“Mrs. Christiansen, I need a book that starts fast! Can you help me?” I heard that request from my sixth graders many times last year. They want to be hooked right away when they begin reading, and this is especially true for my reluctant readers. My students and I created the following list of our […]
Category Archives: Top Ten Lists
September
28
Top Ten Books for Current Foodies and Future Chefs by Kacy Smith Paterson
posted by CBethM
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are,” stated French politician and gastrome Brillat-Savarin. Food keeps us alive, but it also represents our culture, values, and history. America’s food culture is expanding, and food is connecting us among our cultures, values, and histories. Whether you have a little kitchen helper […]
August
24
Ten Interactive Books to Engage Little Readers by Megan Overman
posted by CBethM
There is no denying the importance of reading to a child at a very early age, but how do we engage our little readers? I have spent the past year reading many children’s books to my one-year-old son and the books he loves the most are the ones that get him involved! Below is a […]
August
17
Ten Ways to Get Reluctant Adolescent Readers Reading by Sherri K. Wilcox
posted by CBethM
I teach high school English, grades 9-12, on a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement (DAEP) campus. Talk about a tough audience! Many of my kids arrive at our campus with huge gaps in their education from skipping school, being suspended numerous times, or being placed in In-School Suspension repeatedly. They are in my classroom for approximately […]
August
10
Creating a Reading Culture in the Classroom by Ann Hagedorn
posted by CBethM
When students walk into my classroom, I want them to see that I value reading and books and that my goal is for them to do the same. There is a sign that hangs in the front of my class that states, We read every day. I have a large classroom library that spans the […]
June
29
Top Ten Picture Books According to Fourth Graders by Kim Haines
posted by CBethM
For the past two school years, I have embarked on the #classroombookaday challenge. Each and every day of the school year, my fourth grade class reads a picture book, sometimes two, and we end the year having read 180 titles together as a community. I engage in this daily practice for many reasons. Provide mentor […]
June
08
TEN COZY AND MAGICAL BEDTIME PICTURE BOOKS by Megan Wagner Lloyd
posted by CBethM
I’m about five years old, and my dad has just declared it to be bedtime. But I want to stay up late! After all, a dear family friend, who always spoils us kids with gifts, is visiting. “But I’m not tir—” I begin— And interrupt myself with a massive yawn. My dad and our guest […]
May
25
The Power of a Name: A Top Ten List by Amber McMath
posted by CBethM
On the first day of school while students are reading silently around the room, I scoot around to each one and we introduce ourselves. I left my interaction with Shouacua feeling defeated because, even after listening to her say her name several times, she said I wasn’t pronouncing it correctly. I was one of at […]
April
20
Ten Picture Books to Engage Special Needs Students by Jill De Farno
posted by CBethM
My favorite part of being a school librarian is reading to students. I regularly read to kindergarten and first grade students. Once a month I have storytime with all kindergarten, first, and second grade classes. During this time I read a story and then do an activity or make a craft. However, there is one […]
April
13
10 Ways to Make Home Reading a Path to Lifelong Literacy by Kyla McDonald
posted by CBethM
Home Reading is ideally a time for your reader to unplug and instead connect to the world of stories, information and adventures. Unfortunately, the ideal is not always possible. Busy households can make home reading a chore, or worse a battlefield. As a mama, a teacher and a librarian, I have come face to face […]
