Books - Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten

12 Compelling Community Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Are you teaching a community theme in your classroom? You’ll love this list of related books!

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1. Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do By Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook: Use the clothing clues on each page to guess each job in this fun interactive book.

2. Whose Hands Are These? By Miranda Paul: This is another great guessing book about community helpers. I really like that this one has some different jobs that aren’t usually included in many books on the topic such as scientists and potters. This book is also helpful for building vocabulary as it uses words like “physicians” and “architects.”

3. When I Grow Up By Al Yankovic: Little ones will totally relate to the main character in this story as he describes what he wants to be when he grows up. His dreams range from snail trainer to pickle inspector and everything in between. Love that this book pushes kids to dream big and that they don’t have to pick the same old career as everyone else (i.e. doctor, lawyer, police officer, etc.)

4. A Day in the Life of… (series) By Heather Adamson: This series is my favorite for introducing the jobs of 14 different community helpers (police officer, firefighter, farmer, nurse, dentist, doctor, EMT, veterinarian, teacher, zookeeper, construction worker, child care worker, librarian, and garbage collector. Each book describes the job and all that it requires in simple easy to understand language perfect for beginning readers.

5. Career Day By Anne Rockwell: Another great book for introducing some different jobs to your students. The class is this book is having a career day and all of their family members come to share their jobs which include a judge, crossing guard, paleontologist, and more!

6. ABC Jobs By Roger Priddy: This book is PACKED with information about 26 different jobs. From an airline pilot to zoo keeper, each page is written from the perspective of the person describing what their job is about, the skills they need and the the people they help. I especially love all of the labels for teh uniforms, tools, and vehicles that each job requires.

7. Whose Hat is This? By Sharon Cooper: If your kids loved Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do and Whose Hands Are These? then you definitely have to check out these next two books. In this book learn all about the different hats worn by construction workers, police officers, firefighters, and more.

8. Whose Tools are These? By Sharon Cooper: And in this book learn all about the different tools used by doctors, hair stylists, lifeguards, and more.

9. Helpers in my Community By Bobbie Kalman: This is a nice short and to the point book with great real photos to introduce different community helpers.

10. Community Helpers from A to Z By Bobby Kalman: Here is another ABC book introducing 26 different jobs that you may want to check out, there is some overlap with ABC Jobs, but lots of new and unusual jobs too like, agricultural workers, recycling workers, and more!

11. Let’s Meet a… (series) By Bridget Heos: The fun cartoon characters in this 8 book set make it a fun way to learn about construction workers, librarians, veterinarians, teachers, police officers, firefighters, dentists, and doctors.

12. Delivering Your Mail By Ann Owen: This book is great for young readers with short sentences, and simple illustrations. Learn the different jobs of mailmen, their routes, about safety around mail trucks, and more.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Community: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite fall books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Make connections and practice opinion writing with Career Day By Anne Rockwell.

Then make one or all 10 of these adorable community helper crafts!

Infer meaning and write informational text with Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do By Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook.

Learn new vocabulary and write an acrostic poem with Whose Hands Are These? By Miranda Paul.

Describe character traits and practice narrative writing with When I Grow Up By Al Yankovic.

Compare and contrast texts with the A Day in the Life of… (series) By Heather Adamson.

Then write an all about book describing a job in the community.

You can grab all of these activities here Community: Read & Respond:

The post 12 Compelling Community Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Nocturnal Animal Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:30:00 +0000

Whether you are studying owls, bats, wolves, or even racoons, night animals are always fascinating These are my favorite books to build background knowledge about nocturnal animals.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. Where Are the Night Animals? By Mary Ann Fraser: Learn all about coyotes, skunks, owls, opossums and more in this overview of night animal behavior.

2. Night Animals By Gianna Marino: Possum and his friends are afraid of night animals in this cute fiction story. A simple story for young listeners.

3. Owl Moon By Jane Yolen: A girl and her dad go on a magical owling adventure in this fiction story perfect for older readers.

4. National Geographic Readers: Wolves By Laura Marsh: In this nonfiction book specifically about wolves, readers will learn how they run in packs, stalk their prey and more. The beautiful photographs will capture the interest of kids young and old.

5. Nocturnal Animals By Kelli L. Hicks: This nonfiction book is packed full of information about all the things nocturnal animals do at night. A great book for comparing with Where Are the Night Animals? By Mary Ann Fraser

6. Moonlit Animals: This book is a really interesting and engaging way to learn about night animals. The animals are hidden in the night on the pages and you use a “flashlight” (piece of white cardstock, between vellum pages) to find the animals. The text is interesting and informative, but the real magic is in the special flashlight used to highlight each animal in the night.

