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Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources

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Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout, and . I'm happy that you found your way here!

This is a library of resources for kids, families, teachers, and librarians to make sure that reading & learning can happen anywhere this spring. Some of you may be out of school as communities try to prevent the spread of a virus known as COVID-19. Here's a great page from NPR that explains what that's all about, in a kid-friendly comic. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds shares "How to Fight the New Bad Guy in Town," a PSA for kids, on the StorySeeds podcast here. And this excellent & important post from author Laurie Halse Anderson does a great job explaining why we're seeing closings (and why that's important) for older readers.

Below, you'll find a growing collection of resources that include everything from first-chapter and picture book read-alouds (all shared with permission!) to drawing and writing mini-lessons. Be sure to check back often, as new resources will be added every day. If you'd prefer to browse learning-at-home resources by age group, my daughter Ella has put together the pages below, with even more resources, organized by grade level. (Thanks, Ella!)

Resources for grades PreK-2 (ages 3-7)
Resources for grades 3-5 (ages 8-10)
Resources for grades 6-8 (ages 11-13)
Resources for grades 9-12 (ages 14+)

Many teachers & librarians have also reached out to ask about permission to read books aloud to your students via closed platforms like Google Classroom, Zoom, and unlisted YouTube links. Individual publishers have been sharing their own guidelines for online read-alouds, and you'll find a round-up of those here.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE NEXT PRESIDENT: THE UNEXPECTED BEGINNINGS AND UNWRITTEN FUTURE OF AMERICA'S PRESIDENTS, illustrated by Adam Rex. Writing challenge: After the read-aloud, write your own presidential platform. What changes would you make to your country if you were in charge?

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of OVER AND UNDER THE POND, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal (shared with permission from Chronicle Books). After the read-aloud, look out your window - or step outside if you can - and see what hidden nature you notice!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE BRILLIANT DEEP: REBUILDING THE WORLD'S CORAL REEFS illustrated by Matt Forsythe. After the read-aloud, check out the Coral Restoration Foundation website. Learn more about the threats coral reefs are facing from NASA's Climate Kids page, and check out this page about how kids can help our oceans. Challenge: Make a poster or drawing to teach people about how we can all help coral and other sea creatures!

OVER AND UNDER THE RAINFOREST, Kate's book with illustrator Christopher Silas Neal doesn't come out until August, but we got special permission to share an early read-aloud! After the story, check out this page with more information on the wildlife of Costa Rica, where Kate did most of the research for this book. Writing challenge: Write a short article to teach people about your favorite rainforest animal!

Tracey Baptiste, the author of The Jumbies series, shares a mini-lesson on comparative mythology. She talks through how creatures from different mythologies have traits in common and encourages kids to find those similarities in the mythologies they come across. She's also sharing some reading resources such as D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, The Element Encyclopedia of Mythical Creatures, and her own Jumbies Field Guide available at her website.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares a read-aloud excerpt of her chapter book JASMINE TOGUCHI FLAMINGO KEEPER, along with a writing prompt (and a peek at a real daruma doll)!

Author Leah Henderson shares a first chapter read-aloud of her middle grade novel THE MAGIC IN CHANGING YOUR STARS. Writing Challenge: Find out who Ailey Benjamin Lane is named after. (Hint: His first name comes from an African-American dancer & choreographer with the initials A.A. His middle name comes from an African-American farmer & naturalist who searches out the stars and who created an almanac in 1792. This person's initials are B.B.) Who could they be?

Author-illustrator Jarrett Lerner shares tips and techniques to help you draw ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

Veera Hiranandani, author of the Newbery Honor winning book The Night Diary, The Whole Story of Half a Girl, and The Phoebe G. Green series offers a diary writing prompt to help you get to know your characters and create an inspired story!

Author Jason Reynolds shares a read-aloud from his MG novel, GHOST. In this chapter, the main character talks about world records, so after the read-aloud, check out this page from the Guiness Book of World Records, with some records you can try to break at home!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from TRACKING PYTHONS: THE QUEST TO CATCH AN INVASIVE PREDATOR AND SAVE AN ECOSYSTEM. After the read-aloud, you can learn more about invasive species from National Geographic and the National Wildlife Foundation. Also check out this article from New York State Conservationist Kids!

Kate also shared this article about the python scientists, with photos and infographics.

Author & illustrator Grace Lin teaches viewers how to draw a Chinese Dragon and shares some tidbits about Chinese culture! You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Carole Lindstrom shares a read-aloud of WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS.

Author Jo Knowles reads from the first chapter of her MG novel WHERE THE HEART IS and offers students a fun writing exercise! For more about Jo and her books, or for teachers/book group guides that go along with her books, visit her website.

