It's August!
For many, that means back to school time. Back to school is such an exciting time, and for me, it really feels like the beginning of something great. This is a good time to harness students' enthusiasm and energy in positive ways, so today, I'm sharing five books that can help motivate and engage students from day 1!
I recommend reading these books out loud to and with students, depending on the age of your students. Then, engage them in dialogues about what they expect in the new year and what your expectations are for them. Make this process fun and use it as an activity to help you get to know your students.
We're All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
R.J. Palacio's hit book, Wonder, teaches lessons in acceptance, being true to yourself, and facing your fears. This new picturebooks helps younger audiences now enjoy these themes and meet Auggie! This is a perfect back-to-school book that can help teachers create a sense of community in the classroom. Pair this text with a discussion on what strengths each student brings to the classroom to help students see how they all fit in the community. It is also a great book for bridging conversations about respect and belonging.
Sam, The Most Scaredy-Cat Kid in the Whole World by Mo Willems
I absolutely adore Leonardo, the Terrible Monster, and this sequel about Sam comes out in September 2017. Both Sam and his friend, Kerry, are scared and must help each other overcome their fears. This is another great book to help students face their fears - and understand that having fears is part of life. I recommend using this book to help ease any tension and anxiety students may have about beginning the new year. While new years can be full of excitement, some children may come with anxiety about the upcoming year and its unique challenges. This book would also pair nicely with a writing activity where students could reflect on what they are most and least looking forward to during this school year.
Triangle by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Jon Klassen is one of my favorite picturebook authors and illustrators. In this new collaboration, he and Mac Barnett create a fun, mysterious world of shapes. Children need books that motivate and engage them, but it is also important to hit the ground running with academic content as well. This book provides a unique and interesting combination of both. Students can learn lessons in friendship and honesty while exploring shapes. This book would be great to pair with some introductory mathematics content, from shapes to sides and edges, to even allowing students to create their own math problems with the shapes.
The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
A new year comes with many opportunities for mistakes. Mistakes are another part of life that is unavoidable, and it is important to teach children that mistakes are okay and even encouraged - how else will you learn? Consider establishing a "Growth Mindset" in your classroom in which progress is encouraged and the focus of achievement is on small gains. Not everything is learned all at once, quickly, or completely. Children perform better over time and learn more when they are encouraged to slowly build their knowledge, especially when they are faced with challenging content. This book is perfect for helping students understand that mistakes can happen to anyone and help you learn. Pair this book with an activity that helps students see the benefit of mistakes and teh advantages to learning from them.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Betty
One final goal for the first days of school is to help your students dream about the possibilities. Teachers want to encourage students to see themselves in a variety of roles, and books such as this one can help them consider those opportunities. Teachers can also motivate students to think about different content and what they hope to learn over the school year - what do they want to know about science? What do they want to write about? What questions do they have about history? How does math fit into their lives? I think pairing this book with an activity in which you encourage students to ask and write these questions can set a positive tone for the school year. Use anchor charts to document what students are curious about and use these to help plan thoughtful lessons over the school year. Again, this builds community by allowing students to be part of the planning process.
Have a great year full of enthusiasm, possibilities, and lots of learning! :)
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