Sprucewood Elementary

"If I Built A Car"                 

Author:  Chris Van Dusen            

Topic:    Imagination, Building, Rhyming Book, Beehive Book    

Grades: ALL   

 

Comments: In this book, a boy imagines how a car would look, if he built it.  His car would have a snack bar, a robot to drive if you were tired, and a swimming pool.  His car could float like a boat, go under water like a submarine, or fly like a rocket.

The kids love the idea of the extra's that he would put in his car, especially the swimming pool.

 

Title:   "Run Turkey Run"                                       

Author:  Diane Mayr                                                            

Topic:  Thanksgiving

Grades:  1-3  

 

Comments:  Turkey tries to hide from the farmer to avoid being the main course for Thanksgiving dinner.  He finds success hiding as a tree in the forest.  The farmer and his family must eat grilled cheese sandwiches for Thanksgiving.   However, Christmas dinner is just around the corner.  Can turkey continue to hide?  The kids giggled at the places turkey tries to hide and loved the surprise ending.

 

 

Pair and Share Topic:           

Grades:  All

 

Titles/Authors used: "Voting and Elections" by Dennis Fradin, "My Teacher for President" by Kay Winters, and "Selma to Montgomery" by Picturing America.

 

Comments:  We talked about voting and shared the history of voting with the students.  The Greeks were among the first known voters.  They voted by raising their hand or by selecting a black or white pebble to demonstrate their choice.  We showed the (Picturing America) picture of the "Selma to Montgomery" march.  We talked about the history of voting in the United States and how some people "battled – with words and sometimes even with weapons- to gain the legal right to vote."  We talked about the responsibilities that came with the opportunity to vote.  We also talked about qualifications needed to fill elected offices.  We then ended by reading the book "My Teacher for President."