Projectable books

I can't escape from school. As I sit on the beach, dig a sand castle, or peer into a stream to catch creatures, teaching thoughts just enter my brain.

One of the thoughts was about how I can use projectable books in my instruction. I like the idea of projectable books for several reasons. Not only do they make text visible to all of the students, but they also allow us to highlight key features.

I'm working my way through several questions about projectable books. How do I deal with the issue of students reading at different rates? Would timing the slides be useful, or would it leave some kids behind? Where can I find projectable books? Will they be useful in the long term, or will the novelty wear off quickly for students?

I decided to try adapting a book that I had already written for emergent readers to use as a projectable book. Here is the link to the book at Slideshare:

http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/polar-bears-and-black-bears-highlighted

Other projectable books can be found at Reading A-Z.com.

What do you think? How do you plan to use projectable books this fall?

Steve Jenkins books at Kohl's!

I love to check out the new $5 books that Kohl's sells by the cash registers. I was thrilled to see this month's choices, three books by Steve Jenkins. This author creates books that include lovely artwork and true animal facts. There are three books available, plus stuffed animals to go along with them. But get them fast...I learned this lesson with their last offering, Duck Soup, which I missed.

Biggest, Strongest, Fastest: Full page collages show animals that break records for speed, strength, and size.

http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Strongest-Fastest-Steve-Jenkins/dp/0395861365/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247356620&sr=8-2

What Do You Do With A Tail Like This?: Great book for teaching adaptations, with facts about how different animals use their ears, eyes, and of course tails.

http://www.amazon.com/What-Tail-Like-Caldecott-Honor/dp/0618256288

Actual Size: I've noticed that kids will pore over this book for hours...it shows pictures of different animals, depicting their actual sizes.

http://www.amazon.com/Actual-Ribbon-Nonfiction-Award-Awards/dp/0618375945/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_5

More slideshows!

More presentations are available at Slideshare.net. Here's the link:

http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/understanding-text-structures

Understanding Text Structure

Here is the link to the Text Structure slideshow on Slideshare.net:

http://www.slideshare.net/elkissn/understanding-text-structures

Another link!

I first discovered Teachers Pay Teachers last summer. It is quite a site, with plenty of resources available. Some are free, while others are available for a fee.

I've been putting on Powerpoints and other resources to make them easily available. While you will have to register, my materials are free.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Emily-Kissner/Products

Our Favorite Read Alouds

Thanks to everyone who attended the workshops on June 24 and June 25! I appreciated all of your feedback and participation.

Here is the list of our favorite read alouds from June 24. If you know of someone who attended on June 24 but not June 25, send them the link to this page so that they can find our list.

• Junie B. Jones (Barbara Parks)
• Diary of A Spider (Doreen Cronin)
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (Kate DiCamillo)
• The Tale of Despereaux (Kate DiCamillo)
• The Legend of the Bluebonnet (Tomie de Paola)
• Willy the Wimp (Anthony Browne)
• Wolf's Chicken Stew (Keiko Kasza)
• Very Last First Time (Jan Andrews)
• The Cajun Night Before Christmas
• Fly Away Home (Eve Bunting)
• The Three Questions (Jon Muth)
• Up North at the Cabin (Marsha Wilson Chall)
• Little House in the Big Woods (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
• Weslandia (Paul Fleischman)
• Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter (John Steptoe)
• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Jon Sciezka)
• Tuck Everlasting (Natalie Babbit)
• Almost Starring Skinnybones (Barbara Park)
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E.L. Konigbserg)

Wow! What a list! There are many there that I'm looking forward to checking out. I can't way to find a copy of Up North at the Cabin or Willy the Wimp. Both sound like they will be engaging to my students in the fall.

Have some more to add? It's easy! Just click on "Comments" and add your idea.

Resources for Reading Workshops

High interest/low readability text:
http://www.kidsinbetween.com/high_interest_-_low_vocabulary.htm
Lots of choices on this website

http://www.glencoe.com/gln/jamestown/
Nice versions of classic short stories, written at easier levels

Books for teaching about schema
Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni
http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Leo-Lionni/dp/0394804406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930289&sr=8-1

How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz
http://www.amazon.com/How-Learned-Geography-Uri-Shulevitz/dp/0374334994/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930331&sr=1-1

Cinnamon's Day Out: A Gerbil Adventure by Susan Roth
http://www.amazon.com/Cinnamons-Day-Out-Gerbil-Adventure/dp/0803723237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930384&sr=1-1

Books for helping students to make inferences
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Toni DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Spiderwick-Chronicles-Book/dp/0689859368/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930465&sr=1-1

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff
http://www.amazon.com/Memory-Coat-Elvira-Woodruff/dp/0590677179/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930511&sr=1-1

Suddenly!
http://www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Preston-Story-Colin-McNaughton/dp/0152016996/ref=ed_oe_p

Trouble on the Tracks
http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Tracks-Kathy-Mallat/dp/0802787711/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245930786&sr=1-1