9/30/2015: Happy Belated Birthday, Johnny Appleseed!

Fall is the time for apples, and September is also the birth month of Johnny Appleseed!  John Chapman, who later became known as Johnny Appleseed, was born September 26, 1774, in Leominster, MA

My original play “The Tale of Johnny Appleseed” is a great way to learn more about this famous frontiersman with your class!

It is written for use as readers’ theater, as a part of balanced literacy (Read-Aloud, Shared and Performance Reading or Guided Reading), or for an actual play production. In readers’ theater or through one of the balanced literacy approaches to teaching reading, children are not expected to memorize their lines, yet the reading encourages strong oral skills. An added benefit is performing the play for other classes or parents while increasing social skills, cooperative learning and creativity. Using plays in literacy-based classrooms promotes active listening for the performers, as well as the audience, and offers an engaging way to teach reading skills.

9/30/2015: Happy National Hispanic Month!

National Hispanic Month 2015 is here!

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.  This month began as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, and was later expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.  

According to the official website “The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.”

Now is a great time to honor Hispanic history and culture in your classroom with some of these offerings from Haven Hill Learning on Teachers Pay Teachers:

San Jacinto Day – 1st grade Level G Level

Cinco de Mayo – 4th grade level R

San Jacinto Memorial –  4th grade Level R

Cesar Chavez – 5th grade level T

My original Level T reader Caesar Chavez: Champion of Farm Workers' Rights is Great book for your students to learn more about the life of Cesar Chavez who was a champion for rights for migrant farm workers. It is written as a Level T reader but can be used with younger grades for advanced readers or as a read-a-loud and also for higher grade levels for special education students or ELL learners with various reading abilities.

This four-page reader comes with three accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in the book are listed on the first page of the book.

9/16/2015: Prepare for National Fossil Day on October 14th, 2015!

Are you ready to celebrate National Fossil Day on October 14th, 2015?  National Fossil Day was begun in 2010 by the National Parks Service to raise awareness of paleontology.  Today, National Fossil Day continues to be organized by the National Park Service as a celebration “to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational values.”  The National Fossil Day website has a number of great resources, including a kid’s site and information on their annual National Fossil Day Art and Photography Contest.  

Fossils can be a fun  way to engage your students with science.  My Fourth Grade Leveled Books: Level Q - Set 2 consists of 7 books, including “Fossils and Paleontologists”  Each book comes with accompanying worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in each book are listed on the first page of each story.

9/9/2015: Happy Post-Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day!  I hope that everyone enjoyed a restful holiday weekend, and you all feel energized for the new school year!

Why not get your students excited for a new year of reading with some of my original plays?  These plays are written for use as readers’ theater, as a part of balanced literacy (Read-Aloud, Shared and Performance Reading or Guided Reading), or for an actual play production.   Using plays in literacy-based classrooms promotes active listening for the performers, as well as the audience, and offers an engaging way to teach reading skills.

9/9/2015: Get Ready to wish "The Star-Spangled Banner" Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to the American national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner!”

During the War of 1812, on September 13–14, 1814 Francis Scott Key watched Fort McHenry being bombed by the British forces in the Battle of Baltimore.  In the morning, Key could see that the American flag was still flown over Fort McHenry, showing that the Americans had not lost possession of it. The inspired Key’s to write a poem, which became “The Star-Spangled Banner”  

Learn more about Francis Scott Key with your class with my book  Francis Scott Key and The Star-Spangled Banner: First Grade - Level I Reader.  

This first grade Level I reader gives students the interesting background of the United States national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner".   Francis Scott Key and the American Flag are also featured in my First Grade Level I – Set 2 book set.  

My  five-page Level O reader The Founding Fathers is a wonderful resource to bring information about life in the American colonies about the founders of the United States into your classroom.  The book comes with three accompanying worksheets to help reinforce literacy skills involving reading comprehension, language, spelling, and writing.   

Your class can learn more about some of America’s other important Founding Fathers in my third grade level O reader Ben Franklin - A Man with an Electric Personality

my first-grade Level G reader Ben Franklin, my second grade Level L reader John Hancock and a Study of Pronouns.  Your students will learn more about The Liberty Bell, and The United States Flag in my set of leveled books Social Studies Topics - Leveled Books: First Grade Levels H/I