Literacy: October Booklist

Check the website for Fall Workshop details.  November 10th in Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Here's a sampling of some great books you can use in October.  Have fun with children's literature this month!
 

 

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin by Margaret McNamara  

How many seeds are there in a big pumpkin? Medium? Small? Counting pumpkin seeds is a messy business but once the slimy job is done, to everyone's surprise the smallest pumpkin has the most seeds!  



 

 

Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson
This book is the story of the life cycle of a pumpkin.  A story without end - pumpkin seeds to pumpkin to pumpkin seed again.  Told from bug's and bird's high point of view.


My Own Human Body by G. Caviezel
This is a very colorful and interactive board book.  It explains the human body in a series of easy words and pictures.  Very instructive. Try tying this book into the study of "skeletons."  There is a companion book to My Own Human Body  titled The Five Senses. 


Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting
One of two books on this month's list by Eve Bunting.  This is an oldie but goody!  Four pairs of eyes stare from the blackness and watch all the trick or treaters.


In the Haunted House by Eve Bunting
As you read the book, all the children see are 2 pair of sneakers - one large and one small - as a little girl and her dad tour a dark and mysterious house.  Great book to use as a warm up for a Halloween writing activity.


Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
What's the best way to help a skeleton get over his hiccups?  Great discussion book.





Science: Color Bottles



From Kindergartners At Work II - The Super 6 Continue - by Trish Saccomano & Kathy Bringhurst

Science experiment:  Save those empty plastic water bottles, you'll need 3, and use them for this effective demonstration of primary color mixing resulting in secondary colors.  Use food coloring to color the water in one bottle yellow, one red, and one blue. Students place the bottles of colored water on a sunny windowsill. They move the bottles in front of each other to create secondary colors (green, purple and orange). Students then illustrate and write about their findings in Discovery Journals.  These journals can be used throughout the year for students to draw/write about their discoveries for that all important Literacy connection. 

     



 

 

 

Sunflower Study - Art & Science Connection

Reminder:  Don't forget to include both fictional and informational text in all your content area instruction! 

 

The study of Sunflowers has infinite possibilities.  Here are just a few to get you started:

 

 

 Crayon resist using watercolors
Construction paper and tissue paper
Remember the old "tissue paper square on the end of a pencil, dipped in white glue?"
Yep!  Here it is!
 

 

 

 Paint with watercolor - Add details with  black pen
 

Tempera paint on dark background
Add "real" sunflower seeds to the paintings

 

 

 Symmetrical vases with "collage type" sunflowers
 

Tissue paper, Modge Podge and colored chalk
 

Tempera paint handprints make nifty looking sunflowers

Try a tempera paint still life in the style of Vincent Van Gogh

 

Literacy: September Booklist

Check the website for FALL WORKSHOP details.  Saturday, November 10th Salt Lake City, Utah

 

 Here's a sampling of some great books you can use in September to start your school year off with a bang!  Enjoy!

 

This School Year Will Be the Best by Kay Winters

On the 1st day of schools the kids are asked what they would like to happen in the upcoming year - picture day and skateboarding in the halls are two of the suggestions.  But as the 1st day ends, something happens and everyone knows it's going to be a great year!

 

 

 

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum hates her long, 13 letter name.  I bet she'd be surprised to know that over 250 words can be made using the letters in her name.

 

 

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni

An "oldie but goodie"

Little Blue and Little Yellow are friends who get separated.  When they finally find each other again, they hug and hug until they become . . .  Green!

 

 

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing

Takeoff on the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore.  You can just imagine all the hustle and bustle of this night - picture taking, backpacks packed.  Then they get to school and discover just how much fun Kindergarten is.

 

 

Kindergarten Rocks by Katie Davis

Dexter already knows everything there is to know about Kindergarten because his big sister told him all about it.  So Dexter isn't scared.  Not even a little bit. But . . .  his stuffed dog, Rufus, is scared.  he's terrified.  But Dexter, er . . . Rufus has nothing to fear.  he soon finds out - Kindergarten Rocks!

 

 

I  Am Too Absolutely Small for School  by Lauren Child

This book is a lot like Kindergarten Rocks in that it can be read on the first day of school to relieve a little anxiety and help some of those "not so sure" students work through the day.