Kelley McMorris, who illustrates the RANGER IN TIME chapter book series, shares a video about how she illustrates a book cover. After you watch, try using Kelley's process to design a new cover for one of your favorite books!

Author and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi shares a read-aloud of her picture book WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, gives a drawing demo and challenges young readers to create their own imaginative squirrels, and shares a crowd-sourced "Where Are My Books?" music video. You can find lots of free, print-ready activities and other fun bonus info at https://www.debbieohi.com/wamb

Author Erin Entrada Kelly gives a peek into the notebooks for several of her novels, including HELLO, UNIVERSE. Writing challenge: What's in your notebook? Take a little time to write in it today, inspired by Erin's ideas!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of STRANDED. Writing challenge: Choose a wilderness setting of your own - the Arctic, the desert, the rainforest - and imagine you're stranded there. How will you survive? Write an imaginary journal documenting your adventure. Check out these wilderness survival skills from Outdoor Life for ideas!

Author Nikki Grimes shares poetry selections from WORDS WITH WINGS. Writing challenge: Try writing your own poem today, in the style of one of Nikki's read-alouds! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Ann Braden shares a read-aloud excerpt from THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. Note: the octopus is a pretty amazing creature, so after the read-aloud, read up on them at this page from National Geographic Kids!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. After the read-aloud, read more about helpful insects here and check out these garden activities from KidsGarden!

Author Sarah Albee shares a STEM mystery, "Did the Doctor Do It?" as part of her series exploring the science and intrigue of poison throughout history. Check out more of Sarah's Poison videos here.

Middle grade and Young adult author, Paula Chase offers a mini-writing exercise to help students build stories around their unique traits.

Author Nancy Castaldo reads some of BACK FROM THE BRINK with tips how we can all use our voices through our writing to make a difference. Here's the link to the reader's guide for more activities.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares an early read-aloud excerpt of her upcoming MG novel KEEP IT TOGETHER KEIKO CARTER, along with a writing prompt!

Author & illustrator Grace Lin shares the first story from her early reader, "Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!" You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from RANGER IN TIME: RESCUE ON THE OREGON TRAIL. Writing challenge: Choose your favorite event in history and imagine how a search and rescue dog might be able to help out. Then so some research about your historical event, and write your own story about Ranger's adventures there!

Christina Soontornvat shares how she came up with the idea for her new middle grade fantasy novel, A WISH IN THE DARK. Writing challenge: Use Christina's model to brainstorm your own list of ideas for stories that might be inspired by a classic tale! And check out more videos from Christina here!

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her forthcoming middle grade novel-in-verse, BEN BEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER.

Author Mae Respicio reads a few pages from her upcoming middle grade novel, Any Day With You, and shares a quick, fun writing prompt. Writing challenge: Imagine you've been planning a beach day with your best friends. You're so excited to go but when you get there... everything goes wrong and not the way you expected it to! Describe what happens.

Author Elly Swartz shares tips on how to use the emotion in your life to create authentic characters! Writing challenge: Take a few minutes to journal about a day when you felt an especially strong emotion - joy or fear or excitement! How might you use those emotions in a fictional story?

Author Lisa Yee drinks water, reads the first chapter of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and fumbles when she comes across a couple of lines in Latin. Writing challenge: Try rewriting a scene from this chapter from the point of view of another character!

Award-Winning author Michelle Cusolito shares a writing mini-lesson to help writers add more sensory details to their writing. You can find more resources related to Michelle's book FLYING DEEP: CLIMB INSIDE DEEP-SEA SUBMERSIBLE ALVIN here.

Author-illustrator Lita Judge shares a video about how a sketching trip inspired one of her picture books! After you watch, take your own mini-sketching trip. Go to your kitchen or your bedroom, your porch or your backyard, and sketch what you see. Observe closely!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from CHIRP, a mystery for kids that's set on a cricket farm! After the read aloud, you can learn more about entomophagy (eating insects as food!) from CBS Kids, and check out a real cricket farm's website!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a video mini-lesson on how to create a good beginning for a story!

And another video writing workshop from Chris, called Four Elements of Character. (This is an 8-minute video where you pause & write sometimes, so the full activity will take about half an hour. Recommended for writers ages 10 and up.)

Author Aisha Saeed shares a read-aloud of her picture book, BILAL COOKS DAAL, along with a related activity!

Author Emily Jenkins shares a read-aloud of A GREYHOUND, A GROUNDHOG.

Author Lisa Schroeder shares a read-aloud excerpt from her MG novel MY SECRET GUIDE TO PARIS, along with a writing exercise!

Author Janet Fox shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of her MG novel THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS. Writing challenge: Try writing a short scene of your own in which something unexpected happens!

Author & illustrator Jess Keating shares some thoughts on where ideas for stories come from! (This is part of a series Jess shares on writing & you can find more on her YouTube channel.)

