Author Website: https://www.ashleyspires.com/books

SUMMARY: A girl and her dog, who is also her assistant, want to create the most magnificent thing. However, things do not go as planned. The girl tries and fails many times, and eventually hurts herself, causing her to quit. After a walk with her dog, she sees that all her "things" are good in their own ways and builds the final magnificent thing. The book shows that perseverance is key to success.

High-Quality Resource:

• 2015 ALA Notable Children's Book List: Winner

• 2015 CCBC Choices: Winner

• 2014 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing: Winner

• 2014 Top 2014 Mighty Girl Books For Younger Readers: Winner 

Genre: Fiction, Picture Book

Grade Level: 1st- 3rd

Standard: Science: 3.ETS1.1) Design a solution to a real-world problem that includes specified criteria for constraints.

English: 3.W.PDW.4 With guidance and support, produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Activity:

Students will be asked to create their own " most magnificent thing". The creation of their own "thing" will be tested until it can hold a weight ( determined by the teacher), and can pull an object. Once their "thing" is complete, the students will write a paper, as an engineer, explaining each attempt that was done till the final product. Students must explain what worked and what did not work so well for them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RuBJONvEIk

Author Website:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Salt-in-His-Shoes/Deloris-Jordan/9780689834196

SUMMARY: The true story of basketball legend Michael Jordan focuses on how his hard work and perseverance made him who he is today. In the book, Michael just wants to be taller and his mom gives him advice on how to be taller. He skips basketball games with his brothers to practice. He measures his height and sees that he is not taller, leaving him sad. He speaks with his dad, who states that practice and determination are more important than being tall. Michael then goes to the basketball court and wins the game for his team.

High-Quality Resource:

• North Carolina Children's Book Award: Won in 2002 

• Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award: Won in 2002 

• Picture-book winner: Won by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 

• Crown Award: Won in Texas

  
  

Genre: Non-fiction, Biography

Grade Level: 2nd- 3rd

Standard:

English: 3.W.PDW.4 With guidance and support, produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

3.SL.PKI.6 Speak in complete sentences, when appropriate to task and situation, to provide requested detail or clarification

Activity: Dream chart

Students will be asked to create a chart with their dreams. On the chart, the dreams and steps they need to complete this must be shown. Students can either write a paper from this dream chart ( explaining their goals and steps to achieve it) or they can make a speech and present it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a2Smau__Dk&t=294s

Author Website:

No website on authors, but https://www.jmichaelsbooks.com/pages/books/302603/giles-andreae-guy-parker-rees/giraffes-cant-dance

SUMMARY: A tale of Gerald the giraffe who just wants to dance. He has crooked knees and thin legs, which makes it hard for him to dance. Looking at the moon, he encounters a friend who encourages him. This encouragement makes him believe in himself. He dances to music from a violin and everyone watches him and is amazed.

High-Quality Resource:

• Children's Favorites Awards: Selected in 2002 

• Early Math Project Children's Literature: Selected in 2002 

• Teacher Favorites Award: Won in 2002 

• South Carolina First Steps Children's Book of the Year: Won in 2015 

• Blue Peter Book Award: Shortlisted in 2002 for Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud

  
  

Genre: Fiction, poetry, Picture book

Grade Level: K-2nd

Standard:

English: 3.W.TTP.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts. a. Introduce topic or text. b. State an opinion. c. Supply reasons to support the opinion. d. Use linking words to connect the reasons to the opinion. e. Provide a concluding statement or section.

or

3.RL.KID.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the answers.

Activity:

Students will be asked to write about a time when they struggled to do something. The students must explain how encouragement helped them overcome their struggles.

OR

Students can answer questions, referring back to the story.

1) What is the problem in the story?

2) How is the problem solved?

3) I am like Gerald the Giraffe when I worry about my__________

4) I am good at_________

5) List the rhyming words.

https://youtu.be/LLduTcPnvhc

Author Website:

https://lauriethompson.com/books/emmanuels_dream/

SUMMARY: A true story of a child born with one leg. Emmanuel does not want to be defined by his disability. Before his mother dies, she teaches him to be self-reliant, and determined and encourages him to achieve his goals. When Emmanuel grows up, he decides to show the world that his disability is not a discouraging factor in his life. He cycles across Ghana, with just one leg, to raise awareness to show the capabilities of those with disabilities.

High-Quality Resource:

• Schneider Family Children's Book Award: Winner of the 2016 ALA Youth Media Awards

• Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children Honor: Winner of the 2022 ALA Youth Media Awards

• Notable Children's Book: Winner of the 2016 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

• Eureka Honor Award: Winner of the 2015 California Reading Association

  
  

Genre: Non-fiction, biography

Grade Level: 2nd-3rd

Standard: 3.W.TTP.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using an effective technique, such as descriptive details and clear event sequences.

Activity: Timeline

Students will be asked to create a timeline of a time that they faced a challenge and overcame it. The timeline must show how the student started, the steps they took to overcome the challenge, and where they are today after they overcame the challenge. On the timeline, there should be illustrations and under the illustrations, a brief explanation of what is going on. Students must also show the similarities from their timeline to the book.

https://youtu.be/3sNVhNThxcc

Author Website:

http://www.andreabeaty.com/rosie-revere-engineer.html

SUMMARY: A story of a young inventor named Rosie. One day, her invention fails and she feels discouraged and hides her passion for inventing items, she only invents in private so she will not feel embarrassed. One day, Rosie's aunt shares her dream of flying to Rosie. Rosie builds a flying machine and it fails. She shares the lesson of giving up is failure and Rosie realizes that failure brings you closer to success.

High-Quality Resource:

• Parents' Choice Gold Medal and 2013 ReadBoston Read Aloud Winner

  
  

Genre: Fiction, Picture book, STEM

Grade Level: 1st-3rd

Standard: Science: 2.ETS1: Engineering Design 2) Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model that communicates solutions to others.

Activity: Students will have to create a model of a flying machine that can stay in the air. Students will compete with one another to see whose stays in the air the longest.

https://youtu.be/LmIfdJRsSGQ

Author Website:

http://www.andreabeaty.com/rosie-revere-engineer.html

SUMMARY: A story of a young African-American girl, named Grace, who enjoys acting out her favorite characters from books and movies. Her class is going to perform the play Peter Pan and her classmates say that she cannot be Peter because she is a girl and is black. Her mother and grandmother encourage her to pursue the role and she gets it. At the end of the story, the classmates told her how well she had done as Peter. The story shows themes like perseverence and self-confidence.

High-Quality Resource:

• California Young Readers Medal

• Diverse Voices list of 50 Best Multicultural Books.

Genre: Fiction, Picture book

Grade Level: 1st-3rd

Standard: English: 3.SL.CC.1 Prepare for collaborative discussions on 3rd grade level topics and texts; engage effectively with varied partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing one’s own ideas clearly.

Social Studies: 2.29-Examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S

Activity: Students will role-play a short play based on a famous historical figure. The student will express the struggles that were overcome. Discuss how they overcame the struggle and relate it to the book.

https://youtu.be/DFJkBSbJe18

Author Website:

Not the author website but https://www.shepersistedbooks.com/

SUMMARY: A picture book that highlights 13 women from different periods of history. Each woman faced different challenges, but they overcame these challenges and made long-lasting contributions to the world.

The book includes information about Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Clara Lemlich, Nellie Bly, Virginia Apgar, Maria Tallchief, Claudette Colvin, Ruby Bridges, Margaret Chase Smith, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner, Oprah Winfrey, and Sonia Sotomayor. These stories are examples of how perseverance can lead to great achievements.

High-Quality Resource:

• New York Times Bestseller

  
  

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Grade Level: 2nd-3rd

Standard: Social Studies: 2.29- Examine the significant contributions made by people of the U.S

English: 3.W.TTP.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information.

Activity: Students will Create a "Persistence Wall" where students write the name of a famous person who showed perseverance and add a brief description of their accomplishments. Students can also include their own stories of perseverance.

https://youtu.be/6SHmN-wXykU

Author Website:

https://www.peterbrownstudio.com/books/the-curious-garden/

SUMMARY: A story of a young boy, Liam, who lives in a grey town, with no nature. One day while exploring the city, he discovers some small struggling plants. He decided to care for the plants and help them grow. Through the winter, Liam prepared supplies to continue looking after the plants. Liam transformed rooftops and railways into green spaces. His dedication and perseverance inspired others to start caring for plants and change the color of the city.

High-Quality Resource:

• Caldecott Honor for Creepy Carrots!, two E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book award, and a Children's Choice Award for Illustrator of the Year

  
  

Genre: Fiction, Picture book

Grade Level: K-2nd

Standard: Science: 1.LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes 1) Recognize the structure of plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) and describe the function of the parts (taking in water and air, producing food, making new plants). 2) Illustrate and summarize the life cycle of plants. 3) Analyze and interpret data from observations to describe how changes in the environment cause plants to respond in different ways.

Activity: Students will plant a seed in a thin glass container. The students will watch the plant grow over the school year. The students will create a diagram and label the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and describe the function of the parts taking in water and air, producing food, etc. With the seed being planted at the beginning of the year, we can see the life cycle of the plant. Seeing the life cycle will allow us to interpret how different seasons have different effects on plants. We can also manipulate the environment to see how the plant reacts (too much sun, not enough water, too cold).