Another book that I love to use to teach character is Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli. Not only does it have a strongly defined main character, but it is such a sweet book with a wonderful message. I read it to my class every year and they always love it. This year I designed a quick activity to use to help students see the changes that Mr. Hatch goes through during the course of the story. As I read the book to my students I stop at three different points in the story for us to chart (and also at the conclusion of the book) and for them to work. Here are my stopping points in the book... And here is our anchor chart... I love the detail my students used when completing their work- they loved drawing Mr. Hatch with the different emotions on his face! You can get this activity for free here- Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch printable! This book is also available on Storyline Online read by Hector Elizondo. If you haven't used this book in your class ...
I am back this week with another holiday book recommendation for you! Have you read Merry Christmas, Old Armadillo by Larry Dane Brimner? This book has been in my library for years (it was published in 1995) and it is a favorite of mine because of its sweet story of friendship and love during the holiday season. Lessons from the story... Compassion The main character in this story is Old Armadillo. He lives alone, and on Christmas Eve his loneliness is very evident and so sad. This is a great place to stop and talk to your students about compassion for others. If students have neighbors or friends who are alone during the holidays this story might encourage them to do something special for others. I also think that this book provides a great discussion starter for focusing on kindness during the holiday season. I have included a simple activity that you could use with this book (or even on its own) to help students think about simple acts of kindn...
Holiday read alouds are the BEST! In the coming weeks I am planning on sharing some of my very favorites with you. First up is... The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco. This is a touching book that really exemplifies the meaning of the holidays. I am a HUGE fan of Patricia Polacco. Several of her books would make it on my Top 10 Favorites of all time list. This includes some of her holiday books, such as the one I will be sharing with you today. This is a touching book about both Hanukkah and Christmas. I love how it celebrates and honors both holidays and their traditions in such a beautiful way. This book is based on a childhood memory of Patricia Polacco's. The main character, Trisha, and her family are all set to celebrate Hanukkah when an epidemic hits their little town. Trisha is exposed to scarlet fever after a visit to the neighbors, and fortunately no one in her family becomes ill. Many of her neighbors are not so...
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