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE, co-written with James Paterson.

Poet Charles Waters shares poetry from DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD (by Charles Waters and Irene Latham)

Author Abby Cooper reads the first chapter of her middle grade novel, FRIEND OR FICTION.

Author Lynn Plourde shares some tips on starting an observation notebook!

Author-illustrator James Burks shares a video lesson on how to draw Squirrel from his graphic novel series, Bird and Squirrel!

Author Kristen Larson shares an engineering design activity based on her book WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane.

Author Liz Garton Scanlon shares a video lesson on writing am ETHEREE - a ten line poem in which each line is one syllable longer than the last.

Author-illustrator Karen Romano Young shares a video doodling tutorial. You can also check out Karen's #AntarcticLog comics, a weekly series of comics about Antarctica - as well as the Arctic and anyplace where climate change is being studied.

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her novel-in-verse, HOUSE ARREST. Mini-lesson: listen for as many poetic devices as you can find (metaphor, simile, assonance, hyperbole, etc.)

Author Jennifer Roy shares a video read-aloud from her historical novel YELLOW STAR, along with a writing prompt about looking for symbols of hope in tough times, recommended for ages 10 and up.

Author Laurel Snyder shares some thoughts on fiction and making up stories, along with a read-aloud of CHARLIE AND MOUSE OUTDOORS.

Author Caroline Starr Rose reads her picture book, A RACE AROUND THE WORLD: THE TRUE STORY OF NELLIE BLY AND ELIZABETH BISLAND. When you've finished listening, visit the article, How to Pack Like Pioneering Journalist Nellie Bly, Who Circumnavigated the Globe in 1889 with Just a Small Duffle Bag, to see what Nellie brought on her journey. Challenge: Plan your own trip around the world. What would you like to see? Where would you like to visit? Mark these places on a map.

Author Corinne Demas shares a read-aloud of THE DISAPPEARING ISLAND.

Author Lauren Tarshis shares a read-aloud of the first two chapters of I SURVIVED THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC. After the read-aloud, check out this link to read about Robert Ballard, the oceanographer whose team discovered the wreck of the Titanic more than seventy years after it sank.

Author & poet Nikki Grimes shares poems about one of her favorite cakes, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, along with five steps to creating your very own poem about your favorite food! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Sarah Aronson shares a read-aloud of JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG. And here's a FlipGrip page where kids can share their projects and ask questions.

Author Chelsea Clinton shares an excerpt from her book START NOW: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Author Bruce Hale shares a read aloud of BIG BAD BABY.

Writing Challenge: Write about the same experience in multiple ways (letters, poems, illustrations, and screenplay).

Bonus challenge: Write positive affirmations for your family members.

Author Sayantani DasGupta shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of THE SERPENT'S SECRET.

Author Deborah Underwood reads INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA (illustrated by Meg Hunt) and gives kids a mini-lesson on how to write their own fractured fairy tales.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT and answers questions from kids in a "Family Book Club" video recorded earlier this year (thanks to Read-Aloud Revival for making this recording publicly available for learning at home this spring!)

Author-illustrator Brian Biggs shares a read-aloud of his EVERYTHING GOES board books.

Author Jessica Young shares a read-aloud of HAGGIS AND TANK (illustrated by James Burks) with a mini-lesson on sound words.

Author-illustrator Brandon Reese shares a read-aloud of his picture book CAVE DADA. And here's a link to download a coloring page, too!

Here's a fun challenge from author Laurel Snyder ... She's written a brand new book, but doesn't have any pictures for it. Will you help? She'll read you the story of The Beastly Collective, and you'll draw your favorite animals, while she teaches you some brand new words!

Author Christine Evans shares a read-aloud of Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist, illustrated by Yasmin Imamura.

Author and illustrator Grace Lin shares a chapter from her book, The Year of the Dog. You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Grace Lin teaches families how to draw a dog from the number 5 (just like in The Year of the Dog!)

Amy Guglielmo, co-author of POCKET FULL OF COLORS shares a read-aloud of her picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair. Art challenge: Collect a rainbow of colorful objects inside or outside as a fun follow up activity. Take part in the "Rainbow Hunt," and draw a picture of a rainbow to post in your window for neighbors to see on their daily walks.

Author Kerry O'Malley Cerra demonstrates an easy tool students can use to summarize. This tip can also be used for writers as chapter checks!

Japanese American author, Kathleen Burkinshaw reads a chapter from her MG historical fiction, The Last Cherry Blossom based on events in her mom's life as a 12 yr old in Hiroshima during WWII. Also learn a little about her mom's favorite Japanese folk tale. You can find a Discussion Guide on her website www.kathleenburkinshaw.co

Newbery Award winning author Meg Medina shares a writing lesson on Creating Tension.

