School Year Kick-off Sale August 22 and Voting Activities

As everyone starts back at school, I would like to extend my best wishes to all teachers for a successful school year.  It is always an exciting time to meet the new students and watch them grow and learn!

As you prepare for the year, I wanted to let you know that you can save on my TpT books August 22nd!  I am having a 20% OFF SALE on my TpT books and, combined with the TpT general sale that day of 10% off (use promo code OneDay), you can save up to 28% off any books you purchase!  The sale runs Aug 22nd, 12:01 am ET - 11:59 pm ET

The link to my TpT store is listed above.  Come check out the many biographies, new phonics books, and book collections for K-6th grade I have available.  A good time to stock up as the school year opens.  

With much news focused on the race for president this fall, it is a great time to get students involved in learning about the election process and what voting means.  Setting up a voting box and having them make ballots and vote on favorite activities or favorite foods can let even the youngest students understand how each vote is important and what it means to win an election.  

I will have some new single books on the election process and voting that I will post soon on my TpT site!  Now several of those are part of sets such as in the First Grade Pre-Primer Social Studies: Level C-E collection which has stories on voting and being a good citizen as well as a number of biographies of famous Americans and a story on Veteran's Day - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Social-Studies-Topics-Leveled-Books-First-Grade-Pre-Primer-Levels-C-E-457171.  

4/11/2016: Happy Birthday Thomas Jefferson!

Are you and your class ready to wish a “Happy Birthday” to Thomas Jefferson?

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, was born on April 13th, 1743.  He was an important Founding Father, and the main author of the Declaration of Independence.  The Monticello Classroom has some great resources for kids and educators on their website.

My original reader The Founding Fathers is another great resource for your students to learn about Thomas Jefferson and some of his Founding Father peers.  Your class can learn more about some of America’s other fascinating 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

2/26/2016: Lewis and Clark

Are your students drawn to exciting true stories of explorers?  My reader The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Level T Reader is a great book for combining social studies with reading and language arts!

From this fifth-grade Level T reader, students will learn about the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark who traveled through the western U.S. all the way to the Pacific Ocean to map the new lands of the Louisiana Purchase.

This reader "The Lewis and Clark Expedition" is included in a collection of other Level T readers - Level T - Set 1. That set includes 10 books:

- What are the Chances?;

- The Colonial Period;

- The Lewis and Clark Expedition;

- Delta, Canyon, Sand Dunes – Impact of Weathering and Erosion;

- I Pledge Allegiance;

- Lady Liberty Welcomes All;

- A Series of Firsts – The 2008 Presidential Elections;

- Cesar Chavez – “Si Se Puede” (“Yes, it can be done”);

- Name Your Sources;

- 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – Washington, D.C. – The White House

Find these books, and more, at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

2/25/2016: Ready for Women's History Month?

We still have  the rest of February left to continue to celebrate Black History Month, but soon March, and Women's History Month will be upon us!  The official website http://womenshistorymonth.gov/ is full of engaging resources.   

My collection of leveled readers, "Famous Women in History" is an excellent way to build literacy skills while learning more about Women’s History.  This collection of leveled readers for second through fourth grade features stories about eight women and their contributions to history.  This series includes books on eight notable American women, including Clara Barton, Helen Keller,Eleanor Roosevelt and Sojourner Truth, among others.

Explore all of them on my Teachers Pay Teachers site:

Amelia Earhart -- Airplane Pilot (level L)

Abigail Adams -- First Lady & Crusader for People’s Rights (level L)

Clara Barton -- Founder of the American Red Cross (level N)

Maria Mitchell -- Astronomer (level N)

Helen Keller -- Inspirational Speaker (level O)

Ellen Ochoa -- Astronaut (level P)

Laura Ingalls Wilder -- Pioneer and Author (level P)

Millie Hughes-Fulford -- Scientist in Space (level R)

2/24/2016: Looking Ahead to Read Across America Day!

As February draws to a close,I am looking forward to March and Read Across America Day!  Read Across America Day is a celebration of reading that takes place nationwide every year on (or around) March 2nd to celebrate Theodor Seuss Geisel’s, also known as Dr Seuss’s, birthday.  This year it is being celebrated on Wednesday March 2nd by thousands of schools and libraries across the country.

A great way to celebrate Read Across America Day is reading my reader Second Grade Level K Reader Dr. Seuss - Best-Selling Children's Author with your class. This original book is a biography that tells the story of Dr. Seuss.

This second grade level K guided reading book comes with four companion worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in this reader are listed on the first page of the story. Please check out my Pintrest Read Across America Day board for more engaging ideas for your classroom.

2/23/2015:Orville and Wilbur Wright - Free Spirits

I wrote recently about some of my original books on inventors.  If you are looking for other inventor options, check out my original reader Orville and Wilbur Wright - Free Spirits.  

In this Level T reader your students will learn facts about Orville and Wilbur Wright, who were early pioneers of flight, and their invention of a flying machine.

This is a great resource to combine social studies and language arts.  The book comes with 5 companion worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing. Specific concepts, skills, and vocabulary targeted in this 5th grade Level T reader are listed on the first page of the story.

This story is one of the books in the collection of Level T - Set 2 readers. The ten books in that collection are:

- Alternative Energy Sources – Wind, Solar, Geothermal, and Hydroelectric Power;

- John Deere – An Improved Plow;

- Founding of St. Augustine, 1565;

- Orville and Wilbur Wright – Free Spirits;

- Fun with Words – Simile, Metaphor, and Onomatopoeia;

- The Greatness of the Plains;

- Causes and Effects of the French and Indian War;

- Sedimentary Rock, Fossils, and Fossil Fuels;

- The Manifest Destiny;

- Metric Conversions.

Find these books, and more, at my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

2/23/2015: Sam Houston

March is just a week away!  On March 2, 1793  Sam Houston was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia.  Do your students enjoy reading biographies?  In my first-grade Level G reader Sam Houston: Hero of Texas students will learn about Sam Houston, who was a governor of Tennessee and Texas and who fought for Texas' freedom from Mexico. He is also the namesake of Houston, Texas.  

The book is sold as a single book as well as part of two collections of books -

Level G (Set 1) and Social Studies Topics: First-grade level F/G books which includes:

F: Constitution Day; Facts about the Alamo; Garrett Morgan;

Jobs; Alexander Graham Bell; G: Why Work?; San Jacinto Day;

Statue of Liberty; Sam Houston; and Ben Franklin

2/16/2016: February is a fabulous time to study inventors!

Do your kids enjoy tinkering and expressing their creativity?

February is a particularly great time to bring inventors into your lessons to inspire your students to explore their own innovative ideas for inventions.  It is the birth month of many famous inventors, and famous African-American inventors are also fun to study as part of Black History Month.  For example, my first-grade level F reader Garrett Morgan: Inventor, will describe to your students the important inventions this great African-American inventor made, including the traffic signal light. This is one of the books contained in the collection of leveled readers entitled "Famous African-Americans in U.S. History, Leveled Books for Grades 1 – 3."

February 11th is the birthday of birthday of Thomas Edison.  My first grade level E reader “Thomas Edison: Inventor” will teach your students interesting facts while they will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension.  Benjamin Franklin recently had a birthday, on January 17th.   In Benjamin Franklin, my first-grade Level G reader, students will learn about this famous American  statesman, writer, printer, scientist, and inventor.

Combining reading and social studies activities, this first-grade Level F reader provides interesting facts about Alexander Graham Bell- Inventor of the Telephone. Your students will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension as they read the story, answer questions, and have fun with the criss cross puzzle.  My second grade leveled reader "Robert Fulton - Steamboat Inventor" provides a brief history of Robert Fulton's life and his love for invention. Steamboats, a submarine, and canal systems were some of the projects he worked on during his lifetime. I hope that you enjoy exploring inventions and inspiring creativity in your own classroom.

