I've moved!!! I've started a new website that includes resources for teacher and parents as well as a new section of pressure cooker recipes. Please check out my new website at caseyorrblog.wordpress.com!
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Caroline's Favorite Board Books 12-20 Months
This originally appeared on my old blog. I'm adding it here for consolidation! These books are still much loved nearly a year after this originally posted. :-)
1) Karen Katz: "Where is Baby's...?" Books
These books are bright, simple and have plenty of flaps to lift. (and rip) Gotta hand it to Karen Katz. She found a formula that works and added in every item under the sun including, Where is Baby's....
Valentine?
Beach Ball?
Pumpkin?
Christmas Present?
And more.
Toddlers love these.
2) Madeline Board Books
Madeline books are classics, and you can find just a few of them printed as board books.
You can get a little peak of the inside of this book in these pics.
Madeline Loves Animals is so cute and fun. Many one-year-olds can start saying the sounds of the familiar animals in this book.
I actually liked the illustrations in this book so much that for a while I had it displayed on a shelf opened to the page that has a picture of Madeline and her yellow lab.
3) Les Petits Fairytales
I will always be sentimental about this book, because it was her very first favorite book. She took to it instantly, and this book was our life's obsession from months 8-13. One of Caroline's first 10 words was "girl." because of this book right here. These little board books take the old classics, and add just one to two words per page, such as "girl", "chores", "mean stepsisters", "pumpkin" etc...
They are the cutest little books. You can add on as much or as little to the story as your heart desires.
As cute as this book is, I did get really tired of it after the 900th time. I tried to hide in many times and Caroline would crawl around the books saying "gurrrl?" until it reappeared. She also went through a phase where she had to rock with it alongside her blankie.
Eventually, we moved into other Fairytales in the series, and they're all so fun to read! These are just adorable, and would make a great little gift for the baby girl in your life!
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
BabyLit Art
Children's literature illustrations are hands-down my favorite type of art. I think they're magical. One of my favorite children's literature companies is offering tons of awesome prints of their artwork.
When working to decorate Caroline's nursery, and then later her big girl room, I knew I wanted to decorate with some of these illustrations. Maybe another day I'll show you some more of those pics...
(And yes, I would tear apart a book for a picture. Still cheaper than buying a print somewhere else.)
Anyways, I found these precious books from BabyLit. The BabyLit books take an old classic such as Pride and Prejudice and uses it to teach counting. Sense and Sensibility is used to teach opposites. Emma is used to teach emotions, etc.... (Truth be told, my girls don't love to read these books, but I think they are super cute!)
I fell in love with the art in all of these books, but since they were board books I opted not to cut any up to frame the pics. So, I just chose one to leave open face on a shelf:
I still think the little open book is pretty cute, but if I were doing the girls rooms again, I would probably purchase some of these prints from the illustrator's website.
Aren't these so cute and whimsical?!?! And, they have all kinds of themes that would tie into almost any nursery design whether it be nautical, woodland animals, florals, jungle, travel, pirates, and so on!
When working to decorate Caroline's nursery, and then later her big girl room, I knew I wanted to decorate with some of these illustrations. Maybe another day I'll show you some more of those pics...
(And yes, I would tear apart a book for a picture. Still cheaper than buying a print somewhere else.)
Anyways, I found these precious books from BabyLit. The BabyLit books take an old classic such as Pride and Prejudice and uses it to teach counting. Sense and Sensibility is used to teach opposites. Emma is used to teach emotions, etc.... (Truth be told, my girls don't love to read these books, but I think they are super cute!)
I fell in love with the art in all of these books, but since they were board books I opted not to cut any up to frame the pics. So, I just chose one to leave open face on a shelf:
Cutest little Pride and Prejudice book!!!
My favorite page is the very first one!
I still think the little open book is pretty cute, but if I were doing the girls rooms again, I would probably purchase some of these prints from the illustrator's website.
Aren't these so cute and whimsical?!?! And, they have all kinds of themes that would tie into almost any nursery design whether it be nautical, woodland animals, florals, jungle, travel, pirates, and so on!