Kerry Madden shares a read-aloud of ERNESTINE'S MILKY WAY.

Author Buffy Silverman shares On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring and a little science show-and-tell.

Author Diane Zahler shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of The Marvelwood Magicians and a writing prompt.

Abigail Rayner shares a read-aloud of The Backup Bunny.

Michelle Cusolito reads aloud her book Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible ALVIN (illustrated by Nicole Wong) while Jeff Angeley of Southcoast Lessons provides live musical accompaniment. You can find more resources related to Flying Deep here.

Author Meg Fleming shares a read-aloud of her picture book, Sometimes Rain.

S.K. Ali, co-author of THE PROUDEST BLUE, shares directions for making a paper boat.

The niece and nephew of Cedella Marley read her book, Get Up, Stand Up, a picture book adaptation of one of Bob Marley's beloved songs that has a timely message for children: To counter injustice, lift others up with kindness and courage.

Author Lisa Yee talks about Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and reads passages from the book. Writing prompt for today: Do you think boys and girls can be friends?

Would you rather be an #astronaut or #aquanaut? Perhaps you need more info to decide. Check out Jen Swanson's video below. Then make your choice and draw a picture of your suit!

Author Jo Watson Hackl Shows How to Take Your Reading to the Next Level by Exploring the Natural World of Your Characters.

Author Heather L. Montgomery reads-aloud chapters from SOMETHING ROTTEN: A FRESH LOOK AT ROADKILL.

Author Heather Shumaker offers a weekly author chat called Fiction Friday. She shares tips and ideas for writing fiction, reads a short excerpt from her middle grade novel The Griffins of Castle Cary, adds in a mini writing lesson, a few corny jokes, and encouragement to young writers and readers.

Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez talks about finding writing inspiration from your own family history (video is in English and then in Spanish).

Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of HOW TO READ A STORY, illustrated by Mark Siegel & shared with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Kimberly Derting shares a read-aloud of CECE LOVES SCIENCE with permission from HarperCollins.

Author & science teacher Anne Ruppert shares a try-it-at-home fingerprinting activity from SOLVE THIS: FORENSICS (by Kate Messner & Anne Ruppert, published by National Geographic)

Author Jacqueline West shares a read-aloud from The Shadows, volume one of her bestselling MG fantasy/mystery series The Books of Elsewhere, along with a writing activity for you (and possibly your pet!) that will help you think about character and dialogue. For more info and other videos, visit her website! www.jacquelinewest.com.

Author Carter Higgins shares a read-aloud of BIKES FOR SALE with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Deborah Underwood reads FINDING KINDNESS, illustrated by Irene Chan (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2019).

Author Melanie Crowder reads a chapter from her middle grade novel, Three Pennies, and shares a quick and easy craft to go with it. Writing Challenge: Think of one of your favorite books-does an animal make an appearance in the story? In Three Pennies, the author writes several chapters from the point of view of an owl (named Owl). Try to add a chapter to that favorite book you've got in mind, writing from the point of view of an animal in that story.

Author Cynthia Levinson reads The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Kids for permission.

Loree Griffin Burns, author of books like Citizen Scientists and the upcoming picture book You're Invited to a Moth Ball, shares her favorite book of all time: The Flora and Fauna of Hosmer Street. It's not a book she wrote, but rather one she made with her three kids. For one year, Loree, Sam, Ben, and Cat committed themselves to getting to know their animal neighbors; what they found surprised them. In this video, Loree show listeners a few of their best finds (garter snake! walking stick! a skeleton!), what they learned (the more you look, the more you see!) and, of course, how to start creating The Flora and Fauna of Your Place.

Many people have heard of the secret network that helped many enslaved blacks escape to freedom in the North called the Underground Railroad. But how many of you have heard about the Overground Railroad? Author Lesa Cline-Ransome reads from her book, The Overground Railroad, illustrated by her husband, James Ransome.

Author Kathleen Blasi reads HOSEA PLAYS ON, which depicts a day in the life of street musician Hosea Taylor, who made his community better, with his open-hearted giving. After the read-aloud, you can take a look at the newspaper article that inspired Kathleen to learn more about Hosea Taylor and served as the research springboard for HOSEA PLAYS ON.

Author Laya Steinberg reads her picture book THE BEST SUKKOT PUMPKIN EVER and shares a seed planting activity.

Author Jewell Parker Rhodes shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of GHOST BOYS.

Roy Freeman shares a read-aloud of CORDUROY, written and illustrated by his father, Don Freeman.

Author Nancy Tupper Ling shares a read-aloud, along with a lesson on how to make a list poem about your favorite place in the world.

Author Sarah Scheerger reads her picture book, Mitzvah Pizza, and shares a story about the real-life pay-it-forward pizza place that inspired the story. Classroom activities for the story are found here.

