Read Aloud with Class Book Extension Through the Year

Every month I like to create class books based on a read aloud I do in the library. These lessons are appropriate for Kinder, 1st and 2nd grades.   I work with the classroom teachers to connect what I'll be reading and we'll be writing with what is happening in the classroom.  It is so much fun to bind their books and then deliver them directly to their classrooms.  I try to quietly sneak in their classroom and place it in the class library, but so often someone sees me and they all start getting excited about their book and want to see it. Teachers tell me these books are the most sought after books for students to place in their book boxes.  Get the growing lesson bundle here or look for individual lessons below.

Here is a typical list of the read alouds and class book extensions I do during the year...

September: Mouse Went Out to Get a Snack by Lyn Rossiter McFarland (or other apple related book)

 

This lesson helps jump start a year's worth of learning, writing and sharing in the library.  It is the perfect lesson to coordinate at the beginning of the school year when classroom themes generally relate to apples, either through science and observation or reading.   Get the free lesson here.

October: Fireman Small by Wong Herbert Yee

This lesson coordinates with a classroom unit on fire safety.  Reading of a fictional story about a fireman, then picking out the fire safety rules in the story.  Students will then create a class book with the fire safety rule of their choice.  Find the lesson here.

November: Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

 Lesson coming soon!

December: The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza by David Shannon

Lesson coming soon!

January: Knuffle Bunny Too by Mo Willems

    

This lesson introduces young readers to book awards, specifically Caldecott and the works of Mo Willems.  After reading Knuffle Bunny Too, students then extend the illustration style to a class made book.  Find the lesson here.

February: Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold

Lesson coming soon!

March: One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice

 

This lesson coordinates what students are learning about parts of plants in the classroom, learning from a nonfiction book about potato plants and a creative writing about what they would want to have magically duplicate.  Find the lesson here.

April: Billy & Milly Short & Silly by Eve B. Feldman

In this story word family story, students will see how a string of rhyming words can tell a story.  Then in the lesson, students will build word families using rimes, then turn chosen words from a word family into a short story.  Their one page stories will be gathered into a class book.  Find the lesson here.

May: Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates

Lesson coming soon!