I absolutely love these prints...Check out these books or look into buying the prints. Either way, you will enjoy some eye candy with these illustrations.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Perspective Biographies
I love this time of year; anticipating the fresh start of a new school year around the corner. I love striving to do better than I did the last. And one goal I always have is to help all students connect better with literature that fits them. I believe in using a wide variety of literature in mini lessons, in hopes that a few kids will connect and go on to read more. I've written about many biographies here, here, and here. Different historical figures connect with different students, and it is fun to use a variety.
Past biographies I've written about are picture books that could probably be read aloud in completion. The books I'm featuring today are great biographies that are longer. I like to use a few pages for a mini lesson and provide copies for students to read independently if they choose.
The other cool thing about these books is that they are both written from a unique perspective!
Lewis and Clark and Me is written from the perspective of Meriwether Lewis's dog, Seaman. It is so fun to experience the expedition from the dog's eyes! This book is 64 pages broken into 9 chapters. Each chapter has a beautiful illustration. The text size is a bit larger than your average novel, making it a not-so-intimidating chapter book. I also found this book to be very ELL friendly for many of my intermediate 5th graders because the pictures in each chapter provide great support, there is a great map, and not too much confusing jargon.
For mini lesson ideas:
Preview and Predict: If you introduce it being from the dog's perspective and show the map, then you can have student's predict what types of things a dog would think about on a journey like this. (How would he eat? Would he hunt? Would he have to protect the men during danger? Is he a guard dog?)
Visualize it!: For fun, I like having my kids crawl on their hands and knees for a second and imagine the dog's physical perspective for a minute. What kinds of things is Seaman seeing?
Primary Source Documents: The end of each chapter contains a very short excerpt from Meriweather Lewis's journal. This makes for great discussion on Primary Sources, authenticity, validity, etc.
You can play around with this book and use it in many ways. The chapters are very episodic, so you could easily pick one from any point in the book and read it aloud to suit your lesson purposes. The last chapter is a sweet chapter that connects to anyone who has a strong relationship with a pet. It's very sweet. This would be a great book to enjoy with your students or your own children! :-)
Play, Louis, Play! is a biography of Louis Armstrong told from the perspective of his horn! Kinda extra cool that it's written from an inanimate object, and that gets me going with all sorts of writing ideas. Anyways, this book is 112 pages and feels like you're reading a novel and not a non-fiction biography.
This story is a beautifully told tale of trials and obstacles Louis overcame. You can use this book to discuss theme, perspective and author's purpose. And SO much characterization of Louis. One of my favorite things in this book is Louis response to kids calling him names like "Sachelmouth"...Louis would keep smiling and say "A good nickname is hard to find." He never let anyone get his goat. It's an inspirational book for students!
My kids also loved watching YouTube clips of Louis singing. This book is a great read!
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Books for the Times: Wonder
Yesterday I wrote about books for various age groups that deal with racism, diversity and prejudice. One thing I discussed is that teachers often teach racism as if it is a thing of the past, when it is still rampant today. Yet, much of the current literature that I shared does tell stories of the past. These stories are very important to share, but I’ve yet to find appropriate literature for children that tackles current racial issues in our country head-on. If anyone has any resources like this, please share! But, there are other resources we can use to build empathy and compassion in our students, and I wanted to share one in more detail today.
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Fear is the root of so much evil. People do such hateful things to others out of fear of the unknown…”…they fear each other because they don’t know each other…”
Wonder, by RJ Palacio discusses fear of the unknown through the story of a fifth grader named Auggie Pullman. Auggie has severe cranio-facial abnormalities. Due to multiple surgeries and issues, Auggie has been home-schooled up until 5th grade. This story follows his journey through 5th grade. RJ Palacio weaves an incredible story and shares from the perspectives of friends and family as they walk along Auggie.
I don’t want to give too much away, because I believe that almost anyone would enjoy this book. And, if you haven’t read it, you must. But, one huge plot point is how other children fear Auggie because they don't know him. If you buy the extended version with "The Julian Chapter" you will get a 5th grade appropriate dose of the type of hate and evil seen during Nazi occupied France. The fear of people who are "different" is weaved through the 1940s all the way into today's times.