7. Out of Sight Till Tonight By Tish Rabe: For kids who are familiar with The Cat in the Hat this science book is sure to be a hit. The rhyming text and whimsical illustrations invite students in while providing quality information and defining important vocabulary.

8. Little Owl’s Night By Divya Srinivasan: In this book, little owl enjoys watching all of the animals interesting activities during the night, but he is curious about what animals do during the day. His mom tries to describe to him what it is like, but he falls asleep as the sun rises.

9. Owl Babies By Martin Waddell: Three sweet owlets wake up to find their mommy owl gone. They worry and wonder where she has gone. The illustrations are gorgeous and make this simple story come to life

10. Owl Sees Owl By Laura Godwin: Owl sets out on an adventure in this simple poetry book, which reverses mid story when “Owl sees Owl.” He sees his own reflection and which startles him into returning home.

11. Secret Pizza Party By Adam Rubin: Everyone love pizza, even the poor raccoon. All he wants in life is pizza, but unfortunately he can’t just ask for a slice. So of course he plans a secret pizza party! If you loved Dragons Love Tacos you’ll love this book from the same author.

12. Owls By Gail Gibbons: Take an in depth look into the life of an owl with this non fiction book. Learn about owl habitats, life styles, birth and development and environmental hazards that are threatening owl species

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Nocturnal Animals: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite fall books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Learn new vocabulary and practice opinion writing with Where Are the Night Animals? by Mary Ann Fraser.

Identify story elements and write/infer with Night Animals by Gianna Marino.

Identify point of view and practice narrative writing with Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.

Then make this adorable owl craft.

Use text features with National Geographic Readers: Wolves by Laura Marsh.

Then write an acrostic poem and create a cute wolf craft to go with it.

Use illustrations to gain information with Nocturnal Animals by Kelli L. Hicks.

Then write a nonfiction book summarizing new learning about nocturnal animals.

You can grab all of these activities here Nocturnal Animals: Read & Respond:

The post 12 Nocturnal Animal Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Fantastic Fall Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Well September is about half over and this week has been unseasonably warm, but fall temperatures are just around the corner. So grab a pumpkin spice latte and check out this list of fall books to prep for your little ones.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. Leaves Fall Down By Lisa Bullard: A boy and his mom go out for a walk in the fall and the boy is very curious about all of the changes he sees. Find out why leaves change color and learn new vocabulary in this simple fall book.

2. Leaf Man By Lois Ehlert: Fall just would not be complete without this gorgeous book. The illustrations are made from actual leaves and the die-cut pages create a beautiful changing landscape across the top of the pages. The story is simple but will surely inspire nature lovers to take a closer look at all of the unique leaves around them.

3. Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf By Lois Ehlert: Follow the life of a maple tree in another one of Lois Ehlert’s beautiful books. The vibrant colors and simple, to the point storyline make this an excellent choice for young readers.

4. We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt By Steve Metzger: This new version of the favorite song is a great choice to read aloud. Lots of repetition for little ones to join in on and the book also teaches a few tree names along the way.

5. Why Do Leaves Change Color? By Betsy Maestro: This Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out book explains the process of how leaves change their color in fall. It includes lots of information and detailed pictures of leaves of different shapes, sizes and colors.

6. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves By Lucille Colandro: Our favorite little old lady is back swallowing all kinds of fall themed items in this book. Surely kids will get a laugh out of this old lady’s silliness.

7. Colorful Leaves By Maria Fleming: I can always count on Scholastic to have great easy nonfiction readers. This book describes leaf shapes, what leaves do, and how a leaf changes and grows. A perfect first nonfiction book about leaves.

8. By the Light of the Harvest Moon By Harriet Ziefert: Celebrate all things fall with this read aloud full of rich descriptive language. Leaf people emerge from piles making this a perfect book to compare with Lois Ehlert’s Leaf Man.

9. Little Elliot Fall Friends By Mike Curato: Little Elliot and Mouse are the most adorable little friends in this story that will inspire you to slow down and smell the pumpkins with someone you love.

10. Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn By Kenard Pak: The soft illustrations in this book compliment the simple storyline that follows all of the changes that happen in late summer as we transition to fall. A quick and easy read aloud for young listeners.

