"At last he could be himself AND have friends."
Bee-wigged was chosen for Candlewick’s Read to Us! Story-Hour Kit. Click on the link to read some discussion questions and other ideas for read aloud fun!
Bee-Wigged by Cece Bell (@CeceBellBooks) is a delightful story about Jerry Bee who loved people. But....people did not love Jerry Bee. After all, Jerry was an enormous bee whose sting could really hurt. Jerry Bee tried very hard to fit in....but nothing worked. One day Jerry saw an old wig lying on the ground. Why not? he said. He put on the wig and made a beeline to school! Jerry fit right in with his new disguise until one day he was serving as the grand marshal in the annual school parade when a gust of wind blew his wig right off his head! Everyone was quiet....and then.... Students will love the little surprise at the end! There are great lessons in this book about taking care of others no matter how big or how small or how "different" someone may be from us! It also has valuable lessons on believing in ourselves as well.
"At last he could be himself AND have friends." Bee-wigged was chosen for Candlewick’s Read to Us! Story-Hour Kit. Click on the link to read some discussion questions and other ideas for read aloud fun!
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Michigan Reads. One State. One Book. Did you know the Library of Michigan selected Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller (@LKellerBooks) for the 2015 Michigan Reads book? The Michigan Reads program is one that promotes the idea of parents, teachers, librarians, grandparents all reading the same book to their kids in the same year. Do you have this book in your "Taking Care" collection? From the Library of Michigan, "Mr. Rabbit's new neighbors are otters. OTTERS! But he doesn't know anything about otters. Will they be friends? Will they even get along. Follow Mr. Rabbit as he learns how to be a good friend and neighbor by simply following the Golden Rule." The illustrations in this book are so fun. Don't miss this great book on manners by our very own Michigan author. Make sure to check out the programming guide or author's page for teachers to get further ideas on how to use this book in your class learning. "It wouldn't hurt otters to be KIND." Otters would say "thank you for reading this post!".....
"Gracias" (Spanish) "Merci" (French) "Danke schon" (German) "Arigato" (Japanese) "Ankthay ouyay" (Pig Latin)
I couldn't let the week of September 15th go by without featuring The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds (@PeterHReynolds) for #TakingCareThurs. I love this book because it has a strong Taking Care of Others message, as well as Taking Care of Ourselves.
This is the story of a little girl named Vashti (Vash-tee) and her caring art teacher. Vashti didn't believe she could draw. Her teacher said, "just make a mark and see where it takes you." Vashti grabbed the paper and gave it strong jab....nothing more than a dot on the paper. Her teacher then says, "now sign it." Vashti thinks well maybe I can't draw, but I can sign my name. The next week, Vashti returns to art class to see HER dot framed and hanging above her teacher's desk. Could it be? Hmmph! thought Vashti, I can make a better dot than THAT! She set to work. Big dots, little dots, and many more dots. They made quite a splash at the art show. A little boy at the show says to Vashti, "you're a really great artist. I wish I could draw." Can you guess what Vashti said? I love how the teacher in this story believed in Vashti and took care of her with such a simple gesture of framing and hanging her dot. I love how Vashti then gains confidences and realizes that she CAN be successful. Sometimes we just have to believe in ourselves. I also love how "taking care of others" and such a simple gesture of kindness became contagious in this book.
This book is now celebrated around the world for International Dot Day on Sept. 15th-ish. The dot now stands for a symbol of creativity, courage, and collaboration. How will you make your mark? Will it be in simple gestures of kindness like Vashti's art teacher? Will it be in developing the courage to be creative in your own way? Join in the celebration and see where it takes you!
I remember every vivid detail of 9/11. Where I was. What I was doing. Who was the there. The vivid images on the TV screen. The eerie quietness of the sky for days to come. The tears. The sorrow. The funerals. The heroes. We will never forget. But how can we help the next generation remember the incredible sacrifice of those that fell that day and those that lived through it and the terrible scars that were left behind? How can we help them remember ...without carrying the incredible burden of sorrow like those of us who lived through that day carry? My sons were 4 and 7. My younger son and his friend played obliviously on the floor while I tuned in to the computer for news. He has no memory of 9/11. What will he share with his kids? My older son was in an eerie "lockdown" at school with parents rushing to pick up their kids at the end of each day....embracing their children like they never have before. For days on end, no one knew how to react or what to talk about at school. Do we talk to the little ones about it or don't we? For one week straight, my 7 year-old son woke up with terrible nightmares. He never saw a single image on the TV screen or heard his parents talk about the atrocities. How did he know? He did nothing but sense the deep pain of the adults around him and his country at this time. What will he share with his kids? As a classroom teacher, every year I think about how I can pass down this important piece of history to the next generation without burdening them with fear and pain. Several years ago, I found a book, 14 Cows for America, by Carmen Agra Deedy, that does just that. It acknowledges the pain and the loss, but it truly celebrates the incredible deeds of goodness that arose out of this atrocity. If you have never read this book, I encourage you to find a copy for #TakingCareThurs. What a beautiful story of "taking care of others." http://14cowsforamerica.com/index.html "To heal a sorrowing heart, give something that is dear to your own." As I remember ever detail of this day, I am choosing to think about the first responders and all the others that reached out to take care of others. If you have not read 14 Cows for America, I encourage you to do so. Not only is a beautifully illustrated book, but it is one that will cause you to reflect on all the acts of kindness that arose during this time of history. #choosekind #TakingCareThurs Teacher's Guide for 14 Cows for America What a delightful new book to add to our Taking Care collection! Henry Hyena, Why Won't You Laugh? by Doug Jantzen (@DougJantzen1) is about a young hyena named Henry who was very blue at the zoo. He was troubled because he couldn't laugh at others without care. Never fear, the wise old giraffe would lend an ear to hear! "It's not that you're sick, and you're far from a fool. You've just learned that laughing at others is cruel" said the giraffe. Imagine that?...He had a good case of empathy!! The wise old giraffe tells Henry his laugh will return when the kind deeds begin. Before long all his friends gathered and agreed Henry had a good idea. They carried out all kinds of deeds of kindness and before long Henry's laugh once again became the loudest of all the zoo. Kids, parents, and teachers alike, will be humming along with this beautiful rhyming tale of kindness. What a great lesson! Thanks Henry Hyena! |
#TakingCareThursTeachers (and parents, of course!) have the potential to make a huge impact on the lives of their students/kids. Join me and commit to reading a picture book every Thursday or the first Thursday of the month if you can't commit to weekly with "Taking Care of Others" or "Taking Care of Ourselves" themes in order to help our students/children learn important traits like empathy, compassion, friendship, persistence, grit, and more! Join me weekly as I blog about our book of the week. Make sure to tweet your weekly choice using the hashtag #TakingCareThurs so we can share books and learn from each other. Archives
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