Thanks to the Cole School PTO for 391 new nonfiction books!
Through a grant generously given by the Cole School PTO, our library was able to purchase 391 new nonfiction books specifically chosen to support research projects in every grade level. You can view a sampling of these books on my Bookboxes page. Many thanks PTO!
The Whole Book Approach: A New Way to Read Picture Books with Children
One of the techniques I have implemented in the library this year is the Whole Book Approach (WBA) to reading picture books. Instead of simply reading the text, students in grades K-2 are now versed in "reading the pictures" with me. We learn parts of a book, such as the endpapers, the gutter, the spine, the cover, and even publishing terms, such as full-bleed (when color goes to the edge of the page), frames (when illustrations are framed in a color or white), and full-page spread. Using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), developed by the education staff at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York, students and I take time to look at every illustration and answer the questions, "What do you see? What do you see that makes you say that?" The Whole Book Approach is based in VTS and was developed by Megan Dowd Lambert. You can learn more about WBA--and even do it at home with your kids--by reading her new book, Reading Picture Books With Children: How To Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking about What They See (Charlesbridge, 2015). You can even take a workshop on WBA at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA.
Chapter-Book Suggestions for your Child
There are several places to look for new books for your child on this Web site.
1. Award winners-- I post the newest Caldecott, Newbery, and Geisel winners on my blog every January.
2. Newbery winners in particular--I update the Newbery winners on my Newbery page
3. The Cole School Book Challenge-- Designed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, there is a list of 75 books to choose from that range in length and reading level from second grade to sixth grade. Even 1st and 2nd graders are reading some of these books, so check out the list!
4. I have created a Tumblr where I am continually adding my favorite middle-grade fiction novels.
1. Award winners-- I post the newest Caldecott, Newbery, and Geisel winners on my blog every January.
2. Newbery winners in particular--I update the Newbery winners on my Newbery page
3. The Cole School Book Challenge-- Designed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, there is a list of 75 books to choose from that range in length and reading level from second grade to sixth grade. Even 1st and 2nd graders are reading some of these books, so check out the list!
4. I have created a Tumblr where I am continually adding my favorite middle-grade fiction novels.