Electronic Reading File by Emily Cawthon

~The students will make a snow
man using cut-out shapes.
As they paste the
shapes talk about each one.
~The class will stand
while reading the
book and have the
students act out
the parts.
(Dragging feet,
climbing a mountain, etc.)

A young girl
and her
father go owling.
She notices the
nighttime
landscape,
and hears the
voices of the
owls during
the owl moon.
Ultimately, she
experiences the
beauty of the
silence of
the night.

~Use Materials:

Small coffee cans (metal)
Duct tape
Brown paint
green felt
magnetic letters

Plan:

1.Tape together 3 or 4 small coffee cans, stacked on top of each other.
2.Spray paint the cans brown.
3.Use green felt to make the leaves of the coconut tree.
4. Save one lid for the top of the coconut tree and keep the magnetic letters inside.
5. Let the students use the magnetic letters to retell the story and practice letter identification.

The books in yellow are chapter books.
The books in light blue are books by my author study.

Picture of Book	Genre	Title	Author	Recommended Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
	Modern Fantasy	Where the Wild Things Are	Maurice Sendak/ Winner 1963	K-2	~Children use various materials to make their own friendly monster using different shapes. ~Students draw their own world where they rule.	Max sails away to a magical land in his mind where he is the king and rules all wild things.
	Realistic Fiction	Joseph Had a Little Overcoat	Simms Taback/ Winner 2000	K-2	Design your own vest- Using a brown paper bag cut it into the shape of a vest. Using marker, crayons, or other art supplies to design the vest. Collect things around the house, buttons, paper clips, etc., and glue them onto the vest.	Joseph had a worn-out overcoat so he continued to make smaller things out of it. In the end Joseph makes a story about his overcoat to show that you can always make something out of nothing.
	Realistic Fiction	The Snowy Day	Ezra Jack Keats/ Winner 1963	K-2	~The students will make a snow man using cut-out shapes. As they paste the shapes talk about each one. ~The class will stand while reading the book and have the students act out the parts. (Dragging feet, climbing a mountain, etc.)	Peter has an adventurous day as he plays in the snow. Since he had such a wonderful day he tries to bring the snow along with him into his house for tomorrow.
	Realistic Fiction	Officer Buckle and Gloria	Peggy Rathmann/ Winner 1996	K-3	The students will make a list of their own safety tips and discuss and act out each one.	Officer Buckle gets help on his school assemblies from, Gloria, the police dog and wins the students hearts.
	Modern Fantasy	The Polar Express	Chris Van Allsburg/ Winner 1986	1-3	~ The students will make a picture of what they think the North Pole would look like. ~Have an imaginary train ride to the North Pole while reading the book to the students .www.teachingheart.net /polar.html	A magical train wisps a young boy away to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to get a special gift from Santa.
	Realistic Fiction	White Snow, Bright Snow	Alvin Tresselt/ Winner 1948	1-3	Discuss with the student the different seasons of the year, have them draw a picture for each season.	When the snow begins to fall all the adults in the town stay busy but the children play and enjoy the snow.
	Bibliography	The Man Who Walked Between The Towers	Mordicai Gerstein/ Winner 2004	2-5	Talk with the children about the twin tower and what they stood for. Also talk with the students about heights and ask them what is the highest off the ground they have ever been. Have them draw a picture of their memory.	A true story which tells of a young Frenchman who walked a tightrope between the World Trade Center twin towers in 1974.
	Realistic Fiction	Owl Moon	Jane Yolen/ Winner 1988	1-4	Tell each student to be a different kind of animal, ask them not to share what they are with the class but to act the animal out when you tell them the time is right. Turn the lights off in the room. Ask students to pretend they are on a hunt for different animals at night. Have each student act out their animal one at a time and have the rest of the class guess what they are. After the students have guessed what each animal is ask them if that animal would really be out at night or if they are usually day time creatures.	A young girl and her father go owling. She notices the nighttime landscape, and hears the voices of the owls during the owl moon. Ultimately, she experiences the beauty of the silence of the night.
	Modern Fantasy	My Friend Rabbit	Eric Rohmann/ Winner 2003	K-1	~Ask students if they have ever had a pet rabbit. Have them make a rabbit using white construction paper and markers. ~This would also be a good time to bring a pet rabbit into the classroom for a visit or as a classroom pet.	Where ever rabbit goes, trouble follows. Many different fun pictures of animals in this book.
	Traditional Fantasy	The Three Pigs	David Wiesner/ Winner 2002	K-2	~The students will make little pig masks after reading the story then read the story again and have the students act out the story. Link to mask: www.enchanted learning.com/ crafts/Mask.shtml ~Read other versions of the three little pigs and have the students discuss the differences and similarities in the stories.	The story of the three little pigs with a twist. One pig is even blown out of the story. The characters are brought to life with amazing pictures.

