One Fine Trade

One Fine Trade by Bobbi Miller (Author) and Will Hillenbrand (Illustrator) is based on an old song.

Georgy Piney Woods was a fine peddler, the finest who ever lived!

Ideas Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own version of this “bartering” tale. Use the Idea Wheel graphic organizer to brainstorm before writing.

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Nonfiction Monday: The Best of Pro Baseball

The Best of Pro Baseball by Matt Doeden (Author) shares 10 “bests!”

Best Catch

No player has matched “The Catch” by Willie Mays. He made it in game one of the 1954 World Series.

Sentence Fluency Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own “personal bests” paragraph. Remind them to use complete sentences. After the pages are edited, make a class book!

Nonfiction Monday

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Abby (the) Librarian.

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Poetry Friday: Thanksgiving Rules

In Thanksgiving Rules by Laurie Friedman (Author) and Teresa Murfin (Illustrator), Percy shares his secrets…

I get the most out of my holidays.
I promise, you can too.
Just follow my simple rules.
That’s all you have to do.

Voice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own “Thanksgiving Rules.” Will they use the “I” voice, the (first person point-of-view) when the character speaks, like this story did? Or will they use the third person point-of-view), the “he or she” voice?

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My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me

My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me by Bill Cochran (Author) and Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator) begins…

Hi. My name is Ted and my parents are divorced. But that doesn’t mean I’m weird.

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write about their unique qualties. Use the Idea Wheel graphic organizer to make a list.

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Duck for Turkey Day

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules (Author) and Kathryn Mitter (Illustrator) begins…

To get ready for Thanksgiving, Tuyet’s class sang turkey songs, They made pinecone turkeys. They talked about Pilgrims and Native Americans.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own version of this story. What will they eat for Thanksgiving? Use the Story Map 3 graphic organizer to plan the new story.

For a weekly themed list of books for young readers, subscribe to my 5 Great Books blog.

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Henry’s Night

Henry’s Night by D. B. Johnson (Author, Illustrator) and Linda Michelin (Author) is written as a journal.

July 12

I cannot sleep.

The sounds of the village
keep me awake.

Sentence Fluency Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own journal entries. Remind them to use complete sentences.

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Nonfiction Monday: The Obama Family in Pictures

The Obama Family in Pictures by Jane Katirgis (Author) begins…

On August 28, 2008, Barack Obama accepted the nomination to run for president. More than a year later, after campaigning across the country, he won the election.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Tomorrow is Election Day again. Ask students to write their memories of what they were doing during last year’s presidential elections. Use the Time Line graphic organizer to organize the events.

Nonfiction Monday

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Books Together Blog.

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Poetry Friday: Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!: Listen to the City

Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!: Listen to the City by Robert Burleigh (Author) and Beppe Giacobbe (Illustrator) begins…

Alarm clock ringing,
Eardrums stinging…

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own “noisy” poem. Use the Describing Wheel graphic organizer to create a list of noisy items and their sounds.

Literacy Links

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Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain

In Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain by Dave Keane (Author) and David Clark (Illustrator), Bobby’s mother warns him…

“Bobby Anthony Bramble, get down from there!” ordered his mother. “You’ll fall down and crack your head open like Humpty Dumpty.”

Conventions Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own “lost brain” story. Remind them to add quotation marks to any dialogue.

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The Hungry Ghosts

The Hungry Ghosts by Julius Lester (Author) and Geraldo Valerio (Illustrator) begins…

It was night when the only creature out and about was Miss Big Eyes, who is also known as Sister Owl.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate:
Ask students to write their own version of this story. What will they feed the hungry ghosts? Use the Story Map 3 graphic organizer to plan the new story.

For a weekly themed list of books for young readers, subscribe to my 5 Great Books blog.

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