Writing Lessons! Many families are using this time at home to work on writing projects that range from stories and poems to special interest research reports and even novels. Here are some craft lessons from authors to help with ideas & strategies!
Author Meg Medina shares a video lesson on creating tension. Author Jennifer Torres shares a mini-workshop on setting with a video and pages to download. Here's a lesson from author Paula Chase on writing dual points of view. Author Josephine Cameron shares creative writing tips about how choosing the perfect setting can help you shape the character, plot, and relationships in your story.
Additional Resources:

Want to see even more author & illustrator videos? Check out the Authors Everywhere YouTube channel, created by Susan Tan!

Check out STEM Tuesday from The Mixed of Files of MG Authors blog for weekly book lists, interviews, and activities.

Want to try writing some poetry today? Joyce Sidman shares an amazing collection of ideas to get you started.

Here's another poetry lesson from Kathryn Apel - writing a didactic cinquain!

If you're stuck at home, it's a great time to start a writer's notebook! Author & Poet Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has a whole collection of posts from different writers, called "Sharing Our Notebooks." Check it out -so many ideas here!

Author Madelyn Rosenberg shares a collection of writing prompts here.

Here's a collection of video mini-lessons from nonfiction author Melissa Stewart - great for teaching informational writing, including research, text features, text structure, rich language, voice, and revision.

Author & poet Laura Shovan shares a collection of poetry mini-lessons on her website!

The folks at Middle Grade at Heart share a list of MG novels with discussions questions & related activities here.

Author Victoria Coe has a playlist of writing lessons for kids with 25 lessons.

Author Sarah Darer Littman offers short readings and writing prompts on her website.

On the Kids Ask Authors podcast, you can hear author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer a kid question! Kids can submit their own book reviews, poems or jokes! https://www.kidsaskauthors.com Subscribe to the podcast here: http://ow.ly/8OPg30qr7WD

Erica S. Perl (@ericaperl) is doing a weekly Instagram live author event called "Winging It with Erica S. Perl" featuring read-alouds, writing prompts, and occasional shakings of a tail feather. Tune in every Tuesday at 2 pm EST and wish her good cluck!

The KidLit TV team, a group of diverse children's book authors and illustrators, has created a virtual library of FREE read aloud, drawing & writing tutorials, podcasts, art activities + reading resources for kids. https://kidlit.tv

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author & illustrator, shares daily drawing lessons on his YouTube channel.

Author Kathryn Hulick invites you to investigate a ghost story as a scientist, based on her book STRANGE BUT TRUE.

New Books to Check Out!

In case you're missing your weekly trip to the library or bookstore, we also want to let you know about some new books out this spring!

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Read, Wonder, and Learn! Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources for Learning Anywhere - Spring 2020

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President ; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics ; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout , and .

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Understanding the concepts your children are learning in school can help you support them at home.

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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8 Creative Ideas to Help Your Child Learn New Words

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How can you expose your child to new words?

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Encourage the poet within your child with these poetry books and ideas.

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Let's partner to ensure your long-term implementation success. Our professional learning offerings are flexible, scalable, and designed for impact.

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a curated list of resources in the form of a Google Spreadsheet, which takes recommendations from other educators, too.

a Padlet that Kristin Ziemke and Katie Muhtaris are updating regularly.

Kids can study the genre of poetry by taking part in step-by-step workshops with favorite authors.
Story Starters: Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
There are an amazing amount of writing prompts for kids on this site. And it was the dream child of a Michigander!

Pernille Ripp's newest post, lists, and Picture Book Read Alouds for lesson use.

Free access to all teachers until the end of the school year. These can easily be shared via Google Classroom/link for students

Free texts (literary and informational); includes high-level comprehension questions and writing prompts; also, paired text sets like those found on many standardized tests
Khan Academy Official SAT® Practice
Official SAT practice website. Students can link their College Board and Khan Academy accounts to get personalized practice. Research shows 20 hours of online practice may have a significant positive impact on student scores!

Local stations have curated free, standards- aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more.

Watch Molly of Denali videos, play games, and do printable activities. Join Molly and friends on Alaskan adventures, using informational text along the way!

The Detroit PBS KIDS Channel (56.2) is available 24 hours a day seven days a week with kids' favorite shows. The programming also can be accessed on the Detroit PBS KIDS website and on the free PBS KIDS app, available for free on a wide range of platforms.DPTV will also provide daily communications with suggestions for content, activities and learning opportunities through newsletters and social media, as well as at DetroitPBSKIDS.org.
Michigan E-Library for Kids Lessons plans from Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle Instructional materials Article of the week
Timely articles with ideas for discussion (Grades 6-12)

The Elite Literary Book Group is an advanced academic guide service for learners taking Advanced English in grades 7-12. Founded by veteran English teachers Rachel Beck and David Youngblood, the Elite Literary Book Group is built around discussing and building an understanding of great works of literature including American pieces, British, as well as world texts, and is an excellent supplement to any Pre-AP, AP or advanced honors program in English.

