I love this book. It picks up where the original tale ends ... after Humpty has been put back together again. But now he's scared. The fall broke not only his shell, but his courage and confidence too. His fears hold him back and they keep him from enjoying the things he used to ... until one day, one step at a time, he decides to conquer his greatest fear. INSTRUCTIONAL IDEAS This story is a … [Read more...]
Go on a Leaf Hunt! An Autumn Teambuilding Activity
I taught in Florida for 20 years, a place where books about seasons can leave you with a little feeling of FOMO. The leaves in Florida only come in two colors. Light green. And dark green.Oh, and dead brown ... so three. Unless they've been on some grand vacation, kids from the tropics don't really have a mental framework for things like red and orange leaves. I once had an ambitious … [Read more...]
3 Children’s Books That Inspire a Wonder for Words
When Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek referred to teachers as scholastic skippers, I was reminded of how much I have a wonder for words and how important it is to make sure we're helping our students develop deeper vocabularies. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but these are some of my favorite picture books for getting young kids curious about noticing and collecting new words. … [Read more...]
Letting Off a Little Self Esteem: 3 Questions for Kids
I'm going old school with this book, but self esteem never really gets old and we can't afford to let kids go through life not knowing how truly wonderful they are. I think I bought this book about three schools ago, but the message in it rings true as much now as it did back then. As we're planning lessons to help children develop a growth mindset, embrace their unique gifts, and protect their … [Read more...]
How to Use Wordless Picture Books
A book without words? It seems like an oxymoron, right? If there are no words on the pages, is it still a book? Can it be "read?" Will children be challenged to think deeply when they're only looking at pictures? Yes. Yes to everything. I think some teachers look past wordless books because, well, there are no words. They seem like books for little kids... for "kids who can't read yet." … [Read more...]