Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
This book has long been a favorite of mine. Farmer Brown’s cows find his old typewriter and use it to start communicating with him. They make demands, and refuse to give milk until those demands are met. Duck, a supposed “neutral” party, tries to help the two sides work things out by being the go-between. This book is not only hilarious, it’s also highly interactive. My students always love chiming in on the clicks and clacks that happen repeatedly throughout the story. Cronin has also written an equally enjoyable sequel to the book called Giggle, Giggle, Quack.
The Black Lagoon Series by Mike Thaler
I always start my school year off by reading The Teacher From the Black Lagoon. This book chronicles the thoughts of a boy named Hubie on his first day of school. He finds out he has Mrs. Green for a teacher. He has heard all sorts of rumors about her and how horrible she is. He envisions a green dragon-like beast teaching him. When he finally walks in to his new classroom, he is surprised to meet a pretty, young teacher. The other books in this series follow suit, with Hubie wondering and fretting over meeting all sorts of people: the principal, a bully, the cafeteria staff, etc. My students always enjoy reading these books and then comparing them with our school staff. Some years I have invited other school workers to come in and read their respective Black Lagoon books (i.e. the principal came and read The Principal From the Black Lagoon to my class). This was a great way for the students to get to know some of the people they would be encountering throughout the upcoming year.
The Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne
I wasn’t going to include these books because I think lots of teachers are already very familiar with them. However, I was talking with my students about this project and getting their input, and well over half of my class highly recommended this series. My second grade students are at the age where most of them are just beginning to explore chapter books on their own. Mary Pope Osborne has done an incredible job of writing some “unputdownable” books! From dinosaurs, to pilgrims, to astronauts, this series has it all. The two main characters, Jack and Annie, stumbled across a magical tree house in the woods not far from their house. The tree house takes them to places in books, where they always have some wild adventures. Along the way, Osborne has tucked in lots of factual information for kids to learn. My students always groan when I stop reading one of these books for the day, and they beg me to keep reading. Definitely an awesome series!
Teacher Resources
My school librarian found this website and sent it to all the teachers at our school. This website is the home of the Nene Award. These books are chosen from a list by the children of Hawaii. Students are encouraged to read the books, and then interact with their peers about the books. The students then vote for their favorite books which receive the awards. This website is great for teachers because it includes lesson plans and ideas for some of the newest chapter books for students in the upper elementary grades.
TumbleBooks http://www.tumblebooks.com/
TumbleBooks is an online collection of e-books for kids. While the site requires a membership, you can sign up for a free trial to check it out. My school has found this site worthwhile enough that we have a school-wide subscription. When you go here you will find a huge library of e-books that you can have read aloud to your students. You also have the option of putting the books in “manual” mode, and the students can read them on their own at their own pace. In addtition to being a great tool for modeling fluency, most of the books also have quizzes, games, and activites to go along with the stories. Many of the teachers at my school share these books with their students on the Promethean / Smart Board, and are able to use them in a wide range of ways. One other thing – when one teacher signs up for the free trial, any number of teachers can access the materials for 30 days. I’m sure you could work out a system with the teachers in your school to allow everyone full access without it costing a thing!
I own both Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type and Giggle Giggle Quack and agree they are great! I think the silliness of them make them a fun read.
ReplyDeleteI've also had students who love the Magic Treehouse series, or "Jack and Annie" books as they would call them. They contain such a wonderful blend of fiction and nonfiction, and the kids absolutely love them! I loved your idea of inviting different school personnel to read aloud their respective Black Lagoon book. That is a great way for students to meet the adults that work in their school and help to keep it safe.
ReplyDeleteWhile Click, Clack, Moo is lots of fun, it's also a great way to introduce even young kids to the idea of writing for social action - writing as a way to achieve one's goals!
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