Character-Building Books
Creating a Thoughtful Classroom Community with Read Alouds (Virtual Tour)
Stage of Literacy Development:
Stage 1: Beginning LiteracyStage 2: Consolidation / Fluency
Stage 3: Literacy for Growth
Ages:
5-12
Grade Range:
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6thFood Groups:
Primary: Motivation for Literacy, Knowledge Building Secondary: Classroom Tips
Transcript
I really love reading out loud to my class. One of my favorite read aloud books at the beginning of the year is Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun. This is a book about a little girl who has courage to be who she is even though she is made fun of for eating something a little bit different than the other kids. She decides that she's still going to be the respectful person that she knows that she is inside. The Golden Rule is another great beginning of the year read-aloud book. The message of this book is plain and simple, treat others like you would like to be treated. It helps to get students thinking about the kinds of character traits that they would like to display in the classroom to be the best people that they can be. Elmer is a great read aloud at any grade level. It is about an elephant who is patchwork rather than grey colour. He learns that being different is better than trying to fit in and be the same as everyone else. Oliver Button is a Sissy is a great book to read during the International Day of Pink. This is a book about a boy who likes to do things that are more generally known for what girls like to do. He likes to dance. This is a story that goes through the process of understanding that it is ok to be yourself and that it doesn't matter what you like that you should be proud of who you are. If the World Were a Village is a great book that can be connected when learning about fractions in math. It's a great 3rd and 4th grade read because it has ideas in it about what is happening all around the world. It helps students to understand about different children and how they are living in different countries around the world. Dr. Seuss has many wonderful stories. My favourite is The Lorax. I like to read The Lorax on Earth Day because it has a positive message of keeping the world clean. It also can be used for inferring because of Dr. Seuss' wonderful way with words.
Related References
Additional Links:
International Literacy Association: Children's Choices https://www.literacyworldwide.org/get-resources/reading-lists/childrens-choices-reading-list/
Reading Rockets: Children's Books & Authors: http://www.readingrockets.org/books
goodreads: Popular Read Aloud Book Lists by Grade https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/kindergarten-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/1st-grade-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/2nd-grade-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/3rd-grade-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/4th-grade-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/5th-grade-read-alouds https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/6th-grade-read-alouds
Activity Objective
The goal of Character-Building Books: Creating a Thoughtful Classroom Community with Read Alouds (Virtual Tour) is to share a collection of books that encourages students to be themselves and to be respectful of each other and the world around them. These books include Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, The Golden Rule, Elmer, Oliver Button is a Sissy, If the World Were a Village and Your Favorite Seuss. Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun encourages students to be courageous. The Golden Rule helps students determine the positive characteristics that they would like to display in the classroom. Elmer promotes the idea that being unique is better than fitting in. Oliver Button is a Sissy helps to draw light on gender stereotypes. If the World Were a Village allows students to reflect on the living conditions of children all around the world through math. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax encourages critical thought about the environment.
Quick Tips
Additional Comments:
-The International Literacy Associations Children's Choices Annual Reading Lists provide a valuable source of well-reviewed children's books. - Reading Rockets section on Children's Books & Authors is an excellent source of read-aloud books suited to various grades and themes. -Teaching colleagues, the school librarian and the public library are also great resources to support your selection of read aloud books for use a variety of purposes and occasions. - Dr. Seuss' stories provide the perfect opportunity to practice inference skills. His use of nonsense words allows for students to reflect on not only what real words could be used instead but also what real life events the stories could represent.
Other Recipes by this Teacher
Anchor Charts: Promoting Independence in Applying Reading Comprehension Strategies (Virtual Tour)
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Daily 5 Choices: Fostering Independence in Reading and Writing (Virtual Tour)
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Close Reading: Applying a 3-Step Reading Comprehension Strategy (Virtual Tour)
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Technology in the Listening Center: Motivating Literacy with iPads and QR Code Books (Virtual Tour)
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Literacy in Science: Expanding Vocabulary in the Content Areas (Virtual Tour)
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