Picture of Book	Genre	Title	Author	Recommended Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
	Historical Fiction	The Midwife's Apprentice	Karen Cushman/ Winner 1996	4-6	Compare and contrast the Christmas customs from old England to the Christmas customs we have in America today. There are also many great lesson plans for this book at: eduplace.com	A young, poor girl goes through many hardships as she tries to make her way in the world. She ends up running away only to realize the goodness within herself and soon returns to become a wonderful, smart young lady.
	Realistic Fiction	Because of Winn-Dixie	Kate Dicamillo	3-5	The students will write a short story or draw a picture about an animal they would love to have as a pet. They will then tell about an adventure they would go on together. Turn the pictures or writings into a small book and have the students share them with the class.	A touching story of a lonely, young girl who finds a smart dog. The dog, Winn-Dixie, in a round about way introduces her to several people and helps her make many friends. As stated in the book everything that happened that summer to Opal, the young girl, was because of Winn-Dixie.
	Realistic Fiction	A Gathering of Days	Joan W. Blos	4-6	Each student will create an interesting question for each main character in the book. The student will write the questions down and give them to me. I will then ask the students one at a time the question. As the students answer they must act like they are the character talking.	This book is the journal of fourteen-year-old girl named Catherine who lived in the 1830's. This book gives the reader an idea of what her life was like growing up back then. In the book there are several events that really change Catherine's life, one of which was the death of her best friend.

Picture of Book	Genre	Title	Author	Recommended Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
	ABC Book	Chicka Chicka Boom Boom	Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault	Pre-K - 1	~The students will make up a story using the letters of their name and tell where they went and what happened along the way. ~Use Materials: Small coffee cans (metal) Duct tape Brown paint green felt magnetic letters Plan: 1.Tape together 3 or 4 small coffee cans, stacked on top of each other. 2.Spray paint the cans brown. 3.Use green felt to make the leaves of the coconut tree. 4. Save one lid for the top of the coconut tree and keep the magnetic letters inside. 5. Let the students use the magnetic letters to retell the story and practice letter identification. www.atozteacherstuff.com	A fun book to teach the alphabet. All the letters followed a,b, and c up the coconut tree.
	Picture Book	Good Work, Amelia Bedelia	Peggy Parish	1-4	The students will write a short story about another chore Amelia Bedelia could have completed in a funny yet charming way.	In her own creative way, Amelia Bedelia, completes chores throughout the house while the Rogers are away.
	Picture Book	Snowballs	Lois Ehlert	Pre-K - 1	Discuss with students what makes it snow. Also have them, with creative material, make their own snow people.	Exciting pictures of snow people that children made on a snowy day. Also discusses in the back of the book what makes it snow along with pictures of real snowmen.
	Predictable Book	Love You Forever	Robert Munsch	1-4	Discuss with the students what needs are (shelter, love, food, etc.) List them on a chart in the room.	An adorable story about a boy growing up and how much his mother loves and takes car of him.
	Counting Book	Marcos Counts	Tomie DePaola	Pre-K - K	Tell the children that there are many different languages and that English is just one of the many. Show them how to count to 10 in Spanish.	A girl teaches Marcos to count but realizes he already knows how to count he is just counting in Spanish.

Picture of Book	Genre	Title	Author	Recommended Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
	Traditional Fantasy	John Henry	Julius Lester	2-5	Discuss with the students other tall tale characters and read them other tall tale books. Have the students write letters to a character of their choice.	Tells the story of John Henry and how powerful he was. The book starts from his birth and ends at his funeral. The book tells about all of John Henry’s adventures.
	Traditional Fantasy	Paul Bunyan	Steven Kellogg	K-1	"After reading this story along with other books about tall tale legends, I will have all of the students write their own tall tales on adding machine paper. When the story is done, they create a head and feet for their featured tall tale character using construction paper. The head is attached to the top of the story while the feet are attached to the bottom. This allows the story to become the "body" of their tall tale characters. These are then displayed in the class, and they make a striking illustration of a tall tale!" www.edplace.com	The story begins when Paul Bunyan was born and the book discusses how big he was. When Paul grew up he became the fastest lumberjack around and met a blue ox named Babe. The book tells of Paul’s many adventures.
	Traditional Fantasy/ Multicultural	Hold Up the Sky	Retold by: Jane Louis Curry	3-6	Talk to the students about Native Americans and the importance of remembering their heritage. Have students write their own stories about how the sky, the water, or the land was formed.	This book has several stories that have been passed down about Native American tribes in the southern plains of Texas. These stories are filled with guidance, humor, and adventure that have been passed down for generations.
	Traditional Fantasy	Jack and the Beanstalk	Retold by: Steven Kellogg	K-3	The students will act out the book through movement. Example: have the students act like they are climbing when Jack is climbing the beanstalk.	A tale of a boy named Jack who climbs a magic beanstalk into the clouds to a castle. In the castle he finds a magic hen who lays golden eggs.
	Traditional Fantasy	Moss Gown	William H. Hooks	2-5	There are many interesting things to do with this book. One great idea is to read several Cinderella variants and have the students discuss the differences between the stories. A great lesson plan with more detail is: www.readwrtiethink	A Cinderella variant about a young girl in the old south. Candice, who takes the same role as Cinderella, gets banished from her home for not confessing her love for her father. She ends up working in the kitchen of a huge plantation when she hears of a ball. She did not have a dress and a fairy god mother appears and gives her a gown which turns into moss when the night turns to day.

Picture of Book	Genre	Title	Author	Recommended Grade Level	Ideas for Classroom Use	Brief Description of the Book
	Modern Fantasy	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe	C.S. Lewis	4-6	Explain the difference between fantasy and reality. Think of several things that happened in the book. Which of them could happen realistically and which ones are fantasy?	During World War II four children stay in a place of safety with their professor who lives in an enchanted house full of magic and surprise. The children discover that a wardrobe can take them on numerous adventures in the magical land of Narnia.
	Modern Fantasy	More Parts	Tedd Arnold	K-2	Talk with the students about if the things in the book would really happen. After reading the book once, reread and on each page discuss what the adults really mean when they say things like you crack me up.	The story of a boy who hears people talking about their bodies and takes what they say the wrong way. He ends up trying to protect his body from any harm.
	Modern Fantasy	The Jolly Postman	Allan Ashberg	K-2	"Discuss the following questions with students: What are some reasons to write letters? What type of letter would you write if someone gave you a gift? What type would you write if you broke a friend's toy? What type would you write if you were having a party? Do you like to get mail?" www.teachervision.fen.com	In a fairy tale land a postman delivers letters to well known fantasy characters. A great book to get students involved in the action of the book.
	Modern Fantasy	Green Wilma	Tedd Arnold	K-2	The students will make a green Wilma puppet by using a paper plate. Color the plate green and bend it in half, the fold being the frog's mouth. Then cut out eyes, arms, legs and tongue out of green, red and black paper, glue them to the plate in the correct place. Then cut a long strip of paper and glue to back, top of puppet to hold your hand in place. Your fingers go on the top and your thumb on the bottom fold of the plate.	The story of a little girl that woke up one day as a green frog. When she got to school she caused a lot of commotion until she followed a fly out the school window to a local pond.
	Modern Fantasy	No Jumping on the Bed!	Tedd Arnold	1-3	While reading the book count the number of floors Walter falls through. After reading ask the students to match what fell through with the correct person. An example is Miss Hattie and her stamp collection.	Don't jump on the bed or one day it's going to fall through the floor Walter’s father always said. One night Walter begins jumping and the bed does fall trough the floor. Walter goes on a journey with his bed falling through numerous floors of the apartment building and collecting people and items from different apartments as they go.
	Modern Fantasy	The Signmaker's Assistant	Tedd Arnold	1-3	The students will make silly signs of their own and have other students follow the directions on the sign. Also talk about different signs around the city.	Norman is the signmaker’s assistant as he looks around town he realizes that everywhere people obey signs. So Norman gets an idea to make his own signs.
'	Modern Fantasy	No More Water In the Tub!	Tedd Arnold	1-3	Bring several different items to class that float and several that sink. Have the students predict what each object will do. Then test each object as a class. Each student will then draw a picture of the object and write float or sink next to the picture.	William and his brother Walter were in the bathroom and William wanted more water in the tub than their mother allowed. Before he knew it William was floating out the door in the tub. He gathered people from the different apartments on his way down.
	Modern Fantasy	Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan was Her Name	Tedd Arnold	K-2	~The students will sing the book as a song and act out the pages as you go through the book. Ask the students what they would do with a long name like that. ~The students will draw what Catalina would look like by what you read in the book.	A cute story of a strange girl's life that has an enormously long name. The story is actually a song. The music is in the back of the book.
	Modern Fantasy	The Giving Tree	Shel Silverstein	1-3	"The students will describe what the book means to them. After the discussion, explain to the students that they will be composing their own "gifts" to hang on a giving tree in the classroom. Have each student cut a piece of wrapping paper in a square, folding it in half like a small greeting card. Then ask the students to think about the gift that they would most like to give and the person or people to whom they would like to give it. Then share them with other members of the class. When the presentations are finished, hang the cards in the pyramid shape of a tree on a classroom bulletin board." www.teachersfirst.com	The story of a boy and a tree. When the boy is young he swings from the trees branches and spends time with the tree. But as the boy grows he needs more from the tree and the tree gives and gives.