book is sure to trap its readers in. 

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would love to use read this book during Dr. Seuss week/day. What better way to celebrate the great things Dr. Seuss has done than with his own most popular book?

Accelerated Reader: 1.5

Camille Creed loves lima beans, but she wont eat him because her friends don't like them. She is so worried of what her friends would think of her! Today is the first day of school, and she is worried she wont have a good day and that her friends wont like her outfit. She worried so much, she gave herself a case of stripes! Will Camille ever learn how to put her fear of others opinions behind herself? You will just have to read to see!

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would love to read this book to my students whenever they need a reminder on why its so important to always love themselves they way they are and how they should never place their value on the opinion of others. 

 Lexile: AD 610L

I was just recently introduced to this amazing book, and I feel blessed to now know it exists! This is a fantastic story that introduces students to the concept of immigration and what it takes to become a United States citizen. This book also introduces students to the beauty of a world full of hundreds of cultures. It also informs students on the history of Ellis Island and about Americas first immigrant, Annie Moore who was just a young girl traveling with her two younger brothers. I cant not stress how much of an impact this inspirational book can have on students and teachers alike. 

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would love to use this book in my classroom during a lesson on immigration or during the Fourth of July. I would teach this lesson using a scavenger hunt for my children to complete. While this book would require me to read it to them (being that its so long and wordy) they could all listen to me teach and fill in their scavenger hunts as we go. 

Lexile: AD 890L

For over twenty years, the Magic School Bus series has been a fantastic instrument used inelementary science classes. This is just one of seventeen total books in the series. This particular story is about a boy named Arnold who swallows the magic school bus (while its shrunk of course)! The class gets to experience the human body up close as they take a trip through its digestive tracks and through Arnold's stomach! 

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would love to use this book in my classroom while doing a science lesson on the human body! I would read this story to my students and let them label the parts of the digestive track that the school bus visited. If time allows, I would even let them watch the short movie that corresponds with the book!

Lexile: AD 730L

 This book was very popular when I was younger, and it's still just as popular today. This book will take its reader through the journey of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Everytime the hungry caterpillar eats something new, a bigger hole appears in the pages. This allows the book to be visually interesting to children as well as interactive. This is a must have to every teachers library!

How I will use this in my classroom:

I would use this in my classroom during a lesson on the metamorphosis process of a caterpillar into a butterfly. I would also use this book to help test my students prediction skills! 

Lexile AD460L

Follow the adventures of Leslie and Jess as they travel to their make-believe world, Terabithia. Leslie and Jess both live very different lives, but that doesn't stop them from forming an unbreakable friendship. Jess is focused on being the fastest kid in school while Leslie is more concerned with "fitting in". Together they will share a world of laughter, that is until tragedy strikes. Jess soon finds himself alone and trying to navigate the world without his best friend. 

How I would use this in my classroom:

After requesting superintendent and parental consent, I would share this story with my higher grade students. This book was one that got me hooked on my love for reading because it made me feel like I was apart of a whole different world. I would hope that it would have the same effect on my students. After reading the book I would also like to show the movie to my class, as I feel they would need a "mental break" after reading such a moving book.

Lexile: 810L 

This book is a great tool for students who are learning their colors! Its a childhood classic that we have almost all read at some point. There are several resources for this book online as well as you tube videos that have sing along songs with it. In my opinion this book would be fantastic for pre-school through kindergarten aged children, or any older children who still struggle with their colors or need to still read books with pictures for clues. 

Lexile AD200L 

This would be a great book to read to your elementary school class during Halloween! You can find several read along online that sing along to the book. It is a rhyming story that builds with each line, getting funnier and funnier each time. As you read the book, you are meet with rhymes that describe a chain reaction. Someone knocks on a haunted door and eventually it scares the haunting ghosts! I can't wait to read this book during a prediction lesson!

How would I use this book in my classroom:

I would love to use this book during a lesson taught on or around Halloween since it is a kid friendly book that I believe wouldn't be scary to any students since it is so silly.

Scholastic Reading Level: 2

When I think of popular children's literature, this is one of the top books that comes to mind! The Giving Tree is a classic throughout generations. In this story we see two characters, a boy and a apple tree. The little boy grows up playing with the tree, which makes it happy. As the boy gets older, he starts playing with the tree less and less. In order to feel happy again, the tree starts giving herself to the boy in several ways. It starts with the tree giving the boy her apples so he can sell them for money. The tree then gives the boy her branches, so he can build a house. The three then goes on to give the boy her trunk, and at this point the tree has nothing else left to give him. The boy is gone for a long time, and the tree is left as just a stump. Then one day the boy comes back, but this time as a tired old man. The tree is so excited to see him and offers her trunk as a place for the old man to rest. The man takes the opportunity, and the book ends with them sitting in peace together. 

This book is definitely a tear-jerker and helps open the eyes to many. The lesson to be learned in this book is that nature gives so much to us, even when all we do is "take take take." It helps readers be inspire to give back to nature and be self aware of all we take for granted. 

Lexile: 530L

Where the Sidewalk Ends is a book that contains several poems that are super engaging. I would use this book in my classroom when introducing poems or stanzas to my students. I would also use this poem book as something my early finisher students could read. Students would also be encourage to read this book in pairs to help build fluency and comprehension skills. Shel Silverstein is one of my all time favorite children's book authors!

Scolastic Level: Q

The Three Billy Goat Gruff is about three brother goats that eat all the grass on their hill. They decide to take a adventure to another hill that is full of grass, but are fearful of a troll that lives under the bridge that they would have to cross. Little Billy Goat Gruff as well as Middle Billy Goat Gruff trick the troll using their smart brains in order to get over the bridge. Bigger Billy Goat Gruff uses his strength to overcome the troll so he can get over the bridge. This book shows that no matter what your strengths are, you are always able to overcome any fears or obstacles that may enter your path! 

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would use this book in my classroom during a character analysis lesson! I would have my students compare/contrast the goats to each other as well as describe the traits of the troll (since a page in the book goes into great detail about the trolls appearance and personality).

Lexile level: 650L

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a great book for students who are learning the alphabet for the first time. It has a catchy rhyme that can be sang as a song. I would use this book during a time of the day that I felt my kindergartners needed to sing and dance to get some energy out. Its a fun alternative to learning the ABC's!

How I would use this book in my classroom:

I would love to use this book in my preschool or kindergarten class as a fun way to memorize the alphabet!

Lexile: AD530L