At the end of the school year I read this book to my 5th graders for a few minutes each day, and it is so powerful. The kids are so drawn in, and they love the message. This wasn't a big "novel study" and there were no tests given. But, we did watch this video during the last week of school.
If you're looking for something to read with your kids or your students to encourage students to celebrate differences and look beyond appearances, this is your book.
I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with a two of my favorite quotes.
“There are always going to be jerks in the world, Auggie,” she said, looking at me. “But I really believe, and Daddy really believes, that there are more good people on this earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other and take care of each other.”
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
“what I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience,” he continued, “is the sure knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible. If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary—the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God.”
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Fear is the root of so much evil. People do such hateful things to others out of fear of the unknown…”…they fear each other because they don’t know each other…”
Wonder, by RJ Palacio discusses fear of the unknown through the story of a fifth grader named Auggie Pullman. Auggie has severe cranio-facial abnormalities. Due to multiple surgeries and issues, Auggie has been home-schooled up until 5th grade. This story follows his journey through 5th grade. RJ Palacio weaves an incredible story and shares from the perspectives of friends and family as they walk along Auggie.
I don’t want to give too much away, because I believe that almost anyone would enjoy this book. And, if you haven’t read it, you must. But, one huge plot point is how other children fear Auggie because they don't know him. If you buy the extended version with "The Julian Chapter" you will get a 5th grade appropriate dose of the type of hate and evil seen during Nazi occupied France. The fear of people who are "different" is weaved through the 1940s all the way into today's times.
At the end of the school year I read this book to my 5th graders for a few minutes each day, and it is so powerful. The kids are so drawn in, and they love the message. This wasn't a big "novel study" and there were no tests given. But, we did watch this video during the last week of school.
Through the book, my students always wanted to see a picture of Auggie, but being fiction, there isn't one. And, there are no illustrations in the book. So, it is interesting to see the various, unique and beautiful faces seen in this short video! After watching we wrote Kindness Pledges
and did some writing that reflected on the type of people we wanted to be as we moved forward in our lives. (And onto middle school!) If you're looking for something to read with your kids or your students to encourage students to celebrate differences and look beyond appearances, this is your book.
I could go on and on, but I'll leave you with a two of my favorite quotes.
“There are always going to be jerks in the world, Auggie,” she said, looking at me. “But I really believe, and Daddy really believes, that there are more good people on this earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other and take care of each other.”
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
“what I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience,” he continued, “is the sure knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible. If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary—the world really would be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God.”
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Books for the Times
Last week, I sat in bed watching in disbelief as the
Dallas sniper tragedy unfolded. My heart had been burdened all week by events
from Baghdad to Baton Rouge. As I watched, I thought about my two girls asleep
in their beds, blissfully unaware of the world’s sorrows. I thought about my
parents watching the Rodney King riots years ago while I was asleep. Like all parents, I know
they hoped and prayed for a better world for their children. Is the world any
better today?
I taught 5th grade reading and history combined for a few years. Sometimes, I think teachers are guilty of teaching as if racism is a thing of the past. ‘Once
upon a time there was segregation, but now we can all go to school together and
sit anywhere on the bus so it’s all good now.’ Smile and move on.
Early on I was guilty of this. It’s uncomfortable
and hard. I didn't know what to say, and was fearful of missteps. As my teaching career continued, I felt the need to be open about past and present racism in an age-appropriate way. By a certain age,
kids are aware of what is happening in the world at large, so you can't avoid the topic. I worked to incorporate literature in
my classroom that dealt with racial relations in our country, but I also looked
for literature with strong themes such as diversity, tolerance and acceptance.
As a mother, I’ve recently been wrestling with how to begin discussing racial diversity with my preschoolers. I want my daughters to grow up aware of the differences and the struggles faced by the oppressed. I pray they are loving, tolerant, and quick to embrace those who are different from them. I pray they are salt and light in this hurting world, and they are not too young to begin learning. As a teacher and children’s book enthusiast, my first response tends to be “Let’s find a book for that!” I believe in the power of story and it’s ability to make a better world.
This week I'd like to share some books, resources and thoughts on this matter. For today, I'm sharing three book lists, broken down by age. (I've had a hard time narrowing it down, but these are my favorites!) The books for older students share more specific stories of racism and prejudices in America. The books for very young children tend to focus more on embracing differences and openly speaking about color and race. My hope is that this list can be a great resource for teachers and parents.
Ages 9+
Through
My Eyes is an important autobiography that helps children walk in Ruby’s shoes
on her first days of school. One of the most poignant parts to read to students
is when Ruby recounts seeing protesters holding a black doll in a coffin. It is
powerful to have students empathize with Ruby and infer her emotions.
When
Marian Sang is a biography of opera singer Marian Anderson.
She faced many racial obstacles in her career, one of which was being banned
from singing at Constitution Hall. Ultimately, she ended up singing at ‘My
Country Tis of Thee’ a The Lincoln Memorial. Her encore song was ‘Nobody Knows
the Trouble I’ve Seen.’ Her story is powerful, and the poetry of lyrics weaved
into this book make the story even richer. This was hands-down my favorite
picture book to read to my class each year.
Benno the cat is loved by
Jews and Gentiles alike in his community in Berlin, Germany. His world is
changed as he watches his peaceful city becomes violent and hateful during
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass). This story is appropriate for students
who are not quite ready for full-blown Holocaust history, but are ready to
learn the horrible implications of racism around the world.
Erika was thrown from a cattle car headed for a
concentration camp in 1944. A German woman rescued her and raised her while
risking everything. This is another powerful Holocaust story that is
appropriate for older elementary students.
Personally and professionally, this is one of my
favorite books of all time. This New York Time’s best-seller tells the story of
Auggie, a 5th grader with severe cranio-facial abnormalities. His
journey through 5th grade is told through the perspective of Auggie
as well as others in his life. It discusses prejudice, judging by appearance,
and overcoming being afraid of those who are different than yourself. This is
an extremely powerful novel for parents to read to their children.
Ages 5-8
The Other
Side tells the tale of two girls, segregated by a fence who have been told to
stay on their sides. They strike up a friendship and dodge the rule by sitting
on the fence together.
This biography of Ruby Bridges is a great telling
of her story that is a little less intense than her autobiography. But, of
course this book would still be a great read for older students.
Pen pals from America and India share about their
lives and realize that in many ways they are different, but in big ways they
are the same.
Let’s
Talk About Race has a great opening as it explains that we all
have a story. Our race is a part of our story, but in so many ways our stories
are the same. I liked this book right away because I like how forward the title
is. I believe it is important for us to become more comfortable being up front
about race, racism and discrimination.
Grace loves to perform, but when it’s time for the
school to perform Peter Pan, she is discouraged because Peter wasn’t black.
(Spoiler alert, she gets the part!) This is a sweet story about achieving your
goals.
This book is not so much about racial issues/tension;
rather it is about the sharing of cultures. Patricia was born into a
Russian/Ukrainian Jewish family. In this story she shares friendship, culture
and traditions with an African American Christian family.
Ages 2-4:
This rhyming book uses many metaphors to describe
skin colors. It is a fun nursery-rhyme read with preschool children, however
the metaphors could make for interesting discussion with students who are a bit
older.
Karen Katz is a master writer of preschooler books!
This one tells the story of a young girl who learns to see the many shades of
brown in the world.
The lovely illustrations
in this book make for great conversation about cultures all around the
world. This book is beautiful poetry
with words and pictures. “Joys are the same, and love is the same. Pain is the
same, and blood is the same…” Whoever you are.
This is an old Sesame Street favorite, but it’s a
classic. The various characters (puppets and people) compare their various
unique features.
Many teachers might be scared about how to address this in the classroom, and perhaps some conversations need to arise as how to appropriately deal with this. But, I feel we can all agree that teaching students about past and current racism has to be addressed. It's part of our history, and I pray that through honest discussion and the power of story that we can make our world better in the future. Be open, be honest, and be inspired to read transforming literature to the children in your life!
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