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Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform

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Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform

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Elementary Learning Experience Platform | Seesaw

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Seesaw is a Learning Experience Platform with 25M+ users, enhancing elementary education, engagement, and school culture while improving academic success.

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Last updated on March 24, 2020 by Jamie Sears

Zoom is a great tool for distance learning! With Zoom you can meet with your students via a video call.

You can teach lessons, share a read aloud or just check in with them. You can even record your meetings so that students who didn't come can watch it later.

You don't need any fancy tools or a degree in computer science!
Click HERE to get signed up for your FREE Zoom account.
Zoom is free, but usually you are limited by the length of the meeting and the number of attendees. But, Zoom is offering a free account for teachers during these times that does not have these limitations.

Then, watch this video as I share how to set up your meeting, share the link with students, and manage the meeting. I even show you how to share your screen so that you can use PowerPoints, videos or websites with your students during the meeting.

Click to watch the tutorial!👇🏼

I know that some schools do not allow teachers to use Zoom. If that is you, then I hope you are able to use something similar.

Our students need to see our faces during these tough times. The connection is so important!

Have a Not So Wimpy day,

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How to Use Zoom with your Class - Not So Wimpy Teacher

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Zoom is a great tool for distance learning! With Zoom you can meet with your students via a video call. You can teach lessons, share a read aloud or just check in with them. You can even record your meetings so that students who didn't come can watch it later.

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We express ourselves in different ways. On Flip, you can use our simple and fun built-in camera to record your thoughts, add effects and share within your Flip group as video, audio only or text in your web browser or mobile app.

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Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

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Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

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Adoption and usage

Simple, effective, and surprisingly easy to use

With nearly 30 million users in 80% of US schools, the numbers speak for themselves: students, families, and educators love using Remind.

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Remind | Communication Platform for Education

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Remind is a communication platform that reaches students and families where they are and supports learning wherever it happens. Millions of educators, students, and parents use Remind to connect with the people and resources that help them teach and learn.

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Symbaloo: Bookmarks & Favorites - The #1 Homepage for Educators

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Easily save, share, and organize your favorites with Symbaloo; the best online bookmark manager for educators. Use Symbaloo as a homepage on any browser or Internet-enabled device. Create a free account today!

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Word Work Activities FREEBIE | Word work activities, Word work, First grade words

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So if you are anything like me, then you are always looking for Kindergarten Word Work Ideas for the classroom. Today I am happy to share 25+ different word work ideas that I have found through various blogs and tpt and they are all FREE!

Last year was the first year that I implemented the Sisters Daily 5 into my classroom and I fell in love with it. One of the components or stations/centers of Daily 5 is word work. While I love Daily 5, I realize that not everyone can or wants to use this structure, but this post is still for you! Word work can and should be used by all teachers! Essentially, word work in kindergarten is discovering and working with high frequency words, word patterns, word families, and vocabulary. These 25+ ideas that I am sharing today can be used in a variety of settings, whether it is during whole or small group or used as an independent choice for students. Enjoy!

Free Word Work Ideas For Kindergarten

I found activities from mommy bloggers, teachers, and teachers who have tpt stores. I hope you find these as helpful as I did!
Beginning Sight word Instruction For Kindergarten Teaching Kindergarteners To Use The ABC Word Work Station
Word Work Cookie Sheet Activities from Make, Take, And Teach

Pebble Word Work from Primary Paradise
Mega Blocks Word Work from Tons of Fun

If you are interested in more word work ideas, head over to my Kindergarten Word Work Pinterest board, which is just dedicated to these fabulous ideas!

You may also love our Alphabet Soup series. This includes a variety of fun, hands on activities that will help children with letter recognition, letter formation, beginning sounds, and more!
Sight Word Play Dough Mats Differentiated Literacy Games

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25+ Fun & Free Ideas For Kindergarten Word Work

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So if you are anything like me, then you are always looking for Kindergarten Word Work Ideas for the classroom. Today I am happy to share 25+ different word work ideas that I have found through various blogs and tpt and they are all FREE!

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Lucky Little Learners Word Work Activities

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Lucky Little Learners Word Work Activities

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These fun, engaging, NO PREP word work activities help students practice their words effectively and are the perfect option for your 1st or 2nd grade class!

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Are you on the lookout for new word work ideas?

I love all things word work and thought that creating one place for teachers, from all around the world to connect, would be both helpful and fun.

I have just started up a new Facebook Group called

" Word Work Ideas for K-2 Teachers ".
Who can Join?
Anyone is welcome, including those who don't teach K-2 but have some students functioning at these grade levels. You can even add colleagues, or like-minded educators to this group.

This word work orientated group aims to help teachers with new word work ideas, links, resources, and general support.
What will I get out of being in this group?
In this group, you can ask questions and also support others with your experience and knowledge. What a great way to get and inspired and help others!

Chat about what works in your classroom, and what might not be working. Ask for ideas and links, or help someone out by responding to their comment/question.

It's a friendly and safe place for teachers and educators alike to share.
What will be Discussed in this Group?
We will be discussing:

spelling

reading

phonological awareness

phonemic awareness

phonics

sight words

high frequency words

guided reading

fluency

programs

programming and planning

small group management

whole group ideas

response to intervention

hands-on learning

games

activities

great sites

awesome blogs

teaching resources to download
and
anything else related to word work that you want to discuss.
I'm Excited! How do I Join?
What a great way to get some help with your students! If you think this group will help you, click on the image below.

Teacher-bloggers are also welcome (please read the description to be sure you're on the same page regarding promotions).

If you would like to join us and get some new ideas for your word work program, click "join" in this link (or the image below) via Facebook. You can also share, or tag other teachers who you think might be interested.
What do I do Once I've Joined?
Be sure to introduce yourself once you've joined. We have a running post (click here) for new group members to share where in the world they live, and which grade they teach. Come on in and take a look around.

Invite a colleague who might also be interested.

Ensure the "notifications" are switched to "on". You can find this on the header image, on the right side (via desktop). I don't know that you can change this on the mobile app.

Add this group to your "favorite" groups via the desktop, by going to "home" then view the "groups" down the left side. Click "groups" then "add to favorites".

Scroll through the posts to see what interests you.
One Extra Thing!
While I've got you here, I want to share an app I use to manage the different Facebook groups that I'm part of. I have been using the " Groups " app for over a year now and find it very handy.

I love that you can see your favorite Facebook groups (mark via desktop) at the top of the app. I use the notifications icon at the bottom to check what's going on.

Overall, it's a very easy and much quicker way to access the various Facebook groups that you might be part of.

Be sure to add Word Work Ideas for K-2 Teachers to your favorites, and join us as we share and support each other.

Thanks so much for dropping by!

(Visited 42,356 times, 2 visits today)

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Are you on the lookout for new word work ideas? I love all things word work and thought that creating one place for teachers, from all around the world to connect, would be both helpful and fun. I have just started up a new Facebook Group called "Word Work Ideas for K-2 Teachers".

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Word Work Activities for Developing Phonics Skills

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You may not know that I LOVE to teach phonics. I love the intricacies of the English language and sharing them with my students. What I don't love is how hard these skills can be for our first graders, especially our bilingual learners. Check out these word work activities that I do with almost all of our phonics skills.

Phonics or word work, whatever you choose to call it, is one of my favorite things to teach. I love taking my first graders from writing and spelling 3-letter CVC words to teaching them word families, blends, digraphs and eventually long vowels by the end of the year. We do a lot of fun phonics activities but this is one of these are a few of their favorites and one of the easiest to plan too. AND I see some of the best results after doing this with my class.

You can see how I introduce and teach a phonics pattern in this blog post .

I will typically do this activity after I have taught a skill and they have practiced it for a few days. We're going to use the LONG U pattern as an example throughout most of this post because the pictures I have are from when my class was working on long u.

Make the Words

The first thing I have the students do is make the words. There are three ways you can do this:

1. Use letter magnet tiles

Before I had 1:1 iPads we used our letter magnet tiles all of the time. I like the sets where each kid gets their own full alphabet. That way you don't have to hand out each letter to each kid. The only problem with these is that there is typically only 1 of each letter.

If they are using letter tiles I'll give them a word like tube and have them make the word. I'll be walking around the room monitoring that everyone has spelled it correctly and then I'll have a student spell it out loud for the class. Then I'll give them another word and they add or change the letters to make the new word.

2. iPad app Word Wizard

Now that I am 1:1 with iPads instead of getting out the letter tiles we use the app Word Wizard. This app has a movable, talking alphabet. If the word is a correct word it will say the word and light up white. If the word is spelled wrong and not a real word it will light up red. I usually have them do this on the floor, and then they will just turn their iPad around so I can see their word. I'll then call on a student to spell it out loud for everyone to hear. I'll then move onto the next word, but have them keep the other words they spell on their iPad so they can see a pattern.

3. Write on paper or whiteboards

This is probably the least exciting but will get the job done in a pinch. I'll give students a word to write like tube and then they write it. I'll walk around and monitor and assist them until they have spelled the word correctly. Then I'll call on someone to spell it out loud for everyone to hear. They can then erase or keep writing the words, it's up to you.

I believe that having students manipulate the letters provides for a better lesson so I will not typically have them write but this does work when you need it to.

Here a student is using the app Word Wizard and making the word flew.

After each word I have them spell, I write the word under the correct phonics pattern. I stick with one pattern for 3-4 words then move on to another pattern. You can see an example from our long e poster below. I wrote the first 4 words, the kids wrote the rest (I'll get to that part in a little bit).

I go through all the patterns for the phonics skill we're working on and we'll talk about the patterns they see. For example with the long e, for the ee pattern, they notice that words either end in ee or there is usually a consonant at the end. They notice a lot of patterns, I reiterate the important ones. :o)

Search for the Words

After we make the words, we keep out our iPads and use the app EPIC! This is one of my favorite apps!. For teachers, this is a FREE resource with FREE books that your students can read. If you're not familiar with it, definitely check it out.

Anyway, the kids open this app on their iPads and pick out a book. As they are reading that book, or having it read to them if they choose a read aloud book, they look for the phonics pattern we are working on. Even if each student doesn't have their own iPad, students can work with a partner or in small groups on iPads to search for words too.

Here is a student reading a book on EPIC!

Some boys reading their books and checking out their profiles on EPIC!

If you don't have iPads or a way to view EPIC! you can have your students use any books for this. They can use books in their book bags or boxes or books you provide for them. Using the iPad always makes it fun, but regular books will work too.

Write the Words

As students are reading their books on EPIC! they are searching for words that fit the pattern we just worked on, in this case, long u. When they find a word, students raise their hand, tell me the word, where it would go on our chart and then come up and write it with the correct color.

This is the best part! The kids LOVE to add their words with their own handwriting to our chart. I let them search for words for as long as we have time for and I typically like to find 3-4 more words for each pattern. Some are easier to find, like the oo pattern, so once we have a bunch, I say that pattern is closed and they have to search extra hard to find the other ones. It's a challenge and the kids absolutely love it!

Here are several examples of students adding their words to our chart.

You can do this with ANY phonics skill you are working on. I use it at the beginning of the year for word families, all the way to the end of the year with our long vowels. It's great practice and the kids love it too!

*I was not paid to promote the apps mentioned above. They are just apps we use in my classroom that I love.

I hope you found this helpful. Please pin and share for others to see.

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Easy Word Work Activities for Any Phonics Skill

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You may not know that I LOVE to teach phonics. I love the intricacies of the English language and sharing them with my students. What I don't love is how hard these skills can be for our first graders, especially our bilingual learners.

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Word Work Station - Sample Plan (aligned to standards)

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Word Work Station - Sample Plan (aligned to standards)

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Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in Kindergarten

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Scholastic Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers

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Explore Scholastic Teaching Tools for teaching resources, printables, book lists, and more. Enhance your classroom experience with expert advice!

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Vocabulary Development - Scholastic

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Use these lesson plans, activities, and ideas to give students a wealth of words to use as they express themselves.

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Fun and Easy Vocabulary Activities | Scholastic

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Pick from these fun games that help students in retain the meaning of vocabulary words.

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Fun in First Grade - Vocabulary Instruction

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Fun in First Grade - Vocabulary Instruction

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Vocabulary is an important aspect in reading comprehension. If students do not know what the words mean, they cannot understand what they are reading.

Research has shown that vocabulary deficiencies are a primary cause of academic failure in grades 3 through 12.

(Baumann, Kameenui, Stanovich, & Becker)

Unfortunately, too many of our students have poor oral language skills. This can be due to many reasons, but research has typically found that students from low SES tend to be lacking in oral language development and vocabulary. Once they enter school, we have the sometimes difficult job of trying to bridge that gap.

Teachers need to be very intentional about teaching vocabulary.

We have to take the time to teach vocabulary to our students. We cannot just rely on discussing words that we may come across in our read alouds. While it is very important to discuss unknown words while reading, we also need to explicitly teach vocabulary words to our students.

For example, I explicitly teach vocabulary words to my students in small groups during guided reading time. Using my monthly Guided Reading packets, I introduce the students to 3-5 new vocabulary words for each story. We read the word, write the word, discuss the definition, and then USE the word. Just reading the definition is not enough. The students MUST use the word to learn it.

After introducing the words and practicing them numerous times, we read the passage that contains the words.

The number of words I introduce for each lesson depends on the level of my students. I do not want to overwhelm my lower readers with 5 or 6 six vocabulary words. They are much more likely to learn 2-3 new words.

Students need "kid friendly" definitions of new vocabulary words.

Do you remember having to look up words in a dictionary and write the definition? I know I remember doing that (not in 1st grade, of course). While I know that learning dictionary skills is very important, this is definitely not an effective way of teaching new vocabulary to young students. For example, if I look up the definition of the word dilemma it says, "a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives." For a first grader, this definition would only lead to looking up the words situation and alternatives. Students need teachers to provide them with definitions that they are going to understand.

Students need multiple exposures to learn new words.

It can take a student anywhere from 4-40 exposures to learn a new word depending on their previous vocabulary knowledge. While I'm sure that 40 exposures would not be the "normal," I know that I have had students that would need this. We cannot mention a word once and expect students to understand and use the word.

One of my favorite vocabulary activities is to use Fancy Nancy books to teach vocabulary. I throw on a tiara, some fancy Dollar Tree glasses, and Christmas garland, and I instantly become Fancy Nancy. I explicitly introduce the words prior to reading. Then, we hang them on our Fancy Nancy Words board to use in our writing.

Provide students with rich vocabulary every day.
Students will never learn new vocabulary if they don't hear it and use it on a regular basis. As teachers, we need to try and use rich vocabulary as often as possible to give students more exposure. I like to throw in vocabulary words into our morning message.

Use vocabulary in all subject areas.

We often think of vocabulary instruction during reading or science, but you can throw in vocabulary instruction into all subject areas. We work on new math vocabulary every day when we do our D aily Math Notebooks.

Know which words to teach your students.
I'm sure you have heard about Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 vocabulary words. Tier 1 words are your basic words (cat, ball, cup, etc.). Tier 2 words are your high frequency/multiple meaning words that often occur in literature and adult conversations (absurd, coincidence, embellish, etc.) Tier 3 words are your content or subject based words that are not used very frequently. These are vocabulary words that students may find in science books. Direct vocabulary instruction is best for Tier 2 words. These are going to allow students to expand their reading and oral vocabularies.

I love these Word Teasers that I purchased at Books a Million. They make different levels of boxes, but I have the Small Fry and the Junior versions. They are great for those extra minutes in a day to introduce a new vocabulary word.

Another idea is to place Tier 2 words into a Word Jar and randomly pick a new word for each day.

These are great ways to make sure you are teaching students vocabulary words that they will be able to use in their every day lives.
What are your favorite ways of teaching vocabulary in your classroom?

If you would like to check out my March Guided Reading packet, click on the picture below. My monthly packets contain 3 levels of passages to make differentiating a breeze.

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Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary - Fun in First

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Vocabulary is an important aspect in reading comprehension. If students do not know what the words mean, they cannot understand what they are reading. Research has shown that vocabulary deficiencies are a primary cause of academic failure in grades 3 through 12.

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August, D., M. Carlo, C. Dressler, and C. Snow. 2005. The critical role of vocabulary development for English language learners. Learning Disabilities: Research & Practice 20 (L), pp. 50-57.

Beck, I.L., M.G. McKeown, and L. Kucan. 2002. Bringing words to life:Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford.

Calderón, M., D. August, R. Slavin, D. Duran, N. Madden, and A. Cheung. 2005. Bring words to life in classrooms with English-language learners. In E.H. Hiebert and M.L. Kamil (eds.), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbraum.

Chall, J., and E. Dale 1995. Readability revisited: The new Dale-Chall readability formula. Brookline, MA: Brookline Books.

Cunningham, A.E. 2005. Vocabulary growth through independent reading and reading aloud to children. In E.H. Hiebert and M.L.Kamil (eds.), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbraum.

Cunningham, A.E., and K.E. Stanovich. 1998. What reading does for the mind. American Educator. 22, pp. 8-15.

Graves, M.F. 2000. A vocabulary program to complement and bolster a middle-grade comprehension program. In B.M. Taylor, M.F. Graves, and P. Van Den Broek (eds.), Reading for meaning: Fostering comprehension in the middle grades. Mew York: Teachers College Press.

Kamil, M.L. 2004. Vocabulary and comprehension instruction: Summary and implications of the National Reading Panel finding. In P. McCardle and V. Chhabra (eds.), The voice of evidence in reading and research. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Kamil, M.L., and E.H. Hiebert. 2005. Teaching and learning vocabulary: Perspectives and persistent issues. In E.H. Hiebert and M.L. Kamil (eds.), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

National Center for Educational Statistics. 2005. The condition of education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

National Reading Panel. 2000. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Schwartz, R.M., and T.E. Raphael. 1985. Concept of definition: A key to improving students' vocabulary. Reading Teacher 39, pp. 198-203.

Scott, J.A., and W.E. Nagy. 2004. Developing word consciousness. In J.F. Baumann and E.J. Kame'enui (eds.), Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice. New York: Guilford.

Stahl, S.A. 2005. Four problems with teaching word meanings (and what to do to make vocabulary an integral part of instruction). In E.H. Hiebert and M.L. Kamil (eds.), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

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Consider some excellent lesson models for teaching vocabulary, explaining idioms, fostering word consciousness, instruction for English Language Learners, and mnemonic strategies.

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Teaching Vocabulary During Shared Reading

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Teaching Vocabulary During Shared Reading

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When I think about teaching vocabulary, I often think about readalouds. Quality readalouds are often filled with interesting, useful vocabulary words that we can teach our students.

However, another great time to teach vocabulary (and vocabulary strategies) is during shared reading.

In today's post, I'll share tips for teaching vocabulary during shared reading, as well as some free vocabulary strategy posters!
Photo Credits: SpeedKingz, Shutterstock
Two Types of Vocabulary Teaching

During shared reading, my vocabulary instruction usually takes one of two forms:

Telling students the meaning of a word (direct vocabulary instruction)

Modeling or having students help me use a vocabulary strategy to figure out the meaning of a word (vocabulary strategy instruction)

Direct Vocabulary Instruction

In Kindergarten and first grade, the majority of the books I choose for shared reading have simple vocabulary words. (I choose shared reading books that are 1-2 reading levels above what my students are reading, hence the limited vocabulary.)

Most of the vocabulary words found in shared reading texts (especially in Kinder and first, and sometimes second grade) can be considered Tier One Words.

What are Tier One Words? Well, Beck and McKeown (2002) proposed that vocabulary words be categorized into three tiers:

Tier One words are those that are frequently used in the English language (basic terms like "walk" or "river"). Students will inherently learn many of these words from their everyday experiences and school instruction.

Tier Two words don't appear as often and are harder for students to learn through context (i.e., "merchant"). Beck recommends that most vocabulary instruction focus on these Tier Two words.

Tier Three words are those that are encountered even less frequently and are specific to academic subject matter (i.e., "circumference").

Again, in my experience, many of the words in shared reading texts I use with my primary students are Tier One words.

However, this does not mean that these Tier One words don't need to be taught! Here's why:

1. It's one thing for students to understand what a word means (more or less) when they hear it or read it. For students to be able to use the word in their speech or writing, however, they must have a better grasp of the word. Through shared reading and extension activities, I have an opportunity to help add these Tier One words to students' productive vocabulary (using it in speech and writing), when it may have only been part of their receptive vocabulary (understanding it when they hear or read it) previously.

2. Some of our students actually do need instruction in those "simple" Tier One words. Marzano states in Teaching Basic and Advanced Vocabulary (2010): "There are at least two types of students who are in unique, precarious situations regarding basic vocabulary development: students from a background of poverty...and English Language Learners" (p. 5). I don't love the poverty generalization from this quote, because there are always many exceptions. I don't ever think it's a good idea to assume that children from certain backgrounds will inherently have lower vocabularies. However, given the research, the growing number of ELLs in our classrooms, and the fact that all children are perhaps engaging in fewer conversations with adults (more screen time), I think it's safe to say that many of our students can benefit from Tier One vocabulary instruction.

Of course, Tier Two words also appear in our shared reading texts, especially as the texts become more difficult. Shared reading is a great time to teach Tier Two words, also.

So how do we teach these words? I usually follow a variation of Marzano's six-step process for teaching vocabulary. Here are those six steps:

STEP 1: I explain the new vocabulary word. (In the context of shared reading, I sometimes do this before we read, and sometimes when we encounter the word in the text.)

STEP 2: Students explain the new vocabulary word in their own words. (I'll have students explain what the word means to a partner and then call on a student or two to share out.)

STEP 3: Students create a drawing or picture to represent the word. (During shared reading, I don't stop and have students do this. Sometimes I may have the kids help me create a drawing as a class. If there's an important vocabulary word that I want to focus on, I can have students draw a picture after shared reading is over.)

STEPS 4-6: Students participate in activities, games, and opportunities to expand their knowledge of the word and discuss it with others. Steps 3-6 are the most challenging for me, because I often feel like I "don't have time" for these activities, and I'm not super consistent with revisiting the same vocabulary words across time. I'm definitely a work in progress in this area. 🙂

Vocabulary Strategy Instruction

In addition to direct vocabulary instruction, I model specific vocabulary strategies during shared reading. Also, since students can see the words of the text, they can actively participate in using the strategies I teach (guided practice).

So what are those strategies? I've listed 7 of them below (and I have free strategy posters for you)!

I don't teach all of these strategies in every grade level. I typically teach strategies 1-3 in Kindergarten (sometimes also #4), strategies 1-5 in first grade, and strategies 1-6 in second grade. I teach strategy #7 in all grades.

Strategy #1 is particularly important because many students will not even attempt to figure out what a new word means. Many kids need to learn to pay attention and be on the lookout for words that are new to them. So Strategy #1 is important! (Strategy #7 is also essential, since we don't want students to get so caught up in trying to figure out what a word means that they stop reading and get stuck!)

Strategy #1: Pay attention to words that are new to you. Stop reading and try to figure out what a new word means.

Strategy #2: If you don't know what a word means, look at the picture.

Strategy #3: If you don't know what a word means, look for a part of the word that you've seen before.

Strategy #4: If you don't know what a word means, look for it in the glossary.

Strategy #5: If you don't know what a word means, reread the sentence and use context clues.

Strategy #6: If you don't know what a word means, replace it with another word that might be a synonym. Reread the sentence and see if it makes sense.

Strategy #7: If you don't know what a word means and you've already tried a few strategies, keep reading.

You can download all of these strategy posters by filling in your information below-they will be sent right to your email for free!

Conclusions

Shared reading is a great time for direct vocabulary instruction, as well as strategy instruction. If you need resources for teaching shared reading, check out my new shared reading units for Kindergarten, first, or second grade. Click HERE to read about them!

Happy teaching!

References

Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford Press.

Marzano, R. J. (2010). Teaching basic and advanced vocabulary. Boston, MA: Heinle.

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How to Teach Vocabulary During Shared Reading in K-2 - Learning at the Primary Pond

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When I think about teaching vocabulary, I often think about readalouds. Quality readalouds are often filled with interesting, useful vocabulary words that we can teach our students. However, another great time to teach vocabulary (and vocabulary strategies) is during shared reading.

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Reading Rockets - Choosing Words to Teach

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Teaching vocabulary is complex. What words are important for a child to know and in what context? In this excerpt from Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction, the authors consider what principles might be used for selecting which words to explicitly teach.

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Effective Vocabulary Instruction in the Primary Classroom

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Effective Vocabulary Instruction in the Primary Classroom

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Vocabulary instruction. Quick and easy lesson plans to teach vocabulary through authentic texts for kindergarten, first, and second grade. Students develop reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge with these engaging activities.

Vocabulary Instruction

Teaching vocabulary is not always something we think about in the primary grades. However, research supports teaching vocabulary instruction when students are beginning readers. Students with greater word knowledge in early elementary have more success at comprehending texts in high school. We know that in order to increase vocabulary, students need to be exposed to new words.

According to the National Reading Panel, long-lasting vocabulary learning occurs when students see vocabulary in authentic texts, compared to isolated vocabulary drills. So with that in mind, we updated our vocabulary portion of the Engaging Readers units to better support vocabulary instruction in the classroom. Woohoo!

Each Engaging Reader's text includes a vocabulary study of two words. Throughout the week, students study and use the new words.

Direct Instruction

Research says that students remember words when they are able to connect the meaning of the word to the knowledge they already have. This is a type of active processing and occurs when students are exposed to words in a variety of ways. For example:

identify examples and non-examples of the word

create sentences that contain the new word

create scenarios or stories in which they use the word

produce antonyms and synonyms for the word

For each vocabulary word, students contextualize the word by responding to a prompt.

Having whole-group discussions also solidifies the learning of new vocabulary because students are participating in their own learning.

More Vocabulary Practice

Throughout the week, students practice the vocabulary words. The activities vary from book to book!

All of the resources you need to start teaching vocabulary through authentic texts are available in our Engaging Readers units!

Check them out by clicking below!

Plan your year with our updated curriculum map! Click here:
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Effective Vocabulary Instruction in a Primary Classroom

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Vocabulary instruction. Quick and easy lesson plans to teach vocabulary through authentic texts for kindergarten, first, and second grade. Students develop reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge with these engaging activities. Teaching vocabulary is not always something we think about in the primary grades. However, research supports teaching vocabulary instruction when students are beginning readers.

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Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary to Second Graders

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Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary to Second Graders

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We teachers know the power of words. They are, as Professor Dumbledore said in Harry Potter , "our most inexhaustible source of magic." The more we learn, the more magical the world around us becomes.

It's not always easy, however, to convince our students of this. Vocabulary quizzes don't exactly tend to incite excitement in the classroom, and it can be difficult at times to motivate your students to write and practice using their vocab words. But by keeping the following strategies in mind, teaching vocabulary to your 2nd graders can be every bit as magical as if they were learning new spells at Hogwarts.

Strategy #1: Engage in a Little Wordplay

Literary wordplay is always good fun-but for your 2nd grade students, playing with words in a literal sense may be the key to making your next vocabulary lesson more engaging and effective. Educational video games are an excellent interactive resource, especially if your classroom has access to one or more computers. Free, age-appropriate games can be found all over the internet in just a few clicks-try checking out PBS Kids and ABCYa for starters. Or, you can opt for analog alternatives such as crossword puzzles, Bananagrams, "Go Fish" using vocabulary flashcards or even a scavenger hunt where students must find all the vocabulary words used in a single block or page of text.

A Mad Libs-type "fill in the blanks" game could be the perfect way to both review vocabulary and practice descriptive writing. Take, for example, Adjective Monsters , a classbook published by Mrs. Korabek's class in which students created their own monsters and then used as many creative adjectives as they could think of to describe their terrible beasties. When publishing your own project, try providing your students with a framed paragraph or two and ask them to describe monsters (or other creatures) of their own using adjectives they've studied over the past year.

Strategy #2: Use Loquacious Classroom Decorations

For many students, adding a visual element can be helpful-even necessary for some-in improving comprehension and retention. But with lessons in words, especially non-nouns, it's not always obvious how to accomplish this. Consider creating (or having your students create) decorations for the classroom to serve as visual reminders of their vocabulary lessons.

For instance, you could create a "word wall" filled with words and definitions. (Hint: try color-coding different parts of speech, or including doodles next to each word to help illustrate meaning.) Or, you could have your students create collages combining vocab words with images and phrases that help them remember what each word means and then put their artwork up for display. Even simply seeing the words themselves on a daily basis could be helpful-consider writing a different sentence on the board every day, using a new vocabulary word each time.