Find free Sacred Writing Time Slides. Each day, new posts for a short, thirty minute idea for a writing assignment that can be completed in the home and a "story-writing" game from the WritingFix website for younger writers.

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a curated list of resources in the form of a Google Spreadsheet, which takes recommendations from other educators, too. a Padlet that Kristin Ziemke and Katie Muhtaris are updating regularly. Kids can study the genre of poetry by taking part in step-by-step workshops with favorite authors.

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https://www.thedailycafe.com/content/listen-reading-websites

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Not only is April National Card and Letter Writing Month, it's National Poetry Month too! In honor of the occasion, I've put together some poetry writing prompts for kids. These creative activities will help them have fun creating poems.

1. It's the Little Things

Tiny things are all around you! Write a poem about something very small, such as a piece of lint, an M&M, a button, an ant, or a Lego brick. Your poem must be tiny too, containing only five lines.

2. Rhyme, Re-rhyme

Write out the words to a favorite song. It can be a pop song, silly song, camp song, or even a nursery rhyme. Next, rewrite the words to create a new rhyming song! If you need help thinking of words that rhyme, use the Rhyme Zone tool. Here's an example:

DO YOUR EARS HANG LOW? (original)
Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder
Like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?

NAUGHTY DOGS (rewritten)
Do your dogs have fleas?
Do they hide your Dad's car keys?
Do they chew your brother's socks?
Will they steal your sister's cheese?
Do they bury all their bones
And lick your ice cream cones?
Do they love to tease?

3. Ode to Orange

Write a poem to your favorite color. Include objects, places, or feelings that remind you of that color.

4. Poetry by the Numbers

Reach for the nearest book and open to a random page. Make a list of ten words that jump out at you. Write a poem using at least five of those words.

5. Alliteration All Around

Alliteration is a common poetic device. Alliteration happens when words that appear close together in a line or verse share the same beginning sound (usually a consonant. This poem gives an example of alliteration.

Lacy lilacs by the lake shore.
Larkspur blooms and lady's slippers,
Scent of lavender and lemon,
Lingers long among the lilies.

How many words begin with the /l/sound?

Now write your own poem using alliteration. Your poem, like the example above, doesn't have to rhyme.
Did your kids have fun with these? Click to discover more poetry activities, or check out our weekly prompts on Writing Prompt Wednesdays!

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Not only is April National Card and Letter Writing Month, it's National Poetry Month too! In honor of the occasion, I've put together some poetry writing prompts for kids. These creative activities will help them have fun creating poems. Tiny things are all around you!

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Resource Packet for Play at Home

Posted at 17:07h in by Uncategorized kristimraz

Updated to reflect changes!

Hi everybody!

Updated to reflect changes!
PK-2 Play Packet for Families
I worked on it quickly to try and get it out as fast as I can, so please let me know if you catch a typo or another kind of error. Please also MAKE A COPY before you make any changes so that the master stays intact.
New: Spanish Translation PK-2 Play Packet for Families
A HUGE HUGE thanks to Marcia Elwarari for translating so quickly and thoughtfully. She is a coach in a NYC school in the heart of the outbreak. A million thanks to her, and a million well wishes for all the families she supports.
New: Chinese Translation PK-2 Play Packet
A HUGE HUGE thanks to Ruth Rivera and Rita Kwan for translating so quickly, and sharing so thoughtful. Ruth is an amazing administrator I have known since my days at TCRWP, and Rita is her talented and humble administrative assistant. Rita mentioned that if community members would like to make comments on the translation to feel free.
New: 3-5 Project Packet for Families
Feedback on the new packet welcome! It is in draft form as always. I am so interested to hear feedback!

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This is all free, but would ask if you find it useful and want to make a donation for using it, that is much appreciated, but in no way required. We all gotta do what we can with what we have.

If you want more support, I am making videos for schools and families about this kind of work, and you can always contact me about setting that up (use the contact me link on the website).

I would love to get feedback, and together we can make this better for everyone.

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Posted at 17:07h in by Uncategorized kristimraz Updated to reflect changes! Hi everybody! Updated to reflect changes! PK-2 Play Packet for Families I worked on it quickly to try and get it out as fast as I can, so please let me know if you catch a typo or another kind of error.

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What are alliteration poems? Alliteration Poems use the poetic or literary device of repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of each, or at least many, of the words in the poem. Consonants are non-vowel letters. Alliteration pleases the ear. It's delightful word play. An example of alliteration would be, "Mighty Mac moved many mountains."

