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THE GREAT AMERICAN READ.....watch Season 1  Episode 8.

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THE GREAT AMERICAN READ.....watch Season 1  Episode 8.

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If you follow this link, it takes you to a page with some Top Rated Books by age group!!

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The Great American Read is an eight-part series that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the lens of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey). It investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.

This LearningMedia collection highlights books from The Great American Read that find their way into classrooms and onto summer reading lists. It includes additional resources across PBS partners that contextualize the authors and the impact these books have had on specific readers and throughout history.

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The Great American Read | PBS LearningMedia

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The Great American Read is an eight-part series that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the lens of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey). It investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these sto…

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Third grade is an important year for reading because students are no longer just learning to read but are reading to learn. Practicing this new skill keeps that momentum going, even when online homeschool is out!

Being a Learning Coach for children grades 3–5 also presents a wonderful opportunity to instill a love for reading in students. Having the ability to read longer fiction and nonfiction books boosts confidence, encourages students to cultivate the lifelong habit of reading, and also has mental health benefits.

Benefits of Encouraging a Summer Reading Habit

The coaxing that may be necessary to help some children become self-motivated readers is especially important over the summer break from school. According to a 2020 study, the Scholastic Teacher & Principal School Report: 2nd Edition, 62% of teachers said they noticed a summer slide among their students in the 2019–20 academic year and, among pre-K–5 teachers, it was 69%. Educators overwhelmingly agreed (99%) that reading books for fun supports students’ academic success.

Research cited by the New York State Library says a child’s participation in voluntary summer reading opportunities can lead to improved reading skills, motivation, confidence, and enjoyment. Additional research says that providing high-interest reading material and reading opportunities “is an especially important aspect of increasing reading proficiency among lower-income students.”

Encouraging Summer Reading for Elementary School Children

For its latest Kids & Family Reading Report, Scholastic asked parents about the different strategies they use to encourage summer reading at home. Their top tips were:

Taking trips to public libraries.

Ordering from school book clubs or book fairs/shopping online or in stores for books with their children.

Taking books on road trips or vacations.

Putting limits on screen time.

Finding a new book series their children will enjoy (to ensure multiple selections).

Making reading part of their summertime daily routine. Reading the same books so they can talk with their children about them.

The good news about summer reading for grade school students is that the majority of kids told Scholastic they understand the importance of summer reading. Better yet, 59% of kids said they really enjoy reading books over the summer. Parents of elementary school kids will appreciate that younger children and frequent readers are more likely than teens and infrequent readers to enjoy reading books over the summer, the survey found.

Kids know why they like summer reading, too. According to Scholastic, it’s about:

Getting to choose books they want to read.

Enjoying reading as a fun way to pass the time.

Wanting to keep their brains active.

One of the most effective means of improving reading achievement levels is supplying students with engaging and comprehensive reading materials, according to the New York State Library. Your elementary school kids are probably ready to read several good books this summer. To help them enjoy their summer and keep their minds sharp and ready for the next school year, help them select stories and topics of interest from our Connections Academy® ultimate summer reading list for grades 3–5:

Fiction Summer Reading for Grade School

Because of Winn-Dixie | Kate DiCamillo

Frindle | Andrew Clements

A Week in the Woods | Andrew Clements

A Dog Called Kitty | Bill Wallace

Big Red | Jim Kjelgaard

Ramona (series) | Beverly Cleary

Judy Moody (series) | Megan McDonald

Maniac Magee | Jerry Spinelli

Everywhere | Bruce Brooks

Fly Away Home | Eve Bunting

Keeper of the Doves | Betsy Byars

Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story | Mary Downing Hahn

The Foxman | Gary Paulsen

The Stories Huey Tells and The Stories Julian Tells (series) | Ann Cameron

The Flunking of Joshua T. Bates | Susan Shreve

Freckle Juice | Judy Blume

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing | Judy Blume

Stone Fox | John Reynolds Gardiner

The Great Gilly Hopkins | Katherine Paterson

Misty of Chincoteague | Marguerite Henry

The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett

Goosebumps (series) | R.L. Stine

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson | Bette Bao Lord

The Silver Coach | C.S. Adler

The Children of Green Knowe (series) | L.M. Boston

Old Yeller | Fred Gipson

The Higher Power of Lucky | Susan Patron

Joey Pigza Loses Control | Jack Gantos

Nancy Drew (series) | Carolyn G. Keene

Chocolate Fever | Robert Kimmel Smith

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Roald Dahl

Rules | Cynthia Lord

The Sign of the Beaver | Elizabeth George Speare

The View from the Cherry Tree | Willo Davis Roberts

The Best School Year Ever | Barbara Robinson

Project Mulberry | Linda Sue Park

Charlotte’s Web | E.B. White

Piper Reed, Navy Brat (series) | Kimberly Willis Holt

Swindle | Gordon Korman

Fantasy and Folklore S ummer Reading List for Grades 3–5

Space Race | Sylvia Waugh

The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse | Bruce Hale

The Case of the Raging Rottweiler | John R. Erickson

The Great Good Thing | Roderick Townley

The Doll People | Ann M. Martin

I, Houdini | Lynne Reid Banks

Poppy | Avi

Mean Margaret | Tor Seidler

The Moorchild | Eloise McGraw

The Secret of Platform 13 | Eva Ibbotson

Abel’s Island | William Steig

James and the Giant Peach | Roald Dahl

The BFG | Roald Dahl

The Wind in the Willows | Kenneth Grahame

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | C.S. Lewis

Charlotte’s Web | E.B. White

The Castle in the Attic | Elizabeth Winthrop

Magic Tree House (series) | Mary Pope Osborne

Going Through the Gate | Janet S. Anderson

The Sea Egg | L.M. Boston

The Talking Parcel | Gerald Durrell

Mick Harte Was Here | Barbara Park

The Cricket in Times Square | George Selden

The Wizard of Oz | Frank L. Baum

Whittington | Alan Armstrong

Under the Bridge | Ellen Kindt McKenzie

Just So Stories | Rudyard Kipling

The Fiddler of the Northern Lights | Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Historical Fiction Summer Reading List for Elementary School

Linnea in Monet’s Garden | Cristina Bjork

Meet Kit: An American Girl – 1934 | Valerie Tripp

Love From Your Friend, Hannah | Mindy Warshaw Skolsky

Sarah, Plain and Tall | Patricia MacLachlan

Little House on the Prairie (series) | Laura Ingalls Wilder

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes | Eleanor Coerr   Understood Betsy | Dorothy Canfield Fisher

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian | Marguerite Henry

The Birchbark House | Louise Erdrich

The Night Journey | Kathryn Lasky

Grasshopper Summer | Ann Turner

The Midwife’s Apprentice | Karen Cushman

The Borning Room | Paul Fleischman

Jacob Have I Loved | Katherine Paterson

The Boxcar Children | Gertrude Chandler Warner

Pink and Say | Patricia Polacco

The Perilous Road | William O. Steele

Boston Jane: An Adventure | Jennifer L. Holm

Our Only May Amelia | Jennifer L. Holm

Follow the Drinking Gourd | Jeanette Winter

Hattie Big Sky | Kirby Larson

Show Way | Jacqueline Woodson

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie | Peter and Connie Roop

When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky | Lauren Stringer

Beethoven Lives Upstairs | Barbara Nichol

Little House on the Prairie (series) | Laura Ingalls Wilder

Science Fiction Summer Reading for Grade School

I’m Out of My Body ... Please Leave a Message | Dan Greenburg

Heartlight | T.A. Barron

Space Garbage | Isaac Asimov

The Dog That Pitched a No-Hitter | Matt Christopher

The Package in Hyperspace | Janet Asimov

The Computer Nut | Betsy Byars

Frankenbug | Steven Cousins

The Classroom at the End of the Hall | Douglas Evans

My Life Among the Aliens | Gail Gauthier

Nose Pickers from Outer Space | Gordon Korman

The Time Warp Trio | Jon Scieszka

Carrot Holes and Frisbee Trees | N.M. Bodecker

Shadows in the Water | Kathryn Lasky

The Sword of Aradel | Alexander Key

The Moorchild | Eloise McGraw

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery | Deborah and James Howe