11. Wonderfall By Michael Hall: This book is full of clever word play and offers a playful spin on learning about fall. Check out the apple harvest (“Plentifall”), fall colors of the farmer’s market (“Beautifall”), and Halloween (“Frightfall”).

12. Autumn Snow By Flitzy Books: This book offers a fresh perspective on fall from the eyes of a little girl who compares falling leaves to snowflakes. A unique way to look at the season and great introduction to similes.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Fall: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite fall books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Activate schema, ask and answer questions with Leaves Fall Down by Lisa Bullard.

Then write a fall themed poem.

Learn new vocabulary with Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert.

Then make this adorable leaf man craft and write about a leaf man adventure.

Practice sequencing a story with There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro.

Then write about how to build a scarecrow and build a scarecrow craft.

Infer the meaning of new words and write about your favorite fall activity with Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro.

Find the main idea with Colorful Leaves By Maria Fleming.

Then write a nonfiction book all about fall.

You can grab all of these activities here Fall: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Fantastic Fall Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Brilliant Bat Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

October is just a few weeks away. And it is the perfect month for learning about night animals leading up to Halloween. Check out these 12 brilliant bat books for your your classroom or homeschool.

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat By Lucille Colandro: We love all the books in this series, but this one is definitely a favorite. We always love finding out what the little old lady is going to do after swallowing all kinds of unusual things in the surprise ending. The repetitive text is perfect for little ones learning to retell and reread their favorite stories.

2. Bats By Gail Gibbons: All of Gail Gibbons’ nonfiction books make a great addition to any unit of study and this one is no exception. Lots of detailed illustrations, labels, and text features that help young readers understand the topic better.

3. Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats By Ann Earle: An easy introduction to the many characteristics and behaviors of bats. This book also includes information about how people can help bats and how to build a bat house.

4. Stellaluna By Janell Cannon: In an unfortunate turn of events Stellaluna is separated from her mother, and finds herself taken in by a family of birds. She has to forget all of the bat behaviors she knows and learn the ways of a bird. In the end, she is reunited with her bat family and learns an important lesson.

5. Bats at the Beach By Brian Lies: A creative take on what bats like to do for fun. Kids will get a kick out of the silly antics like marshmallows with bug legs, and wing boat races.

6. National Geographic Kids Bats By Elizabeth Carney: This book has lots of interesting information, addresses several myths, and has fantastic photographs. A must have book for a science unit on bats.

7. Bat Jamboree By Kathi Appelt: This rhyming counting book is sure to be a hit with little listeners. The bats perform as readers practice counting up to 10 then back down again building anticipation and excitement for the grand finale.

8. Bats at the Library By Brian Lies: Similar to Bats at the Beach this book shows just what bats would do if they were to spend night in the library. The pictures in this title are just as gorgeous as the last and the rhyming text and silly bat antics appeal to young readers.

9. The Magic School Bus in the Bat Cave: Who doesn’t love an adventure with Ms. Frizzle? Bats are living at Tim’s house, so Ms. Frizzle and her class are on the case! Lots of fascinating information about bats in a fun narrative style .

10. Bats Around the Clock By Kathi Appelt: Similar to Bat Jamboree, this rhyming book is fun but has a math concept to teach: time. The bats dance around as the mouse holds up the clock showing the time on each page. A great pick for reading when teaching time to the hour.

11. Nightsong: In this sweet story a mother bat teaches her baby bat to be independent and use his strengths to find his way. This book weaves in learning about echolocation along with a great narrative story. Lots of rich vocabulary and great artwork make this book a new favorite.

12. Bats Love the Night By Nicola Davies: Another great non fiction book that reads more like a story but has lots of great information sprinkled throughout. This book specifically tells about the behaviors and characteristics of the pipistrelle bat, which would be a great starting point for comparing with other bat types.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Bats: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite bat books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Practice sequencing a story with There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro.

Then write your own “old lady” story, deciding what silly things she will eat and what crazy things will pop out.

Learn new vocabulary with Bats by Gail Gibbons.

Write a nonfiction book to summarize learning.

Then display with this adorable bat labeling craft.

Compare and contrast Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle with Bats by Gail Gibbons.

Then write an opinion piece about whether or not you think bats are creepy or not.

Identify story elements and decide whether you’d rather be a bat or bird with Stellaluna by Janell Cannon.

Then compare the characters from Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies with Stellaluna by Janell Cannon.