Miss Erickson's class at Tipton Elementary employed a similar strategy when publishing Things That Fly . Each word is accompanied by a short description and a lovely illustration. Some words or phrases are more on the imaginative side (like the "flying bicycle" or the "flying cat"), but the effect is the same; these kids definitely know their flying objects! Your students can easily publish their own themed and illustrated vocabulary classbook in just a matter of weeks.

Strategy #3: Practice Vocab Verbally

Reading aloud is one of the best ways to teach students both how to pronounce words and how to use them in context, whether it's you doing the reading or your students. But don't stop at simply reading example sentences from a textbook-try spicing up the lesson by selecting something a little more exciting!

Fiction, especially poetry and short stories, is always an excellent choice-what kid doesn't love a good story, after all? Even better, see if you can find (or have your students write!) a script or dramatic excerpt that will let your students see their words in action. Reading a scene from a play or a skit is fun for the whole classroom, as those who are reading get to play pretend, while those who are listening are treated to a vocab lesson

Plays and scripts also make for great classbook projects. Just take a look at the book of Snowy Couplets Mrs. Cannon's class published! Your students could easily create and publish a similarly poetic project by writing couplets (or other types of verse) based on specific vocabulary words and publishing them alongside some beautiful original artwork.

Strategy #4: Create (and Publish!) a Book

Writing is, of course, a standard part of teaching vocabulary, and for good reason. But again, simply writing a word and its definition over and over isn't nearly as fun as a more creative approach. Why not ask your students to use their vocab words to write something of their own, something new and unique? For an even more effective (and memorable!) lesson, consider turning your class's vocabulary words into stepping stones in a larger lesson on the writing process.

Ask them to write something using as many vocab words as they can, whether it be a poem, an essay, a story or something else entirely. Then, have them peer edit each other's work. (This helps solidify the vocabulary lesson, as they must understand the words well enough not only to know how to use them, but how to explain to someone else when they are not using them properly.) Finally, ask them to illustrate their work and help them publish it in a professionally bound and printed classbook. A classbook is the ultimate project for motivating and engaging your young writers, especially when it comes to vocabulary building, as it puts the lesson into context and shows them what they're learning is so important.

Teaching Vocabulary Vivaciously

Just as the best wizards know lots of spells, the more vocabulary words your students learn, the better readers and writers they will be! The best way to demonstrate this to them is to show them just how magical words can be, through your lessons and through their classroom activities.

Word games, visual reminders, reading aloud, and publishing a classbook are all excellent strategies for teaching vocabulary to your 2nd graders. Whichever strategies you try, remember-the more opportunities you create for creative play, the more interesting and exciting your lesson plans and your students' work will be!
For more teaching strategies and other free classroom resources, check out our online teacher's lounge and sign up for a free publishing kit!

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Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary to 2nd Graders

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We teachers know the power of words. They are, as Professor Dumbledore said in Harry Potter , "our most inexhaustible source of magic." The more we learn, the more magical the world around us becomes. It's not always easy, however, to convince our students of this.

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Top 10 Writing Resources - Reading Rockets 

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Top 10 Writing Resources - Reading Rockets 

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Browse our resources about the developmental stages of writing, effective classroom strategies, assessment, writing disabilities, supporting writing at home, and more.

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These materials will give students the means to develop as writers and publish their work.

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Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites

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Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites

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Top Picks

RELATED

Print | Save as PDF

Writing Platforms and Communities

Writing A-Z

Abundant, thorough resources help both teachers and students

Bottom line: This full-service program can help teachers easily weave writing into their curriculum.

Grades: K–6 Price: Free to try

Night Zookeeper

Impressive, subscription-based writing resource with individual feedback

Bottom line: This platform will inspire young writers but does require a generous budget.

Quill

Let students do the writing to make grammar lessons more meaningful

Bottom line: This tool offers excellent opportunities for grammar and writing practice, well-tailored to students' abilities and needs.

Grades: 1–12 Price: Free, Paid

BoomWriter

Collaborative writing platform has the potential to motivate

Bottom line: There's creativity possibility in this tool's unique brand of collaborative and competitive writing, but teachers should take care to keep things positive.

Edublogs

Encourage student expression and maintain digital portfolios with easy-to-use blog creator

Bottom line: Edublogs is a fantastic platform for any teacher committed to providing consistent opportunities for creation and reflection.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free, Paid

StoriumEdu

Collaborative writing game inspires purposeful storytelling

Bottom line: With some planning and customization, this unique card game can motivate thoughtful and sustained creative writing in your classroom.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free to try

ThinkCERCA

Structured literacy program inspires deep analysis, thoughtful writing

Bottom line: This is an expertly scaffolded and pedagogically sound resource for developing critical reading and writing skills.

Writable

Stellar program scaffolds the writing process with peer review and feedback

Bottom line: This is an intelligently structured tool for teaching writing and review that focuses on process as much as product.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free to try

NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program

Wildly engaging contest turns students into novelists in 30 days

Bottom line: A thoughtful adaptation of the famous and fun grown-up novel writing contest, NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is brimming with advice and encouragement as well as classroom support.

Storytelling and Book Makers

Tell About This

Photo and word prompts inspire storytelling; app records the results

Bottom line: Versatile tool can be used as a pre-writing or publishing activity.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: Free to try, Paid

Write About This

Fun pictures and prompts are great for getting kids to start writing

Bottom line: The tool’s flexibility for many possible applications makes it an excellent bet.

Grades: Pre-K–5 Price: $3.99

My Story School eBook Maker

Sleek platform is a great artistic tool, intro to digital creation

Bottom line: This is a great and accessible option for getting kids telling stories and introducing them to digital creation tools.

Book Creator

Magically easy way to create and publish digital books and multimedia

Bottom line: This is a top-quality creation tool that lets students of many ages and abilities publish their own digital books.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free to try

Elementari

Storybook creation tool offers cool blend of ELA, art, and coding

Bottom line: This is a great storytelling tool for younger kids that also offers an entry point into coding and computational thinking.

Grades: 1–5 Price: Free, Paid

Storybird

Social storytelling site helps kids create, publish storybooks

Bottom line: A great fit for teachers looking to develop students' writing and digital citizenship skills through storybook creation.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free to try

Me: A Kid's Diary

Unique take on self-exploration relies on prompts to guide reflection

Bottom line: With plenty of ways to express and document their thoughts and more, this app can help students learn something new about themselves.

Shadow Puppet Edu

Resource-rich video slideshow maker a gem for a variety of classrooms

Bottom line: Easy-to-use free tool is a must-have for elementary classrooms; just keep an eye on sharing and privacy.

StoryJumper

Free storybook creation site has great support for classrooms

Bottom line: Reliable storytelling tool gives students solid tools to create, collaborate, and share work including real, printed books.

For Special Needs Students

Read&Write

Useful text-to-speech extension unlocks the written word

Bottom line: This handy set of accessibility tools helps students get the access they need when they need it, promoting independence and building confidence.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free, Free to try

Pictello

Fabulous tool can help kids create social stories

Bottom line: Pictello is a great way for kids to create social stories that can help them find their unique voice and prepare for internal and external struggles.

Grades: 1–5 Price: $19.99

CAST UDL Book Builder

Sensitively designed so any student can write and share books

Bottom line: CAST UDL Book Builder is an excellent resource to get kids started on digital content creation; it's simple and straightforward and caters to a variety of learning styles.

Get tips for using these tools in the classroom

See related resources

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Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites | Common Sense Education

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Help younger students create, critique, and share writing. Explore this Elementary School Writing Apps and Websites Top Picks list of 24 tools curated by Common Sense Education editors to find relevant and engaging edtech solutions for your classroom.

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Make writing time the best time of day with these 10 great writing center ideas we found across the blogosphere!

1. Use dice to create original stories.

SOURCE: WhereTheWIldThingsLearn

Determine the story's setting, main character, and plot with a roll of the dice. Click on the image for a free downloadable or create your own using the same format.

2. Fill story bags with everyday items in odd combinations to spark their creativity.

SOURCE: Creative Teaching Ideas by Kayla

A pink eraser, a bouncy ball, and a map of Germany ... what's the story? Help your students stretch their imagination with these story bags.

3. Create stencils with key words to get your writers started.

SOURCE: Mrs. Winter's Bliss

These delightful picture prompts give your students an image to start with and words that a writer would use to create a story about that picture. Download the spring bundle from Mrs. WInter's Bliss here.

4. Build a deck of story cards.

Pick a card, any card! You can buy a prepared set of story cards, like the one above, or create your own with colored card stock (one color for each category-setting, character, and event) and a Sharpie.

5. Play twister with a memory.

SOURCE: The Thinker Builder

Students begin with a real memory but then choose a point in their story to "twist" the events into a fictional story. This freebie includes all the printables, instructions, and ideas you'll need to keep it fresh.

6. Brainstorm with emojis.

SOURCE: The Teachy Teacher

"Roll" with the trends and use emojis to spark your young writers' process. Kids will love figuring out the stories behind these familiar pictures.

7. Use these free templates to create graphic stories.

SOURCE: The Maven

For some reason, writing doesn't feel like as much work when it is in comic book form. This freebie, with its adorable thought bubbles, is a fun way for your students to tell tales in a super creative way.

8. Create this cool bio poem.

SOURCE: Proud to Be Primary

Students will brainstorm words that describe who they are, what they like, and what is important to them. They'll use those words to create a bio poem, using this cute foldable to create their final presentation.

9. Set up a classroom post office.

SOURCE: Busy Teacher

Get your students jazzed about writing by setting up a post office in the classroom. Include cool stationery, pre-lined postcards, and card stock foldables for your students to compose letters to one another.

10. Provide an ample supply of fresh writing prompts.

SOURCE: Can Teach

Writing prompts are the tried and true standby for inspiring writers. Make sure your collection includes lots intriguing questions and curious scenarios. Put ideas on slips of paper and store them in a large jar. Kids will feel like they're picking a treat from the treasure chest.
What are your favorite writing center ideas? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, 7 Fun Ideas for Writing and Publishing Student Poetry.

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Pick cards from a deck, roll the dice, use emojis, or pick items from a mystery bag! These fun writing center ideas will have your students begging for more writing time.

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Reading centers that are engaging for your students and cheap and easy for you? What if I told you that you also don't have to change them all year and you can still differentiate at the same time? No, this isn't the beginning of a really terrible joke, it is the reality in my classroom! And I'm excited to share my easy, engaging, and cheap word work and writing centers with you today!

I've written about word work and writing centers before, but today I'm going to go really in depth and share the why, how, and give you kid tested, teacher approved center ideas so you can stop cutting/laminating/prepping all year, and get back to teaching! These are my go to options to use during our reading center time. You can read about my listen to reading center set up here.
Looking for year long math centers? Click here!
So, let's start with a little bit of the why, before we move to the how.

First, what exactly are we talking about?

However your classroom is set up, if you teach Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade, you most likely utilize reading centers in some form. If you're like me and use Daily 5, your students are reading to self, reading to someone, listening to reading, working on writing, or working on words. Even if you're not using Daily 5, your literacy centers still probably include pretty much the same components. Today I'm going to focus on word work and writing centers because the other 3 categories are pretty self-explanatory. So, let's get started.

What is the point of reading centers?

This is not a trick question. 😉 WHY do we have our students do word work and writing centers? Most likely, when your students are working on reading centers, you are pulling small groups to work on guided reading or other focused skills. So, we have the rest of our class complete centers. WHY? Here are (in my opinion) the key reasons reading centers are important.

1. To keep our students engaged while we work with other students.

2. To have our students practice working with words.

3. To have our students practice writing.

I promise I'm not being tongue in cheek here. I know those 3 reasons seem obvious and also unnecessary to state, but I think that, in the "hype" around centers, sometimes we get caught up in trendy, pretty, seasonal centers. Or, we get caught up in what's popular. Or, we think we need to constantly change it up. But, I'm about to tell you a secret that will take a huge burden off of your shoulders. Are you ready?

You do not need to change your word work and writing centers throughout the year.

Well, more specifically, you do not need to change the word work and writing centers I'm about to share with you. You can keep the following centers all year long. All. Year. Long. In fact, my reading centers were used year after year after year. Sometimes I had to replace things here and there through normal wear and tear, but I used these same centers all year long. And guess what. My students enjoyed them and were engaged the whole year!

So, let's dive in!

The centers stay the same, but the words change.
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As I stated, the centers stay the same all year. But, of course, the words that students are working on change. You can simply have your students work on their spelling/vocabulary words for the week, or you can give them differentiated word lists based on the words they need to focus on.

How do you know what they need to focus on?

You can learn this through small group instruction, sight word assessments, or maybe you have a program that your school uses. And, you can find some ready made word lists here and here. But, the key to these centers, no matter what words you give your students, is that the centers stay the same and the words are what is "new" each week. ( Click here to grab these editable word list bookmarks.) Instead of focusing on the activity being new, you can focus on the excitement of learning new and fun words with activities the students will be able to complete independently with confidence!

Before we start:

Don't feel like you need ALL of the following word work and writing centers. I don't not use all of the centers every year. These are a collection of possible options. In order to keep things simple, I create duplicated of the centers I was using. So, I might have 2-4 of each option with a total of 5 word work choices and 5 work on writing choices, depending on the number of students in my class. And remember, You also have students who are reading to self, reading to someone, and listening to reading, so you don't need word work centers for every student at once or writing centers for every student at once.

Here is what some of my set up looked like many years ago. See, nothing fancy, but it got the job done!

Here is where I house the majority of my centers now. This cabinet came with my classroom. It's old, but I love it because they can pull the whole drawer out to work on their center.

And a few "house keeping" items.

-All of my students have a word work and writing journal (we use the same journal for both).

-Students are expected to write down every word they build in their journal (unless they're recording somewhere else).

-Younger students (think k and early 1st grade) just write the word.

-Older students (end of 1st and 2nd) are expected to write the word in a sentence.

-If students finish all of the words on their word list, they're expected to start again, pick words from the word wall, or pick words from their personal dictionary.

-Storage doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. I find pencil boxes work really well for storage and you can purchase them for $1 at Dollar Tree. I like to purchase a different color for each type center, if possible. (So all of the magnet centers are orange, all of the cube letters are green etc.)

Rice Shakers

Rice shakers are fun, simple, cheap, and versatile. The containers, rice, and beads are all from the Dollar Tree. You could also use paper letters instead, although beads work the best.

For kinders, especially at the beginning of the year, they shake the container and write the letters they see. If they find duplicates, you can have them write them on the same line.

For first and second grade, students shake it up and write all of the words they can make with the letters they find. Another alternative is to write a word that starts with the letters they find. To make it even more fun? Add a mini magnifying glass so students can "hunt" for words.

Foam Cube Letters:

These fun foam cubes are from the Dollar Tree. I wrote the letters on with sharpies, and I like to put all of the vowels (a,e,i,o,u and y) all on one cube so vowels are easier to find.

For older/more advanced students, I require them to write their word in a sentence after they build it and underline the word. For younger students, I simply have them write the word.

Stone Letters:

These stones are also from Dollar Tree. I like to include 2-3 of each letter for each center so it's easier for students to find the letters they need and, as the year goes on, write more advanced words. The letters are written on with a sharpie, and after a year or two, sometimes a few rub off. I just rewrite them on, or with older students, if they notice a letter starting to rub off, I allow them to rewrite it.

Magnet Letters:

The pan is from the Dollar Tree (bring a magnet to make sure that it is truly magnetic) and I've purchased letters from Target and Dollar Tree in the past. Again, I purchase 2-3 sets for each bin so students have enough letters to make lots of words.

Bottle Cap Letters:

Another cheap option is making a bottle cap letters center! For older students, they can write the words from their list, and younger students could use free this template to match the letters.

Wikki Stix & Pipe Cleaners:

Students love building words with wikki stix, and I love how tactile this center is. Pipe cleaners are a cheaper alternative, but aren't quite as easy to use (since they're not sticky).

And my favorite storage for these? A Ziplock baggie. Storage doesn't have to always be fancy, expensive, or cute! I will warn you that wikki stix typically only make it for 1 year at a time, but I do think they're worth using.

Tic Tac Toe:

These tic tac toe boards are a freebie in my free resource library for email subscribers, and are always a personal favorite. These work well for 2nd graders, but might be too challenging for kinders and firsties. I laminate these so they last for years and years. Students pick 3 in a row to do with all of their words. When they finish? They pick another 3 in a row.

Those are my favorite all year, no prep centers for word work. I'm also going to share some ideas that do require a minimal amount of prep but generally use the same format over and over, require zero cutting, and are great for more intensive word work practice or having student practice in small groups.

This word work center is perfect for Kindergartners or for intervention/ review in first. In order to make these no prep and reusable, you can place them in plastic sleeves and have students use a dry erase marker. They're also perfect for the small group table.

These bowl and learn sight word games are an absolute blast and really provide students who need to move an outlet for their wiggles. You can print out different boards and recording sheets (and there's also an editable template so you can add your own words), but the game itself stays the same, which means it a great option. Students knock down the pins, color in the words they knock down, and repeat. The pins are from Dollar Tree. You can find similar pins on Amazon, or you can use toilet paper rolls or small cups.

If you have a word that a student is really struggling with, this is my favorite option for a word work center. I would use this as an intensive word practice when a student is really, really struggling. There are many different options that allow the student to practice the word in lots of hands on ways to really help them grasp the word.

Are you still with me? Good! As I mentioned that the beginning of this post, the goal of writing centers is to write! So, I'm going to share my favorite centers that will allow you to basically set them and forget them!

A few more "housekeeping" items:

-I do not grade these writing pieces or require students to turn them in.

-All writing goes in their word work/writing journal.

-I DO spot check their journals once a month for accountability (which means I check everyone's journal, read a page or two and write an encouraging note or put a sticker on a writing piece I like.)

Whole Class Journals:

Whole class journals are so much fun! Students absolutely love these because the topics are so open ended that they can write in them over and over. Students also love the community aspect! It's wonderful for students to go through and read about other students' thoughts, ideas, and experiences. They often will find they have things in common they didn't realize, and it helps to form a class bond. I purchased the notebooks from the Dollar Tree and used packing tape to attach the labels. ( Click here to purchase the editable covers pictured above.)

Roll a Story:

My goal with work on writing is to allow my students to write about different topics without a ton of prep for me. My Roll a Story center is the perfect option for writing centers because students can use them again and again and get a different story every time. I laminate these and they last year after year. If students finish their story, they simple roll again and write another. And, if for some reason the die is missing, they know to just pick a story option.

My Roll a Story Pack has recently been updated and expanded to include even more options!

Mystery Bag:

The hardest part of writing is knowing what to write about, so my mystery bag is a great option. This bag was from Dollar Tree, and I just wrote question marks all over it. Any bag would do. How it works is students reach in, pull out an object, and bring that object to their desk to write about it. Change up the different objects here and there to keep it interesting, but you can really put just about anything in it. Students can write a story about the object, describe the object, write clues describing the object- it's really up to them. This is always a popular writing center, and it could even be a class job to select items for next week's mystery bag! I typically just the items from the letter sound kits I have in my classroom as these tiny objects are perfect for this task!

Letter Writing Station:

This option is so ridiculously simply, but always a such a hit. I just place a stack of letter writing template paper (which is available in my writing curriculum) in a bin. Students are allowed to write letters to whomever they wish. It could be to me, a friend in class, their mom, etc. This center is always an extremely popular choice. And if students finish their letter, they write another one (until time is up).

This is the ONLY writing that I require them to turn in. I always want to make sure any letters going to other students are kind. Also, most of the letters are normally to me. 😉 If the letter is to another student, after I read it I put it in that student's mailbox. If it's to one of their family members, I give it back to the student to take home, and if it's to me, I always write a quick reply back (1-3 sentences max so it doesn't take too much time).

Build and Write

This center is a lot of fun for lego obsessed students or those who need something concrete. How it works is this. Students build something out of legos. Then, they either write to describe their lego creation or write a story inspired by what they built. A great addition to this center is a 2-3 minute sand timer. Tell students they only have that time to build and then they need to get started with writing.

Picture Prompts:

These writing prompts are an oldie but a goodie and work really well for younger students for writing centers (but also for older). Students select 3 writing prompts so that way, if they finishing writing about their first, they don't have to go get another. These are a freebie from this old blog post.

Free Write Choices:

In the front of my word work and writing journals, I also include this list of options for writing. Sometimes my students just pick one of these, which is A-Ok with me. This is a freebie from this post.

The bottom line:

Word working and writing centers can be fun and engaging without you having to spend hours and hours cutting and prepping throughout the year. Instead, it can be fun by giving students choices that they are confident and comfortable using and by putting the emphasis on getting excited over learning new words! I don't assign my students a center. When it's word work time, they simply go over and choose a word work center, bring it to a comfy spot around the room, and get to work.

The same is true for work on writing. I've never had a student complain about being bored with these choices, but I have seen my students grow as wordsmiths and writers, and that, my friends, is what center time is all about.
Click the picture below to see how I set up my Listening to reading centers!
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The Secret to Engaging Word Work & Writing Centers on the Cheap

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Reading centers that are Year Long, Cheap, & Engaging for kindergarten, first, and second grade! Low prep, hands on ideas.

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5 Ideas for a Successful Writing Center in grades K-2 

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5 Ideas for a Successful Writing Center in grades K-2 

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Do you have a writing center in your kindergarten, first, or second grade classroom?

In my classroom, the writing center is part of our daily literacy centers rotations. Additionally, I have a separate writing block (writing workshop) at a different time of the day.

The work students do in the writing center reflects what they've been working on during writing workshop - with a few fun twists and more variety in activities.

If you have (or are thinking about adding) a writing center OR independent writing activities to your independent work time, this post is for you!

In this post, I'll share 5 strategies that have increased student engagement AND work quality in my writing center!
Photo Credits: spass, Shutterstock
1. Create an example binder.

Kids need to see examples of writing projects!

I always model each writing activity before I introduce it to my writing center. But it's also helpful for kids to be able to refer back to an example!

I started the example binder so that students would a) quickly and easily see what writing activities they could do at the center, and b) to provide them the support they needed to be successful with those activities.

My example binder is small, because only 3-4 page protectors need to fit in it at any given time. I don't want to overwhelm the kids with options!

I have one page protector for each project option.

On one side of the page protector, I place a photo or actual example of the writing project.

On the other side, I place a sheet with ideas to get students started AND a list of "tips" (basically, a checklist for their work).

It's pretty simple to put together, but makes a BIG difference in how students do with their writing projects!

If you have lots of students using the writing center at once, consider making two example binders.

If you're interested in done-for-you example binder materials, check out my kindergarten, first grade, and second grade writing center packs. Every activity comes with the finished example binder sheets, so all you have to do is print!

2. Think outside the box for writing activities.

If you find yourself (or your students) getting a little sick of the same old, same old, bring in writing activities that you might not have tried before.

For example, students might make:

Pamphlets / informational brochures

Posters for the classroom or school

Newsletters

Comic strips

Props for dramatic play or other play activities (restaurant menus, ad circulars, signs for a pretend store, street signs for the blocks center)

Photo stories (kids take photos of each other or small toys and then create a story from the photos - BookCreator is great for this)

3. Provide a range of supports.

We all have students who can sit down at the writing center and draw/write for days on end! We also have kids who need a little more help in order to be successful.

Supports like spelling charts, editing checklists, and word lists can go a long way in supporting students who need it!

When it comes to supports, I want to:

Provide a range

Present them in a way that's organized and not overwhelming

Easily change them out as the year goes on and students' needs change

After doing some online searches, I saw that other teachers used a trifold board to display writing center supports. Cool, I thought, but what about when I want to change the supports?

Having the supports stay the same throughout the year didn't seem like the best option for my students. So I got a trifold board, but instead of gluing down papers, I glued down page protector sheets to the board!

Now I can easily replace the pages throughout the year!

4. Have students plan their work with a partner before they begin.

During writing workshop time, my students always talk to a partner about what they plan to write. This helps them plan out their ideas and get started.

Eventually, I realized that this needed to happen in the writing center too!

So before my students begin working, they tell a partner what they plan to write about.

These speech bubbles, like everything else shown in this post, come from the writing center resources in my literacy centers bundles.

5. Help students find real audiences for their work.

In "real adult life," sometimes we write just for ourselves and our own enjoyment.

But more often than not, we are writing for someone else! Knowing that someone else (i.e., a parent, a teammate) will be reading our writing motivates us to make sure it's coherent.

Similarly, having a real audience is SO motivating to kids, and it improves the quality of their work!

I include a "sharing time" following centers each day. Kids can bring one item to share with a partner (whether it's a piece of writing, a book they read, or something else).

Additionally, students can:

Bring home writing to share with their families

Place select pieces in the classroom library

Hang up posters in the classroom or school

Having students share their work with an audience doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming!

Conclusions

If you try out any of these ideas, let me know how it goes! And here are those links again for writing center activities in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade:

Happy teaching!

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5 Ideas for a Successful Writing Center in K-2

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Do you have a writing center in your kindergarten, first, or second grade classroom? In my classroom, the writing center is part of our daily literacy centers rotations. Additionally, I have a separate writing block (writing workshop) at a different time of the day.

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Description

Do you want your students to love the writing station? This bundle has everything you need to set up a writing center for the whole year! It will provide a variety of resources for your students, so they never get bored of writing. Throw in some fun writing tools (pens, colored pencils, markers, gel pens, etc.) and this will become your student's favorite center! You can also view this Blog Post to see picture of this center in action in a classroom and to see how I set it up!

->Find my Writing Bundle for 3rd-5th grade here.

This writing center will allow your students to progress throughout the year. They can begin with writing the alphabet, then proceed to sight words, sentences, books, poems, friendly letters, postcards, etc. I have also included writing paper with dotted lines and regular lines, depending on the ability of your students. You will also find some writing sheets that provide a space for a picture, whereas others are full sheet for students to solely focus on the writing. You will need Powerpoint to edit the editable vocabulary and word wall posters.

What's Included?
*WRITE sign
*Colors
*Numbers/Number Words
*Days of the Week
*Months of the Year
*Alphabet Chart
*What Can I Write About?
*Writing Checklist
*I can write: (alphabet, sight words, words, sentences, stories, letters, postcards, recipes, books, cards, poems. lists, labels)
*Monthly vocabulary (full sheet & word strips for a portable word wall)
* EDITABLE vocabulary poster
* EDITABLE word wall poster

*EXAMPLES (poem, letter, postcard, recipe, book, card, lists, how to...)
*Alphabet
*Beginning Sounds
*Sight Words
*Writing paper (dotted lines)
*Writing paper (regular lines)
*How to...
*Letter
*Postcard
*Recipe
*Book (cover page)
*Book pages (dotted lines)
*Book pages (regular lines)
*Card
*Lists
*Labels
*Graphic organizer
*Monthly Writing Prompts (2 for each month, dotted lines)
*Monthly Writing Prompts (2 for each month, regular lines)

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Writing Center for Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade * Tickled Pink in Primary

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Do you want your students to love the writing station? This bundle has everything you need to set up a writing center for the whole year! It will provide a variety of resources for your students, so they never get bored of writing. Throw in some fun writing tools (pens, colored pencils, markers, gel pens, etc.)

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In Kindergarten, we spend the first half of the year teaching about the basic mechanics of storytelling and writing.... that our pictures and ideas can tell a story! Once we learn these basics, we start to

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5 Ways to Build Confidence in Beginning Writers 

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5 Ways to Build Confidence in Beginning Writers 

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Today I want to talk to you about ways we can encourage our beginning writers to have confidence in themselves and their skills! If your kids are like mine, you have some that are willing to jump in with both feet and test out the writing waters and some that are not.

Every year, I have some that are very fearful to take the first step. Some of the ones who are hesitant, already know all of their letter sounds and are more than ready to start putting their thoughts on paper. I tell my students over and over that it doesn't have to be perfect and that we are just practicing. Regardless of how many times I repeat this, I still occasionally get the panicked looks, and sometimes even tears. They tell me - "I can't do it!" "I don't know how to write!"

I decided to write this blog post to let you know how I help those students get over their fears, to become successful writers!

Students who struggle with their confidence, look around at the adults in their lives as a measure of what writers can do. They carefully watch adults write emails, texts, and notes home, and think, "there's no way I can do that!" They feel that if they don't have all of the skills to begin with, there is no possible way they can start.

To help overcome this fear, I have my students set small goals for themselves. I meet with a couple students each day during our writing time. We talk about their progress and set realistic goals together.

Some students are just beginning with the basics of trying to identify the beginning sound of a word and write it down.

I see a big cat = I s a b c

Other have their beginning and ending sounds down:

I see a big cat = I se a bg ct.

Some students have their vowel sounds down, with a decent sight word vocabulary. These students are ready to work on more challenging goals, like capitalization and spacing between their words.

Other students can write sentences but need to work on refining their writing with more detail. I also find it amusing how some of my best writers just can't be bothered with neatness because they are in such a rush to get their thoughts on paper! Each student has different needs, and clearly stating and displaying what goal you would like them to work on, helps to keep them accountable.

If you would like a free copy of these writing goal sheets, click the link below:

I would say that 9 times out of 10 if a student is lacking confidence, consistent praise quickly changes their attitude! Noticing when they write down the correct beginning sound for a word or acknowledging that their picture matches their writing is so important!

I give public and private praise to the students often. I use stickers and Scentos marker stars for extra motivation! I work at a school with only one class per grade, so I work very closely with the Pre-K-2nd-grade teachers. Often times, we have our students go and read to another teacher, and of course, that teacher gives them overflowing praise as well. They come back beaming saying, "Mrs. Vasquez says I'm ready for first grade!!!!!" : )

I came across this pin on Pinterest the other day from The Schoolhouse Diva that I just absolutely loved!

It's so important to give students specific feedback. Don't tell them they are smart, and that's why they knew the answer. I have really tried to make an effort this year to be specific when praising my students.

It didn't take long for me to see the benefits of this strategy. Now, I often hear in my class (after a student has answered a question correctly) - "Did you see that Mrs. B?!?! When you first asked the question, I didn't know the answer, but I took my time and really thought about it, and then I knew it!!!!"

I'm going to be honest with you, when I first started doing this, I thought it would be a disaster! Wouldn't Maria notice that her writing skills were far below that of Nicholas'? Wouldn't she be embarrassed to show her work, when her sentences consisted of an unrecognizable string of letters, while Nicholas was writing a beautiful complete paragraph?!?! With trepidation, I began a sharing schedule, and guess what?!?!? Nobody cared what their work was like compared to their fellow students!

They were so happy to get up in front of the class and share, that they could care less about what the person before or after them was presenting! Students are allowed 2 comments and 2 questions for each piece of writing shared. The praise they get from their peers boosts their confidence, and they LOVE answering questions about their work!

Here's a quick example of a sharing schedule that I have. If you would like a copy, click the link below:

It's all in how you set the stage for them. Getting them excited in their mini-lesson is important, but setting the expectations for noise level, and collaboration allowed (or not) during writing time is very important as well!

I put on our Too Noisy app for volume control. You can also set the stars to go off at different times intervals (only in the paid version, which is only like $4 and well worth the cost!). You can set the 10 stars to go off every 1 minute, 2 minutes, etc. (I do 2-minute intervals in my class). The stars assist the class with time management and help them to stay on track.

I put on some soothing classical music and let the students sit wherever they choose. I provide them letter sound sheets and personal sight word lists if they would like to use them. I let them know where to get more paper, and what to do when they are done with one piece of writing and are moving on to the next one. (All of this is done through a series of mini-lessons at the beginning of the year). They know that they need to work quietly the entire time. I meet with students one-on-one during this time, and they know that they are not to interrupt me.

Do they occasionally talk to each other during this time? Yes, but 99% of the time they are asking another student for assistance on how to spell a sight word, or the letters in a particular digraph. When I hear these hushed conversations my heart is full of happiness that we can rely on each other as part of a learning community!

Side note - Recently I saw an awesome idea on Instagram by Firstie Favorites, about using index cards for our how-to writing. The kids have loved using them, and they are a huge motivator! You've got to keep materials and resources new and exciting as you move through the writing genres.

The writing routines that my students have down were not learned in a day. They took repetitive practice every day. After a couple of weeks time the students had it, and at this point in the year, I feel confident that they could conduct a writing workshop without me even being in the room! As we move through the kindergarten writing standards, our focus on what we write changes. The routines and practices of clearing our minds and working in a quiet and productive environment never change.

Building writing stamina takes time, and tracking how long you can have a sustained period of quiet is important. You may only start with 5 minutes, but that's okay! Tomorrow will be 6 minutes, and before you know it, 20 minutes will be a piece of cake.

Scaffolding is another very important tool in building students confidence. I use scaffolding pages such as the ones below to help them with guided practice in capitalization, end marks, finger spacing, and sounding out words.

This guided practice gives them the assistance they need to make baby steps into the world of writing. Students are sometimes overwhelmed by a blank sheet in front of them, and this tool helps them to gain confidence in their writing. If you would like to check this resource out, click HERE.

I hope this post was helpful for those of us with reluctant writers! If you have any other tips or tricks that have worked for you, I would love to hear about them in the comments section below! Also, if you have any other questions for me about my writing workshop time, please let me know!

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5 Ways to Build Confidence in Beginning Writers

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Today I want to talk to you about ways we can encourage our beginning writers to have confidence in themselves and their skills! If your kids are like mine, you have some that are willing to jump in with both feet and test out the writing waters and some that are not.

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10 Reasons Why Elementary School Teachers Are Secretly Artists | Writing anchor charts, Writing checklist, Kindergarten anchor charts

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Did you know that all elementary school teachers are secret artists? Here are 10 reasons why!

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25 Ways to Integrate Social Emotional Learning 

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25 Ways to Integrate Social Emotional Learning 

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Kids and young adults need social-emotional skills to be successful at school, home, and for the rest of their lives. These are the skills that help kids build confidence, understand their own strengths and weaknesses, collaborate with others, navigate social situations, develop strong relationships, and make better decisions. Without a doubt, these are critical skills for all learners.

In my years as a teacher, I know there is just not enough time for everything. So often, social and emotional learning gets put on the back burner to other important skills like reading, writing, math, history, and science. While these skills are certainly important, I would argue that it's even more important that kids develop their emotional intelligence through social emotional learning activities. Simply put, if kids are mentally and emotionally healthy, they are better equipped to face the challenges life brings. We just have to make the time to teach, discuss, and practice these skills! Best of all, there are many ways to integrate social-emotional learning into what you are already teaching.

Below I share 25 strategies for integrating SEL instruction and activities into the day. Of course, if you're looking for a solution that targets these skills more explicitly, I created a yearlong curriculum for elementary social emotional learning and middle school social emotional learning to help all kids learn these skills.

Just a note that these strategies were originally written for use in the classroom. While many of the techniques can be used during distance learning, I also recently wrote an article all about integrating social emotional learning during distance learning.
Here are 25 ways to integrate social emotional learning into your classroom:
1. Use Journal Writing. You can use daily journal prompts to help kids think about social-emotional skills in all areas. For example, you might ask kids, "When was a time you used self-control? What was outcome?" to focus on self-management skills. After writing, it's helpful to have students share their responses with a partner and with the class as a whole. Kids will be practicing writing, partner work, group discussion, and SEL skills all at the same time. I love this yearlong Social Emotional Learning Journal for just a few minutes of writing and discussion every day.

2. Use Read Alouds. This is one of my favorite strategies for integrating SEL into everyday learning because it is something educators do so often already. While reading, spend time talking about how some of the characters might think and feel. Use this time to highlight that this is perspective-taking, a skill we use to understand others' emotions and thoughts. Best of all, it can be done with any text you are already reading. Grab this free read aloud list for social emotional learning to get you started with some ideas.

3. Do Daily Greetings. Kids and young adults need connection! One positive and simple strategy is to start your morning with daily greetings. You can do this as kids walk through the door or during the first few minutes of class. If you are teaching online, greetings can even be virtual. Use this printable greetings poster to get started.

3. Hold Class Meetings. You can choose to hold a class meeting once a day as a "morning meeting" or just once a week. The purpose of a class meeting can be to boost each other up, to help solve problems, and plan class events together. Having this space for community can help promote a positive climate for all kids. Use this morning meeting set to get started.

4. Incorporate Art Activities. Art can be a powerful way to target social and emotional skills. Creating a self-collage can help kids develop better self-awareness about who they are. Painting and drawing can serve as positive coping strategies to manage stress. Having partners work together on a shared drawing can increase collaboration and relationship skills. There are lots of opportunities for learning with art!

6. Talk About Managing Emotions. No matter what age, all kids and young adults need practice managing their emotions. This is another skill that can be weaved into literature as you talk about character's feelings and needs. You might say, "How did Theresa feel when her mom left? How did she manage her emotions? Do you think it was a healthy way to manage them?" Additionally, be open with kids about how to manage their own emotions and give strategies for what kids can do in your classroom. For example, "If you are feeling nervous about the test today, remember to use positive self-talk. Tell yourself that you've got this!"

7. Give Responsibilities. Giving kids responsibilities and jobs helps build their sense of self-worth and gives the message that we are all part of a larger community. It's important that every student has some type of responsibility, whether it is a class librarian, lunch counter, or part of a "clean up crew".

8. Practice Problem-Solving Skills. If students have an issue or challenge to overcome, avoid solving it for them right away. Encourage kids to think about how they could solve their problem and have a 10 minute policy - students can get your help but they need to think about the problem for at least 10 minutes first. Often, kids will figure out a solution on their own or with a friend during that time. You can use these free social problem solving task cards or grab the full set to get started! Again, this is another skill that can be strengthened through literature by discussing characters, problems, and making predictions about solutions.

9. Build Community with Teamwork. For class projects and assignments, have students work in larger teams to complete a task. Teach students to assign different jobs when working in a team, so that all students have important responsibilities.

10. Encourage Positive Self-Talk. Self-talk is voice in our minds that reassures and encourages us. It also helps us control our emotions so we can deal with problems appropriately. Today, kids hear a lot of negative, so teaching positive self-talk explicitly is really important. Model this and encourage this every day. Use this free positive thoughts and affirmations list to get started.

11. Celebrate Diversity. Spend time discussing and learning about people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and ability levels. Kids need to hear, see, discuss, and understand that we are part of a larger community within our countries and world. Early discussions about diversity can help promote tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion for everyone.

12. Incorporate Hands-on Crafts. If your students need a craft break or activity before a holiday, use that time to promote social and emotional skills. The craft below is a Positive Self-Talk Flower Craft. Kids can add their own positive self-talk statements, color the craft, cut it out, and then keep it to help remind them how to use this helpful strategy. This is just one small example that can help to maximize your learning time by incorporating SEL into activities like crafts.

13. Encourage Reflection. After students complete a task, assessment, project, or assignment, encourage them to reflect about their own progress. This is a critical SEL skill that can be used across all curriculum, such as math, reading, writing, science, history, and more.

14. Practice Mindfulness. Using mindfulness in the classroom can help teach kids how to calm down before a big test, manage their emotions when they are upset, and just feel happier in the moment. Sometimes, kids don't really know how to calm down on their own. Teaching mindfulness can help kids learn breathing strategies, how to focus on just one thing at a time, and relaxing our bodies. You can use these Mindfulness Activities to teach kids these strategies right away.

15. Create a Calm Down Area. Not all kids will use this area, but there are some students who truly need it. Set up a small area in your classroom with a bean bag, a few books, a calm down jar, a few fidgets, and anything else you have that is calming. Students who need this space can sit, use coping strategies, and return back to class when they are calm again.

16. Promote a Growth Mindset. Embracing a growth mindset helps kids and young adults learn that we can accomplish our goals with hard work, good strategies, and persistence over time. Sometimes kids feel they are just as smart as they'll ever be (i.e. "I'm just never good at math, so there's no use in trying). This mindset can be detrimental to student growth, so it is worth investing time into teaching kids to embrace a growth mindset and instead say, "Math is tough but I'm going to study, work hard, and ask for help so I can accomplish what I want to." Use these free Growth Mindset Task Cards to get yourself started!

17. Encourage Kindness. One of my favorite ways to promote kindness is encouraging random acts of kindness. Set up a bin where students can write and add a note when they notice someone else doing something kind or helpful. Once a month, draw from the bin to award a small reward. You can also post the random acts up on a bulletin board so that everyone can see.

18. Play Games. It's helpful to have an assortment of games that focus on social-emotional skills, such as communication, empathy, and problem-solving. Read up more on how you can integrate social emotional learning through games. You can also read my blog post about games you can use to strengthen executive functioning skills, such as self-control, planning, attention, and more.

19. Provide a Daily Check-in. You can do this either through a morning meeting, or just a quick check-in for specific students in need. Have students identify how they are feeling and consider what they might need to improve their emotions in the moment.

20. Discuss Empathy. To me, empathy is one of the most critical skills for kids to develop. It is the foundation for considering about how others think and feel so that we can respond in socially appropriate and compassionate ways. You can practice empathy on its own or through literature by discussing characters and how they might feel in a variety of situations. I also love these social skills task cards to practice the skills when time allows.

21. Create SMART Goals. SMART goals are another way to help kids have control over what they want to accomplish in life. You can have students write SMART goals for an academic area that they need to improve or a social area that needs work. Make sure to check-in on these goals periodically so that students can identify if their strategies are working or not, and make decisions about how to change their approaches to make their goals a success.

22. Teach Coping Skills to Manage Stress. All kids and young adults experience stress even when we don't see it. It is so important to teach them actual strategies they can use when they are feeling overwhelmed. It's critical that kids practice these strategies when they are actually calm and don't need them. That's so they can effectively use those skills in the moment when they are struggling with emotions. I love this Coping Strategies Wheel to teach and practice some of these skills in a hands-on way.

23. Highlight Skills Throughout the Day. Just teaching or addressing some of these social-emotional skills isn't enough. When you see them in action in the classroom, highlight and encourage the skill! For example, you might say privately to a student, "I noticed you were frustrated when you couldn't work with the group you wanted and you did a great job using your self-control and flexibility to go with the flow and choose another group. Thank you." You can highlight the skills to the whole class, too. You might say, "Before this test, I want everyone to just stop and use some positive self-talk. Give yourself a compliment."

24. Teach Active Listening Skills. All kids need to learn strong active listening skills for success at school, with friends, and at their future jobs. Kids will use them in your classroom when you are teaching, when they are working with a partner on an assignment, and when they are just chatting with a friend.

25. Teach Group Ground Rules. Group work is an important part of learning in the classroom, but it is not a strength for all learners. Have your kids develop "Group Ground Rules" for what is important when working in a group. Some examples might be: Do your fair share of the work, stay with the group, and give everyone a chance to speak up. Continually remind students of these rules when working in groups or partners.

26. Practice Respectfully Disagreeing. People are going to disagree sometimes, so learning how to disagree respectfully is a critical skill (especially in our digital world). Have students discuss and debate topics, making sure that they actively listen to the other person and respect that opinion even when they don't agree. You can use these Free Communication Skills Lessons to practice!

Remember that a social-emotional learning isn't just one thing. It's an approach that brings all of these aspects into your classroom and supporting your learners every day. I also have developed a yearlong curriculum for elementary social emotional learning and middle school social emotional learning to help all kids learn these skills. Kids deserve to have them!

These are just some ways you can incorporate social-emotional learning into your already-busy classroom. If you have more ideas about SEL, please share!

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25 Ways to Integrate Social Emotional Learning

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Kids and young adults need social-emotional skills to be successful at school, home, and for the rest of their lives. These are the skills that help kids build confidence, understand their own strengths and weaknesses, collaborate with others, navigate social situations, develop strong relationships

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Using Games to Teach Social Emotional Skills 

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Using Games to Teach Social Emotional Skills 

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Games can be the perfect tool to introduce and teach social emotional learning skills to kids and young adults. These are the skills that help kids become more self-aware, develop positive relationships, show empathy towards others, manage emotions, use self-control, resolve conflicts, and make positive decisions. If you need more background on SEL, make sure you read up on the basics of social emotional learning.

So often, educators are so busy teaching our curriculum and content that we sometimes leave these skills behind. It's so important to make real time for them and incorporate them into many of the activities you already do! For kids who struggle with some of these skills, learning them can be real work. With that said, it's important to make learning these skills meaningful, interactive, hands-on, and fun. That's why teaching social emotional skills in the form of a game just makes so much sense!

Here are several games (some I've purchase and some I've developed myself) that target these critical social emotional learning skills:
1. Social Problem Solving Board Game
Why It's Important: Social problem-solving is our ability to understand a social situation and use reasoning to deal with it in the most socially appropriate way. We really use these skills every single day. At school, kids might have to problem-solve what to do when someone isn't nice to them or when they see someone else breaking a rule and aren't sure what to do. At home, they might use them when an adult tells them to clean their room but they don't feel like it at the moment.

How It Works: This game focuses on considering a social problem, thinking about what it matters, considering choices and consequences, and ultimately making a decision that is best in the moment. Kids will roll a dice and work through a game board, picking up a situation card for each spot they land on. My favorite part is that kids will also act out scenarios which can help them to generalize the social skills over time.
2. Team Pictionary
Why It's Important: Teamwork is a critical skill for all ages. This is a skill kids and young adults use throughout the school day, but also outside of school, whether it is during a sports game or playing a game with friends at home. While learning to work together as a team, kids also learn other valuable skills including assertive communication, how to listen, turn-taking, doing a fair share of the work, and how to respectfully disagree with each other. These are not only school skills, but life skills.

How It Works: Split up into two teams. Let each team pick an artist who will draw for their team. Let the artists pick a card with a phrase they will have to illustrate on paper or on the board. Let both artists draw at the same time, while their team tries to guess the correct phrase they are drawing. The catch is that the artist can only draw images and not words, so team members must work together to come up with what the artist is drawing. The team that guesses the phrase first wins! The game can continue again and again, as different artists from the group should be chosen.
3. Social Communication Board Game
Why It's Important: Simply put, kids need to be able to communicate well with others. That includes having small talk with a classmate in the hallway, understanding nonverbal cues, holding a full conversation with peers at lunch, and using our social filter before we speak. Our communication skills have a huge impact on how we get along with others and develop relationships over time.

How It Works: This game is ideal for all kids, but especially those with social language challenges. Depending on which space kids fall on, they will have to decipher social cues from a real life photo, discuss what they would do or say in a situation, identify how they should think before they speak, or say a specific phrase in a variety of different tones. Since there are over 150 unique cards, kids can just play again and again while practicing these skills.
4. Empathy Board Game
Why It's Important: Considering and understanding the feelings of others is a foundational skill that supports social success. In order to know the "right" or socially appropriate response to situations, we must first really understand how others feel. Developing empathy isn't easy for all kids, especially those with social challenges and autism. It's important to highlight situations by stopping to think how someone else might feel or think. While thinking about how you might feel in a situation is a good start, t's critical to target how someone else might feel. That's because true empathy is really about understanding someone else's thoughts and feelings, which can often be different from our own.

How It Works: Students will work in partners and small groups to get through an empathy game board. For a person's turn, they will roll the dice and spin the spinner. Their spot on the game board and the spinner will tell them how to answer each card. For example, they might have to answer: Why does it matter? How might they feel? What might they be thinking? What might you do? Students might also have to act out what they would do in that situation. There are over 150 unique situations that help kids discuss and build empathy over real-life scenarios.
5. Social Charades
Why It's Important: A huge component to social awareness is learning to identify and understand the social cues of others. These social cues, including our body language and facial expressions, often inform others how we're feeling, what we're thinking, and what our intentions are.

How It Works: Create a list of different actions or have the kids come up with them themselves. Any action will do! Some examples might be waiting at the bus stop, sharpening your pencil, listening to music, running in a race, taking notes in class, and so on. The idea is that kids will randomly choose one action and act it out for the others to guess. By acting out these scenarios, students will need to consider what social cues would be aligned with that activity. Best of all, this is a quick activity you can do with just a few minutes of class time left that kids will love.
6. Roll & Spin a Coping Strategy
Why It's Important: Being able to manage our emotions is a critical skill. We all experience tough emotions, setbacks, or challenges along the way. It's just a natural part of life. How we handle those difficulties can make a big impact on our success. That's why it's so important to explicitly teach coping strategies and skills to manage our feelings on the spot. Sometimes, kids cannot self-soothe without being explicitly taught these strategies. Kids and young adults need to learn they can take a quick walk, write in a journal, take deep breaths, and use positive self-talk to calm themselves and feel better in moments of difficulty. Additionally, it's important that kids practice these strategies when they are already calm so that they can really use them when they are emotionally overwhelmed.

How It Works: Using a one-page board, students will take turns rolling and spinning. Depending on what they roll and spin, they will fall on a space with a coping strategy that they will have to practice. Once they practice that strategy, they can cover up the spot with a chip. Note that students can have their own boards or share if you have different colored chips. The first person to get one whole row across wins! Ultimately, the idea is that kids are practicing a wide variety of coping strategies, giving them access to more skills when they truly need them.
7. Feelings Uno
Why It's Important: Self-awareness is a critical skill that helps individuals understand their own emotions. In this activity, students can improve their emotional vocabularies by discussing a variety of different feeling words and what they mean. It also helps to normalize talking about different emotions and being comfortable sharing how we are feeling in the moment. Getting kids talking about emotions is key.

How It Works: This game just adds a simple twist to your normal Uno game, which all kids absolutely LOVE! Using the Uno colors, discuss what each of the colors might mean. Blue can stand for feeling sad, tired, bored, or sick. Green stands for feeling happy, calm, focused, and in control. Yellow means feelings frustrated, worried, or nervous. Finally, red should stand for angry. Every time a student plays a color of a card, teach them to use an emotion word that matches the color, share a time they felt that way, or discuss when someone might feel that way.
8. Executive Functioning Challenge
Why It's Important: Executive functioning skills are the processes in our brain that help us accomplish tasks. Sometimes we might think of these skills as only related to academics, but that's actually not true. Our executive functioning skills help us use our self-control to stop and think before saying something inappropriate, our flexibility to consider different solutions for social problems, and our time management to make sure we meet a friend on time. When executive functioning skills are stronger, kids and young adults have greater chance for success in school and beyond.

How It Works: This game can actually be played two different ways: partners and small groups, or as a full class. The idea is that students work through a game board, answering a variety of executive functioning questions as they head towards the finish line. The game cards have students completing executive functioning challenges, acting out situations, naming executive functioning skills used in a situation, and proving their knowledge about the skills themselves. For the full class version, kids can work in teams, collaborating on the answers and getting "points" to win the challenge.
9. Guess Who?
Why It's Important: This game builds on many different social skills. As kids find out more clues about the mystery person, they are learning skills for conversations, turn-taking, and problem-solving.

How It Works: Kids and teens can play the game just as it is intended. Each partner will have a mystery character. The idea is that the other partner will ask multiple questions in an effort to try and discover the character. For example, they might ask, "Does your person wear a hat?" and "Does your person have blue eyes?". Students will take turns until one player is able to identify the correct mystery person.
10. Self-Control Speedway
Why It's Important: Self-control is the skill that helps us stop, think, and make positive choices. Kids and teens need lots of practice with self-control in low-stress moments (like games and casual discussions) so that they can effectively use the skills when they need them the most.

How It Works: Students will play the game by taking turn rolling the dice and moving forward on the game board. When they land on a spot, they will use the picture to tell them which card to pick up and read. Students will read the card to discuss the question or act out the scenario. Practice involves reading through real-life scenarios, practicing calm-down strategies, and more.
11. Partner Scrabble
Why It's Important: Learning to work with others is a critical skill. In this game, students will learn to work together in a collaborative way to build words for the game board.

How It Works: Have students get with a partner or small team to play Scrabble. Each team will start with 7 letters, working to build the highest-earning words on the board. This game also builds on turn-taking and cognitive flexibility.

If you love the games I've put together, you can save by getting them as a whole set! This Social Emotional Learning Games Bundle gives practice with empathy, perspective-taking, executive functioning skills, communication, and more.

Use these games during break times, small groups, as an end of the week reward, or just a fun brain break. Kids will have fun but you'll know you're working on serious SEL skills that make a difference!

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Using Games to Teach Social Emotional Skills

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Games can be the perfect tool to introduce and teach social emotional learning skills to kids and young adults. These are the skills that help kids become more self-aware, develop positive relationships, show empathy towards others, manage emotions, use self-control, resolve conflicts, and make posi

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One of my favorite places to go for ideas is the Florida Center for Reading Research. It is my favorite free resource! They have activities for both work stations and small group instruction for K-5. From phonics and phonemic awareness to vocabulary,comprehension and fluency, the FCRR has you covered!

I have found that not all of their activities are meant to be in a literacy work station For example, this silent "e" activity (bottom right) works well in a work station after the students have been practicing the skill. However, if students are not ready to "practice" the skill independently, these activities work really well as "warm-up" activities during guided reading.

Before putting the "Clip A Letter" activities in a work station, I would use them as a "warm-up" activity for the first 2 minutes of guided reading. It helps assess where students are at, and it keeps them from practicing skills incorrectly.

The other two games in the top collage are examples of activities of that older students can use. The green triangle game to the right helps students practicing inferencing, while the board game was created for a literacy work station in fourth and fifth grade to practice fact and opinion.

In order to keep all my resources from the FCRR organized, I like using laminated envelopes. Based on the activity, I store them in a file cabinet. This Clip a Letter activity would go into my file cabinet in the "Letters and Sounds" file.

I have used activities from the Florida Center for Reading Research to make "peer tutoring baskets." I find decodable books that coordinate with the skills students need, and put the activities from the FCRR in large zip lock bags. They have some really good practice activities for older students that struggle with phonics. This way peer tutors have all the materials they need in one place, and students are able to practice the skills they needs. In addition, these activities would be perfect for volunteers.

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Free Work Station and Small Group Ideas K-5

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One of my favorite places to go for ideas is the Florida Center for Reading Research. It is my favorite free resource! They have activities for both work stations and small group instruction for K-5. From phonics and phonemic awareness to vocabulary,comprehension and fluency, the FCRR has you covered!

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Sand Trays are a fun, hands on tool that is the perfect way for little learners to practice skills in an engaging way! Learn how to create your own, rainbow sand trays with some cheap supplies in a few minutes!
This post contains affiliate links which means, when you make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Click here to read our full disclosure.
If you're like me, you're always looking for engaging, hands on tools to work at the guided reading table with your students... especially when you can make them yourself without breaking the bank! Well, today, I want to share an easy and useful DIY tool: Sand Trays!

Why Should I Use Sand Trays with my Students?

Sand trays are the perfect, sensory tool for practicing writing letters, new and old words, and sight words! They are so fun and engaging, and it makes practice feel more like play! Additionally, sand trays give students tactile, visual , and kinesthetic input all at once which is helpful for all learners. Even if a students is more of a visual learner, practicing skills in a tactile way is still super helpful. And, of course, we know that everyone learns through a mix of learning styles. (Read more about the benefits of sand trays on the Orton Gillingham website.)

How Do I Make my Own DIY Sand Trays?

Sand trays are incredibly easy to make on your own. Although you can buy them, you can easily DIY them for a fraction of the cost. Here's who you do.

1. First, buy shallows trays (These are what I used from the Dollar Tree.), decorative sand (like this), and some bright paper (here's my favorite kind)!

2. Then, laminate half a sheet of paper (it was slightly smaller than half a sheet, so be sure to measure) for each container.

3. Next, hot glue the laminated paper in the bottom of each tray.

4. Last, add sand- voila! You have some fun, rainbow trays!

You can also use salt or even rice instead of sand.

How Can I Use My DIY Sand Trays?

1. Drawing shapes (helpful for students who are not ready for letter formation).

2. Forming letters.

3. Writing CVC words, spelling words, or vocabulary words.

4. Writing sight words.

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Sand Trays: DIY Sensory Trays for Word Work and Guided Reading

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Sand Trays are a fun, hands on tool that is the perfect way for little learners to practice skills in an engaging way! Learn how to create your own, rainbow sand trays with some cheap supplies in a few minutes!

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Hey there friends! I have been working on a lot this summer and can't wait to share it all with you! In the meantime- my kdg team and I have come up with a plan for our lit stations next year! We tried out Daily 5 last year, but we didn't think it works with what our school system wants. So we are going to pull out what we really like and can use along with the following! =)

These are pictures of a mock rotation chart I'll make once I get into my classroom in two weeks!!! =) Needless to say, I'm a bit crazy and a lil excited! So we talked about how we like the idea of rotations b/c with our old system- the kids were getting bored and finishing their work too quickly. So Lisa, our team's kdg guru told us about how she used to do this rotation schedule and our "head honchos of the school district" came in and told the current principal that "this is what he wants to see in EVERY classroom" b/c all our students were working on meaningful work and doing so quietly!

So we are going to do it this year and see how it works! We are all really excited about it... so here it goes!

The first chart shows the rotation by groups and it will NEVER change. I'll probably just post this on a poster board near a pocket chart. The next picture shows what will be in my pocket chart b/c it WILL change daily! =) (SIDE NOTE: The group names will change to something fun... I will NOT post the learning levels on there of course!)