Poetry for Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Summer Reading

Bird Watch: A Book of Poetry | Jane Yolen

From Sea to Shining Sea | Amy L. Cohn

Snow Toward Evening: A Year in a River Valley | Josette Frank

Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry | Lee Bennett Hopkins

Fingers are Always Bringing me News | Mary O’Neill

The New Kid on the Block | Jack Prelutsky

Something Big Has Been Here | Jack Prelutsky

Pierre | Maurice Sendak

Journey through Heartsongs (series) | Mattie J.T. Stepanek

Spin a Soft Black Song | Nikki Giovanni

Nonfiction Summer Reading for Elementary School

The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle | Dan Wulffson

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) | Kathleen Krull

A River Ran Wild | Lynne Cherry

Look to the North: A Wolf Pup Diary | Jean Craighead George

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers | Mordicai Gerstein

Pink and Say | Patricia Polacco

Dateline: Troy | Paul Fleischman

Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? | Jean Fritz

Six-Minute Nature Mysteries | Faith Brynie

The Truth About Great White Sharks | Mary M. Cerullo

Through My Eyes | Ruby Bridges

The Story of Baseball | Lawrence S. Ritter

Girls Think of Everything | Catherine Thimmesh

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader for Kids Only! | The Bathroom Readers’ Institute

Meet Me in St. Louis: A Trip to the 1904 World’s Fair | Robert Jackson   Just Peace: A Message of Hope | Mattie J.T. Stepanek with Jimmy Carter

Do you have a kid who loves to read? Reading together and discussing books is a great family activity and, by asking the right questions, you can help your child strengthen their reading comprehension.

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The Ultimate Summer Reading List for Grades 3-5

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Getting your elementary-school child to read over the summer is a great way to support their academic success next fall, and our ultimate summer reading list for elementary school students offers titles they'll love.

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0:00 / 1:49•Watch full video

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300 SIGHT WORDS for KIDS! (Learn High Frequency Sight Words)

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1st 100 Dolce High Frequency Words...if you like this style the series goes up to 6th 100 words

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1st 100 Dolce High Frequency Words...if you like this style the series goes up to 6th 100 words

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0:05 / 3:40•Watch full video

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First 100 High Frequency Words with voice and background music.

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Award-winning educational materials like worksheets, games, lesson plans, and activities designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Handwriting Without Tears Cursive Instructions

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Edutopia, if you're not familiar is a website founded by George Lucas, the film director. His mission is to improve education....lots of good stuff here.

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Books that inspire students to turn materials like cardboard, wood, and fabric scraps into feats of engineering and resourcefulness.

A long time ago in a '70s kitchen far away, there was a cabinet, and in that cabinet was a large brown paper bag filled with treasure. Upon closer inspection of that bag, you might say, "Hey, that's not treasure. That's just toilet paper tubes, a shoebox, and some corks."

We both would be correct in our assessments.

The kitchen cabinet was in my childhood home, and our family referred to that treasure trove as "good junk." Good junk could best be defined as items that no longer served their original purpose but were too interesting to throw away. These objects were perfect for investigating, assembling, and transforming into one-of-a-kind toys, facilitating hours of play.

Construction activities are a standard in early childhood classrooms. Each day, children build with blocks, assemble puzzles, and explore manipulatives. Most construction sets, however, are not designed for fully open-ended investigations; as a teacher, I felt that good-junk exploration could potentially create that opportunity. When I began to see students transform craft materials (like pom-poms and foam pieces) and recyclables (like a masking tape ring and cardboard strips) into such creations as "a baby chick with an elevated hot tub and diving board," I knew I was on the right track.

To facilitate open-ended inquiry with unconventional materials, a teacher should set the stage and make sure materials are organized and child accessible. Teachers must also be available for consultation or construction help, like using a glue gun, for instance. As students explore, evaluate, and select materials, they can utilize maker tools-such as glue, tape, scissors, and markers-to assemble and create objects inspired by the materials as well as their imaginations.

When a child constructs a unique object from unconventional materials like cardboard boxes, plastic containers, or wood scraps, they learn engineering fundamentals as well as elements of the creative process. Children who repeatedly and vigilantly work at designing new objects learn persistence and elevate their resilience level. The uniqueness of each piece they create offers students the opportunity to celebrate the process and product.