And write your own version of Bats at the _____. Illustrate a background scene and create a cute bat craft to flit around your story.

You can grab all of these activities here Bats: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Brilliant Bat Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Spectacular Spider Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:30:00 +0000

With Halloween drawing near, October is the perfect month for learning about all things creepy and crawly. Check out these 12 spectacular spider books for your your classroom or homeschool
**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. Diary of a Spider By Doreen Cronin: In this book, a lovely little spider tells about all the typical daily events in his life in a humorous and informational way. This book is perfect for teaching personal narratives, it’s clear why this is a New York Times Bestseller.

2. The Very Busy Spider By Eric Carle: One by one all of the animals stop by the very busy spider while she works diligently to build her web. They try many ways to distract her for her work, but nevertheless she persists and finishes her masterpiece. The repetitive text and message are perfect for both preschool and elementary audiences.

3. Miss Spider’s Tea Party By David Kirk: Miss Spider wants so badly to host a tea party for the other insects but they all fear that they will be eaten. In the end she is able to convince them all to join her with her sweet intentions. More rhyming text and beautiful illustrations perfect for young listeners.

4. Aaaarrgghh! Spider By Lydia Monks: In this cute story a spider longs to be a family pet and will stop at nothing to make her dream come true. Kids will surely giggle along as you yell “Aaaarrgghh! Spider!” on each page, making this a great read aloud choice.

5. Super Spiders By Jason Blake: I love Scholastic Vocabulary readers for early nonfiction reading. This book gives just the right amount of information to build a bit of background and interest without overwhelming young minds.

6. Spiders By Gail Gibbons: Gail Gibbons always creates great informational text for little learners. Lots of labels, phonetic pronounciations, and beautiful illustrations make this a great book for more information about spiders.

7. National Geographic Kids: Spiders By Laura Marsh: For beautiful real photos of spiders you will want to grab this Nat Geo book. A great non fiction choice, for amazing photography and simple to understand text.

8. Are You a Spider? By Judy Allen: For a different take on informational text this book is perfect if you are looking to teach about the spider’s life cycle. I like that it begins with questions to peak children’s curiosity.

9. Spinning Spiders By Melvin Berger: Spider webs are fascinating works of art. This book tells how silk is produced, how the webs are spun, what kind of prey they catch and more.

10. Anansi the Spider By Gerald McDermott: This folktale is the story of Anansi and his 6 spider sons. When Anansi gets into trouble, each of his sons finds a way to help. This classic tale of rescue and cooperation is a favorite in our house and fits in perfectly with a spider or Halloween theme.

11. I’m Trying to Love Spiders By Bethany Berton: The unique style of this book make it both informational and hilarious. Seriously this book had me cracking up from beginning to end. You HAVE to check it out, great for kids and adults alike.

12. The Itsy Bitsy Spider By Iza Trapani: A spider theme wouldn’t be complete without this classic nursery rhyme. Trapani’s version follows the itsy bitsy spider on exciting adventures and new journeys beyond the waterspout.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Spiders: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite spider books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Practice sequencing a story with with The Very Busy Spider By Eric Carle.

Plus create this fun Spider Web Craft and writing activity!

Practice asking and answering questions with Diary of a Spider By Doreen Cronin.

Then write your own version of the story.

Identify character traits and practice narrative writing with Miss Spider’s Tea Party By David Kirk.

Identify cause and effect with Aaaarrgghh! Spider By Lydia Monks.

And compose opinion writing based on the same story.

Use illustrations to learn new information with National Geographic Kids: Spiders By Laura Marsh.

Then create this fact spider craft and non fiction book.

You can grab all of these activities here Spiders: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Spectacular Spider Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Haunting Halloween Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:00:00 +0000

If you celebrate Halloween in your classroom or homeschool, you’ll definitely want to check out these great Halloween picture books for some spooky and silly storytime fun!

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything By Linda Williams: The repetition and onomatopoeia make this an excellent selection to read aloud. The book is spooky without being too scary for little ones.

2. Room on the Broom By Julia Donaldson: You may have seen this adorable story on Netflix, but did you know it was based on a book? We love the rhyming text in this story of friendship and teamwork.

3. Big Scary Monster By Thomas Docherty: Every time the big scary monster shouts “Boo!” the animals run away and he begins to feel lonely. The story takes an interesting and surprising turn and in the end the monster learns a lesson about being big and scary.