So if you look above, the "Stations" in orange is where the next chart will come into play. There will be 4-5 children in every group, so the kids who are assigned "stations" will go to the next chart, find their picture and see which station they will go to for that 15 minute time block. So all 5 children will be at a different station. (Which means less talking/playing around!) So this is where the daily 5 activities will come into play!
The seat work station will be name activities and the monthly writing stations I bought from Mrs. Wills blog! =) We planned it so the kids will do a certain activity each day of the week so we aren't running around frantically finding "busy work"! I'm all about hands-on... and this will be great b/c we can differentiate easier with this too!

I was really confused at first... but once I made these visuals, it made much more sense to me! Please don't hesitate to ask questions to clarify! If I can't answer it, I'll ask Lisa! =) I'm trying to convince my teammates to create blogs b/c they are always telling me they thought about it!

****The discover center is going to be something where the kids practice whatever skill we may be working on that week! Activities like:

Read a book and make a puppet to go with the story.

Draw and color a character in the book.

Design a book cover for the book I just read.

Draw the setting of the book I just read.

Read a how-to-draw book and make a drawing.

So we'll see how this goes! I'll try and answer your questions as they come! =)

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!!!

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Hey there friends! I have been working on a lot this summer and can't wait to share it all with you! In the meantime- my kdg team and I have come up with a plan for our lit stations next year!

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Even more literacy center ideas to try in your classroom to help your students learn how to rhyme, recognise syllables, initial letter sounds, high frequency sight words and read and spell CVC words.

After working in preschool, I'm back in the classroom this year and literacy centres are part of our weekly timetable once again. A couple of years ago I did a round-up of
some of the literacy-based activities I was using during our work stations and thought it time to share some of the resources I'm now using with my current class who are aged between 4-7 years.
In the first term at school we focus on building and consolidating phonological awareness skills - syllables, rhyme, beginning letter sounds, name recognition/writing, along with co-operative play and developing letter recognition and building vocabulary. Later in the term we'll start to look at reading and spelling short CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant), sight words and other parts of speech.

This post contains affiliate links.

LETTER RECOGNITION + ALPHABETICAL ORDER

Learning to recognise each letter takes time.
With a few keen cutters in my class, I made a straw cutting station for them to use during activity time one week and now the straws form a lovely sensory bin base. This time we hide some more of our magnetic letters in them.

Sensory trays are a great way to engage many learners and can be made from anything - sand, rice, beans, kinetic sand, shredded paper, pom-poms, beads, straws like above. Just fill a small tub or tray and then hide in whatever needs sorting.

Putting the alphabet into the correct order can be another fun way to practice identifying individual letters in your literacy centres.
Have some magnetic letters? Are they all in a mess? I know the ones in my classroom were so we did this letter sort as one of our activties at the start of the school year. You can ask the children to match lower-case to lower-case or make it more challenging by matching the lower-case letters to the upper-case equivalent.

These alphabet puzzles are a handy set for morning tubs or literacy centres at the start of the year.

With two parts for every letter of the alphabet, they show children both upper and lower-case letters along with a single image that begins with the letters beginning sound that needs matching up. It can be a good activity to send home too.

LEGO is always engaging and I can't see us getting rid of our Duplo blocks anytime - not with these free printable letter cards from Wildflower Ramblings to put with them.

For preschoolers, encourage them to make the beginning letter of their name while older children might try to make both upper and lower-case letters or you can target just the letters being taught in your spelling lessons.

Playdough is always popular with this year level so these alphabet mats see a lot of use especially in the first half of the school year.
They're perfect for pre-writers as you can add playdough or loose parts like stones or wix stix to make the letters or print them smaller for tracing cards for those ready to begin writing.

Another easy alphabet sort - I made up these letter cards in different fonts. Each letter has the same line of colour running along the bottom to help support children sort them correctly.

COUNTING SYLLABLES We've used
We've done a lot of work in class around syllables - w e've clapped syllables, we've sorted syllables, we've used the number of syllables in our names to help work out who the star of the day might be and we keep revising the concept with our literacy centres.

the numbered mats I shared before and sometimes we use baskets to sort our objects by syllables.

I've used these peg cards this term in our centres to help practice counting syllables in longer perhaps unfamiliar words.
I'm always trying to add in manipulatives that build those small hand muscles at this age so these cards are easy to prep - print then add pegs.
You can add a small sticker on the back of each card to make them self-checking.

Once everyone's a little more confident with counting syllables, I'll add this syllable BINGO game into our literacy rotations.
It allows us to keep practicing this skill but being a game, engagement is maintained.

Children who can rhyme will become better readers and writers so games that allow children to hear and produce rhyme are often included in our literacy centre rotations.
You'll notice that I tend to come back to the same type of resources over and over again for literacy centres - rocks, sticks, cards. I particularly like these wider plain ice-cream sticks. I used them recently to make these games of rhyming dominoes.
Starting with the first stick in the series, children need to find a word that rhymes to link the sticks. You note I've kept to CVC words to make them easy to decode independently by early readers but I'll often place one strong reader in each group to help things moving if I don't have a teacher's aide during this time .

I saw this game Kaboom! over on
The Starr Spangled Planner and thought I'd make a rhyming version.
Simple to play, children take it in turns to remove an ice-cream stick from the cup (words are at the bottom), if they can say a word that rhymes, they keep the stick. If they can't, they must return it to the cup but if they pick out a stick with KABOOM! on it they have to return all their sticks.

We've played it as a whole class and now occasionally use it as a centre to help them practice making rhyming words.

It also helps build social skills within our classroom like turn taking and sportsmanship.

One of my favourite activities for literacy centres are clip cards - perfect for building fine motor skills I use them a lot in centres and they need little explaining to get everyone going. These and literacy skills!
rhyming word ones have been a fun way to practice identifying and producing rhyme.

L ast year at preschool I made these rhyming mats for play so children can use the pins and rubber bands to make the pairs independently . Again perfect for building fine motor skills.
Don't want to use pins without supervision? Swap them out for whiteboard markers or a geoboard with rubberbands.

They're perfect for small groups to play but they need to be confidently making rhyme to enjoy this game as they need to hold 4-5 cards at a time when playing.

At the start of the school year, I provide every child with a small tub of playdough so adding playdough mats like
BEGINNING LETTER SOUNDS
The school I'm teaching at currently uses the Jolly Phonics program which sees children introduced to a new sound a day. We don't always do an activity the same day to help reinforce the new sound but will incorporate some in our centres particular for those sounds which are proving more difficult to learn.

these alphabet ones to our centre rotations are simple to organise.

Playdough is perfect for building up fine motor strength as are clothes pegs.

These beginning sound cards ask children to work out which of the images start with the letter displayed. The real photos are lovely and clear making them easy to work out.

We used pegs to match them and I've added a small sticker to the back of each card to make it easy for the children to check their answer independently.

For children looking for more of a challenge, these With every letter of the alphabet they're good to add along with initial sound wheels have proved useful too.

our letter wheels to make it easier to differentiate the task within each group.

I use these either to help reinforce all the sounds taught towards the end of first term or in batches as we introduce and teach each sound.

WORD WORK I'd bought these
SPELLING WORDS
Some of the first words we try to spell independently are CVC words so at the beginning of the school year, we use our literacy centre trays to practice breaking the words into individual sounds then blending them back into words.

alphabet stamps a couple of years ago. Here we used them to stamp some of our CVC words into some play dough.

LEGO is always going to help engage every group so I created these
CVC word mats to practice our spelling.
They're made to suit LEGO bricks so the children can direct build the word then practice writing it themselves.

Each year I've had a number of children in my class who have 'learnt' their single letter phonograms yet had difficulty blending them into words.

These Crack The Code Word cards have been a lifesaver as the children are able to access their knowledge of sounds then can practice blending them together to make simple words.

I start with the CVC word cards then introduce the CCVC and CVCC ones when they are ready for more of a challenge.

We all know as Early Years teachers that spelling and reading CVCe words are another step some can struggle with.

As you already know, I love using visuals to help support children as they learn new concepts so resources like these CVCe Word Mats are some of the first I'll introduce to our literacy rotations when we start introducing the alternate vowel sounds.

Children can trace the word, build it or write it making it mutli-sensory.

Just like our CVC LEGO Word Mats, this LEGO sight word version is always a popular addition to our literacy centre rotations.

These have made differentiation within our centres easier too as the children can either build directly onto the larger mats and practice their writing or if spelling and reading is the focus, I use these smaller cards instead.

They're perfect for building visual discrimination skills as the children have to build the word with the support of printed image underneath just to match to.

These sight word cards are a quick reading activity to add to centres. I have them already prepped in class for our reading groups and each child knows which set of words they are working on mastering.
In our small groups, they might take it in turns to read the words to each other or make them using either magnetic letters or alphabet beads or stamp the words.

Of course, anything getting the children moving is popular.

I quite often have a teachers' aide in my classroom so a small group can sometimes work outside. S elect some of the sight words they are currently working on and do some rainbow chalk writing outside.

Take a few water spray bottles along too and as a reward for all that writing, call out each sight word and have them squirt water at each of them!

Or take some small bean bags and have children try and throw them on the correct sight word as you call them. Super fun!

Literacy centres are a perfect way to reinforce concepts being taught in other lessons.

We'd been learning about common nouns as these clip cards were one of our centre activities in the weeks after.

These Parts of Speech UNO cards from Teach Starter have been a fun way to practice identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives.

For older children, word work tasks like this Verb Tense Pack can be used to focus in on a particular skill.

Here the children had to find the three verbs - the base word, present tense and past tense then record all three.

Punctuation is another skill that can be practiced in literacy groups.

I encourage the children to quietly read these punctuation clip cards aloud to themselves to hear what punctuation is needed.

I love this compound sentence resource from Lauren Fairclough it was one we did as a whole class firstly then I added it to our literacy centres to help reinforce the different conjunctions we use to help make our sentences more interesting.

Digraphs can be so tricky to learn especially when there's more than one that makes the same sound.

These digraph sorting mats make a frequent appearance in our literacy rotations as they are perfect for exposing young children to new vocabulary in game-based task.

I'll often include digraph mini books to make while they are being introduced to each digraph.

These are super easy to prep as you just have to hit print but it can take a bit of practice for the children to know how to fold them and where to cut the paper.

ENCOURAGING EARLY WRITING
At the start of the first year at school I printed out everyone's name and the children can use these to help them write or make their own names. I used dotted lines and laminated them so they can also trace over their names with whiteboard markers too.
Here we used them to help us write in the out-of-date semolina we used instead of the standard salt or sand tray.

You can use sand trays for any writing practice - names, letters, spelling words, sight words.

That small tub of playdough I bought at the start of the year can be used for name practice too.

I bought two boxes of lower case letters and one box of upper case letters. I'm finding them especially good for children still working out the direction of letters because when they look at their own name they can see clearly when a letter has been threaded the wrong way.

Letter reversals are common at this age so I've also made up some resources to help sort out the pesky 'b' and 'd' confusion. I've included 'p/q' cards along with visual cues for each letter to help students differentiate which letter makes which sound (b is for bed, d is for dog maybe). You can find the full set of letter reversal cards
here.

Older grades are obviously ready for more of a challenge in their writing centres.

Sometimes we'll use our literacy centres to edit work done in class.

Recount writing is an easy place to start as many children can write a simple recount sometime during their first year at school but improving and embellishing upon that story is a task for Year 1 and 2s.

We wrote many different recounts in our writing lessons then used our literacy centres to go back and edit them ahead of the following week's writing lesson.

But coming up with a story can be hard for many children. This Tell Me A Story writing centre helps get the most reluctant writer writing as all the heavy lifting has been done.

The children just have to pick three cards which are all colour coded to provide them with a setting, character and event to sequence into a story.

Of course, they all try to outdo each other with the silliest story but everyone is writing so this pack makes a frequent appearance in our writing centres.

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LITERACY CENTERS - MORE HANDS-ON IDEAS FOR YOUR CLASSROOM

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Literacy Center Ideas for Kindergarten and Preschool - Sharing more literacy center ideas to try in your classroom! Perfect for 4-8 year olds as they learn to read and write, recognise rhyme, syllables, beginning letter sounds | you clever monkey

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Creating Smart Literacy Centers that Last All Year 

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Creating Smart Literacy Centers that Last All Year 

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Literacy centers can be a blessing or a pain. I think it all hinges on the design, organization and effectiveness behind them that makes a difference. This is my philosophy on how to create literacy centers that are smart for me, the teacher, and effective for my kindergarten students.

I think that literacy centers for kindergarten can last an entire year, have little to no upkeep and can grow with students, putting them in charge of differentiation, offer choice and be open-ended.

What I'm not saying is that I think literacy centers can take no work on the teacher's part.

In fact, I think it's the exact opposite.

I think creating centers for kindergarten that are smart allow you to be the most effective at teaching. This is totally my own opinion and based on my teaching experience. {Just sayin'}

Work smart

In our classroom, literacy centers is a time for learning and playing to happen together. And we take that job seriously! I have worked and re-worked my kindergarten literacy centers, but I fall in love with them more each year as I tweak the process!

I'm the kind of teacher who likes to work hard up front, but also work smart so that the effort I put in lasts all year long.

In saying that, my literacy centers do not change. They stay the same all year. They grow with my kinders as they grow by leaps and bounds. We use interactive, manipulative (which feels like play to kinders) ways of learning literacy.

We have 14 different standards-based centers that work on many of the same skills but with varied materials - so every center feels unique to my kinders.

They are all reading, writing or word work centers.

Here's my list of kindergarten center ideas. {Dum da dum} Click on any link to read more about the center set up, expectations and standards.

My list of year-long centers

Reading centers:

Word work centers:

Writing centers:

Set up for independence

Kinders are great at using labels with pictures to put things away and find them again, so my classroom is covered! I put lots of icons directly onto the container or bin to provide lots of visual support.

Centers can pretty much be done anywhere within the classroom, but my kinders often complete the activities wherever I first modeled them. They are routine-based creatures, aren't they? I'll admit - I am too!

I include literacy center posters for each center that illustrates with picture icons what options students have.

These posters help me teach the center at the beginning of the year, help me keep students on track throughout the year and inform administration as time goes on since they have all of our common core standards listed out.

Routines make centers successful since when students know what is expected, they are much more likely to rise to those expectations.

When I'm working with small groups of students, this also gives me the opportunity to offer suggestions on how they can take and apply what we've learned in a small group back to practice at their center.

Building upon their regular routine with new skills or challenges keeps things fresh, but with solid expectations.

Why I create centers the way I do

Time

Time is a huge factor. I need time to teach small groups while other students work independently.

I also need the time I spend creating something for a center to be worthwhile. If it doesn't last a long time, forget it - it wasn't worth it.

And lastly, the time I spend creating and setting up should be able to set the long term value my students get out of it.

Modeling = working smart

I want any modeling or teaching that I do whole group or in my small group lessons be something that students can try on their own.

I want to be able to capitalize on what we're already doing and utilize the skill or method.

If I were to have to model new centers past the first 30 days of school, I don't feel that's a worthwhile use of my time.

I'd much rather use sharing time edifying students who are challenging themselves or model a new way to extend their thinking in a center they are already used to.

Open-ended = flexibility

Creating a center that is open-ended is the smartest kind of work for me.

By making the kindergarten center activities be choices or have options then I also have flexibility to meet with students or groups for as long as I need.

This flexibility level alone makes me a more relaxed, happy and confident teacher knowing I can get it all done.

Productive = effective

My thinking is that if I can create centers where students can be productive and engaged then that is going to be much more effective in the long run.

Motivation, interest, and choice all play into the work that goes on during our center time.

Plus, I figure if there is a center they don't love, they only have to visit it once (maybe twice) a week and will enjoy practicing the same skill at another center with different materials.

How I roll them out

This is my 4-step process for rolling out centers.

I start with one center on day 1 of my introduction schedule and build upon that each day until a center has rolled through each step of the 4-step process.

During this time, we are building both stamina for working and fully understanding what to do and not do.

Most days I am introducing one literacy center, modeling one center, practicing one center and reviewing 1-3 centers. This is how we quickly build up our stamina.

1. Introduce

I first introduce a center with it's name, icon and location in the classroom.

I describe our main goal for the center and pick one choice to model.

I explain my expectations of getting items out and putting them back with the actual objects.

2. Model

I review the name, icon and location from the previous day.

I model what to do and what not to do.

I get ridiculous with some of my not to do's to keep short attention spans on me.

Someone helps model where to put materials away.

3. Practice

Students point out the location, give the name when I show the icon.

Someone models what to do.

Someone copies a model of mine what not do to.

Small groups of 3-4 "practice" for 1 minute doing it the right way and placing the materials back on the shelf. Note: We practice the listening center whole group.

4. Review

Review what to do, what not to do, where its located and choice option.

If a literacy center has more than one choice/option then I start on the modeling step for that activity when I decide to teach it later on. I will make sure that they have the first activity down pat before teaching another at the same center. There's no reason to add mayhem to madness otherwise.

It normally takes me about 20 days of actively teaching the centers.
Say what? Isn't that a waste of time at the beginning of the year?
Umm... no.

In the beginning of the school year there is no routine to our day. So, I take advantage of this flexible teaching time to gradually build up the time we spend doing literacy centers.

Once we have learned how to effectively do one activity at at least 5-6 centers, then we take the following day to actually "do" a center rotation.

On this day we are also learning to read the workboard. They learn to find their name, go there and stay there.

Now, we can add one rotation into our normal daily routine and schedule. And even though we begin cycling through one center a day, I continue to build upon our knowledge of the other centers using the same 4 step process.

Spending this time up front saves me time all year long. {Working smart, remember?}

When we have built up enough knowledge of 8-10 centers, we begin to rotate through two centers a day.

During this time, I begin to experiment with pulling a small group to teach them the ABC center. It's a little harder to "practice" and experience in the 1 minute I generally give the others. I want to reinforce the 'must do' portion of that center before students work on the open-ended piece.

A note on pulling students: I do not make myself a center. So, I teach them that the reason we do these literacy centers is so they can keep on learning while I'm teaching each of them in a small group. I essentially let them know there is no complaining about being pulled since it's the reason we do centers - so others can keep learning while they get their turn with me. We hit that one right off the bat and I've never had an issue!

Purchase centers - instant downloads

I have rounded up as many centers as I could for you to purchase complete with the instant download materials needed along with the poster and workboard icon to make each center a complete package.

A little more about the first product listed - It's just that there are a few centers that don't need tons of materials from me - rather, materials that you already have on hand!
Score, right?
So, I've bundled those particular center posters and organization labels into a Literacy Center Poster and Workboard Icon set.

[Continued] How do you...

You asked. I answered.

Think I'm crazy for doing centers this way? What are your thoughts on making centers smart?

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

Guided reading during literacy centers

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How to Create Smart Literacy Centers that Last All Year - KindergartenWorks

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Literacy centers can be a blessing or a pain. This is how to create literacy centers that are smart for the teacher and effective for kindergarten students.

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Centers & Guided Reading - Small Group Management

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Ok. So Guided Reading. Centers. These two things are a HUGE part of my teaching.
As I'm sure they are yours, too.
Everyone does them differently.
But I'd like to share with you what I do in mine.
I'm not sure where to begin because my mind starts in about 4 different areas all at once when I want to start explaining. I have done a few posts on centers { HERE} and { HERE}. I've also done some Guided Reading posts { HERE} and { HERE}
First, let me show you how I do the rotations.

I made a template in Powerpoint and I put each slide on a timer on the slides so that I just push play and the whole thing runs without me having to get up and do anything!
I have 4 rotations.... Journal, Centers, Teacher, and Seatwork.
Every time the slides change, the wheel just turns. It works perfectly!
In between each activity slide, I have a "Clean Up!" slide that lasts for 30 seconds.

Ok, so I think I'll go to the Center Menu next.. I can kind of kill 2 birds with 2 stones with this one.
So, the amount of centers I do changes from year to year, and sometimes I change my mind in the middle of the year - like I did last year.
I have done 10 centers on a menu... which I did 2 centers in one day. I posted about how I did that on { THIS} and { THIS} blogpost.

And that's how I started my year off last year.

But then, I decided to change my way after I got back from my maternity leave last year...and that's when I went to the powerpoint rotation and only 5 centers for the week and a Journal on the rotation for each day.

Here is what my menus look like for that set up:

I say what each center bucket is (the numbers correspond with the bucket numbers) and then what the Journal topic is for each day. I label them Day 1, 2.... because I don't always start on Monday and end on Friday. I actually DON'T like starting on a Monday. It makes for a stressful Monday and Friday. lol.
These are the buckets that I have labeled to match the menu.

The labels are part of my " Get Organized" pack. Both of the menus are included in my Guided Reading Plans and Resources.
For seatwork, I pull a lot of activities from my { phonics packs}. I have one for each phonics skill. I have a love for phonics. haha! That's normally what I do - phonics, for seatwork.

And some kind of word work.

Most of my centers come from my { Monthly Centers Menu Bundles}
Then there's the journal writing part of the rotation. I really believe that to become better writers, you have to practice...just like reading. So I like to have them do journal responses. I try to make the "prompts" based around what we've been reading or learning about in class.

I have some "fancy shmancy" journal covers you can download for free - and you can see how I set them up for the year { HERE}.

After Day 5, I collect all the centers and staple them to their menus and give them a grade...the grade is just for completion and it documents if they stay on task and/or have trouble with certain skills.

Now, let's talk Guided Reading.
I use Sundance AlphaKids to level my students.
Once I have them leveled, I put them on my Levels at a Glance page in my binder. I put all the similar levels together and then box them in with different color crayons to create my groups.

I make a new one each month. I don't always assess my AGL kids, but my OGL and my BGL I want to see if they're moving, so I do test them each month.
I like to make a quick look for me to see without getting out my binder... like if one of my kids asks what level books he can get for baggie books...or if I'm looking in my Reading A-Z files and I don't want to get out my binder, I just look over at this. I put it away when we have conferences, of course.

I also like to do a quick Dibels assessment.
I put them in the ORF data sheet as one of 4 different types of readers:
fast/right fast/wrong slow/right slow/wrong

Depending on the reasoning behind the kids that are either slow or wrong, then I will work with them on their fluency.
Ok, so the big question.
What do I use for my guided reading books since I don't use the reading series?

I like to use Reading A-Z. I really like this better than using the series' leveled readers because I can match the levels better to my students...AND it's how I can get my themes to all tie in together....and BONUS!! It's how I hit a lot of my science and social studies content, too!
Yes, you have to print the books. BUT, I don't let them write in them and I keep them for the following years. And if they lose them when I send them home? No biggie! I can print up a new one!
Now, aside from using Reading A-Z, I also have a slew of other things I like to use during my small groups. I've posted about it before { HERE}. But here are a few pictures....

I love using my Sounds Boxes! (in my guided reading pack)

Whisper phones - I did a DIY post on those { HERE}
I also love EZ readers! I have a few different kinds that I've gotten from Really Good Stuff.

The students use the little foam letters and I use my own letters in a small pocket chart.

I do Making Words with my kids every week. This is one of the activities in my Guided Reading pack. There's a teacher planner page that really helps you to plan it out so all the words flow, and then there are student extensions like this page.

Another thing I really like to focus on is Fluency. Obviously, not all of my groups work with fluency, if they are below grade level on their running records, then we focus on phonics and decoding skills, THEN we can work on fluency.
I've posted about Peer to Peer fluency { HERE}

Most of all these resources can be found in my Guided Reading Pack, including some sample lesson plan templates.

I hope this post helps to give you some ideas on how to manage or set up your guided reading! It was a lot to take in. Let me know if you need any clarification on anything!

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Small Groups - Management Tips (The Teacher's Cauldron)

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Ok. So Guided Reading. Centers. These two things are a HUGE part of my teaching. As I'm sure they are yours, too. Everyone does them differently. But I'd like to share with you what I do in mine. I'm not sure where to begin because my mind starts in about 4 different areas all at once when I want to start explaining.

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Small Group Time - Ideas, Tips and Strategies 

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Small Group Time - Ideas, Tips and Strategies 

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Small group time is a meaningful and important part of any Preschoolers day. It's a time when you work with a small group of students and individualize instruction based on student needs. I'm always getting asked about small group time so I'm here to share all the things you need to think about, plan for, and how to make it effective in your classroom. Don't worry about writing all of this down because I have a HANDOUT for you that you can print and plop into your teacher binder!
This post contains affiliate links

Management Tips

Make the activity engaging and hands on (if it's boring you will have behavior problems so make it FUN)

Have a small group area, table, or place in your classroom so students know where to go when it is small group time (I use one of the large tables in my classroom)

Have materials ready at the table or small group area

Use visuals for behavior support (mini Green & Red Choice board)

Uses assessments and data to guide your teaching
Use the data you have from your assessments to create groupings and determine the objectives for your small group

I can simply point or cue students to make a green choice using the green and red choice board. Simply having the mini Green & Red Choice board on the table is a visual reminder itself.

Simply put, create small groups that are appropriate for your students. The skills they are working on are not too hard and not too easy, but rather the sweet spot where they are challenged but not frustrated. Use the assessments and data you take to plan and create your small groups. Maybe you notice that students are struggling with 1:1 correspondence during math, so then do a small group to develop that skill.

Don't create the same old small group just because you've done it every year. Do it because it's what your students NEED to grow!

When should you have small group time?

You can pull small groups during centers which works best when you have only one teacher OR h ave a designated center time in your schedule.

(I do a mixture of the two based on what the small group is) Each day before students pick where they want to go for centers I tell them which direction we are heading with centers for the day.

You can see my daily schedule HERE with the skills I am teaching during each part of the day too!

Types of Groupings

Ability

Mixed ability

Interest

Learning style or multiple intelligence

Peer selected

Random

Just remember your groups should NOT be the same all the time. Mix up the types of groupings you do and who is in them!

For example, when I do an art activity or sensory activity for a small group I do random or peer selected groupings.

If I am doing a math small group I will group students by ability so I can differentiate the activity for each group.

Small Group Examples

Here is a handwriting (ability) small group. Yes, you can do handwriting without worksheets! I pulled four friends at a time during centers to practice writing the letters in their name. They picked a magnet letter that was in their name, identified the letter, and wrote the letter on the baggie.
Hair gel sensory bags - clear hair gel from the dollar store, glitter, and a FEW drops of liquid watercolor in a thick quart baggie with the top duck taped closed.

This is a Name Art Collage small group (mixed ability) we did during small group tim e. Even though it's mixed ability I still differentiated the activity by going around to each student as they made their collage asking questions. I asked them to tell me how to spell their name. For the lower level students, I said the letters and they said the letters with me or echoed the letters as they pointed to each one. For the middle level students, they told me how to spell their name as they pointed to each letter. For the higher level students, I covered up their name and they told me how to spell their name from memory.

This is a Letter small group we did and I pulled students by ability during center time. My lower level friends matched the letters and I only used the letters where the uppercase looked similar to the lowercase. My middle level friends matched all the letters. My higher level friends matched the letter and sound cards and we only used about half of the puzzles. You can find this game in Insect Math and Literacy Centers.

I love this cute ladybug math craft! I almost ALWAYS pull students a few at a time during centers by ability for this one. There are just so many directions and so much cutting involved ( I have students always cut as many of the pieces as they can then I do the rest). You can find this game in Insect Math and Literacy Centers too.

This last example is a scissor skills small group that is picked randomly. Some students are using bounce back scissors to help them cut and others are using regular scissors.

The Difference Between Table Time and Small Group

Small Group: These skills are just above a student's learning level (a skill that is difficult to master independently but can done with assistance) Zone of Proximal Development - Vygotsky

Table Time : These skills can be done independently (without assistance from a teacher or peer).

Small Group: New or familiar game or activity. It's the perfect time to teach new games and activities.

Table Time: Familiar game or open ended activity. It's a time to practice or review skills.

Now the question I always get asked....WHAT do I do during small groups?

Well, everything! At some point in the month I try to touch on each learning domain or integrate each learning domain into small group time. I teach three days a week so one day is always literacy and one day is always math. The other day I rotate art, sensory, fine motor, or a skill I notice students need extra assistance.

We do art and sensory but we mostly focus small group time on literacy and math activities. Why you ask? Because most of the time I can do art and sensory activities for table time or have it out as a center choice (and we all know those are the most picked activities by kiddos!)

I did a whole FB live all about small groups and I talk through all of this with you. Watch below!

LOVE this post? Pin this image!

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All About Small Group Time - FREE Printable Idea List - Pocket of Preschool

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Small group time is a meaningful and important part of any Preschoolers day. It's a time when you work with a small group of students and individualize instruction based on student needs. I'm always getting asked about small group time so I'm here to share all the things you need to think about, plan for, and how to make it effective in your classroom.