The 12 picture books below feature tinkerers, inventors, and makers; each book is likely to prompt STEM/STEAM discussions. Characters demonstrate initiative, resourcefulness, and 3D problem-solving strategies as they utilize good junk and other available items to inspire and enhance their inventions.

12 Picture Books to Foster a Maker Mindset

Gus's Garage by Leo Timmers. Gus the pig is a resourceful mechanic who always comes through with the right junk for the right fix. (Preschool-grade 1)

Mr. King's Things by Geneviève Côté. Mr. King loves to shop. But when he brings something new into the house, he throws an older thing into the pond. This is a recipe for disaster, but it's also the beginning of a tale of resourcefulness. (Preschool-grade 2)

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires. A little girl intends to make "the most magnificent thing in the world." Fortunately she has a faithful assistant, vast resources, and determination. (Preschool-grade 2)

With My Hands: Poems About Making Things by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrated by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson. Twenty-six poems to inspire all young makers-painters, knitters, potters, and even cookie bakers. (Preschool-grade 3)

Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. This nonfiction picture book features a "trash to treasure" tale, in which items from a junkyard are transformed into musical instruments for young musicians from Paraguay. (Preschool-grade 3)

by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vuković. The call of this book is "today, what will you make?" With each turn of the page, a child proposes and considers a possible maker activity. (Preschool- grade 3)

by Shanda McCloskey. Charlotte is interested in all things technology and is mystified when her mother gives her a doll that seemingly does... not much. (Preschool-grade 3)
Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press
The Color Collector by Nicholas Solis, illustrated by Renia Metallinou. This story features a curious boy, a mysterious girl, and a beautiful found-object mosaic. (Grades K-3)

Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow. Inspired by her grandmother's sage advice, some "thingamabobs," and her imagination, Molly Lou Melon can make anything. Molly's new neighbor Gertie is "bored, bored, bored." Molly to the rescue! (Grades K-3)

by Pip Jones, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie. Izzy is an engineer in heart and deed. Her greatest challenge yet is to make new wings for her injured pet crow. (Grades K-3)

by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert, illustrated by Dušan Petričić. A lonely boy, a patch of mud, and a stick soon become the beginnings of a town. With the help of some new friends, and assorted pieces of junk, Mattland is a bustling community. (Grades K-3)

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. Rosie is a collector, a dreamer, and an engineer. She faces disappointment time and time again but is able to rally with the love and support of her family. (Grades K-3)

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12 Picture Books to Motivate Young Makers

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Books that inspire students to turn materials like cardboard, wood, and fabric scraps into feats of engineering and resourcefulness. A long time ago in a '70s kitchen far away, there was a cabinet, and in that cabinet was a large brown paper bag filled with treasure.

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But Why is a show led by you, kids! You ask the questions and we find the answers. It's a big interesting world out there.On But Why, we tackle topics large and small, about nature, words, even the end of the world.Have a question? Send it to us!

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Click play, then click on "YouTube" then on "Storyline Online" right below the video and you'll get a page with videos of some great people reading stories aloud....all good!

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Click play, then click on "YouTube" then on "Storyline Online" right below the video and you'll get a page with videos of some great people reading stories aloud....all good!

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Here's a padlet page for us to share some reading....scoll to the right....

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DON'T LISTEN TO THIS....(a song to get stuck in your head...)

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DON'T LISTEN TO THIS....(a song to get stuck in your head...)

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MC Grammar | World Book Day Song | Reading Is Amazing | Sky Kids

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...we still need to be washing our hands people!

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...we still need to be washing our hands people!

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VŨ ĐIỆU RỬA TAY - GHEN CÔ VY | by Quang Đăng #shorts

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GhenCoVy #VuDieuRuaTay #HandWashingDance #shorts🆘️ Thử thách Vũ Điệu Phòng Bệnh - #GhenCoVyChallenge 🆘️  Dịch COVID-2019 đang lan rộng, ảnh hưởng đến mọi...

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You gotta check this one out...

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Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman: How to find empathy

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I'll put a few of the stories from Steve Hartman up. He has a series called "Kindness 101" that he does with his kids.

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Kindness 101 with Steve Hartman: Determination