4. Skeleton Meets the Mummy By Steve Metzger: Sammy has to take a walk through the woods before he goes trick or treating and gets a bit nervous as he keeps hearing strange noises. This book has just the right amount of scary for young children with a funny ending to lighten the mood.

5. National Geographic Kids: Halloween By Laura Marsh: Finding a good nonfiction book about Halloween was a bit of a challenge, but I am always pleased with the information in National Geographic Readers. This book gives a quick explanations of Halloween origins and traditions in kid friendly terms.

6. The Spooky Wheels on the Bus By J. Elizabeth Mills: Song books are great for little kiddos because they easily catch on to the pattern for retelling. This Halloween version of the wheels on the bus also doubles as a counting book with one spooky bus, two white wipers, three noisy cats, and more.

7. The Night Before Halloween By Natasha Wing: We love “The Night Before…” series from Natasha Wing. The books are not too long, or too short, have great rhythm and rhyme and adorable characters.

8. Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat By Doreen Cronin: Poor Farmer Brown is in for lots of tricks on Halloween in this sequel with all the same familiar characters as the original. An adorably silly Halloween read aloud.

9. Go Away Big Green Monster By Ed Emberley: This story is definitely a favorite in our house any time of year but especially around Halloween. Little ones love the bright colors and the interactive way that turning the die-cut pages makes the monster appear then disappear. A great choice for kids that may be a bit afraid of monsters.

10. There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider by Jennifer Ward: This Halloween version of the familiar “There Was an Old Lady” song will have little ones laughing along at all the silly characters. The rhyming text and bright illustrations are perfect for this age group.

11. Scaredy-Cat, Splat! By Rob Scotton: If you are familiar with Splat, you have to add this book to your Halloween reading list. Splat wants to win the scary costume contest, but just can’t seem to scare anyone. In the end his clumsiness turns out to be helpful and Splat may just get his wish after all.

12. The Hallo-Weiner By Dav Pilkey: Oliver the dachshund is a loveable little dog turned hero in this Halloween story. The other dogs love to make fun of him, especially when his mom dresses him up as a hot dog for Halloween. But when they are in trouble Oliver doesn’t hesitate to lend a helping paw and gain their respect in the process.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Halloween: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite Halloween books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Practice sequencing a story and narrative writing with The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything By Linda Williams.

Learn new vocabulary with Room on the Broom By Julia Donaldson.

Plus make this fun witch writing craft.

Make predictions with Big Scary Monster By Thomas Docherty.

Then practice persuasive writing.

Identify problem and solution with Skeleton Meets the Mummy By Steve Metzger.

Then make this adorable Trick or Treat craft and informative writing book all about trick or treat safety.

Practice finding supporting evidence and opinion writing with National Geographic Kids: Halloween By Laura Marsh.

You can grab all of these activities here Halloween: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Haunting Halloween Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:00:00 +0000

As fall approaches, we love to watch the changing leaves, take walks to enjoy the cool weather and of course read and learn about PUMPKINS! If you are planning a pumpkin theme for your classroom or homeschool this fall, you’ll definitely want to check out these great pumpkin picture books!

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. From Seed to Pumpkin By Wendy Pfeffer: I’m always happy with the books in the Let’s Read and Find Out series, and this book was no exception. This book gives a great deal of detailed information without being too wordy or over young kids’ heads. The pictures and real life examples make this book a great first nonfiction book about pumpkins.

2. Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie (Picture the Seasons) By Jill Esbaum:The real photos in this book are fantastic and provide a great comparison to the illustrations in the previous title.

3. How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? By Margaret McNamara: This book is great for combining math and science. Practice estimating, counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, and ordering objects along with the students in the book.

4. Pumpkin Jack By Will Hubbell: This book is an interesting way to investigate what happens after a pumpkin is carved. It gives a detailed look into decomposition, rotting and compost. A bit of a twist on a typical life cycle story.

5. The Biggest Pumpkin Ever By Steven Kroll: This is a precious classic pumpkin story that I remember reading as a child so I had to include it here. I love that the mice work together to achieve their goal and the cute illustrations capture little ones attention.

6. Pumpkin, Pumpkin By Jeanne Titherington: This is one of the simplest books out there about the life cycle of a pumpkin. The pictures are detailed and often teach even more than the words on the page.

7. Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden By George Levenson: I like this book mainly for its photos and close ups which show great details of the inside of a pumpkin and other pumpkin parts. There is also a nice directions page at the end of the book for planting and growing your own pumpkins.