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For example, you can have students work in pairs. Or they can work in larger groups.

You might have students work with their guided reading groupmates. Or mix groups up so that students work with peers at different levels.

You can let students choose centers. You can give them partial choice. Or you can determine the centers that students visit.

The options are endless!

So is there one "right" way to implement literacy centers? I really don't think so. Ultimately, you have to do what works best for you and your kids.

But in this post, I'll share the framework that makes the most sense to me! I'll cover topics like grouping, differentiating, and holding students accountable. AND I have a free gift for you at the end of the post!!
Photo Credits: Tirachard Kumtanom, Shutterstock
What is the "Literacy Centers That Work" framework?

My "Literacy Centers That Work" model is structured around 6-7 work centers that students visit while the teacher meets with guided reading or other literacy small groups.

Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the foundations of the centers activities in this framework. Think of it as an ice cream sundae. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are the ice cream (necessary for the sundae!). The different variations and activities are the toppings (fun and make the sundae taste even better).
Photo Credits: Unal Ozmen
This framework also reflects the principle that students need meaningful, authentic practice to grow as readers and writers. Centers activities are derived from and tied closely to whole and small group literacy instruction.

What are the different centers?

We need to select literacy centers that will help students reach the goals we have for them. As readers and writers, we want our students to:

Read with comprehension

Decode new words successfully

Read fluently

Talk and write about what they read

Expand their vocabularies

Share meaningful ideas through writing

Write with correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation

With all that in mind, I chose the following centers to incorporate different, meaningful ways that students can practice literacy skills:

I suggest that you tell students which centers they will go to, and when. Students have choice within each center-but more about that later.

I also recommend that you use this same order of centers (1-6, or 1-7) in the rotation. For example, Group A visits centers 1-3 on Monday and 4-6 on Tuesday. The order of these centers was carefully selected so that students usually have a balance of writing and reading activities each day.

Here are some in-depth descriptions of the different centers:
1. Independent Reading Center
This center is all about reading, plain and simple! It's a quiet center-but not necessarily silent, since many students in K-2 may be whisper reading.

In the independent reading center, students may jot down thoughts, reactions, and questions on sticky notes, half-sheets, or on interactive bookmarks (pictured below). They write quick notes or ideas to share with their peers.

However, at this center, students don't spend time on lengthy written responses (or drawings). That takes place at the "Reading Response" center.

Why? Because kids need plenty of time to just read. If we ask them to create lengthy responses during their reading time, it can a) reduce the amount of time they have to practice reading, and b) send confusing messages about whether they need to be reading or writing.

Also, students bring their own book bags or book boxes to this center. They usually read only from their own book bags or boxes.

Kindergarten and early first grade students should have 10-12 books in their bags/boxes. Late first grade and second grade students might have between 6 and 8 books, depending on the length of texts that they are reading.

I also think it's important to ensure that students have at least some books in their bags that you know are at their independent level.

I typically create a book shopping rule like, "Select 5 books from anywhere in the classroom library, and 5 books from your group's bin." Inside the group bin, I can put a) books that students have already read during guided reading and b) other books that I know will be at their independent level.

This combination strategy allows students choice. But it also helps ensure that they're not always reading books that are way too hard or way too easy.

And speaking of book shopping, the independent reading center is not an opportunity to shop for books. This time is exclusively dedicated to reading. They can shop for books during other "down times" in the day. I like to assign each guided reading group a book shopping day (or days), and students get new books as soon as they arrive at school on that specified day or days.

That said, kindergarten and early first grade students tend to go through books quickly-and if your centers last 15 minutes, that can be a long time for them to read independently! For these students, place a 5-minute sand timer in the center. When students arrive, they turn the timer over and have 5 minutes to "shop" for new books in the classroom library. When the timer runs out, they must settle down and begin reading immediately.

In addition to "regular" books, students can also read poetry, song lyrics, magazines, books written by other classmates, ebooks, etc.

One final note: In addition to the independent reading center, I also dedicate another time of the day for students to read independently (even if it's just an additional 5-10 minutes). Not all students will visit the independent reading center each day, but we want to ensure that all students have an opportunity to read independently every day.

This separate independent reading time gives me a chance to meet with a few students for individual reading conferences and make sure that they are picking appropriate books for their bags.

Also, I've found that some students focus better when everyone is reading at the same time, and the class is quieter.

2. Reading Response Center

This center provides opportunities for students to respond to what they read in Center #1 (independent reading).

Students bring their book bags or boxes to this center. They spend a few minutes:

A sand timer may be helpful with teaching students to limit the amount of time they spend planning and talking.

A group leader might turn over a 3 or 5 minute sand timer as soon as students enter the center. When the timer runs out, planning and talking stops and students begin working on their responses.

Typically, students will have 2-3 different options for how they respond to text. The options may vary, but can include: drawing or writing about a favorite part, drawing or writing to show an interesting fact, designing a new cover for the book, writing an alternative ending to the story, creating a new nonfiction book that combines information from several texts, answering a reader response question, writing a book recommendation for a friend, writing a letter to the author, etc.

A response may not necessarily be finished in one day. Students may be finishing up a response from a previous day (I recommend that students spend no more than 2 days on any one response).

Students store their unfinished or finished responses in their independent work folders, which they bring with them to all centers.

3. Word Work Center

In the word work center, students practice reading, making, and writing words they are learning. These can include sight words, words with a particular pattern, and/or vocabulary words (depending upon students' levels).

There are many different ways that you can organize this center. My personal preference is to have students work independently or in similar-ability partnerings. They practice their own words, which are kept on cards or in lists in their independent work folders. Words are selected for students based on their developmental needs, and they may be part of a word study program like Words Their Way (my personal favorite).

In kindergarten (or even early first grade), the word work center can start out with name work, alphabet letter/sound work, and phonological awareness work. You may also want to include 2 word study centers in your classroom at the beginning of the year so that students have many opportunities to practice these foundational skills.

In late first grade or second grade, the word work center may include grammar and vocabulary work.

There are many, many possibilities for word work activities! Students can play games, stamp words, make words out of Wikki Stix or playdough, use iPad apps, work with magnetic letters, complete word or picture sorts, and the list goes on.

I recommend limiting students to 2-3 choices at any given time. I also recommend teaching students a core group of games and having them play these games throughout the year (using different words each week or 2-week period). This cuts down on the amount of time you have to spend preparing and teaching games.

4. Listening Center

In this center, students listen to pre-recorded stories or texts read aloud. They may also respond to the texts by writing, drawing, or talking to a partner.

When I first started teaching, I had cassette tapes for the listening center. 🙂 But now there are so many different options!

You might use a CD player (with a headphone splitter so multiple students can listen).

You could also use desktop computers, laptops, or tablets to have students listen to books online or in apps.

Students might also write a sentence or two about the text, like in this "passport" activity:

Students place finished work in their independent work folders, or leave it at the center if the audience of the work was their classmates.

5. Writing

In the writing center, students choose from a variety of writing tools and can work on different writing products.

There are many possibilities, but here are just a few suggestions:

Write an article for the class newsletter

Write a letter to a friend or relative

Create a how-to book to be placed in the classroom library

Create a travel brochure about their town (or another place they have visited)

Interview a friend and write a biography about them

Work on a piece from writing workshop

Students store their writing in their independent work folders so that they can easily return to it later. However, if they choose to work on a piece from writing workshop, they put that piece back in their separate folder for writing time.

6. Partner Reading Center

In the partner reading center, students work together to read and discuss texts in a variety of ways.

Again, there are tons of possibilities, but here are a few suggestions:

Do an echo read (one partner reads one page and the other partner echoes it)

Do a choral read (partners read the whole book at the same time)

Take turns reading pages of a book

One partner reads an entire book and the other partner then rereads it

Reread a big book with a pointer (and search for certain words, punctuation marks, etc. after finishing)

Partners take turns video recording each other reading texts

Act out a familiar story

Students often don't have a tangible product after working in this center. But as I'll discuss later, this is just fine. And you can pretty easily glance over and see if a pair of students is goofing off or actually reading. 🙂

7. Drama, Music, or Art Literacy Play (optional)

I know that not all of us work in a school where the arts, drama, and play are prioritized. But if you are able to create a center like this, I think it's a great idea to do so!

Depending upon how you structure the center, students might:

There are so many possibilities for this center! When I taught kindergarten, I always created a space for dramatic play in my classroom. If you're interested in resources to help you create a dramatic play center based around literacy, look for my dramatic play resource (coming soon!).

Other Options for Centers:

I like using these 6-7 essential centers for simplicity and ease of planning.

However, if you prefer to have a greater number of centers, you can "break up" the different activities in these centers to make more centers.

For example, instead of having students read big books during partner reading, you can have them read "regular books" during partner reading and establish a separate big book station.

Or, instead of having students work with technology in the word work and writing centers, you might have a separate computer or iPad center.

You could also add separate poetry centers, pocket chart centers, or fluency centers.

And you may need to break up these centers if you have a large number of students-but more about group sizes in a minute.

How long do centers last?

This depends upon a lot of things-where you are in your school year, what grade level you teach, how long your literacy block is, and how many small groups or guided reading groups you want to see.

Generally speaking, you probably want to have students spend 30-45 minutes TOTAL in centers each day. Each center can last about 15 minutes for K-1. In 2nd grade and up, you might use 15-20 minutes for each center.

How do students rotate between centers?

In my model, the teacher assigns students to centers. Each student visits 2-3 centers per day (fewer if he/she is seen by the teacher for guided reading).

Each center lasts as long as one small group lesson, so all students rotate at the same time.

When it's time to clean up, the teacher gives some kind of signal. When students are finished cleaning up, they sit back down and point to the center where they will go next. When everyone is ready, the teacher gives another signal, and students rotate.

So that students are aware of how long they have to work in each center, it's helpful to use some kind of visual timer (on the interactive white board, a sand timer, a timer with a large display, etc.).

Also, teachers need to create some kind of display so that students know which centers they will be visiting that day. The display can be created on a pocket chart, bulletin board, or interactive white board. The teacher (or a student helper) changes the parts of the display each day to reflect students' center assignments for that day.

How are students grouped?

Ideally, 4 students work in a center at one time. However, in many centers, students actually complete the activity with one partner or independently. So although 4 students may be in the center at the same time, all 4 children are not usually working together (this helps reduce the noise level).

Each group of 4 students consists of 2 students from one guided reading group and 2 students from a different guided reading group. This way, the teacher can specify that students work with a same-ability partner OR a different-ability partner, depending upon the activity.

This set-up is also helpful because when a teacher meets with one guided reading group, there are still 2 children left in the center who can work together.

Of course, the math doesn't always work out perfectly due to class size and absences. Here are some tweaks you can make, if necessary:

You can read more about this strategy (and see some videos) in .

How are centers activities differentiated?

Many of the activities are accessible to all learners because students are reading and writing at their own levels.

However, here are some ways to ensure that students are working on appropriate tasks:

How are students held accountable for their work?

First, I want to say that although I think it's very important that students are on-task and learning during centers, I am not a huge fan of assigning students tons of worksheets. I don't think that kids have to produce something in every center that they visit.

That said, kids still need to know that they will be held accountable for their work. We can do this by:

Making center goals very clear to students

Checking students' independent work folders on a weekly basis (or a daily basis, if students are really struggling with staying on-task)

Choosing 2-3 students to observe each day

Making time for daily 1 minute check-ins (i.e. getting up from your small group to take a peek at what students are doing in centers)

Keeping quick checklists available for those check-ins

Having students take photos of non-written work for you to review (check out the awesome app Seesaw for this!!)

Having a sharing time at the end of centers where students can talk about their learning, share materials they created, and self-assess their productivity

How is choice incorporated into centers?

Choice is a powerful motivator! Although I assign groups and the centers where students work, I like to provide different options to students within each center.

At any given center, there are always 2-3 different options for activities. These are represented on instructions cards:

I only provide a few choices at a time so that students don't get overwhelmed (and to make centers easier to clean up!).

How are materials organized and rotated?

Each center has a designated location in the classroom. You can store materials and have students work in that same space.

If you have a small classroom or other space challenges, you may have to have students work at desks or tables for some centers. You can still designate one location in the classroom where materials for that center will consistently be stored.

In the past, I changed out all of my centers on Mondays. But I found that this created "information overload" for my students when I had to teach them (or at least review) tons of new centers each week.

Instead, I recommend changing out only 1 activity option for 1-2 centers per day.

So on Monday you might introduce a new activity for the listening center (and the other 2 options in that center stay the same). And on Tuesday, you introduce a new activity for the partner reading center (again, the other 2 options in that center stay the same). And on Wednesday, you might introduce new activities for the independent reading and word work centers. (And so on.) This way, you're only spending a few minutes teaching 1-2 things before students start centers each day.

Also, before you ever introduce a center, you should model it repeatedly in whole group or small group. For example, have students play a word work game during guided reading before you place it in the center.

Because your centers activities should be closely tied to your classroom instruction, model them during different times of the day. When it's time for centers, you might have to briefly review or explain a few things, but then it's just a matter of placing the familiar materials in the center for students to use.

In addition to the centers materials you set up, students also have their own independent work folders.

You can have students keep differentiated tasks, word lists, or word cards in their folders for use during centers. Students also keep their writing, drawing, and other center-related tasks inside the folders. If a product is "in progress," it goes in the pocket with the green sticker. If it is finished, it goes in the red pocket.

You can review students' independent work folders on a weekly basis. After you've reviewed some of a child's finished work, you can a) paperclip finished work to indicate that the child can take it home or b) place it in the child's mailbox / other location for take-home papers.

How do centers fit into the literacy block or school day as a whole?

That's a whole other ball of wax 🙂 so I'm going to refer to you to these other posts that I've written:

Fitting It All In: How to Schedule a Balanced Literacy Block for Kindergarten

Fitting It All In: How to Schedule a Balanced Literacy Block for First Grade

Fitting It All In: How to Schedule a Balanced Literacy Block for Second Grade

What To Do When You Can't Fit All Of The Balanced Literacy Components Into Your Literacy Block

What if I need resources for my literacy centers?

I've got you covered! If creating engaging, meaningful centers for your K-2 students is important to you - and you don't want to stay after school for hours and hours preparing materials, check out my Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade literacy center bundles.

You can also view the individual centers packs by scrolling down to the bottom of each bundle description.

Let me know if you have any questions, and happy teaching!

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Literacy Centers That Work - Learning at the Primary Pond

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For example, you can have students work in pairs. Or they can work in larger groups. You might have students work with their guided reading groupmates. Or mix groups up so that students work with peers at different levels. You can let students choose centers. You can give them partial choice.

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References

Click the "References" link above to hide these references.

Daniels, H., & Bizar, M. (1998). Methods that matter: Six structures for best practice classrooms. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G. (1996). Guided reading: Good first teaching for all children (grades K-2). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G. (2000). Guiding readers and writers grades 3-6: Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Morrow, L. (1997). Literacy center: Context for reading and writing. York, ME: Stenhouse

Morrow, L. (2003). Organizing and managing the language arts block: A professional development guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Prevatte, L. (2007). Middle school literacy centers. Gainesville, FL: Maupin House.

Stone, S. J., (1996). Promoting literacy through centers {Electronic version}. Childhood Education, 72, 240-242.

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Click the "References" link above to hide these references. Daniels, H., & Bizar, M. (1998). Methods that matter: Six structures for best practice classrooms. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G. (1996). Guided reading: Good first teaching for all children (grades K-2). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Fountas, I., & Pinnell, G.

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Guided Reading: Strategies, Activities, and Resources

Get guided reading ideas and learn more about how to teach guided reading in your classroom with these lesson plans, articles, and blog posts.

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Guided Reading: Part 2, Benefits of Small Group Instruction | Scholastic

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Guided Reading: Strategies, Activities, and Resources Get guided reading ideas and learn more about how to teach guided reading in your classroom with these lesson plans, articles, and blog posts.

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These are simple boards with great pictures for students to use.

Items marked with * are activities I want my students to complete by the end of the week. I put the *work in baskets labeled 1 - 4 for students to get independently.

There is one simple board and 6 other ones with a variety of activities for the student to do.
If you are interested in one you CAN edit visit:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Choice-Boards-2591597

If you have comments, suggestions, or need a more personalized choice board to meet your needs, please contact me.

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These are simple boards with great pictures for students to use. Items marked with * are activities I want my students to complete by the end of the week. I put the *work in baskets labeled 1 - 4 for students to get independently.There is one simple board and 6 other ones with a variety of activit...

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Books That Teach Social-Emotional Skills 

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Books That Teach Social-Emotional Skills 

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To truly help our students succeed, we must acknowledge the socio-emotional aspects of learning. This post shares different books that teach social-emotional skills that can be used for inside and outside of the classroom.

Each book recommended here is a book that I have used to teach social-emotional skills not only to my students but also to my own son at home.

** This post contains affiliate links that pay a small commission which keeps this site running smoothly. Please see the full disclosure here. **

The news was such a shock to me that I could only sit there speechless as my principal described the incident to me.

In that moment, the only bits and pieces that stood out to me were: "He slammed a chair into the table, then ran out of the school screaming and crying. We tried our best, but we just couldn't get him to calm down."

The clock clicked past another minute-3:47pm. I was supposed to be upstairs in the staff meeting with the rest of the teachers. Instead, I was sitting in the principal's office listening to her tell me about my very own son.

Thankfully the story doesn't stop there, so keeping reading for the big finale!

Why Do Teachers Need to Teach Social-Emotional Skills?

Teachers already have SO MUCH to cover in so little time!

Character education, social-emotional skills, growth mindset training-these are things that many educators feel need to be taught at home by the parents.
As a parent of a child who used to struggle to manage his own emotions, please let me openly tell you that WE DO!
I am a single parent who became a widow when my son was only 5 months old. (Read my full story here.)
I share my story with others in the hope that it will shed light on the variety of family situations that we may encounter as educators.
We parents try our very best to coach our kids through scenarios at home so that they are successful in school.

However, school and home are still two different places.
Children need direct instruction on how to thrive in a community WHILE they are still in that community!
Thankfully, I've sat on both sides of the table with this issue. As a mom and a teacher, I want to offer books that I've used to help my son and my students build better social and emotional skills.

Children's Books for Social-Emotional Development

I've included links to each picture book below that will help you teach social-emotional skills in your class. The links make it easier for you to access the book. These are affiliate links, but it doesn't cost you anything to use them.

Books That Teach Social-Emotional Skills:

Julia Cook writes amazing stories that go right to the heart of this issue. My Mouth is a Volcano teaches kids about blurting out and interrupting others. This book is great for ALL kids across grade levels.
My Mouth is a Volcano is one of the books from my Read Aloud with Rigor Series. Click the image here for more details.

This is the first Bryan Smith book I read and I instantly fell in love with it! His books are very direct, but they present topics in a way that kids can relate to. My Day Is Ruined: A Story for Teaching Flexible Thinking can be used for growth-mindset teaching and how to cope with adversity.

The next three social emotional read alouds are also by Bryan Smith. Even though the main character of the first two is a boy, these books can easily be used to help girls as well.

Since the third one listed is about sports, I noticed that my male students and my son gained just as much from it as my female students!

Of Course, It's a Big Deal! : A Story about Learning to React Calmly and Appropriately by Bryan Smith

What Were You Thinking? A Story about Learning to Control Your Impulses by Bryan Smith

This book about impulse control became especially helpful when my son had his "incident" of running out of the school screaming and crying.

Once we read it together, he calmly explained to me ways that he could have handled that situation differently.

If Winning Isn't Everything, Why Do I Hate To Lose? by Bryan Smith

I Can Handle It (Mindful Mantras Book 1) contains affirmations that kids can put into practical use when they are struggling with a social setting or an emotional dilemma.

My favorite thing about this book is that it is FREE with the Amazon Kindle Unlimited Program. As I always mention in my posts about read-alouds, Kindle Unlimited has saved me SO MUCH money on books.

Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller stays in steady rotation throughout the school year for me. I also use it with the Golden Rule as a part of my classroom management system.
Related Post: How I Use the Golden Rule for Classroom Management
With so much emphasis on being kind, children can confuse their other legitimate emotions as being far worse than they are.

Students need to understand that we are all striving to be nice, but being mad or sad doesn't make you a failure or a bad person!

Mad Isn't Bad: A Children's Book About Anger by Mundy Michaelene does a great job helping you teach that concept.

Social Emotional Learning Books for Teachers and Parents

Understanding brain development in children AND effective pedagogy really helped me with this topic.

I learned practical ways to help my students socialize appropriately and manage their emotions well with these social emotional learning books for teachers listed below.

Jim Fay and David Funk's approach to classroom management continues to be controversial, but I have followed their strategies and ideas for YEARS! Plus, you know from my bio that I've taught different grade levels. Their principals in Teaching with Love and Logic have worked with me in each grade I've taught!

Their companion guide: Parenting with Love and Logic is a great read also!

Anything that gives practical ideas-not just philosophy-is a winner in my book! That's why I recommend 20 Ways to Implement Social Emotional Learning in Your Classroom by Ka'Ren Minasian.

I could write an entire blog post alone about this book!
Children who need social-emotional skill training usually thrive in a structured environment.
That's why I "preach" classroom organization and management tips throughout this site.

One of the best ways to achieve this is to directly teach procedures. Harry Wong's First Days of School gives the best blueprint to help teachers with that!

How Do I Begin to Teach Social-Emotional Learning in My Class?

1- Decide What Your Students Need the Most Right Now

You cannot teach every skill all at once.

If you have more students struggling with blurting out and impulse control: then start there.

Or maybe you see an ongoing issue with poor sportsmanship during game-based learning, then focus your attention there.

Teaching social-emotional skills requires you as the teacher (or homeschooling parent) to also be emotionally healthy! Don't stress yourself out trying to do too much.

2- Infuse Social-Emotional Learning into Your Academic Content

Unless you work in a district or school that holds school all year long, then you only have 180 days with your kids.

As my mom used to say, "See if you can kill two birds with one stone!"

For example, I taught writing skills with social-emotional skills so that I could give my students practice with both! They were engaged with a topic that would help build character and establish classroom community, but they were also getting the necessary writing practice that they needed.

If you're looking for a resource that combines social-emotional learning with academic content, you'll love these Golden Rule task cards. This set also make a great companion to the book Do Unto Otters. Click the image for more details!

3-Don't Be Too Proud to Beg!

Ok, you don't have to beg! But it really is perfectly ok to ask for help. If your school has a guidance counselor, see what resources or mini-lessons he or she can pitch in. Form a plan of action with parent volunteers.
My co-teacher and I worked together to implement The Recovery Desk system from Teaching with Love and Logic by Jim Fay and David Funk.
She and I kept a desk in the back of both our classes and we allowed students who needed it to go there and calm down. It wasn't a punishment or time-out. Many of our 4th graders used it to "get themselves together" and it worked beautifully.

4- Model Appropriate Social-Emotional Skills for Your Students

Strategies like The Recovery Desk that I just mentioned, were able to last in my classroom because I worked hard to remove the stigma that something was "wrong" with you if you couldn't control your emotions.

When my son explained to me why he ran out of the school crying, the thing he kept repeating was, "Everybody kept staring at me like something was wrong with me."
Although that episode was heavy for both of us, it made us stronger. It also helped me to be more transparent to him and to my students about the fact that grown-ups need emotional help too!
So I model that for them by doing yoga during some of our class brain breaks.

You don't have to do a full, detailed lesson every single day modeling these skills for them. Consistent glimpses of your techniques are sufficient to help students learn social-emotional strategies that will work for them!
Do you have a favorite book or strategy that you use to teach social-emotional skills in your classroom?
If so, I am always on the hunt for more tools to add to my teacher toolbelt on this topic. Please be sure to share your goodies below!

And if you wouldn't mind doing me a big favor: share this on your favorite social media site for someone else that may need it!

Thanks for transforming learning with me, beautiful butterfly!

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Books That Teach Social-Emotional Skills | The Butterfly Teacher

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To truly help our students succeed, we must acknowledge the socio-emotional aspects of learning. This post shares different books that teach social-emotional skills that can be used for inside and outside of the classroom. Each book recommended here is a book that I have used to teach social-emotional skills not only to my students but also to my own son at home.

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Social-Emotional Learning in the Primary Classroom 

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Social-Emotional Learning in the Primary Classroom 

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SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Years ago I would get some disapproving looks when I mentioned how much classroom time I dedicate to social emotional learning. "What about the curriculum! You'll never get through it all if you don't start right away!"

But I did get through it all, sometimes with time to spare. Why? I found that if we solidified expectations for kindness, inclusion and self-management early, and spent a LOT less time on disruptions through the year. Plus, we were shaping future citizens; it's not just about getting through this year - it's about skills students will need for success throughout their lives.

That's not to say that it was smooth-sailing every day. We still revisited and reinforced social skills daily. However, the overall atmosphere of peace and happiness allowed us to get through a lot more curriculum than we would have otherwise.

I feel strongly that as teachers we are responsible for teaching the whole child. My goal is not just to teach academics, but to teach skills that help students recognize and manage their own emotions, foster a growth mindset and treat others with compassion and respect. I want these things for my own children, so why not for my students?
My main goal as I begin each year is to directly teach concepts like self-management, anti-bullying, respect, inclusion, conflict resolution, and gratitude.

SEL PROGRAMS

So where to start? I've used a number of programs over the years:

The first program I tried over 25 years ago was called the Second Step Program. It uses specific puppets that you can purchase within the program to act out scenarios with very young students.

The How Does Your Engine Run (within the Alert Program) was helpful in teaching students to become aware of their own energy levels (ie. too excited to focus), and the The Zones of Regulation also helped my students become aware of which energy zone they were in at any given time.

We were lucky to have the trainers from the Mind Up program come to our school and educate us on how to teach mindfulness to our students. I would highly recommend investigating any of the programs I've listed above to see if they are a good fit for your students.

The year-long program I currently use is called The Kindness Classroom, and I've given some examples for the first few units below. I print and laminate the materials to use year after year. The class across the hall from me also uses this program, so many of our primary students are familiar with the same language and social skills being explored.
The full year curriculum is divided into 8 different units:
Exploring Emotions

Growth Mindset

Self-Regulation & Management

Kindness & Friendship

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Respect & Inclusion

Personal Responsibility & Citizenship

Gratitude

SOCIAL STORIES

One of the reasons I feel this program is so engaging is that each unit contains a read-aloud story based on a the same central characters.These 14-page books can be printed, or used as e-books, and they provide context for discussion of the new topic. The characters explore a number of social emotional concepts together, and I often hear students referring back to the stories when they make connections.

Even if you don't use a specific SEL program, there are many wonderful books with social/emotional topics to explore. You can see a list of them on a separate blog post by clicking here.

PARTNER PLAYS

The Kindness Classroom also contains 9 different partner plays based on the characters from the books, which are fun to perform with the class. If your students are able to write, students can create and perform their own partner plays for the class, based on events that are relevant to them.

ROLE PLAY

Even if your students are too young to read and write, role playing can be a valuable way to explore SEL topics that arise in your classroom. Through the day, there are many situations that can become the topic of role playing. Perhaps there was an argument about sharing materials, or something happened out on the playground - these are perfect for discussion.

Role playing has the advantage of giving specific examples of what may have been said, and specific examples of responses. The best part is that the examples are relevant to your classroom, and can be done with only 10 extra minutes. The Kindness Classroom includes several opportunities to role play, and encourages students to discuss and common issues in the primary classroom.

JOURNAL REFLECTION

Journaling is an open-ended way to explore personal ideas about SEL topics. You can begin with a prompt, or give students the freedom to write about anything they like. The Kindness Classroom program has approximately 40 different journal prompt pages to choose from, ranging from topics like big emotions, growth mindset ideas, bullying, conflict resolution, making good choices and citizenship. These kinds of personal writing are often very revealing and provide me with a unique understanding of my students.

TEACHER SCRIPTS

One of the biggest frustrations I hear from teachers is the increased problems with behaviour and self-regulation. Even though giving time for SEL lessons is sure to help, it can be hard to know where to start, and HOW to start! What I love about using the Kindness Classroom is that the teacher scripts are included in the lessons plans so I don't have to remember what to say. I use the scripts as a guide to get started, and then let the conversation lead us. Having said that, the scripts also keep me focused on the main idea, and often introduce the next activity we will be using to explore the concepts. It's a real time saver!

SEL TOPICS TO EXPLORE

So what are the main topics to explore in SEL? Each classroom is different, but to begin I have to ask myself "What sorts of conflicts am I dealing with most often in my classroom?" Often I am helping students navigate a lack of understanding of other people's feelings. Other times, they are unable to recognize and deal with their own big emotions. So in my classroom, exploring emotions is the place to begin.
UNIT 1 OVERVIEW: Exploring Emotions
I have noticed that many students have never thought about their own emotions, and need explicit direction to recognize and label them. I have taught several children over the years who had great difficulty in reading emotions and body language in their peers. They also had trouble connecting specific emotions to the events that caused them. Because of these observations, we begin by looking at emotion cards and labeling not just the emotion, but possible situations that might cause someone to have that facial expression.

Also, students do not always realize that people may feel completely differently than they do about the same event or situation.We talk about how some people may find a roller coaster exciting, while others may find it terrifying. Another key concept: emotions are temporary, and this is an important thing to realize, even for adults!

Unit 1 of the Kindness Classroom program is broken down into 28 different activities exploring the concepts discussed above, including reading and discussing the story, journal writing, whole group games, and partner plays.
UNIT 2 OVERVIEW: Growth Mindset
Once students have an awareness of emotions, I want to make sure they are also aware of their thoughts! The Growth Mindset unit makes students more aware of their inner words, and how that affects their actions. It also reinforces a classroom environment where mistakes are perfectly okay, and just a vehicle for improvement rather than judgement. The story Little Penguin Learns To Fly explores these concepts, as do the partner plays, role play cards, flip books, journals, games, poems and art projects included.

We also explore the "power of YET" in our positive thinking, create our own comics, and play board games to reinforce concepts.

After four lessons learning about perseverance and learning from mistakes, we put our learning to the test with a STEM challenge! Students are encouraged to embrace challenges. They are prompted to look forward to learning from their mistakes. They know to expect that they will have to change ideas that don't work out as they wanted.

It's very powerful to watch students recognize their feelings of disappointment and discouragement, and then use their new skills to turn it into something positive. These are skills they will lean on throughout their whole lives.

Take a Look Inside!

If you'd like to see more details about all 8 units in The Kindness Classroom, keep reading!

Take a look at some examples below, or click on any image to see a more extensive preview.

I've compiled a snapshot of each unit below, with visual images from each unit so you can see what's inside.

Click HERE to see LOTS of pictures and sample lessons in the preview!

SOCIAL STORIES

Do you use social stories in your classroom? These are simple social skills that are taught directly in ways that students can relate to and practice. These are game changers in my room - take a look at the set that I use below. It includes an entire week of lessons for each topic!

Pin for later!

Pin for later!

Pin for later!

Here's a free download sample from Unit 1 - Exploring Emotions!

Students use any sort of clay or dough to make parts of the face. If students can read, they make facial features that match the sentence at the top, and check off the circles below using a ball of dough. Just print and laminate - they can be used with dry erase markers as well! Click below to grab them!

SOCIAL SKILLS - PAPERLESS TEACHING

What if you're in a rush, or your curriculum doesn't allow for a lot of extra time to address social skills? One idea is to use Paperless Social Skills Lessons - they project onto your white board so you have a new topic to explore each day for the whole year. PS: I use a similar activity each day for projectable MATH lessons (click HERE) and READING lessons (click HERE). I like to have the whole year planned out to make sure I don't miss anything (and it's much easier to use if you job-share with another teacher through the week!)

Here's how it looks:

And here's the full year collection of topics:

Click HERE to take a look at the full-year bundle of over 200 conversation prompts which are similar to the free sample above.

Thanks for taking a look!

Continue exploring with any of the links below:

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Social Emotional Learning in the Primary Classroom - Whimsy Workshop Teaching

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Years ago I would get some disapproving looks when I mentioned how much classroom time I dedicate to social emotional learning. "What about the curriculum! You'll never get through it all if you don't start right away!" But I did get through it all, sometimes with time to spare. Why?

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According to statistics from the National Bullying Prevention Center, one out of every five kids has been bullied. It's more important than ever to teach students about the negative effects of bullying and to do so as early as possible. With the help of our awesome teacher community, we compiled this list of anti-bullying books (organized from youngest to oldest) that address bullying, teasing, friendship, self-esteem, and more.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry

True friends stick up for one another, even when it's a little bit scary.

Buy it: Stick and Stone at Amazon

2. Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell

Molly Lou is a unique individual, that's for sure. But her grandmother has taught her well. So when a bully picks on Molly, she knows just what to do.

Buy it: Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon at Amazon

3. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Anti-bullying books are hard to find for the younger set, but Chrysanthemum is a popular picture book about teasing, self-esteem, and acceptance. It has sold more than a million copies and was named a Notable Book for Children by the American Library Association.

Buy it: Chrysanthemum at Amazon

4. A Big Guy Took My Ball! by Mo Willems

Sometimes it's terrifying to be the little guy on campus. Will Piggie and Gerald figure out a way to survive the playground bully?

Buy it: A Big Guy Took My Ball! at Amazon

5. One by Kathryn Otoshi

In this beautiful and spare picture book, author Otoshi tackles what it means to exclude a peer-and why it's important to respect different personalities-in an artful and imaginative way.

Buy it: One at Amazon

6. The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith

Mean Jean is the recess queen, and it isn't until a new girl becomes her friend that recess dynamics change for the better. This book is ideal for addressing bullying that can be resolved without adult intervention.

Buy it: The Recess Queen at Amazon

7. The Juice Box Bully by Bob Sornson and Maria Dismondy

One of the best things kids can do to combat bullying is to stand up for one another, which is exactly what The Juice Box Bully is about. Students will learn how to have each other's back instead of doing nothing when they witness bully confrontation.

Buy it: The Juice Box Bully at Amazon

8. Willow Finds a Way by Lana Button

When bully Kristabelle starts uninviting kids to her birthday party, shy, quiet Willow decides she's had enough. Her simple act shocks everyone and changes the dynamic of the whole classroom.

Buy it: Willow Finds a Way at Amazon

9. I Walk With Vanessa by Kerascoët

This pictures-only storybook beautifully illustrates how one person's kindness can inspire an entire community to stand up to bullying.

Buy it: I Walk With Vanessa at Amazon

10. You, Me and Empathy by Jayneen Sanders

A very helpful book for teaching children about empathy, feelings, kindness, compassion, tolerance, and recognizing bullying behaviors.

Buy it: You, Me and Empathy at Amazon

11. Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

Readers will learn about the benefits of making new friends in this book. When Jeremy Ross tries to get rid of his enemy, his dad comes to the rescue. The catch? The only way for Jeremy to succeed is to spend an entire day playing with the enemy. Soon, his worst enemy turns into his best friend!

Buy it: Enemy Pie at Amazon

12. My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig

Monica and Katie have been friends since kindergarten, but the older they get, the more confusing the friendship becomes. Monica can't understand why Katie has started to exclude her and call her names.

Buy it: My Secret Bully at Amazon

13. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

The Hundred Dresses won a Newbery Honor in 1945, proving that anti-bullying books have been around for a long time. This book follows a classmate who is ridiculed by bullies for wearing the same dress to school every day, while other students stand by and do nothing to help.

Buy it: The Hundred Dresses at Amazon

14. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

This book sensitively addresses the needs of quieter children and reminds readers how small acts of kindness can help others feel included.

Buy it: The Invisible Boy at Amazon

15. No More Labels! by Denisha Cook and LaMonica Powers

With a focus on students with different abilities, this book teaches kids to build on their personal strengths, regardless of what labels-official or unofficial-the world puts on them.

Buy it: No More Labels! at Amazon

16. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

There are many messages in this book that follows the story of Chloe, who won't let the new girl, Maya, play with her and her friends. Eventually Maya stops coming to school, and Chloe realizes that a small act of kindness-like being Maya's friend-could have gone a long way.

Buy it: Each Kindness at Amazon

17. Bully by Patricia Polacco

Here's a book that takes on cyberbullying and cliques. When students begin teasing classmates on Facebook, Lyla knows something needs to be done. This is one of our fave anti-bullying books for our increasingly digitally savvy students.

Buy it: Bully at Amazon

18. The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale

This book pulls from actual events as the author loosely recounts what it was like when he was bullied in sixth grade. It incorporates both sides of bullying and addresses this ongoing issue in the lives of middle schoolers.

Buy it: The Bully Book at Amazon

19. Blubber by Judy Blume

Like many of Blume's novels, this one is enduringly relevant. While some of the references may elude young readers, the realistic ways kids speak and act-taking teasing too far until it escalates into physical bullying-make Blubber both a compelling story and an important look at the harm kids can do to one another.

Buy it: Blubber at Amazon

20. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This uplifting novel follows August Pullman to fifth grade, which is his first time entering a mainstream school. August was born with a facial deformity, so he'll have to convince his classmates that he is normal, just like them, despite his appearance.

Buy it: Wonder at Amazon

21. Restart by Gordon Korman

Prolific middle-grade author Korman steps into a bully's shoes in this book. When Chase wakes up with a bump on his head and no memory of what he was like before his fall, he has to relearn who he was-and he's not sure he likes what he discovers. Can he be a better person with this second chance?

Buy it: Restart at Amazon

22. Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

What happens when your best friend since forever starts hanging out with the "popular" crowd? A story about how hard it is to find your real friends in life, but how the journey is worth it.

Buy it: Real Friends at Amazon

23. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

Heroine Annabelle must find her courage to stand up to a cruel bully and lead by example in this poignant tale set in the United States during World War II.

Buy it: Wolf Hollow at Amazon

24. Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

One of our favorite anti-bullying books, this is a must-read for teens. Today's top young adult authors contributed 70 heartfelt stories about bullying in this collection-from being a bystander to a victim to a bully themselves. The book also includes resources and suggestions for further reading.

Buy it: Dear Bully at Amazon

25. Tease by Amanda Maciel

This story is about a teenage girl who faces criminal charges for bullying after a classmate commits suicide. Now she's under attack as her peers, the community, and the media berate her for causing such a tragic event.

Buy it: Tease at Amazon

26. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Sixteen-year-old Alice decides to settle the score with classmates after she is diagnosed with leukemia. Knowing she only has a few months left to live, she figures if she gets even and hurts people for the things they've done in the past, it won't matter in the future. To her surprise, she goes into remission and has to face the consequences of all she has said and done.

Buy it: Side Effects May Vary at Amazon

27. The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Two trans teens have to rely on each other as they navigate school and life. This is a great pick for cis gender teens and tweens to better understand the trans experience.

Buy it: The Art of Being Normal at Amazon

28. It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller

Centered on the LGBTQ+ experience, this bestseller includes testimonials and essays by famous and successful adults who struggled as adolescents. No matter who is reading, there is much to be gained from this collection.

Buy it: It Gets Better at Amazon

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28 Must-Read Anti-Bullying Books for Kids

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It's more important than ever to teach students about the negative effects of bullying early-on. These anti-bullying books can help.

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Must Have Picture Books to Teach Social Emotional Skills

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Must Have Picture Books to Teach Social Emotional Skills

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No matter what age you teach, social-emotional learning is an essential part of your curriculum. Social skills books for kids are crucial in the classroom for supporting conversations about social-emotional issues. That's why we gathered 50 (yes, 50!) social skills books for kids, including lots of great recent ones you may not have seen yet, that you can share to help kids build empathy, talk about emotions, navigate tough experiences, and more.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

Books About Managing Fear and Anxiety and Taking Risks

1. Brave Every Day by Trudy Ludwig

Camila and Kai are both scared about their class's field trip to the aquarium, though they show it in different ways. It turns out that supporting each other helps them both.

Buy it: Brave Every Day on Amazon

2. A Case of the Zaps by Alex Boniello and April Lavalle

Robot Pi's class is planning a class trip to "where it all started, Olde Silicon Valley." (Ha!) It's supposed to be exciting, but Pi's worries quickly kick into "overdrive." The fun robot metaphors give kids helpful language for talking about anxious feelings. Bonus: We appreciate the incidental use of they/them pronouns for the main character!

Buy it: A Case of the Zaps on Amazon

3. The Whatifs by Emily Kilgore

Scary "Whatifs" follow Cora everywhere, and it only gets worse as she prepares for her big piano recital. Her outlook changes when Stella challenges her to turn her bad Whatifs into good ones.

Buy it: The Whatifs on Amazon

4. Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at all. Also check out the sequel Jabari Tries to talk about perseverance!

Buy it: Jabari Jumps on Amazon

5. The Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann

Ernestine is super excited to go camping for the first time with her aunt and cousin-until they reach the campsite, that is. Then everything feels scary, and she misses her dad.

Buy it: The Camping Trip on Amazon

6. Anita and the Dragons by Hannah Carmona

Fear of "dragons" almost overcomes Anita as she and her family prepare to emigrate from their home in the Dominican Republic. Her brother reminds her, "They aren't real dragons. They're just planes in the sky."

Buy it: Anita and the Dragons on Amazon

7. The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken

Zoom meets Beautiful Oops! in this book about the creative process and the way in which "mistakes" can blossom into inspiration.

Buy it: The Book of Mistakes on Amazon

8. Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka

Learning to ride a bike is one of the most important milestones of childhood, and this book captures the emotional ups and downs of the experience.

Buy it: Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle on Amazon

9. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can't draw-she's no artist.

Buy it: The Dot on Amazon

Books About Friendship

10. Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler

One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground. Everyone agreed to obey his rules to play in King Jonah's kingdom ... everyone except for Lennox, because she wanted to rule the playground too.

Buy it: Rulers of the Playground on Amazon

11. A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey

Henry, who has autism, eagerly wants a new friend. But many of his classmates aren't quite the perfect fit he imagines. Then he builds blocks with Katie, and their tower is just right.

Buy it: A Friend for Henry on Amazon

12. Daisy by Jessixa Bagley

Teasing makes Daisy feel terrible. She spends much of her time alone, collecting treasures-until she realizes someone else is adding to her treasure shelf.

Buy it: Daisy on Amazon

13. The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party ... until a new kid comes to class.

Buy it: The Invisible Boy on Amazon

14. Ways To Make Friends by Jairo Buitrago

Friendship books are some of the most important social skills books for kids to have in the classroom. Toad works hard to make new friends. He tries lots of different strategies, including some unusual ones. We like that his experiences let kids know that sometimes making friends can feel hard or tiring, and that's OK!

Buy it: Ways To Make Friends on Amazon

Books About Identity

15. What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns by Katherine Locke

This is one of our favorite social skills books for kids for supporting developmentally appropriate conversations about pronoun choices. Let kids know they have options for the words that feel right-and that it's important to respect others' choices too.

Buy it: What Are Your Words? A Book About Pronouns on Amazon

16. Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty

We love all the Questioneers books to use as engaging class read-alouds, but this one is especially awesome for talking about strengths, challenges, and finding your own way to shine. Aaron Slater has a tough time writing a story to share in class, until he lets his love of art lead the way.

Buy it: Aaron Slater, Illustrator on Amazon

17. Like by Annie Barrows and Leo Espinosa

This quirky ode to human connection is a fun way to launch conversations about similarities and differences. How are humans like mushrooms, excavators, and hyenas? We love social skills books for kids that get classrooms talking and wondering together!

Buy it: Like on Amazon

18. Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. Though Jeremy's grandma says they don't have room for "want," just "need," when his old shoes fall apart at school, he is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that is much too small.

Buy it: Those Shoes on Amazon

19. Home Is In Between by Mitali Perkins

If you're looking for social skills books for kids related to code-switching-navigating multiple cultures-Shanti is a positive role model for students. When she and her family move to the United States from India, the worlds inside her home and in the larger community feel very different.

Buy it: Home Is In Between on Amazon

20. My Very Own Space by Pippa Goodhart and Rebecca Crane

A little rabbit is trying to read his book in peace, but there's so much going on around him! Maybe he needs some space just for himself. ...

Buy it: My Very Own Space on Amazon

21. My Shadow Is Pink by Scott Stuart

This child's family is sure his shadow is blue, but it's not-it's pink. And the shadow loves dresses and dancing, and it definitely wants to be seen as it really is.

Buy it: My Shadow Is Pink on Amazon

22. Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho

This young girl is intensely proud of her "eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea." She also loves that her sister, mother, and grandmother all share the same special feature.

Buy it: Eyes That Kiss in the Corners on Amazon

Books About Overcoming Challenges

23. I Love Strawberries! by Shannon Anderson

Jolie desperately wants to grow strawberry plants in the family garden, but her parents aren't on board. She takes on the challenges of convincing them she's responsible enough, earning money to buy plants, and caring for the plants once she plants them. This is a good one for talking about how achieving a goal can include lots of different challenges along the way.

Buy It: I Love Strawberries! on Amazon

24. The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned To Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and Oge Mora

Mary Walker was born a slave and persevered through challenges her entire life. At age 114, she finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of learning to read. She's an inspiration for us all.

Buy it: The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned To Read on Amazon

25. Argyle Fox by Marie Letourneau

Argyle Fox, with his signature style, wants to play outside on a springtime day, but the wind is wreaking havoc with his fun and games. As soon as he builds a card tower, climbs into a giant spider web, or takes up his pirate sword, here comes the wind: Woosh!

Buy it: Argyle Fox on Amazon

26. Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson

Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people-but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams.

Buy it: Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah on Amazon

27. Life by Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel

There are so many wonderful things about life, both in good times and in times of struggle.

Buy it: Life on Amazon

Books About Kindness

28. A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

Add this to your social skills books for kids to encourage kindness in the classroom. Simple text and sweet illustrations show a diverse class spreading kindness from one person to another in lots of doable ways.

Buy it: A Small Kindness on Amazon

29. John's Turn by Mac Barnett

When it's John's turn to perform at the school assembly, he's nervous, but his love for dancing gives him confidence. His classmates cheer him on. This is a one of our new favorite social skills books for kids to talk about encouraging others and giving each person their "turn" to shine.

Buy it: John's Turn on Amazon

30. When We Are Kind / Nihá'ádaahwiinít'íigo by Monique Gray Smith

This bilingual English and Diné book uses art inspired by Navaho culture to show how simple kindnesses have a lasting impact. It would be lovely inspiration for a kindness-themed class book or bulletin board.

Buy it: When We Are Kind / Nihá'ádaahwiinít'íigo on Amazon

31. The Smile Shop by Satoshi Kitamura

Disappointment washes over a small boy when he drops the money he's saved down the drain. A stranger in a photography studio chooses to make an unexpectedly kind gesture.

Buy it: The Smile Shop on Amazon

32. Pass It On by Sophy Henn

When you see something terrific, smile a smile and pass it on! If you chance upon a chuckle, hee hee hee and pass it on. Should you spot a thing of wonder, jump for joy and pass it on!

Buy it: Pass It On on Amazon

Books About Grief

Equal parts affirming and hopeful, if you need social skills books for kids to help cope with a friend moving, this is the one. Daniela can't believe Evelyn won't live across the street anymore. But focusing on cherished memories and keeping in touch helps her manage.

Buy it: Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away on Amazon

34. The Circles in the Sky by Karl James Mountford

This folktale stars Fox, who wonders about a dead bird in the forest. This book gives classrooms an inclusive and gentle way to talk about death.

Buy it: The Circles in the Sky on Amazon

35. Rosa's Song by Helena Ku Rhee

Jae misses his village in South Korea but finds comfort with his new friend Rosa, who lives in his building. Then Rosa and her family have to move suddenly. This reassuring story is helpful for talking about coping with surprise disappointments.

Buy it: Rosa's Song on Amazon

36. Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Ruchi Mhasane

A boy and his grandfather connect through painting. When the grandfather dies, the boy can't face his art for a long time. Finally, painting again helps him heal.

Buy it: Dadji's Paintbrush on Amazon

Books About Feelings

37. Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman

An energetic group of young friends has big plans for the day-until big, hard feelings get in the way. It'll take talking about it and being flexible to get the day back on track.

Buy it: Big Feelings on Amazon

38. I Am Okay To Feel by Karamo Brown and Jason "Rachel" Brown

A boy and his dad walk and talk about their feelings. We love how positive and relatable this book is for kids. Well-researched back matter gives adults lots of tools for talking with children about emotions too.

Buy it: I Am Okay To Fee l on Amazon

39. Great Big Feelings series by Hallee Adelman

These are invaluable social skills books that normalize big emotions for kids. Each book shares a relatable experience from a kid's perspective and ends with a positive coping strategy. These are also great examples of personal narrative writing (with details about feelings!).

Buy it: Way Past Afraid and Way Past Sad on Amazon

40. Cranky Right Now by Julie Berry

"I'm cranky right now and I have my reasons," says this main character. Bad moods happen to all of us. Get kids talking about how to sit with grouchy feelings and let them pass.

Buy it: Cranky Right Now on Amazon

41. The Shadow Elephant by Nadine Robert

Elephant feels really down. All his friends keep trying to distract him, but it turns out what he really needs is a friend to be with him and his hard feelings until they fade away. This is one of our new favorite social skills books for kids with a message that it's OK to just sit with difficult emotions.

Buy it: The Shadow Elephant on Amazon

Books About Honesty

42. Lying Up a Storm by Julia Cook

A storm is brewing ... whenever Levi doesn't like the truth, he kinda sorta makes up other stuff to say.

Buy it: Lying Up a Storm on Amazon

43. Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie by Laura Rankin

Ruthie loves little things-the smaller, the better. So when she finds a teeny tiny camera on the school playground one afternoon, she can hardly believe her luck. She wants to keep the camera in the worst way, but there's one little problem: It isn't hers.

Buy it: Ruthie and the (Not So) Teeny Tiny Lie on Amazon

44. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no.

Buy it: I Want My Hat Back on Amazon

Books About Self-Control

45. Stop and Smell the Cookies by Gibson Frazier

If you're looking for a new social skills book for kids that tackles managing impulsivity in a positive and empathetic way, you need this one! Dash Gordon has big ideas, good intentions ... and a hard time reining himself in. When he's feeling down about having a tough day, his mom helps him learn a mindful breathing routine that really helps.

Buy it: Stop and Smell the Cookies on Amazon

46. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions.

Buy it: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse on Amazon

47. My Mouth Is a Volcano! by Julia Cook

All of Louis's thoughts are very important to him. In fact, his thoughts are so important to him that when he has something to say, his words begin to wiggle, and then they do the jiggle, then his tongue pushes all of his important words up against his teeth, and he erupts, or interrupts others.

Buy it: My Mouth Is a Volcano! by Julia Cook

47. You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown

Today is the day the exuberant Lucy is going to make a new friend! But she finds it's harder than she had thought-she accidentally ruins the giraffe's breakfast and is much too big for the frogs' pond.

Buy it: You Will Be My Friend! on Amazon

48. Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale

Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and BOOM. He zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess.

Buy it: Clark the Shark on Amazon

Books About Resiliency

49. Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae

Gerald the tall giraffe would love to join in with the other animals at the Jungle Dance, but everyone knows that giraffes can't dance ... or can they?

Buy it: Giraffes Can't Dance on Amazon

50. Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña

Milo feels like a "shook-up soda" as he takes the subway to visit his mom, who is incarcerated. He copes with his feelings by imagining the lives of his fellow passengers-and imagines the time when his family will be together again.

Buy it: Milo Imagines the World on Amazon

Use this four-step process when reading these social skills books for kids to reinforce the skills featured:

1. Describe: Talk with your students, and have them talk with one another, about what they think the main point of the story was. What social skills did the story define? How do you know? Why are these skills important? Can you make a connection to the story from your own life? Make a poster together, or have students write or draw in their journals about these social skills.

2. Demonstrate: Have a few students act out what the social skills look and feel like. Role playing different ways students can demonstrate these skills will help reinforce the behavior.

3. Practice: Plan activities where each child has to take a turn to practice the featured social skills.

4. Promote: Promote, support, and encourage children as they initiate and engage in behavior that demonstrates these social skills. Catch them being kind, flexible, honest, confident, and more!

Looking for more social skills books for kids? Don't miss:

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50 Children's Books for Teaching Social Skills

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This diverse collection of social skills books for kids helps launch classroom conversations about identity, perseverance, grief, and more.

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Picture Books That Promote Diversity & Inclusion 

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Picture Books That Promote Diversity & Inclusion 

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It is important that every preschool teacher ( and parent) have access to great picture books. Picture books that not only explore the alphabet or counting or our students' favorite characters. You also need books that help children develop their own character. Social-emotional learning is an important, if not the most important part of early childhood education. Having access to the right books to share with your students is a must.

This list focuses on building community through inclusion and the strength that comes from a diverse community. Some of the books teach this explicitly, and some are more implicit with the lesson. All have wonderful messages for young children. I have a related book list about Books That Teach Children To Include Others that you don't want to miss. I'll link it again at the end of this list!

All our book lists include affiliate links.

Books that Promote Diversity and Inclusion

Morris Micklewhite and The Tangerine Dress By Christine Baldachinno. Morris is just who he is. Who he happens to be is a boy who loves to dress up in an orange dress. The adults in the story don't pass judgment. They support Morris for who he is without labeling or shaming. It takes some time for all the kids to be accepting, but soon their similarities and mutual interests overcame the differences. Everyone plays better together, and Morris doesn't have to change who he is to be part of the group.

The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates is an incredibly simple book that could be used with a wide range of ages to teach about inclusion. It is a rainy day, and a child goes out with their umbrella. Soon the umbrella that loves to help is taking in everyone from the rain, no matter who they are or what they look like. The umbrella is, of course, a symbol for an inclusive society but with young children, it can be used as a great tool for discussion. " How would you feel if there were lots of people under that umbrella, but you weren't allowed under?" "Why do you think the umbrella lets anyone in?"

Calvin Can't Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne is a story about a starling Calvin who can't fly and really isn't even interested in learning. Calvin loves books and the library, and while all the other birds are flying in a pack, he is off on his own. The other birds find a way to make sure to include Calvin when they migrate. Soon it is Calvin's turn to use what makes him different to help the whole flock stay safe from a hurricane! I love that this book showed his strengths and weaknesses and how real inclusion means accepting both in a group.

It Takes A Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton is a book that is focused on equity and inclusion. The text is a simple look at what being part of a community is about and what villages of people need to thrive; the right tools, kindness, sharing, and a shared purpose. The purpose, in this case, is building a playground for the children to play and build their own community with. The illustrations by one of my favorite inclusive illustrators, Marla Frazee, add such depth to this book. Every time I read it I find new little stories in the illustrations. There are interracial couples, children, and adults in wheelchairs, young men with babies, a breastfeeding mama, and a man with tattoos all over this arms in addition to all ages, sexes, and races working and playing together.

Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena is an award-winning book that deserves every award it gets. The story is simple. A little boy and his Nana take the bus after church to a shelter. There they help serve food to people living there. The inclusiveness comes in how Nana speaks to CJ her grandson about all the different people they encounter on their journey. She models how to be part of a diverse community that not only accepts but celebrates everyone.

Egg by Kevin Henkes is a perfect little book about inclusion for very young children. Four little eggs are waiting to hatch. When they do three birds pop out, and the last egg doesn't hatch. The little birds can't wait for their fourth sibling. So they start pecking away at the egg only to discover it isn't a bird after all. When the birds fly away from the different hatchling, readers can explore the negative feelings this spark. But in the end, the birds become friends with the other hatchling who is happy to be part of the family.

Lovely by Jess Hong is well...lovely! The book asks "What is lovely?" and the illustrations that follow answer that with a diverse group of opposites, all accepted as lovely. It celebrates being different and more importantly accepting different as lovely. The illustrations are the backbone of this book, and they do a fantastic job at including many of the fabulous differences in the world.

Brontorina by James Howe is brilliant because it combines dinosaurs with how to make an environment that isn't inclusive into one that is inclusive with a great story. Brontorina is a dinosaur who wants to dance, but she is too big for the dance studio. At first, they turn her away. Soon, it becomes clear that the studio needs to change. Then she and others realize their dreams of dancing. I love this book, I can't read it without tearing up, and I have read it many many times. Kids love it too!

This Is How We Do It by Matt Lamothe is a great look at seven children around the globe and what their life is like. To be inclusive, we first need to learn to appreciate differences. Because, it is not inclusive to pretend we are all the same. We are different, and that is a strength, not a weakness. My daughter loved this non-fiction look at what life is like in places like Iran, Japan, and Italy. Children will naturally compare their lives to these children's lives and note the similarities as well as the differences. What is great is that at least with my daughter we found many with all the children.

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev deserves a post all of its own; it's that good and that important. This book is about a little boy and his elephant who are banned from the local pet club because well, elephants are not allowed. They don't share a reason why elephants are not allowed, just that they aren't. This lets parents and teacher reiterate the fact that sometimes people are excluded for no reason. It's not about them. It's about the people excluding them. In the book, after being banned, they find others who have been made to feel unwelcome, different, and lesser and start their own pet club. One that welcomes everyone and their pets no matter what.

Come With Me by Holly M. McGhee is a look at how inclusion can work as a force against hate and fear. The kindness that is a part of inclusion and the inclusion that is part of kindness is what this book focuses on. How little gestures and acts of kindness can create a shared sense of well being and community. This book would be a great addition to a lesson about random acts of kindness.

I'm New Here by Ann Sibley O'Brien is a book about being new told through the stories of three recent immigrant children; Maria from Guatemala, Jin from Korea, and Fatimah from Somalia. Readers see the struggles that the children face learning a new language, feelings of isolation, and then each child gaining confidence in their new home. All children can relate to new experiences. This book helps to go a little further and imagine not knowing the language. It also shows the power of kindness and inclusion children can show to someone new. Also, how a little goes a long way. None of these children feel included at the beginning of the book. However, as the other children in their classrooms take steps to include them, they begin to blossom.

A Family is a Family is a Family by Sara O'Leary is fantastic! This book starts off with a child nervous to talk about their family because it's not like everyone else. Soon as all the students share things that make their families unique the child sees all families are different, but they are all families.

I love that what the children share about their families isn't the label most adults would put on the diverse family in the illustration. It explains a same sex family as "Both my moms are terrible singers..." instead of "I have two moms. They are lesbians." This is a much more inclusive way to present families, not to mention more natural. It includes many different family structures from same sex, to single parents, big families, families with a new baby, interracial families, families with divorced parents, families with foster children, and more.

All The World by Liz Garten Scanlon has a message about diversity that is subtle and goes so much further than simply human differences. Diversity is everywhere. All of our differences come together to keep the world going. This book is very poetic; it leaves the readers both old and young feeling peaceful and connected. I love this book and its ambiguous but lovely images of people of all different backgrounds working, eating, and playing together. Oh and this is a fantastic book to calm a busy preschool class.

Want more books about inclusion? This book list focuses more on children taking action and learning how to include others and is a great companion to the list above.

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Picture Books That Promote Diversity and Inclusion

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It is important that every preschool teacher ( and parent) have access to great picture books. Picture books that not only explore the alphabet or counting or our students' favorite characters. You also need books that help children develop their own character. Social-emotional learning is an important, if not the most important part of early childhood education.

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Growth Mindset Read Alouds that foster Writing

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Books About Writing: Growth Mindset Read Alouds - Simply Kinder

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Get your students excited with these Growth Mindset focused books about writing. Students will love these four read alouds.

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10 Read-Alouds to End the School Year - Babbling Abby

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​As the end of the school year approaches, I wanted to share some of my favorite read-alouds with you! These books are appropriate to read in kindergarten through the fifth grade classroom, all helping you close out the school year and transition your students into the next grade.

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10 Read Alouds for Celebrating Differences 

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10 Read Alouds for Celebrating Differences 

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10 Read Alouds for Celebrating Differences

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It's never too early to teach the lesson, "We are all special, just the way we are!" As kids begin exploring the world with their senses and making their first friendships, children who don't use their senses or communicate in the same way as others can quickly become stigmatized.

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Abstract

Repeated interactive read alouds, a systematic method of reading aloud, allow teachers to scaffold children's understanding of the book being read, model strategies for making inferences and explanations, and teach vocabulary and concepts. A storybook is read three times in slightly different ways in order to increase the amount and quality of children's analytical talk as they answer carefully crafted questions. During the first reading, teachers introduce the story's problem, insert comments, ask a few key questions, and finally ask a "why" question calling for extended explanation. This is accompanied by elaborations on a few key vocabulary words. Second reads capitalize on children's growing comprehension of the story by providing enriched vocabulary explanations and asking additional inference and explanation questions. Third reads consist of guided reconstruction of the story in which children recount information as well as provide explanations and commentary.

These techniques have shown to be effective in increasing children's engagement, understanding, and appreciation of literature in preschool and kindergarten settings.

Introduction

Research is mixed on the value of reading aloud to children aged 3 to 6. On one hand, researchers have validated that reading aloud affects vocabulary development (Robbins & Ehri, 1994; Whitehurst et al., 1999), acquisition of literary syntax and vocabulary (Purcell-Gates, McIntyre, & Freppon, 1995), story recall (Morrow & Smith, 1990), and sensitivity to the linguistic and organizational structures of narrative and informational text (Duke & Kays, 1998). Studies have shown that preschoolers make gains in expressive language even when the duration of story reading interventions are short (e.g., Hargrave & Sénéchal, 2000). In contrast, researchers have found only a modest relationship between the frequency and quality of parent-child read alouds during preschool and later first-grade reading achievement (Scarborough & Dobrich, 1994). Researchers have also found a negative relationship between the amount of time teachers spend reading aloud in kindergarten and children's decoding skills (Meyer, Wardrop, Stahl, & Linn, 1994). These studies suggest that merely reading books aloud is not sufficient for accelerating children's oral vocabulary development and listening comprehension. Instead, the way books are shared with children matters.

Effective read aloud techniques

Research has demonstrated that the most effective read alouds are those in which children are actively involved asking and answering questions and making predictions rather than passively listening (Dickinson, 2001). These read alouds are called interactive or dialogic and result in gains in vocabulary (Hargrave & Sénéchal, 2000), comprehension strategies and story schema (Van den Broek, 2001), and concept development (Wasik & Bond, 2001). Merely inviting children to talk during interactive read alouds, however, is not sufficient to accelerate their literacy development. Instead, growth is related to how frequently they engage in analytic talk (Dickinson & Smith, 1994). Analytic talk involves making predictions or inferences that explain a character's motivation or connect events from different parts of the story. Teachers prompt children to engage in analytical thinking by making comments that model such thinking and then asking thoughtful questions.

Other activities boost the value of reading aloud to young children. For example, research has demonstrated that the following activities increase comprehension and language development: inviting preschoolers and kindergartners to retell or dramatize stories (Cornell, Sénéchal, & Brodo, 1988; Pellegrini & Galda, 1982); reading several books on a similar topic and inviting children to play with objects related to the concepts or characters introduced in these books (Rowe, 1998; Wasik & Bond, 2001); reading a book repeatedly (Crago & Crago, 1976); inserting short definitions for some words while reading aloud (Collins, 2004; Elley, 1989); and encouraging children to use these same words when they answer questions, discuss book events, (Hargrave & Sénéchal, 2000; Robbins & Ehri, 1994), or describe illustrations (Reese & Cox, 1999). Thus, effective interactive read alouds include a systematic approach that incorporates teachers' modeling of higher-level thinking, asking thoughtful questions calling for analytic talk, prompting children to recall a story in some way within a reasonable time frame, reading a single book repeatedly, and reading books related by topic. It also involves a systematic approach to developing children's understanding of vocabulary, such as inserting short definitions of words and phrases during reading.

Two recent methods for reading aloud to children aged 3 to 6 include many of these research-based techniques. Klesius and Griffith (1996) described a technique for reading aloud to small groups of at-risk kindergartners that they claimed extended children's talk about books. Using interactive read alouds, teachers point to details in illustrations and ask questions about vocabulary words as they read. They extend children's responses by asking them to clarify and explain. After reading, children recall a portion of, or the entire, story. Beck and McKeown (2001) developed a similar technique, called Text Talk, to help kindergarten and primary-grade children expand vocabulary. As teachers read, they draw attention to a few vocabulary words by inserting short definitions. They also ask open-ended questions in which children must provide explanations rather than one-or two-word responses. After reading, teachers discuss vocabulary words in the context of the story and in other contexts.

Our experiences with effective read aloud practices

As researchers and practitioners of early literacy development, we have demonstrated and observed teachers reading aloud in hundreds of preschool and kindergarten classrooms over the last three decades. Despite the wealth of research on effective read alouds and practical models for such approaches, we have noticed that fewer teachers seem to be attempting to read what we consider sophisticated stories and nonfiction books in preschool and kindergarten in favor of reading easier, predictable, and concept books (often in Big Book format), especially in classrooms with high percentages of at-risk children. Sophisticated picture books include, for example, stories in which readers must infer characters' motivations and thoughts and connect them to actions (i.e., causes and effects). These books have a rich repertoire of vocabulary. Examples include Henny Penny (Galdone, 1968), Oonga Boonga (Wishinsky, 2001), and Owl Moon (Yolen, 1987). These books can be contrasted with predictable books in which readers do not need to infer character motivation, feelings, or thoughts in order to enjoy the repeated words and actions. Examples include Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Martin, 1967) or Over in the Meadow (Wadsworth, 1992). While predictable books have a role in preschool and kindergarten literacy programs, sophisticated picture books play an additional role of expanding vocabulary and enhancing oral comprehension.

Because we were aware that fewer teachers seemed to be reading sophisticated picture books as a daily part of their early literacy programs, we worried that many children were not engaging in analytic talk. As we wondered how we could help teachers systematically promote this kind of talk, we considered Cochran-Smith's (1984) argument that effective teachers model the role of ideal reader as they read aloud. An ideal reader is one who intuitively and unconsciously makes appropriate inferences and predictions and constantly rethinks current events in a story in relation to past events. Thus, effective teachers model what ideal readers do by explicitly talking aloud as they read, making children aware that they are predicting, making an inference, or changing their ideas about what is happening in a story. While thinking aloud is a frequently used technique to help children interpret literature in the elementary grades (e.g., Keene & Zimmerman, 1997; Miller, 2002), we wanted to adapt this technique for much younger children. We wanted teachers to model making comments that would reveal implicit information that preschool and kindergarten children would not likely be able to produce on their own. Therefore, we crafted an approach to reading aloud to reflect insights drawn from current research and theories of an ideal reader as well as our own experiences. The purpose of this article is to describe what we call repeated interactive read alouds using sophisticated storybooks.

Repeated interactive read alouds: first reading of a picture storybook

The first read aloud includes four components: book introduction, vocabulary support techniques, analytical comments and questions, and an after-reading "why" question. These techniques have been carefully selected to help children build a stronger first understanding of the story, including some of its vocabulary.

Book introductions

Research has shown that effective readers quickly begin to infer story problems and use their tentative ideas about problems to process story information (Van den Broek, 2001). However, problems present challenges for young children: They are often not directly stated in the text (Paris & Paris, 2003; Stein & Glenn, 1979), and young children are relatively insensitive to problems and goals compared to characters and actions (Benson, 1997; Stein & Glenn). Because young children are not likely to focus on the story problem, we craft book introductions to make the problem explicit.

For example, Henny Penny (Galdone, 1968) is about a hen who mistakenly believes that a piece of sky has fallen on her head. She is so upset by this event that she acts foolishly and rushes to tell the king about this occurrence. She does not recognize the danger posed by the fox when he invites her and her friends to take a short cut right into his cave (the actual problem of the story, which only readers and not the characters realize). In order to construct a three- or four-sentence introduction we either explicitly state or strongly imply the main problem of the story. For example, to introduce Henny Penny we might say,

In this story you are going to meet a silly, foolish hen who makes a big mistake. She thinks a catastrophe, a really bad disaster, is about to happen and runs to tell the king about it. A lot of her friends believe her mistake, and they all get in trouble because they are so silly.

As we give the book introduction, we show the front cover and sometimes the back cover or end papers and the title page (rather than all the illustrations as is done in a picture walk). For example, the front cover of Henny Penny illustrates the main character and the end papers depict Henny Penny running up a hill toward a castle. As we show these pages we complete the book introduction:

Here is Henny Penny running to tell the king about the catastrophe. But I have to warn you, she never makes it to the castle. Let's find out what happens to her on the way to tell the king about the catastrophe.

We do not recommend that, during a first read, teachers have children identify book parts such as the front and back cover or top and bottom of the page, tell what the author or illustrator does, or discuss the dedication page. We have found that these activities divert children's attention away from the main goal of a first read aloud-to enjoy a good story by focusing on its meaning. As we read a book during a first read, we use expression, gestures and dramatic pauses, variations in the pace of reading, and plenty of eye contact. We have found these techniques highly effective at capturing and maintaining children's interest and enjoyment, even when reading longer and more sophisticated books.

Inserting vocabulary support

Before reading the book aloud, we select 5 to 10 vocabulary words or phrases from the book that we will highlight or define during reading. These words are critical to understanding the story and are likely to be encountered in other books or useful in nonbook contexts (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002). Sometimes the book does not include specific vocabulary that ideal readers would use in their analytical thinking about this particular book, so we insert these additional vocabulary words into the book introduction and our comments as we read aloud. For example, we would insert the words mistake, catastrophe, disaster, and foolish while reading Henny Penny because these words are critical for analyzing the problem in relationship to the main character's motivations and traits. Once we select vocabulary words and phrases, we highlight the words or enhance word and phrase meanings in one or more of five ways:

1. We insert a short phrase or sentence that defines or explains a word, such as saying "Feast, that's a really big dinner."

2. We point to salient parts of the illustration that help clarify a word or phrase meaning, such as pointing to the illustration of an acorn as we read the word in the text.

3. We use dramatic gestures, such as demonstrating the meaning of shrugged by shrugging our shoulders as we read.

4. We use voice, such as making clear the fox's sly intentions by reading the text with a droll voice.

5. We vary the pacing with which we read words or phrases, such as reading more quickly what Henny Penny says to demonstrate her foolish rush.

It only takes a few moments to plan how to support children's understanding of each word, but the most effective read alouds are ones in which we actually decide which of the vocabulary enhancers we will use for each vocabulary word. For words that are to be clarified verbally, we plan short explanations that are "slipped" into the story reading so the definitions are part of the actual story without interrupting the flow of reading.

Comments and questions to support and extend comprehension

During reading we make comments that demonstrate analytic thinking at three or four junctures in which ideal readers would make inferences about a character's thoughts, feelings, or motivations, or we predict upcoming events. When we comment about the story, we often use language to signal our mental activity by using the phrase "I'm thinking." For example, in the scene where Henny Penny exclaims, "The sky is falling. I must go and tell the king" (unpaged), we may comment, "I'm thinking this is where the hen is doing something really foolish. She isn't even looking down to try and find out what really hit her. I think she is looking up instead of down." Then we would go on to ask, "Why does the hen think a piece of the sky has fallen on her head?" We have found that children's answers to questions following our analytical comments are more likely to be related to the story. This teaching sequence provides a deliberate and systematic approach toward expanding children's comprehension. We have noticed that most young children are not yet capable of engaging in analytic thinking and talking without teacher modeling or questioning.

After-reading questions

After reading the entire book, we ask a "why" question requiring children to make inferences about and explain several story events. Then we use follow-up probing questions to support children's ability to answer broader explanation questions. For example, after a first reading of Henny Penny, we might ask the explanation question "Why didn't Foxy Loxy just jump up and eat those silly birds? Why did he lead them into his cave?" In order to help children answer this question we might comment, "I'm thinking that even though the fox is strong and has big teeth, there are a lot of birds. How many friends were with Henny Penny?" Recalling the number of birds will help children infer that the fox may have only been able to catch and eat one of the birds and the others might have escaped. We also help children consider this question by using illustrations to support their thinking. In this version of the story, the last illustration shows Foxy Loxy and Mrs. Loxy and their seven children peering out from the cave. We turn to this illustration and say, "You know I'm remembering this illustration right here. This might give me a hint about why the fox led the birds into the cave. What is the hint?" This comment might help children infer that Foxy led the birds into the cave so that his children would also have a dinner, and his wife could help catch the birds.

Second interactive read aloud

Second read alouds occur a day or two after first reads. The purpose is to enrich children's comprehension of the story and provide further opportunities for children to engage in analytic talk. During second book introductions, we remind children that they have read this book before and that they will remember some things from the book; for example, we might say,

We read this book yesterday, and you probably remember that it is about a hen who misinterprets something that happened to her. Who can remember what she thought happened to her? What was the catastrophe, and what did she decide to do about it?

We continue to highlight the same vocabulary; however, in a second read we verbally define more words. For example, during a first read of Owl Moon, in which a father and a child go owling in the woods late one night, we might simply dramatize how the owl pumped his wings. During the second read, we would dramatize pumped and insert a verbal explanation (e.g., "That means he flapped his wings up and down very hard").

During the second read, we continue modeling analytic comments, but we ask more frequent questions that help children make additional inferences. In the first read, our comments focus on getting children to infer what the main character is thinking and feeling or to connect main events with their causes. Thus, our comments and questions during the second read might focus on the other characters' motivations or thoughts. Just as in a first read, we prepare children to answer analytical questions by first modeling analytic comments that make explicit some, but not all, of the information needed to adequately answer the question. For example, in Henny Penny, after Cocky Locky asks to join Henny Penny on her way to tell the king that the sky is falling, we might comment, "I'm thinking that Cocky Locky believes that a piece of the sky really did fall on Henny Penny's head." Later, when Ducky Lucky joins Henny Penny and Cocky Locky, we comment, "Henny Penny has now convinced two other birds that the sky is falling." Then we could ask, "If they had been with Henny Penny when the acorn fell on her head, what do you think they would have said when she shouted, 'Oh, my, the sky is falling, we must go and tell the king'?"

Like first reads, we end second reads by asking another explanation question. Sometimes we ask children about something that might happen beyond the story. For example, we might ask, "What do you think the king would have done if Henny Penny had managed to get to the castle and told him the sky was falling?"

Third interactive read aloud

Third reads occur a few days after the second read when the story is still fresh in children's minds but when they must remember information across some time. This close repetition is also important for reinforcing vocabulary carefully developed during the first and second read. Third interactive read alouds differ from first and second read alouds because they integrate a guided reconstruction of the story with the teacher's reading of some of the story text. Reconstructions are retellings of story events along with explanations about what caused those events and what characters are thinking during the events. Therefore, guided reconstructions are more effective than mere retellings because children use analytical talk to explain why events occurred.

In third read aloud book introductions, we again acknowledge that children are familiar with the book and its content and ask questions about the title or characters, such as "We've read this book two times before, so I know you know its title. What is it?" We usually allow children to respond together to this easily answered question. We might continue to prompt children to reconstruct information by asking, "What other details do we see on the cover that we know are important for the story?" (e.g., prompting children to notice the acorn on the front cover of Henny Penny). We continue to focus on the story problem by asking, "We all remember Henny Penny's problem, don't we? Who would like to share that with us?" We are very careful with the number of questions we ask both during book introductions and during guided reconstruction. We have found that third read alouds can become deadly when teachers overwhelm students with a barrage of questions.

We use two general prompts in guiding reconstruction of texts. Before reading some pages of the story, we point to the illustration and ask, "What's happening here?" We use this prompt as we show a double-spread illustration. Sometimes we use the second question "Do you remember what will happen next?" before turning to the next illustration. We only use this question when the next event is causally related to the event the children have just recalled. For example, in Owl Moon after reconstructing the event in which the characters hear the owl hoot in response to the dad's call, we might ask, "Do you remember what happens next?" because this scene provides a connection to the next event: seeing the owl.

After children reconstruct the events on one double spread, we might read the text. On longer books, we reread many pages of the text and have children reconstruct only a few pages; on shorter books, we allow children to reconstruct more of the story and read only a few pages of the text. The length of the book and children's responses guide our decisions of whether to read more or engage children in more reconstruction.

In third reads, teachers continue to insert verbal explanations of words, point to illustrations, and make dramatic motions. To further emphasize vocabulary in a third read, teachers extend some word meanings to a familiar context but not one included in the story. For example, to extend children's understanding of the word pumped in Owl Moon, we might say, Sometimes, when you are on the swings outside and want help we tell you to "pump your legs," and you move them back and forth to make yourself go up and back on the swing. The owl was moving his wings-pumping them up and down to fly through the sky.

Thus, each day of the repeated interactive read aloud systematically builds and extends children's awareness and understanding of vocabulary. Table 1 presents an overview of the components for the three days of repeated interactive read alouds.

First read aloud

Second read aloud

Third read aloud: Guided reconstruction

Book introduction
Give a few sentences introducing the main character and central problem. Use illustrations on the book cover, back, and title page as needed.

Remind children that they know the characters and some things the character does. Ask questions about the characters and problem.

Invite children to identify the problem and describe the solution. Have children recall the title of the book.

Book reading
Insert vocabulary enhancements for 5-10 vocabulary words by pointing to illustrations, gesturing dramatically, or inserting a few definitions. Make comments that reveal what the main character is thinking or feeling. Ask a few follow-up analytical questions based on your comments.

Insert vocabulary enhancements for the same vocabulary, including more verbal definitions. Make comments that reveal what other characters are thinking or feeling. Ask more analytical follow-up questions.

Before reading a double page, show the illustration and ask, "What is happening here?" Follow up children's comments by extending comments or asking for clarification. Read some of the pages of text. When appropriate, before turning to the next page, ask, "Who remembers what will happen next?" Call attention to some vocabulary in different contexts.

After-reading discussion
Ask a "why" question that calls for explanation. Use follow-up questions to prompt answers. Demonstrate how to answer the question by saying, "I'm thinking...."

Ask another "why" question or ask, "What would have happened if...?" Use follow-up questions to prompt children's thinking.

Ask another "why" question or ask, "What would have happened if...?"

Repeated interactive read alouds in action

Across three days of reading the same book, the strategies used in repeated interactive read alouds provide children with an opportunity to engage more actively in the reading experience. During a first read, teachers take a more active role by reading the text and making comments; children are actively listening and sometimes comment or answer questions. During a second read, children participate more verbally by answering questions and commenting more frequently. In the third read aloud, children take a highly active role as they reconstruct the story with teacher guidance. The following excerpts are taken from book introductions in a first, second, and third read of a story. They demonstrate how children's participation changes across time.

First read aloud: Book introduction

In the story Oonga Boonga, no one can quiet Baby Louise who is crying so loudly that pictures fall off walls, neighborhood animals flee, and neighbors come calling to help. Despite attempts by every family member, only Louise's brother Daniel can soothe her. We read this book three times to a group of 4-year-olds in a Head Start center.

Teacher:

Today I'm going to read you a book called Oonga Boonga, and this story is about Baby Louise (points to front cover with illustration of Baby Louise and Daniel smiling at one another, then turns to the back cover and points to illustration of Baby Louise crying). Baby Louise is unhappy. She's crying and crying, and no one can stop her. I know one reason why babies cry; they cry because they're hungry. They cry when they're bored and want to see something funny. We're going to find out why Baby Louise is crying and what will help her stop crying. (Turns back to front cover) Here is Baby Louise and she's not crying is she? This might give us a hint about what stops her from crying.

In this book introduction, Lea (first author) provided reasons why babies might cry and hinted strongly at what would make Baby Louise stop crying by showing the front illustration of Daniel and Louise. She did all the talking while the children were actively listening.

Second read aloud: Book introduction

The following day Lea read the book a second time to the children. She prompted the children to take a more active role in constructing the book introduction.

The second book introduction was jointly constructed by Lea and the children. Lea allowed and encouraged spontaneous comments and prompted the children to recall what they knew about the story.

Third read aloud: Guided reconstruction book introduction

In the book introduction for the third read, Lea again prompted children's active engagement by asking them to reconstruct more of the story. The children remembered much of the discussion they had during the second read aloud and included speculations of what might have happened if Daniel had tried alternative ways to quiet Baby Louise.

Thus, across these three introductions, it is clear that the children are building a richer, more detailed understanding of the story. By the third read, the children are clearly using analytic talk to move beyond what actually happened in the story to what might have happened.

Analytic talk in first and third read "why" questions

In the next section, we show how children's ability to use analytic talk increases from a first to a third interactive read aloud. Here is their response to a "why" question during the first read:

The children were able to make explicit that Baby Louise was crying because she wanted her brother. They were beginning to grasp that the silly words her brother said had nothing to do with Louise stopping crying; it was her brother she wanted. Lea continued to explore this inference in both the second and third read with different "why" questions. By the third read, most children engaged in a more extended analytic discussion.

While Lea's original "why" question seemed beyond the children's understanding, turning to specific illustrations and posing alternative questions allowed children to be more successful in both understanding the questions and making the inferences needed to answer them. Most children realized that Daniel, not the silly words, was the key to getting Baby Louise to stop crying.

As shown in the excerpts from the three repeated readings of Oonga Boonga, our experiences suggest it is a powerful technique for extending children's vocabulary, their use of comprehension strategies, and their engagement with literature. We are consultants and directors of several Early Reading First grants currently using a repeated interactive read aloud approach. While repeated interactive story reading is certainly not the only strategy used to enhance vocabulary and comprehension in these programs, it is the most systematic approach. The repeated interactive read aloud approach requires that teachers study closely each book they read. They must craft effective comments and questions and be able to respond on the spot to children's answers, which often indicate misinterpretations and misunderstandings. However, it is critical that teachers use these strategies so that children engage in analytical thinking. We recommend that teachers read aloud a sophisticated picture book daily, along with many other kinds of books, including predictable books. Teachers with whom we have worked include repeated interactive read alouds of a sophisticated storybook or nonfiction as a part of their daily whole-group literacy instruction.

Final thoughts

We have shown that the repeated interactive read aloud technique is a research-based approach to comprehension and vocabulary development in preschool and kindergarten. We developed this approach to help teachers share picture books with young children, especially children with few home literary experiences, in ways that will allow them to enjoy our most sophisticated literature. It challenges both teachers and children to extend their thinking and their literary understanding in analytic discussions.

About the authors

McGee teaches at The Ohio State University (Ramseyer Hall, 29 W. Woodruff Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA). E-mail [email protected] Schickedanz teaches at Boston University in Massachusetts.

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Repeated Interactive Read Alouds in Preschool and Kindergarten

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Research has demonstrated that the most effective read alouds are those where children are actively involved asking and answering questions and making predictions, rather than passively listening. This article describes in detail a technique for a three-step interactive read aloud using sophisticated storybooks.

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Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. Learn about how reading aloud builds important foundational skills, such as introducing vocabulary, building comprehension skills, and providing a model of fluent, expressive reading. And get tips on how to make the most out of your read alouds.

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Instructional Strategies that Encourage Student Engagement with Text 

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Instructional Strategies that Encourage Student Engagement with Text 

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It is an extremely cold Monday morning in this rural Midwestern community, but warmth and an exciting conversational buzz hovers in one first-grade classroom. Several students are seated in the library corner, turning, pointing, chuckling, laughing, and reading various pages of their class-compiled storybooks. Others are flipping through the large chart papers clipped to the easel, reviewing and talking about ideas they contributed to the assortment of Venn diagrams. One small group is huddled together examining picture books their teacher has asked them to nominate for inclusion on this week's read-aloud class list (all student names are pseudonyms).

Ben:
I like this one. I saw it on Reading Rainbow [holds up a copy of Jacqueline Briggs Martin's Snowflake Bentley].

[brief pause]

Tracy:
Wow, look at this one [squeals with excitement]; it's 'bout a crab.

Megan:
Let me see [inspects closely]; it looks like... ummm, the one in the other book.

Tracy:
[opens eyes wide] It's by Eric Carle, you guys.
Megan:
Yeah... the man who didThe Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Grouchy Ladybug.
[The other two nod their heads in agreement, leaning over to look at the cover of the book.]

Ben:
Let's ask Ms. Wlodarczyk to read it.

Tracy writes the title on the list as her peers continue to browse other books in the basket. The children continue to negotiate and select what titles to add to the read-aloud list. In this classroom, the students' talk is lively, energetic, and focused on literacy; they seem to find it especially delightful to locate their past work and share with a friend or thumb through a stack of books, looking for ones that hold and stimulate their interest in some way. Moments later, their teacher calls out, "OK, I need my friends to meet me on the carpet area. It's time to look inside a book."

These interactions demonstrate active student involvement with printed material, which it is hoped will lead to intrinsic motivation to read regularly and widely. Several research investigations have underscored the significance of text engagement and proficient readers (see, Dolezal, Welsh, Pressley, & Vincent, 2003; Taylor, Pearson, Clark, & Walpole, 2000; Wharton-McDonald, Pressley, & Hampston, 1998).

Getting students to engage with texts involves a multiplicity of simultaneous activities, including motivation, content knowledge, literacy strategies, and social collaboration before, during, and after a literacy event (Baker, Dreher, & Guthrie, 2000; Block & Johnson, 2002; Guthrie, 2004). Engagement strategies can be thought of as vehicles with the capability to transfer and transport students' thinking from listening to a story to writing about their understanding.

This article describes evidence-based practices that encourage first graders' engagement with texts. We review reading as a transactional process, revisit the benefits of reading aloud to students, provide a rationale for promoting engagement with texts, discuss three literacy strategies implemented in one first-grade classroom, and share examples of work contributed by the students.