2/4/2016:Cyrus McCormick - A New Way to Cut Crops

I hope that you have been enjoying February so far with your students!  We started off with Groundhog Day and there is so much amazing Black History to celebrate for all of Black History Month!

It may soon be winter, but soon spring will be springing up and that means plants! Early spring is a great time to discuss plants, gardens, and how we grow our food.  A new addition to my TpT Store is Cyrus McCormick - A New Way to Cut Crops

This is a great book for integrating literacy and social studies. In this third-grade Level O reader, students will learn about Cyrus McCormick and his invention of the mechanical reaper which helped to revolutionize agriculture.

The book is sold as a single book as well as part of my Level O - Set 2 collection of 6 books:

• Bill Martin, Jr. - America’s Favorite Children’s Author;

• Cyrus McCormick – A New Way to Cut Crops;

• Helen Keller: Spelling W-A-T-E-R;

• Mary Kay of Mary Kay Cosmetics;

• Famous Amos Cookies; and

• Bill Gates, Riches beyond Money

1/17/2016: It is Almost Martin Luther King Jr Day!

It is almost Martin Luther King Jr Day!

The week Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a wonderful time to teach your students about the life and legacy of the great American Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I have created two original plays about Dr. King, I Have A Dream - The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Dream - A Play about Martin Luther King, Jr.

These plays are complete with a teaching guide that lists questions before and after reading the play, words to preview, and extension activities, your students will have fun, build self-confidence and increase in reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary development.

You can read more about Dr. King in my reader Martin Luther King, Jr. - First Grade Level D Reader.  My original series of leveled books is written to incorporate the Fountas and Pinnell leveled vocabulary, Rebecca Sitton spelling words, and common core curriculum standards for grades K-6 in the United States. They are great materials for Black History Month in February as well!

12/2/2015: Happy (almost) Birthday to Louis Pasteur!

It is already the middle of December, and the birthday the great French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur is approaching!  Pasteur was born on December 27th, 1822, in France.   His important contributions to science include proving the germ theory of disease, inventing the process of pasteurisation, and producing the first rabies vaccine.  Pasteurization is used to allow us to keep milk longer, to celebrate Pasteur and science try out this fun color changing milk experiment with your class!

If you looking for a way to combine science, history, reading, and writing activities, my

consider checking out on my book “Louis Pasteur - Exploring Pasteurization and Vaccines” on my Teachers Pay Teachers Site

This third grade Level N reader is a three-page story about some of his greatest discoveries,  accompanied by five pages of worksheets which reinforce literacy skills involving reading, language, spelling, and writing.

Please visit my Pintrest page http://www.pinterest.com/havenhillread/ for more ideas on getting students excited for science!  

10/23/15: Happy (almost) Birthday Jonas Salk!

Happy Birthday to Jonas Salk!  Jonas Salk, the important American scientist who developed the first successful vaccine for polio was born in New York City October 28, 1914. To learn more about this great scientist, my reader Jonas Salk - Famous Medical Researcher is perfect for combining science, history, reading, and writing activities! This third grade Level N reader is an informative text that explores Jonas Salk's discovery of the first vaccine for polio, which saved millions from getting this terrible disease.

Please visit my Pintrest page http://www.pinterest.com/havenhillread/ for more ideas on getting students excited for science!  

10/9/2015: Anniversary of the First Two-Way Telephone Conversation

Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant Thomas A. Watson held the first two-way long-distance conversation on October 9, 1876, when they spoke to each other by telephone over a two-mile wire stretched between Cambridge and Boston. 

Earlier that same year, On February 14, Bell and an American engineer named Elisha Gray both filed patents with the U.S. Patent Office for early telephones. There is debate about who got there first but Bell received the patent, and a few days later he succeeded in getting his telephone to work using elements similar to those of Gray’s.

Do your students enjoy learning about famous inventors? My first-grade Level F reader Alexander Graham Bell combines reading and social studies activities to provide interesting facts about Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone. Your students will build their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension as they read the story, answer questions, and have fun with the puzzle!

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.

9/9/2015: 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