8. Little Boo By Stephen Wunderli: This is easily one of my new favorite pumpkin stories. The story is about a little pumpkin seed who wants to be big and scary, but has a hard time waiting. He learns to be patient, a great but difficulty quality to teach young children.

9. Strega Nona’s Harvest By Tomie dePaola: We love the original Strega Nona, so I had to check this book out too. All of the familiar characters are included in this story celebrating harvest season and all of the hard work that lead up to it.

10. The Legend of Spookley By Joe Troiano: If you haven’t heard about Spookley the square pumpkin you must check this book out! This is a cute story about a pumpkin that is different and wants to be like all of the other pumpkins. He doesn’t fit in until he saves the other pumpkins by using his unique qualities as strengths!

11. I Like Pumpkins By Jerry Smath: I chose this book for the language included. “Some pumpkins are tall; some pumpkins are squat. Some pumpkins are big; some pumpkins are not.”

It is great for talking about adjectives and using descriptive words.

12. The Ugly Pumpkin By Dave Horowitz: This book is a bit of a twist on the classic Ugly Duckling story, with a poor little pumpkin searches for a place that he will fit in. The surprise ending will leave a smile on your face, and a new catch phrase you’ll find yourself repeating all season long.

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Pumpkins: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite pumpkin books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Practice sequencing a story with Pumpkin, Pumpkin By Jeanne Titherington.

Activate schema, ask questions, and record new learning with From Seed to Pumpkin By Wendy Pfeffer plus create this fun Pumpkin Labeling Craft!

Then write an informational book “All About Pumpkins.”

Make connections and write a poem with I Like Pumpkins By Jerry Smath.

Infer meaning from the text with Strega Nona’s Harvest By Tomie dePaola.

And compose “How To” writing.

Identify the central message/lesson in The Legend of Spookley By Joe Troiano.

Then make this adorable square pumpkin craft.

You can grab all of these activities here Pumpkins: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Perfect Pumpkin Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

12 Amazing Apple Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!}

Jessica — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 22:08:00 +0000

Fall will be here before we know it and with fall comes all kinds of things we love! Pumpkins, hayrides, leaf piles and APPLES! If you are planning an apple theme for your classroom or homeschool this fall, you’ll definitely want to check out these great apple picture books!

**This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here.**

1. Under the Apple Tree by Steve Metzger: “Come along and sit with me, underneath my apple tree!” This book is about all of the fun one little boy has around his backyard apple tree. It is nice and simple and we love the rhymes and artwork.

2. The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall: In this book, two children follow the cycle of an apple tree through the seasons. The story ends with a warm apple pie being taken from the oven and includes a recipe to make your own! We love the paint and paper collage style illustrations.

3. Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie by Herman Parish: In this Amelia Bedelia book, Amelia visits her grandparents and makes a pie with her Grandma. In true Amelia Bedelia fashion, she mistakes Granny Smith for a person and thinks that a farmer’s market is a place to buy farmers. This book had us giggling the whole way through.

4. Johnny Appleseed by Jodie Shepherd: This book tells all about how Johnny Appleseed grew from a young boy who loved the outdoors into the well known man who planted apple trees all across the county. A great biography for little learners.

5. Apples, Apples, Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace: Minna and her family visit an apple orchard and learn all about apples. The book shows how apples are grown, different varieties, proper picking techniques, and different foods that can be made with apples. This was more of an informational book than a story, and we loved the cut felt style illustrations.

6. Ten Apples Up on Top by Dr. Seuss: A lion, a dog, and a tiger show all of the fun things they can do all while balancing apples on their heads. Practice counting over and over again while the animals hop, balance on wires, and even roller skate! These adorable characters will have little ones reading, counting, and giggling along!

7. One Green Apple by Eve Bunting: This is a different kind of apple themed book but I had to add it to this list because of the message it teaches. Through one Muslim girl’s experience, this book shows how a community can be kind and welcoming to strangers and newcomers. The illustrations are stunning and the topic so important.

8. Apple Fractions by Jerry Pallotta: Really cute book for teaching literature and math together. It would be fun to use actual apples to cut into pieces along the way for some delicious hands on learning.

9. Apples by Gail Gibbons: I LOVE Gail Gibbons books for introducing nonfiction concepts. This book does not disappoint and covers everything from pollination to picking and eating.

10. Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins: This book combines rhyming, counting, repetition and animal sounds for a fun apple themed read aloud with a surprise ending.

