As
a third grade teacher in Baltimore, I was always looking
for books that would eloquently illustrate a concept or
theme that I was teaching. When asked to explain certain
topics or themes, my students always referred to the books
I read aloud to them.
After
reading Stellaluna, my students were able to describe
the differences and similarities between birds and bats
by recalling events from the story. One Grain of Rice
is the perfect book to read to demonstrate the concept of
multiplication. Molly's Pilgrim is a great story
for discussing immigration and pilgrims. Sweet Clara
and the Freedom Quilt is a beautiful story about a young
girl who creates a quilt to help slaves follow the path
of the Underground Railroad.
I also
liked to read books with characters that my students could
relate to such as Tomie in The Art Lesson and Ramona
and Beezus in Ramona the Pest. I especially liked
to read books that made children laugh such as Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs (wonderful book to read during
a weather unit), Miss Nelson is Missing, Amelia
Bedelia (contains examples of idioms) and Sideways
Stories from Wayside School.
All
the books below are rich in vocabulary and provide the opportunity
for meaningful and memorable talks with your child. You
will light up when your child says, "Hey Mom/Dad, remember
when we read...?" Happy Reading! ~