Reading as a transactional process

Reading is obtaining meaning from printed material (Graves, Juel, & Graves, 2006). Historically, it was held that meaning resided exclusively in the text. However, Rosenblatt (1978) changed this perception when she posited that reading is a transactional process. The transactional theory maintains that the reader must transact with the text to make meaning. According to the transactional view, meaning does not reside in the text itself nor can meaning be found just with the reader; in fact, it is when the two transact that meaning occurs. Also, the transactional view further indicates that meaning is derived from the context of a given social interaction (Almasi, 1996).

Additionally, when reading or listening to text, the reader or the listener draws on several interacting knowledge sources to make meaning (Anderson, 1994). These knowledge structures include comprehension strategies, such as prior knowledge (Pearson, Hansen, & Gordon, 1979), making connections (King, Staffieri, & Adelgais, 1997), question answering, question generating, and presenting alternative perspectives (Chan, Burtis, Scardamalia, & Bereiter, 1992). It is essential to make students aware of these different knowledge sources; thus we must teach students how to apply a variety of strategies to promote their ability to read and listen.

Researchers indicate that motivation is a top predictor of whether students will engage with texts in meaningful ways. A reader's motivation can include the context of the reading situation, choice in text selection, and reading of high-interest material (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000; Pressley, 2006). Furthermore, because learning is a social activity, it is important for us to allow social collaboration as part of our instructional practice (Baker et al., 2000; Guthrie, 2004). Numerous studies claim that peer interactive learning is conducive and perhaps essential to cognitive development. Findings from a large body of studies show that students learn more through peer collaborative learning approaches compared with learning in isolation or teacher-dominated instruction (Slavin, 1983). Peer collaborative learning is an educational practice where peers interact with one another to achieve learning goals (DeLisi & Golbeck, 1999).

Benefits of the read-aloud process

The read-aloud process has enormous benefits to literacy learning. Read-aloud is an instructional practice where teachers, parents, and caregivers read texts aloud to children. The reader incorporates variations in pitch, tone, pace, volume, pauses, eye contact, questions, and comments to produce a fluent and enjoyable delivery. Reading texts aloud is the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for successful reading (McCormick, 1977).

Trelease (2001) postulated that reading aloud is a powerful way to engage children in the literacy process. Several researchers and practitioners have demonstrated the significant impact of the read-aloud practice in different areas of reading development (Barrentine, 1996; Sipe, 2000). Klesius and Griffith (1996) concurred and explained that the read-aloud experience increases students' vocabulary development and comprehension growth. They also noted its potential to increase motivation to want to read while building the knowledge necessary for the successful acquisition of reading and writing.

Reading aloud to children builds and supports their listening and speaking abilities and enhances their overall language development (Barrentine, 1996; Sipe, 2000). Trachtenburg and Ferruggia (1989) agreed after they examined the impact of oral language development through the shared book experience with high-risk beginning readers. Both claimed their students developed a rich language base and came to understand the power of words by listening to stories, reading stories, and responding to stories through a variety of engagement activities.

Rationale for promoting engagement with texts

Teachers can create a variety of situations to extend opportunities for literacy learning; however, having students listen to a read-aloud then participate in an engagement activity relevant to the text is one context in which to keep conversation focused on a target learning goal. A related extension activity before, during, or after a read-aloud can help students connect or extend their prior knowledge to the text being read and discussed (Hoyt, 1999). To help students become proficient readers and thinkers, it is necessary to teach them a handful of highly effective literacy strategies, such as techniques to use before, during, and after reading or listening to a text and various ways to monitor their understanding as they read or listen to a text.

Researchers and classroom teachers advocate that engaging students in extension activities as part of a read-aloud is good practice because the read-aloud event provides a beneficial context for students to see how language works (Cunningham & Allington, 2007; Gunning, 2010). Engaging with text requires active thinking and reflecting, which enhances comprehension; therefore, activating and making use of cognitive resources can enable understanding of texts.

Alphaboxes in first grade

According to Hoyt (1999), the Alphaboxes strategy is one way to encourage students to collaboratively interact with text. Alphaboxes can take the form of a prereading or a postreading activity to help stimulate students to think about and discuss key ideas in the text. For example, while notating examples under the appropriate alphabet letter in each box, students can generate questions; highlight important concepts; make connections; provide explanations; locate, identify, and discuss unfamiliar words; and present different points of view.

The Alphaboxes strategy requires students to move from simple recall of factual information to going beyond the information presented in the text. Generating questions, making connections, providing explanations, identifying and discussing unfamiliar vocabulary words, and presenting alternative perspectives are all higher-level cognitive processes that increase learning (Block & Johnson, 2002; Duke & Pearson, 2002; Pressley, 2006). Additionally, when students work with one another, their thinking is distributed among group members, and participants share cognitive responsibility while externalizing their thoughts as they work through tasks (Palincsar & Herrenkohl, 1999).

On several occasions after the read-aloud of an informational storybook, Lisa (second author) used Alphaboxes as an extension activity in her first-grade classroom. Informational storybooks are children's trade books that use a combination of fiction and nonfiction elements to tell the story. Typically, the students were placed in pairs or small groups of up to four members and given one copy of the storybook that was read aloud and a copy of the Alphaboxes sheet.

From January through April, when Vanessa (first author) observed the students and collected samples of their work, the students were experienced at listening to a story and working in small groups to complete the sheet. One note of caution, the students did not complete paper-and-pencil extension activities every day a read-aloud was conducted, although there were always discussions about the stories. For purposes of this article, Lisa reflects on how the students were taught to use Alphaboxes as a way to stay focused on the learning goal:

Well, they had a lot of experience listening to readalouds and they knew that part of this process involved them participating in some type of talk, or art, or writing activity after the story... so with Alphaboxes, they didn't come to the experience totally not knowing how to work with their friends or how to ask questions, or how to try to figure out a word... and things like that.

When I first introduced Alphaboxes to the first graders, I showed them how to look for the target words and write examples under the corresponding letters of the alphabet. At first, I asked that they come up with maybe five to six words per group, then, as we progressed, I increased the required number of boxes to be filled in. I have never required them to fill in all 26 boxes.

Over time, I introduced them to coming up with questions, or trying to figure out a word they didn't know, or explaining a term or idea from the story and things like that. Now... it's almost the end of the year and without me asking...they are filling in more and more of the boxes. It's important to say that at the beginning... I talked them through the activity... I showed them how... I modeled for them... I required that they help me to select words and ideas from the storybook we read... to go in the boxes. So, I provided lots of support when we first started... and gradually they were able to do it on their own.

At first, it was hard for some students, but putting them to work with others allowed them to see how to pick out ideas, words, and questions from the story. Now, it's much easier for these students...almost all of them can complete an Alphaboxes sheet. At the end of each activity, I always do a community share by allowing each group to share with everyone the ideas they came up with...the children like doing this...they look forward to it.

One book selected for read-aloud and the Alphaboxes activity was A House for Hermit Crab, by Eric Carle (1987; see Figure 1). This is an informational storybook about a hermit crab that has outgrown its shell and must find a new one that can fit. Hermit Crab finds one the right size, but it is too simple, so Hermit Crab asks a variety of sea creatures to help decorate and make the new shell feel like home.

Figure 1: Alphaboxes - Contributions From All Groups

Storybook used: "A House for Hermit Crab," by Eric Carle.

Making connections in first grade

When reading a text, proficient readers activate numerous interacting knowledge sources to construct meaning of the message. One of these knowledge sources is schema, which is the stored body of knowledge one already has in memory. Schema theory maintains that reading is an active process, whereby readers construct new ideas and concepts based on their prior knowledge (Anderson, 1994). Using this same line of thinking, we can argue that when listening to a text, listeners must also make meaning by using already-established knowledge structures and integrate this with incoming information. That is, they interpret the information they are listening to and relate it to what they have already read, heard, or experienced. Additionally, the more prior knowledge one has stored about a topic, idea, or concept, the easier it is to understand a text discussing that topic, idea, or concept (Pearson et al., 1979).

Making connections is another effective way to encourage students to actively engage with text. Some (King et al., 1997; Morrison, 2005) claim that learning increases when students make connections to what they are reading. King and colleagues (1997) demonstrated in their study on peer interactive learning that thought-provoking questions forced students to link newly acquired information to material outside of the current lesson, as well as make connections to the concepts they were learning.

Making connections is another effective way to encourage students to actively engage with text. Some (King et al., 1997; Morrison, 2005) claim that learning increases when students make connections to what they are reading. King and colleagues (1997) demonstrated in their study on peer interactive learning that thought-provoking questions forced students to link newly acquired information to material outside of the current lesson, as well as make connections to the concepts they were learning.

The crux of making connections lies at the time readers or listeners relate something they are reading or listening to, with something in their schema. The research literature identifies three types of connections: text-to-self connections, text-to-text connections, and text-to-world connections. Text-to-self connections involve making a connection between the target text and relating it to some personal experience, prior knowledge, or understanding-for example, an activity shared in the text and a similar one experienced by the reader or listener.

Text-to-text connections examine the relationship between the current text and relating it to texts read or listened to in the past-for example, comparing story elements in one book with another. Text-to-world connections require relating certain aspects of the text to what is happening or what has happened in the larger community or world-for example, comparing current and historical events and people with that of the text.

When teaching to make connections, students can be taught that their schemata includes experiences, which are lived through events they have encountered as part of their daily lives; knowledge, information they already have stored in their minds about a specific topic; and thoughts and opinions, ideas they have about people, places, and events in our world. Text-to-self connections are the first type of connections to teach students, followed by text-to-text, and then text-to-world. As with the teaching of all strategies, it is essential to model the process for students; the following suggestions can serve as a guideline (Miller, 2002):
Modeling text-to-self connections:

Tell students that they are making text-to-self connections when they are reminded of something from the text they are reading or listening to and can connect it to something from their own lives.

Tell students that you are going to show them a strategy that good readers use to help them understand stories they read or listen to.

Conduct the activity by prereading your selected book and writing notes to guide your instruction.

Gather students in a large group and tell them to watch and listen as you read aloud and make text-to-self connections.

Read aloud, model, and verbalize the connections you are making.

Be sure to stop frequently to share your connections.

Be sure to use strategy-related language, for example, "This part where (refer to what happened) reminded me of...."

Give students a turn and record their responses on large chart paper.

Modeling text-to-text connections:

Tell students that they are making text-to-text connections when they are reminded of something from this text and can relate it to something they have read in another text.

Tell students that you are going to show them another way to make connections to help them become better readers and listeners.

Conduct the activity by selecting two books that offer similar elements as this will help to make the process explicit for students.

Read aloud the selected texts on consecutive days.

Model connections you are making between one book and the one you already read.

Be sure you have preread and made notes on the sections of the text you want to refer to.

Be sure to use strategy-related language, for example, "When I read this part of the story where (refer to the part), I thought about...," "This part is just like...," or "This is similar to...."

Give students a turn, and record their responses on large chart paper.

Modeling text-to-world connections:

Tell students that they are making text-to-world connections when something in the book makes them think about something that is happening or has happened in their neighborhood, community, country, or the world.

Model the process as outlined for making text-to-self and text-to-text connections.

Give students a turn and record their responses on large chart paper.

Figure 2 is a version of the responses given by the first graders as they worked together in making the three types of connections. After listening to a read-aloud of Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe (1985), the students contributed these connections. Fireflies tells the story of a young boy who joins his friends to catch fireflies. He catches hundreds and puts them in one jar. Excited and happy to see their bright glow, he places the jar on the nightstand, but soon the jar grows dim. Saddened by this sight, the boy releases the fireflies into the night where they immediately begin glowing again. For text-to-text connections, the students were encouraged to relate Fireflies to The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle (1995), a story they had heard earlier about a firefly who had just hatched but found itself all alone. The story traces the journey of its quest to find other fireflies.

Teachers can use the strategy of making connections to support and enhance students' understanding of texts, which is the ultimate goal of reading or listening. When students make connections, they are actively constructing meaning of the event, thus building higher levels of learning.

Text-to-self

Text-to-text

Text-to-world

I catch fireflies in the summer time and put them in jars, but I let them go cause I don't want them to die.

It happened in the evening.

If someone locks you up, you will be sad.

It's really fun cause you have to jump high to reach the ones flying over your head.

It happened outside.

You can't lock up wild things.

I catch them too, and it's fun seeing who gets the most.

They are about fireflies.

You can't put so many ( fireflies) in one jar.

I wanted to find out what he would do with them in the end because I always let them go.

Fireflies wanted to be with their family.

Sometimes you can't have something you want.

I was scared for them when he went to bed and left them in the jar. I never did that.

All the fireflies are happy in the end.

Discussion web in first grade

Meaningful conversational discussion has enormous value to the learning process (Cullinan, 1993), as it stimulates and extends students' thinking (Cramer, 2004) while building and supporting social learning communities (Fish, 1980). Discussion enables collaborative sharing of ideas, alternative perspectives, and problem solving during learning (Almasi, 1996). Discussion allows students to revisit, question, and clarify text ideas, thus promoting higher cognitive abilities.

Alvermann (1991) and Vacca and Vacca (2008) indicated that one effective strategy for deeper processing during reading or listening to texts is through a discussion web. A discussion web is a graphic organizer that enables students to examine both sides of an issue before agreeing on a conclusion. This particular strategy is an adapted approach developed by McTighe and Lyman (cited in Alvermann, 1991). The technique calls for students to think of individual ideas based on their knowledge of the text, then work as a pair to record, discuss, and resolve their perspectives before meeting with another pair of partners to share these ideas. The foursome then nominates a speaker to present this information to the entire class.

The discussion web is an excellent activity to promote students' engagement with text because it allows for the examination of various points of view within a social setting. This comprehension activity encourages students to work collaboratively in small groups and promotes the opportunity for all voices to be heard. It also encourages argumentation of an open-ended question because it requires students to become proponents or opponents of an issue by offering valid reasons in defense of or opposition to the focus question. Further, this approach develops and enriches the thinking, listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing abilities of students.

At the first-grade level, it is important to modify the proposed discussion web as previously outlined to meet the developmental level of this age group. Lisa selected the discussion web as an extension activity because it allowed the students to move beyond simple yes-or-no responses when answering a question. To introduce the first graders to this approach, a prepared, open-ended question was always asked after the read-aloud experience.

At first and on three different occasions, Lisa asked a question and proceeded to present reasons as to why she agreed or disagreed with the idea. These initial exposures provided a context for the students to see and learn how to approach this technique. A few days later, the students were simply required to share their ideas verbally when the openended question was asked. Two weeks later, the students were placed in pairs, shown, and supported on how to carry out the strategy similar to what was described earlier.

The following is a description of how one discussion web activity was conducted. First, the students were prepared for the reading, and this was followed by a read-aloud and discussion, then the students worked in pairs before sharing their responses with the entire class. All of the children were seated on the carpet area when Lisa took her seat and held up a picture book.

Lisa:
Okay, friends, it's time to look inside a book. Today, I want to share with you a story called The Talking Eggs; it's written by Robert San Souci and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. [shows the cover, holding the book at students' eye level] And it received two important recognitions: it's a Caldecott Honor book and it received the Coretta Scott King Award.

The students immediately started talking because this piece of information reminded them of their study on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a topic covered under heroes, as part of Black History Month.

Lisa:
Okay, I want you to listen as I read... What do you think this book might be about?

The students provided several predictions including having something to do with eggs. Lisa pointed out the smiling faces on the eggs the young girl was carrying in her basket before reading aloud the text printed on the inside front jacket.

Lisa:
Hmm... this reminds me of a story we read earlier.

Several students:
"Cinderella... Cinderella."

Lisa:
Yes, Cinderella. What do you remember about the Cinderella story we read?

The students offered numerous responses relevant to elements within the Cinderella story. Lisa began an expressive reading of the story, showing students the illustrations, pausing to ask questions, stopping to make connections with other texts read in the past, commenting on the illustrations, and questioning the meaning of some words used in the story that may be unfamiliar to the students.

After the read-aloud, students were assigned to a partner and given a discussion web sheet.

Lisa:
Okay, before you talk with your partner, I want you to think about this question and come up with some ideas. The question for our discussion web is, Do you think the mom and daughter Rose deserve to be rich and live in the city? Then I want you to talk with your partner and write your ideas down on the sheet.

The students were given 10 minutes to work in pairs before coming together to share their responses as a large group. Figure 3 shows the collaborated responses based on The Talking Eggs, a tale about two young girls. In the story, the mother makes the younger one, Blanche, do all the work, while she and the older daughter sit on the porch and dream of becoming fine ladies. Blanche is very unhappy until one day when she gives a thirsty old lady a drink of water and life for Blanche quickly changes.

Teachers can use the discussion web as a strategy to stimulate collaborative discussions of texts. This technique allows the opportunity for all students to voice their individual point of view and pose alternative perspectives, which can enhance critical thinking abilities. Alvermann (1991) discussed several ways to adapt the discussion web for a variety of grade levels and when teaching content area material, such as mathematics, science, social studies, and literature.

We believe teachers can also adapt the discussion web to meet specific forms of writing, for example, persuasive arguments and discussion pointers where students are required to take a stance, provide evidence to support their claims, and formulate reasons why the evidence supports their claims (Hampton & Resnick, 2009). Additionally, the strategy can be modified to brainstorm and prepare students for debates about a variety of topics, for instance, when presenting arguments about moral values and social justice.

Figure 3: Discussion Web - Contributions From All Groups

I agree because

I disagree because

They need another chance.
They were poor.
They had an old, broken house.
They might get a job.
They might not be so mean in the city.
They might learn to love Blanche.

They were very mean because they were hitting the girl.
They were bad and mean.
They were mean to Blanche.
Rose was mean to the old lady.
They should not be rich.
They were mean and rude and naughty.
You need to be good to live in the city.
They did not like Blanche.
They let Blanche do all the work.

Strategy engagement can enhance meaning

It is widely agreed that strategy knowledge is critical for effective learning. Some have argued that knowing what strategy to apply and when to apply it can significantly improve students' understanding (Duke & Pearson, 2002; Pressley, 2006). Because comprehending information is the essence of reading or listening to texts, it is essential to teach a handful of highly effective strategies very early.

Alphaboxes, making connections, and the discussion web encourage comprehension development and help meet first-grade end-of-year benchmarks (Reutzel & Cooter, 2008). It is important to note that although some of the students' responses may appear simplistic, we see it as valuable when considering their age and developmental level. Their verbal and written language enabled us to see how and what they were thinking as they articulated their responses to the given tasks.

When students are required to engage with texts using strategies such as the three discussed in this article, their understanding is enhanced. Additionally, the paired and small-group collaboration promoted motivation, which fostered increased interest and learning of the material.

When students are required to engage with texts using strategies such as the three discussed in this article, their understanding is enhanced. Additionally, the paired and small-group collaboration promoted motivation, which fostered increased interest and learning of the material.

About the authors

Morrison teaches at Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan, USA; e-mail vmorrison@adrian.edu. Wlodarczyk now teaches first grade in Oahu, Hawaii, USA; e-mail lwlodarczyk@adrian.edu.

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Revisiting Read Alouds: Instructional Strategies that Encourage Students' Engagement with Text

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Learn about evidence-based practices that encourage first graders' engagement with texts. The authors review reading as a transactional process, revisit the benefits of reading aloud to students, discuss three literacy strategies implemented in one first-grade classroom, and share examples of student work.

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Reading Aloud - Basics for Teachers and Parents 

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Reading Aloud - Basics for Teachers and Parents 

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Reading aloud is one of the most important things parents and teachers can do with children. Reading aloud builds many important foundational skills, introduces vocabulary, provides a model of fluent, expressive reading, and helps children recognize what reading for pleasure is all about. Featured partner: Reading Is Fundamental

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Conner, J. (2004). Using Think-Alouds to Improve Reading Comprehension.

Davey, B. (1983). Think-aloud: Modeling the cognitive processes of reading comprehension. Journal of Reading, 27(1), 44-47.

Gold, J., & Gibson, A. (2001). Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension.

Olshavsky, J. E. (1977). Reading as problem-solving: An Investigation of Strategies. Reading Research Quarterly, 12(4), 654-674.

Wilhelm, J. D. (2001). Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies. New York: Scholastic Inc.

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Think-alouds have been described as "eavesdropping on someone's thinking." With this strategy, teachers verbalize aloud while reading a selection orally. Their verbalizations include describing things they're doing as they read to monitor their comprehension. The purpose of the think-aloud strategy is to model for students how skilled readers construct meaning from a text.

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Curious about using eReaders in your classroom? Top Teaching blogger Danielle Mahoney discusses a website that sparked her interest in digital books.

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Read Alouds - Tips and Strategies for Parents 

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Read Alouds - Tips and Strategies for Parents 

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Receive book suggestions, reading tips, educational activities, and great deals. Get 10% off your first order at the Scholastic Store Online when you sign up!

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Virtual Read Alouds During Covid-19 - The Teaching Texan

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There's no doubt, as educators we are in the midst of unprecedented educational demands. While many of us have used online resources for teaching in the past,

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Today I'm sharing tips and tricks for doing interactive read alouds in your classroom.

I remember the day my entire class was engaged. We were sitting in our chairs, hanging on every word as our teacher read Letters from Rifka. What would happen in Ellis Island? After everything she'd endured, would Rifka finally join her family in America? Or would she be sent back to Poland?

There's nothing like a riveting read aloud to keep your class's attention.

Even if that class is made up of 20-year-olds.

It was my Children's Literature class in college. My professor read to us every day to impress on us the importance of reading aloud to our future students.

He was right, of course. Reading aloud has countless benefits.

Read alouds ...

provide a model of good reading

motivate our students to read on their own

develop background knowledge

improve reading comprehension

boost vocabulary

promote critical thinking skills

develop oral language and listening skills through class discussions

create a sense of community in the classroom

Isn't reading aloud enough? Do they need to be interactive?

It's clear that read alouds are important. Is it necessary to make them interactive? After all, we have enough things to think about during the teaching day. Can't we just pull a great book of the shelf, enjoy it with our students, and call it good enough?

I'll be the first to say that not every read aloud needs to be interactive. There are plenty of times, especially in K-2, when we grab a book because we need to fill a couple minutes. Maybe we're waiting for our turn getting pictures taken. Or the bus is late for the field trip. Or we've got ten minutes left of the school day and we just. can't. even.

What makes a read aloud interactive?

It's clear that read alouds are valuable - even those where the teacher reads and the students passively listen. But it's a shame to stop there. We plan the rest of our teaching. Why shouldn't we think more about our read alouds?

An interactive read aloud is purposeful and planned for. You choose a book before you meet with your students, determine teaching points (such as skills and vocabulary), and (if you'd like) jot them down on sticky notes. Put those notes at the places in the book where you plan to stop and talk. Then read and enjoy!

In an interactive read aloud you might ...

Do these things before you read

talk about the author and illustrator

take a sneak peek at the book before you read (read the back or inside summary)

examine the table of contents

invite students to discuss what they already know about the topic

make predictions about what will be in the text

Do these things as you read

stop to examine new vocabulary words

think aloud as you read

invite students to make connections to the text

encourage students to interact with the book by having them talk to a partner, act out a sentence or short part of the book, make a quick sketch or note, or participate in a class discussion

Do these things after you read

ask students to retell the story

have students name things they learned

check predictions

How long should an interactive read aloud take?

It's easy to let a read aloud take thirty minutes. If you have that kind of room in your schedule, go for it! Most of us are short on time in our balanced literacy block. In that case, 10-15 minutes a day is a great goal.

When you're just starting out - and aren't sure how you'll find time to plan for yet another thing - try just one interactive read aloud a week. Read aloud on the other four days, certainly, but focus your attention on an interactive read aloud on one special day. Eventually, add more days.

Many teachers read the same book over several days. They read the book in its entirety the first day, then revisit parts of the book on subsequent days for deeper teaching points.

What books should you read?

Not every book is a great fit for an interactive read aloud. Usually we want to read books that are above the level that most of our students can read on our own. We want books that are a good match for our students developmentally, emotionally and socially. We want books that easily lend themselves to teaching points.

And, always, we want to read books that we enjoy.

Not sure where to begin? Grab the free download below!

More helpful resources See the whole series!
Stock image via iStock.

© 2017, Anna G. All rights reserved.

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What's an interactive read aloud? (With a printable book list!) - The Measured Mom

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Today I'm sharing tips and tricks for doing interactive read alouds in your classroom. I remember the day my entire class was engaged. We were sitting in our chairs, hanging on every word as our teacher read Letters from Rifka. What would happen in Ellis Island?

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Vocabulary Development During Read Alouds 

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Vocabulary Development During Read Alouds 

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Vocabulary Development During Read Alouds: Primary Practices

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Reading aloud is a common practice in primary classrooms and is viewed as an important vehicle for vocabulary development. Read alouds are complex instructional interactions in which teachers choose texts, identify words for instruction, and select the appropriate strategies to facilitate word learn…

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How to Organize Read Aloud Books in Your Classroom 

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How to Organize Read Aloud Books in Your Classroom 

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Books! Glorious books! While we want our kids reading a variety of great literature to themselves, there are also books we hoard to use as read alouds and mentor texts. How do we keep these books separate but also accessible? Read below to learn how to organize read aloud books in your classroom.

share tips and strategies for organizing and storing those titles that we like to read aloud to the class

recommend tools for organizing read alouds

explain how to catalog your read alouds

suggest how to track your read alouds

12 Ways to Organize Read Alouds

You can organize your read alouds by any of the following ways:

Alphabetical

Author

Content area

Genre

Holiday

Month

Reading level

Reading strategy

Season

Theme

Topic

Unit

Tools for Organizing Read Alouds

Storage Tubs for Thematic Units: The picture books that go with my thematic units are stored with those thematic units. I print labels for the covers to signal that they are read alouds and don't display them with the other thematic books until after I have read them to the class.

Magazine Files or Ice Cube Bins: This is effective if you have a smaller collection of books.

Tub: Store books in a plastic tub that are sorted with labeled cardstock dividers.

Shelf: Dedicate a shelf to read alouds that are divided neatly with smaller containers. I have a collection of chapter books that I read each year (The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlotte's Web, Frindle, Muggie Maggie, James and the Giant Peach, and more). I store those in a basket from Dollar Tree on a shelf out of reach.

Dishpans: Mentor texts that I select to model specific writing strategies are housed together by the trait I use them to teach. I keep these in dishpans on a shelf out of reach. After I read the book I put it into circulation in the class library in a special basket labeled, "Mentor Texts." Because they are viewed as "special," they become favorites for the students to reread throughout the remainder of the year. Since they were selected because they are mentor texts, I love that the kids enjoy rereading them so often. At the end of the year, they all go back into their respective dishpans.

Filing Cabinets: I'm not a fan of using filing cabinets for their intended purpose of housing papers as they often get forgotten so I love that this cabinet has been repurposed to hold books.

Read Aloud Inventory: Keep a running inventory or list of titles of books you enjoy reading aloud to the class (either thematically, seasonally, or as mentor texts) and borrow them from the library as needed each year. This saves space and money. This list could be stored on a computer or iPad to save space.

How to Catalog Read Aloud Books

Make a list of read alouds organized by one of the following categories: Alphabetical, author, content area, genre, holiday, month, reading level, reading strategy, season, theme, topic, and unit. Use a separate piece of paper for each different group. For example, if you choose to catalog and sort books by alphabet, then you would have 26 pieces of paper. Each piece of paper would have a letter of the alphabet on the top.

How to Track Read Aloud Books

Keeping track of books can be difficult. A student may want to borrow it for independent reading time or perhaps a colleague requests to borrow it. You never realize it wasn't returned until you need it, which by then you forget who you lent it out to. Does this sound familiar? Try out this solution... Label all of your read aloud books with your name, the genre, and the reading strategy it lends itself to. Whenever someone asks to borrow one of the books, write down the title of the book, the name of the person you lent it to, and the date that you gave it to them. Give this a try in your classroom!

Other Organization Tips to Consider

Clips: Using clips allows flexibility in labeling the baskets.

Color Code: Color code the bins.

Size Consideration: Find the perfect containers to fit your space.

GET THE FREE READING RESOURCE BUNDLE:

a list of seasonal picture books for each month of the year

blank book lists for you to record your own titles

printable reading logs for your students

print and go monthly reading challenge charts

SEND ME THE FREE RESOURCES

READ THE WHOLE READ ALOUD BLOG SERIES:

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HOW TO ORGANIZE READ ALOUD BOOKS in the CLASSROOM

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Read alouds and mentor texts are so important for reading to elementary students! Take a look at how I organize these books using lists and categories like comprehension strategies, genres, and other classroom organization strategies. In addition, I share organizational tools for organizing read alouds, explain how to catalog your read alouds, and suggest how to track your read alouds.

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From previewing to reading with expression, here are several helpful hints for anyone preparing to read a book aloud to a group of children.