The first alliteration poem is Betty's Room. Take notice of the many lines of alliteration in this poem: "clutter, clustered, clingingly," and "mutters mawkishly." Read on for more alliteration.

Betty's Room
There is no clutter cluttered up
more closely, I presume,
than the clutter clustered clingingly
in my friend, Betty's room.

Her mother mutters mawkishly
and fills her with such dread.
She mutters on about the muss
that messes Betty's bed.

At bedtime, Betty bounces all
her objects to the floor.
Each morning, when she wakes up, they
go on her bed once more.

There's papers, pencils, potpourri.
It piques her mother's stress.
She pouts. She plies and yet her cries
do not clean Betty's mess.

There's partly broken plastic toys,
each with a missing part,
some worn and withered whistles, which
are close to Betty's heart.

Old ballet shoes she cannot lose,
and photos of her friends,
a burnt-out fuse, some fruity chews,
a box of odds and ends.

Old magazines and school reports
(the ones that got the A's),
her worn out jeans, some socks to sort,
the programs from three plays.

Each object is an artifact,
a personal antique.
She cannot bear to throw them out;
they make her life unique.

There's feathers, fans, and fairy dolls --
and mother-daughter strife.
Her mother lives for neatness, but,
well, mess is Betty's life.

by Denise Rodgers
Copyright© Denise Rodgers
Permissions
A Little Bit of Nonsense
All Rights Reserved
Art by Julie Martin

The next example of alliteration poetry is Spinning Dry, also from A Little Bit of Nonsense. Notice the "sudsing and soaking," the "bobbing and bubbling," the "twisting and turning," and the "fluttering flopping."

Spinning Dry
If I had a choice, when it's time to get clean
I'd like to jump into our washing machine
for sudsing and soaking and rolling and churning
and bobbing and bubbling and twisting and turning.

Next come my chance to feel just like a flyer
as I get to hop out and spin in the dryer.
I'd roll all around with a fluttering flopping,
just floating and turning with no thought of stopping.

It sounds like such fun, this incredible fling,
that I wouldn't mind if I got static cling.

by Denise Rodgers
Copyright© Denise Rodgers
Permissions
A Little Bit of Nonsense
All Rights Reserved
Art by Julie Martin

The next example of alliteration poetry is Slithery, Slidery, Scaly Old Snake. As you can see , the alliteration is in the title as well as in the first and last lines. If you read carefully, you can find even more examples of alliteration in this poem.

Slithery, Slidery, Scaly Old Snake
Slithery, slidery, scaly old snake,
surely your body must be a mistake.
Your eyes, mouth and tongue wisely stay on your head.
It seems that your body is all tail instead.
You gobble your dinner, you swallow it whole --
a mouse or a frog or a turtle or mole.
Ugh!
Why don' you eat ice cream or chocolatey cake!
Oh slithery, slidery, scaly old snake.

by Denise Rodgers
Copyright© Denise Rodgers
Permissions
A Little Bit of Nonsense
All Rights Reserved
Art by Julie Martin

The next alliteration poem is from my Great Lakes Rhythm & Rhyme book. The alliteration is more subtle, but if you read the first stanza, you will see "rhythm and rhyme," "shimmer and shimmy," "bathe us in blueness," "summer sand" and "ships in a storm," Read on and you will see even more examples of alliteration.

Lighthouse
There once was a man who was scared of the dark.
So he went off to live all alone in a park
by the side of the shore, at the edge of the lake,
and his family was sure he had made a mistake.
For with no city near, it would give him a fright
to have only the stars and the moon for his light.
But what they didn't know (and they should have looked deeper),
his job (what a job!) was the new lighthouse keeper.

As soon as the sun looked as if it might set,
he would follow his cue -- that it was time to get
up the stairs of the lighthouse to light up the sky.

His relatives learned of his work, by and by.
And they'd come by to visit, but only at night
when he'd climb up the steps, several stories in height.
He would light up the sky, for the ships out so far,
brightly shining the way, like a fiery star.

The light was his light, and was his light to keep.
(And all through the day it was his time to sleep.)

by Denise Rodgers
Copyright© Denise Rodgers
Permissions
Great Lakes Rhythm & Rhyme
All Rights Reserved
Art by Julie Martin

More tools to help you become a poet!

Repetition in poetry sets the mood and the rhythm of a given poem. Here are examples of poems using this device.

This is the place to publish kids poems -- and get their words out into the world!

How to write an ode in six easy steps. Perfect for students and teachers of poetry.

By now you should have a handle on what alliteration is and how it livens up a poem (or any writing or speaking, for that matter). You should also have an idea of what constitutes an alliteration poem.

For more information about alliteration, go to Merriam-Webster.com.