11. The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons: This book describes the changing seasons and the way an apple tree changes and grows. Arnold shows all kinds of seasonal activities that he loves to do around his apple tree. At the end of the book there is a recipe for apple pie and a description of how an apple cider press works.

12. How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro: This is another great non fiction book about how apples grow. A great book for comparing with The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons:

If you are still a little overwhelmed trying to decide which books to use and what skills to practice, I am taking all the guesswork out of that for you!

I created this Apples: Read & Respond resource to go along with 5 of my favorite apple books above. It is the perfect way to strengthen comprehension and writing skills along with some fun craftivities to keep your kids engaged! And all of the activities are differentiated for K-2 and Common Core aligned.

Practice visualizing and narrative writing with Under the Apple Tree by Steve Metzger.
Plus create this fun Apple Tree Craft!

Sequence a story and write an acrostic poem with The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall.

Teach character traits and how to writing with Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie by Herman Parish.

Learn to identify important information and compose informative writing with Johnny Appleseed by Jodie Shepherd.

Practice using text features and crafting opinion writing with Apples, Apples, Apples by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace.

Plus make this adorable Apple Labeling Craft!

You can grab all of these activities here Apples: Read & Respond, happy fall!

The post 12 Amazing Apple Books for Kids {with teaching ideas!} first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

The Curious Garden…and other Books Teachers Love

Jessica — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Books, books, books… Hi my name is Jessica and I have a book buying addiction. I think I buy at least 10-15 new children’s books each month… Curse you Amazon Prime and your suggestions for making it so darn easy to fill up my cart!!

This month, I found a great new book for spring so I thought I’d tell you all about it for this month’s Books Teachers Love. You are definitely going to want to add it to your May read alouds!

The Curious Garden is about a little boy named Liam who discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. The garden begins to spread, transforming the city into a much more beautiful and inviting place.

You can find the book on Amazon here (affiliate link).

The illustrations in this book really draw you into the transformation of the sad and lifeless city…

…into a lush and vibrant world.

Since Earth Day is this weekend, this book is absolutely perfect for this week or any time you are talking about how our actions affect the Earth. The first activity I do with this book is identifying cause & effect.

Next I LOVE a good sensory bin, so we played with this “Build a Garden Bin.”

In this bin: split peas and this adorable garden playset

*A few weeks ago in Tot School we did a Plant theme. Check out my post here for more fine motor, gross motor, sensory bin and snack ideas you could try out after reading The Curious Garden.

Finally, after some time for pretend play and discussion about plant needs, we write our own versions of “How to Plant a Garden.”

You can grab the cause & effect and writing activities in my Plant: Read & Respond pack here, along with differentiated reading response sheets, writing activities, and crafts for 5 plant themed read alouds:

The post The Curious Garden…and other Books Teachers Love first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.

All About Spring…and other Books Teachers Love

Jessica — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 11:00:00 +0000

Whether you are trying to hold on to your sanity until spring break or you are in the home stretch of your school year, spring is JUST around the corner. And thank goodness because I need some warmer air and sunshine so bad! My teacher friends and I are here with some great book suggestions to help you get some of your April planning done so you can get out and enjoy that fresh spring air.

Finding good nonfiction books for kindergartners can be tough. I am always on the lookout for books with really great pictures and simple easy to understand text. I know I can always count on Pebble Plus books to be full of great photos and simple text. So this month I chose a set of 4 books about spring.

You can find these books on Amazon here (affiliate links).

One of the ways I use the books in this series is to make comparisons between texts.

First, we read Animals in Spring and People in Spring.

Next we make an anchor chart with the things we’ve learned about both people and animals in the spring.

Then, we use that information and turn it into a Venn Diagram.

Finally, we read the remaining books in the All About Spring series. After reading, students choose one of the topics (plants, animals, people, or weather) to write about.

We start by organizing our thoughts:

Then, students plan out their table of contents:

And finally they write information on each page of their book:

You can grab this writing activity for FREE here:

You can find differentiated Venn Diagram response sheets and more writing activities for your spring read alouds here:

FREE Reading Response Pages!

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Don’t forget, each month, the Books Teachers Love Crew is giving away 4 of the books that we blogged about, and YOU get to choose the books you want! So scope out all 12 blog posts below, pick your favorites, and enter to win.

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The post All About Spring…and other Books Teachers Love first appeared on Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten.