1. Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson
Sassy and sweet, this story showcases a Rabbit who loves carrots and thats a big problem. He loves them too much. He loves the carrots so much that he is over crowded in his cozy burrow. When his friends ask to help him they're asking for trouble. Rabbit and his friends share deep relationships and show that no matter what happens in life friendships can endure. This is a great springtime and easter read aloud for children in 2 to 6 years old.
Activity: One of my favorite stories to read with my students over the years I have used this book for vocabulary, sequencing, and a fun writing creativity. You can grab my Too Many Carrots activities by clicking here!
2. Harlem Grown by Tony Hillery
Based on an inspiring true story, Harlem Grown shares the story of Tony Hillery and students from under funded school turning a vacant space and turning it into a functioning farm to provide food and beauty in their community. Students learn about healthy and sustainable eating while collaborating with one another and getting their hands dirty. Kids and their parents grow thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables in a year with the support of the non-profit organization Harlem Grown. A great read for children 4 through 10 years old.
Activity: One of the great ways you can honor this book and extend your childs learning is by planting your own garden. Whether it be a home garden, school garden or community garden, let your kiddos get their hands dirty and learn about the plant or plants that you are planting. Next time you're at the grocery store discuss the different foods you see and where they come from with children so they can understand that the food took a journey to get to the shelves they are use to taking it from.
3. The Honeybee by Kristen Hall
The Honeybee explores a year long journey of a single bee hive and the seasonal changes from spring to spring. Bees buzz from flower to flower and bring nectar back to the hive. Read this fun journey through a year with the bees with children from preschool through 3rd grade.
Activities: I always have loved learning about bees and insects with my students and reading books like The Honeybee enhance the learning and growing. One of the resources I loved using as well with my students was this video which discussed the life cycles of bees and continued information on them with real life images and videos to accompany the learning. Click here to view the video from PBS.
Keep your eyes peeled on my TpT store! Soon there will be a fun an exciting Bee unit coming for Earth Day!
4. We are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Inspired by an Indigenous-led movements in the United States, Water Protectors calls to action all of us to defend Earth's natural resources. A specific focus on protecting our precious waters that have been corrupted by oil pipelines and ground pollution on sacred grounds. The story is told through bold and lyrical writing. A great call to action for all ages to read at any time.
Activity: A great activity from Little Bins for Little hands is this Oil Spill Experiment. Using Dawn soap, vegetable oil and water you can explore oil spills and how they effect waterways with your child. Click here to get the directions and information right from Little Bins for Little Hands.
5. The Mess That We Made by Michelle Lord
The Mess That We Made is set in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and in the ocean. Children can imagine themselves as on of the four occupants of the boat that is surrounded by pollution as they sail the ocean. They witness the cycle of destruction and how it impacts plants, animals and humans. The book explores the magnitude of the issue and then rallies children and adults to make changes to help save our oceans and the life in them. You will find facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and how kids (and adults) can help.
Activity: One of the great resources I've found in talking about water pollution with students is this video. The video discusses how pollution happens, how it effects the waters and animals in the environment and ways in which we can grow. This is a great way to continue learning about water pollution. Click here to view the video.
6. If Bees Disappeared by Lily Williams
The fourth book in the award-winning If Animals Disappeared Series, What if Bees Disappeared explores the importance of Bees in our world and its BIG. All bee species of bees are in danger and there are over 250,000 of them! Because of pollution, poor nutrition, and deforestation entire honey bee hives are dying. The book explores the critical roles bees play in our lives and how we can help them to survive. The illustrations and text gives crucial information about bees lives and habitats as well as ways we can help to promote and help healthy environments for bees to live. A great book for 1st through 4th graders, this book gives a wide scope of information on bees and ways we can help bees as they remain in danger of disappearing.
Activity: A great activity for young children to further discuss bees is a sensory bin. This particular sensory bin focuses on the life cycle of bees. Children can use this sensory bin to explore the life cycle and practice their fine motor skills while moving pom-poms with small tongs. I loved using sensory bins in my classroom with my K-2 students. It was a great way to allow sensory time, focus on fine motor skills, and else self-regulation for students to take a break from the rigor of academic work. This particular sensory bin was inspired by Montessori from the Heart Blog. You can visit their blog to learn more about it!
7. One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul
An inspiring true story of Isatou Cheesay from Njau, Gambia, One Plastic Bag chronicles a movement to recycle plastic bags that were polluting the community. People of Njau, Gambia and many other places find it easy to use plastic bags but when they break or are no longer needed they simply get dropped on the ground. The piles of plastic bags along the streets began to fill with water and bring disease as well as pollute and clutter the climate. Isatou knew something had to change so she found a way to recycle the bags which transformed her community and many others. One Plastic Bag is a great story for children 5 to 9 years old.
Activity: A great follow up activity is to take a walk around your neighborhood or community and pick up trash and recycling. This is a great way to honor Isatou Cheesay and her mission to clean up her community. Another great way to honor the mission is to talk about recycling and how to reduce, reuse, and recycle products in your home or classroom.
8. Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco
A classic story, Rechenkas eggs tells the story of Old Babushka who is well known for her painted eggs for the Easter Festival. This year as Babushka is preparing her eggs she takes in an injured goose who she names Rechenka. One day Rechenka overturns a basket that breaks all of the beautiful painted eggs that Babushka had painted. The next morning Babushka is surprised when she wakes up to find what Rechenka has left in her basket. Rechenka's Eggs shows the process and beautiful craft of eggs pained in the Ukrainian style and can bring about conversations of ways different cultures celebrate the Easter season.
Activity: This story is one of my favorites to share with students each year. One of the activities I have done in my classroom has been to have students design their own egg (some years I use just paper other years I have used craft eggs, depends on the year and the class). Students then use their egg after they are finished designing it to write a descriptive paragraph about their egg. I brainstorm with them descriptive words and we work through what adjectives are and how to use them. After brainstorming students practice writing descriptive paragraphs to describe their eggs. We then have a fun activity where students eggs are numbered and no one knows who's egg is who's. Students read their descriptive writing paragraphs to the class and everyone tries to guess which egg is theirs based on their writing. Not only is this a fun activity for students to enjoy the spring and Easter season but also to practice their descriptive writing and listening skills. Here is a freebie that I have in my TpT store to assist with this activity! Click here for the activity.
9. The Good Egg by Jory John
The good egg is a verrrrry good egg but trying to be good is hard when everyone else is rotten. As the other eggs behave badly, the good egg starts to feel like he has to be perfect. The pressure of being perfect makes him want to crack under the pressure. But he decides to make a change. An important story of balance, self-care and accepting friends this is the perfect read aloud for children preschool through 2nd grade.
Activity: A great activity to accompany reading the Good Egg is to buy craft eggs, I got mine from target which is a 12 pack of eggs for 5 dollars, (click here for the link) and use washable markers to have children decorate the eggs like the good egg. The nice part about this activity is you don't have to deal with boiling the eggs, fear the mess of an egg breaking or having dye all over the house or classroom. One thing to be aware of is the washable marker does take a few minutes to dry on the egg so students can easily get marker on hands and clothing until they dry however they should be color free after a good hand wash and a run through the laundry for clothing.
10. Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Sometimes you might fall down, down, down, before you learn to fly up, up, up. You will enjoy turning the book upside down and sideways to follow Mel on her journey of learning to fly. She gots from downward fall to triumphant flight in a leap of faith and a tale of self confidence. A great growth mindset book for children from 2 years old through 1st grade.
Activity: Mel Fell is a great growth mindset and social emotional learning book as well as a great book for practicing sequencing with you students. You will find in my teachers pay teachers store a product for Mel Fell. This product includes a large color sequencing activity, a sequencing worksheet, beginning, middle, end sequencing practice, prediction worksheet, and two writing projects, one with just a sentence and another to write a paragraph. You can find the product by clicking here.
These are just a few of my favorites for April. I look forward to sharing more fun books and activities with you for may. Until then head back each Friday to see what is new and exciting here on the blog! Happy reading!
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