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Enjoy these examples of "alliteration poems." There's a "Slithery, Slidery, Scaly Old Snake," as well as "clutter clustered clingingly" in Betty's messy room -- and many, many more examples of alliter

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MDE - Online Instructional Resources - Literacy/ELA Resources

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Classroom libraries are the heart and soul of literacy instruction. We know that the right book at the right time can make all the difference ... but only if we can find it! Most of my conversations with teachers and literacy coaches these past weeks have centered on books. Do you have a copy of ... I forgot to grab my books... How will we reach our students and match them to texts? As we plan online learning modules and lessons, we realize we are missing the most important component of our instruction - BOOKS.

And it's not just the books, it is the classroom library itself that is missing. This space where readers connect with one another and we connect them to books. This space where we design, organize and reorganize baskets of books to reflect our students and our curriculum. This space where students have agency to discover their reading identity and author their reading life.

I miss this space. I miss being in classroom libraries with teachers, literacy coaches, librarians and students. It got me thinking. How could I virtually create this space? What structure could I create for teachers to replicate for their students? How could we once again work together to empower students and make the book supply seem endless in the eyes of a reader? I felt a bit like the main character in Most Magnificent Thing - I fiddled and played and revised. I tested and redesigned and retested.

This one is created as a google document, but I also created one in Padlet that worked well. Each basket is hyperlinked to a digital bin that is also a google doc. I have curated a collection of texts in each bin from various websites, publishers, and authors reading their books aloud. We surveyed students to find out what types of books they were interested in reading and created baskets to support upcoming units of study. Baskets contain digital books, PDFs of books, audiobooks, videos of books, images, and short video clips. Here is a video explaining how I created it.

Here is a blank template of the google doc used for the virtual classroom library.

This article and video are cross-posted and can also be found on Clare Landigran's website. Clare Landigran is an author, speaker, and staff developer who works to implement best practices in the field of literacy and to engage in institutional change through shared leadership.

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Classroom libraries are the heart and soul of literacy instruction. We know that the right book at the right time can make all the difference ... but only if we can find it! Most of my conversations with teachers and literacy coaches these past weeks have centered on books.

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April is National Poetry Month

Lesson Plans

Using Classic Poetry to Challenge and Enrich Students' Writing In a series of lessons, students in grades 6-8 interpret multiple perspectives while reading, analyzing, and discussing poems. They then imitate a range of poetic styles and forms in writing original poems.

Tips for Teaching Poetry For K-12 teachers, here are a number of ways to bring poetry into the classroom.

Activities

Background Resources

Poems for Multiple Voices An annotated bibliography of poetry for 2, 3, and 4 voices.

Video

The Poetry Foundation ( K-12)

Audio

Audio & Podcasts (Poetry Foundation)
Readings of poems and interviews with poets.

Printables
last updated: February 18, 2020

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Bringing Poetry to the Classroom, Grades 6-8

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Using Classic Poetry to Challenge and Enrich Students' Writing In a series of lessons, students in grades 6-8 interpret multiple perspectives while reading, analyzing, and discussing poems. They then imitate a range of poetic styles and forms in writing original poems. Tips for Teaching Poetry For K-12 teachers, here are a number of ways to bring poetry into the classroom.

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Flyleaf Publishing - Online Materials Portal

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Click on on any book cover below to begin reading, or use the Menu to navigate.

Use the book's homework button to open a downloadable homework packet.

Use the book's SMART Board button to download SMART Board files that are designed to assist you in the delivery of Flyleaf's Foundational Skill and Close Reading Guide instruction.

*Foundational Skills Guides and Close Reading Guides are sold separately and are not available as online resources. Visit flyleafpublishing.com for details about our instructional guides. **If you do not currently have access to SMART Notebook software, you can download it here: SMART Notebook.

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For Instructors - Flyleaf Publishing - Online Materials Portal

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Online Materials PortalFor Instructors Click on on any book cover below to begin reading, or use the Menu to navigate. Use the book's homework button to open a downloadable homework packet. Use the book's SMART Board button to download SMART Board files that are designed to assist you in the delivery of Flyleaf's Foundational Skill and Close Reading Guide instruction.

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From Really Great Reading

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Really Great Reading Letter Tile Freeplay

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© 2022 Really Great Reading All Rights Reserved

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Heart Word Magic - Read and Spell High Frequency Words | Really Great Reading

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Heart Word Magic - Help Students Learn to Read and Spell High-Frequency and Sight WordsHeart Word Magic is a complimentary teaching tool designed to help students learn to read and spell high-frequency words and sight words, particularly those that aren’t very decodable. Show your students the animations, then try these fun, hands-on free Student Practice

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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A list of resources with links for teaching phonological awareness and phonics virtually.

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How to Use Google Jamboard for Remote Teaching

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Website with examples and materials.